How successful has the Frenchman really been at Arsenal?


By Ineke Bethel

20 years at one club is almost unheard of
Arsene Wenger has been at the centre of the media’s attention this week as he enters his 20th year as Arsenal boss.

Wenger famously took over from Bruce Rioch in 1996 as an unheard of manager which prompted the Evening Standard to use the now famous headline “Arsene Who”.

Wenger has transformed Arsenal football club in more ways than one.


The Gunners were previously known for playing dull, defensive football and would often scrape wins with a 1-0 scoreline, opposition fans would sing “boring, boring Arsenal” almost every match.

Wenger came to North London and changed the dynamics of the club, the training techniques, facilities and diets of his players.

The Arsenal squad would often chant “We want our mars bars back” on the team coach when Wenger first joined the team.

Wenger may have transformed both Arsenal and the English game but many fans believe that Wenger is “past his sell-by date” but there is some evidence to show that Wenger has been just as successful in his second decade at the club than in his first.

Decade 1

Trophies: 11 (3 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 4 Community Shields)
Games: 566
Wins: 327
Goals scored: 1022
Win percentage: 57.8

Decade 2

Trophies: 4 (2 FA Cups, 2 Community Shield’s)
Games: 563*
Wins: 320
Goals Scored: 1064
Win percentage: 56.6

Interesting

Yes you did read that correctly, Arsenal have scored more goals in Wenger’s second decade in charge than in the first.

Lets look into that a bit further.

Arsenal won “The Double” in both the 1997-98 and 2001-02 seasons as well as an entire Premier League campaign unbeaten sandwiched in between two more FA Cups.

Arsene Wenger’s first ten years at Arsenal were absolutely phenomenal.

Arsenal fans had the luxury of watching the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright, Marc Overmans, Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Sol Campbell, Robert Pires, Gilberto Silva, Patrick Vieira, Jens Lehmann and Freddie Ljungberg.

That is A LOT of world-class players and the list could have gone on far longer.

Arsenal’s “Invincibles” of 2003-04 is without a doubt, the greatest side that English football has ever seen and it certainly wouldn’t have come together without Wenger’s brilliant tactical input.

2006

2006 was the half-way point in Wenger’s tenure and it was a very iconic year.

Arsenal lost the Champions League final in Paris against Barcelona and set numerous Champions League records including the record for the most consecutive clean sheets in a season.

2006 was also the year that Arsenal left their beloved stadium, Highbury, and moved across to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal did not win a trophy from 2005 until 2014, a 9 year painful spell for all Arsenal supporters as money seemingly took over football and the Gunners just couldn’t keep up.

That said, Arsenal have an incredible record, yes coming in the top four is not a trophy but Arsenal have never finished outside the top four positions in Wenger’s tenure at the club which is an incredible achievement.

Arsenal simply didn’t have the money to spend when they first moved to the Emirates but Wenger continuously kept Arsenal near the top.

In 2013, Wenger signed Mesut Ozil for around £38 million and Arsenal won the FA Cup that season.

A year later, Wenger paid £35 million for Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal yet again, triumphed in the FA Cup and fans were delighted.

Wenger has spent just over £687 million on transfers in his 20 years at Arsenal whereas the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have spent over £1 billion each in the last 13 years.

One of the greatest managers of all time

To sum up, Arsene Wenger has kept Arsenal as one of the biggest and best clubs in the world without spending the ludicrous sums of money that all the other heavyweights have been spending every year.

When Wenger has splashed the cash in recent years, such as on Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal have won trophies.

Yes, Arsenal have not won much silverware in Wenger’s second decade in North London but their success off the pitch and keeping Arsenal at the top is perhaps on par with all the silverware that the Gunners won.

Of course, that is not suggesting that finishing fourth is just as good as going a season unbeaten but Wenger has enabled Arsenal to start a new journey.

Wenger has built the Emirates and Arsenal’s new training ground which has surely laid down the foundations for many trophies in the future.

Love him or hate him, Wenger is one of the greatest managers that the Beautiful Game has ever seen

I don't know y I just love dis team and d coach too

AsapKen:
I don't know y I just love dis team and d coach too

Because they play good football and the coach is absolutely superb.

Wenger's contributions to Arsenal FC and to the entire English Premier League can't be denied. As an Arsenal fan, I've had the privilege and pleasureof watching the most sublime football to ever grace the silver screen under Arsene Wenger. But I sincerely hope to say goodbye to the Prof at the end of this season.

He has ran a great race and fought a good fight, winning some really great accolades but also losing some really painful ones. I think the time will be right at the end of this season - irrespective of the outcome - to say Adieu to one of the greatest club managers in English football.