Looking at Arsenal this season they seem a shaddow of the team they were a couple of years ago. Has Wenger lost the plot and if they lose a few of their next 5 games will he be heading for the door? Seems ridiculous to be suggesting it but that end of the premier league table is results driven it seems the likely outcome. Arsenals next 5 games. 24 Sep - Bolton (h) 2 Oct - Tottenham (a) 16 Oct - Sunderland (h) 23 Oct - Stoke (h) 29 Oct - Chelsea (a) Looking at the team they have been punching above their weight since moving to the Emirates and they have never really got over losing Pires, Henry, Adams, Campbell and Keown and Overmars. Wenger has not replaced them like for like and tends to pick young French and Spanish lads with a lack of respect for Managers with over 1,000 games in the business.
The only reason Arsene Wenger is still at that club is because his name is close enough to the club name...
I feel very sorry for Wenger to be honest. He's lost his best players and only really brought in Arteta. I'm sure they will finish comfortably in the top half but I agree they are a far cry from the side they use to be. Fabregas (Club Captain) has been their biggest loss, not only because of the fact he is a world class player but also the influence he had on some of the younger players.
The thing I don't get about Arsenal's defense is, it seems pretty solid on paper. Sagna is better than Lauren was, Clichy (I know he left, but the defense was poor when he was there) was about as good as Cole, I consider Vermaelen to be a very good defender, and would say that Koscielny and Djourou are still pretty decent. So how they leak so many goals is beyond me. Although I must admit, they've really needed a Lehmann replacement for years. Also, I think Bolton would be worth a punt, maybe a tenner or so. They've been a bit of a curse for Arsenal in the last four or five years and with Arsenal's form, it's not looking promising.
I have always said that Wenger is a brilliant coach but an average manager. When Arsenal were competing for everything a few years ago and had a dodgy decision go against them Wenger complained bitterly for weeks and after that so did the players and then the results went against them. He told the press that he had tired players after Champions League matches and what happened they had tired performances but Man U and others didn´t. Then of course there is his dodgy sight everybody has seen weaknesses in the defence for years but he has failed to spot it. He has lost two great players because of the way money talks in football but he was lucky he did not lose Fabregas last season. I am sure Ferguson would have realised he would lose him and would have signed a replacement last season not a panic signing at the last minute. i don´t like constant chopping and changing of managers but Wenger has had a long time at Arsenal and perhaps his time is up.
Vermaelen is a massive loss for arsenal, he missed pretty much the entirety of last season and missed the poor performances of this. Koscielny looks like he'll be very good but has lapses which you'd put down to naivety or lack of experience at the moment. Djourou is a bit of a calamity. Sczcesny looks like he is finally the answer to the goalkeeping problems. Wenger is getting lambasted by the media and I don't think a lot of it is fair- that's not to say he's entirely blameless of course.
The problem is you don't defend as a four man unit you defend as a team and it's whats in front of the defence that's the problem. Too many runners not being tracked which leaves the defence with a stick or twist situation of staying with the striker or closing the oncoming midfielder. On Wenger I think he's actually losing the plot with some of the things he's been coming out with in recent interviews. Doubt he'll last the season.
I think he'll step aside in the summer depending how the season goes. Finished lower than 6th for instance.
They put too much emphasis on youth.. Denilson was supposed to be this amazing Viera/Fabregas replacement. At the end of each season it was 'he'll be quality next year' and it never came. Now he's been farmed out on loan to Sao Paulo. The same for Vela. Supposedly turning out like Javier Hernandez for years.. never happened.
Agree that is ultimately the problem, bringing the youngsters in is fine and they've had their fair share of quality youngsters, it just has to be balanced alongside experience. Arteta is the first signing of true PL experience for a very long time.
Heard that the board will stand by Wenger no matter what, but surely if poor form continues and the fans grow restless then they won't stand by him? They've only won 3 games since they lost the League cup final, they've just declined badly since then and they will be this season what Liverpool were to the last.
