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A Letter To Arsene Wenger From Arsenal Fans / Open Letter To Arsene Wenger From An Arsenal Supporter / Happy Birthday To Arsene Wenger-Photos (2) (3) (4)

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An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by Harhzyz(m): 6:42pm On Nov 12, 2014
Dear Arsene Wenger, I find myself writing this
letter not out of anger but out of frustration.
As a fan (not customer, fan) of the Arsenal I
find it hard to get angry with the team’s
performances these days because to be frank,
nothing surprises me anymore. I have seen it
all before. Arsenal are, to some extent, masters
of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. So
why am I writing this? As I have touched upon
above, it is a letter borne out of frustration.
Frustration that the club, run by you Mr
Wenger is in a never ending cycle of mediocrity
when things can be so much better given the
resources at our disposal. If you love Arsenal
as much as you say you do, please do the best
for the club and accept you have taken it as
far as you can, resign and allow another
manager to take the club forward. You can
enjoy your legacy of revolutionizingEnglish
Football and enjoy the fact you had a hugely
successful first 10 years at Arsenal. No doubt
you will read this and think “what does he
know? hehasn't worked 2 minutes in football or
won the FA cup” and you are quite right, I
haven’t. That doesn't make my opinion any
less valid, nor does it prevent me from
havingone. I am a pragmatist, to me, to
flourish is to adapt, to be questioned, to be
challenged and in top level sport, to win.
Since you have managed the club, your style
and philosophy hasn't changed, hasn't evolved
but English Football has. Failure to adapt is
costing us dearly. Failure to address obvious
weaknesses within the squad, the failure to
bring in adequate or superior replacements for
those players departing. Failure to address the
lack of discipline in the team, not from a
fouling perspective but from a tactical one, 3-2
up at home and we have 5 playersin an
advanced position against a team who by your
own admission are excellent on the counter
attack. It isn't just this week’s capitulation
against Anderlecht that prompts this letter it
is a culmination of events throughout your
tenure. The team do not learn lessons; the
defence still make elementary mistakes.
Blaming the players is the easy option but the
back four was the same in February 2011 when
we conceded 4 against Newcastle at St James
Park, 8 against Manchester United, 6 against
Manchester City, 4 against Tottenham at home
in 2008. Was the manager the same. Yes. That
isn't bad luck; it’s atrend, one you haven’t
addressed over the years. There is no doubt
you are stubborn, can that work to one’s
advantage? Absolutely, but it can also be
detrimental if left unchecked, unfortunately it
seems the latter is true. So you won’t resign,
what is next? How do we change things? How
can we ensure mistakes are not repeated? May
I suggest the following? * If Steve Bould isn't
coaching the defence, let him, if he is then
perhaps it’s time to delegate that away from
him or bring in some ex- players who know a
thing or two about defending, Messer’s Keown
& Adams would be a good starting point.*
Address the team’s obvious defensive
weaknesses, accept the Wenger way may not be
what’s best for Arsenal FC, not Arsene FC and
purchase accordingly. There is a good reason
the saying “you get what you pay for” exists
and in most cases, rings true. There are some
excellent defenders in the Premiership who
would love to represent such a prestigious club
like the Arsenal. Winston Reid was a good
example. * Bring in a tactician who can be a
pragmatist as an assistant manager, someone
who can offer a different opinion, challenge
you and can set up a team according to the
opponent. That’s not to say attacking football
to which we are known for is compromised, it’s
a pragmatic approach to ensure a goodsolid
defensive foundation is built enabling the
attacking players to express themselves. *
Bring in an external party to evaluate the
training methods & playing surfaces in order
to better understand why so many of the
players suffer muscular injuries. Shad Forsythe
is an excellent addition; let’s focus on
prevention rather than cure /rehabilitation. *
Play players in their natural position, this
sounds simple and it is, a number 10 (Ozil) is
played as a number 10, not as a winger.
Players who aren't performing are taken out of
the limelight to regain form (Ramsey) and
players who are in form are played regularly
not because they are a favourite of the
manager.(Sanogo over Joel Campbell / Lukas
Podolski) Now that may not be the case, but
looking from the outside in, that’s the
impression we get. * Make substitutions based
on the needs of the game. If a player isn't
performing, be amanager, break your loyalty to
that player and take him offat half time rather
than the 70th minute. Be pragmatic, again,
using Anderlecht as an example, if we are 3-2
up, don’t bring on attacking players, get on
the touch line, organize 2 banks of 4 and if
you absolutely have to have an attacking
player on, use Walcott to hit them on the
break and / or run into the channels to hold
the ball up and keep possession. * Have a
plan and listen to counsel – Identify the teams
weaknesses, identify replacements and start
doing the ground work as much as you can
(within the rules of course) before the transfer
window opens. Pay the asking price, using the
Arsenal brand to sell to the player, get the
deal done, the player settled wellin time for
pre-season as Manchester City & Chelsea
havedone in the past to their benefit. As a
manager it is your job to identify the players
you and your coaching staff think we need, not
to negotiate fee’s or argue on what youthink a
player is worth. That is for the Chief Executive
and Finance Director to worry about. I have
decided not to mention the issues at board
level, I wanted this letter to focus on what can
be changed on the field and training pitches.
This is not a personal attack; it is to raise
concerns, to point out flaws, offer constructive
solutions. It may not always seem obvious but
the fans criticize because they care. We like
you Arsene, more so we love Arsenal FC. Let’s
either see a change of manager or a change in
approach. Being challenged and admitting
mistakes isn't a weakness it’s a sign you are
prepared to change, prepared to evolve and
hopefully be as successful as you were in the
first 10 years as manager of this great club.

2 Likes

Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by bawberry(m): 6:52pm On Nov 12, 2014
I wish that man that is now used to spoiling my weekends see these and to be frank, the board should stop letting him feel indispensable, really hate how we cant just equip the club with qualities so it can be a lethal Arsenal undecided
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by okon11: 7:06pm On Nov 12, 2014
will it get to him
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by Niwdog(m): 7:11pm On Nov 12, 2014
Am a chelsea fan but i feel for arsenal
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by Dreyl(m): 7:15pm On Nov 12, 2014
Wenger is really fvcking up
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by Nobody: 7:39pm On Nov 12, 2014
I'm not a football fanatic in that I want to have full control of my emotion, Chaii this Wenger of a man has really toyed with people emotion, my Elder Bros de activate indoor mode when ever Arsenal loses a match.
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by petrov10: 7:49pm On Nov 12, 2014
See nigerians
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by hahn(m): 10:13pm On Nov 12, 2014
Arsene Wenger is the "goodluck ebele jonathan" of football.











Cluelessness, confused and still running for second term
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by Nobody: 10:27pm On Nov 12, 2014
thank God arsenal fans have regained their senses
Re: An Open Letter To Arsene Wenger by raffite: 7:08pm On Oct 03, 2015
Harhzyz:
Dear Arsene Wenger, I find myself writing this letter not out of anger but out of frustration. As a fan (not customer, fan) of the Arsenal I find it hard to get angry with the team’s performances these days because to be frank, nothing surprises me anymore. I have seen it all before. Arsenal are, to some extent, masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. So why am I writing this? As I have touched upon above, it is a letter borne out of frustration.

Frustration that the club, run by you Mr Wenger is in a never ending cycle of mediocrity when things can be so much better given the resources at our disposal. If you love Arsenal as much as you say you do, please do the best for the club and accept you have taken it as far as you can, resign and allow another manager to take the club forward. You can enjoy your legacy of revolutionizing English Football and enjoy the fact you had a hugely successful first 10 years at Arsenal. No doubt you will read this and think “what does he know? hehasn't worked 2 minutes in football or won the FA cup” and you are quite right, I haven’t. That doesn't make my opinion any less valid, nor does it prevent me from havingone. I am a pragmatist, to me, to flourish is to adapt, to be questioned, to be challenged and in top level sport, to win.

Since you have managed the club, your style and philosophy hasn't changed, hasn't evolved but English Football has. Failure to adapt is costing us dearly. Failure to address obvious weaknesses within the squad, the failure to bring in adequate or superior replacements for those players departing. Failure to address the lack of discipline in the team, not from a fouling perspective but from a tactical one, 3-2 up at home and we have 5 playersin an advanced position against a team who by your own admission are excellent on the counter attack.

It isn't just this week’s capitulation against Anderlecht that prompts this letter it is a culmination of events throughout your tenure. The team do not learn lessons; the defence still make elementary mistakes. Blaming the players is the easy option but the back four was the same in February 2011 when we conceded 4 against Newcastle at St James Park, 8 against Manchester United, 6 against Manchester City, 4 against Tottenham at home in 2008. Was the manager the same. Yes. That isn't bad luck; it’s atrend, one you haven’t addressed over the years. There is no doubt you are stubborn, can that work to one’s advantage? Absolutely, but it can also be detrimental if left unchecked, unfortunately it seems the latter is true. So you won’t resign, what is next? How do we change things? How can we ensure mistakes are not repeated?

May I suggest the following? * If Steve Bould isn't coaching the defence, let him, if he is then perhaps it’s time to delegate that away from him or bring in some ex- players who know a thing or two about defending, Messer’s Keown & Adams would be a good starting point.* Address the team’s obvious defensive weaknesses, accept the Wenger way may not be what’s best for Arsenal FC, not Arsene FC and purchase accordingly. There is a good reason the saying “you get what you pay for” exists and in most cases, rings true.

There are some excellent defenders in the Premiership who would love to represent such a prestigious club like the Arsenal. Winston Reid was a good example. * Bring in a tactician who can be a pragmatist as an assistant manager, someone who can offer a different opinion, challenge you and can set up a team according to the opponent. That’s not to say attacking football to which we are known for is compromised, it’s a pragmatic approach to ensure a good solid defensive foundation is built enabling the attacking players to express themselves. * Bring in an external party to evaluate the training methods & playing surfaces in order to better understand why so many of the players suffer muscular injuries. Shad Forsythe is an excellent addition; let’s focus on prevention rather than cure /rehabilitation. * Play players in their natural position, this sounds simple and it is, a number 10 (Ozil) is played as a number 10, not as a winger. Players who aren't performing are taken out of the limelight to regain form (Ramsey) and players who are in form are played regularly not because they are a favourite of the manager.(Sanogo over Joel Campbell / Lukas Podolski) Now that may not be the case, but looking from the outside in, that’s the impression we get. * Make substitutions based on the needs of the game. If a player isn't performing, be amanager, break your loyalty to that player and take him offat half time rather than the 70th minute.

Be pragmatic, again, using Anderlecht as an example, if we are 3-2 up, don’t bring on attacking players, get on the touch line, organize 2 banks of 4 and if you absolutely have to have an attacking player on, use Walcott to hit them on the break and / or run into the channels to hold the ball up and keep possession. * Have a plan and listen to counsel – Identify the teams weaknesses, identify replacements and start doing the ground work as much as you can (within the rules of course) before the transfer window opens. Pay the asking price, using the Arsenal brand to sell to the player, get the deal done, the player settled wellin time for pre-season as Manchester City & Chelsea havedone in the past to their benefit. As a manager it is your job to identify the players you and your coaching staff think we need, not to negotiate fee’s or argue on what youthink a player is worth. That is for the Chief Executive and Finance Director to worry about. I have decided not to mention the issues at board level, I wanted this letter to focus on what can be changed on the field and training pitches. This is not a personal attack; it is to raise concerns, to point out flaws, offer constructive solutions.

It may not always seem obvious but the fans criticize because they care. We like you Arsene, more so we love Arsenal FC. Let’s either see a change of manager or a change in approach. Being challenged and admitting mistakes isn't a weakness it’s a sign you are prepared to change, prepared to evolve and hopefully be as successful as you were in the first 10 years as manager of this great club.

(1) (Reply)

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