Why Arsene Wenger should be proud rather than cowed

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3717226.ece

Spot the Arsenal supporting journalist

It is a tragedy of apocalyptic dimensions, a human catastrophe comparable to the melting of the ice-caps and the devastation of the rainforests rolled into one. Arsenal have been knocked out of the Champions League and have all but run out of steam in the race for the Barclays Premier League title. Anyone not inclined to lament, mourn and bewail this fact is not in possession of a soul.

You may say that I am exaggerating, but this is about more than mere football. It is about music and poetry, aesthetics and artistry, hope and audacity. Arsène Wenger could have instructed his team to play with the dispiriting pragmatism so beloved of his rival managers, but the mercurial Frenchman was not prepared to betray his nobler ideals, even when it might have improved his club’s chances of success.

I got about this far and had to stop before I got sick.

I am of the opinion that people like this should not be allowed to do this through the media. It's blatant self indulgent unproffesionalism.

It doesn't get much better. I can't believe anyone can get paid to write that shit.

Comedy gold.

Arse are about three signings away from being a team that can compete with us, i think they will be better than chelsea next year and right on our coat tails.

tbf i'd rather journos praised teams that try to play decent football and condem those that play shite defensive stuff.

What about the players they could well lose?

If rumours are to be believed 2/3 are eyeing up moves to big European sides. Barca, Inter etc.

I personally think they need more than three signings. Losing Flamini for starters will be a big blow.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Arse are about three signings away from being a team that can compete with us, i think they will be better than chelsea next year and right on our coat tails.

tbf i'd rather journos praised teams that try to play decent football and condem those that play shite defensive stuff.

Nobody fawns over Chelsea's football, only their strenght.

Wenger could have instructed his team to play with the dispiriting pragmatism so beloved of his rival managers

And do you think this £#%&!wit doesn't include Fergie in the above statement?

Arsenal play the best possession football in England. That's it though. They aren't even as creative as the side that won the league last time around.

It's that bad it's hiliarous, isn't it?

No matter how bad Arsenal do, and how many times they throw things away, they'll always be some people like the writer of that who desperatly try and paper over the cracks at Arsenal. How long have they been a 'young team' for now? How many times do they fall when it matters?

Surely the manager should be asked questions about these?

Originally Posted by Whalefish

What about the players they could well lose?

If rumours are to be believed 2/3 are eyeing up moves to big European sides. Barca, Inter etc.

I personally think they need more than three signings. Losing Flamini for starters will be a big blow.

Pretty football, bad losers/winners, no %@#$&!s and a shit squad full of utter @#%&!s though. Wenger seems more preoccupied with proving himself as some kind of uber scout rather than managing a football team.

Even when they are playing their best stuff, like they did in the first 25 minutes at Anfield, I think we're better. We can be just as good to watch and more of a threat to goal. Oh, and we can defend too (unless we're playing Boro).

If newcastle under keegan start playing good football then they should get the same sort of article. They wont though because they're an unfashionable team from the north east and arsenal are the 'jewel of the south'

I assume this bloke didn't watch the cup final in 2005... the one with one attacking team and one determined to grind out a draw and go to penalties.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Arse are about three signings away from being a team that can compete with us, i think they will be better than chelsea next year and right on our coat tails.

tbf i'd rather journos praised teams that try to play decent football and condem those that play shite defensive stuff.

true.

rather arsenal win league or cup rather than the dull boring crap lucky @#%&!s from liverpool/chelsea.

They often play with same attacking intent and dynamism which we do but are a bit self indulgent. Which is more than better than the shit on stick performance that liverpool and chelsea produce.

They are #@&%!y but so are some of our players. I don't think we would love ronaldo,rooney so much if they played for a team like arsenal.

In fact I don't think some love ronaldo now itself because of his "#@&%!y", "selfish", "off the pitch" activities

Originally Posted by keano's love

true.

rather arsenal win league or cup rather than the dull boring crap lucky @#%&!s from liverpool/chelsea.

They often play with same attacking intent and dynamism which we do but are a bit self indulgent. Which is more than better than the shit on stick performance that liverpool and chelsea produce.

They are #@&%!y but so are some of our players. I don't think we would love ronaldo,rooney so much if they played for a team like arsenal.

In fact I don't think some love ronaldo now itself because of his "#@&%!y", "selfish", "off the pitch" activities

Oh do shut up.

The worst thing about all this kind of shit is that they deliberately ignore other teams (i.e. United) who also play fantastic football.

Valdano was right about Liverpool and Chelsea and their dour, tactical chess rubbish.

But this worshipping of Arsenal as the inventors and rightful moral guardians of attacking football is getting sillier every day. They ignore the fact that mental strength and controlled attacking are just as important as considering any pass longer than four yards to be morally wrong and tapping it around the box instead of shooting.

Another thing that makes me piss is that many of these newspapers in the old days used to defend 'boring boring Arsenal' by bleating 'it's a results game'. Now they've £#%&!ing changed their tune haven't they?

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dunlop

Nobody fawns over Chelsea's football, only their strenght.



And do you think this £#%&!wit doesn't include Fergie in the above statement?

Arsenal play the best possession football in England. That's it though. They aren't even as creative as the side that won the league last time around.

No he doesn't. End of the article heaps praise on Fergie for having a team that is also fantastic to watch with its creativity.

Still an over-indulgent article written by a love sick journo. It should be in Private Eye's 'Pseuds Corner'.

Originally Posted by Zorg

They ignore the fact that mental strength and controlled attacking are just as important as considering any pass longer than four yards to be morally wrong and tapping it around the box instead of shooting.

They also ignore the fact that we have been playing or attempting to play attractive football since the days of the "boring, boring Arsenal" chants and the George Graham inspired Tony Adams led offside line dancing routines

We just don't get the £#%&!ing credit we deserve sometimes. Still, so long as we keep playing our football and winning the odd thing it makes it all the more sweet

don't get me wrong i think they play very good football but i'd always rather watch a brand of football like ours or barca that has everything

we have a number of players that go at and beat players at pace and i find that more exciting

we score more goals, we concede less and goals are spread round the team. we can pass teams to £#%&! as well as smashing them on the break

i £#%&!ing love us at the moment!

Zorg's right, the article is set up to imply that Wenger is the guardian of the beautiful game. That throwaway line at the end implies Fergie is following the trend, which has always been utter %@#$&!s.

Wenger gets credit for introducing diet controls and fitness regimes at Arsenal etc but Fergie was doing that at United years before. He's never been given credit for it because it doesn't fit the line that Wenger is an urbane, professional middle class professional and Fergie is an uncouth, working class bully who gets results by shouting and intimidating his players.

This journo's assertion that "There was a time when English football looked like it was being strangled by the long ball"- not in the last 17 years while we've been a top team.

I couldn't disagree with the article if Wenger were the longest serving manager in the league and his team were the only ones to espouse attacking football, but they're not. United didn't fit his theory so he largely ignored it.

To be honest I don't know why you lot are so critical of this article, I think it pretty much sums things up very well.

Arsenal play some of the best football I have ever seen, their one-touch stuff is magnificent to watch and reminiscent of playing Pro-Evo on Beginner mode. It's only due to circumstances out of their control; other thuggish teams, United included, kicking them off the park. Shocking decisions by refs such as the ridiculous sending off of Diaby, the reluctance of officials to prevent teams playing a physical game against them, and the death of one of the greatest young players we have ever had the fortune to see.

You only have to see them in their huddle before the game to see just how close-knit this team is, I'd love United to be that "bonded" a team. In Gallas they have a driven captain, a true leader amongst men.

To be honest, if Arsenal are robbed of the league this season, I think it would be a magnanimous and just gesture if United or Chelsea were to "share" the championship with them, it's only what they deserve.