There seems to be a schism developing on our board between the 'Wenger Out' and the 'Wenger Knows' brigades. Personally, I don't think it's as black and white as that, I think we all recognise that there are problems that need addressing, it's just that we differ on what those changes should be. I've read some pretty abusive stuff between our own fans recently and it's sad to see really. I know we're all passionate about our club, but I just feel that we should be sticking together and supporting each other and our team through the hard times. Being and Arsenal fan is like being in a marriage. Through sickness and in health, for better or worse, richer or poorer
I'll be honest, I've always been a supporter of Arsene. Always. But today, seeing Spurs thrash Liverpool, I think it's time. And it pains me to say it, it really does.
The 'Wenger out' section of our fans do not even have the balls to call for his head at games. If they want him out as much as they say on here and other forums then go to the ground or outside it and demand it. We all watched what the Blackburn fans that wanted their manager sacked did yesterday.
I think there are 3 camps: Wenger Knows, I used to be a Wenger Knows and Wenger out. I used to be a "Wenger Knows" person but I am convinced he doesn't know anymore because he says the same old things but does nothing to fix the problems. I am now in the "I used to be a Wenger knows" person. The thing is not all of us necessarily want Wenger out, but what we want to see are big changes to philosophy and an adaptation to how English football is now. The problem with the Wenger Knows brigade is they are happy to just see what happens when the rest of us are not, we want action taken and we want it now. We've sat back for 6 years and waited pretty patiently while we saw the deconstruction of a winning team and formula.
TBH I think the majority of fans have been very loyal and patient with Wenger for the last 6 years, some clubs fans would have been calling for his head after 1 year without winning anything. We bought into the' 'buy them young and see them grow' philosophy but it has not come to fruition and now we have seen key players sold and not replaced. It used to be that AW sold players who were past their best but you cannot say that of Cesc, Nasri, Clichy, Toure and Adebayour. We have become a selling club to feather the nest of the shareholders and the fans are held in contempt by the manager and the Board. When we see some leadership and ambition from those within the club the fans will do their job as we have always done.
Op, I think you have to consider the circumstances surrounding our team. As fans we ALL want our team to do well and succeed but when that does not happen we are going to come to differenet opinions as to what the probelms are and how to resolve them, thats life. Im not surprised at all by the divide in belife in Arsene Wenger, he is our manager and ultimately in the firing line. Equally not surprised about our own fans arguing about what needs to be done. I used to be "in wenger we trust" kinda guy, but i have lost faith in him and its going to take a lot to change that. And as tufnell mentioned i think the majority of fans have been more than patient over the last six years and to see our team reduced to a 4-3 beating by Blackburn (no offense intended) who were bottom of the league and couldnt buy a goal is nothing sort of humiliating. When the Arsenal step out onto that pitch ill always be on my feet applauding, its the manager and his style im not sure about.
I am a former wenger knows and now a "wenger please retire after the season is over unless we get top 4"
I went from a believer to being in opposition but returned to the fold so to speak following the close of transfer window purchases because I felt Arsene Wenger was trying to do his best given the circumstances. For years I stayed with his dream project which for first half or so of the past three seasons after the draw at Birmingham in 2008 seemed to bear hope. I don't think one can overlook the fact that the last 3 seasons have all begun well with our goal average per game going into December usually standing between 2.5 to 3 per match. However each of those seasons would begin to unravel around February and certainly come apart in March. Last season's breakdown was the worst of all. What is disconcerting is that the lack of form that followed the Carling Cup defeat has carried on into this season. A member said last evening that the team have picked up just 16 points from the last 16 EPL matches. Well to add to that, we have in these last 5 matches conceded 1/3 of all the goals we gave away in the EPL in the whole of last season. If the 14 goals we have let in so far is repeated then we would definitely be relegation favourites. Yesterday's match gave supporters a lot of hope but only in the first half. The passes at that juncture were accurate and free-flowing and scoring three goals in the right net albeit against the team at the bottom of the table gave much encouragement. However while the back line played together for the first time and perhaps one should not expect miracles, one certainly cannot be asked to overlook the silly mistakes which led to our helping Blackburn to their victory. One own goal is bad enough but two beggars belief. Again there were many signs of a lack of strategy in defence. Arsene's game tends to be offensive orientated but when the offence runs dry or out of ideas, there isn't a sufficiently robust defensive strategy to keep the opponents at bay. Yesterday's performance now gives a sense of belief to all of our opposition that we are an easy 3 points if they can simply rely on their set pieces. Our Achilles Heel appears to be back, as if it was ever away in the first place. Last season, our eventual frailties meant that we were unable to capitalise on Manchester Utd's slow and indifferent start and Chelsea's stumble in the middle of the season. It became so bad that Man City whom we beat comprehensively at their own ground could even top us to third place in the EPL. This weekend we let our advantage slip twice and gifted victory to our opponents. This weekend when our serious challenger for the fourth place was humbled by our closest geographical rivals, we were once again unable to take advantage of the situation. And what self-respecting club that has winning ambitions considers 4th place as being nearly as good as a trophy anyway? There are matters of the club that may be beyond Arsene's control. While Arsene may identify the players he wants, he may not be an active part of the negotiating process. However there are key aspects of the team's performance that are within his domain. Sadly these seem to be coming up short and with little evidence on show of a change for the better, I am beginning to wonder if it may be prudent to consider preserving the value of all Arsene has done than to see it sadly eroded because there seems no end to the current downward spiral. We are in very desperate times and to keep holding out hope that tomorrow would be better when indeed most of the tomorrows thus far have been anything but that is simply deluding ourselves. I am very much afraid that the time may now be approaching that we address the matter of the club's capabilities and what to do about them.
Wenger has never really been a great manager, he got lucky with a few signings over the years and he inherited a great defense, without that, he has no manageriable ability, unlke fergie he cannot get a less than great team to win
Hmmmmnnn.... your last remark gives food for thought Mr 99. Following Henry's departure, every year we have got to the spring of each season being right in the mix only for it all to come apart. It just seems something is missing and Arsene either does not know what or takes a chance that when it fails to happen in one year that it may all come together in the next. The last four seasons have shown that it falls just that bit short and with the meltdown of the last season and the departures during summer, abit short has become that bridge too far...... What is crucial is what Arsene as the manager does about it. What appears to be telling is that while the world could see in our final quarter of 2010/2011 that we needed to boost our defence and one therefore presumes Arsene could see this too, he then makes a u-turn and was reportedly not going to reinforce the defence until Vermaelen was injured again. Is that blind faith, risk-taking or plain simple suicide? I hope he makes a very big difference in October. If not, then it could be really difficult for us to recover. If we do not make it to the Top 4 this year then next year will be tougher since we would not be able to attract the players we need for the following season's campaign. It could be a spell in the wilderness and that is something we need to avoid at all cost. If we get dumped out of the Top 4 before the end of the season and Arsene goes at that juncture, it will be far too late.
~I personally think Arsenal are the biggest threat to manchesteru niteds dominanace.........however this will not come into fruition with Arsene Wenger at the helm
Which is why I am beginning to believe we should swap Arsene for Gus Hiddink. I would also like to think David Moyes may be a possibility but Hiddink has shown he can get the job done.
It is true a massive club like arsenal with the worlds greatest stadium with the earth greates ever youth set up, what is going wrong?
excuse me invading your boards again, but arsenal have been used to being in the top 4 of the premier league, rich clubs normally buy their way up there. this year did arsenal buy many players during the summer, did aw have the brakes put on his spending. i merely ask this because of what silly money man c and chelsea spent. now lots of fans are calling for wenger to go. who is to say anyone else can do any better. what is needed is a strengthening of defence and a huge lift in morale and confidence. i suspect arsene can see to all that but he may need help, certainly from the fans, he could do with an experienced number 2 and i am not joking when i mention peter reid, there is an old saying divided we fall, united we stand. may i suggest there has never been a better time for arsenal supporters to be united, and i promise to leave your boards on wednesday. good luck arsenal after tuesday
Yo Ayy Jayy Well, while it is true that we now not only have to fight other teams but their benefactors as well, it remains that there is something fundamentally wrong with the team. This problem has not only arisen since the start of the season but it began in March of this year when we simply gave up the chase for the title and fell to 4th place. Our form in the final eleven matches of 2010/2011 reads like this DDDWDDLWLLD That's a total of 12 points in 11 matches. Twelve!!!!! We scored 15 goals and conceded 16. The form this season as you know is DLLWL 4 points from 5 matches. In that time we have scored 6 goals and conceded 14 with the result of having the worst GD in the EPL thus far. In total therefore we have 16 points from 16 matches and a goal difference of -9. if you put that in context of an entire season of 38 matches, this form would leave us with 38 points and a goal difference of -21. FYI Birmingham City who were relegated last year, having been placed 18th in the EPL had 39 points and a goal difference of -21. Even Blackpool with their GD of -23 had 39 points over the 38 match period. Now back to last year again, had we taken 13 more points from our last 11 matches, in other words 25 points out of a possible 33, we would have won the league. That is the measure by which we have fallen away and the most difficult sight was that of Arsene on the touchline being powerless to stop the slide. What would you do under the circumstances? I would like for Arsene to keep his reputation intact and there isn't much scope there that I can think of other than to win almost everything in sight from now till December. That isn't possible, is it?
thank you rvb for such an informed response. i had no idea as an outsider how long things have been going down hill, perhaps arsene would be better upstairs as a director of football and someone else brougt in. there have certainly been much criticism of his signings. it would take a miracle to win everything until december but i realy think some of you are setting your target too high. it will be difficult to attain a top 4 position given the start you have had and the quality of some of your players particularly the defence. i watched the arsenal game on the telly and was quite impressed with your lads up front in the first 30 mins those 2 own goals were unfortunate and were bound to affect morale and confidence. it is suprising what a tonic 2 or 3 wins can be and i hope this happens soon. one thing that may help keep aw's reputation is a sudden return to form by the players. up the arsenal
you already have, though shrews will always come first i will keep a close watch on your results. at least i can discuss arsenal with more knowledge at my local pub now with the landladies son who is a gooner through and through. pity tomorrows game is not being televised as it would be a good excuse to go to the pub. come on you reds er and the shrews
