Tag Archives: Arsène Wenger

Blame Wenger, not Aaron

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Aaron Ramsey is not a winger. He is not a right winger. He is certainly not a left winger. He is a bloody good central midfielder.

Over the summer, he was one of the stand out players at Euro 2016. His performances for Wales were exceptional. He showed his class. He looked to be back to his sparkling form of 2013/14.

And then he returns to Arsenal, having had a false start at the beginning of the season after being rushed back by the club, and his form dramatically drops and the boo boys get on his back.

But it his poor start to the season is not his fault.

At the weekend, he was playing left wing. He is not a left winger. He is a central midfielder. Performing best when playing off the striker, but he is also a top box to box. High energy. Can defend and attack. He should be playing between the defensive midfielder and Mesut Ozil.

This season, he has played 10 times for Arsenal:

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10 game splayed, 6 different positions. How can we expect anyone to perform, if they are being continually played out of position.

Ramsey is becoming a utility man at Arsenal. But he is better than that. He should be one of the top central midfielders in the league.

So when it comes to him underperforming, don’t blame Aaron, blame Wenger.

Keenos

 

What has happened to the heirs of Wenger’s throne? Part III

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We have already seen where 10 potential Arsenal manager’s are now, what they are up to, and whether Arsenal have missed out (or dodged a bullet) by sticking with Arsene Wenger. From Jurgen Klopp to Owen Coyle and Jose Mourinho to Roberto Martinez have already been discussed. Today we look at the final 5…

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Pep Guardiola

Like Jurgen Klopp, another long term Arsenal favourite, and he has every right to be.

We missed out on him when he left Barcelona, and as his journey at Bayern Munich started to end, the stars seemed to be aligned.

There was talk that out of all the English club, Arsenal were the one’s he wanted. Chelsea, Man City and Man U would all be in for him, but Arsenal were his dream. They were the ones who could match up to his principles.

But there was a spanner in the works. Man City had been on a boardroom recruitment drive over the last 4 years, and it became clear that drive was with the eventual goal of getting Guardiola in.

First came in Txiki Begiristain. He was Barcelona’s Director of Football during Guardiola’s period at the club. He also played with Guardiola for 5 years at Barcelona. Man City’s CEO is Ferran Soriano, former vice-president of Barcelona.

It was easy surroundings for Guardiola to come in and become manager. He bought into the project that the Man City owners are undertaking.

Man City were recently on a bit of a poor run. 6 games without a win before their 4-0 demolishing of WBA. But Guardiola is changing the club. Changing the team. It might take him a year or so to get right, and he will have to adapt himself and his tactics to the Premier League, but one thing is clear, he is a class manager and Arsenal missed out on him.

Unai Emery

For me, Unai Emery is one of the best young managers in European football. He is just 45 but already seems to have been around for a lifetime – having taken his 1st managerial job at 32.

He did a brilliant job at Valencia, and followed this up 3 UEFA Cup triumphs in a row with Sevilla.

He joined PSG this summer, which might mean replacing Arsene Wenger next summer might be too soon. But he is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Joachim Löw

I am still sceptical about Joachim Löw’s club management ability. At international management, his credentials are unquestionable.

In his 4 international tournaments, Germany have made the semi final each time, winning a World Cup and runners up in the 2008 Euro Championships.

This might be all to do with having the best squad in Europe, the most talented Group of Germany players in decades, but his leadership of those players is important.

He recently extended his contract with Germany until 2020, by which time he would have been out of club management since 2004, 16 years. It would be a big risk to take

Marco van Basten

Like Frank de Boer linked earlier, one reason people wanted him in was due to his relationship with Dennis Bergkamp.

In 2012, I said “Struggled with egos at Holland (who hasn’t), spent a lot at Ajax, only to finish 3rd, before walking away, In his first season at Heerenveen where he has only won 3 from 15 games. Probably not a good manager.”

In the time since, then, I have been proved right.

Brendan Rodgers

David Moyes Mark II.

Got his chance at a top English club with Liverpool. Messed it up. Now a Sunday league manager at Celtic. No thanks.

 

The latest list of favourites to take over from Wenger includes the likes of Eddie Howe, Thomas Tuchel, Martin Schmidt, Laurent Blanc, Carlo Ancelotti & Ronald Koeman. It will be interesting to see how they get on.

We have all heard of the Curse of Aaron Ramsey, maybe there is also the Curse of Wenger’s Repalcement?

If I were to come up with a new list of who I want to replace, it would probably contain:

Diego Simeone
Jurgen Klopp
Unai Emery
Thomas Tuchel
Martin Schmidt
Carlo Ancelotti
Ronald Koeman
Laurent Blanc
Dennis Bergkamp
Eddie Howe

I wonder if in 4 years, if Arsene Wenger is still at the helm (I hope not) I will be revisiting my list of 8 to see how they are getting on.

Keenos

What has happened to the heirs of Wenger’s throne? Part II

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So yesterday, we looked at 5 men who were once on most Arsenal fans target list to replace Arsene Wenger. Frank de Boer, Jurgen Klopp, David Moyes, Owen Coyle and Gary Monk. Another day, and it’s still the international break, we look at the next 6, starting with Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho

Even as recently as this summer, Jose Mourinho was wanted by many Arsenal fans. The scenario was simple, are you willing to trade a bit of the clubs class, and ‘The Arsenal Way’ to get in perennial winner Mourinho?

The split was 50/50. Some happy to trade their dignity for a league title, others remaining strong to their principles.

Then this season happened with Man U.

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He did it at Real Madrid, he did it at Chelsea, and now he is doing it at Manchester United. Not winning trophies but upsetting players, senior players. Model professionals like Bastian Schweinsteiger. His own singing in Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

He is failing to get the best out of Paul Pogba, signed an over the hill Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and is seeing the demise of club captain Wayne Rooney.

Mourinho has lost his touch. After United he will find himself with no where to turn. Big clubs won’t be on the phone to him or his management. All he has proved is he spends big, and makes favoured agents very rich in the process.

Diego Simeone

When I wrote my blog in 2012, Diego Simeone was 2nd on the list. He had only been at Atletico Madrid for 10 months, and had not even completed a full season. But his stock was high.

Back then, I highlighted a “lack of experience managing in Europe & never having managed a club for any length of time means he has not really shown the European world ‘his’ style of management “. Since then he has done remarkable things at Atletico

Breaking the Barcelona / Real Madrid dominance in La Liga and twice making the Champions League Final.

He has reportedly cut his Atletico Madrid contract short by two years. It now reportedly ends at the end of the 2017/18 season.

Despite his un-Arsenal like persona, I would not be too upset for Arsene Wenger to stay on for one more year, with Simeone coming in to replace him.

Guus Hiddink

Now 69, he is no longer the short-term option that he was back in 2012.

Roberto Martinez

I am going to nail my colours onto the wall early on with this one. I have always found Roberto Martinez to be one of the most overrated managers in the Premier League.

For some reason, he was rated highly for continually keeping Wigan up against all odds. Yet he was also the manger who, year after year, sailed the Wigan ship into the relegation zone.

It is a bit like congratulating a man for saving another’s life after he has deliberately shot him.

He won the FA Cup with Wigan, and took them down, then he got the Everton job.

Evertonian’s hated him. They could not wait to be rid. He could not coach defenders, taught players to pass when they should clear, and he oversaw a gradual deceline in the Premier League positions.

Sacked when Everton finished 11th, despite having the talents of John Stones, Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Ross Barkley & Romelu Lukaku at his disposal. He just showed himself up as not being a very good manager.

Now manager of Belgium, it will be interesting to see how he does with their ultra-talented squad, and with Thierry Henry as his number 2, there will be some calls for him to become next Arsenal manager is the pair do well. But none of those calls will be from me.

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Michael Laudrup

What is it about Arsenal fans wanting Swansea City managers? Brendan Rodgers, Roberto Martinez and Gary Monk have all appeared (or will appear) in this series of blogs. Michael Laudrup makes 4.

Another one added to the list after his Swansea side beat Arsenal. He won the League Cup with the Swans, then got sacked. He is now managing his 2nd club in the Middle East. It might be Dubai or Qatar, I’m not sure. But we have not missed out on him.

Martin O’Neill

Another long term favourite of Arsenal fans. His chance has probably gone. He is now 64 and managing the Republic of Ireland.

The biggest mistake the FA did was not making him manager. It is too late for Arsenal, is it also too late for England? Perhaps

 

Up tomorrow: Pep Guardiola, Joachim Löw, Unai Emery and more

Keenos