Arsene Wenger has called for more perspective around Arsenal’s recent results, in particular the Carabao Cup final last Sunday and the defeat to Östersunds FK in the Europa League the previous Thursday.
The losses, the 5th and 6th of 2018 so far, have increased the pressure on the Arsenal manager, but when quizzed about them at his press conference on Wednesday, he grew somewhat defensive.
Having dealt with a string of questions about his future, the performance of the team was another bone of contention with him, and he suggested the results needed to be looked at in a wider context.
On the 3-0 loss to City at Wembley, he said, “I felt it was a very tight game until the 2-0. When you look at the end of the game, Man City had three shots on target and we had two.
“They dominate the league at the moment and there is a reason. You have to accept that. I am quite amazed how people analyse that.
“It looks like we have lost against bottom of the league in division five. We have lost against a team that dominates English football at the moment. Yes we are unhappy, yes we are disappointed, yes we are not happy with our performance.
“But we have to take perspective and I think that means sitting back a little bit, analysing it well with a distance and then coming in and committing for the next game.
“I think we lack a little bit of perspective in our analysis.”
While on the defeat to a Swedish side who have yet to even start their league season, he continued, “Again, there is no perspective. We won 3-0 in the first game, what you want in the two legs is to win the game and I accept we had a big disappointment on Sunday.
“But you cannot come out with the game against Östersund because we qualified.”
Some might argue that perspective means you look at a team that has seriously struggled most of the season, and won just four of its last thirteen games and take some conclusions from that.
This just sounds like excuse making.
Nottingham forest, ostenwhatevetyournamewas, you mean teams like them Arsene
Please, a bit of perspective. We won the FA cup last season so what’s wrong with crashing out round 3 this season? That’s how sport works. Sometimes you try hard and win things and other times you don’t bother, safe in the knowledge that you did ok a few years ago. Anyway, Wenger had a bunch of job offers back in 2005 so give him a break. God, this man. Borderline autistic when it comes to understanding other people’s emotions.
My husband is autistic and he wouldn’t come out with crap like this…I think Wenger has some kind of disassociation disorder personally. I feel sad that his legacy will just be a load of soundbites of him moaning about refs decisions which is strange anyway as he never sees any incidents.
Perspective has nothing to do with why I left before the final whistle on Sunday… I know thousands of other Arsenal fans left as well. But speaking for myself here, the reason why I left early on Sunday goes a bit deeper then just apathetic towards the current state of affairs at Arsenal, compounded by City absolutely creaming us on the day. But for me, it kind of felt more like us having our own ‘hypothetical self,’ rubbed back in our own faces, if that makes sense? Just to explain my thoughts a little; so City were bought by Sheikh… Read more »
It’s Abu Dhabi, not Qatar, for City. Qatar is PSG.
@A Different George
Ah yes – right you are. My apologies.
I can’t really disagree with much of this. I felt pretty much the same on Sunday.
But I do think you’re underestimating the impact of May City’s bazillions.
“We might not of had the exact same financial clout as being backed by the Qataris.”
We are absolutely nowhere near them in terms of financial spending power. Ok we’ve bought two expensive signings recently but we’ve had to sell about six players to do it.
What’s the justification for Spurs being better than us whilst spending so much less?
Could be they have a better manager than we do and a world class striker.
Even so, they’ve still won fuck all.
Unfortunately I’m not @Midgunner This is the thing that’s really bothered me about this current Arsenal regime. They’ve managed to convince the fan base we are broke. When we aren’t infact the complete opposite. People often forget we have two billionaires on the board at Arsenal. Usmanov is the most affluent billionaire outside of the Arabs that own City. Then in second place its Abramovich at Chelsea. Then in third place it’s Kroenke. And we haven’t event taken Arsenal’s finances into consideration at this stage. All Arsenal have done, is portrayed that we’re living this self sustaining business model as… Read more »
well said dude. well said.
i remembered usmanov mentioning that he wanted to raise a rights issue so that shareholders (him and stan) can actually contribute money into the club, but there was no response
what stan did was to make the previous custodian shareholders very rich, david dein, nina bracewell, hillwood etc…and meanwhile, this “owner” had actually contributed $0.00 into the club
How do you run a club without going into debt?
There is nothing wrong with self sustaining model for a club or business. Its unfortunate that in the PL there are clubs that don’t care about the debt or have inflated commercial deals to mask the debt.
I’m not sure about Usmanov offering what he offered but did he offer that without any strings?
That’s the point. It’s a sham. Because we aren’t a self sustaining club. The emphasis is on putting money into the bank, not back into the squad. We don’t actually spend any of the money we have. It just sits there accumulating interest for Kroenke. That’s why we are where we are. We never ever invest in the team properly, we just sell our players and then replace them. We never actually use our own finances to build a proper team. It’s all total nonsense. Take this year as a prime example, our finances are still in the green, even… Read more »
We did NOT have to sell anyone to bring players in apart from making room in the squad ! Have you not.seen the profits we’ve made ? Up on last year despite no CL football ! Most if not all businesses run at an operating loss at some point because they invest or shall we say speculate to accumulate ! We have cash reserves that most clubs would die for but we are too shortsighted to take a risk of USING those reserves to help us become a top club again which in turn would generate income far and above… Read more »
Wenger has made a virtue over the last 10 years of not investing in the team.
Errr, not exactly paupers are we
If you learn to read thats not what i said, Wenger has chosen not to spend despite having money because he hasn’t wanted to amongst other things “Kill Denilson”
I share your pain …we all would have liked Arsenal to win the trophy … however perspective also demands that we acknowledge facts : 4 teams in the PL at least spend more on players wages and transfers as we do— biggest factors in the results a team gets In Europe Arsenal are probably 12th …. 20 years of CL is a good return There will be the odd season of underperformance — yet the season is not yet over and EL is a target Being 6th so far is a slight underperformance …5th should be more what you can… Read more »
Sorry Superfrog you’re wrong. Wenger has made a virtue of not investing in the team and this is the long term effects of that policy. Arsenal have always had money to spend but Wenger has chosen not to spend for idealogical reasons such as not wanting to “kill Denilson/Diaby/etc etc”, and implementing a hugely damaging and uncompetitive “socialist wage structure”. Along with personal pet projects like “Project Youth” and “British Core” the slow erosion of quality has culminated in what we see today, an uncompetitive team thats going to take massive investment to start challenging again. He has also regularly… Read more »
He’s invested a fuckton of money. Just not where we need it
Tottenham are nowhere near us with financial clout and have a far lower wage bill ,so what’s the excuse for being worse than them ? What about Leicester ? Their one off season just shows what can be done if you organise and motivate what you have ! Which Wenger consistently FAILS to do whether he spends or NOT !
I share in your pain, sense of helplessness and despair bro. We all do.. The difference is that some are in denial or lives in illusion, while others accept the reality and and facts staring us in the face.
Us having not as much money as Man City is not the reason we didn’t win at West Brom. Or Swansea. Or Bournemouth. Or Watford. Despite leading in all of those games….
Win those games, & have a chance of going 2nd tomorrow. Is that enough perspective for you Gaffer?
Sorry, no offence meant.
With perspective our performance isn’t so dire, so where do I need to be standing to have this view? Narnia?
#ya gunnersya
Yes , losses with a B team , ostersunds needed to score 4 to qualify , the team is 6th and that is the lowest it is likely to finish , they are still in the last 16 of EL , that is what a sense of perspective means
The problem with the B team losing, was the manner in which they lost. A serious lack of motivation, not much idea or focus of the job at hand, and an error strewn performance. Remarkably similar to Sunday.
Infuriating. He is so deluded it’s unreal. There’s no way this man is gonna leave – he needs to be pushed out.
What on earth do you (or anyone else) expect him to say? AW: Well, we played poorly Sunday and lost to the runaway league leaders. AW: Why? Well, because our club, Arsenal, is run by a pack of spineless bean counters who care nothing for football. Our club is shit. That is it. I say Man City and Pep forever. AW: Yes, we accept criticism in our job. The fans all say, Pep is the best. By the way, I have changed my name to Pep Wengeriola. There is a motion before the English FA that all active managers changer… Read more »
Yea but he built this team and the team doesn’t have what it takes to succeed. I wish he would come out and criticize players who are garbage and then drop them from the first 11. There is no real incentive for playing well or punishment for playing poorly. I don’t think a lot of boards would have let this play out for so long. I really think he’ll get the sack if we go out to AC Milan.
Just look at what Mourinho did to Pogba, one of their best players this season. He didn’t perform well and then he was dropped.
Wenger does not have balls to do that. How many of such performances did Xhaka have and how many should he put in the future before he can be dropped?
you and wenger are in your own world . take a look at what other managers tells in press conference. conte mourinho pochettino pep talks nothing like this . they never gives justification to 3-0 mauling like that or oesterfuckingwhatever defeat. they talk the truth , when the team performs badly they say it was bad . accepting the truth is the forst step towards success and then rectifying. there is no way wenger would reach anywhere close to the league in future. because he doesnt accept his mistakes and does nothing to prevent them either.
Piss off. Fed up of this perspective bullcrap. We’ve lost 6 games this year alone. What perspective do you need?
Blind old man.
12 loses out of 41 played so far this season.
What perspective do you think he’d like us to take?
Well, considering that we’re 27 points off the league leaders and 9 points off 4th place, I’d like him to take the perspective of the people who feel we are not doing good enough considering our capabilities.
Also, you’re happy with 12 losses in a season?
Ok then. No wonder we stick with Wenger.
Well obviously i don’t have access to Wenger’s super secret “very mathematical” formula that he uses to analyse success so i’m just going to have to take his word for it aren’t I?!?!
You and I are far to stupid to full appreciate Wenger’s scientific method.
(sarcasm!)
P.S. We’re 10 points behind fourth not 9!
For a man that used to say that every defeat was like a dagger to his heart he is very laid back with recent results.
They often say a team reflects the energy of a manager. Arsene doesn’t care anymore probably due to something that’s happened behind closed doors with the higher ups, this is reflected in the team. Pochettino is a cunt who condones diving, that’s reflected in the little shit’s team also.
Nee manager is needed desperately.
Btw mention of the scum was to prove a kind of point, apologies in advance
That’s because he never meant it.
Wenger would swear blind blue was black. A lucrative career in politics awaits should we ever manage to get rid of him!
Anyone else feel like punching the screen when you hear Wenger’s post match comments these days?
I don’t. I feel like punching the journos. Say what you want but that’s not how you treat a manager who is a legend in the game. He is still doing a fantastic job with what he’s been given and he’s much better than the Klopps Pochettinos of this world. I don’t give much importance to Wenger in or Wenger out debate. The one thing about the club that irritates me the most is the way they treat fans who turn up for matches week in week out. I have never been to a match but the sums our fans… Read more »
You can’t blame the journalists… they get paid to sell papers. The last 5 years Wenger must be a dream to them. Even legends have to be accountable at some point.
I have watched every press conference to date and i can’t blame Wenger. Journos keep asking the same question every time until Wenger says something like ‘i have been in the job for 21 years. I deserve some respect’. Then they take it out of context and make it sound like Wenger is being arrogant when in reality the man is working day in day out for this club and hardly does anything for himself with the 10 million pounds he earns. Wenger’s attitude towards the game is one of those things that is good about football. Just let him… Read more »
Just as deluded as the man himself
Probably the thing that most winds me up about Wenger is his attempt to portray criticism as irrational and him as the voice of rationale and reason.
He constantly alludes to some scientific method of analysis that proceeds every match.
Even after Sunday match he talked about analysing the game in a “very mathematical way”, obviously far too complicated for the plebs and critics to understand, but will undoubtably confirm he is a genius who performed a minor miracle to achieve the result he did.
He’s unbearably patronising and the quicker he fucks off the better!
Couldn’t put it any better myself. Nowdays Wenger is more of a philosopher than a coach.
He’s an idiot as far as i’m concerned!
He loves to trot out the “We’ve been the best team over the calendar year” or another time period, not realizing how actually damning that is, because it’s actually has been true, numerous times since 2006. And yet we haven’t won the league. All it really means is that we’re flat track bullies and are terrible against decent teams and absolutely horrible when the pressure is on. Spineless. No winning mentality. A reflection of the manager
As you say it’s completely meaningless, everyone knows what the competitions are and the criteria for winning.
Being good in the second half of one season and the first half of another doesn’t mean anything, what’s the point of even saying it?
His analysis is only for the past one game & focus on the next one. Always. Those poor performance for the last few years are not worth to analyse according to Wenger. That is why he always have things to say or give excuse.
Perspective: There are many better managers available out there and Arsenal doesn’t have to stick with you.
Not many were so infuriated that we lost to City but by the fact they couldn’t see a fight in that team. It is ok to loose but there was no desire to win to start off with. You know Arsene this season there has been zero cohesion and no mental strength at all. Owning up to his mistakes has never been Arsene’s thing.
Alright then, what’s the perspective on defeats to Nottingham forest, Swansea and Bournemouth? Which league are they dominating that a team of arsenal’s calibre cannot match them in just this year alone.
He’s frighteningly starting to sound like an old man trying to cling onto any little thing to avoid actually facing the reality that the game has now past him by.
Everything he’s says now just winds me up. He has no accountabilty. We lost to city most fans could accept that they are a better team than us it’s the manner of these types of defeat that fans are complaining about. It’s just never his fault. The arrogance is just so hard to take. Never wanted to dislike the man. He’s done far to much for this club but he’s just not giving me any choice no more. So sad it’s come to this. The man is now lacking class the very thing that set him apart from most other… Read more »
Perspective? PERSECTIVE?? Perspective is that we have gone backward in the past 10 years, perspective is his ability to manage this club and get the best out of the team has diminished. Perspective is this club has continued to make profit and rather than being proactive to ensure success, they have been reactive. Perspective is for what ever reason you wish to cite, the players are no longer motivated and this club has sailed to mediocrity. Perspective is this club is placid from the top down. Perspective is that we have not challenged at the top (that does not include… Read more »
Here’s some perspective – we are 10 points behind the top four and are falling further behind the pack every year.
Also a bit of perspective on your “I turned the whole world down” shtick – no top club in Europe would go near you now.
Arsene……the fans sitting in the stands had more passion than the 11 out on the pitch who fucking strolled about for large parts of the game and we were mostly silent !
Ok, 10 because Jack showed some but ffs , get real.
I hate that prick Neville but he was right and I was there watching it and cringing.
Get it into perspective ?
We all pay good money to watch and that shit show wasn’t good enough and it hasn’t been for ages.
Rant over.
This is starting to get painfully embarrassing. I will always respect him for what he has done for the club but the man is really damaging his legacy now.
After the 2014 FA cup final, a part of me wanted him to stay and win the league and champions league with us before he calls it a day but I really wish he had walked away after that FA cup win.
The perspective i’m seeing is a club in 6th cast adrift from the top 5 who’ve all had to play CL whilst we rest. A club who’s attack is impotent as ever, who’s defence is as shocking as it was 8 years ago. A club who’s tactics and mentally never change. A club not a team because it’s just a disorganised group of players having a kick about. Perspective is why it’s not just a 3-0 defeat to City Arsene
The problem is he’s not going to say anything else because to do so would be admitting he’s fucked up.
Once we’ve failed to win the Europa league – and we will fail – he should be give a send off fitting for someone who has given Arsenal and the English game so much and the new Manager brought in to assess the squad and what he needs for next season. The rebuilding of our squad and reputation needs to start before the summer break.
I feel ridiculous now thinking that losing at home and being played off our own pitch by ostersunds was a new low. It’s all okay because we won the leg
Boycott the stadium and don’t renew season tickets. Will sort everything out.
Prawn sandwich brigade out.
You’ve only got to look at the sensible comments being thumbed down to tell you there are a lot of people with a similar mindset to the manager or even still in support of how things are run (fuck knows why because while everyone sits behind their computers or smart phone hitting the little thumbs down button to anti Wenger comments, they fail to provide any credible responses to refute the argument). I agree with the boycott, but we need true fans to renew season tickets, the amount of neutral supporters in the ground is at an all time high,… Read more »
Don’t expect anything to change then, supporting Arsenal has become so boring.
I wouldn’t get a season ticket even if they were half price.
The thing is there are too many who do not agree, too many who are happy. Protests against the regime are faced with ridicule and even violence from other fans. When there are protests it’s a select few, those who are not happy are merely out voiced. If you do not renew there is a a 10 year list of people waiting to take your place (and not renewing is not an option ever IMO regardless of how bad things get). There needs to be a committed approach, there are too many fan fans with misguided loyalty to make that… Read more »
The ten year waiting list dried up years ago!
If it’s not ten years it’s certainly still a substantial period of time. You can’t just rock up and get a season ticket for the following season.
The downside of being a London team. Every single true fan could give up their tickets and the ground would still be full because tourists would buy up the tickets.
We all would like the team to win every game and trophy they compete for but as An arsenal supporter and season ticket holder( at great financial sacrifice but out of choice ) , I will turn up for every match through thick and thin to watch my team , support them — win or lose — always want to win but have also to deal with the losses … some seasons will be great , others not do good ,,, but always behind your team ….life is not always fair , and sometimes we have to deal with defeat… Read more »
It’s the fans that have put me off after almost 40 years of going to Arsenal. So negative, it is no surprise the team isn’t functioning in such an environment.
This ground has never had any atmosphere. And frankly Highbury wasn’t great either (library?) in terms of noise, although it did have a special atmosphere. I suppose this is a country-wide phenomenon since ticket prices reached obscene levels and the Premier League became a tourist attraction. It’s not just us, but Arsenal is located in a relatively affluent part of London and most of the people who can afford it are not in the business of singing chants. You’re living in the past. “True fans” probably don’t even exist in the Premier League anymore. Even the rubbish clubs get booed… Read more »
In comparison to other clubs we were seen to have little atmosphere. But making a comparison of Highbury to the Emirates we have lost what we used to have, the special atmosphere your referred to. It has returned at times, Barcelona at home a good few years ago, United at home two seasons ago, it is there! But it has and will continue to be diluted with the current state of affairs.
Agree with you. There’s a few types of Arsenal fan to my mind: 1) proper fans (match going or would be if they could afford it , lived in the northern hemisphere, didnt work weekends, hadn’t given up their season ticket out of numbness.) Always expect the club to challenge at the highest level and understand there was a club before Wenger 2) Glory fans, buy the kits, wind up their mates and support the team if we’re successful. Last seen in significant numbers in about 2006. Have migrated to Manchester 3) Wenger loyalists, believe supporting the manager is supporting… Read more »
The bigger picture, Arsene. You’re using the same rhetorical tricks as dictators. It is getting really really troubling.
The fans aren’t mad because we lost to City.
Well from my perspective the jedi are evil….
Big time AKB here but the man has lost the plot. I always liked the fact that he doesn’t throw the players under the bus but he also stopped taking responsibility himself. Man up, Arsene, and admit it that you’re in the wrong. This whole “father figure” thing is getting old. Players don’t need to be cuddled, they need to be motivated, and I think he can’t do it anymore.
Perspective? We’ve had the same issues for over a decade and the squad has gaping holes getting bigger. Pissing me the fuck off at this point. Slagging off the fans while he lives in his own isolated world.
The game has outgrown you. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of, Arsene.
Great managers like Clough faced the same problem.
For Arsenal’s sake, quit after this season and let somebody else take charge.
Another season of this and we’ll probably become the Liverpool of the late 2000s and early 2010s.
And as much as I hate to see it, another season of Tottenham finishing above us is just intolerable.
And anybody can illuminate me as to why Laurent Blanc doesn’t seem to be considered for managerial positions by any top club? He was a pretty good manager last I recall and in my humble opinion, would do fine as a manager at London Colney.
Tell that to the little boy crying on the television on Sunday.
I don’t need perspective. I had that under George Graham.
To be fair to Wenger he’s right about the defeat to Östersunds. That game was effectively the second half of a 180-minute football match which we eventually won 4-2. In cup football all that matters is that you get through – and we did get through. But he’s talking bollocks about Sunday. Sunday’s display was the most inept, clueless, passionless, uncaring performance that I’ve ever seen form an Arsenal side in a major cup final. So many Arsenal fans whom I’ve spoken to since the the game have been, like me, just outraged by the total lack of desire from… Read more »
Wenger apologist!
Im joking by the way FG
Sad? I guess. I’m more angry. And I have zero sympathy for Wenger. He’s making a fortune, and if he truly cared about the club, truly cared about the fans, truly cared about winning, he would have left the club ten years ago. But he’s simply a power mad dictator who is drunk on power and terrified of life after football. I don’t care if you’re scared arsene. Get lost. Seek help if you have nothing to live for besides managing a perrenially underperforming football team.
This man can’t accept that he hasn’t got it anymore..the game has moved on from when he became boss. A whole new shake-up is needed and now. The new stadium was ment as a bastion to bring us to a new level, competing with the elite clubs in Europe. Instead we are 10 years behind them now and can’t see anything happening for the greater good in the next 10. We could be a mid table team soon and Spurs be a regular CL competitor. Changes needed big-time.
What’s the perspective on the last 3-4 years?
To put things in perspective, we’ve also beaten Chelsea recently and we have beaten City to FA cup last season.
BUT…we also lost to Nottingham Forest.
And we are further away than before recapturing the ‘minimum standard set of 4th place or better.
There is the Europa which we now bank our hopes (partially) on Welbeck because of our January transfer (unnecessary) dealings.
Here’s some perspective. Arsene Wenger wins the double in his first full season in charge (97-98) Finishes 2nd three years on the bounce Wins another double 2001-2 Finishes 2nd and wins the FA Cup 2002-3 Invincible league title win 2003-4 Finishes 2nd and wins the FA Cup 2004-5 Finishes 4th and gets to Champions league final 2005-6 Finishes either 4th or 3rd every season for the next nine years and wins the FA Cup twice in the last two years Finishes 2nd to a hardworking but technically inferior Leicester City 2015-16 Finishes 5th 2016-17 and wins the FA Cup. In… Read more »
To take recent game into perspective, unless you are a muppet following the media pundits vacuous train of thought… we were not out played through 90 minutes. In fact, but for the error leading to the first goal, we were competitive in the first half. We dropped after another rousing half time talk and cuppa chamomile tea by the gaffer. And that is an issue we have to look into. The midfield’s ability to sustain both effort and concentration through 90 minutes is a problem. Whether its fitness or otherwise, if we can compete at same level in the first… Read more »
Defensive excuses.
Wenger. Troll level 1000.
For a man known for his erudition and knowledge and his overall personality, it’s really sad and dare i say pathetic to see him groveling in the dark and struggling with words to defend himself. Everything comes to an end. He’s no different.
Wenger knows his fucked, but he the epitome of professionalism. He doesnt show panic or troubled. He protects the players, the squad, he tries to maintain harmony in the worst times.
Wenger is not stupid, I remember a few years ago he mentioned this. Alex does it too. One thing for sure, he hasnt lost the dressing rooms just the fans.
The only thing worse than the results (and possibly the manager’s sense of timing), are the click-bait driven fans. A veritable cesspool of negativity, self-rightiousness, and entitlement. Fans support. Haters “goona” hate.
It was a tight game until 2-0, Jesus Wenger. People or fans analyse the whole match on performance not just until a certain time frame.
“It looks like we have lost against bottom of the league in division five”…
Going by very recent performances, and the inept attitude shown by many playing and working for the club this season, that would be a very distinct possibility had that fixture taken place.
It’s not like we have only lost to decent opposition this season.
It definitely feels like he’s clutching at more straws than the Nesquik bunny
Perspective? OK let’s do that then let’s put it into the perspective of being worse this term than last or steadily worse for the last 12 years league and CL wise! !!
PERspective .if wenger was sacked he would be paid offs . 8.5 million. That’s money would come out of next years transfer budget. The owner kronke says we will want to balance the book. They probably sells – lacezette for 45 million. Minus 8.5 m ( wenger pay off. ) giving the new manager 35 million to make a title winning team. ! Good luck. When Manchester city asnd utd spends 250 million again. This is what people wants . Perspective.