Wenger: Arsenal not like Chelsea, better than Tottenham and Liverpool
Wenger’s position at Arsenal has been over the years an object of respect, envy and curiosity. How does he get them playing so well so young? How can they keep winning even with a threadbare squad? How come he’s not out of a job yet?
More and more people are asking that last question in recent years as Arsenal haven’t won the league title in the last four seasons. In a culture where winners are glorified and everyone else is looked down on, and in a league where managers are fired on a regular basis for missing their targets by an inch, Wenger isn’t concerned.
Wenger:
“For me, when you’re in a big club, the important thing is that you are fighting for the title. Is finishing 12th and winning the League Cup a successful season for us? I don’t think so.
You see the real quality of a team after 38 games – in the League Cup, or the FA Cup, if you win five games you can be in the final. Does that tell you the real quality? No, because real quality only comes out in the championship.
If you don’t win the league, of course you are frustrated but the levels are very high – possibly the highest in the world – and two or three points is not a big gap. We finished with 83 points last season and everywhere else in Europe, that would have made us champions.”
The ‘champions everywhere else in Europe’ bit is irrelevant (you’re not playing anywhere else in Europe, you’re playing in England) but everything else makes perfect sense. If Arsenal had finished 4th and struggled to make it there, it would have been cause for concern. However, we saw the Gunners make a massive improvement at league level and despite the departures there’s a good chance that they will be in the hunt for the league title come Christmas.
Winning the League Cup (Tottenham) or winning the Champions League (Liverpool) is great but hardly a measure of quality for a team whose ambitions lie in league positions (Tottenham want to play in the Champions League, Liverpool want to win the Premier League). Ultimately, a manager is going to be judged by how they do in the league and whether they’re in a position to meet their goals or thereabouts every season or not.
Chelsea had a different issue – Grant was disposed of not because he ‘failed’ in the league but because the players never respected him the way they respect Mourinho and Scolari. However, the margin for error is still small at Chelsea and one of Scolari’s targets would be to win the league in the 2 years his contract runs for. If Chelsea are finishing 3rd in both seasons there’s a chance of Scolari being dismissed – even if giving the gaffer more time at the club is the foundation for building a successful team (ask Ferguson).
Tottenham and Liverpool? Both clubs with high ambitions but not ‘getting there.’ Spurs will need to give Ramos more time and Liverpool will need to give Rafa more money if both clubs are to realise their targets.
At the end of the day though, Wenger’s position remains the safest of all 4 – if only because Arsenal are content on taking the slow but steady approach to the top. It’s worked before, and it’s bound to work again. It’s only a matter of time – time which other managers rarely get in the Premier League.
Topics: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, English Premier League, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham
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I agree with what you say except the money issue. We need to stop doubling standards and giving out mixed meesages. Chelsea have most of there best moments taken away from them by the claim that thet buy thier trophies yet Man u are hero’s for what they do. Liverpool are only out spent by utd and chelsea yet they still get a sympahetic ear in media circles for lack of funds. Its a joke, they have had the money to buy the title yet have not managed it in 19 years. Its more than funds that stops Liverpool wining the title.
August 18th, 2008 @ 14:24Don’t be so sure. One bad season and will Wenger stay. If they miss out on Champions League what happens? As long as he keeps them in top 4 he is ok. If he falls out from there, it will be very interesting.
August 18th, 2008 @ 14:36Your comments suggest that you put the Champions League on a par with the Carling Cup in terms of winning it and the effort that you have to put in. Lets put something in perspective here, to win the Champions League you have to beat the rest of Europe, including Champions of their own respective leagues i.e Inter Milan. Its something that Arsenal have not won ever. The Champions League IS also dictated by League position, you need to finish in a certain place to get into it, not like the Carling Cup at all where you just have to be in the English league system. Wenger has not won anything for 4 years now, yes, you were close to the League last year but you still finished 3rd which came after 2 previous 4th place finishes. You played in a Champions League final, yes, but we played in 2, we also won the FA Cup in the previous 4 years. Wenger has kept his job because of the style of football Arsenal play and the fact that the board are settled and understand what he is trying to do, if it works, they will have been vindicated to have kept him on, but how many years will it take of being nearly men before the Board decide not to invest further in Wengers ‘youth policy’? Yes there are some great youngsters at Arsenal, but there are some great ones at Liverpool too. Just dont ever lump Liverpool’s Champions League win together with Tottenham winning the Carling Cup, because that is how the article reads.
August 18th, 2008 @ 14:43i agree completely with sam, this article is a joke written by an insecure arsenal fan wishing to make himself feel better for the season ahead where he is unlikely t win anything. Additionally wenger doesn’t really mention liverpool at all, so he words haven’t been twisted they have been ignored and the writer’s opinion has taken their place. Wenger keeps his job because he is loved by the english media, whilst rafa is constantly having to put up with loads of crap from all angles. It is drivel like this that simply adds to this.
August 18th, 2008 @ 15:35Why does everyone under the sun conveniently forget arsenal have come fourth in 2 of the last 3 seasons?
liverpool always come fourth dont they? thats what sky say anyway
August 18th, 2008 @ 15:45Sam, whilst some of the basis of your arguement is true. You need to get some facts right. Arsenal’s last trophy came 3 years ago not 4 as many claim. The last time this happened, we went on to win a double, a FA Cup, an unbeaten season, followed by another FA Cup. During this drought, as some people call it, we went to a League Cup final (with our reserves) and a Champions League Final. Interestingly, during the 98/99-00/01 drought we managed to go to the UEFA Cup final and FA Cup Final. Deja vu anyone?
Yes, the scouse did win the Champions League, they also finished 5th that year. And if UEFA played by the rules, the scouse would have played UEFA Cup the following season. Which, goes to highlight the cost Liverpool might have paid for winning the Champions League.
Ahmed, the sp*rs are there when it comes to talking the walk. And they disappear when they are to walk the talk. I read an article about Juande Ramos about his time at Seville. The Seville side that came in 3rd had very talented players, but here is the interesting part, they were all signed by the club’s Sporting Director and Ramos apparently played no part in signing those players. His critics in Spain say anyone can win with a talented squad.
At Tottenham, the sporting director had no part in Juande’s signings, so depending on how his season pans out, the sp*rs board will know if they made the right choice.
As for Liverpool, Rafa might as well be the worst manager of the decade when it comes to transfers. Giving more money to Rafa is probably the most stupid thing the scouse owners can do. How much money has he spent so far? 200 Million? And what is the return? 1 UCL? Liverpool might as well hire a new manager for league fixtures, and use Rafa during cup ties because he himself said the league isn’t his target.
Rick, Ahmed is no where near a gooner.
August 18th, 2008 @ 16:15Whilst Wenger is obviously a good manager it is a shame he has to constantly pontificate about other teams rather than concentrate on his own business. He is always going on about the Arsenal ‘family’ but I noticed some on pitch arguments when mistakes were made v WBA.
Also there is no point in so called ‘qaulity’ if it does not win you anything. The trophy cabinet at Ashbuton Grove is bare as a result. The one at WHL has a trophy in it.
August 18th, 2008 @ 16:23No point in comparing spurs with arsenal..it is an insult to arsenal..the gunners r the 11th highest spending club in the league but wat wenger has done with his ability to spot talent nd transfer them into stars is worth mentioning..
Arsenal wer written of last season..but finished 3rd nd wud have surely won it without the injuries.. u can c how MAn u struggld against Newcastle in the 1st game..arsenal had to put up an even weaker aquad in the last 2months of the season.. AND remember stars produced by arsenal remain stars only in arsenal..they struggle wen they leave the club ..this is because they play a certain type of futbol in a certain type of setup..they find it v difficult to adjust elsewer..hence the players r stars only for arsenal nd not world over… Pressure in on wenger Big Time.. He knows it better than any of us..This year he probably has the most inexperienced squad since he joined yet the most talented lot..
Speaking not as an Arsenal Supporter.. i Hope Arsenal win one of the big 2 just for the sake of Futbol and change the world order that trophies can b also be won with talent nd not Money..
August 18th, 2008 @ 17:47im sorry but wenger just has a go at other teams when he loses and thinks that he is the best manager in the world. when spurs beat arsenal 5-1 he just complained and complained. atleast spurs have actually won something unlike arsenal who seem to get by winning nothing but playing actracive football which the media love.
August 18th, 2008 @ 19:51Arsenal are simply the most attractive club in the world only barcelona or madrid could contest this. If man utd and arsenal were not in the prem and it was made up of teams such as liverpool and spurs do you think people would hail it as the best league in the wold???
August 18th, 2008 @ 20:24I dont agree with Wenger. Chelsea are here to win titles and to play fantastic(sexy) footbal. For example look at the game between Chelsea and Portsmouth and the game between Arsena and Westbrom. Chelsea played very well and I can assure you that this season they will lift the title. Arsenal struggled to beat the team which according to me is even doesnt belong to be premiership.
August 19th, 2008 @ 09:02Woah Basu, fair enough Arsenal dont go and spend money on big stars but as for spending no money, 12m on Walcott, 6m on Denilson, 8m on Sagna, 12m on Nasri, 5m on Ramsey……Arsenal have spent money, they have just invested in younger players and been able to recoup some back because of Hleb and Henry.
As for Raed, Benitez has won an FA Cup to add to the Champions League, been in the Carling Cup and Champions League Finals and won the European Super Cup and Charity Shield. His spending with player sales since he came totals about £70M so on average has spent about £15M per season. And I think you need to get your facts right too, last trophy Arsenal won, was 2004, by my calculations, thats more than 3 years ago…..in fact its more than 4…..
August 19th, 2008 @ 11:05we dont want as arsenal fans to be that naive, ofcourse his position might be safe but for how long are we going to be patient? the problem is we are considered to be up there with the best but on what basis when we havent won anything for the past 4 seasons? we want trophies mr wenger and you too should just be concerned about your security buty also about our happiness as fans,in anyway results should be your security so please start producing results! we want trophies!
August 19th, 2008 @ 14:01Arsene! pls spend that load of money you scrap from the transfers let alone the budget allocated by the board for new signings. Don’t exercise elusive philosophy year in your out with so called young talent and leave us in frustration. When does your project come into fruition? We are tired. A club of Arsenal grade needs trophies every year. Just go out and buy us a genuine midfielder, a center half and may be a back up for Clichy. Then we are set to snatch PL title from Chelsea. Mind u Chelsea is the major threat this year.
August 20th, 2008 @ 06:58Sam, FA Cup 2005.
August 20th, 2008 @ 17:33