Arsene Wenger had a mad bit of banter in the press.
Firstly, he shared with you what I told you as soon as he was booted… you know, that he was booted.
“The timing was not really my decision. And for the rest I’ve spoken about it already.”
Shortly after the press, he likely landed a call from HR. Then his tune changed.
“After reaching agreement about my departure, I was happy for the club to decide when to announce,” the statement said .”I wish to make it clear the timing of the announcement was right.”
In America, when you’re fired or asked politely to leave, they make you sign a ‘I won’t be salty in the media’ agreement. One would assume Stan gave Wenger the £9m on the proviso he keeps his mouth shut and doesn’t make life hard for Ivan and the new manager coming in.
Pretty amusing. Also amusing for all the sycophants that believed Wenger left without taking severance.
Patrick Vieira slipped into some sexy panties and flaunted his career desires all over the media today.
“It’s an honour to be mentioned with Arsenal – I love the club. I played my best football there and made my name in the game.”
“I am always going to have a deeper relationship with Arsenal. That is not enough to coach that team but I’m ready to coach any side in Europe.”
I love Patrick, I truly do. He’s a warrior, a leader, and a smart man. However, I just can’t get onboard with him coming to the club. Some of the papers are saying he’s Wenger’s pick… there’s simply no way the club are going to roll with the kiss of death from an ex-manager, and look, his record is hardly impressive.
His New York club don’t play great football, they’re hardly dominant, and the caliber of the game over here is absolute pony. I’d love to have him join the staff in a coaching capacity, but there’s no way he’s ready for the Arsenal role. If you’re coming in as a risk, you have to have some sort of prodigal talent that stands you out, a 45% win rate in MLS for one of the richest teams isn’t good enough.
I’d say he could run the academy, but Per Mertesacker is taking on that duty. I was a bit rude about his appointment a few months ago, but apparently, I need to be thrashed for uttering such concerns. The BFG has been landing glowing reports from people around the club for his leadership skills behind the scenes. He’s been working with the kids, keeping spirits high and just being an all-round total hero. Apparently we’d be in much worse shape if he weren’t there.
When it comes to the emotional intelligence I spoke about yesterday, there’s no doubt that he has that in abundance. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad word said about him. After reading that incredibly candid interview of him in Kicker, and hearing his taking responsibility for a broken Arsenal, I am very excited to see what he can do.
Someone was trying to convince me that Andries Joncker represented success during his time in the academy. One FA Cup youth final that was lost and an U23 league win being proof. That isn’t success people. Success is bringing through elite talent. We have young players at the club, but I wouldn’t say much of that is about our academy. You can talk about Nelson, Nketiah and Willock. But I could point you to a whole host of young talent that had lots of excitement back in the day but never made it. Bartley, Watt, JET, Lansbury, Simpson, Sunu were all exciting in 2009, where did they end up?
Southampton has a successful academy. That’s what we should model our dreams on.
Anyway, talking of dreams, how about the Arsene Wenger farewell tour dream of going all the way for the Europa League #BackDoorTopFour push? The press asked Simeone whether Diego Costa was coming to play, or to just scare the Arsenal players.
“Knowing Diego, I think all of those apply to him,”
“In England and Spain, many teams have suffered at the hands of Diego. It is not just Arsenal.”
Look, I’m just going to put it out there, last time we saw Costa he was buried in Rob Holding’s pocket in the FA Cup final. He’s not scary anymore. Right? Come on? I’m right? No?
Ok, there’s a slight worry Costa is going to drop us over his knee and spank us, but it’s not a certainty he’ll start. I do think Simeone might be tempted to start him. His side are great at home having won 10 of 11 games with 10 clean sheets, however, away from home, they’ve conceded in each of their last 8 and they haven’t won in their last 4 games.
If Arsenal has a chance, it’s tonight at home. Our fortress. Our safe space. The place where dreams are made. Kind of…
This is massive for the players. They’re not playing for their holidays, they’re playing for their careers. The players are more than capable of lifting their game for the big occasion, we saw that in the incredible FA Cup final last season. They need to bring that magic to the ground tonight.
Ramsey is on the same page as me…
“It’s a massive motivation, to put the emotional side to one side and use it to go on and win this trophy for him.
It’d be a great way to go. I think Atleti will be coming for a 0-0, knowing we’re there for the taking in the away leg. I’d hope Arsenal go all out to ruffle their feathers. I’d love to see Danny W have another blinder, his form since returning has been excellent and he is an absolute man-monster to deal with when he’s tuned into the game. Ramsey needs to bring beast mode and show the whole of Europe he’s the hottest Welshman this summer. You’d also hope Lacazette can continue his free-scoring. Maybe a bit extra in it for him after his move there failed?
We also need a focused game from our defence. Ospina will start, which is about as worrying as Cech starting, so no loss there. Whoever makes up the rest need to focus. I really don’t want to lose this game on a stupid Koscielny error, or a rush of blood from Mustafi.
Winning Europa might change the type of manager we hire. The frontrunner according to the press is now Luis Enrique. I’d not be upset, the guy has won the Champions League, he’ll massively elevate how we play, and he’ll bring a discipline and intensity we’ve lacked for years. My worry is he’s not the best candidate. He’s not a bad one. I just think if we’re dishing out £15m a year, it should go on Allegri.
I also think that it’s a massive risk giving the club to someone who has dealt with the best of the best. Doing amazing things with amazing players is a talent, don’t get me wrong. But we don’t have amazing players, we have average resources, and we’re a major rebuilding project.
Shouldn’t we be looking for coaches doing a lot with a little? Read about Jardim here and tell me he’s not perfect? He’s used to working under tough conditions, he’s a master of developing young players (a critique of Enrique is he didn’t bring through players), and he gives you all the attacking flair of #WengerBall. If not him, then Nagelsmann and Tedesco are doing great things with limited budgets.
We need great ideas, not a prestige coach. We are not Barcelona. I worry that Raul S might be in danger of trying to recreate Barcelona on a budget. Wenger tried that post 2006. It didn’t work out.
Anyway, that’s a story for another day, for tonight, we dine in hell… or Piebury Corner before the match, making sure we get into the ground on time.
Don’t be tardy, and know I am jealous as one can be that I’m not there with you! x
Last night was our best chance of winning this tie and we pissed it away because our defence collectively turned their brains off.
If our chance versus At. Madrid was slim last night at home, it’s even slimmer at their ground.
TonyD
” Mustafi will spend most of the game checking the flavour of the grass against Costa who will bully him throughout the game.”
Costa will bully any defender that Arsenal put up in the second leg.
Handling him in one match in a neutral venue is different from handling him when he is playing at home on his own patch.
Did anybody else miss Cazorla’s public training session, all in front of the media?
Nothing surprises me about this club anymore. 220 million wages and out bnch looks worse than a championship clubs.
I’m sure they will give out another contact to Cazorla who won’t be fun enough to actually play games for next season.
Ishola Kos was ahead of Griezmann on that ball. He had two options, slow it down and get a foul or cushion it out of danger. Monreal and Mustafa were covering and it looked relatively safe. Next thing ball is in the net. Monreal kept Griezmann on side by the way that was lazy. If anybody was to be a sweeper it’s better to be a central defender. Some things are basic but keeping a high line against a nimble forward like Griezmann when he will be running to your post to score is suicidal. Kos or Mustafa should have… Read more »
Try is the correct word, Gambon. This is the mistake that will cripple Arsenal moving forward. Everything about tbe Ozil signing smacks of the sense of desperation that enveloped the organization as a direct result of Wenger’s chronic dithering in allowing his arguably two best players run down to the midnight hour. Ozil should have been sold as he brings nothing but malaise and indifference to the pitch, when of course he’s not busy getting ill every third week.
Dissenter
I saw that and thought WTF!
Am I the only one expecting a pummeling from Athletico next week?
I fear they could do a “Bayern” and really rattle our ramshackle defense, putting a good few goals past us.
The home crowd will be baying for blood and Madrid players will want to make up for what they feel was an injustice last night.
I dunno that game just screams epic scoreline defeat though I hope I’m wrong.
Best way we make it through is hope to score in first 10 minutes, if we don’t retreat and defend like we are winning then hit them again in the last 10 mins. You never know. Looking to be on the front foot the whole match will be disastrous and looking to defend from the off will be atrocious
Mystic, the mitake was not Kozzers, but rather Mustafi moseying back thinking that Koz had it covered. That one play defines Mustafi’s total lack of awareness and defensive frailty. That, by any other term, is what is called carrying a liability.
Ishola70
Not disagreeing with you.
Desperate measures and clutching at straws, call it what you will, but it could go either way with Holding vs Costa psychologically.
However with Mustafi there’s only one conclusion where Costa wins.
gambon
The Ozil deal will go on to be one of the worst that’s being given out in our history.
He successfully bullied the club to give him a mega contract with a wage that no other European club would have paid him even on a free transfer.
All this while we are in the Europa league!!!
De Bruyne who is a better player is on 250k weekly, City’s highest wage is 250k weekly.
Erickson is on 85-90k weekly ate Spuds and his numbers are very close to Ozil’s
We’ve been throwing money away like drunken sailors.
Best hope of us to get thru is to get a man sent off….. it will give us that siege mentality…. worked for Atleti apparently
Know this, Atletico scores first and they will park the bus even tighter than yesterday, and doing it with 11 players. Arsenal have little choice, play all out up front and press for the first 20 minutes. If you dont score and they dont score, then revert back to preventing the long ball and take your chances when they come. As simple a tactical plan as this may be, its frightening to realize that Wenger either has no such plan or his plan is the same that its always been and to that, they are already handcuffed.
mysticleaves “Kos was ahead of Griezmann on that ball. He had two options, slow it down and get a foul or cushion it out of danger. Monreal and Mustafa were covering and it looked relatively safe. Next thing ball is in the net.” Mystic I have already said that we all know that Koscielny is way past his best and yes as you say if the play happened at the other end you can be sure that Godin would have just stood his ground and got a foul against him. There was panic in Koscielny’s play. In saying that though… Read more »
“Not good enough.”
The 10 last wenger’s years resumed in 3 words lol
“Also really think we have to try and sell Ozil.”
With his crazy wages demands ?? Good luck with that…
Only if you have a defense, Utarse!
“Mystic, the mitake was not Kozzers, but rather Mustafi moseying back thinking that Koz had it covered. That one play defines Mustafi’s total lack of awareness and defensive frailty. That, by any other term, is what is called carrying a liability”
That’s like spanking the paupers son to teach the naughty prince a lesson
Had Kos death with the ball in a simple fashion, they wouldn’t have been any problem
It’s not the first time Kos has fuc*ed up in big games, is it? Where those other ones Mustafi’s too.
Why can’t you just call a spade a spade.
Olegunner
Deep down I feel the same as well as a win for them probably puts both Madrid teams in the European finals.
As a supporter, though, I have to cling on to some fragile hope rather than fear and expect the worst.
“There was panic in Koscielny’s play”
I thought there was panic at Arsenal, but only for the transfer windows, wtf ??
I saw on here last night a discussion about it being harder because Atleti went down to ten men.
They wouldn’t have played much differently with 11 on the pitch. Still the same two banks behind the ball.
All the sending off did was nullify them in having more of a go at Arsenal on the counters.
Is Mertesacker injured? I know he’s looking forward to his retirement but we could have used his experience last night in the latter stages of the game. Once we scored, I would have taken Wilshere off and put another defender on as soon as 70 min came… and parked the bus. Negative I know, but this tie would been a whole lot brighter if we kept a clean sheet last night. Kos and Mustafi are simply mentally not strong enough — nor are they natural leaders. As long as they are in the side we will concede silly goals. In… Read more »
Your Comment Here
Wonder if it would be too much for Wenger to ask Bouldy to drill the defence?
Too little too late but ………..
Like Arsenal’s defense is for shit, Dissenter? Is that the spade you are looking for? Kozzer screwed the pooch and Mustafi was too busy watching it to realize where he should have been instead of sauntering back thinking his dumbfuck partner had it covered.
@Leeds – “Is Mertesacker injured?”
No, he’s just a coward who no longer wants to play.
Ishola70
Koscielny is a little too honest like the majority of our squad. Godin & Partey were in comprising positions on separate occasions where a giveaway would lead to a chance. Both manufactured phantom fouls. Monreal & Ospina the only two in squad who are fluent in shithousery
Ishola, true. Not as tragic, just very disappointing. You could see people actually invested emotions and really wanted us to win. I haven’t seen The Emirates that loud before. So to concede like that was really disappointing. Cue the exaggerations.
Frankie I don’t know how you would blame Musfati for that. Griezmann wasnt his man and you don’t do other people’s work, it’s a team game after all. All he could do was cover and hope Kos deals with it. It’s also very perplexing that he slipped at that very crucial second.
Just tell Ozil he will rot for 3 years if he doesnt leave. He will soon accept a pay cut and fuck off to a hipster team that only perform against shit teams.
Frankie
Give Mert the same meds as Robbie Williams takes to overcome his fear of performing live.
And I don’t mean Bolivian marching powder lol. That was in his Take That days if you read his biography. It’s actually an interesting read as is Stairway To heaven by Richard Cole.
Generally, bash ozil, but after a good performance yesterday? I don’t get it. Ozil was good yesterday. Couldnt have done much more
And if he hadn’t sauntered back he would not have had to suddenly react and trip as he did. Did we watch the same play or were you too focused on just Koz?
You do realize how that play transpired and unfolded, right? Started with Welbeck taking a childish dive trying to fet a free kick, followed by a longball to Griezmann, and Ospina and Mustafi thinking Koz had it so they went off the peddle. You saw all that, right Mystic? Or were you just focused on Koz?
Dream10
“Koscielny is a little too honest like the majority of our squad. ”
Yep Godin streets ahead of Koscielny in gamesmanship and nous.
As Mystic said you know if Godin was in that same situation that Koscielny found himself in he would have got himself in front of the attacker and simply stood his ground, fell over and the ref would blow for a foul against Godin.
Thats funny, gambon. Actually, Ozil will take the money and put in the obligatory appearance and give a shit look every 8th match. He’s got it made for the next few years, which effectively will wind his career down. A new manager may interest him, but for how long? Uts a chronic and habitual thing for Ozil to put in a rare spell of wow.
New post
“All he could do was cover and hope Kos deals with it”
That sums up my argument on Mustafi. He didnt cover as was evidenced by his panicked backtrack and stumble. A good, notice i said good, defender has an awareness to anticipate plan a and plan b. Mustafi is more a Plan 9 from outer space defender.
“@Leeds – “Is Mertesacker injured?”
“No, he’s just a coward who no longer wants to play”
He is however not afraid to collect the big money while playing the role of non-playing captain.
What a joke of a club we’ve become.
Next season it will be Cazorla that takes up that role.
We are paying too much for antiquities that should be on in display in a museum, not at a major European club.