David Dein has said that Wenger deserves respect from Arsenal fans and is still the best man to take the club forward. In his interview he talks about the difficulties that the modern transfer market creates for clubs (without Billionaire backers) and how Wenger has always been astute at bringing in talented young players, turning them into world class players and creating a winning team. He recognises the fans frustrations at the lack of trophies, as being a fan himself he feels it too. But more importantly, he also recognises the fact that getting rid of Wenger would ultimately create more problems. In my opinion he is spot on. As he says 'It's easy to get rid of people - then what?' Who would we realistically bring in who could do a better job and could keep players like Wilshere, Ramsey and RVP from wanting to move to another club? Who else could have steered us through the last six years, rebuilding the invincibles team, building a new stadium, keeping Arsenal solvent whilst those around us plunge their clubs into unsustainable debt and ensuring that the fans have been enjoying Champions League football? There are too many fans in my opinion who are too quick to forget that Wenger transformed this club into one of the best in Europe. Too many who are quick to write Wenger of as having 'lost the plot' without recognising the unique difficulties of managing our club through this transition period. Six years without a trophy might seem like a long time, but for anyone who has been supporting Arsenal before Wenger arrived, they will know that this is not a crisis. That said, I think this is Wenger's most difficult time of his tenure - he has seen the last team he built come so close, but end up with nothing and that will hurt him more than anyone. When Dein was with the club, he was Wenger's right hand man - even now he is probably the closest person to Wenger. But alongside Dein we were swift and decisive in the transfer market and top players were begging to come and play for Arsenal. I think we need Dein back alongside Wenger to give us back the edge that we're missing. Because if the criticism of wenger continues and he is left to plough a lone path with no support, then as Dein intimates, he may well say 'enough is enough' and move on. Then I think we will be in a crisis. Good in depth interview with David Dein here http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14588552.stm
Even though my faith in Wenger is waining he's still our manager and as such has my 100% support as does any player who steps onto the pitch wearing the red shirt. I don't do a 500 mile return trip to games just so i can boo the team
Maybe so but Wenger has been taking us backwards for the past 7 years and continues to sell our best players whilst not replacing them. He would not have got away with this at any other club.
I think it's really difficult for Wenger. There's nothing he could do about the Fabregas situation, despite his best efforts. The same goes for Samir Nasri - he's been offered fantastic wages £90k per week, he's playing champions league football and he is the key man in one of the best teams in Europe and yet he wants to ditch it all because someone has offered him more money. What can Wenger do about that? Then there's the over inflated transfer market, as Dein put it 'there's too much money chasing too little talent'. What would we be saying about Wenger's transfer policy if he'd gone and spent £35m on Andy Carroll ! Get rid of Wenger now and we really would be in a crisis. I was encouraged to hear Dein say that he would love to return to Arsenal and that at the moment he is 'on the subs bench' I know Cym won't agree with me, but I think Dein is exactly the man that we need back at the club. He is Wenger's right hand man - together they brought huge success to our club and I think Wenger is missing Dein badly.
My problem with Dein has always been the way he sold his soul to Usmanov but if he could reconcile his differences with the club his return could only be a good thing
Well, he resigned as Chairman of red and white holdings, I think that spoke volumes. Dein is a Spiv, make no mistake, but he is Arsenal through and through. The only reason he cozied up with Usmanov in the first place was because the board booted him out for trying to bring in Kronke, the same man who the board then embraced when they realised that Dein was talking sense. And the same man who is now the majority shareholder at the club. I long for David Dein back at Arsenal, with him and Wenger, we used to move swiftly and decisively in the transfer market. Arsenal were a club that top players were begging to come and play for. We need that edge back, and I think Dein is the man to give it to us.
I agree that David Dein should be brought back since he appears to be the only one able to reach Arsene. It's easy to listen to someone like David Dein and think we have been harsh on Arsene but the fact remains that under Arsene the club is where it is at. We begin this campaign up against it with an understrength squad. Arsene should have known of the impending departures of our key players. This has been going on since the start of the transfer window, if not before. With Cesc gone, should have come at least one replacement in midfield. That has not happened. It is Arsene's job to see that it does happen. He should have had a backup plan. Instead we have nothing while the Liverpool we are facing tomorrow is much strengthened from the one we drew at The Emirates towards the close of last season. I think the following blog sums it up rather well - http://yankeegunnerblog.com/2011/08/19/the-emperor-has-no-clothes/? Good luck tomorrow guys
I think it's easier said than done about bringing in a replacement MF player, we were widely touted as buying Mata, but Valencia have always said that he's not for sale and have just this week turned down as £22m bid from the Chavs. So what could we do there? Bid £25m then £27m and so on? I genuinely think that Wenger thought he could hold on to Fabregas and Nasri, but ultimately the decision is out of his hands. That said, we do need to replace at least one of them, but it may not happen in this transfer window.
Yes well Piskie, that is exactly what it must feel like at the moment. ( in reply to the picture post ) Arsene had a lot of time to sort it out. It's frightful that even the Nasri deal is still unsettled. In fact almost everything is unsettled. I defended Arsene on LBC last weekend. It may be the last time I defend him if he continues to lead us down this path because I fear we are going nowhere. Get rid of him is not what I want. Then what asks David Dein. Well, then if it should come to that, we bring someone else in. The job's got to get done and it isn't as far as I can see, at the moment. In fact the moment has turned out to be months, since January and that was before the catastrophic meltdown which saw Arsene no more than a helpless passenger... not the manager he should have been. But hey, Arsene is probably thinking as of today that we are still in all four competitions. I don't think the man who is drowning and moments away from disappearing beneath the waves would say ' hey, I'm still breathing '.........
To start splashing the cash? Or time for him to go? Arsenal, in my opinion, are woefully short of title winning players and need some genuine quality in to challenge for the League. A strong Central Defender A no thrills midfielder capable of breaking up the game (and doing the dirty work) A midfielder who can dictate the play (you've just sold him!) A 20 a season Striker (or two) Is it the Arsenal boards ault for lack of investement in these types of players or is it Wenger fault for not targetting these types? Not at the WUM by the way, just intrested in what Arsenal fans think ... 4th maybe the finish again.
We will definately be top 4 again - no doubt in my mind at all. 100% confidence. I also disagree with your analysis of what we need in our team. What we need are 2 or 3 players. Ideally the following: Vertonghen to cover CB, LB and DM A Creative Midfield player to help ease the moving of Fabregas And finaly a striker to rival RVP. We don't need massive changes. We have excellent pace on the wings this season and you'll see a much faster paced counter attacking style of football. Will be very interesting to see. Really we could get away with adding just a CB and a CM (as we have wingers who can also play through the middle in Gervinho and Walcott). Our first choice CB's are top quality so we just need someone better than Squillaci as cover. The CM position is what i really want to see get filled.
Well if he won't splash the cash, he should definitely go. He has close to £100mill available (35+30(Cesc)+25(Nasri)+8(Clichy)) that would buy 3 quality experienced players, we'll be lucky if he buys one. Doh
Oh and Wenger should be kept on - there is no-one better around to step in for him and we should keep the faith in him until he drops us out of the top 4 or retires. Would like to see him splash soem cash now though. I always defend his decision not to spend alot of cash but this transfer window we could really do with a little bit of spending. Especialy if Nasri leaves. If Nasri stays however we are in a much better position. Then we could focus on bringing in a CB and a Striker and we would be ready for the new season.
