All the talk at the beginning of the season was about how Arsenal would get on without Henry - most people were convinced that Spurs would even pip them as the top team in North London. And yet, Wenger has proved everyone wrong… and a bit right.
A great start to the campaign, one of the best teams in the world to watch, but as the season wore on, the lack of strength in depth in the Arsenal squad has started to show. There’s no doubting that Wenger is shrewd and frugal when it comes to putting together a decent team, but in squad terms, are Arsenal always going to be playing third/fourth fiddle to Man United, Chelsea, and possibly Liverpool?
Some argue that his seeming refusal to buy big stems from arrogance, but having played in and lost two of the best games of the season (yesterday against Man United, the other week against Liverpool), might it be high time that the Frenchman threw some money around over the summer? A few solid defenders and a new Thierry Henry wouldn’t go amiss, surely? Or can this team actually do it next time around?
19 responses so far
1 Matt // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:32 am
Time he had a good look at himself, and realises that one thing worse than a bad loser is a bad winner… Wenger has proved himself to be both. It’s one thing to take the plaudits with a smug arrogance when things are going your way, but to spit bile and ‘insinuation’ at a hatched plot when things AREN’T is another matter… everyone bar himself and his team are to blame for HIS and HIS TEAM’S ultimate failings this season… admirable ‘protection’ of his ‘not-so-young-and-inexperienced-anymore’ team? Or just the sour grapes of a bad loser… if we’re talking conspiricies, lest we forget that not so long ago, whilst Daved Dein was ‘wine-ing and dining’ Richard Scudamore & his FA pals on the last day of the season, the last game at Highbury, where qualification for the following season’s Champions League was not only a MUST, but not actually in their own hands… a mere 10 miles east, a Tottenham team whose future and destiny WAS in their own hands, was busy bringing up the previous night’s meal all over the Upton Park pitch, due to a ‘mystery’ bug… heaven forbid the tables were turned and wenger had to suffer the ignomany of having to watch such a drama unfold… helpless to do or affect the decision to move the kick-off by one hour at the very least! Meanwhile, our manager at the time conducted himself with tremendous dignity, when to point the finger at the bleedin’ obvious would’ve been much easier… Now tell me, who benefited most that day …? Certainly not Spurs! I wonder where Wenger’s conspiracy theorists were THAT day?
2 Matt // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:34 am
…as they say, what goes around, comes around. Karma works in mysterious ways doesn’t it? Enjoy another Potless season Mr Wenger, my heart bleeds for you!
3 Matmos // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:38 am
I agree that Wenger should stop complaining about perceived injustice but what has that got to do with spurs bottling it against west ham?
4 Matt // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:47 am
BOTTLING it?? Shi££ing it you mean?
I’m just pointing out how ridiculous a consiracy theory is when there’s little or no foundation for it… I’m not paid nor employed by THFC, so can pretty much say what I like, barring obvious abuse, Wenger is a fully paid up member of Arsenal Football club, and as such, looks a complete fool when he ’suggests’ that they know the reasons why decisions are not going his way… do me a favour, decisions against? Adebayor opened the scoring legitimately with his HEAD didn’t he????? Ronaldo was forced to re-take a penalty for gamesmanship… which he duly tested the conspiracy further by not allowing Lehmann to save it this time… poor poor Wenger, he must be running out of straws!
5 Matmos // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:54 am
yes agreed it is a ridiculous conspiracy theory of Wengers but so too is the lasagna-gate conspiracy! I think you will find Ronaldo was forced to retake because several players (mostly man u) ran into the box because the portuguese divemeister spent so long preening himself before taking his spot kick
6 otariq // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:58 am
Gentlemen,
This was to be a rebuilding season, you all need to take a look at the team and understand that next year they would be a year older and better. I totally agree Arsenal only need one more player and that player is Benzema. Nick B can leave.
7 otariq // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:59 am
Matt,
A good loser is a total loser. I can’t stand good losers. I will take a bad loser any day simply because he’s trying to be a good winner.
8 KEVIN JEACOCK // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:05 am
get the wheels in motion for next season time to say goodbye to eboue, senderos, song and gilberto sack gallas as captain he is not a good captain i lost all respect for him after the birmingham game give it to toure everytime
we need a world class striker i’m tired of watching all these chances pass us by and the same comment arsenal played so and so off the park today but 1- 1 is’nt good enough
9 Portland Pete // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:11 am
What should Wenger do next? I believe there will be jobs available at Fulham or if he is really lucky Bolton next season!
10 aussie ramos // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:30 am
hahahahahahahahahahahahaahaha!!!!!!! you”ll win fcuk all again arsenal, and look forward to the same next season. hahahahahahahahahaha!!!
11 Stan // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:38 am
Its time Arsenal and Wenger moved on, he needs to aim for success at one of the big clubs like Inter ,Real, Barca etc. He needs to prove he can manage at the highest level befor ehis reputation of a winner is lost to one as a loser/runner up. Great manager but time to move one Arsene, you ain’t no Alex Ferguson
12 lex // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:46 am
matt - you’re crazy you need a sit down! stan - you said “time to move one Arsene, you ain’t no Alex Ferguson” - what do you mean exactly?
wengers a great manager - he’s a triple title winner (in england alone) not to mention a double double winner. considering the difference in their spending it’s my view that alex ferguson is no arsene wenger!
i feel the bloke gets far too much stick from the media at large and i’d put money on the him winning something else for arsenal soon enough.
13 Matmos // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:58 am
well said Lex - considering the vast amounts of cash man u have spent they should win. regarding gloating spurs fans, 30 points behind Arsenal is nothing to be proud of.
14 Dusty // Apr 14, 2008 at 12:32 pm
im no arsenal fan but they have done a lot better than most people thought they were going to do this season, could/should still be in contention for the prem! spurs for that matter are fucking shite, 40m for 10 league wins, now got a cardboard cut out spanish manager who all the players hate, next year relegation hopefully!
15 Leper Racy // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Dusty, ya rusty!! Vest Spam by chance, 4-0 to the shite then? hahahahahaha sucking up to the losers again, story of ya life
16 A Typical Goo'er // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Is the answer ‘fiddle’…is it?
17 TO ALL SPURS FANS // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Now please don’t GLOAT over Ars*n*l, they never gloat over Spurs losing so please don’t do it to them. Just becasue they have won feck all again but have been so unlucky with all those penaulties given against them and those goals being scored against them, I mean if it wasn’t for that they would have won the quadruple and the World Cup and would not have lost a game or had a goal scored against them. So please leave them alone, they are feeling a bit touchy at the moment. So remember before you start GLOATING again….bwahhhhhh hahahahaha bwahhhhhhh I have’t stop larfing yet bwahhhhhhhhhh bwahhhhhhhhhhh 5-1 we beat the scum 5-1, feck all, ya gunna win fuk all, your not singing anymore!!! bwahhhhhhhhhhhh bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhh bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. P.S> WHU shhhhhhhhhh
18 Alex Ferguson // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:59 pm
how about Feck Off…thats what I told him yesterday
19 bristle // Apr 15, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Matt, you are nothing short of a hyprocrite, whether you agree with Arsene bemoaning our performance on conspiracy theories or not, at least his theory is about this season, how long have you been haning onto the “our players were a bit ill which is why we lost ” excuse for a conspiracy theory….
in short, no matter how badly you can consider Arsenal having done this season having also spent little to no money and working with injuries to major players in the squad - We can take solace in the fact that you are a) 30 points behind us b)sacked a manager because gimps like you don’t understand the quality of longevity and c) you are a shit club who have to rely on the FA Cup and UEFA for any chance at silverware simply because you are not good enough to play with the big boys
now go home and start cooking (hope it doesn’t make you too ill to watch the rest of the season.