05/12/2014
@CoulingKnows
Its an argument that has split the opinions of Arsenal fans for several years now. I don't think you can be on the fence when it comes to Arsene Wenger, you either love the guy or you don't.
When i was a young lad at the age of 7 i really started to follow football and became an Arsenal fan through the bullying of my uncle Simon. The first real part of Arsenal news i remember was the "Arsene Who?" headline. I had no idea how to pronounce the name or even what to expect. I already had my idols and over the first few years you could see the team getting better. Football was being played differently, quicker and one touch passing. Then Bang in the 1997 - 1998 Premier League season we had won the league and FA Cup double. By now i had grown to love the erring Frenchman with a funny name. Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, Lee Dixon and David Seaman were my superstars i looked up to. I even had the figures of the players. I was a happy little Gooner.
The older i got the better the team seemed to get and the players that were being brought in were incredible. Even the Sol Campbell steal was superb. Managing to sign the captain of the your north London rivals is the best transfer deal ever carried out and for Arsenal what a player he became. Not saying he wasn't good in a spurs shirt but i just do not want to admit it. So this unknown french manager Arsene Wenger became a world class manager and picked up several personal awards as well success with Arsenal.
I have to speak about the unbeaten season. 49 games undefeated.
At this point Arsenal were untouchable and i watched one of the best premier league games in the 00's. It took place on the 21st September 2003 and finished a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford as the 2 biggest clubs in England took part in this spectacle. Thinking back even the line ups were mouth watering. I think i can speak for every football fan who does not support man united by saying Ruud Van Nistelrooy was a player we all hated. I think Arsenal fans more than most.
At this point Arsenal were untouchable and i watched one of the best premier league games in the 00's. It took place on the 21st September 2003 and finished a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford as the 2 biggest clubs in England took part in this spectacle. Thinking back even the line ups were mouth watering. I think i can speak for every football fan who does not support man united by saying Ruud Van Nistelrooy was a player we all hated. I think Arsenal fans more than most.
The match was physical, fast and not short of drama. It seemed these to teams really disliked each other. Patrick Vieira was sent off for a second bookable offence after being climbed on by Van Nistelrooy and foolishly kicked out.
Shortly after that, right at the end of the game Man united were awarded a penalty and it was down to the dutch man to break Arsenals hearts. Fortunately for us it spanked the cross bar and then all hell broke loose.
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| Vieira's reaction of being sent off |
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| Keown "not rubbing it in" |
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| Arsene modelling the Comical Wenger Tshirt |
The character, the heart and the determination from the arsenal squad had proved that they were not going to allow anything walk on by. Arsene had said it at the beginning of the season a team could go undefeated and it proves that "le professor" has some savvy about him.
For Arsenal it was on wards and upwards. We said goodbye to the marble halls of Highbury and moved round the corner to the superb Emirates Stadium. For Arsenal this was a move that had to happen. Attendance for Arsenal had to be higher than what highbury could offer.
It was after the move that Wenger and Arsenal started to struggle. We saw the legends of the invincibles move on and things started to look desperate. We were not making the signings that would help us compete where we should and over the years we have lost several first team players. We started signing players such as Squilacci who was actually captain for a few games! As the transfer windows came and went we saw players like Hleb, Flamini, Ljungberg, Reyes, Clichy, Fabregas, Nasri and more recently Van persie and Song all leave with players like Chamahk, Silvestre, Arshavin, Young and Gervinho all coming in. We have signed the odd gem like Oxlade chamberlain and Sagna was a good buy too before his recent departure. It was looking bleak and when you sign these sorts of players its hard to look forward to the upcoming season.
With all these players leaving and not many decent ones coming in, the results were awful and the years from 2006 to 2013 were hard. Arsene wouldn't spend and ticket prices got higher. We all understand the ground cost a lot of money and that somewhere something would have to give. I just don't think that should have been the results on the pitch.
It was during this time the infamous #WengerOut brigade began. I do not think he should leave, especially not now. In the last few seasons money has been spent, not in all the correct areas that i will admit. We are dying for an defensive midfielder and even Callum Chambers and Debuchy were signed this season i still think more should have been done in defence. I believe we are now on the climb back to the Arsenal we all loved and the players coming in are very exciting. Arsenal also now have a very good core of English players which will only assist the national team in the very near future.
The thought of a fully fit Arsenal team is something we are all dying to see. Sanchez, Oxlade Chamberlain, Walcott, Welbeck, Wlishere, Ozil, Koscienly, Chambers, Gibbs, Ramsey, Giroud and so on. This team finished 4th last year and look at the potential right there. In this years squad. The potential is huge so much more so than previous years. If you do not think we are progressing have a look at the squad back in 2007,2008,2009,2010 and 2011. All those years UCL qualification was made and Arsenal looked so far from what they should be it was unbelievable. A victory was a surprise against most teams.
I will stand by the erring Frenchman and it will take a lot for my mind to be changed. The success in the Wenger years will turn full circle and it was FA Cup success last year and cannot see why we cannot retain that this year. Admittedly Chelsea are running away with the league so far but a bottomless transfer fund will always be hard to keep up with. Arsenal league performances are not good enough we can all see that but i believe the best is yet to come.
When people state Wenger out i always ask who would replace him? Tony Pulis? If you have backup for your argument I'm more than happy to give you my time.
happy to receive your comments/complaints with regards to this as I'm expecting a little backlash.
Next post will follow the Stoke game on Saturday afternoon with hopefully more praise for the gunners.
Take care and tip your waiters.
For Arsenal it was on wards and upwards. We said goodbye to the marble halls of Highbury and moved round the corner to the superb Emirates Stadium. For Arsenal this was a move that had to happen. Attendance for Arsenal had to be higher than what highbury could offer.
It was after the move that Wenger and Arsenal started to struggle. We saw the legends of the invincibles move on and things started to look desperate. We were not making the signings that would help us compete where we should and over the years we have lost several first team players. We started signing players such as Squilacci who was actually captain for a few games! As the transfer windows came and went we saw players like Hleb, Flamini, Ljungberg, Reyes, Clichy, Fabregas, Nasri and more recently Van persie and Song all leave with players like Chamahk, Silvestre, Arshavin, Young and Gervinho all coming in. We have signed the odd gem like Oxlade chamberlain and Sagna was a good buy too before his recent departure. It was looking bleak and when you sign these sorts of players its hard to look forward to the upcoming season.
With all these players leaving and not many decent ones coming in, the results were awful and the years from 2006 to 2013 were hard. Arsene wouldn't spend and ticket prices got higher. We all understand the ground cost a lot of money and that somewhere something would have to give. I just don't think that should have been the results on the pitch.
It was during this time the infamous #WengerOut brigade began. I do not think he should leave, especially not now. In the last few seasons money has been spent, not in all the correct areas that i will admit. We are dying for an defensive midfielder and even Callum Chambers and Debuchy were signed this season i still think more should have been done in defence. I believe we are now on the climb back to the Arsenal we all loved and the players coming in are very exciting. Arsenal also now have a very good core of English players which will only assist the national team in the very near future.
The thought of a fully fit Arsenal team is something we are all dying to see. Sanchez, Oxlade Chamberlain, Walcott, Welbeck, Wlishere, Ozil, Koscienly, Chambers, Gibbs, Ramsey, Giroud and so on. This team finished 4th last year and look at the potential right there. In this years squad. The potential is huge so much more so than previous years. If you do not think we are progressing have a look at the squad back in 2007,2008,2009,2010 and 2011. All those years UCL qualification was made and Arsenal looked so far from what they should be it was unbelievable. A victory was a surprise against most teams.
I will stand by the erring Frenchman and it will take a lot for my mind to be changed. The success in the Wenger years will turn full circle and it was FA Cup success last year and cannot see why we cannot retain that this year. Admittedly Chelsea are running away with the league so far but a bottomless transfer fund will always be hard to keep up with. Arsenal league performances are not good enough we can all see that but i believe the best is yet to come.
When people state Wenger out i always ask who would replace him? Tony Pulis? If you have backup for your argument I'm more than happy to give you my time.
happy to receive your comments/complaints with regards to this as I'm expecting a little backlash.
Next post will follow the Stoke game on Saturday afternoon with hopefully more praise for the gunners.
Take care and tip your waiters.
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