Tag Archives: Arsène Wenger

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

Leave a reply

132

Over the years many a blogger has written many a blog about who will take over from Arsene Wenger. My own version of this was written way back 2012, when I came up with a Dirty Dozen who could replace Wenger.

Long time favourite of many Arsenal fans, Frank de Boer, is set to be sacked by Inter Milan (or has already been sacked, depending on when I schedule this blog for)

With it being an international break, I thought it would be an ideal time to revisit some of the many men who have made up the list of Wenger replacements over the years. Starting with Frank de Boer.

Frank de Boer

The primary reason people wanted Frank de Boer to come to Arsenal was due to who his number 2 was. Dennis Bergkamp. Even without Bergkamp, de Boer looked like a good candidate whilst at Ajax.

A legendary player in his own right, in 2010 de Boer took over an Ajax side that had not won a league title for 6 years. He revolutionised the club, bringing in ex-players to take up almost every coaching position in the club. He led Ajax to 4 league titles in a row.

He then got itchy feet, and began linking himself with almost every half-decent Premier League job. He issued come get me pleas to both Liverpool and Spurs, neither went and got him. He also reportedly applied for the Everton job which went to Ronald Koeman, but failed to even secure himself an interview.

Then this, he said his goodbyes to Ajax. Having let the tile slip to PSV on the last day of the season, de Boer called time on his Ajax career.

He ended up taking a decent job at Inter Milan, where his current record is P 14 W 5 D 2 L 7. A 35% win ratio that leaves Inter Milan 12th.

With the bond between Bergkamp (who did not follow de Boer to Inter) and de Boer broken, it is unlikely bringing de Boer to Islington would also see a return of Arsenal’s greatest ever player. So we can basically now scrub de Boer off the list.

Jurgen Klopp

A long term favourite for many an Arsenal fan. If there was a checklist of what you wanted from a manger, Jurgen Klopp would have ticked every single box.

At Borussia Dortmund he built the club into a European powerhouse. Finding unearthed gems and turning them into superstars. He was basically Arsene Wenger, but 20 years younger. Since he joined Liverpool, they have been transformed.

There will still be question marks around him as to whether he can make Liverpool consistent title challengers, and win trophies with them, but he has shown himself as adaptable and is doing a good job there.

For me, he would still be on the list of Arsene Wenger replacements. Why can’t we poach him from the Scousers?

David Moyes

When I put David Moyes on my list, he had been at Everton for 10 years. Often getting them to bat above their weight, with 8 top 8 finishes in a row, including 3 top 5, he was at the time the best British manager around.

With his record of developing youth (the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell, Ross Barkley) he was set to get an opportunity at a big job, despite having failed to win a single trophy with the Toffee’s.

He went to Manchester United, didn’t last the season (in hindsight probably unfairly sacked), had a stint in Spain with Real Sociedad, where he was sacked with a 28% win ratio, and now finds himself at Sunderland playing boring, losing football.

Not only will he probably never get a top job again, you have to wonder where his next move might be as well.

Owen Coyle

cqkuj0swcaavgxf

It is unbelievable that 5 years ago people were calling for Owen Coyle to be next Arsenal manager. Based on what, I am not really sure.

Yes, he took Burnley up, took them to a League Cup semi-final (beating Arsenal and Chelsea on the way) and yes, Burnley won their first top flight home game in 33 years 1-0 against Man U, but it was, and is, laughable that the words “Owen Coyle” and “Next Arsenal Manager” were uttered in the same sentence.

Five years and 4 managerial jobs on, including a stint in America, Coyle now finds himself at Blackburn Rovers.

I read somewhere recently that, after being at Burnley, Bolton & Wigan, he is attempting to destroy every club in the Greater Manchester region.

Gary Monk

Was not on any sort of list very long. Basically his Swansea beat Arsenal twice in a season. Some idiots said they would take him as next Arsenal manager – the type of folk who would take anyone to replace Wenger, their hatred of the man is so high.

He got sacked and is now at Leeds United.

 

Up tomorrow: Jose Mourinho, Diego Simeone, Roberto Martinez and More

Keenos

Arsenal set to rotate squad for Ludogorets

1 Reply

132

On to the next one, on to the next.

6 wins from 6, next up to face The Arsenal Juggernaut is Ludogorets of Bulgaria. And we can fully expect Arsene Wenger to shuffle his squad to keep players fresh.

According to UEFA’s coefficient points ranking, Ludogorets are the 3rd worst team in this years Champions League. Only Copenhagen and Rostov are ranked worse. UEFA rank them worse than awful teams such as Legia Warsaw, Celtic and Spurs.

Half their side are Bulgarian cow farmers, and they plan to go to Wickes in Edmonton to pick up the rest of their players, offering £30 a day. Cash.

Let’s be honest, it should be a walk over (or will probably eat these words and have loads of opposing fans tweeting this blog to me when we lets slip a 2-0 win). And that is why Arsene Wenger is likely to rotate his squad.

Cup keeper David Ospina is likely to keep his Champions League place. Unlike last year when he decided to catch the ball then carry it into his own net (was he ever investigate for betting irregularities?), he has actually performed well in the Champions League this year. A MOTM performance against PSG followed by a clean sheet against Basel. I could play in goal against Ludogorets and keep a clean sheet. In fact I would not be surprised if I face their players in 5-a-side at Chingford Goals on Thursday.

Carl Jenkinson is nearing full fitness, but a return against Ludogorets might be a little early, too much of a risk. He will be pencilled in for the League Cup (is it still called that?) tie at home to Reading. Hector Bellerin will continue in the side.

At centreback, I expect one to be rested and rotated. I do not think Wenger will be tempted to leave both Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi out. Taking into account Koscileny’s previous injury record with his back and achilles, a mid week break will do him now harm. Expect Mustafi to partner Gabriel.

As discussed at the weekend, Nacho Monreal is struggling. Kieran Gibbs will be given the chance to force his way back into the first team.

With Granit Xhaka set to be suspended for 3 games, the Swiss hardman will get a start in the Champions League. I am sure in Wenger’s mid-term planning he would have scheduling the game against the cow farmers as one for Xhaka to miss, but circumstances mean it is now pointless resting him.

Alongside Xhaka will be either Francis Coquelin or Mohamed Elneny. Both were probably likely to start tonight, but Xhaka’s suspension leaves space for just one. It will be whoever Wenger plans to play instead of Xhaka in the next couple of games. My money is on Elneny as it is only Middlesbrough at home this weekend. Cazorla will be able to give a rest to his tiny but talented feet.

At the top of the triangle, Wenger will play Mesut Ozil. When a player of his quality and fitness is in the type of form he is in, you just leave him in the side. And with no Aaron Ramsey or Jack Wilshere, and Santi Cazorla and Alex Iwobi in need for a rest, Ozil will play.

Wenger is likely to give a rest to Alex Iwobi on the left hand side. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be given the chance to show he still has a future at Arsenal after his Goals on Sunday interview.

On the right hand side, expect Theo Walcott to start. With Alexis Sanchez upfront. I only say this because I have just looked at the official pictures of Arsenal training ahead of the Ludogorets game and both are wearing a green bib. Olivier Giroud is not yet fully fit, although he is back in full training – expect him and Aaron Ramsey to start against Read – and Lucas Perez seems to have gone AWOL. Where Perez has gone is maybe another blog.

untitled

Arsenal XI v Ludogorets

Ospina
Bellerin Mustafi Gabriel Gibbs
Xhaka Elneny
Walcott Ozil Ox
Sanchez

Keenos

AIAFOG-Pre-Order-Signed-Copy

The Curse of The Arsenal Captain

3 Replies

untitled

Over the there have been a few curses on Arsenal Football Club.

We have The Curse of The Arsenal Number 9, which stretches back into the last millennium. Under Arsene Wenger, no one who has worn the number 9 shirt at Arsenal has ever really prospered for a long period of time. Paul Merson, Nicolas Anelka, Davor Suker, Francis Jeffers, Jose Antonio Reyes, Julio Baptista, Eduardo, Park Chu-Young and Lukas Podolski. All either failed at the club under Wenger, or were shipped out within a couple of seasons. Current holder of the shirt is Lucas Perez. The Curse of The Arsenal Number 9 has not yet been broken.

1

Then we have The Curse of The Invincibles. When you sell your soul to the devil for a donut, you pay a hefty price. No matter how tasty that donut is, you are forever cursed, forever owned, by the devil. A special place in hell is waiting for you where you are fed donuts for eternity.

2

And that is what Arsenal pretty much did when they went invincible. They sold their soul. Since that glorious day in May 2004, we have failed to win another title. It is as if it took half a century of luck, strength and ability, rolled it all together, into just a single season. Of course, the curse has slightly been chipped away with FA Cup wins, but until we win the Premier League title, the Curse of The Invincibles will continue to grow bigger in folklore.

Will The Curse of The Invincibles end up being like Mayo GAA? They have not won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship since 1951. The story go’s that they will not win another one until every member of the 1951 side is dead. They made the Final this year. Their 5th in 12 seasons. They have lost them all…

Then we come on to The Curse of Aaron Ramsey. We all know how this one go’s. When Aaron Ramsey scores, someone important dies. From Osama bin Laden to Steve Jobs; Whitney Houston to Muammar Gaddafi, Paul Walker, Robin Williams, Richard Attenborough, David Bowie and Alan Rickman. What will it take for Piers Morgan to be added to the list? A hat trick?

It should be of no surprise therefore that over recent years, another curse has attached itself to Arsenal. The Curse of The Arsenal Captain.

 

https://twitter.com/DarrenArsenal1/status/774593620649316353

For an Arsenal captain to have played just 13 games in the last 3 seasons is a shocking statistic.

Current club captain is Per Mertesacker. He is out injured until 2017. With his contract set to expire at the end of the year, talk has already begun that he might return to Hannover 96 on a free in the summer of 2017. A return to his home town club, the city of his birth, to see out his career.

When you add his injury and contract situation, alongside the current form of Laurent Koscielny & Shkodran Mustafi, the development of Rob Holding and the presence of Gabriel, a case could easily be made that we might never see Per Mertesacker in an Arsenal shirt again.

Never playing for Arsenal again is unlikely, but I would be very surprised if, when he does eventually return, he plays another 10 times for the club. He certainly will not make another 10 starts, and will only break in if injuries hit. Even with injuries, Wenger might be tempted to push through Gabriel or Holding, who are much more suited to our current high pressing, defend the half way line, game, than Mertesacker.

So after getting the arm band in the summer, the curse looks likely to hit again.

A little investigation shows this curse has been going on longer than the last 3 seasons. Maybe it will get renamed The Curse of Tony Adams?

Adams captained the club from March 1988 to 2002. 15 seasons as captain. In the next 15 seasons, Arsenal have had 8 captains.

First up was Patrick Vieira. He was long consider heir apparent to Tony Adams. A foreign leader for the foreign legion of Arsenal players. When he became Arsenal captain in 2002, he was 26 and looked set to become an Arsenal legend. He then spent his 3 years at Arsenal engineering a move away from the club before finally being sold in 2005 to Juventus. 3 years as captain.

Next up was Thierry Henry. Given the armband as talisman of the team. The best player, but not necessarily the best captain. He lasted 2 seasons. Then, like Vieira, engineered a move away from the club to Barcelona. Cheers T.

William Gallas was the surprise next choice as Arsenal captain. He was stripped of captaincy after a little more than a year after giving an unauthorised interview where he revealed tensions within the squad which were disruptive to team morale, and suggested that Arsenal’s younger players needed to show more courage if the team were to be successful.

Following up from Gallas was Cesc Fabregas. At the time people felt he maybe got the arm band too early. Barley 2, the argument was that if captain Arsenal young was good enough for Tony Adams, then Cesc could also step up. A young leader for a young team. He last 2 and a bit seasons, going on strike in his last season, heading to the Spanish Grand Prix rather than supporting the team, and buggered off the Barcelona.

It then fell to Robin van Persie to be Arsenal captain. A similar situation to Henry, he was basically given the armband to ensure he stayed at the club when, like with Henry, others around him were leaving. He did stay, for one season, before engineering a move to Manchester United.

Thomas Vermaelen was next in line. He looked an ideal fit. Had been at the club for 3 seasons. Was 26 years old. Was a guaranteed starter. Was an international regular. Was captain of Ajax before he joined us. Was a natural leader. The Arsenal captaincy resulted in injuries and lack of form and 2 years after being given the armband, he was sold to Barcelona.

Vermaelen was replaced by Mikel Arteta. At the time it was a questionable decision. Many pointed to the fact he was already not a 1st team regular. His legs already going. Per Mertesacker was the fans choice in 2014. As captain Arteta started just 6 games. 612 minutes of Premier League football over 2 years. He retired.

Per Mertesacker finally got the armband this summer. An odd decision considering he was already out for the rest of the year injured. And with his contract expiring, likely to leave.

Arsene Wenger should bite the bullet now. Take the armband off Mertesacker and give it to Laurent Koscielny. The Frenchman has grown as a leader this season since the Euro’s. He seems to be revelling in being the senior partner.

Laurent Koscielny should be Arsenal captain, and hopefully break the curse.

5

Keenos

AIAFOG-Pre-Order-Signed-Copy

132