Following Ian Wright’s comments on BBC 5 Live last night, Arsene Wenger has played down suggestions from the former striker that he might be ready to call it quits at Arsenal.
After an event at which the two were present, and dined together, Wright said, “I get the impression that that’s it. He looks tired. You just feel that he looks winded. I feel that he will go at the end of the season.”
“He actually mentioned that he is coming to the end. I have never heard him say that before.”
But in the wake of Saturday’s 2-0 win over Hull City, Wenger refuted the idea that he’d given Wrighty that idea.
“I don’t know what Ian Wright said,” he said.
“It was questions and answers. I could be tired because I get up early in the morning and I finish late at night, so I am tired, yes.
“But I didn’t give any indication about my future. We had a little dinner before but it was not the two of us. There were four or five.
“You know I appreciate very much that you want me to rest, absolutely. But I am not ready for that yet.”
In fairness to Ian Wright, he did say it was his impression rather than any explicit information revealed on the evening, so I guess we have a bit more from the horse’s mouth now.
The Hull win moves Arsenal to 50 points, level with Sp*rs who got beaten 2-0 by Liverpool this evening, hahahahaha.
I blame the spu*s. if they have ever had enough bottle in the past decade to finish second we would have won the league. Bottlers.
Never thought of that – Nice witty comment!!!
Spurs best ever season – 50 points
Arsenal in ‘crisis’ – 50 points
And if, according to the know-nothing expert pundits, our title challenge is over already, then so is that of (the media darlings) Spurs too.
That’s how it should be. They are not our equal. Our income is £200m per year more than theirs.
It’s embarrassing for us that they are close enough for us to be able to smell their filthy odour.
It should be like it was 20 years ago when we were finishing 30 points ahead of them in the league.
Does that mean we HAVE to finish below United because their income is much more than ours? Damn, I thought we were better than ManU this season.
No, it doesn’t mean that and I didn’t say that in my comment.
It means that it’s embarrassing for them that they are finishing below clubs with much smaller levels of income.
Since when has income showed how good a team is?
Leicester has a small income & yet won the league last year. Man Utd has the biggest income in the world but has finished 5th & 7th recently
I dont like Spurs much either but they have a fantastic coach, players and youth policy, which is nice to see as young uns especially Englishmen arent given the time of day in the EPL.
I’d take Kane in a heartbeat, he might just be retarded but boy can he score.
I cant stand Danny Rose and Lamelas cunt faces tho, they seem like grade A wankers off the pitch too
What an irony
Would love to see Arsene backed to the hilt over the summer. Considering the profits the man has helped generate, it would be great to see the board just go out and buy the dream players that Arsene covets the most around the globe as early as possible – instead of leaving everything last minute and not giving the players enough time to acclimatise and integrate.
Is it that time again that after a win the pendulum swings again to the opposite spectrum? What makes you think the board are the ones limiting him from spending? When it was heavily reported (they may not be true) that it’s Wenger himself that dithers in the windows (recent windows anyways)? More importantly, I find this whole “spend spend spend” as the answer so false. man for man, we have a better squad than Spurs, City (who may go above us if they win tomorrow) and arguably even Chelsea (of course without the advantage of a game a week)?… Read more »
We have arguably the best squad in the league even Wenger has admitted this. The squad we have now should be capable of competing…he spent around 100m last summer to deliver top 4…The board could give him all the money in the world to spend. It ultimately comes to the mentality he instills in them, how he rotates properly, tactics, discipline etc.
The players are responsible for their own performances.
Arsene is responsible for the results.
You can’t shelve the manager off being responsible for players performance either. He should be able to substitute them early in a game or drop them in the next game if there performance doesn’t match his demands…his favorites plays almost all games regardless of how they perform. E.g. Ramsey, Coq, Ozil, Cech
…so he’s happy with their performance.
Spot on… even if we go and bring Messi in our team, it will be the same old song we have been singing because Wenger does not get the best from players. He pampers them like babies instead of making them understand that they are professionals.
If we have the best squad in the league, you have to at least give him credit for assembling it? The performances of the players comes down to confidence, which he is responsible for, but even the staunchest wenger out fan has to admit that he faces a constant tide of negativity from media, pundits and a section of our support. I believe that is the biggest reason we can’t win the league. Wenge is doomed to fail because he can’t do right for doing wrong. It’s a shit.
I wonder what Wenger thinks he is. He has suddenly won a game now the zeal and determination has suddenly returned. Wenger is beginning to disgust me. He carrys himself as a messiah…the only wise man. Regardless what he discussed with Ian, he should go at the end of the season.
I expect he thinks he is the manager of The Arsenal.
It’s a pity he disgusts you.
Please go and rest Arsene Wenger, you deserve it for your hardwork and achievements earlier on. We need a new manager next season. We’ve had enough of his mediocrity
If this is mediocrity not sure what you are hoping for
This attitude is one of the things that needs to change. Consistently not being good enough to mount a serious epl or ucl challenge, top 4 every year to qualify for a trophy we aren’t capable of winning, few facts cups between is mediocre and average. You are not good enough to win it but you are not entirely shit either.
What does a serious challenge entail, and who in your mind is seriously challenging for the EPL this year, and who seriously challenged last season?
An example of a serious title challenge would be being in the mix around april/may…3+/- on the no 1 position. Its a one horse race this season..that other big clubs is not a solid excuse
According to your logic, a serious title challenge cannot be adjudicated until April or May. Phew. Everyone has been telling me we were out of it. As to my original question, can anyone else mount a serious title challenge on Chelsea this year, in your opinion, and did anyone mount a title challenge on Leicester last season?
Why are going on about other teams?
Are you saying that if other teams don’t challenge for the title then it’s ok for us never to challenge?
Nobody can mount a serious title challenge against Chelsea. We could have if we had beaten Watford and Chelsea. The world was looking to us. A two-horse race would be quite typical in a given season at this stage.
Last season it was us again. We had the greatest squad stability and were in the best position to mount a challenge on behalf of the league. Welbeck’s goal at the Emirates against Leicester could have been the start of that but we dropped away again.
So it SHOULD be us doing it.
Why can’t we be in that position of being the team all others are mounting a title challenge on?
I just really would like to know what a “serious challenge for the title” looks like, when and how one adjudicates that, so that I can understand why everyone hates our manager and players so much; since we apparently haven’t seriously challenged in recent memory, I’m looking for a blueprint so I can understand the rationale for this criticism. That’s all. Moreover, if a serious title challenge cannot be ascertained till April or May, why are the knives out in February?
A lack of ‘serious challenge’ can be ascertained in February. If you are 12 points off the leaders then you can say a serious challenge has not been mounted.
When, in your opinion, was the last time Arsenal mounted a serious challenge for the title?
Do yourself a favour and stop trying to find reason, logic and rationale on the Internet…. It’s like rocking horse shit.
What point-gap would constitute still remaining within serious contention, in your opinion?
I thought we were pretty serious challengers in 2013/14, and again last year until March, but still thought that had Leicester suffered a bit we could make a late charge. Didn’t work out, obviously. We have put together an impressive streak this season, and if Chelsea could just be dealt some bad luck then I don’t think we should shit on the season just yet.
Of course you’re entitled to your views but I can’t agree with you. There was no title challenge in 2013/14 or last year.
What Higihaga said was not wrong – a genuine title challenger should be within 3 points of the leaders in the last stages of the season. But since we have no realistic prospect of doing that this year, we cannot be considered challengers for the title.
You’re delusional, my friend. For us to have any chance of winning, we would have to win everybody single one of our games, let alone expecting Chelsea to lose about 4 games. That’s win all our games including yet to play City, United, Spurs and Liverpool, where we currently have by far the worst win ratio against the “top 6”. And some of those games are away, where our current percentage win away over the last few years isn’t 22%. If you genuinely think we still in it to win the league, then you’re kinda part of the problem. Certainly… Read more »
I find it frustrating to read that my belief in and unbridled support of this team is part of the problem. That’s not the way it should be.
(My apologies if this appears twice, the first one was still awaiting moderation 2 hours later…) I find it frustrating to read that my belief in and unbridled support of this team is “part of the problem.” That’s not the way it should be. (Additionally: Chelsea drew today against Burnley, dropping 2 points and mustering a measly 2 shots on target in the process. Can’t we hope for a little more good luck, and our team to get back to winning ways? Or does the agenda against the current version of Arsenal FC mean we must instead lobby and hope… Read more »
Being delusional means not accepting our weakness. How can we address it if you’re oblivious to its existence?
Sticking your head in sand and proclaiming no problems is exactly how most disasters tend to happen.
I’m not saying everything is hunky dory and we should all sit back and be happy with how our team is performing, or that there is no criticism to be levied fairly, but pronouncing the season over and calling for the manager’s head with 13 games to play along with FA Cup and CL campaigns to complete is not helping anyone (except the media and our rivals). When the agenda for change takes precedence over everything from our remaining games to our fan’s desire to see our team succeed this year, then priorities seem out of whack to me. We’re… Read more »
Mediocrity is a bit strong i feel … we have a very, very good team
Exactly….like you said, “we have a very very good team” which is why their consistent under-performance is mediocre. Finishing an average of 10 points behind epl winners for over a decade is consistent mediocrity….
Have we had a ‘very very’ good team for all the 10 years you’re talking about?
I’d suggest getting a CL place was over achieving in some of those years…
Djbeardface must be Daniel Levy.
i think Wrighty used a clever ploy their to deflect away from the mis-quoted $pur$ comments big thumbs up Wrighty it worked stopped people talking shit about it and brought out the fans to focus on the hull game 10/10 #genius
Wright is a bit of a plonker. He doesn’t think. He needs to just shut it. Do we need speculation on Wenger’s future? No. All it does is contribute to an uncertainty around the club and more toxic spew. Fact is it doesn’t matter. He isn’t young and he will go sooner than later. Meanwhile his MINIMUM finish is very consistent and at a very high level throughout two decades. Should this be the extent of the club’s ambition? No. Is it Wenger’s? Of course not. He wants to win it. We’ve all seen him pissed off in the stands… Read more »
Here, here. Nice one!
Very well said, though upon deaf ears I fear it falls.
HERE’s a tasty stat for you courtesy of BBC : EVery pundits favorite team Liverpool Klopp vs Rodgers : Jurgen Klopp’s record after 54 games at #LFC W 26 D 16 L 12 Brendan Rodgers’ record after 54 games at #LFC W 26 D 16 L 12#StatCave Groundhog day? And they say it only happens to Arsenal? After countless managerial changes where is Liverpool with the title? They have not won it for half a century. Someone whisper that to the pundits. Team in crisis? Weak mentality? Change of managers helped much? In recent seasons they have been erratic finishing… Read more »
Our squad man for man is FAR better than Liverpool’s. if they make top 4 they have quite frankly, over achieved. Because their squad is shit. Jordan Fucking Henderson is one of their best players FFS. Also Rodgers had a better squad than Klopp has. Interpret the statistics in the way you like, but Liverpool are generally in an upward trajectory and at least have a discernible style of play (that also seems to work against the best teams). It’s just the quality of their squad isn’t lacking. TBH I think Klopp would do wonders with this Arsenal squad. We… Read more »
I’m glad to hear we’re finally giving our squad some due here, but I think if you asked Liverpool fans they would consider themselves a top club — or at least they believe they should be a top club (I think of them as a top club who have struggled, but they aren’t far off). They haven’t won the league in a very long time, and have come close only once in the recent past — that is one protracted “upward trajectory.” And they’ve got a very good squad, I think better than what Rodgers had, as they are built… Read more »
Sp*rs. The media darlings. The best team since Brazil 70. 12 off the top but going places.
United pool and city are looking good. In great nick all three.
Arsenal are a disaster in crisis. Look at the table. If it werent for maureen flopping and the chavs being out of Europe this would be the best battle ever.
By all means listen to pundits, but don’t be so weak that you can’t disagree.
I haven’t been impressed with any of the teams this season. Only Chelsea, there’s no denying the impact of Conte.
However, I think it’s quite obvious Arsenal should be doing better than they are, regardless of the other teams failures. Our squad is the best in the league IMO. No real weaknesses just application, mentality and structure has been missing, that’s all.
That is what is so mind numbing my frustrating and why so many feel they have had enough.
I mean these same people who say Wenger should go have postulated people like Martinez and AVB as his replacement. Where they? Do you honestly think the same people who are SO impatient for us to win the title are happy to give some bloke “the time” to win it. Klopp was another slated to be better than Wenger. Liverpool have been without the title for a quarter of a century. In that time, they have gone through numerous changes not only proving elusive BUT also lacked consistency in top 4. But they don’t suffer from mentality problems see. After… Read more »
Rubbish Since when is giving 12 years “impatient”? If anything, compared to most top clubs, Arsenal fans are decidedly patient, and I bet after experiencing so much groundhogness would give quite a bit of time to a new manager. Maybe not 12 years. Your argument that Liverpool were just flukey is just rose-tinted bias. In that time frame didn’t they get to the CL final twice? They also got that far with a clear tactical set up, something we constantly do not implement. In fact the only time we went into the CL with a clear tactical plan, we also… Read more »
In general Arsenal has performed at exactly the level expected based on finances etc but it’s clear that fans patience waiting for big trophies has worn out. We all respect the prof but he’s been given enough time since the Emirates move now to deliver.
However, he will be going soon enough anyway so in the mean time I agree it’s best to avoid the constant bickering and deflect attention on to other “big clubs” who are doing worse than we are. If Arsenal are a failure then Liverpool, Spurs etc are fucking basket cases.
Still Matic: I wouldn’t say all Arsenal fans are “decidedly patient,” as many of them have written us off this year and the current campaign is not even finished. I think Santori’s point is that there is an element of hypocrisy to the argument that Wenger should go (12 agonizing years without a PL trophy!) in favour of a new manager, like Klopp or Pep (previous front-runners in the minds of many to succeed here) previously, or Tuchel or Allegri or Simeone currently, who might very well take 3-4 or more years to deliver the long-awaited PL league trophy (i.e.,… Read more »
2 points ahead at 7th Feb compared to 2016. We went on to take 23 points from the remaining matches. Should be able to better that this year. Competition is tougher this year. Does that mean wevare doing a bad job?
Let’s show the team we’re behind them no more of this negative nonsense. Big love for all the gooners who show up every week to support the Gunners❤️
Bring back the banner! If Wenger thinks he should stay, then we need to FORCE him out. Enough of the mediocrity and lack of ambition. WENGER OUT!
Pipe down boy. It’s football. Save your misplaced indignation for something serious. Like global warming or something.
This guy is so loyal, I’m guessing he loses sleep at nite knowing he has better options.
He cannot bring himself to drop Theo ( gone fishing too often) and Iwobi (brill prospect but too similar to Mesut).
Imagine Perez and Danny in the Theo an Iwobi positions and I venture that we would have a very descent outfit capable of going on a run (starting with Bayern).
Will it happen…..? Awwh, just read line 1 above again.
Drop Iwobi for what? He’s been one of our better and consistent players. In fact if you look at it objectively, you’re argument that Iwobi should be dropped because “he’s too similar to Ozil” doesn’t make much sense. If they’re both similar, then the one that should be played should be the one in better form, regardless of name. If that’s the case, then the case is for Ozil to be dropped, and I’m no Ozil hater. Just being objective. Maybe if we just played players based on form rather then name and hierarchy, we wouldn’t constantly have Theo starting… Read more »
We see only the performances in games, not in training, and we have no clue about physical issues the players might carry. For coaches, player performance in training during the week leading up to a game is often more telling than how they performed during the last game. We’re told that Sanchez works as hard in training as he does in matches, which would reinforce his position in the team. Though I think Welbeck and Perez are being treated gingerly as they recover fully from injuries, Walcott, we’ve been told, works his tail off in training and surely the coaches… Read more »
Over form!? You are comparing Theo (who’s having his personal best season) with Welbeck (someone who has come back from a lengthy injury layoff). Theo isn’t over anyone in hierarchy except perhaps Campbell, who is out on loan.
Props for the Iwobi point, though.
Please leave Wenger!!! I have had years of trust in you but it is fading very fast. For many years you´ve had no tactical knowledge to analyzing other teams strengths and weaknesses. You just play your football style give or break. That will not work anymore. Arsenal need a manager who is more tactical.
We arguably have this that and the other where as by season’s end we really will have nothing yet again. How many more seasons?
I know, lets get Eddie HOw. Like Martinez, he is clearly a football genius on the up.
Shallow.
As many seasons as Wenger wants. He is the only manager who can choose when he leaves, regardless of whether he is unsuccessful.
That in itself is wrong. Nobody should be bigger than the club. Nobody.
True. No matter how much you contribute to the club, nobody should be bigger than the club. The moment we do it, our ambition is set in stone (not more than the person).
C’mon. He isn’t bigger than the club. While I appreciate your stamina in berating him in every post that you make, please take a step back. The only person bigger than the club is Kroenke. (You don’t like it, you can buy his shares.) Wenger has broad powers (as he should because the other board members I wouldn’t trust with a rock) but he isn’t some megalomaniac for you to assume he will grind the club to dust for the sake of his ego. To question his abilities is one thing, to question his loyalties is just bollocks.
Honestly legend in terms of goal scoring but Ian Wright has always been a bit of a clown…like many ex players. These sort of unfound remarks do us and the rest of the season more harm than good. He doesn’t think is his problem. There are plenty of crisis mongers ready to pounce and sow dissent. As I’ve mentioned before, bar Wenger finishing outside top 4 and below Spurs (Which is the minimum standard), the sort of stability and consistency he has brought season in season out for two decades is incredible if he flatters to deceive in recent decade… Read more »
People want a change for change’s sake. And I’m afraid change is coming.
It is way more embarrassing to support a club that has boorish fans than it is to support a club that is under-performing.
Mod’s an reason for why my comments are constantly being moderated?
I can say with confidence that I have never broken any rules, trolled, insulted or said anything rash. I’m happy to apologise if pointed me to evidence of me doing so, but in a few occasions I feel I’ve written some balanced and fair points, only to be under moderation and never get through, like the above seemingly is about to happen.
I’ve noticed it’s almost to do with the lengths of my post, rather than anything rule-breaking.
It’s an ongoing issue for some people that I’m struggling to get on top of. I apologise, it’s nothing personal, and I am trying to find a solution. I realise it’s a pain in the arse for you guys too, but please leave it with me and I’ll see what I can figure out. It’s more noticeable when I’m away too and less easily able to approve the comments.
Ah no worries, it’s a systemic issue.
I just thought you figured out I am the producer for Arsenal TV.
Joking, I’m not. I own the damn thing.
heh
Yep, I’ve been getting the same thing. Hopefully you’ll get it resolved.
This is the first time I didn’t feel joy cause Arsenal won. I am following this club for over 16 years and, damn, it’s the first time I am indifferent to a win. We’ve become way predictable in every single aspect. Even Wenger’s reluctance to make some serious changes within the team or to quit. Wednesday is very near. We should merit Arsenal in those duels, not Hull…
If you don’t enjoy Arsenal winning then perhaps you should consider other interests in life.
Hope that helps.
I really do not understand why people get “thumbs down” for saying the truth. Wenger has taken us as far as he can and can’t take us any further. We need someone else to take over and push us further. Take a look at all our big games vs the rest of the top 6-7. How many fans can actually beat their chests and be quite confident of winning such games? If you genuinely know we can’t, then that’s your answer to if we can challenge for the title with Wenger in charge
With the 4th biggest budget it might be hard for any manager to perform a lot better than Wenger. Remember we have also been solid in the CL and through in the cup. Not many teams/managers can cope with multiple comptetions (Pochettino). We should do better in big matches but Wenger is performing maybe even better than Klopp atm considering we are also in the CL which affects the PL performance over the season. People forget that Chelsea don’t play CL and they can play a fresh, unchanged first 11 over the whole season. Look at City, they have smilar… Read more »
People generally don’t get thumbed down for telling the truth.
They get thumbed down by people who disagree with their ‘opinion’ , which is a quite different thing. Apologies for the sarcasm but I’m enjoying taking the piss out of some of the doomy whiners today.
Well. For a change instead of being sarcastic and use the thumbs up or down and call someone elses opinion, ‘opinion’, you can share with us your feelings about your club when over a decade you hear title, contenders, top team, top players, and nothing of those materialises in reality. I dont mind my club to lose games, I dony mind my club to be 13th on the table. What I mind is when they do it without a fight, togetherness and lethargic. Its always next season and next season. Tell us your ‘opinion’ about it dont defecate to people… Read more »
Sure, my ‘opinion’ is you should lighten up and be happy when we win.
More drama. So sick of the drama.
it would be a great picture of Diego Simeone on the Emirate touch line directing, and Wenger in the stand watching in relax…
God forbid. We don’t need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Our problem isn’t with the philosophy of the club or style of play, but our philosophy just needs an extra layer of tactical micro-mamangement and updating. A Tuschel or Sampoali would update our club whilst keeping the same vision. Simone, successful as he is, would be akin to getting Jose into the club. He would completely destabilise the entire club and bring dour football. And he’s still piss off after a few years to Inter (his dream club), leaving us in a wreck. We don’t need… Read more »
Tuchel hasn’t really done any favours to his reputation this season. They are playing a lot of younsters though and could be a major force again in 2-3 years.
Don’t know if it just me but Tuchel just feels like a younger Wenger. Needs a few more years at a top club imo.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he extended for 1 year if we finish strongly in the PL and play well in either CL or the FA cup. The thing is our midfield is in transition, we have played so many different combinations, and it may take another season to get the best out of Xhaka and replace Cazorla. Not to mention the Ox (if it isn’t another false dawn). Also Lucas and Mustafi could be huge assets next season when they have adapted to the league. Would love to see wenger guide this team for a while, as many of the… Read more »
Aside from the odd freak (Leicester, Valencia, Leverkusen) the title is usually decided by one thing, that is who spends the most. United, Chelsea and in recent years Citeh have spent far in excess in both transfer fees and wages and as such should finish above us because they have better players. Now in order for us to challenge properly this means 3 teams underachieving and us overachieving. Quite simple. So we are pretty much where we should be. The vitriol should be with the board and not wenger who is quite obviously performing with the squad at our disposal.
You are neglecting the role of coaching and tactical drills in team performance though. Conte’s wingbacks and David Luiz are not lauded as 5 star players but Conte constantly drills them on spatial awareness and how to work as a team Meanwhile as someone pointed further up, weve been launching high balls at midget Sanchez. This is amateur level coaching knowledge that low, fast crosses will work for smaller, faster players, but our highly paid professionals didnt know that. Rewatch that Hull game; we got carved open multiple times because our defense and modfield lacked positional discipline and couldnt hold… Read more »
Wouldn’t compare us too much to Chelsea. They are this season’s Leicester. No European football and a formation and tactics that nobody has yet figured out.
Chelsea are beat if you play 4-3-3, like say Liverpool. Three tough, sensible midfielders to swamp Konte and Matic. Three forwards to whirl and twist and pull and drag the CBs apart. Moses and Alonso run a lot and have discipline but they aren’t the best of defenders. Trick is to keep Hazard and Costa quiet.
Nobody other than Spurs and another who matched their formation and/or overloaded their midfield.
Did we do it? Well in fairness to Wenger we tried and started well in s 3-msn midfield. Nut with Pedro skipping into the box without Ozil tracking him, Iwobi and Ozil decided to swap (not sure if Wenger ordered it or they just did it themselves) and we reverted back to 4-2-3-1.
Chelsea once again took over sons the rest is history.
Ironically when we matched them is when we were even with them.
The frequent long balls to Sanchez are because there is no one in the middle to build play… Things will change with Xhaka back. As for Theo, one thing he does well and I will attest to, is his eye and hunger for goals. So it’s your imagination definitely. It WAS frustrating to see Ozil off pace, Sanchez dribbling into walls, Gibbs unable to cross, Kos and Mus competing for the same ball, YES, NO QUESTION. But considering the shit facing the club, I’m thankful we came through with a victory. This team is suffering and the fans aren’t helping… Read more »
Vicksonthechest: thank you so much for your comments on here … I can suddenly breathe again!