Robert Pires says that Arsene Wenger’s basic football philosophy hasn’t changed since the time he was a key member of the Invincibles, and that the Arsenal manager is a lover of football.
The former Gunner spoke to LCI ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with PSG, and said Wenger’s desire for his team to play attacking, attractive football is at the core of his work.
“He always wants his team playing very good football,” he said. “In my day, this is what he had already set-up.
“Today, this is what he asks his players in training. I see it with my own eyes. It requires good football.”
On the differences in the transfer market, Pires said that Wenger is prepared to spend the money, but still prefers when he can mould a young talent into a top class player.
“You know, it’s difficult to compare generations and eras,” he said. “Now even for a central defender, you have to pay 40 million euros. This is not the philosophy of Arsene. Although, when he had break the bank for Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla, there was no problem.
“He’s not afraid to throw in young talent like Bellerin and Ramsey. He always prefers to form and grow the players, rather than buying them for 60 or 70 million.”
Asked if he had changed much since those halcyon days, he continued, “No, not at all. He still has the same reasoning, the same philosophy, the same conception of football. The only thing that has changed is his game system.
“He changed his old 4-4-2 to 4-5-1.”
On Wenger’s future, he said, “What is certain is that as long as he has the confidence of the Arsenal chairman, he will remain,” which should come as no surprise to anyone, nor is the vision of the Frenchman as someone who simply lives for the game.
“He is a lover of soccer,” he said. He can not live without football. When players arrive, he is already at the training ground.
“He needs the pitch. He can not stay home.”
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You can read the full interview here – via Google Translate
One Arsene Wenger
Fuck the haters. I want the longest current serving manager to leave on his own terms. He’s the original ‘class act’: stuff these bandwagoners would give up anything to be called. The self-reliant Arsenal that we cheer today is built on the money of the fans that Arsene converted, never forget. Long live beautiful football, and long may one Arsenal’s name be associated with it. You fill my heart with pride, fellow gunners. May five more Champions League finals be lost before our footballing identity.
I’m an American and it was still weird to see him call it soccer..!
Not really weird, the term Soccer was coined by Brits, not Americans!
Breaking the bank for santi? He was a fkn bargain, ~ £ 15 mil. Best piece of business Arsene’s made in the past ten years.
You have to put that into contest mate. That happened when the club was still financially tied and was rather a selling club. In today’s market and and for twats like Maureen, that’s just peanut.
But we spent around 15 million on Arshavin too. So yeah Santi was a huge bargain.
Tbf, every transfer feels like a bargain ever since Pogba moved to United.
City spent £ 17 mil on Nigel De Jong in ’09, so yeah Santi was a bargain in 2011.
I love Arsene, Hope He wins the UCL before retiring
To win the CL he has to play more defensively. That’s what he did when we reached the CL final. Against Juventus and Real Madrid we were pretty defensive. He also needs to manage what is happening on the pitch at the time it is happening not wait for half time.
Part of that ridiculous run of clean sheets was also Martin Keown working the defense.
Haha breaking the bank for Santi? Lol he cost us an initial 12m
Time value of money…
Imagine how much Arsene’s Arsenal squad is worth in millions? Must be about 250-300 and he hasn’t spent anywhere near that amount in building the current crop, he’s stuck to his philosophy throughout all the years as Robert alluded to, and this season it’s all going to bear fruit. COYG
~100m this summer + 42m for Ozil + 35m for Sanchez + 16m for Chambers + 15m for Santi + 10m for Ox + 10m for Cech = 228m and there are definitely others that I’ve not included. It’s a myth that Wenger doesn’t want to spend!
Squad must be worth 400mil plus then in the current market. Not that it really fucking matters, all about the big trophies this season and some excellent football (not soccer, sorry Bobby) to boot!
Well Ozil is worth more than Pogba.. So 120. Kos is old but worth 30 at least. Rambo is probably 50. Wilshere if fit is better than Rambo so say, 50. Bellerin is 30-40. Coq is about 30. Alexis is probably 60-70 (top 5 south american player). Add this to the other players whose prices have hardly reduced. Our squad is worth about 600-700 mil. However, worth depends on who is buying, how desperate they are and how badly the player wants to leave.
I don’t understand where you’ve plucked these valuations from?
Have you taken into account the remaining length on their contracts’ and their current wages?
Is it a myth that last summer, Arsenal were the only major club in Europe, not to buy an outfield player? You mentioned Cech – Chelsea knew that he was past his best and they wanted the best – we want castoffs from other clubs. When Moyes and Van Gaal failed to perform, they were turfed out at OT. For them, the sky’s the limit. For us, 4th place is the limit. We have needed a striker for years – we finally buy another cheap knockoff in the usual last minute trolley dash. I could go on for ever. So… Read more »
I think his philosophy has changed several times over the years.
In fact in the last 12 months I think he’s sort of lost what ever his philosophy was. That is if we’re thinking part of the philosophy is linked to style of play.
We’ve not put a run of consistent performances together for ages. This season I think we’ve been a bit uninspired and rather limp.
I love Arsene but is so painfully obvious that this team doesn’t have the mentality to win the league or the champions league under him.
I think Arsenal plays 4-4-1-1 not 4-5-1.
More of a 4-2-3-1
More like a 2-1-7
More like it-doesn’t-fucking-matter because all Arsene loves is invading space. Which sounds dirty but he’s said so himself.
I love arsene but can’t help thinking the game has changed and he may have enjoyed even more success of his philosophy had altered with it.
You mean like sitting deep and counterattacking against equal or bigger teams? It only took us getting buttfucked by city and chelski for that to happen.
4 5 1 ? Am i missing something
No. We play 4 defenders, 5 midfielders and 1 striker. Or no strikers today. So a 4-6.
If he’s all about good football.and attacking blah blah where is it, I haven’t seen good football consistently for ages from Arsenal.
Formations are based on the horizontal and vertical placement of players.
Santi/Xhaka/Coq/Elneny sit in front of the defence and behind Ozil/Wingers.
Obviously during transition from defence to attack this will change