To replace the calibre of Wenger we need to already be looking for someone. Wenger has a 3 year contract and we aren't doing terribly. Yes not the best but we are there and there abouts. I just don't see him leaving this season. Ultimately its in Wengers hands.
That's a bit harsh and disrespectful to our most successful coach ever! I agree with Lazurus2000 above that we really need to be looking for a new manager now, and putting in place our succession planning NOW!. This season (and particularly the last 2 months) my faith has gone and whatever decisions and changes in playing staff/coaches or manager that is made, we need to see rapid improvements in all facets of play. Though I can see that its far easier to get the decision on the new manager wrong than right, and if we put a Allardyce/Redknapp type manager (who has been put forward before) in charge then things could get much much worse. But hopefully we have identified our target [manager] and 2 backup options, as well as some marque signings and will properly go about things, with no knee-jerk decisions...
Other teams have stepped up this season, Arsenal are no longer guaranteed to flat track bully their way to their annual 4th place trophy.
i can't believe how many people are completely ignoring the injuries Arsenal have. It is amazing that they are so close to the top three with all the injuries. Arsenal will be third in May.
This does not make any sense because the injuries have not been an issue for the last 18 years under Wenger.
I think Diaby's been out for that long, hasn't he? Part of it is training methods, in my opinion. The other factors are persisting with players who have poor injury records, signing lots of small, weak players and seemingly rushing back those with dodgy injuries. How many times do you hear of someone returning ahead of schedule, only for them to have a breakdown and get set back several months? I don't think that's a coincidence. He also tends to overplay youngsters, throwing them in for sustained periods that they're not used to and haven't built up to. That leads to problems, which then don't get sorted, as they're thrown back in.
I put it down more to Arsenal's football style than training methods or the type of players. Arsenal play a short passing game and their players are happy to receive the ball in tight situations that attract the opposition to the ball more often than most teams I think. It's not an intentional thing by the opposition but there are many late tackles on Arsenal players. The tackles are drawn by Arsenal in other words. I find that more plausible than some strange training technique, diet or the size of a player. Injuries rarely occur because one player is bigger than another.
This laughable theory was also put forward by Toledo. Utter nonsense. Or are you suggesting we somehow play more short passing possession based football than any other team on the planet?
To be honest it is no more laughable than saying out training is bad. I think in the english league yes Arsenal play more short passing and receive the ball in tighter situations than any other team. Outside the UK no team would get away with the types of challenges that are normal in the premier league. So a team like Barcelona never have to face it. I read also that Arsenals post Champions League game injury record is also quite good. It does seem that it is premier league fixtures that do most damage which again tells me that the training reason is nonsense.