Wenger sticky

[dww]

Oh it's calculated alright but it's from a position of weakness as you say. He weak mind games don't work when they are performing so badly. Arsenal were out of contention about 2 months ago if memory serves me right.

I actually think they are designed to deflect attention from his players as much as anything. It has worked in some senses in that Eboue and Diaby have come back relatively unscathed from criticism and Denilson has grown without extra pressure on him. I think though that it has started to make the team look more vulnerable to other sides now - which without a solid defensive base I feel they are, but in previous seasons they would win some games on reputation alone especially once one up, that won't happen this season.

If I'm honest I had discounted them from the title from the start of the season. their failure to get any closer while ourselves and Chelsea ****ed up means that probably the game against us finally ended their realistic hopes of mounting any sort of challenge.

[Chrono]

He moans and makes excuses because thats his way of giving his players belief and exempting them from public criticism. Its similar to Mourinho's Psychology, Wenger thinks he can restore his players confidence if puts the attention on other issues rather than their own underperformance.

I just don't understand how such a proven good coach can not see where he is going wrong with that team. Fabregas is one of the best most creative CM's in the world and he clearly needs a solid, tough tackling defensive midfielder to protect him and get the best out of him. Instead he persists with skinny little, can't tackle Denilson. WTF

He badly needs a big tough centre half too, essentially his team has no spine down the middle of the park and i think its so obvious. Eboue is **** btw, dunno how he can't see it

I think Almunia is a good keeper but not world class and thats what they need if they want to compete at the top now. Ourselves, Chelsea and Man Utd have world class keepers, Arsenal do not. GK is not a priority for them though

Completely agree mate but I'm not sure Arsene's mind games actually ever worked, Mourinho he is not. I mean the only time I can think of where it might have come off is where he is pointing out the obvious in that his team are physically weak and get bullied and even that would have only drawn minor notice from some refs. He is the most disrespectful short sighted manager in the league. I'm no Ferguson fan but he always gives respect to us whatever the result or occasion.

Wenger is a brilliant coach, technician and scout but I'm just not sure he is that great a manager. At times they play, in my opinion, total football and have done so for a long time yet they have really achieved very little.

Long may it continue

(This has gone slightly off course as I just wanted to post snippets of him being a cry baby )

[Chrono]

I actually think they are designed to deflect attention from his players as much as anything. It has worked in some senses in that Eboue and Diaby have come back relatively unscathed from criticism and Denilson has grown without extra pressure on him. I think though that it has started to make the team look more vulnerable to other sides now - which without a solid defensive base I feel they are, but in previous seasons they would win some games on reputation alone especially once one up, that won't happen this season.

If I'm honest I had discounted them from the title from the start of the season. their failure to get any closer while ourselves and Chelsea ****ed up means that probably the game against us finally ended their realistic hopes of mounting any sort of challenge.

See it really is that transparent and that is why it is so amusing. Deflection is without a doubt the aim of the game as most managers practice player protection but with Wenger you can see right through it and I believe produces a negative effect where his guise is actually drawing attention to the fact his players can't really hack it, which they can't.

[dww]

See it really is that transparent and that is why it is so amusing. Deflection is without a doubt the aim of the game as most managers practice player protection but with Wenger you can see right through it and I believe produces a negative effect where his guise is actually drawing attention to the fact his players can't really hack it, which they can't.

True but I think it is working in the sense that the young players are not being individually attacked for poor performances. In a way I see it as moving towards the Mourinho tactic of letting people attack the manager in order to allow the team to be spared of types of criticism the manager doesn't want them to have.

It has become amusingly transparent when he goes for clubs like Villa (which seem like a very poor target due to them exceeding expectations and having a similarly young/inexperienced team make up).

I still think he is two players away from being a really excellent side and if he fronts up and accepts that (which the Fabregas injury allows him to do without too much loss of face) then I think they will easily get 4th. As it is I think it will be very close as Villa have a similarly underwhelming strength in depth.

[Parm]

I'm glad you got this up and running Max, some of the comments from Wenger range from bizarre to complete and utter denial of the obvious. He is like that Iraqi General who kept saying they were ontop of the yanks and that the yanks would never take Bagdad (whilst behind him the US tanks were quietly patrolling the now occupied streets)

his latest moan about villa just smacks of bitter grapes. He has got it badly wrong and once again for the 5th season running they will not even make a sniff of a challenge. If us and the Chavs had won some of the recent home matches then Arsenal would have been 18/19 points of us and scrapping for 5th with Hull

[Maxiedge]

What's brown, talks drivel and moans constantly?
































The Wenger Sticky

[Parm]

True but I think it is working in the sense that the young players are not being individually attacked for poor performances. In a way I see it as moving towards the Mourinho tactic of letting people attack the manager in order to allow the team to be spared of types of criticism the manager doesn't want them to have.

It has become amusingly transparent when he goes for clubs like Villa (which seem like a very poor target due to them exceeding expectations and having a similarly young/inexperienced team make up).

I still think he is two players away from being a really excellent side and if he fronts up and accepts that (which the Fabregas injury allows him to do without too much loss of face) then I think they will easily get 4th. As it is I think it will be very close as Villa have a similarly underwhelming strength in depth.

I think he is more than just 2 players away from a really excellent side. As far as I can see he needs:

1.GK
2. RB
3.CB x 2 (esp if gallas is going)
4. DCM
5. CF (Van Persie does seem a bit injury prone and Bentdener is not good enough)

plus he also needs a back up for Wallcot as that shoulder injury wont go unless he has surgery to pin it back. And will Rosicky ever play again for them?

[Maxiedge]

I think he is more than just 2 players away from a really excellent side. As far as I can see he needs:

1.GK I think Almunia is good enough if they started playing better as a defensive unit
2. RB ? You mean back up to Sagna?
3.CB x 2 (esp if gallas is going) Sure
4. DCM Definitely
5. CF (Van Persie does seem a bit injury prone and Bentdener is not good enough) Eduardo

plus he also needs a back up for Wallcot as that shoulder injury wont go unless he has surgery to pin it back. And will Rosicky ever play again for them?

[Vermilion]

Yes, Wenger = Whinger, No doubt, but i would have been angry if i'd seen an opposing managers right hand man go crying to the Ref's room at half time, big baby.

[Shaggy]

I agree with those who contend that Almunia is not good enough.

Anyway, back on topic - Wenger is a sour cunt.

[Parm]

have never rated Almunia, no way near as consistent as the first choice keepers at Utd, Chavs and us. In fact I'd go as far as to say keepers such as:

1. Scharwzer
2. Friedel
3. Given
4. Kirkland
5. James
6. Foster
7. Gordon

are much better and consistent keepers

Ok forgot about Sanga but behind him there isnt much
Eduardo-who knows how he will fare upon his return?

[dww]

I think he is more than just 2 players away from a really excellent side. As far as I can see he needs:

1.GK
2. RB
3.CB x 2 (esp if gallas is going)
4. DCM
5. CF (Van Persie does seem a bit injury prone and Bentdener is not good enough)

plus he also needs a back up for Wallcot as that shoulder injury wont go unless he has surgery to pin it back. And will Rosicky ever play again for them?

I really think with Arsenal it is all about needing a couple of players to allow others to play to their strengths.

The obvious weakness is at the back, particularly in the air. I think the problem is that Almunia is not great on crosses and the CBs are two short. I think an aerially dominant CB would make a huge improvement here. Almunia is not world class but he is very good and his decision making is consistent (which I think is essential to build a solid defense at a top team) having to go for less balls he is relatively unlikely to get due to a dominant defender would improve him I believe.

I think that many of the other areas would be solved by having someone step into the Flamini role last year. Sagna is an excellent right back but he is very adventurous and at the minute it is unclear who should be covering him. With a good defensive midfielder that goes away. It would also allow the midfield to move further up the pitch and have more influence in the final third. Previous Arsenal teams have relied a lot of goals from midfield and I think within the squad Adebayor, RvP, Eduardo and Walcott will eventually provide all the central attackers they need and I think with Bendtner and Vela in reserve that are well stocked to get over injuries if the midfield starts stepping up.

Who knows about Rosicky and Walcotts injuries but I think the likes of Eboue and Diaby have a lot to offer but they need to be as part of a balanced midfield at the minute they rely on Song who is very inexperienced and not a natural holding player.

[dww]

have never rated Almunia, no way near as consistent as the first choice keepers at Utd, Chavs and us. In fact I'd go as far as to say keepers such as:

1. Scharwzer
2. Friedel
3. Given
4. Kirkland
5. James
6. Foster
7. Gordon

are much better and consistent keepers

Really? I don't agree with those in bold at all and I have reservations about all the rest. I'd say Friedel is the one that could genuinely make the claim as my concern there is his big team mentality but it has been a long time since he failed with us and he has been awesome for a good many years.

[Parm]

Really? I don't agree with those in bold at all and I have reservations about all the rest. I'd say Friedel is the one that could genuinely make the claim as my concern there is his big team mentality but it has been a long time since he failed with us and he has been awesome for a good many years.

Schawazer has been superb this season, kept clean sheet after clean sheet, I would hazard a guess that he is close to Pepe in terms of the clean sheet trophy.
Gordon is a superb keeper, though out injured at the moment. He is better at everything compared to Almunia and Wenger should have gone for him when he had the chance.
I think Foster is a really talented young keeper. From whatg I saw of him at Watford, the lad had all the attributes needed to play at the top level, the mancs are very lucky that he is so young and will learn a lot from van der saar.

[wiw]

My Arsenal supporting mate has been saying all season that he thinks Wenger has lost the plot He's doing what Rafa does at times, making baffling decisions that no-one in the crowd quite understands. All of a sudden they're questioning the great football messiah that is Wenger and a ****ty atmosphere is surrounding the club atm.

In terms of what players they need, we agreed that someone with an old experienced head like Senna would really sort them out. Whilst their back 5 isn't very good at the moment look at them player by player

Clichy - arguably the best LB in the league
Gallas - can he have gotten this bad so soon?
Toure - been solid as a rock for them for years, just needs to get back after an injury
Sagna - one of the best RB's imo


Where they obviously really suffer is midfield. We all know they need a DM but look at last seasons midfield

Hleb - Flamini - Cesc - Rosicky

compared to this year

Nasri - Denilson - Cesc (until now) - Diaby

There's a huge gulf in class between the two, and it's really putting the otherwise decent enough defence under a lot more pressure than it should have to deal with