Good to see some support and recognition for Wenger As for Fabregas, his quality would always be an asset at Arsenal- I'd welcome him back with open arms
So no one on this thread would take Guardiola over Wenger now? I swear more than 50% of Arsenal fans were calling for Wenger's head not too long ago. What's suddenly changed?
Disagree with that. Zlatan got 16 goals in 29 games, that's not exactly terrible is it? Afellay hasn't really had a chance due to injury and the strength of the current starting 11, but he's not exactly a bad backup to bring on is he? However, I wouldn't be too sure what to make of Guardiola becoming our manager in the future. Now would be ridiculous as Wenger's really pulled it round this season and has shown that he has still got it (as well as having much more experience than Guardiola at actually building a good team). In the future, when Wenger retires it might not be such a bad appointment, but he inherited a fantastic team and hasn't proved he can create success with worse teams as of yet.
Well guardiola doesnt do the buys I expect. He is simply the coach. And the Zlatan buisness was awful. It was more giving up the best cf in the world (eto) which cost them so badly.
Guardiola is exactly what Arsenal need, Wenger is finished and is already on borrowed time. When are you guys who defend Wenger going to wake up and realise he is leading us into decline. Wenger should be kicked upstairs where he belongs and let a true footballing brain take over.
The problem with Wenger is that he isn't the problem - it's his philosophy and his will to never change it. The fact that he wants to only play attacking football, buy as much youth as possible and spend as little as possible on players transfer fees and wages. I would also argue he has too much faith on French players (understandable as he is French himself) and when he does go with experience it is usually French and they turn out to be a bit shit (see Cygan, Silvestre and Squillaci as examples). With Guardiola we also saw his reluctance to change his style of play as no matter what Barcelona believe to only play one way and that is an all attack every time all the time. Now you may say that there is a very stubborn mindset attached only to Barcelona to play that way and that Pep is still a very young manager with, believe it or not, little experience who can learn to adapt and change. But you also have to remember that he is Barcelona born and bred so that mindset may be a part of him to. If he goes to Arsenal or any other team that believes in "total football", they will expect to play in such a way and so they shall and he will become a one dimensional manager. For him to truly become great he will have to go to a defensive or versatile side, like us for example, in order to fulfill his potential. However I do not want him to come here and he should not want to come here, for the sake of his career, Di Matteo's and our already broken reputation of managerial faith.
I love attacking football and wouldn't change it for anything! Wenger isn't dependant on French players anymore thugh he maintains good connections in the French league. He's also trying to mix in experience and his youth policy is largely as a consequence of the board. Guardiola is very similar to wenger but currently inferior IMO. He hasn't been properly tested and still has some developing to do. I wouldn't mind him taking over once wenger retires but as matters stand we owe it to wenger to show some loyalty for where he has bought the club. I'll be devastated if arsenal becomes a club sacrificing its ideology and traditions in favour of ruthless and dogged pursuit of trophies ( though ill continue supporting them!)
Looks like Guardiola is rage-quitting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17855980 He'll be next Chelsea boss. Abramovich thinks he can create Barcelona in England.
Guardiola inherited a mostly great team thanks to the previous manager Frank Rijkaard, I don't care what anyone says. And assuming he was incharge or had a say in transfers (I'll be shocked if he didn't) lets take a look: He got rid of E'to. He brought in Ibra, brought in a near-end-of his career Villa and for some silly reason (maybe more part on the part of Barca) he brought in Cesc while Xavi was still the first choice player in that position. Not saying Cesc has done poorly but playing him as forward/winger? Tsk tsk. I want to see Guardiola have similar/better success with another team to prove it wasn't luck. Jose has done it, Ferguson proved himself in Scotland, so lets see if he can do it.
I was referring to the fans on this forum. You remember the amount of people asking for Wenger's head? I wasn't one of them though. However, i do think that Wenger has lost some of his touch and i would only want to replace Wenger with another quality coach. I think that Guardiola does what Wenger does but better now. I would be all for that providing our board gives him the backing he deserves. If Pep decides to take a year out and Wenger struggles again, i would strongly recommend that we go all out to get Pep. I think that coming to Arsenal would interest him very much, it would be the perfect challenge.
Tell me, why Pep would want to come here and surly his good name? We all know what happened to Rijkaard after he left Barcelona..... I think he has been sacked all over the place... Fair enough we would not sack him if he comes here and under-performs, as our Board/Fans are a patient lot, (Lets be honest Wenger with his record over the past 7years would have been sacked in any of the Europe's elite club). Roman, has no trouble pulling the trigger, if you look at the calibre of the coaches he has sacked in the past 4seasons........ Wenger really should consider himself lucky! However, I cannot see Pep just be content with CL qualification season in season out (without a prospect of winning anything), I think he is too much of a winner.
Unless of course if he feels he can make us winners. To do that will require changes to the mentality of this board and for Wenger to step away. If Pep takes a year out and Wenger does not show intent this summer then I hope change does overcome this board and we go for Pep. However if Arsene does show he means to make us winners again then I may consider giving him the opportunity to see his contract out. If RvP stays we get those three players everyone appears to be talking about, then I'm sure not only just Pep may want to come to us. However we have a problem of timing. Arsene's contract goes to 2014 while if Pep takes a sabbatical he will be available from the summer of 2013 - one year out of sync. To take Pep, we need to shift Arsene. For Pep to come, we need a core of players or intent by the board. Anything else would prove unattractive.
why would anyone take guardiola over wenger? guardiola inherited a team of winners with an amazing youth academy alongside and just got them to play good football. arsene took a team of decent players into consistent top 4 performers and title winners, building multiple sides over the years, creating an amazing youth academy, building a fantastic stadium, etc.
Can you really see the mentality of the Board changing or Wenger stepping away? Can you forsee a day when we keep hold of our best players and we only let them go when it suits us or an offer is made that is really too good to refuse, like Cesc 60mill, Nasri 50mill? Or even when we can attract and sign the best there is? Not wait for all the big boys to conlcude their bidding before we pick up the crumbs from the transfer table. I cannot!
I think it all depends on how success is defined. In a simplistic manner, and in pure trophy terms, Pep will win the argument without a doubt (Pep has only 3 La Liga and 2 CL and countless other trophies in 5yrs!). But in other terms, (this is where the arguement gets a bit woolly and fuzzy), Wenger has rebuilt the academy, made the company loads of money, single-handedly built a new stadium, he is a miracle worker, qualified for the cl etc etc. So Wenger this argument. I think in terms of perfect fit for our club, Wenger is a perfect fit, our Board lacks ambition..... No way Pep will want to work in a sterile environment like that.
