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Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,355
87,828
Load of cobblers. When he signed Vieira in 96, aged 20, Vieira had flopped massively at Milan. The fee was £3.5m. For context, we spent £750k more on Ruel Fox a year previously. He bought Petit in 97 for £2.5m. Half a season later we spent the same fee on Mousa Saïb. Wenger also bought Anelka that summer for under £1m, while we were spending a then record £6m on a knackered Les Ferdinand. That was £750k short of the £6.75m Wenger spent that summer on Overmars (so no, he didn’t inherit him). More context: in years leading up to that summer in 97 we also spent £3m on Iversen and £4.5m on Armstrong.

Wenger inherited the defence and Bergkamp, but he added Petit, Vieira, Anelka and Overmars for a very modest combined fee compared to what we were spending to finish mid table. Then they went and did the double.

Fast forward to 2001, Petit Overmars and Anelka have left for massive profits and been replaced by recent Juve flop Henry, barely known Ljungberg, French international Pirès, a club record £13m Wiltord (we spent £11m on Rebrov that summer), Judas on a free, and Van Bronckhorst from the SPL. Ashley Cole had also broken in. The season following, another double and a significant net profit on player turnover. The same core of players would go unbeaten two seasons later, winning a third title, and reach the Champions League final (minutes away from victory) in another two seasons.

And as for inheriting a great core of players, those players finished 12th, then 5th, in the two seasons before his appointment.

Wenger may have lost his way in the last few years but make no mistake about it, his first decade was phenomenal, he brought Arsenal the most success they’ve ever enjoyed, playing the best football they’d ever played (and probably the best football in the league). He did that while being outspent dramatically by United but also by Newcastle first, then Chelsea, and even Leeds at one point. He has been a great manager and there’s much more argument that he’s been the best manager this league has seen than can legitimately be made for either of Mourinho or Guardiola. Only Ferguson has been more impressive.

Any Spurs fan who doesn’t wish we had hired Wenger instead of Gerry Francis is lying to themselves.

Oh, and as for ten years of ever declining series of LOLS, in that time they’ve qualified for the champions league 8 times and won three FA cups. We’ve qualified 3 times (soon to be four) and won nothing. Declining? Yes. Series of LOLS? That’s just ridiculous, talksportesque nonsense.
Oh give it a rest, it's arsenal ffs.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
It will be Brendan Rodgers. Oddly I think he might actually do quite well. Rodgers used to beat us every time we played them and comfortably too.

I tend to think you're right....Celtic will win the league (yet again) and then it will be announced....although it may not be today as expected...they are losing 1-0 at Hibernian at the moment.
 

1882andallthat

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2009
2,821
4,157
I'm hoping against hope but please let it be David Moyes, he deserves a medal for what he did to Man Utd, if he could repeat this feat with Arsenal I'd be chuffed to bits.
 

tooey

60% banana
Apr 22, 2005
5,228
7,948
I'll make a bold prediction that whoever comes in won't last 18 months in the job.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,646
I do wonder if Arsenal & Chelsea are fighting for the same managers. Rodgers, Allegri & Enrique all been mentioned in both quarters. Could be quite interesting if they both had the same no.1 choice.

I do however hope that the next 20 years sees Arsenal bounce from coach to coach without much joy, much like we did in the 90-00s.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
I've got a feeling that they might go back to Monaco for their next boss as Jardim ticks a lot of boxes for them... league winner, attacking style, results without spending big money, he can be tactically flexible and he's proven that he can rebuild a team.
 

Danners9

Available on a Free Transfer
Mar 30, 2004
13,998
20,756
The future

DbN5M7DX0AAeGlA.jpg
 

wirE

I'm a well-known member
Sep 27, 2005
4,676
5,582
Wenger was still at Monaco when Lineker went to Grampus Eight, he didn't move there until Lineker left. Wenger was still at Monaco when we bought Klinsmann.

How could I be so wrong? thanks for the info
 

Oh Teddy Teddy

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2017
5,126
12,060
Imagine their new recruitment lead will favour a German manager. Fella from Hoffenheim seems a good fit. Nagelsmann?

Or Jardim at Monaco. He’d fit right in: lovely attacking football, but fuck all idea on how to defend.
 

VegasII

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2008
9,750
16,670
1524399437946.png


That face will have Poch searching for the nearest Exorcist.

Another Arse in charge of the Arse. How fitting.
 

thecook

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2009
5,576
10,964
Enrique looks the bookies fvourite at the moment, with Brenton 7/1 4th favouite on betfair.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
WTF is Judas doing on sky sports news now giving his opinion of England and talking utter bollocks....(n)(n)(n)(n)
 

Thewobbler

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2016
3,814
5,701
If arsenal had any sense they would appoint a manager who can teach their teams how to defend. Simeone or allegri.

I hope they appoint enrique as they will be gutless like they are under wenger..
 

BPR_U16

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2006
1,783
2,603
They need to sort that defence out, so should have joint managers with donkey Adams and Judas Campbell.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,646
Is this guy right or not?

http://www.football365.com/news/arsenal-fans-have-showed-us-the-power-of-the-people

Personally I don’t think this was what the arsenal fans were doing at all. They just gave up on their team. We went through worse under Sherwood yet still supported the club.
Exactly. The club have plenty of day trippers and casual fans who decided to do something else for the day. Not to mention all those glory hunters who started following the club in the 00s. They have no idea what 'support' means. Like you say we always turned up despite the shite we were served in the 90s.
 
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