Arsenal Banter Archive December 16 2012

16 Dec 2012 22:28:39
for some reason i would take a risk and buy david villa aswell as another striker i think he will be an ideal number 9 ed what your thoughts on that could it happen im hearing arsenal are in talks over 14 different transfers in and out it could be a busy january in and out {Ed027's Note - why bother buying two stikers, were already playing Poldi and Theo out wide, why waste more talent

We desperately need to revert to a fluid 4-4-2 formation, where Walcott & Podolski could play off Giroud. Chamakh & Bendtner have been ruined, so we need another big forward. We also need at least one, if not two tall defensive midfield players.

I here that ed but at the mom theo mayb on his way plus i believe villa will suit our play it is a long season rotation and versatility would not waste talent at the moment we havent found the right formula when we have given pods down the middle as yet but i think versatility is good and yet i say ed man u they have 4 strikers and welbeck drifts on the wing but yet man u seem to rotate so us adding villa not a bad option

16 Dec 2012 21:58:45
Is it just me or is gervihno that bad the when he misses he actually thinks its not going to get noticed?ive never rated him,and after that miss at Bradford.....well I was livid,he just smirked as in it didn't matter!! I think him,Ramsey and chamakh are a disgrace and if they got offloaded it would be great business ....

Goober gav

Gervinho should not be played in the main striking role, I cannot for the life of me understand why Wenger didnt take this opportunity to play Podolski as the forward & Gervinho on the left. Personally, I would play 2 strikers: Giroud with Podolski in a free role of him. or Chamakk with Walcott. Gervinho could also play off another forward.
This persistence with one central striker, has caused problems, with Bendtner & Chamakh played out of their natural positions, wide & Podolski & Walcott, both want to play in a more central attacking role, rather than wide. Wenger seems to want to play players out of position, apparently Vertonghen wouldnt sign as Wenger wanted him to play in midfield. Gibbs is played at LB, when he was a midfield player.

16 Dec 2012 20:50:32
January will see the sale of Theo and I can't wait !! I wont even care if he goes to play with his chum at Man Utd. When he signed he knew what the wage structure was at the club. How does he feel that he deserves £100 grand a WEEK when Podolski who has a hundred caps and nearly half a century of goals for Germany get £90 grand a week. His attitude stinks. Good riddance. Need more players like Jack, players who are willing to take responsibility for their actions. Just a shame that he was injured at the beginning of the season. He should be captain.

Naz

I actually think it's got more to do with being played on the right wing when all he's wanted to do is play up top alongside another striker. Of course this is double-edged - Theo has not made that position his own. He has not mastered picking the ball up, dribbling at the goal and getting a shot off. He has not mastered crossing for the guys in the middle nor pulling the ball back. He's done it, but inconsistently at best.

He's only ever wanted to play up top and when he was brought to the club this is what he was told would happen. Wenger has experimented with Theo and played him out of position just as he did with B52, Arshavin, Nasri and a whole host of others. Wenger needs to understand that leaving arsenal to play in your favoured position elsewhere is pretty well fair enough.

Yeah, and how good are performing Arshavin( Russia NT) NB52(juventus) and Nasri(manc) in their prefered positions... Wenger knows best ;)

Nasri and RVP had also "other motives" to leave besides money. I would had believed them if their salary wasn't with 100k more per week now(in RVP's case is 130k more). It is always about the money... This is the world we are living, and so that is the football we are watching. Only FFP rules can save football !!

BGGOONER

16 Dec 2012 18:42:42
Oh Dear , oh very very dear

Downing crossing for Giroud.....my god is his plan for Arsenal really that bad ?

oh dear, oh very dear, oh my god it really is happening, we are actually going to do it.

Oh dear oh very dear

I just decided to move to Nepal and live out my years as a mountain goat.

Gooner Goat Man

Lol Giroud wasn't a flop at his last place, Downing has been but, whilst I can't see Downing coming anyway, if he does he has to be given his chance like a couple of other players we signed who had bad times at their previous clubs, you amy of heard of them......go by the names Bergkamp and Henry

It'll never happen.

We don't put crosses into the box, Downing will be played left back. Wenger loves all that.

Paul

16 dec 2012 17:37:07
out of the 15 players we have out on loan i can only see 2 players that could break into the 1st team 1 day.

what happened with players lie ryo who were suppose to be the next best thing?
players that hit the 1st team from home grown are going to be in it by the time their 18,like jack gibbs ans cesc.

what happened to youth policy for academy players?

champagne charlie

I agree charlie but something tells me you bought into the goal article a bit too much, forgive me I'm wrong. Look at United's youth academy graduates, most of them were the class of 94' or whatever they called them, the likes of Giggs and Scholes, long time ago - other then that its Cleverly and the likes, the only team to really produce top players and keep them are Barca. Wengers real talent is finding players between 18-21 and making them stars.

Sheeny

Maybe it's the hype a lot of people create on places like this. It happens every year. Maybe they are just not good enough. Ryo was touted as the next big thing before making first team appearance. Same as Gnabry, and I know your a fan of eisfeld.
Personally I look at previous players you have talked of ie Fabregas and Wilshere. To think they were playing first team games at what, 16/17 years old shows the gulf in class they have over others. Until recently with sterling at Liverpool what other club has been producing top class players. You can't produce these players. They are football freaks for want of a better description.

Sheeny you forgot to mention that after he makes them stars we sell them on for a large profit, then fail to reinvest in the team properly! Citing such ball bags as dept on the stadium, not being able to compete with City/Utd/Chelsea financially while ripping off the hard working loyal fans. The youth project hasn't worked, all players that have been touted as the next big thing don't end up getting a sniff in the 1st team then are shipped out for peanuts! JET, Lansbury, Bartley for example.

OnlyOneGilbertO

Guys the way it works is that you take a load of kids into the academy.

Out of these a very low percentage will be good enough to turn pro but only a miniscule percentage will be good enough for Arsenal. You're lucky to get one or two a year

Those that are good enough to be pros but not exceptional and good enough for Arsenal are sold and this money funds the next wave of academy players where you may turn up the exceptional player

The problem is that supporters see these kids in aacademy games v their contemporaries from other academies. They play well and too many supporters think that means they will be able to step up and give the same awesome performances against premier league pros. They're seen as the next big thing when very very few of them are

The truth is that all clubs have academies and limited first team squad places to fill so these over hyped stars of the future are sold on because they simply do not have that spark to make them special like JW10 did. He was that one in god knows how many exceptionally talented kid.

Academies are also restricted by rules about the maximum distance a kid can live from the academy. Its pot luck whether the next JW10 will live within our academies catchment area!

For those who think our academy is failing because the kids aren't flowing into the first team I have a question........how many of the kids we have sold on without becoming first team regulars for us first have gone on to play international football or even win titles?

Our academy is performing as it should.

Soopergooner

Well whatever about the academy I hope we can all agree, Eisfeld is a handy number!

Sheeny

16 Dec 2012 17:29:37
I'm 50/50 over whether Wenger should stay, so heres some thoughts for and against to help me decide...

FOR
Tactics:
1, Has switched to an attacking 4-2-3-1 this season in order to play more flair players in midfield and account for the lack of strikers at the club. The game is all about possession atm (Spain, Barca etc) and hes moved with that trend.
2, Not afraid of throwing on forward thinking players and attempting to win games, ie still appears to want to win games as he did back in teh day.
3, Continues to intergrate fringe or young players into the first team this season, eg Coquelin, Jenkinson, Meade, Gnarby, Eisfield etc

Transfers:
1, Brought in Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla during the summer to account for the loss of RVP and Song. All three came off successful seasons, are full internationals and add quality to our squad.
2, Made a healthy profit on Song (and RVP) and saw we had ample amount of central midfielders to cover the loss.
3, Continues teh mantra that unless the transfer targets are better than what we already have, we dont waste money on squad players.

Other:
1, Brought in Bould, a familiar and trusted man as coach.
2, Has brilliant relationship with the Board.


AGAINST
Tactics:
1, Gervinho....why?? Continues to play a second rate winger as a Champions League teams first choice striker. Barn door with a banjo springs to mind.
2, Walcott...why not play him thru the middle as he has threatened for years.
3, Refuses to play a `hardman` in midfield thus exposing our defence every single game, no wonder we concede soft goals and TV, Mert etc look like persons.
4, We will lose around 10-15 goals this season to corners or freekicks for one simple reason - zonal marking.

Transfers:
1, Bought well in the summer but only to replace players we shouldnt have sold. Same old.
2, Will not buy proven world class players due to wage demands...either morally he refuses to buy them or his hands are tied by the board re wages.
3, Sees players such as Coquelin as than any that are available such as M'Villa, Capoue etc. Same with Gervinho as our best option for a winger and Ramsay as Champions League standard box-to-box midfielder. Dont even mention squad players such as Santos, Squillachi, Arshavin, Park. In short, simply refuses to admit hes wrong.
4, Wont let Diaby go. Beyond madness now, simply not on.

Other:
1, Has brilliant relationship with the Board....but is too close to see the wood for trees. I believe a Manager should stand with but also not be afraid to (publically or in private) disagree with the ppl paying his wages. A little rebellion isnt a bad thing. Wenger acts like he is the Manager AND the Board, judge and jury. Hes too close imo, they wont sack him as in a way, he controls teh Board too.

Meh.

/Son1ka

Good post /Son1ka - sums things up well: I feel similarly about Arsene Wenger.
By the way has anyone else stumped through the Arsenal artcile in Four Four Two magazine and felt able to get to the end without feeling sick? It all sounds so good and plausible, except for one thing...there seems to be an acceptance that not actually winning anything is alright so long as principles are stuck to and books are at the very least balanced. The latter works in a business beautifully, but in a sporting venture, where the challenge is to win?

Max Farnham

I stopped reading as soon as you said his tactics have been good. His substitutions at times have been anything but positive and the formation and Wengers stubbornness to deviate from it has been a major problem for years.

Conor

Thanks for reading til the end Conor...no wait u didnt, u read the first few lines and then posted thinking u knew the rest, way to go.

Thanks for the reply Max, AFC certainly keep their books well but as you said, football isnt a buisiness in teh conventional way, its a sport where the aim above all others is to win. I`m not advocating teams going into debt but without ambition, you lose the competitive nature. Unless that is, they start awarding points at the end of the season for profit or loss..

/Son1ka

16 Dec 2012 16:44:04
Couple of quick points...

Must kill Walcott to see Wenger consistantly sticking by Gervinho as a striker when Walcott is fit, on form and far more composed a finisher. Wenger has said in the past that he sees Walcott as a striker...yet wont play him even tho Giroud is injured or out of form (earlier in the year).

The only reason I can see for this is that AFC and/or Wenger is taking the stance that whilst Walcott dithers over singing a new contract, he will remain on the wing. Sing and show commitment and you`ll get a shot up front when possible....dont sign and stay on the wing and then fo off to City/United/abroad. No player is bigger than the club etc. It certainly cant be that he sees Gervinho as a better striker than Walcott, surely...

/Son1ka

Agree.

which means that Wengers stubbornness kind of deliberately harms our team.

Stefan

What about podolski! You're a proven goal scorer and a big name in the game and you're being played on the left wing while a rubbish winger is being played as centre forward! I'm sure he's delighted atm

16 Dec 2012 16:21:24
really impressed with ciaran clark at villa just the type of young defender we should be looking at composed good on the ball and srong in the air and already acclamatised to the pace of premier league football......ed are you aware of any interest from arsenal....brum gooner

16 Dec 2012 13:36:20
Guys could I make a request on this page please? I am a fan of this page as you know and I love hearing what everyone has to say. But humans are interesting psychological beings and it only take one or two disagrees before others are joining in without thinking about it.

I do not necessarily condone the way Charlie puts up post after post of the same stuff but he does also put up some very fair posts! Yet they get hammered with disagrees just because it's him. Can I just ask everyone that you don't do that?

He's put a post up today about the youth policy, abou how we've brought nobody through the academy since Cesc came through apart from Jack and Gibbs. That is totally true, and also shocking if you think about it. And it is also true that he buys cheap young players to add to our set up, most likely because we are not rolling out the players we need. Why did he randomly buy and injured Eisfeld? Surely we had 3 of our own players? Answer - because ours were not showing the same potential. Charlie's post is bang on, please don't just hammer it with disagrees for the sake of it!

The youth set up simple is not producing anywhere near the talent we were told it is/does/would. It hasn't for years if ever. I have said before, when you get one-offs like Jack, Wenger will put it down to the exceptional academy- that's nonsense. It's Jack's own natural talent and way with the ball. You cannot teach that. If we were producing a wave of players of similar quality every year then fair enough but we aren't. Most of the players who don't make it Arsenal go and join championship and league 1 teams, that's the cold hard truth.

Metal Gooner

Metal, Charlie

I'd be interested to know what experience and coaching qualifications you have?

Its easy to spout stuff but as none of us have done the job and none of us have the in depth knowledge of the club its absolutely impossible for us to say whether or not Arsene is doing a good job. To do that we would need to know what targets have been set for Arsene.

You both have to accept that he isn't delivering what you want rather than what's in the best interest of the club. Your anger is based on your expectations but are these expectations realistically achievable for the club? You and I don't know so I think you need to take a step back sometimes and think through what you're saying

The generation of homegrown talent is a must for all clubs. There are very few JW10s at any club and our academy is better than most

The truth is that the sale of a kid to a lower division club funds the academy and that gives us the potential to find the next JW10 rather than have to spend tens of million buying them

Before you ask I have coached kids football and I know that less than 1% of kids are even looked at by clubs. Of those kids less than 1% are taken into academies and for various reasons less than 1% of academy players make it at any club. Finding a JW10 is about the same odds as winning a signicant amount on the lottery - how many JW10 quality players have come through in the last 5 years - I'd say less that 1 per academy so our academy is doing ok

Winning academy trophies is, never has and never will be any proof of producing a JW10 it just proves your academy was better across its kids than the others.

Soopergooner

Then tell me wich youth setup is more productive than ours?

Don't know who wrote this but its exactly my point. Each academy is lucky to get a JW10 every few years. Our academy found JW10, gibbs and as we bought him in debatably cesc. There's a couple of serious hopes coming through now so the academy is doing ok

The problem is some people just want to moan and they will keep finding new targets to moan about

If the club is in the mess Metal and Charlie portray then I think they need to go and support a club that spends money without worrying about anything as that would suit their needs......someone like.....ooooooh......I don't know......yeah got it......the club for them is Leeds or Portsmouth
Soopergooner

Maybe those of you who replied to charlie and metal forget that arsenals youth academy once produced Adams Rocastle Thomas Keown Merson Campbell Davis Parlour all at a similar time long before wengers time.
Indeed not all players make it, but the lack of talent we have produced is dissapointing given that we have poached youngsters from all four corners of the world.
Ps i coach U17 if that counts for anything.
Ike.

Guys the point is that Wenger believes our youth set up is providing us with first team stars around whom he would like to buy one or two world class players from outside the club - this has not happened in the slightest so his use for the youth policy has not worked. How many youth products are in the set up? How any of us wanted to see Bartley, Afobe, Lansbury, JET, come into the fray? Frimpong's been marred by injury but other than that it's Jack and Gibbs, that's it. We piked Ramsey from Sheffield United, Jenko from Charlton and the Ox from Southampton, and all our other players are foreign imports of some kind or other.

So since this 'incredible' youth policy came in we've seen precisely one world class player emerge - Wilshere. Now, either Wenger knew what he wanted to achieve and what was likely to happen were not aligned, or he has proven that his experiment either hasn't worked, or won't work for another 4 years or so by which time Yennaris, Miquel, Meade, Aneke, Afobe, Agha, Ansah, etc etc are all in their twenties and 'world class' which remains to be seen.

So as of now no the youth policy has been no success in terms of the aims as set out by Wenger and told to the fans and world at large. We produce good and sometimes great players sure - but that's not what Wenger was aiming for and it hasn't furnished the team with world class talent. Instead we still rely on Diaby and Rosicky being fit to run the midfield, and foreign bargains up top.

As for the coaching, you don't need to have coached football to see our problems, just as you don't need to have handled cash in a shop or worked on the counters in a bank to understand money. You don't need to be a PHD Psychotherapy student to be able to tell when someone's crazy either - I am not the only person who has no coaching qualifications who can see what's wrong with the coaching at Arsenal. Zonal marking, poor passing, lack of fluidity, toothless attacking football is the order of the day. We dominate possession and maybe score a goal or two against teams where 4 players might earn what 1 of ours does.

I am not saying the academy is poor - it isn't. I'm saying it isn't doing what Wenger intended it to do. Nobody can deny that.

Metal Gooner

16 Dec 2012 13:12:16
ed what do you think will happen with walcott? {Ed001's Note - I expect him to leave, no one runs down their contract this far if they intend to stay. They only stay in these instances if they are given a contract offer that blows all others out of the water. I really don't see that happening in this case.}

16 Dec 2012 12:56:31
shay given anyone?

16 Dec 2012 12:32:12
so champagne charlie,
Its ok for you to talk rubish about ppl and the club we love, like willing the team to lose and putting all the blame on AW when he does the best he can with the coffers he has at his disposal... But when someone disagrees with you or says your talking BS you get your knickers in a twist.
Yes we need a change but in the right places would be a good start.
you keep talking about bringing in a new manager and giving 100-150 million for signings, this will only work if they loosen the purse strings on wage budget, then whos to say AW would not be able to work his magic again with them resources like he did between 1996-2006!

N5Gunner

Would love to see what AW would do with that amount of money

Put the money into a visible account and see if we spend it - clearly players can't be forced to join but if board tell Wenger to not be concerned about wages, that can only help

I am sure Mata and Hazzard would have joined if we had the right financial package

Then hold him accountable

SY4

I have been chatting with an sports agent from america that deals with NFL/NBA players mainly but is moving on to MLS guys... he has been working with some guys from N.Y.R.B's and L.A.G, he said Henry is wanting to make his move back permanent to help the boss put the club back where it belongs,stan is a sucker and will get bored soon and sell to alisher soon!

in Arsène we trust! COYG...
Skavadar72

16 dec 2012 11:42:40
the break up for power at arsenal is the day ivan gazidas and arsen wenger fall out.

ivan is informing stan kroenke whats going on but hes doing it in his point of view.

the way a club should be run from the top is

1-stan kroenke

2-ivan gazidas

3 the manager

ivan is a pro at his job and eventually will get sick and tired of playing 2nd fiddle to wenger.

gazidas is the only 1 from the board that takes the flack of the supporters,hes the 1 that has to attend all those supporter meetings.
hes a marketing pro and a spin doctor to sell arsenal globally. he knows there is only so far the dream can be sold before supporters cop on.

gazidas can all ways blame wengers policy?
but can arsene really blame ivan for not providing funds and backing?

very interesting january coming up.

champagne charlie

Surely Wenger would be sacked if he was not doing his job in line with boardroom expectation

That implies that the board are happy with Wenger as they manage the budget

Funding may change now given the
Deals on the table, performance on field and unrest.

We don't need Dein back as the world has changed but we need the board to realise that we need to spend to challenge

Think about it

SY4

16 Dec 2012 10:57:55
Seems we have been watching Jetro Willems a young Dutch left back, could be a nice addition - very attack minded so could also play LM as well.

Maybe one for the future but at the moment not good enough got tore to shreds at the euros although he was playing with a awful defence next to him

manchester gooner

16 Dec 2012 10:37:39
Hopefully we will sign

1 of M'villa, Capoure, Wagmamma's and Diame (clause of 3.7)

1 of Ben Afra. Erickson, Hulk , Dzagoev, Alexis Sanchez, Ozil & Kaka

1 or 2 of Soldado, Damaio, Huntelaar, Higuain & Villa

These our the type of players we need stop spending so much on unproven players like Zaha

I reckon we could get

M'vill 15mill max - Diame 3.7m

Ben Afra 17mill max

Hunter last year contract 12m max

That's just a outlay of around 50 million but could get cheaper as i put what I think is max worth.
i.e hunter last year of contract, Rennes keen to sale, Ben afra wanting to leave for a club like arsernal. diame escape clause in contract

Correct me if I am wrong but qualifying for the champs lge is worth 40 mill, plus most of these players can play champs lge this season getting us further then second round which could bring in another 10-20 million
So to me these players would pay there transfer fee's themselves in the revenue they would bring in as currently i dont see us finishing top 4 and progressing any further in the champs lge with the current crop of players (our saved transfer funds from Van persie. nasri etc would cover wages)

With these additions we should finish at least be 3rd this season and be challenging for all honers next season

It seems good business to me.

No doubt the board and Wenger will disagree

What is your view guys,

I am so bored at work today

spanner

Shez
Sagna Mert Verm Gibbs

M'villa
Arteta Wilshere

Ben Afra Santi
Hunter

Rotate / Wallcot, Kos, Diame, Poldski, Giroud. OX

That's a great team not to mention back ups Diaby, Rosicky and even Ramsey(CM not RW) Elsfield and Garnby breaking through as well

C'mon slash the cash

Get rid of Crapmak, forehead, conq and AA who are not arsenal quality

Does any think the above is not achievable ? If so why not?

please give your feedback

spanner

Of that list I would want Wanyama, Ben Arfa, Dzagoev and Higuain.

Metal Gooner

18 Dec 2012 23:06:40
Hulk, Ozil, Wanyama please

16 Dec 2012 10:05:26
Arsene wenger has become increasingly fed up with criticism of his running of the club and is likely to accept Real Madrids yearly approach this summer.

Yep, we gladly give Jose Wenger job.

spanner

16 Dec 2012 09:50:06
Banter please Eds. Thanks.

Metal,

Thanks for the great reply and sorry that I didn't get back to you last night, I think your post and Gunners4life sum up the opinions in both camps as far as Arsene is concerned.

The bottom line right now, above and beyond 7 trophy less years, is your damning point and that of GG, which is simply the footballing decisions, they just don't add up and it's easy to look at stability at a club, what went on before and say you won't know what you're missing until it's gone but they really are bordering on ridiculous. This squad of 26, which imo contains only 16 who are fit for purpose is way better than it's playing.

I've probably been guilty of glossing over things as Daniel pointed out but I have been a massive fan of Arsene though at one point said the best signing we could make this year was Klopp, I haven't changed that opinion just an acceptance that Arsene will remain with us for reasons beyond my control, the only unknown is for how much longer and like I said It won't be the end of Arsenal, just a great manager. I'd love that to change but don't see it.

You spoke of SAF and to a degree for Arsene and others it's like being a great golfer but being born in the era of Tiger Woods, he has not only shown himself to be a great manager but was given the backing to put theory into practice.

It has only been those that have had the ability to change and to spend big that have rested any titles from Utd whilst we have stood still in the name of the Emirates.

Stoner

Exactly Stoner, for me Wenger has digressed as well as everyone else improving. We are not the only team with good players.

MOTD last night was really good. However it left me asking myself, why don't we shoot? Why is Cazorla taking more shots than Giroud or Podolski in a game?

This is a coaching issue. There are fundamentals we are not doing on a game-to-game basis that others are.
Playing 433 only works if your wide players make mad runs across the defence for a ball between the CBs or over the top. This doesn't happen. Also, it works when the forward 3 peg the defence back - you fire the ball to Giroud, who lays it back for an oncoming midfielder to hammer at goal. This is basic training ground stuff and it's not happening! WHy?!

I watched Pilkington make a simple run and SMASH a goal in. Why is there nobody at the club doing this? Our 3 bst strikers of the ball - Podolski, Giroud and The Ox, well one is benched or subbed, and the other two are wide.

This is a basic fundamental coaching error. If Gervinho has to play, he should be wide. Podolski needs to be one of 2. Giroud and the Ox need to be closer to the goal.

Santi can hit the ball well but as a rule his shooting is disappointing, high and wide. Yet he takes up the positions. How is it that Wigan players, Sunderland players, West Brom players, you name it....how can those clubs have pretty well once upon a time championship level players peppering the goal and scoring from midfield? Morrison, Gera, Maloney, that Sunderland guy, they love scoring from outside the box.

Why can't Arsenal players take shots?

It's been one of our biggest weaknesses for years.

When Giroud picked up the ball in the middle of the half, took the ball towards goal and hammered one in from outside the box, the crowd loved it, the team we were playing felt it, and one day it'll go in. The football we're playing at the moment is simply dreadful. I cannot think of many teams playing worse football than us and that is not an understatement. The individual talent we have should see us playing miles better especially in relation to the football, but our players are not doing basic things- find space, get the ball, have a go!

This is a coaching issue. Regardless of money etc it is not Gazidis asking the players to make 3 more passes before losing the shooting chance. Pilkington got one chance and he took it. When do we do this?

Metal Gooner

16 dec 2012 09:18:22
ok!

i am going to do it differently today!

if every thing i have said came out to be true about wenger running the show and had the final say on everything at the club!

would people still support him?

champagne charlie

16 Dec 2012 08:45:46
Right, firstly i'm an AW fan, have supported and backed him and his choices when many other fans have given up. I still think the guy is class and will be head hunted by a lot of top teams as he has been for the last 10+ years, Real Madrid want him, says a lot. HOWEVER, I am now of the opinion that the club needs to be guided through new eyes, new ideas & new directions. I don't know if the issues start with our manager or our board, my feeling is that AW has been the defense for the board for years. AW in my opinion will finish the season, take a side step or leave on his terms at the end of the season, he will not walk away mid season and I don't think he should, he can and I think will save our season, TBH as sad as it sounds missing out on CL next season could be a good thing for this crop of players.

So, anyway, thinking managers and who would take up the challenge, Pep of course is the man we all know is the one for the job, he would lead Arsenal into a new era and and end up with a statue of him and AW shaking hands outside the stadium.

But now lets get real, sensible suggestions on who we would like to take the top job (one of the best paid jobs in football) with a little reasoning if you please?


Steve Clark
Michael Landrup
David Moyes
Joahchim Low
Rudi Garcia
Marcello Lippi
Jurgen Klopp

just a few from the top of my head!

Mong Out!

Klopp - hanging on to our policies (producing players),, new ideas, german character and discipline, free-flow beautiful attacking football.. solid defence, eye for talent and sense and adaptability in terms of tactic.... he's my choice if he can deliver above mentioned into our club and english football....

Klopp - hanging on to our policies (producing players),, new ideas, german character and discipline, free-flow beautiful attacking football.. solid defence, eye for talent and sense and adaptability in terms of tactic.... he's my choice if he can deliver above mentioned into our club and english football....

16 Dec 2012 10:03:44
Rafa Benitez because I like the whay he's handled himself with those knucklehead Chelski fans.

Seriously, Klopp...please see Dortmund and he looks like he wouldn't take any sh*ep to boot.

Stoner

Laudrup is a rubbish manager, so overrated.

16 Dec 2012 05:42:45
I have a question - what would it take for you to stop supporting Arsenal?

I mean, like many fans, over the last 5 years:

- I don't like the owner & board
- I don't really support the dictator manager
- I only like a few of our current players, I certainly do not idolise any of the players the same way as DB10, TH14, Adams and Wrighty
- I don't agree with the players sold and brought
- I don't like the stubborn and predictable tactics
- I don't like the coaches and poor quality football
- I don't like the high prices
- I don't like the club's aspirations of 4th place as a success
- I don't like the lack of passion and noise in the stadium
- I don't like the food and beer on matchdays


If a political party wasn't going in the direction you wanted, or appointed a new leader you didn't like, you would stop supporting them.

If a company (eg. a famous coffee chain) didn't pay their fair share, you'd stop buying from them.

If you got a new boss at work, and he/she caused you concern for your wellbeing, you'd look elsewhere.

If your missus or best mate abused your trust and loyalty, you'd be done with them.

We choose to support who we want, or buy from who we want. So what would it take for a football club to lose your support?

And I'm not just talking about glory hunting and winning, if I were to choose a new club now it would be Everton or Wigan, perhaps Fulham or West Ham, because I like the way their players, managers and owners go about their business a lot more than I do Arsenal.

The last 5 years have been so bad on and off the pitch, that a major change is needed, ether the club makes the major change, or the fans change.

I want my Arsenal back.

Nothing in this world or the next could stop me supporting my team.

It doesn't work like that. Flybo

To even think about that you really cannot be a true fan - bye bye

A club should be where your from or family ties not who takes your fancy that year....plastic fans like you is what the emirates is full of, persons who buy up the season tickets to sit there and have a chat about the current state of affairs at the club and where the glory days that prompted you to support the club have gone. WIN LOSE OR DRAW gunner till i DIE!!!

Baz136

Well said baz- I have supported for 56 years now- the first few years I used to walk (run) there in about an hour from hackney with other kids from our street... some of the kids in our street were spurs supporters obviously they were the ones with a few strange genes or brain cells missing. Big diff today is the expectation - spud supporters don't expect success bas they aren't usede to it!!!! PLEASE STAY ARSENE BUT PLEASE GET GERVINHO BACK ON THE WING HE WILL BE GOOD THERE!!

16 Dec 2012 01:31:16
Ed who would you put your money on replacing Wenger?

Cheers {Ed001's Note - I wouldn't.}

15 Dec 2012 23:32:18
Forgot to say.
I hope Jack signs in the next couple of weeks. I could really do with some good news. I mean BRADFOFD FOR F**K SAKE! Err em.. sorry. I just can't let it go.
UP THE GOONERS. Flybo

15 Dec 2012 23:22:29
BIT OF FUN.
Q1.If Berbatov was offered to us in the r.v.p deal ( he doesn't deserve capital letters) how much money would you want as an add on, for it to have been a good little deal?
Q2. Who do you think, in the next 5 years, will be the next top manager. I'm not thinking "who will we be in for". I'm talking in general.
Who have you had your eye on?
If you can be asked.
UP THE GOONERS. Flybo

To be honest, Berbatov and £25m would have been pretty nice. RVP was worth about £50m to us if not more so yeah.

Metal Gooner

Sorry second question....no idea! Ask again in the summer. Laudrup is in with a shot- imagine him with big funds.

Metal Gooner

For q2 - frank de boer

15 Dec 2012 21:42:22
Robin Van-Persie: "I'm home, I hope the Manchester United fans forgive me for arriving late"

On behalf of the United fans, we forgive you Rob.

Sydney!

Hope you are still saying that after he starts getting the one year sick notes ready