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Does Wenger have immunity at Arsenal?
Wenger took over at Arsenal in 1996
After 12 years at the London club, Arsène Wenger has led Arsenal to three Premier League titles and four FA Cup successes.
In Europe, Arsenal were unfortunate to lose to Galatasary in the UEFA cup final in 2000 and Barcelona in the Champions League final in 2006.
Wenger has been credited with completely rebuilding Arsenal. He has taken them into the 21st century, and made them world renowned for their stylish, sexy football. His great eye for footballing talent has saved Arsenal millions over the years in transfer fees. He has overseen the move from Highbury to their state of the art Emirates stadium.
As a Liverpool fan the contrast between the style of football Arsenal and Liverpool play is obvious. Liverpool grind out victories using a more conservative tactic. Arsenal play silky football, extremely pleasing to the eye. But which style of play is more efficient? On inspection of the League table, it would point to Liverpool´s cagey strategy.
Would Arsenal fans prefer to grind out victories, playing some boring football but ultimately achieving success? Or would they prefer Wenger to continue in his quest of playing great football in order to win the league?
The Arsenal team that stormed to the title in 2003/04, were by far the best team I have seen in the Premiership over the years. With players like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Viera, Cesc Fabregas, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell the team deservedly were christened ‘The Invincibles’.
I haven’t seen Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool play anything like the Arsenal Invincibles, in the years previous or the years after. However, ever since Arsenal have struggled. Realistically they haven’t come close to winning the title.
A solitary FA Cup is all Wenger has been able to add to the trophy cabinet since then. For the first time since Wenger took over in 1996, there are murmurings of discontent amongst the Arsenal faithful.
His insistence in trusting in youth instead of experience is holding the club back. He has sold experienced players like Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, and Hleb. Instead of replacing these key players with equally experianced players, he has called upon his young starlets to do effectively a mans job.
Arsenal are two or three experienced players away from being a title winning outfit. This January transfer window, Arsenal fans were crying out for a hard tackling midfielder. Wenger instead decided to splash out on a light weight Russian player maker, Andrei Arshavin.
We have seen the intense pressure Avram Grant, Luis Scolari and Rafa Benitez have been under to win trophies. Yet Wenger seems exempt from any kind of pressure from the hierarchy of the club and the most Arsenal fans.
A barren spell of three or four years in Engand, Spain or Italy would spell the end of a manager’s tenure at any of the nations respective ‘big clubs’. Not with Wenger. It is impossible to imagine Wenger being sacked by Arsenal.
Worryingly though, is this immunity allowing Wenger to rest on his laurels and continue with his everlasting patience in youth? And as a result prolonging the trophyless spell Arsenal are currently enduring?
I’m not saying Wenger should be sacked. He is a great manager. One of the best, if not the best the Premiership has seen. But if he doesn’t change his philosophy of playing young inexperienced players instead of purchasing two or three proven players then I can’t see Arsenal winning a major trophy for at least 2 or 3 years. Or until such a time his hot prospects mature into indispensable players for the club.
How many times has Liverpool finished above Arsenal in the Premier league? Have a guess? Oh go on you know you want to! Once, so far. Once in nearly 18 years, well done, so that surely indicates that Liverpools style of football is far more effective than Arsenals……
maybe a bit of homework next time.
give this is the first time liver may finish above arsenal in years, there is no persuasive arguement pro their grind out results football.
also any top four team thats not trheatening to take the premier crown willalways have murmurings of discontent – they have started at the liver too under pressure from manu. your article is therefore myopic.
I agree 100% with the article. I want to win even if it means boringly.Mu are grinding out similar results. AW has to be realistic.You can’t have it both ways.
Until he changes tack, Arsenal will be underachieving and worst of all may miss out on the cl next season. Once team is out of the cl,don’t for a moment think it is easy to get back even assuming spending big sums of money which AW is reluctant to do. His hand might be forced but even than no guarantee.
Liverpool, just like Arsenal, might well win f*ck all this season. Arsenal would at least have played good football.
And by the way, last I checked, Arsenal are still in 3 competitions. Liverpool, 2.
A balanced article and well done as a non-Arsenal supporter for recognising all the great things Wenger has achieved at Arsenal over the past 12 years or so. To deliver the success and style that he has delivered while developing the superb training facilities, youth development programme, scouting network and a new stadium is laudable. The feeling amongst many arsenal fans now is that the Board have been criminally negligent in failing to build on the great team of the 2003-04 season – the Invincibles. It’s easy to target Wenger but the primary responsibility has to be with the Board who have unquestionably serially mis-led the fans as regards the money available to Wenger. He is obviously struggling with a paltry budget in comparison to other sides – ManU, Chavski and ‘Pool to start with but add to that Villa, Citeh, Suds etc. have all spent far more in the market in recent years. There is a power struggle going on at Board level and it smells pretty bad from where the fans are sitting – the most expensive seats in Europe and also the most profitable stadium mean the club are raking in the cash but it’s not going on squad – we’re thin on the ground and over-reliant on youth but what options does Wenger have? he simply has to continue to invest his time and limited resources in the undoubted talent coming through. It was obvious that we needed to invest in the summer, even if Hleb and Flamini stayed. Buying that Manc reject Sivestre spoke volumes! When we really needed a defensive/aggressive central midfielder and an imposing central defender we got a crocked Silvestre and Aaron Ramsey – bloody hell! having said that the decisions to buy are without question all down to Wenger so his is either compliant or complicit – most likely both, and doubts are emerging as to his ability to move things forward under the current circumstances. It remains to be seen what will happen at Board level over the coming months. Will the club be bought out? Will we hang on to our best players like Fabregas, Van Persie and Walcott? Will Wenger be given a warchest over the summer and if so will he bring in the two or three players we do certainly need to bring some physical power to the side? The Wenger era has been glorious, if frustrating, and it might come to an end soon but my feeling is that he will turn things around but it won’t happen this season. He’ll get next season out of respect but from the fans POV he/they will need to deliver something very very good or it will be the end of that era.
as a gooner, im temptedtosay p**s off scouser but in truth, there’s a lil truth in the article, if he dioes not change his alomost peodo stance on young talent (which we love by the way), wewill have a trophyless trophy shelf for sometime. 1 moster behind fabregas would be terrific. howeveri dont agree that defense is the problem cos we havent conceeded in sometime now, the problem is creativity in midfield(eboue aint it), and a world class striker (Adebayor aint it either). maybe we need a uefa cup run to make us not take a top four finish for granted!
I know AW is a great manager and is coveted across Europe. Well if RM or any top team come in for him let him leave.Let him try to implement his Arsenal management techniques . He will find the
directors do not give you unlimited authority and time to be a success.
The test of a great manager is being able to adapt . What management worked in 2004 may not work in 2009.Above all be
realistic and not be guided by one’s idioyncrasies and be pragmatic and learn from other managers.
mug comments arsene is not replaceable at thof end, liverpool would have to seen the footy thats been played at thof over the 12 odd years and without carragher / torres / stevie g they would have probs ( edie cesc rosicynote plus out forever most teams would suggle)
Fabregas was not even in the invincibles
9 Reasons Arsenal should hold on to AW
1.Arsenal knows and appreciates the great good AW has done the club. It will be silly to repay AW thus.
2. Aw’s player economy/buying strategy was fashioned out with Arsenal Board, mindful of the adverse cashflow the Stadium development will produce for some years.
3. In the 3-4years Arsenal has won nothing, they nearly won the UEFA in 2005/06 and the PL in 2007/08 and never finished below 4th position. Even if Arsenal had spent tons of money, wouldn’t it have been considered a decent season at Liverpool which, in the same period had won nothing?
4. Yes, AW may be under the stick now but look at the team when all who are on the treatment table are back in action.
5. AW is not stupid. This year’s experience plus Aston Villa, Everton and ManCity threats and perhaps a less strigent cash constraint from the management will give rise to a more balanced tactics down the road.
6. I am sure Liverpool’s owners, just as Real Madrid’s will be among those trying very hard to have AW wrough his magic if Arsenal were to do something as stupid as to let him go.
7. AW is simply the alternative option for any club looking to grow without having to hope that some billionaire would be interested in acquiring it (for some time) as its toy.
8. If Aresnal already shaping that future with AW, why give it up for the uncertainty of Liverpool’s and Tottenham’s model which works even less, less consistently and at greater costs.
9. This season IS NOT OVER YET!!
Hi guys, let’s be more patient. Can’t you see that Diaby, Song and Denilson have improved by leaps and bounds compared to the beginning of the season? That is why we has become defensively good in the last few matches. Djourou is also developing to be a good centre back.
We are not as rich as Man U or Chelsea so Wenger has gone the hard way – spot cheap young talent from around the globe and develop them into world class players. This in fact gives me more satisfaction as they can be considered more “Arsenal”. The fact that we are still in the top 5 while spending even less money than the Spurs is already no easy feat:
Anyway, as Fem Dee said, the season is not over yet. Wenger has said ” Judge us at the end of the season, not now.” Let’s stay positive. Our attacking players Educardo, Walcott, Rosicky and Fab are all coming back. We are going to have a strong finish to the EPL.
The title is unrealistic now but we still have a chance of claiming 3rd behind Man U and Liverpool.
I prefer Wenger to continue with this strategy, 3 titles, 4 FA cups is not a bad return in 12 years, so let him continue, in the next 12 years if we repeat that, it will be good enough.
Now, Fabregas wasn’t even part of that Invincibles side, yes he was at the club, but only emerged as a first team player the following season. You talk about the pressure on Avram Grant, Luis Scolari and Rafa Benitez, and compare them to Wenger, he’s not really comparable to them, his comparison is Sir Alex, who 3 years ago was being told to quit/get sacked from his own fans, since then they have won 2 leagues and a CL. So before anyone writes off Wenger, just remember Sir Alex’s story.
I don’t think you should be making comparisons between Arsenal and Liverpool as you haven’t won the league for twenty years, let alone three titles incorporating two doubles + 4 FA cups. Arsenal lost a Champions League final, like you did – but you did win another after AC Milan arrogantly celebrated their victory at half time.
A tad lucky I would suggest, but you need a bit of luck. I seem to remember Liverpool having more than their fair share against Arsenal in the quarter final last year too.
Besides that, you make some good points. When it comes to Wenger leaving, it will be the fans who decide. If they have had enough they will put intolerable pressure on the board, but I don’t see it happening for a good while yet – even if the seeds of dissent are starting to bloom.
p**s of scouser
Typical Liverpool fan writing rubbish. You’d swear your lot are top of the league idiot. Wenger has done alot for Arsenal football club and only he should decide when it’s time to leave.
Fabregas wasnt part of the invincibles………………….
Do you watch football???????????
Keiron was spot on. Too many people making a point that is irrelevant to what he was saying and at least a Liverpool fan gave credit to Arsenal and was constuctive with his comments. He just opened up a talking point without giving an opinion so deserves no critisism. I’m a gooner but i wonder ‘Is Wenger indisposable’ without knowing if he should be or not. easy to talk about other clubs but do we adapt what they do? Is a defence in court to say i did it cause everyone else did. Arsenal stand out from the rest through principle and it beats trophy hunting no moral football we now have. Chelsea, Man City, Real Madrid you soulless clubs. Ronaldo, Adebayor, Lucas Neale and many more…. you money grabbing *******.
