Dunny, all Arsenal fans .. quick question. At

[Jamaica2099]

Dunny, you saw for yourself what i said earlier in the season about Wenger. There comes a time where a manager should just do the right thing and resign. He's taken this team as far as he can. Every year in the champions league and the team bottles it in big games. The manager has to take some responsibility. Time to move on an not look back.

Whatever you said earlier in the season about Wenger and Arsenal are being overshadowed by the most important facts:

1. The average age of of the Gunners team is 24.
2. The Gunners will finish 4th place. The lowest they can drop this season.
3. The Young Gunners are in the 4th Champions League spot. Again. In how
many years.
4. A 2nd Young Gunners team reached the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
5. The Young Gunners reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
6. The Young Gunners reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
7. The Young Gunners have a 21 unbeaten game streak in the BPL at home
and away including games against the other top 3.

Now even if the streak ends tomorrow against Chelsea. Why should Wenger go when even you cannot think of anyone to replace him.

[Peter R]

It's unfortunate that some folks don't know how to measure success dispassionately...

[Dunny]

Dunny, you saw for yourself what i said earlier in the season about Wenger. There comes a time where a manager should just do the right thing and resign. He's taken this team as far as he can. Every year in the champions league and the team bottles it in big games. The manager has to take some responsibility. Time to move on an not look back.

Dont agree,they achieved more than could've been expected this season.Now we are ready for take off,i hope you stay on board and enjoy the ride.

[Gamma]

THAT is what yuh trying to hang yuh credentials on? you are a pathetic soul....

[Warlord]

Whatever you said earlier in the season about Wenger and Arsenal are being overshadowed by the most important facts:

1. The average age of of the Gunners team is 24.
2. The Gunners will finish 4th place. The lowest they can drop this season.
3. The Young Gunners are in the 4th Champions League spot. Again. In how
many years.
4. A 2nd Young Gunners team reached the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
5. The Young Gunners reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
6. The Young Gunners reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
7. The Young Gunners have a 21 unbeaten game streak in the BPL at home
and away including games against the other top 3.

Now even if the streak ends tomorrow against Chelsea. Why should Wenger go when even you cannot think of anyone to replace him.

Wenger is good at unearthing young talented players. I will give him that. The problem is he cannot and doesnt produce winners. You cannot tell me that finish 4th,5th, or 6th every season in the league and constantly getting knocked out in the Champions League is acceptable as an Arsenal fan. And yes I've previously named a few replacements I think would be good enough to bring a winning mentality and success to tha Emirates Stadium.

[Warlord]

Dont agree,they achieved more than could've been expected this season.Now we are ready for take off,i hope you stay on board and enjoy the ride.

I'll say it again, does constantly finishing 4th, 5th or 6th in the league and bottling it every season in the champions league appease you? In professional sports success is determined by the amount of titles you win and how competitive your team are especially in overcoming supposedly insurmountable tasks at the highest level. Sorry but winning 1 or 2 titles in a decade + isnt acceptable in my humble opinion.

[Paul Marin]

Warlord, you are ignoring the fact that Wenger is running his club responsibly. He has a big stadium to pay for; a project by the way that has been hit by the recession as the condos at Emirates have not been selling as predicted. His sensible use of funds is necessary for the long term future of the club and anyone coming along who would "break open the checkbook" would be sacrificing short term gain for potential long term pain. You also forget how Wenger took previous "unknowns" like Henry and Viera and made massive stars of them. For my money, Wenger is the most responsible and sensible manager in the Prem. Give the team some room and some time and you will see that a very strong CLUB will continue to thrive.

[Warlord]

Warlord, you are ignoring the fact that Wenger is running his club responsibly. He has a big stadium to pay for; a project by the way that has been hit by the recession as the condos at Emirates have not been selling as predicted. His sensible use of funds is necessary for the long term future of the club and anyone coming along who would "break open the checkbook" would be sacrificing short term gain for potential long term pain. You also forget how Wenger took previous "unknowns" like Henry and Viera and made massive stars of them. For my money, Wenger is the most responsible and sensible manager in the Prem. Give the team some room and some time and you will see that a very strong CLUB will continue to thrive.

Paul, this has nothing to do with the day to day running of Arsenal football club as a business. That isnt Wenger's forte. The day to day operations and financial decision making are the responsibility of the Board of Directors and major shareholders. Arsenal isnt the only club facing tough economic times due to global recession. Wenger even back at Highbury never spent astronomical amounts on players. As a matter of fact in the past he has lost some very good players because he simply wont spend money to keep them period!


This has to do with ambition and success. There are no ways of getting around it. You have to spend *money* to achieve success in professional sports. Whether that be in buying the best players, coaches, trainers, etc it is unavoidable because all that entails would be the fact that you will always keep coming up short. Do you know that in over a decade + since he's been manager he's only won 3 Premier League titles? Not to mention the fact that Arsenal has only advanced to the Champions League final once. Arsenal fans must be growing restless every season with constant failure especially knowing the fact that Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool have been real *contenders* the last several years.

Oh and umm.. the massive unknowns you referred to were already known. Viera was already a solid player before he came to Highbury. He was wit AC Milan at the time and Henry was wit Juventus. He was a winger but the potential was always there.

[Paul Marin]

Warlord, you know what I mean when I am talking about Henry and Viera. Put a better way, they BECAME stars at Arsenal - under Wenger. As for your point that "You have to spend *money* to achieve success in professional sports", there is a big difference between spending money that you have and borrowing money to buy players. Leeds is a great example of what can happen when you have too much "ambition".

I think you are off on your belief that "this has nothing to do with the day to day running of Arsenal as a business", it has EVERYTHING to do with it. You seem to forget that Arsenal is a PROFITABLE club, unlike any of their London counter parts. The profitability and financial security of the club MUST be the priority and the Arsenal board know that they have a manager who understands that this is first and foremost. Most other managers see their own trophy case first, not him.

As for the team's success. You are basing expectations on manu as the standard. That is beyond unrealistic. Since the beginning of the current decade, the kind of money being spent by manu and chelski is unmatched...yet even there...chelski has made only one CL finals and won only 2 prem titles, Wenger is ahead of them on that front.

Trust me...wenger is a great manager. He has done what others could only dream of with very meager resources. Let the man rebuild and refocus and you will see a very dominant team emerge.

[Dunny]

I'll say it again, does constantly finishing 4th, 5th or 6th in the league and bottling it every season in the champions league appease you? In professional sports success is determined by the amount of titles you win and how competitive your team are especially in overcoming supposedly insurmountable tasks at the highest level. Sorry but winning 1 or 2 titles in a decade + isnt acceptable in my humble opinion.

Maybe you should go support Man U then,almost a billion pounds in debt win at all cost.

[Gamma]

4th 5th or 6th EVERY season?!!

first of all yuh know what the word EVERY means? after man u, which club has the most premiership titles?

[Jangle]

Hey Dunny, don't throw out your garbage on the Empire's field. I'll hit you with a stiff citation.

[Warlord]

Maybe you should go support Man U then,almost a billion pounds in debt win at all cost.

Im just emphasizing a point here. This team doesnt compete as it should given its status and its football history. We can talk about injuries/suspensions and any other viable excuse for not winning and having a winning mentality but the fact is Chelsea/Liverpool/Man U face the same problem. The difference is they have quality in depth and they're able to handle those situations better. Having 2 quality players per position will get you very far in modern day club football.

[Twan]

Im just emphasizing a point here. This team doesnt compete as it should given its status and its football history. We can talk about injuries/suspensions and any other viable excuse for not winning and having a winning mentality but the fact is Chelsea/Liverpool/Man U face the same problem. The difference is they have quality in depth and they're able to handle those situations better. Having 2 quality players per position will get you very far in modern day club football.

the problem is this team OVER ACHIEVED last year after losing TH14, as a leader. they shouldnt have reached the heights that they did, as most ppl expected them to finish 6th. It was said the Spurs would surpass them etc etc.. Because of this the expectation level was raised this season, based on what they did last season. Well, in horse racing terms, they bounced. This year the performance is more in line with it should have been last year.

Secondly, we need to add some muscle and experience to the team. We NEED a CB and a DM with some aerial presence and physicality. We also need a world class GK, Almunia will not cut it. Finally we need a top class striker.

[Dunny]

Im just emphasizing a point here. This team doesnt compete as it should given its status and its football history. We can talk about injuries/suspensions and any other viable excuse for not winning and having a winning mentality but the fact is Chelsea/Liverpool/Man U face the same problem. The difference is they have quality in depth and they're able to handle those situations better. Having 2 quality players per position will get you very far in modern day club football.

In my opinion,we have potentially as strong a squad as anyone of those teams.But people like you are just looking for a quick fix,go out spend 30 million on a player bankrupt the club for the cause of a trophy.I am a true Gunner,and i support Arsene 100%.I think finishing fourth in the Prem reaching the Semi of the Champions League and FA Cup is a fantatic achievement with the resources available.With a few adjustments in the summer and luck with injuries i truly believe the Arsenal will be challenging for the trophies next season.When you have a look at the foundation that as been layed down and the amount of young talent at the club from the youth to first teams it is only a matter of time before the domination starts.