dayokanu:

Whats different about this season?

Man Utd and Arsenal were trophyless last season

This season Man Utd bought Smalling, Bebe and chicharito. Arsenal bought Chamakh (An experienced striker, Squilacci An experienced Defender and Kolscieny)

As at 12 months ago who would you say has the better players? Yet Fergie won the League conveniently and lost in the CL finals while Wenger and his better buys ended up trophyless for the umpteenth time

I wonder what you would have said if it was SAF that bought Chamakh and co while Wenger bought bebe and co.

12 months ago, I said it clearly and I still maintain that Arsenal had the best team  in the premiership. We messed up not because we lacked quality but because we lacked mental strength. I have been arguing this all through the season and don't intend to do that again now. I expect the players coming in (Samba, Parker, and whoever) to add that steel to the team. Whether these signings will happen or not I don't know but if they happen, I am willing to give him another season. I have always maintained that this is our major weakness (lack of steel). If AW successfully solves this problem and we don't win something major next season, then I will give up.

dayokanu:

I know Djorou, Wilshere and fabregas are regulars add that to Clichy, Song thats like half the team already

Only became regulars last season (outside Fab). We had Gallas, Verm season before>

True for any team, Take Fabregas away from Arsenal would they remain the same

My point exactly. But we keep breaking up our own team every season. That's one of Arsene's failures.

Lets not lose focus.

Prove that Wenger is not a below average coach.

Read my last post. I will give up on him when he has tried what I have been advocating for over 2-3 seasons now and fails. If after adding the players I think we will add this season to the team, he still fails woefully, then I will begin to doubt him too. But a coach who has won us two leagues and two FA Cups and got us to the final of the champ's league must surely have something going for him?

proudly9ja:

Read my last post. I will give up on him when he has tried what I have been advocating for over 2-3 seasons now and fails. If after adding the players I think we will add this season to the team, he still fails woefully, then I will begin to doubt him too. But a coach who has won us two leagues and two FA Cups and got us to the final of the champ's league must surely have something going for him?

Dude you need to go to bed. Your stats are so so wrong.

That aside, if he won the league 3 times when Man Utd was the only competition, how can he win it now when we have 6 strong teams vying for the title ?
He is finished. Period.

Read my last post. I will give up on him when he has tried what I have been advocating for over 2-3 seasons now and fails. If after adding the players I think we will add this season to the team, he still fails woefully, then I will begin to doubt him too.

What I am saying is that he has tried everything and still failed.

But a coach who has won us two leagues and two FA Cups and got us to the final of the champ's league must surely have something going for him?

I believe this is a woeful return for a coach 15yrs on the job

@proudly
This is what I was saying way back 07. Give Arsene one more season and here we are now
The only transfer news I want to hear is Wenger resigning if not getting fired

Next yr it would be slimshady saying give him one more year, in 2013 maybe it would be Debo saying Give him one more year

A-40:

@proudly
This is what I was saying way back 07. Give Arsene one more season and here we are now
The only transfer news I want to hear is Wenger resigning if not getting fired

The challenge is, if AW leaves today will it solve the problem of releasing money to buy players?

I don't blame AW for not being able to bring in the 30million pounds rated players, but I blame him for dismantling his team with his own hands and not bringing in capable replacements.

If we bring in a new coach, especially if we continue with our Ijebu behaviour money wise, chances are the new coach will complain of lack of funds and we'l be back to square one.

renewnaija:

Dude you need to go to bed. Your stats are so so wrong.

That aside, if he won the league 3 times when Man Utd was the only competition, how can he win it now when we have 6 strong teams vying for the title ?
He is finished. Period.

Forgive my stats abeg. last post for tonite. When he won it 3 times, we played 38 games.  That we lost a few games in the season did not stop us from winning the league. Last time I checked, we will still play 38 games in one season and we will play these so called  'six teams' 2ce each in the league like we have always done. There are still 78 points to fight for outside the 'six' teams and even if we lose the 12 games, then we don't deserve the title.
Moreover, we only have United and maybe Chelsea as rivals IMO (but that's another convo for another day).

dayokanu:

Next yr it would be slimshady saying give him one more year, in 2013 maybe it would be Debo saying Give him one more year

I have given my own reasons for the one more year option. If by August 31st he proves he is still the same AW, then I won't expect anything different in terms of performance from the team.

Odaro

proudly9ja:

The challenge is, if AW leaves today will it solve the problem of releasing money to buy players?

I don't blame AW for not being able to bring in the 30million pounds rated players, but I blame him for dismantling his team with his own hands and not bringing in capable replacements.

If we bring in a new coach, especially if we continue with our Ijebu behaviour money wise, chances are the new coach will complain of lack of funds and we'l be back to square one.

Spending is not your problem, the problem is Arsenes know how he is too dull to win anything

news came in today, that arsenal signed gervinho, checking in to see how real it is

dayokanu:

Spending is not your problem, the problem is Arsenes know how he is too dull to win anything

Really? The transfer window hasn't even opened and(if reports are correct) Man Utd have already smashed Arsenal's transfer record THRICE.

Spending is not the only problem but it's definitely the elephant in the room.

dayokanu:

Spending is not your problem, the problem is Arsenes know how he is too dull to win anything

Boom Boom POW.

proudly9ja:

The challenge is, if AW leaves today will it solve the problem of releasing money to buy players?

I don't blame AW for not being able to bring in the 30million pounds rated players, but I blame him for dismantling his team with his own hands and not bringing in capable replacements.

If we bring in a new coach, especially if we continue with our Ijebu behaviour money wise, chances are the new coach will complain of lack of funds and we'l be back to square one.

Forgive my stats abeg. last post for tonite. When he won it 3 times, we played 38 games.  That we lost a few games in the season did not stop us from winning the league. Last time I checked, we will still play 38 games in one season and we will play these so called  'six teams' 2ce each in the league like we have always done. There are still 78 points to fight for outside the 'six' teams and even if we lose the 12 games, then we don't deserve the title.
Moreover, we only have United and maybe Chelsea as rivals IMO (but that's another convo for another day).
I have given my own reasons for the one more year option. If by August 31st he proves he is still the same AW, then I won't expect anything different in terms of performance from the team.

Odaro

A new coach would at least clarify positions when it comes to money matters. I think this misplaced faith in Wenger will do us no good.

Even Robin agrees we lack ambition!

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has questioned his team's potential, saying they must realise they are no longer title contenders after repeated failures in recent seasons.

Van Persie enjoyed a good season on a personal level - scoring 18 goals in just 19 Premier League starts and setting a record for scoring in nine consecutive Premier League away games along the way - but Arsenal once again finished the season without a trophy, and the striker says they must now become more realistic in their expectations.

“Every year it always goes wrong in an identical way and that is frustrating,” said Van Persie in an article in The Express.

“When you look at results in the last years, then Arsenal shouldn’t be talking about winning the league because too many times things have gone wrong.

“Sometimes you have to eat the truth and be realistic. But I do believe with the signing of a number of players then next season we should be in there competing for prizes.

“Even now it’s still unbelievable that we didn’t win the Carling Cup as that was the breakthrough moment, showing everyone that we could win a cup and create a belief within the team. It still hurts. It was so stupid and I ask myself how that came about.

“But it’s important that one must not stay too long dwelling over disappointments. Desire and motivation is 60, 70 per cent decisive in what level a player reaches in his career.”

While it might be understandable if a frustrated Van Persie expressed a desire to leave the club along with some of his team-mates, the 27-year-old simply wants to be able to play on like some of his heroes.

“The really top players aren’t fooled by riches or fame because they are fully focused with their football,” he said.

“It isn’t easy. Sometimes a certain amount of nonchalance can creep in and everywhere in the world you see it goes wrong when players start playing casually.

“I was in New York not so long ago and saw Thierry Henry playing. When you see him chasing and playing with so much desire it’s fantastic. Thierry is still hungry to win. He is a true lover of the game and I also have that in me. I hope I can keep playing as long as him.

“Look at players like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Clarence Seedorf, Edwin van der Sar and Dennis Bergkamp. They managed to keep on playing for so long because they lived like true professionals.

“They all have children and that brought with it other priorities. For me, it’s very important to be having breakfast every morning with my two children and that wouldn’t be possible if you were hanging about in a disco all night.

“When I see some of my English colleagues who are out till three in the morning, then I can only conclude that they are invariably finished at 33.

“I have made the choice to be doing what I love the most, playing football. I’ll finally stop when my game looks so bad or when my wife says, ‘Robin, you’re putting me to shame’.”

I hope we can keep Cesc, Nasri and Clichy. If we lose all three, won't be good at all.

And if ManU succeeds in getting Young and Nasri,

proudly9ja:

I hope we can keep Cesc, Nasri and Clichy. If we lose all three, won't be good at all.

And if ManU succeeds in getting Young and Nasri,

Let anyone that wants to leave go. i dont blame any of them. If we were winning things would they say they want to leave? At least it will increase our chances of keeping them. Now we have an unambitious squad built by Wenger. Spending is the elephant in the room? Really?

Our issue first is the mentality. Gallas complained a lot how Chelsea winning mentality was so much different from Arsenal when he joined and I knew instantly that that he would not last. Which ambitious player wants to play for a team with empty promises year in year out? People think if we sign Gervinho, Messi, Ronaldo so what? Bring the whole barca team to play for arsenal, if there is no hunger, it will all fall apart. The players wont send anyone but their paychecks. That is why people should respect Fergie & Pep cos even though their squads have won everything, they still instil that continuous hunger and zeal as if they have not won anything.

If Wenger had won massive trophies in the past and is not winning things again, he would have said people should be patient afterall we have won everything. Excuses! This same Wenger says if Arsenal finished 2nd for many yrs he will be happy cos it is not easy. I pity you Arsenal fans still giving him 'benefit of doubt'.

Its the winning mentality aka steel aka cahonas that Arsene lacks which makes him not one of the greatest.

@proudly can you please check your woe-mongering. Its becoming ridiculous.

Here is our best player talking about fighting on as a professional and all you can bring out is he said 'we lack ambition?'

given that you all are simply like way too late to join the reality party, forgive me for not being bothered.

but seems you are all missing the real issue here, why are the duds still at arsenal? at this rate arsenal will start the next season with almunia in goal, again, with predictable results and then the excuses and moaning will resume.

fergie just shifted bebe, everyone is gettin what needs to be done, done.

our monsieur will pussyfoot till august 31, then tell u there was no value. if u believe all this 16 million bid istories then u must be a big fool. its business as usual at arsenal. smh. u dey laff una.

heard the uzbekistan fa chairman just said arsene bidded for his national captain, not thats more like it. lolz

slimshay:

@proudly can you please check your woe-mongering. Its becoming ridiculous.

Here is our best player talking about fighting on as a professional and all you can bring out is he said 'we lack ambition?'

It's funny how some Arsenal fans now think it's cool to bash the club. They'd say the most absurd things just to score some cheap imaginary points.

Everyone now wants to say "i told you so" and feel like a prophet, it's pathetic.

Arsenal really need to win a trophy this season to restore some perspective to the more fickle contingent, nuccas done lost they minds

arsenal need to play every season with the mentality that they must win something.

that has been missing for some time now and that has been the difference with chelsea and man u.

importantly the captain should personify that mentalit

look at man u and chelsea again or even barca

Anyone who thinks Cesc is not fully committed when he steps across the white line doesn't know jack.

ritchboy:

It's funny how some Arsenal fans now think it's cool to bash the club. They'd say the most absurd things just to score some cheap imaginary points.

Everyone now wants to say "i told you so" and feel like a prophet, it's pathetic.

Arsenal really need to win a trophy this season to restore some perspective to the more fickle contingent, nuccas done lost they minds

Dude how many people here are bashing the club? Most here are complaining of Wenger not the club.

The fact that a child in a family is bad does not mean the whole family's name should be soiled. We love the club and want changes. Its Wenger and the club's board that are the reasons for our failure because they have accepted mediocrity from the onset.

But I blame Wenger solely cos a better coach would have won things with this present squad. Take it or leave it.

renewnaija:

Dude how many people here are bashing the club? Most here are complaining of Wenger not the club.

The fact that a child in a family is bad does not mean the whole family's name should be soiled. We love the club and want changes. Its Wenger and the club's board that are the reasons for our failure because they have accepted mediocrity from the onset.

But I blame Wenger solely cos a better coach would have won things with this present squad. Take it or leave it.

Took the words right out of my mouth, and in simple enough words that even donkey would understand

We love the club and want changes. Its Wenger and the club's board that are the reasons for our failure because they have accepted mediocrity from the onset.

They have not accepted mediocrity, they've built a multi-million pound stadium to ensure they'll be able to compete/win in the long run. Accepting mediocrity would be staying at Highbury and falling by the wayside financially, which would inevitably lead to on-field disaster.

But I blame Wenger solely cos a better coach would have won things with this present squad. Take it or leave it.

Yes, a better coach might have won something with this squad, but the million dollar question is would Mr Better Coach have been able to assemble the squad to begin with on the budget Wenger has had to work with?

Is it not a testament to the man's genius he's been able to build a squad you feel should be winning titles with a fraction of what his rivals have spent on transfer fees and wages? People are always quick to sweep this part under the carpet all in the name of discrediting Wenger, but if i show you the figures your jaw will drop 21 stories.

arsenal remains one of the top spending premiership clubs with one of the highest wage expenditure 4th or 5th so let us not exaggerate this budget thing

4llerbuntu:

@ coogar, whilst i do not share your sense of morality in the disgusting aspect of getting a youth player barca didnt try hard to keep/ didnt really see a need to keep @ that point in time.

barca were powerless as at then. they could not sign cesc in 2003 cos cesc was under-aged. their hands were forced to make the deal. cesc was poached by wenger.

i firmly believe there is also absolutely no reason to be shortchanged. only a dunce would value fabregas the way barca keep doing, its insulting.
let anyone with a modicum of business sense and football do a valuation of fab and am pretty sure it would likely double barca's valuation.

and what is this valuation? david villa was purchased for £40 million. there's no way cesc holds more value in the transfer market than spain's highest goal scorer of all time. you need to do this valuation very well especially when cesc has won nothing at club level and has no starting place in the spanish national team.

either they stump up the value or they STFU!.  imagine someone persistently haragueing a player for cheap over the years. btw this same hometown sentiment is probably what will do the poor boy in eventually. i doubt if he even rationalises the thing beyond "im going home"

they want him cheap cos arsenal stole him from them in the first place. cesc is barcelona through and through. . . .nothing can change that fact and it's only a matter of time before the natural order gets restored. arsenal have no complaints at all - it's a dog eat dog issue. using the fact that arsenal stole him as a kid doesnt really make it right to try and get him at a cut price. neither does it make it right that arsenal can sign kids the age of 16 on pro contracts ignoring the club who developed them but it goes on and until it is made illegal will go on.

aribisala0:

arsenal remains one of the top spending premiership clubs with one of the highest wage expenditure 4th or 5th so let us not exaggerate this budget thing

Has Wenger ever finished below 4th? The only teams that have performed better than Arsenal during the drought have spent A LOT MORE on their playing staff. It's not very difficult to understand.

renewnaija:

Dude how many people here are bashing the club? Most here are complaining of Wenger not the club.

The fact that a child in a family is bad does not mean the whole family's name should be soiled. We love the club and want changes. Its Wenger and the club's board that are the reasons for our failure because they have accepted mediocrity from the onset.

But I blame Wenger solely cos a better coach would have won things with this present squad. Take it or leave it.

Don't mind all these Arsene FC supporters who think Arsene Wenger = Arsenal.

The current board/AW as constituted have not exhibited ambition and now even the players are saying it. If/When Arsene moves to another club, you all can follow him there!

slimshay:

@proudly can you please check your woe-mongering. Its becoming ridiculous.

Here is our best player talking about fighting on as a professional and all you can bring out is he said 'we lack ambition?'

Call it woe mongering or whatever name. I choose to call it the same thing RVP called it, REALITY!

If we don't accept our problems, how do we expect to move forward?

and what is this valuation? david villa was purchased for £40 million. there's no way cesc holds more value in the transfer market than spain's highest goal scorer of all time.

Cesc just turned 24, Villa was about 29 or 30.

Using your brilliant logic i can also say if Torres(27?) was signed for £50m there's no way Cesc is worth less.

proudly9ja:

12 months ago, I said it clearly and I still maintain that Arsenal had the best team  in the premiership. We messed up not because we lacked quality but because we lacked mental strength. I have been arguing this all through the season and don't intend to do that again now. I expect the players coming in (Samba, Parker, and whoever) to add that steel to the team. Whether these signings will happen or not I don't know but if they happen, I am willing to give him another season. I have always maintained that this is our major weakness (lack of steel). If AW successfully solves this problem and we don't win something major next season, then I will give up.

arsenal lack mental strength because of the kind of players wenger buys. he loves specialists - which isn't entirely a bad thing to have in a team but there has to be a balance. fergie is not moronic having js park, fletcher, valencia, oshea, gibson, carrick, etc to complement the technically-gifted players in his squad. it's the english league. arsenal will probably win a league title in la liga where the football is all about techniques but in the tough premier league, his style and policy cannot last the entire season.

ritchboy:

Cesc just turned 24, Villa was about 29 or 30.

Using your brilliant logic i can also say if Torres(27?) was signed for £50m there's no way Cesc is worth less.

of course, you can say that because it was barcelona that valued torres at £50 million, right? arsenal fans can be fickle-minded.

Oh wait. . . .hold up.

The board has been bashed, thr coach has been bashed, the players have been bashed. . . . .so what's left to bash before we decide we've been bashing the club: the greeness of the grass?

You moaners are becoming pathetic.

of course, you can say that because it was barcelona that valued torres at £50 million, right? arsenal fans can be fickle-minded.

Are Barcelona the ones that valued Villa at 40m or Valencia? OLODO!

I can still say if Barcelona valued Ibrahimovic at(what was it, £60m?), Cesc is definitely worth £50m.

ritchboy:

Are Barcelona the ones that valued Villa at 40m or Valencia? OLODO!

same difference. valencia valued him at £40 million, barcelona matched the value and they paid to get david villa. whether chelsea paid £200 million to get torres is immaterial here cos it's not chelsea that are now valuing cesc to buy, it's barcelona. it's not entirely possible for arsenal fans to compare like for like.

besides that, torres is easily in the top 5 centre forwards in europe. same cannot be said about cesc fabregas in the midfield. torres gets into the spanish national team, fabregas does not. barcelona want fabregas, fabregas wants to return back to barcelona. . . .the odds favour barcelona to get their man - it's only a matter of time.

I can still say if Barcelona valued Ibrahimovic at(what was it, £60m?), Cesc is definitely worth £50m.

£50 million for cesc? your calculations are wrong - he's worth £150 million.