11 Apr 2015 17:17:01
Our financial restrictions have been done to death but people from other pages coming on here and having a pop at us for not being competitive are missing the point.

First, we are the most competitive we have been for about a decade - this timeframe is not a coincidence.

Are we competitive enough? Not yet.

Are we happy with that? No, but certainly happier than we have been.

Are we heading in the right direction? Of course we are.

Are we going to be competitive again? Wenger said when he signed his 3-year extension that we would win the title during that term. He also said once that his team could go unbeaten..

Second, under Wenger, we had the best team in the country up to 2004, but by then the new stadium was already under construction and the board knew that sacrifices in forthcoming years would have to be made. One of those sacrifices was to sell virtually one, sometimes two, star players every year and limit inward investment and therefore quality. Our once great side was being diluted on an annual basis yet we still finished in the top four. People can laugh at this achievement as not achieving anything other than mediocrity but look how Spurs, Liverpool, United and possibly City this season have struggled to reach that level. And whereas we achieved it with very limited investment, they all failed with significant investment.

Investment is about limited funds and making choices including infrastructure and players. The decision the club made to build new training facilities and the stadium was to take one step back in the short term to ensure a more positive long term. The club knew it was going to be a prolonged period of hardship but couldn't publicise it because of the impact on ticket sales and attracting players to an uncompetitive club. We didn't win because winners signed for other clubs instead and even our winners left us. But players' careers are short so we can't necessarily blame them.

Wenger agreed to steer the club through those very choppy waters and take the flak. And take it he did. All those battles with Mourinho with one hand tied behind his back must have been very difficult to live with. I don't see any other manager sacrificing his career for the long term good of the club and stay true to the cause while all those on the outside and some on the inside ridiculed him.

That said, I've not always been Wenger's biggest fan but it was impossible to form a fair opinion based on the truth because we didn't know the truth - was he a stubborn git who refused to spend or were the financial constraints more severe than we were being told. With Ozil and Sanchez, we now have our answer.

We have been a club of hope and excuses for 10 years but we will look back on that period and fully appreciate why we had to go through it as well as Wenger's significant role in overseeing it. Let's see how competitive Spurs and Liverpool will be as they make significant changes to their stadiums. I suspect both will fall away to a degree and Wenger's 4th place trophy will be viewed in a new light.

We have now turned a corner and the cycle of failure that CTR talks about, although very valid in the past, is no longer relevant. We can't say we're going to win this, that and the other because the sides around us are all capable and will strengthen this summer too, but things for us have changed and I'm looking forward to seeing us take on Mourinho and the rest on a more equal footing.

No more excuses, no more constraints - our best team against the rest. Then we'll see how good Wenger is or not. I suspect he'll get another contract extension after his current deal expires and people will remember him for his very successful early years, a long period of personal and professional sacrifice, and successful finale.

1.) 11 Apr 2015
11 Apr 2015 22:13:28
Absolutely fantastic post Barn.

2.) 12 Apr 2015
11 Apr 2015 23:31:38
Best post I've seen here. Loved it!

3.) 12 Apr 2015
12 Apr 2015 09:13:16
Fantastic post mate. Cannot add nor subtract from that. Brilliant!

4.) 12 Apr 2015
12 Apr 2015 10:12:55
Great post TB, a tiny bit of tinkering in the summer with no big names leaving and I've got a good feeling for next season. Arsene has took us through the highs & lows but I'd have to say if he left who is out there to take us forward? Arsene bleeds red & white for our club! Whisper it Gooners.....The double is still on! COYG

5.) 12 Apr 2015
12 Apr 2015 12:20:06
Great post Barn, seeing some of CTR's posts on here in the past few weeks about our recent success had me thinking about posting something on the same lines.

You said it better than I could though and I agree with every word. Top post.

When you take all this into consideration it makes me think just how unfair all that criticism he got was, and just how much of a top man he is for taking it on the chin. I'm sure times like the present make it all worthwhile for him, 8 wins in a row, won 16 of last 18, second in the league 2 matches away from retaining the Fa cup. Times are definitely looking better.

Like you say let's see what we can really achieve without being held back.