This is perhaps, the most infuriating thing about Arsenal’s offseason to me. While other clubs treat the break as a time to strengthen BEFORE the preseason so that new signings can get acclimated to the team, Arsenal dithers about looking for “top quality.” Make a few lowball offers, some tripe about valuation is made and then start the season not at full strength and viola, behind the eight ball already.
I’ve made this comment before, how much is really saved by waiting until near the deadline day for needed transfers (in terms of potential points lost early in the season) as opposed to paying the market rate in July and being full strength to start the season for a change?
No better example than the opening day debacle to Liverpool. Would getting Mustafi or someone else in earlier have helped? Looking at the shambles of the defense in that game, I am sure that it would have. Instead of a draw (or win), Arsenal drop all 3 points and lose out by a point to that very team for the Top 4. I would think that the club would have learned a lesson from this, but I’m not hopeful.
It’s poor business–doesn’t really save any money in the end and always starting the season in such a weakened state and in crisis mode is maddening, when these are all self-inflicted wounds.
The Top 4 race will continue to be tight, damn stupid to spot the teams vying for that points each season.
The protests will mostly stop now people realise they’re futile. The hardcores will still be at it but I think the movement has lost momentum.
I think there was definitely an aspect of “we can get him to not sign a new deal” / “we can convince them to not give him a new deal” half way through his last season but now it’s done he’s not going to break his contract and they’re not going to pay him off.
Only when he starts doing terribly (e.g. has us in the bottom half for a prolonged period of time) will he be under actual pressure.
What I find most annoying is that we’ve been strung along for nothing. The “fake news” that his job was ever in doubt. The only reason this was done like this was so that it could be announced without a backlash at the next game. By August we’ll have forgotten the full extent of how miserable we were this season.
That’s correct @Craigie I’m sure the players will feel the same as the fans, although the players love Wenger. So he’s here to stay now everyone needs to get used to it and stand behind the team. No more of this toxic atmosphere.
I know I’m in the minority here but I’m absolutely chuffed Wenger is back. He’s got the opportunity now to make up for the debacle of when we should have won the league last season. Now we just need Özil and Sanchez to sign back on and things are smelling rosy. Xhaka, Özil, Ramsey, and Sanchez look new players in this new system, not to mention the emergence of The Ox in a position that was created for him by the looks of it. We will win the league next year, and do the double either the FA Cup or EL.
In terms of the playing squad, what changes do you expect this summer?
First of all, we have a very heavy squad at the moment so maybe we might lose some players. We want to keep the strength we have and build on that. We will work very hard to find the additions of top, top quality. I believe that our squad is very strong and we will only look for top-class people who can strengthen our team now. The basis is there so we need the additions who will make a real difference.
In an ideal world yes, but I think the divide between a sizeable section of our support is now just too big for that. Some people will see it as Wenger winning and them losing out; this will seed further bitterness and resentment.
Honestly I’m expecting further stop/start supporter unrest throughout the season, waxing after a few losses / cup exits and waning after we go on our late season recovery run. Wenger is now too synonymous with ‘the Arsenal cycle’.
Of course this will negatively affect the team on the pitch and consequently results, but a lot of ppl out there just don’t care, for them Arsenal isn’t moving forward until he goes
Yep, but by December we’ll remember because we will collapse once again like we have for over a decade. We all know what these two years are going to be like…
I find it astonishing that the board care more about Arsene than the club. It seems like the question they ask isn’t “what’s the best decision for Arsenal” but rather “will Arsene be bored all his life without this job?”
We’ve reached a stage where the man is bigger than the club, and the man hasn’t even been properly successful for 13 years. It’s unbelievable, it’s like some kind of deathly nightmare that won’t stop for ANOTHER two years and possibly more beyond that. I feel like an innocent inmate whos just got his stay in prison extended…
Ok , we’re stuck with Wenger for another 2 years . What is the minimum required of him next season ?
Back in the champions league?
Win the league ?
FA Cup ?
League Cup ?
Europa League ?
Emirates Cup ?
Eurovision Song Contest ?
Charity Sheild ?
Or to keep Sanchez and Ozil ?
Board is just afraid to be “that guy” that forced our most successful and most legendary manager out the door, even though he is past it…
I think we’ll climb back into the top 4, but we really have to rely on Pool or Spurs dropping some, b/c I really can’t see us getting to 80 points next season.
