Arsene Wenger says that although Arsenal’s average size and weight falls below some of their rivals, he says he looks at the quality of the player first, then their size.
Referring to last season’s 3-0 defeat to Everton as a low-point, the Frenchman said that reports that showed that Arsenal had the lightest squad (along with Burnley) wasn’t worthy of a great deal of analysis.
“When we buy a player we do not look how heavy he is but how good he is,” he said. “It is a coincidence that we are a bit lightweight. Maybe because we use more technical players in the middle of the park, especially Mikel Arteta.
“It depends as well who plays. If I play Cazorla or Podolski the weight is a bit different. But it’s true we are a bit more lightweight than before, when we had Petit, Vieira, Parlour. On Fridays when we checked the weight, it was quite something then.”
The manager also revealed that he never looks at social media and urged people who run football clubs not to take too much notice of what’s said on Twitter and Facebook.
“We had that debate at the managers’ meeting recently, where some people felt victimised by the social networks, but we cannot stop that.
“We have to live with that and maybe reinforce our solidarity and be stronger inside the clubs. And maybe there is time as a manager to have stronger beliefs than ever, because we are more questioned than ever, and that’s maybe the new challenge we face.
“Everything we do is questioned and sometimes people are right, we make mistakes.”
How shortsighted from Arsene. It’s so disappointing as everybody knows that the best place to find the most insightful analysis of football is on Twitter – especially from people who eschew standards, grammar and language to get their point across in barely intelligible text speak.
Still, asked what he did rather than listen to radio phone-ins on the likes of TalkSport, Wenger said he listened to classical music or 70s and 80s pop.
We can definitely see Arsene in a pair of stonewashed jeans and Kangaroo boot-runners dancing around his kitchen to this.
Regarde l’océan, Arsene. Regarde l’océan.
We also hear he has a collection of Eighth Wonder picture discs, but keep that under your hat.
Le Prof is gonna do some sensational transfer business this coming week! I’m sure!
*Insert Arsene Cheeky Grin here* #COYG
“… We are open heh heh to heh any future possibility, ehhh because we lost ehh of course now as well Mikel Arteta”. I thought was an interesting comment although I might be reading too much into that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKdSUnz4uAs&t=2m54s
It’s fine because we have Per.
And Olivier. And Szczesny.
We’re big where it matters? *getscoat*
Let’s be honest, that’s one of the best photos of all time.
Not sure if David Bowie or Arsene Wenger
David Wenger
Or maybe Arsene Bowie
Easily one of the most disturbing photos I’ve seen.
It will visit me in my dreams.
I never realised we were such a light squad.
Time to get Santi on the protein shakes methinks.
Arshavin recommends McDonalds.
I keep thinking about Shava lately–imagine him in the new Puma kit!
No McDonalds for him anymore in Rashka.
If anything, Santi needs to tighten up, but Sanogo & Monreal could def use the protein to bulk up a bit. Honestly I thought Gibbs was looking bigger this season, but unfortunitely the added weight didn’t seem to help with injuries. I swear that kid is gonna drive me crazy……just give me 1 fit season Gibbsy!!!!!!!!
Bring back Santos to redress the weight issue
Absolutely made my day!
Especially in the new tight puma tops haha
LMFAO…..BRILLIANT..IN VANILLA WENGER WE TRUST
I love arteta, I think he’s a great player and my only regret is that we should have signed him sooner. However, we lack a bit of physical presence in font of the back four. Against stronger opponents, having that 6ft + dm is important. Especially when you’re playing 2 cdms. That Chelsea spanking was a perfect example, our players got bullied by matic and Luiz.
Our defense got smoked by the speed of the counterattack and Schurrle.
Yes I agree. Let’s get Biggins and Mr T to play centre midfield instead of all those short, quick, skilful guys.
That’d learn ’em.
Interesting that the 3 players he named for his example won a lot of championships between them.
Give us our boy (song) wenger Pls
Did AW just say Cazorla and Podolski were fat?
Um, no. That Poldi weighs a lot more than Santi. So if he fields Poldi on the left the average weight of the team goes notably up.
@YOLO Toure: one of the best usernames yet mate!
I’m 6ft 2 and just under 15st. At 34 years of age I’m sure all I’ll be offered is a 1 year deal but I’ll take that. Been years since I played football properly.
We need to fatten up
Let’s train Ospina as a DM!
Flamini is the only DM we’ll ever need.
The Hulk and King Kong couldn’t even bully that!!
Now if only he could go 5 minutes without getting a card (I love Flamini in our squad, but C’MON now with the immediate yellow cards!!!)
So what he’s saying is that it’s not the size that counts but what you do with it? You know who says that kind of thing? Yeah, a manager with small players.
I’m trying really hard to enjoy the Arsenal Gent write-ups. Not getting very far. Do I need to drink more beer?
Also, Im pretty sure AW is a huge Men Without Hats fan. Huge.
Everton keys: organization on set pieces, good countering, clinical finishing.
No, you either enjoy it or you don’t. Why would you try to enjoy it more if you don’t enjoy it already, might I ask?
And Giroud on the bench
Agree with Not A Comedian- if you don’t dig it, you don’t dig it. And that’s just fine.
I’m a fan of the Gent, but get it that someone else may not be. We’re all Gooners and that’s all that matters in the end. Anyone that suggests otherwise isn’t worth listening to!
“and a nod’s as good as a wink to a Lithuanian librarian with a daffodil in his pocket.”
The Gent is pure class – Jeeves, Dickens, Brideshead & Sherlocke Holmes (the early cocaine-taking Holmes) all in one.
Needs to be heard/read in a very OTT posh accent with at least a glass of sherry to hand.
Long time reader. First time poster. Evening all. The gent is fucking hilarious
about giroud getting ripped off by some arsenal supporters. they need to take a closer look at him. he is not that goal scorer like RVP or Suarez or Sturidge but his contribution to the team and to the build up play is phenomenal. his flicks in the box are so vital and his hold up play as well. he had 22 goals and 12 assists last season, which is pretty decent to a striker who is in the second season of his premier league career. he saved our arses a several times as well. so please, get behind him.… Read more »
Hear, hear
Spoken like a real fan/supporter. I believe we should afford that type of support to all of the players as well.
As an aside, there are far too many negative people out there..and many of them should follow the old sage adage of if you don’t have anything good to type, then you should type nothing at all.
Against great sides flicks and link up play don’t win matches,I m afraid of today’s match because it ll be a game of half chances and a giroud ll flick them all
I think you just don’t get it. Remember our last minute goal against Crystal Palace? It was Giroud who headed the ball for Debuchy to kicked and Ramsey happened to be there to saved us. And that kind of contribution win us games. Sometimes it iritates me that people keep complaining and complaining on this and that players. We can be the 12th player in and off the pitch but you chose not to support a certain player. Ramsey is one of those in the past. Just get behind the team and probably a decent player might perform like a… Read more »
My only concern is that Mr. Wenger brings only good and technical players but rarely a physical or more precisely “athleticism” presence to already thin squad where others club’s bring these attributes seemingly pretty good so far as you compare Mr….thanks
Winning is important and to do you bring thin, thick, technical and ethletic performers to the club and that’s what it counts…that’s exactly cl and premier league winners do so as you too Mr. Wenger.
In English please sir, Tibetian Gooner *gets coat
yeah i know it’s kinda late to reply your comment but i must and there’s some mistake in the sentence. still it is English and you can make sense out of it; it’s not puzzle but simple and useful lang that everybody tries to learn. i am learning and i wrote this reply in ENGLISH AS WELL.
Tibetan gooner Isnt it ironic that in an article abot Wenger basically saying he doesn’t care what people say in social media, you adress your comment to him.
What a privilege to follow a Tibetan Gooner. What a club! And yes he can address Mr Wenger directly as he has slightly higher metaphysical skills than the rest of us who rely on social media.
I have to say I don’t often cry with laughter on a Saturday morning after a week of exhausting work, but this mornings treat of French poetry to 80s pop and that vision of Arsene was just hysterical!
Thanks again Arseblog, wonderful work.
Thanks Arseblog. The Voyage Voyage song is just apt. Especially if you need to ignore the distraction that is the social media
Many thanks Blog , that pic is priceless!Classic! You made my week end! A win at Goodison Park et le voyage sera parfait!
Cheers Blogs, always amusing to discover new 80’s synth pop. I always had Wenger down as a more of a Kraftwerk man though.
I agree E-van. Kraftwerk is definitely on while AW shared a glass of red with opposing managers – they became his favourites when it became clear how much Alex Ferguson hated them!
Btw, thanks blogs for the trip down memory lane.I nnever would have remembered that song, but what a little masterpiece it was!
I get it….still “Atheletism”.
My only interest is the song! 🙂