Arsene Wenger says that he’ll be behind West Ham as they face Liverpool at the Free Stadium of London today, knowing that if Jurgen Klopp’s side drop points, it will put top four qualification back into Arsenal’s hands.
The Hammers more or less ended Sp*rs chances of winning the title just over a week ago, and the Arsenal manager is hoping their commitment will help them get a good result against the Mugsmashers.
Asked if he’d be supporting Slaven Bilic’s team, he said, “Yes. One of the qualities of the Premier League, which you have seen again today, is that historically there is a pride in every team to give their best until the end of the season.
“I’ve seen West Ham do that against Tottenham, and Stoke did that against us here. We expect the teams to play with full power and if the other teams are better, then they are better.”
Wenger was also asked about another plane banner carrying the cryptic message: ‘Wenger – out means out’, flown over the stadium during yesterday’s 4-1 win over Stoke.
“I want to focus on football,” he said. “All the rest is less important for me. I’m not in politics, I’m in sport. I love sport, I give 24 hours a day for what I love.
“I’m also in a public job where some people agree with me and some people don’t. I have no special opinion on that.
“I’m paid to do my job for a club I love. I will do that will full commitment for as long as I’m here. I’m not influenced by that at all.
“All I can do is do my best. We have 69 points today, so let’s make it 72 on Tuesday.
“After that, I will give my best for the values of the club and the club as long as I am here.”
Come on the Hammers!!!
Hammers got hammered.
Liverpool beat the Hammers, which more or less seals 4th place for them, unless Middlesborough really decide to make a point on the final day. Its a bit unfortunate for Wenger as the team did recover and put in a good push for a top 4 assault. It is of course not done till it is done and all that, but barring some very unexpected combination of results the top 4 was settled today. There is still the cup to go though and winning the Cup and creating a record for the most cups won would still be a great… Read more »
RIP 4th place – finally
Maybe not popular but I am looking forward to the Arsenal in the Europa League hopefully getting to and winning the final.
Chambers will contribute to our top 4 finish after all. You can only rely on your own, anyway!
Let’s not forget we were 2nd last season, 3rd the previous.
Such class. But still we need some new ideas. If you love the club so much, you will sacrifice your position.
The adoption of the new formation suggests Wenger can change, albeit too late perhaps too salvage this season (barring a liverpool collapse). If he stays I just hope he sticks with the 5 man defence. His old tactics have been well and truly sussed by the opposition, and he does seem to be behind the curve in terms of innovative ideas. However, the recent run shows this team has some good players with the potential to challenge for big trophies. It is down to the Manager to prove he still has the insight and adaptability to mould this group of… Read more »
The only reason he “changed” was because 4th place was in jeopardy. Where were these tactics when we were challenging for the title? Same cycle over and over again. We always end strong just enough to secure 4th place. And now even that is not in our hands.
Wenger out….STANDING!!!
That plane banner shit is fucking embarrassing.
Yeah, maybe, but it’s born out of frustration and disillusionment. If Wenger refuses to relinquish power, it’s up to us to keep the pressure on. Yes, the wins are back and it’s all fun and games again but this seesaw of opinion has to stop. We have become as predictable as the teams fluctuations in form. We love you Arsene. We hate you Arsene. It’s a bit sad really having this battered wife syndrome.
It’s not the same people changing their minds back and forth. The only seesaw is that when we lose, the ones who want Wenger gone crawl out. When we win a few, the more Wenger supportive or Wengnostics do.
Piers should put his wallet away…….. 😉
Piers should put himself away 🙂
Best comment of the day goes to you sir
I think you mean blanket.
Boycott any blog claiming responsibility for that plane banner. At a crucial time for our season that idiocy is beyond belief. To boycott any site on NewsNow, right click on site name and ‘Hide publication’.
Lets all hope that LFC had some lasagne yesterday…
A couple of weeks’ ago all this seemed highly unlikely – as it still does, only less so.
1. Win all our games.
2. Have other teams slip up.
3. Get this back into our own damn hands.
4. Not blow it once we do.
5. If all else fails it still goes to the last day of the season.
Can Liverpool make a proper pig’s ear of their top four chances? Only if we allow history to be our guide.
Hoping for an Andy Carroll hatrick
Wenger – out means out.
What a fuckin pointless banner. Like der.
I’m from halfway across the world and perhaps its a cultural thing…are plane banners a common british way of communicating messages? How does it work? Is it an arsenal fan with a plane and no match ticket? Or do a bunch of guys put money in a jar to crowdfund this exercise based on researched data that football managers always look up during matches….
I think all most fans want to see is a change from the tired and failing tactics of recent years and had become convinced Arsene was incapable of making that change. Now he has delivered the first genuine, tactical change of his tenure, there’s a big part of me would like to see how far he can go with it; maybe not very far, but who knows. After all, class is permanent and in another year, just maybe the club will be better prepared for the long term managerial change that has to come.
The funny thing is with the change of tactics and maybe throw away the thursday night football we might run away with the league next season like chelsea sis this year …. would winning the cup this year and league next year change things ?
I really don’t think the problem has been tactical. If the team consistently shows up for big games at big times each season and bottle it / play without belief / ‘play with the handbrake on’ (take your pick) I doubt a different formation would change much. Arsene is incapable of putting a title winning mentality in his team. I just don’t see how anything from the last few weeks would change that.
Liverpool out is out!
Truth is Arsenal do not deserve Champions League football.
Season after season they have been given the opportunity and have squandered every single opportunity given to them – they took it for granted.
It will do the club good to fail to qualify – perhaps get our priorities straight and develop that one thing we have been lacking which is team spirit.
It has been said many times before but huge changes are needed..
“Season after season they have been given the opportunity and have squandered every single opportunity given to them” 2011/12 Chelski 2010/11 ManUre 2008/09 ManUre 2007/08 Chelski/ManUre 2006/07 Mugsmashers 2005/06 Yours and Mine Arse 2004/05 Mugsmashers Since 2000, assuming there have been 4 English sides that have made the Champions League every year. That would be a total of 68 times that British teams have been afforded the Champions’ League opportunity. Only eight have made the final (assuming that making the final is not a squandered opportunity) out of those 68 chances. I only see four teams that have made it… Read more »
Thank you for making me feel better what with Liverpool winning. Wake up call indeed.
They don’t deserve it next season, not after the way they crumbled as a result of it. But to say that they didn’t deserve it previously, when they all struggled year after year to qualify for that spot, is also a little harsh. They qualified legitimately, although many points were also due to a little bit of luck, each and every time. That being said, I agree, perhaps next year, a better focus can be placed in actually making a team out of our players. The only thing we fail to do is usually make it through unscathed or ahead… Read more »
Arsenal just need to look at all the wreckless matches they gave away and it’s to late now and to be fair why should Liverpool fail they done there job so good luck to them. 5th we will stay.
Well relying on Wet Hams is always a mistake.
They are getting hammered.
That leaves only already relegated nothing to play for Boro as the only obstacle in the way of Liverpool.
It looks highly unlikely Schitty will drop the ball against Wet Brums and Watford either.
I really don’t like the banner – total lack of class, and uncharacteristic of Arsenal. However, I am still firmly Wenger out. It’s amazing to see how just a few games seems to turn the entire fan base around. We know we can always win a few games at end of the season. It doesn’t matter whether we finish FA Cup and finish in Top 4, or end up 5th and lose the Final, we need a change. Arsene’ s time is up. Best manager we’ve ever had, but we need new ideas. We also need a different manager to… Read more »
Knowing our luck, we’ll lose to Bayern Munich in the Europa League
I for one am very happy we are not making the Champions League. Simply because Silent Stan is going to start losing money. Don’t know why Wenger is taking all the heat when Stan is the one we should be angry at. It’s unimaginable to think Wenger doesn’t want to win trophies, he was winning till we had the leach called Stan takeover the club and on record to have said, he is not in to win the title
Oh okay so you’re saying the shareholder is responsible for on pitch performances. This is just a reaction to us winning a couple of games. Why have people forgotten the shit patch we had to go through?
A) why do we play shit football then?
B) we seem to have money to spend. £100 million last season.
C) what’s wanting to win got to do with the price of fish? I want to win but that doesn’t mean I have the talent to win.
West Ham are a bunch of cunts. We pay for their fucking stadium and they don’t even have the common courtesy to put up a fight to help a fellow London side. Bastards. I tell you what, I hope we’re in a position to relegate them next season and show no mercy, jumped up twats.
Calum Chambers to play a blinder at Anfield holding Liverpool to a boring 0-0?
Typical West Ham, just when you need the to at least draw with Liverpool they go out and get routed. 5th place here we come as there is no way Liverpool will lose to Boro at home with Boro already relegated.
he was praying for the hammers we’ve been praying for wenger all season