I was going to add that particular N17 caveat in my original comment. But for an Arsenal fan to think it's somehow going to make things better ...
I think that they just want something to happen to force a change. A lot of your fans are sick of what they see as accepting second best. Not sure I agree, but I understand their frustration. As you say though, be careful what you wish for. David Moyes might be available soon...
I understand why people think a shock like that will force change, but I don't think that missing out on Top 4 is going to make Wenger leave It will just mean that we don't have CL football next season and will make it harder to keep players like Ozil and Sanchez, and attract players to the club.
We've lost countless top players being in the CL and Chelsea and Man U have attracted players not being in the CL. Also, when was the last time we were actually competitive in the CL? I doubt that either player came to us for that reason, more for the money and chance of playing for Wenger and being in London. We will attract players regardless, we have loads of money and are one of the most prestigious clubs in the UK.
True. Players often cite CL football as being a prerequisite for staying/coming to a club. But you're probably right that, money, location and manager have a greater influence.
The one I always remember was franck Ribery in '07? leaving marseille and stating "I will only go to a champions league club." He ended up joining Bayern that summer who only made the Europa league, while leaving marseille who ironically qualified for the champions league.
Kante... Moves from a team in the CL to one not. Pogba... Moves from a team in the CL to one not. Mkhitaryan... Suarez could have left Liverpool before he did... The CL as a lure on its own for players is nonsense. If you're not in it but at least show drive and money then players will come/stay. Sadly we show neither of those two. And very shortly, quite probably, we won't we even have the CL either. So maybe not being in the CL might make the board realise they need to show some drive and money? Doubt it.
I know that, but they were a top team in those days and we were able to beat them. The point i was trying to make was we were able to hang with the best, now isn't isn't the case.
Might mean you actually get some european silverware. Let's face it Arsenal are pretty much cannon fodder in the CL now. At least in the Europey you might have the chance to go all the way and win.
But you may have to sacrifice a PL top 4 slot to do it. The EL is just not conducive to the PL run-in, certainly not for the PL title. I wish UEFA would rotate the CL/EL match days per round, so that the thursday/sunday game cycle is broken.
Love the double negative Lazurus!! I know what you were saying. Must be frustrating to know that Liverpool and Manchester United can have poor season's and yet win trophies - Liverpool in 2005 in Istanbul and Manchester United possibly in Stockholm. Pity Arsenal don't win more trophies when playing "poorly."
I don't think it's necessarily the trophies but the way we fall apart mid season and can't seem to pick ourselves up. It's happened far too frequently. If we held it together for just one time then we would have won the PL. But the players or manager don't seem to put their hands up and accept it's an issue. Not trying is the worst in my book and it's this that has pissed Sanchez off too.
I want us to finish as high as possible and win every pot competition we enter. F*cking weirdo me. Right now top 4 and winning the FA Cup would make me happy as it'd most likely mean we'd be making Liverpool and Chelsea unhappy. I also think it'd increase the likelihood of our best players staying. We'd also have another trophy. Disco. Like every other Gooner I think change is needed from top to bottom but that doesn't mean I don't want us to aim as high as possible at every opportunity.
Agree. I've said a few times in the past that I feel Wengers biggest issue is that he's not a natural leader. He doesn't inspire confidence when the pressure is on. (In fact quite the opposite - he sits there fiddling with his enormous jacket, looking like a nervous wreck) This is why the team cracks whenever the pressure builds up. (Normally around March) I have heard people on here claim 'any team' wouldn't win the title under Wenger. This is simply not true. He just needs a team full of characters/leaders - players that don't need external motivation/support. Wengers great teams were full of 'Alpha males'. Large physically imposing confident individuals.These guys didn't need a confident boost.
Spot on. That's why he won the title with natural, mentally strong leaders like Adams, Vieira etc. We simply haven't had that solid core for ages and he hasn't got the ability to inspire confidence in the players on a consistent basis, which the current crop need. But you see how the team plays when the pressure is off, they are fantastic.
