Enough Is Enough

I would still like Wenger to take us to 4th and then think about replacing him. At least give the club a fighting chance.... and I do think thats what he's been trying to achieve. Wenger and his methods are only one of the problems that this clubs faces, but a new manager cannot solve everything. There are things that are fundamentally, wrong with the way this club is run, and they need to be fixed before we can move forward, with or without Wenger.

If Wenger is being restrained by the club then he needs to leave to keep his reputation in tact. IF his hands are tied then he needs to come clean and say so. The club is heading south, and until somebody says different it has to be Wenger's fault. If I were him I certainly wouldn't be covering for the board while they sell him down the river, ruining his relationship with the Gooners. I'm sure Arsene has more self respect than that.

Rocky, it has been obvious that Wenger's hands have been tied on a few things so far. We, as fans, need to be intelligent to figure that out. The club cannot come out and say they've been tying Wenger's hands and charge the high ticket prices that they do, at the same time.

Rocky, Prits - I don't see this as the board tying Wenger's hands. The fact is, he has so much power at the club and the board trust his judgement completely. Wenger has been allowed to create the entire club in his image. Even if we currently had 100m sitting in the bank for players, I doubt he'd spend it. And I don't see him being sacked or resigning. He sees this as the start of a new cycle and has too much competitiveness to not see this team through, what with the likes of Ox, Wilshere, Ryo, Kos and Sczc there for years to come. He'll definitely see his contract out. It's next season that will be pivotal. If it's more of the same like this, then I don't see him renewing. If we get close, then he probably will. The only thing that will see Arsene leave is if the majority of fans at the stadium start calling for his head quite vocally. It's difficult to understand what our game plan on the pitch is nowadays. We simply don't have the players to play the kind of game we're trying to. The only two players of today's team that would get into the Invincibles team, and even they would find today's league a lot tougher than when they won, are RvP and Sagna. That tells you everything about the state of our club.

It's a sad day. I feel for the players and Manager as I am sure they gave this their best shot. We have to give some credit to Sunderland who worked their socks off, closing down our players so well in the first half and carried this on into the second. No doubt, changes are needed in the club, just not too sure it must be the Manager; or, perhaps we give it till the summer to see how far he takes us this season. So disappointed.

@Prits/Rocky. In the past few seasons Wenger has got this team into great positions where it was ours to lose. The Sugar Daddy clubs didn't prevent us from having a storming first half campaign last season, we had the easiest run in for the second half and we bottled it. No super rich club or crap yank owner or copy & paste corporate suit prevented us from reaching the CC Final, yet we bottled it. Outside influences and restrictions, if they are imposed, have not been responsible for our inability to finish a job, if they had any impact on us at all then we would not have reached a final or play the best most effective football in the league for about half a season. I'm afraid Wenger totally has to take the blame for not being able to construct a team with application and good habits. Totally. There is no way that exact set of players would be so weak under the guidance of other top managers.

@ProfCal&Rocky in my head I've tried to use the board/financial restrictions/awful summer etc arguments as a defense. But you guys have bluntly and painfully laid out what I have tried to ignore. Quite simply put he is not fully utilizing the resources we have. This team IS bad/mediocre etc, but they should not be this bad. We should not be predicting their collapse. This is painful, because I love this man and everything he has done for this club.

find a better man for the job first. with the way this club is run by this current board, there is no one who can work under such restrictions with so much success as him. 15 years in the CL on a trot. fans like yu Rocky wont appreciate that and its Arsene's fault cuz he has spoilt most of us with such success. go ask the guys who supported the club throught the 70's and 80's, or even the 50's n 60's how many times they saw the team play in the European Cup and have so many great nights at the top clubs of Europe, or win the title n the fa cup, and compete for the title more times than not during those years. Wenger's true worth will only be realised by all Gooners when he is gone, but i dun want that to happen, cuz my beloved club will go into a freefall if this man is to leave..

@elbondo, exactly. By now why hasn't Wenger taken his... let's say less smart players aside and told them that dip*****s should not try to be clever, it doesn't work. Djourou is not smart or technical enough, he tried to take a touch in a scenario where the risks are high. Eboue did this throughout his entire Arsenal career and cost Arsenal points with alarming regularity. Two different players, same self inflicted issues. It's a management problem.

@jijyid, took me awhile to realise you were'nt being sarcastic. :)

I don't think its a management problem. I think its a coaching problem. Wenger may be saying all the right things but the message isn't being transmitted to his players tactically. Our midfield looked painfully inadequate today, as it did on Wednesday. We seem to have reverted to a type of football where players are not taking collective or individual responsibility. I've never seen Arteta look so poor creatively. We don't seem to hunt or close the ball down in packs. We lack any kind of appreciation of danger or risk. Our passing has to be precise or it's a disaster. Somewhere, somehow, the grafting ethic has been coached out of this team.

This end of season slump has been the norm for the past 4 seasons. Its just depressingly familiar.

Anyway. There's always another game. Fourth place or not we've got nothing to lose now as far as I'm concerned. Let's just be supporters from now until the end of the season. Wenger seems to be about 3-4 years behind the curve, maybe this summer, he and the club finally get it.

Wenger is by far a better manager than Mourinho (In terms of EPL hitory). Mourinho spunked millions of pounds in order to win a few quick fire trophies whilst Wenger's achievements were all bought and paid for, as well as a new training groud and stadium, and breaking some amazing records along the way.

What is it with Ex everton players, Peanut was a shadow of his former self when he joined us now hes superman? Arteta was a creative genius fot them he looks lost for ye! What does Moyes do to them? Is it just the scary eyes? And the old chestnut of Wenger only inherited his invincibles back line from George Graham is doing the ounds again! cause that is way Graham was unbeaten for all those years!

FYI Slurms, the Invincibles back four was Lauren, Cole, Toure, and the great man, Sol Campbell and the keeper was Lehmann. Not a one from the Graham era. If you want to make a point, starting with facts might make you more credible. Sorry for confusing you for Blue scum when you're lilywhite scum, maybe it was when you wrote this: "Ye're still fourth like we were a week ago"?

Agree with you there Rocky7, who wouldn't do well with the money Mourinho had. Fergie and Wenger have amazing PL history, but had AWs come to an end?

Arsenal fans are buying into the media vendetta to get rid of Wenger. Media unfriendly (unlike Harry), moody and totally stubborn... means that they have been sharpening the knives for Arsene foe some time now. 4th on the league (some slump from 3rd!), one of only 2 EPL teams to qualify out of their Champs League group and still one of the most feared teams in the English game. I could understand it if you were in a relegation scrap, but Wenger turned an injury ravaged season into one where you may still qualify for next years Champs League. If Spurs lost Bale, BAE, Walker & Modric... there's no way they would have the season they've had. Stop you're whinging - you Gooners have been spoiled big time!!!

Rocky, your article is a disgrace to Arsenal full stop. I hope Arsne goes and boy oh boy will you clowns will rue the days. I am in my 70s' and at times I wonder if there are any Arsenal supporters left. I cannot believe some of the comments left on this blog. We have not won silver ware boo boo hoo. Some you and especially you Rocky after this article need to grow up and get some balls. How many other teams in the EPL other than those above us would like to e in our position? We are not out of the CL (yet). Yes I know its a very big hill to climb but so what as TH said and you praise him (or did you) belief and faith. Thank god you lot of moaners were not around when we were really doing it tough. The team need us now, the season is not over, play for pride and bloody support the team and if you dont want to do that then P2isoff. Go you Gunners aqd balls to the rest.

Very well said always gunner !!!! believe

There comes a time in many (most?) marriages when you look at your spouse and say, "I love you, and will always love you. You gave me three beautiful children but I'm just not happy anymore." You part ways, move on, and everybody is happier - the good memories remain but the bad ones fade away. Or you stay together and the smallest of faults gets magnified beyond reason creating bitterness and resentment. I think we are there now. I would be happy if Arsene moved up to the board at the end of the season- his service to the club deserves no less. He's a decent man and the last thing I want is for him to suffer an ignoble end to a stellar career. But he has been working for almost 8 years to make the New Invincibles, with diminishing returns. He said today was a good team performance but we had bad luck. Which makes me assume all those shots of him with a grim face were shot with his back to the pitch. I say give him a week. If he can't coax a better performance out of the team for the NLD, then it's time to say, "I will always love you, but . . ."

Hes single handedly destroying le arse but you will never fire him but hes pretty much dragging you down oh well you deserve it .

P.C replacing like with like where on earth do we find the money? We have waiting in the wings a team that will take all before it, but on here its knock knock knock. Just refer to the last years since we have not managed to win silverware. CL final Jens sent off after 10 minutes we played the best team going and were beaten 2-1. Following years three broken legs at critical stages when we werre approaching silverware. Last year we were in four positions to win silverware oh yes but injuries let us down. Ces off etc. This year we lost Ces and money bags Sami why because they wanted more money along with Clincy. But that is the bosses fault he should have known their contracts were up. Flami Helb similar Greedy players along with Cashy. Money/greed of players has ruined and i said that ages ago. Half a billion pounds to make sure you buy buy buy. Man ure in debt trouble, wait till they pay off the debt the owners have harvested from the club. Our Boss has risen above all that played managed with dignity and put our club at the foremost in the football world. Yet you clowns would have him out. elbondo this is not a marriage this is football. As for Rocky how have we stopped improving look at the youngsters coming on line. Four of those in fact five will represent GB in the very near future. How many yell why buy more teenagers and now how many praise OX? We played on a pitch fit for a farmers paddock, deliberately watered so that GB polo team would have beenat home. Lost three players with injuries had no Kos no Mert no Jack Wiltshire. We have played the major part of our season without full backs and you the head clown want the greatest manager our Enough is Enough. Rant all you like but sweetheart in the real world we dont have the money we cannot always buy like for like. When you have a chance see Bolton site to see how one of the managers buy is performing. You are upset that a few schoolchildren from down the road are upsetting you. We will give them double when we are on top stop MOANING START SUPPORTING OUR CLUB. You are the big cheese on this site, you went quiet a little while ago when we started winning now you have joined the merry band who call themselves the know-it-all of how to manage this club. The lot of you combined would not have one percent of the knowledge our boss has on football. If you want silver ware if you want top spot in the EPL follow a club that will provide that Man City. Change this site to the Bacca or Man City site. Finally you have in my humble opinion have presented an article which is a disgrace to the club. Get your bin liners out and prepare your banners. But mark my words you and all the other clowns who support your premise IMHO will rue the day Arsne leaves this club.

You lot need to pull yourself together. Ever since you left Highbury for the Hemorrhoids, it seems Wengers hands have been tied by mis-management and disagreements at the highest levels of ownership. We need Arsenal to be the Arsenal that everyone loves for the last 14 straight years of CL qualification. We Spurs need Arsenal to pull your finger out, because without the goons threatening to retain N London bragging rights, it gives us no joy to claim it. And that we've done already, but at least put up a fight FFS!

@alwaysgunner- why the hell would Rocky ban you? You are just expressing your opinion on an open forum. that's why it's here. @tengboon- ***** off spud, nobody cares what you think

@ alwaysgunner, thats delusion of the highest order right there, we have waiting in the wings a team that will take all before it? Get back in the real world old timer, you think Robin is sticking round for this load of 4th rate bottle jobs? Every year another major player will depart because that poison dwarf Evra had us banged to rights when he labelled us an academy, kids come here learn their craft then sod off to get paid in full, we're further than we've ever been from challenging with the most mentally & physically weakest squad in generations. We are no longer a club with the first clue of how to assemble a squad of physical yet skilfull players to suit the league we play in. We play a system we haven't got the players for, we never have any gameplan other than the usual pass it to death, no end product, slow dance of death that allows the oppo all the time in the world to fall back into their shape and nullify us. Our tactics are simply non existant, as is our defence as is our midfield and as is our strikeforce with the exception of one world class player. This is what we've been building for 6 fugging years??? Wenger has been allowed to potter and tinker for too long, the final sraw for me as I've stated many times was the inaction and procrastination of last summer. Irrespective of Nasri and Cescs' departures we badly needed strengthening as we all witnessed a collapse so pitiful, yet nothing then the inevitable happened and those two left and still nothing. Just like on the pitch, no Plan B, no backup Sweet FA, just a mad trolley dash from a club in chaos. I finally lost my faith and patience with Wenger then and the relentless cackiness of this season with record breaking defeats all over the shop plus the keystone cops defending, a dire paucity in attack save for the Dutch master and our MF creativity utterly drained, like Wilshere last year we're running rambo into the ground this, killing him game after game til his confidence will be Denilsoned to fv[k. It is an absolute godamn miracle we're still in 4th but it will never last, we'll see the exact same collapse in the league we witnessed last year upon exiting the cups - only this time we won't be falling from the cushion of 2nd. In short Wenger has been coasting for too many seasons, whoevers choice it is whether boards or managers to insubstantially invest in the squad has killed us increasingly to the point I wonder if Wenger has a gentlemans wager with Hill Wood as to just how crap a squad he can turn out to still keep us in 4th. Wengers' good will has run dry, every window gives him a chance to strengthen but the overwhelming obstinacy and stubborn reluctance to act in the transfer market is hurting the very thing he loves so much. Fully agree enough is enough. Change, adapt, be man enough to admit a hell of a lot needs a massive overhaul or go.

hear hear, Niko.

The Arsenal squads have always been 1-2 players away from challenging more seriously for the past 5 seasons. You would think that Wenger learned from this and invested in that extra player or two. Whether from paucity of funds, or an intent for youngsters to flourish, this strategy has not been successful. The lessons from the summer could have been partly corrected in Jan, but no, the club did nothing to sign that extra player required (like Arshavin 3 years back) to boost the remainder of our season. I don't see the effort made to rectify blatant errors, forget going deeper and analyzing the root cause behind our constant under performances. Wenger was delivering 4th (par for the course given our wage bill) but it's been increasingly difficult to do that year after year, and for the past 2 years, this club has struggled to fix what is going wrong.

rocky 7 im not as old and as wise as alwaysgunner, im just a mere whippersnapper of 69 but i feel i must come to your defence , your articles have in my humble opinion are always well thought out, constructive and honest. dont stop what your doing, arsenal needs people like you,to keep everything in perspective. i went to my first arsenal match at highbury in 1949 as a 7 year old , and no matter where we finish, be it top or bottom or even relegated i shall always support arsenal

That is a good piece LD. It's a fair, reasonable argument to make, and he's put it across nicely (far better than I could). If Gazidis and the management know of the fans discontent, and they clearly do ( since they've been reading blogs and increasing direct communication with bloggers), but are not willing or able to do anything about it, then it suggests that there are some issues. That said, I think the club has improved a few issues - like increased fan connect through bloggers, our defence did look good earlier this season which suggests that it's not a coaching issue, signing experience in Arteta, Mertesacker. However, it does seem like they don't recognize the seriousness of these issues or are not able to fix it completely.

s..w..a..n..k..y medical centre that was supposed to read, someone seriously needs to adjust the filters on this network Mr Fear! when ordinary decent upstanding words in our great florid vocabulary are seen as dirty filthy swears it's a sad day, well it's a sad day anyway for us gooners but it makes it an even sadder one :)

Sorry for the typo there Elb, there should have been two "ye's" in thge statement. I also see sarcasm is lost on you aswell. I actually agree with you on the invincibles but seems the media like to peddle that line to try and undermine Wenger.

Arsenal have not been the same since David Dein left. The club is imploding from the boardroom inwards and this is reflected by Wengers belief that he is untouchable. There is a similarity with another great manager who found that the game had moved on and he had stayed still. Brian Clough. There is nothing sadder than seeing your hero's fail. I had always had the utmost respect and admiration for Wenger and as a Spurs fan watched with admiration as arsenal played arguably the best football that the Prem League has seen. However, he is now in danger of being remembered for all the wrong reasons. Someone, whether it is Kronke or someone else has to step in and sort it out from the boardroom downwards and bring that sense of unity the club had under Dein.

Villa fan here in peace. Just wanted to say from an outsiders perspective AW is one of the best managers in the league if not the world, from a consistency perspective. He plays attractive football and has an amazing record for discovering exciting players. As some posters have said (notably alwaysgunner's first post which hits the nail on the head) you need to be careful what you wish for and don't get washed up in the media circus. Personally I think that getting rid of AW would be a MASSIVE mistake. Aston Villa went through a similar sort of situation a couple of seasons ago when the media and armchair fans were calling for O'Neil's head after he "only" delivered 6th place for three seasons in a row without supposedly showing any improvement (despite the ludicrous amounts of money being invested in our rivals). I'm pretty sure any Villa fan would take 6th place and some stability these days, rather than the laughing stock regime we currently have.... I digress.... AW has built Arsenal into a force to be reckoned with, you should get behind him and your club. So you didn't get any silverware this year - so what? You're still up there and will be for years to come. When the so called super club's billionaire owners get bored and stop pi$$ing away their millions, you'll still be there to mop up. Alternatively, we'll happily swap Wenger for McLeish, then you'll have something to worry about!!!!!!!

Good to see a few people on here with a little more restrained perspective; this is not a crisis. This is a team that had its worst ever start to a league campaign after losing key players (incl. captain and playmaker), has suffered a terrible run of injuries, and has STILL managed to get back into fourth place in the league. I hear people talk about the weakness of the squad compared to strength of the old Arsenal squads - well, name me an old Arsenal squad that could play without its first four full-backs and two best centre-backs for most of the season. The old legendary back four without those four - who would've been on the pitch? Garde and Grimandi? It's been an exceptional season for loss of players (one way and another).

The only thing I've been unhappy about (from within the club at least) is the way we attack; by constantly pushing players forward, the opposition is allowed to sit-back, defend and counter which leaves us vulnerable and makes it difficult to find the space to score goals.

I dont know if its just me but Theo seemed to work well with Coquelin, when he played in the RB position. Their link up play I thought was brilliant at times. Like-wise they seemed to cover each other. We kept playing TV in the LB position, then despite all the early comments about Mert earlier on we missed his presence. Take Kos out, Mert not available along with Coquelin on a pitch suitable for farming spuds and what a mix. Yet its a point not to be missed they try. So to cut a long story short I agree d_t.

alwaysgunner nice post, but i think you will find it was 20000 cornishmen and i think 19000 were gooners !!!!!

What were you up for ag?

Thanks Nicko now my past is out there rocky will ban me Lol. Not to worry its been a struggle to see and type.

Good to see that the Spurs contributors on here - of which I'm one - have shown a bit of respect and civility. I sometimes wonder what the retards from both clubs would think if their wishes came true and their rivals were relegated so there were no NLD games. Easily the best derby of the season with 2 teams who don't set out to kick the opposition into submission but actually try to outplay each other.

BTW, I still think Hill-Wood's problem with Dein (apart from Dein wanting his job) was that the shares he'd sold to this young whippersnapper for a pittance was now worth an absolute mint.

You have a point about that scumbag Darren Dein. Can't imagine that's happening with the blessings of Dad though. You could also argue its something of a wake-up call for the club in terms of player/agent power and hard economics. We don't like it but it isn't 1972 anymore.