We usually have this debate every year, but most times this debate usually occurs when we don't have a chance of winning a cup, the Fa Cup more specifically, so it's easy to say yeah I'd take 4th over winning the trophy...But now that we're in with a perfect chance of securing the Fa Cup, and 4th place still up for grabs, if you had decide between the 2, which would it be? For me it's easy, I'd take the cup over 4th place if I had to decide, without a question. Simply getting top 4 with no actual trophy success has become so tiresome, what the **** are we even getting top 4 for when we look useless in the UCL as well, getting knocked out of the last 16 for 3 years running and failing to win our group for the past 2 years on the bounce. Plus in the terms of the league, we look no closer to winning the damn thing, so the fact is, the Fa Cup represents our best chance of having some worthy silverware, this isn't the Capital One Mickey Mouse Cup, this is the Fa Cup, one of the most prestigious competitions in the world, and without a doubt the best domestic cup competition in the world, and we have a bloody good chance of winning it, our first noteworthy silverware in 9 years. I know for a fact for me personally, I'd have much more satisfaction with that Fa Cup trophy even though we ended 5th, than having no Fa Cup trophy and ending 4th.
If Wenger stays then we can get away with getting 5th and winning the cup, in fact it would be better as it would force Wenger to change/buy things. However, should Wenger leave then the new manager has a harder task of attracting the best players, due to not having Champions league status. Ideally Wenger leaves, we get 3rd and the new manager gets a nice big budget to play with.
Our current squad is good enough for the minimum of getting top 4 next season, heck, our current squad could've even won the title with better tactics-motivation than Wenger, if we had taken 6 points off United, not capitulated against Villa at home, then we would be in a very very strong position, and I know all teams always say if this or that result went our way etc, but in this case these were 3 games we should've never been dropping 8 points in. I remember people here saying the point against United at home was a good point, lol, wonder if they ****ing still think that now. We may not be able to attract the best next season with no UCL, but with the addition of 2-3 very good players, top 4 is even more guaranteed, it's not like we have one really really bad squad like United.
I'm of the opinion now that Wenger doesn't have the tactical ability to manage a squad to win a league anymore. Therefore allowing him to spend loads of money wouldn't help. We'd still lose the big games against the tops sides with stubborn suicidal tactics. I remember 2 years ago many posters were saying, "let's give him a chance now he has funds". Then last year, "let's give him another season to see how he does with more funds". It's quite clear he can't create a winning team anymore, funds or no funds.
Exactly my thoughts Laz. Stupid though it sounds, get Top 4 and Wenger can go. Fail to and he almost needs to stay to get them back in and leave a new manager in a good position. However, if he doesn't get top 4 I think he'll leave. The FA Cup is a bonus at the moment - the real fear seems to be missing out on the CL.
Why is it a "real fear"? Arsenal are to the CL as to what England are to International tournaments. Bully the smaller teams in the group, get through to the last 16 and then as soon as any opposition of any quality comes up, you bail out. Useless. You don't deserve CL status when you do **** all with it. Yes I am in a slightly narked off mood. P.S. Wigan will knock you out, im sticking my neck out here, you will bottle it, you have the king of all bottlers managing your side. Get rid of the dinosaur and you will start winning things, you have a very talented first 11 at least, but a clown at the helm.
The CL is about money and prestige. Being in the CL means you can retain your current players, and attract players, players want to join the club, making it would be easier (and cheaper) for the manager to recruit additional players.
It's not just the players, finding a top manager replacement would be harder. I'm pretty sure our sponsorship deals with puma and Emirates would suffer as well
