ANR MAILBAG : circus / Fabregas / disillusion

From Steve Harrison : The circus

Myles,

Arsenal are no longer a football club with Wenger in charge, we are now a show.

Like visiting the theatre or the circus. I remember AW saying a few years ago that he wanted us to be like the Harlem Globetrotters, which is what we are, the difference being they knew how to win!

It’s “okay to be okay” now at Shenley, there are no winners there, just showmen. No desire. No passion. No pride.

Carlos Vela’s reaction to the penalty claim said it all… it was a clear penalty, but did he appeal? No, he just accepted it, it never mattered to him.

I know people will say ‘the ref won’t change his mind’ but wouldn’t a professional footballer’s natural reaction who REALLY REALLY wanted to win at 0-0 with 10 minutes left be fuming with the ref’s decision?

The team has no pace except for Walcott who makes unintelligent runs off the ball.

Really I could go on…. why do we only sign French or African footballers? Why can’t our players take a tackle without missing a fortnight? Why has he made Shenley so plastic/artificial/unatmospheric?

Worryingly, this is accepted by the board. He is a spinster.  Wenger is the greatest football politician to work in management for 150 years.  But the biggest question that I ask, that every Arsenal supporter should ask and maybe the board should ask is….

When does ‘The Wenger Project’ status change from ‘in progress’ to ‘failed’?

 


 

Will : Loads of Wenger articles, quotes, comments in the blogs and news in the last few days…
    
Here’s a thought;

Perhaps in the future, to simplify things, all stories in the news and the blogs about him should just have the same title:

WENGER TALKS RUBBISH AGAIN!

What do you think? And this is from a lifelong Gooner mind you… 


From Chippie : Wenger must go
    
As a season ticket holder, I think over the years Wenger has got very arrogant and has been treating the supporters with contempt.

For example when he got rid of players like Edu, Gilberto, Hleb, etc… Wenger stated that we have some great kids coming through who will win us titles. That statement alone was a joke. Denilson is next to useless, Bendtner talks a big game, but I wouldn’t have him in my championship manager’s pc game. Since Diaby broke his leg, he has lost his cojones and never been the same; Arshavin is lazy and plays with his hands in his pockets, and Theo nice boy but not up to it.

My biggest criticism of Wenger is him insulting our intelligence, telling us that those two goalkeepers are good enough, so we don’t need to get a new keeper.

Wenger has taken the club as far as he can. Yes, he has completely changed the Arsenal brand. Yes, he is an Arsenal legend; you can either say his name on the same breath as the great Herbert Chapman.

However, just because we don’t know exactly who we will replace him with, does that mean we stay with the status quo and not move forward?

One manager springs to mind, who has visited our training ground and has made no secret that he likes the Arsenal way. He would love the idea that he would have full control of the club and would not be under immense pressure from the board. He has also gone on record that he would like to work at a smaller club which wouldn’t have as high expectations as his present club. The man in question is Pep Guardiola.

Mr Wenger, thank you for what you have done for the club but it’s time you go up stairs and be a director of football or something.


 

From Shane Whelan : Insanity…

 …is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

I’m sure it’s been said before but this does sum up Wenger and Arsenal right now.


 

From Stephen : Disillusioned Gooner!
    
Myles,

I’ve been an avid reader of your column for the past 10 years or so and really enjoyed the insights provided in The Professor.

However, up until recently I was very disappointed with your tone in your articles. After this season’s fiascos it’s evident that we’re simply not good enough – the team is stale and it’s apparent that it’s time for Arsene to move on also at the end of the season.

He will undoubtedly go down as Arsenal’s finest manager but his tenure must come to an end – the team needs to be freshened up by new signings from the sale of a number of players including Fabregas & Van Persie.

I was at my first game in 1978 when Trevor Francis was the 1st £1M pound player and had the privilege of watching the majesticaLiam Brady. During the lean 1980’s until George Graham at the helm. Arsenal filled me with pride and passion and then Wenger took us to another planet with his sides from 1997-2005 -arguably his best side was in the 1997-98 season, the perfect footballing team .

However, now I feel completely disillusioned with very low expectations. His after-match analyses are now embarrassing – it’s time for us all to realise that the game is up and that we most likely will need another 2-3 years with a new man at the helm before we can challenge again.


 

From Ben Peters : Hanging up my tickets
    
I am 27 years old and have supported Arsenal my whole life. I’ve been a home and away season ticket holder for 10 seasons and I have decided not to go anymore.

I have tried for a few weeks now to get my thoughts straight on the matter and believe I have done that.

Up until 2 seasons ago, the pain of defeat used to sit with me for days until the next game came around. I used to get frustrated that we didn’t buy the right players and we weren’t the best but I guess every football fan feels like that when they are not winning.

I believe football has changed for the better- better facilities, arenas, players on show and for the worse- less atmosphere, more expensive, less love of the beautiful game from all parties involved.

This brings me on to my once-beloved Arsenal. I don’t feel I know the club I once fell in love with. I loved Highbury, the tradition, values, club blazers, us against the world mentality and not being a soft touch. I read your website daily and agree with most of what you say. However, I’m always wondering, is he a fan? He must care otherwise why would he write all this? Does he want Arsenal to win?

I feel there are 3 main problems at the club:

1. The Board- why don’t they challenge the boss? Why don’t they explain to the fans their decisions? Why do they come out every year and say we have £30-40m and never spend anywhere near it? Why do they allow Wenger to continually award long term contracts to under performing employees who have yet to delivered? (Can you believe Szchesny just got a £30k a week deal- he has played once for the first team)

2. The Manager- Take some responsibility. He is clearly a football genius who loves and knows the game. However, why do we have the worst keeper (Fabianski or Almunia) in the league? Why haven’t we learn how to defend as a unit? Why have our full-backs got worse since they joined? Why don’t we have anyone in the squad that can really get the lads going when the chips are down? Why don’t you ever ask for help externally as I don’t think Pat Rice ever really questions you or your cronie Primorac. Why don’t you ever discuss the other team?

3. The players- I think they have to accept some responsibility but I don’t blame them that much. Is it Almunia’s fault he is crap? Is it Song’s fault he now thinks he is an attacking midfielder? Is it Chamakh’s fault that he feels he need to double check when through one-on-one in a North London Derby? Partly but not entirely.

As you constantly say, these players are wrapped in cotton wool and told that everything will be all right. When they win, they are legends, when they lose there is a reason why and it will be better next time.

What really upsets me is that we keep getting fed this nonsense by the club, the website etc- ARSENAL ARE TAKING THE PISS OUT OF THE FANS!!!

I’m not frustrated because we are not winning, although obviously that upsets me, I’m upset that not winning seems to be ok. But, more importantly that the reasons why we are not winning don’t seems to be recognised by anyone in the club other than Cesc Fabregas!

The press don’t seem to really challenge Wenger either- I’m baffled by the amount of times they sit in front of him and never turn round and say: “Mate, wake up! Do you really think that your boys will out score Chelsea/Man Utd to the title?”

The last 2 results are in my memory the worst under Wenger- losing at home in a derby to go top of the league after being 2-0 up at half time and losing away at a club that would struggle in the championship directly after the derby defeat when you know you have something to prove!

I don’t enjoy the experience of going to Arsenal anymore and being surrounded by Wenger-ites. He has let me down and I thank him for what he has done but he now needs to go.

Of course I will still watch us and want us to win but I’m not driving to Blackburn on a Wednesday night anymore because I’m a ‘fan’ and it’s my duty when my return is nowhere near my investment.

He will never change his ways, so I’ve changed mine.


 

From Tim : The boy who died
    
 
It was a late night and I’d left the comfort of my home to go across town to see the match.

Why? I really wonder. When the match ended and the possibility of going out in the group stages hit me, I was stunned at how the mighty have fallen. But I realized something else, I was strangely unruffled by the whole game and the outcome. Maybe because after so many emotional roller-coaster rides my heart has become numb and that sort of took me by surprise.

For me it was a strange flat game where Arsenal never really got going, I honestly think it’s a good thing Fab is injured, he needs surgery, both emotional and physical to be of any use to the team in the games ahead. He already didn’t look right at the beginning of the season when his mind and heart were injured.

For Fab, unfortunately, something inside him has died. He’s not the same passionate boy who celebrated like it was the end of the world when he scored against AC Milan in that memorable game years ago. Something has snapped, he’s broken, he’s disappointed and very disillusioned, he never smiles anymore.

He’s trying to be a professional and play as well as he can, but there’s so damn little motivation. We can all slate him for having his head and heart turned, but we are all human, a job is always better done when you are enjoying yourself.

He’s knows something is wrong with his body, and yet he’s played game in game out. You can see he’s afraid to sprint all out, he can’t kick as freely as he used to, and last night he stretched his leg out for the ball and he knew he’d hurt himself again.

I think it’s pointless to talk about individual players in last night’s game, but at least it can be said that JD had one of his better games in an Arsenal shirt. Although the 2nd goal and the defending that accompanied it was so comical I really had to laugh. 3 defenders! 3! And they still couldn’t stop one man! You gotta laugh at that one, really you do.

I’ll get the Aston Villa game’s highlights and analysis, I’m too drained to watch it live.


 

From Tom : Cesc’s broken hamstring
    
Hi Myles.

Been reading this site since the 28.8 modem days. It must come close to 15 years! Wow. I salute you.

Anyway, before Wenger wrecked the club I had fallen in love with, I read every available Arsenal article daily. I have a good memory and have been shocked several times over the years by Wenger’s explanations/contradictions.

You tell people to watch what he does rather than listen to what he says and I totally agree with you.

My main point this time around is NOT that Wenger bought Baptista to replace Vieira (how could he even contemplate that working out?). A couple of seasons prior to that shocker, Wenger was somewhat criticized for NOT playing the youngsters. Back then, only Ashley Cole had come through from the Academy and the average age was late twenties.

Wenger’s explanation was that “players are not ready at 16-19 to play week in week out.” He went on to say “just look at Michael Owen, who was a regular for Liverpool at the age of 17. Now he has much trouble with injuries. Particularly hamstring problems are related to playing first team football at a too young age.”

Do you remember this, Myles? I guess it was back in 2003-5.

I don’t have to say no more. I’m sorry Cesc. Get out ASAP!


 

Myles says :

Thanks for the salute, Tom.

Thanks for your dozens of emails this week. Tim’s a bit melodramatic, Stephen’s disillusioned like thousands of others, Ben has a good overview for a 27-year old but he’s too young to be quitting, and Chippie’s right to suggest Wenger’s best signing would be Guardiola.

Steve scores a bullseye when he points out that Carlos Vela showed no real anger when he was fouled. Or when the Hungarian ref incorrectly booked him.

Wondering whether I started blogging 12 years ago or 13 or 14, so I clicked on ANR before it was redesigned.

I don’t remember writing Can Arsenal stop Rooney? and I certainly don’t remember writing Natural Mexes would be ideal with Sol

But I do remember writing Gilberto is misunderstood and underrated  and also pieces like  Natural gladiator Reyes is the real deal and of course anybody tends to remember family moments that are a bit manic and silly like The Professor on University Challenge.