By Walter Broeckx
The five last second memory of football fans is something I have mentioned before in my articles. It is about judging a manager or a player on their last match result, their last pass, their last missed chance or their last goal.
If the striker scores he is god. If he missed, the same person is a miserable player who should be sold as soon as possible.
I remember that when our title chase broke down Untold was flooded by people who claimed to be Arsenal fans but whose main contribution was to tell us how rubbish all our players was and to tell us how rubbish our manager was.
Klopp was the real deal they said. But what has Liverpool won under Klopp? Nothing. When Klopp was appointed they were in 10th place level on points with Southampton. At the end of the season they finished in 8th place and Southampton finished in 5th place.
Now of course the excuse is that Klopp had to do it with the players he didn’t bought. But well… were there not many people around drooling over the wonderful players Liverpool! had bought the previous summer window transfer? Indeed many “Arsenal supporters” shouted out loud we should buy Benteke.
Or the rest of those wonderfully expensive transfer deals they did. When they bought them a part of the Gooner world was envious about the way Liverpool! did their transfers. That was the way to do it. Apart from losing two finals (so yes they were “competing” although that doesn’t count when Arsenal “competes”) they finished mid-table and will have no European football.
So you hardly see him being named again for the moment but I can promise you that if he manages to take a point from Arsenal next season the same people will tout him again as the best thing to replace Wenger.
Another name that was praised in to high heavens was the manager of our beloved neighbours. Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero is his full name. Some even called him Poch. As Tottenham supporters did before May 18.
Oh I still can remember the way some praised them for the way they fought (you can take that literally) on the field. That is how Arsenal should do it. Forgetting that if Arsenal players would even think of playing like that in an aggressive way they would have been booked and sent off before we knew what happened.
According to the media two Arsenal player were let off the hook during the season by not getting sent off. Coquelin at Palace and Flamini at Bournemouth. I still remember it, as the outrage in the media on the day and the days and weeks after was amazing. I think people still see this as the biggest errors of the season because of the outrage that followed. Compare this with the silence that surrounded the not sending off from Dier in our game against them. Hardly a word.
But it is a fact we cannot play like they did during the season or we would be a man down each match.
The way they praised Pochettino over the last 10 weeks or so was as if they were tottenham supporters themselves. Everything Pochettino did was way better than what Wenger did.
That was the way to do it. That was the manager who we should get. Bring in his tactical genius. Bring in his way of getting the players to fight for every ball all over the field.
Those of us who suggested it might be a good idea to wait a bit till the season was really over were covered in the mud thrown at them for daring to question Pochettino and daring to defend Wenger.
Well the final table looks now rather silly for them. Because who finished higher of Wenger and Pochettino? Yes, it was our own Wenger who came higher in the end. Much to our delight of course. Maybe not to those who wanted Wenger out and wanted him replaced by Poch.
But the truth is that Pochettino just as all the other tiny totts managers before had to bow his head to Wenger. Tottenham fell apart and there was nothing Pochettino could do about it. Once they lost a player the whole house tumbled down. Once they lost two players the whole stadium collapsed one could say.
When Arsenal lost three of their most important players for up to five months it was Wenger’s fault. Despite two of the three injuries being contact injuries and one was the result of being pushed in a pit. Yes teams can suffer from losing players. The tiny totts hadn’t suffered a lot of injuries or had seen banned players before the last weeks of the season.
So it has gone rather silent now on naming Pochettino as the better manager between him and Wenger. In fact for in all the seasons he has been in the PL it was always Wenger who finished higher than Pochettino. Yes we may have lost a few matches against him but that is five second thinking. We lose a match, so we must get that manager in. Come to think of it… we should have had Pulis managing us and learning us how to take long throw ins.
What I have learned once again this season is that matches can be won or lost. But a lost match is just that. One match. It is the long run that matters. And instead of going bonkers after a defeat it is better to focus on the next match and try to lift the club, team and players for that match and try to win that match.
But to do this it takes us away from the five seconds memory that many have. You have to think in months even years an even seasons. And that is maybe a bit more difficult if you follow the media and social media and believe every word that is said about the last match. Look at the bigger picture is what I have been saying for years. And it really is helpful to overcome setbacks. Look at the long run. Arsenal is not just for today. Arsenal is forever.
- Can possible reasons for unsupported opinions be understood, explained and contribute anything to Untold Arsenal?
- Ref Review Arsenal – WBA
- There is no correlation between spending on transfers and results, plus Liverpool turnaround and Mesut.
New and recent series on the Arsenal History Society Site
- Arsenal in the 1930s – the new series has begun
- Arsenal in the 1970s – the complete review of every game
- Arsenal in the summer – the transfers, the friendlies, year by year
- Arsenal anniversaries – nearly 5000 entries
- The full index to all the series is on Arsenal History Society Web Site
‘ Arsenal is Forever’….. lets always keep the faith
Nice one , Walter . Why look elsewhere when we HAVE the real deal ? Why glance longingly over the fence , when we have everything in our club ? Let us all support the fine work of all at the club. We will achieve success from within.
Up the Gunners .
A very Happy Vesak Day to all its adherents .
1) There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.
2) You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.
3) Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
4) No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
5) We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
6) Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
7) Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
8) Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
9) The mind is everything. What you think you become.
10) To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/20/happy-buddha-day-what-is-vesak-buddha-quotes-and-how-to-celebrate-5889556/#ixzz49FHNC6ms
Acceptance
When we don’t accept an undesired event, it becomes Anger;
when we accept it, it becomes Tolerance.
When we don’t accept uncertainty, it becomes Fear;
when we accept it, it becomes Adventure.
When we don’t accept others’ bad behaviour towards us, it becomes Hatred;
when we accept it, it becomes Forgiveness.
When we don’t accept others’ Success, it becomes Jealousy;
when we accept it, it becomes Inspiration.
Acceptance is the key to handling life well.
How the fool and his money were parted .
Bob walked into a bar around 9:58 pm. He sat down next to a fool ( one of ‘them’ )at the bar and stared up at the TV.
The 10 pm news was coming on. The news crew was covering the story of a man on the edge of a large building preparing to jump.
The fool looked at Bob and said, “Do you think he will jump?”
Bob said, “You know, I bet he will jump.”
The fool replied, “Well, I bet he won’t.”
Bob placed a $20 bill on the bar and said, “You’re on!”
Just as the fool placed his money on the bar, the guy on the edge jumped off the building, falling to his death.
The fool was very upset, but willingly handed his 20 to Bob, saying, “Fair is fair. Here’s your money.”
Bob replied, “I can’t take your money. I saw this earlier on the 5 pm news and so I knew he would jump.”
The fool replied, “I did too but didn’t think he would do it again.”
Bob took the money..’
Nice one Walter. The WOB Spurs love in this season has been bizarre to say the least. Everyone knows certain arsenal forums are full of Spurs, amongst other sleepers, almost as if some of our fans have been taken in by them and their own media fed delusions. they are as free thinking as a herd of sheep.
Klopp ….and “poch” rely on an intense, emotionally charged game…..both have had varying degrees of success in the past. But, the more familiar other managers get with them, the easier it will be to break down their tactics, and psychology. Pressing football is not without risks.
As for Spurs, they could easily go the way Chelsea did.this season, some tired, unrotated, overused players, some of them are flawed and very easy to wind up. Spurs have been heavily protected by refs this season…like Leicester, but that just means opponents will just try a bit harder to wind up characters like Dembele and Alli, Dier, Mason, benteleb, walker, rose, because believe me, it will work. The end of season could well damage them.
Poch is a disciple of bieilsa, his teams are not built to last, and they invariable tail off at the end of the season.
But to hell with Spurs, well done Arsenal, for having the mental strength to recover one of their worst spells under Wenger, and keep going towards the end. Yes they finished second, despite some of the worst refereeing, and some serious injuries to key players. Leicester were a bit of a one off, their reliance on long ball and some pretty negative football counterbalanced by a very clinical striker…..and another excellent attacking player. This, and teams who are better than them having their own problems Twenty to thirty percent possession does not usually win titles, even in this pgmol tainted league.
It is clear where our teams problems have been, looks like Wenger is hard at work trying to mitigate them.
Poch or Klopp managing arsenal…..they both have far more to do to attain such lofty status. I would prefer Arteta to go and learn off pep, combine that with what he has learned from Wenger and others, and join us after another three or four good years with who we have.
The people who want Poch or Klopp are some of those who would have bought us coyle, Martinez, monk, Moyes, arry, and other such luminaries
Still, the game is all about opinions, and all are entitled to them. Just stop the Spurs love in
This a stupid article. Wenger 5yrs building his squad, kloop months in charge of a dwindling side, pochetino roberto 2 seasons in and you are comparing them. Dont you think you have relegated your almighty wenger to the same level with these men. Please find a club a manager in the top 4 leagues in tje world wenger would replace the answer is none. I hope when tje new arsenal manager brings us glory far beyond what wenger has done in a short time you would admit that you were wrong. To love wenger is right he is one of ours to encourage him when he is going the wrong path is very bad. If your old father intends to go into extreme sport with a high risk you dont encourage him considering his age and the harm it will do him. This is what is happening here wenger is our grandpa and we need to encourage him to do the needful. Am sorry i love arsenal more than any man, i respect arsenal more than any FAN. Happy weekend gunners
Livwrpool! were a complete klopp out. And a pochs on those lilly livered ne’er do wells up the road. Personally it was just what the doctor ordered, a tonic to see these media “greats” fail so miserably under pressure. Class is permanent springs to mind as an Arsenal perspective to managerial matters. I will still be laughing when the new season begins. Oh and I wonder if pochs has noticed, its happened again.
You mention the media outcry after the referees perceived leniency on Coq during the palace game.
Not just a media outcry. The ref that day, 16 August 2015 Lee Mason was not seen in the EPL again until 26 sept 2015
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/referees/profile.appointments.html/lee-mason
That’s what happens if you are lenient on arsenal players, compare and contrast the fates of refs who show similar mercy to ….say Chelsea, Spurs or Leicester players.
well, well to all arsenal fans, dont be short sighted, arrogant, lack of forecast, foresight, etc. you have one of the best managers on this earth in the name of WENGER. last year you were talking about the former everton man to replace Wenger in the name of Roberto Martinez, where is he now jobless…hahahahahaha, the premier league has become really competitive than before, very UN-predictive. you used to suffer defeats from teams like Manchester united, man city, Chelsea, Liverpool, etc, but now is the so called smaller teams causing damage. Wenger proved that success is not built by splashing cash for wrong players. look at Liverpool, Chelsea and man united. all finished far below your team after spending hundreds of millions.check your injury list but you still managed to do better than those huge spenders. there is no guarantee that a purchased player will succeed in the Barclays league, never.its a difficult league. for twenty years Wenger has managed to compete. However, i feel that Arsenal need a real Mobile but solid defender, mobile and stronger defensive middle-fielder to assist Conquellin and one real gunman upfront. these players are not easy to find anymore on the market. thank you
Answering the question asked at the beginning of the article.
A resounding NO.
Klopp – a very likeable man. The new media darling (after Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers, Harry Redknapp).
Walter has rightly noted: “Klopp was the real deal they said. But what has Liverpool won under Klopp? Nothing. When Klopp was appointed they were in 10th place level on points with Southampton. At the end of the season they finished in 8th place and Southampton finished in 5th place.”
Football is a results business. Klopp has now lost 5 cup finals in a row (and still counting). Is there any top manager with a worse record in these big matches?
Imagine if Wenger had lost only 2 or 3 Cup Finals in a row what the media would be saying? The media would crucify him.
Will the media’s love-in with Klopp last?
Will Klopp’s lovely personality cover for mediocre achievement on the field?
Will Klopp perform better than Brendan Rodgers who (aided by not having the hassles of midweek European football) actually took the Liverpoo to 2nd place?
I think despite Klopp being universally popular in the media he won’t last 4 years at the Poo.
Klopp will soon realize that it is easy being number 2 in the Bundesliga if you’re coaching Dortmund, but it is NEVER EASY TO get to a Top 4 position in the Premiership.
We all find Klopp fresh and bubbly. But … The wise know that the media will soon turn on him. The media are building Klopp up so that they can chop him done in the future.
”When Arsenal lost three of their most important players for up to five months it was Wenger’s fault.”.
Are seriously saying this ?
Injuries are part of the game and more prevalent to Arsenal players.
Any idiot knows that but Wenger choose not to buy players opted to save money for Stan .Wenger knows well that the trio Flamini Rosicky and Arteta are not one to rely for a long season .
You can fall in love with Wenger as much as you want but you are not talking football.
Wenger always said judge us at the end of the season, and how right he was. Have heard some say Arsenal were lucky Newcastle did them a favour or they would not have finished second. Really? How daft can some people be. So by the same token why should we not also say Tottenham were lucky sides like Southampton did them a favour, or they’d have been below Arsenal for much of the season.
A season is made up of 38 matches, and you’re placed on how well you do over the 38 games, and not one match. Or the last five seconds 🙂
I think we have had almost every manager who has managed to win at least one match touted as a good replacement for Wenger; Coyle, Brown, Monk, Martinez, Rodgers, anyone and everyone…. Where are these people now?
I doubt if Wenger chose not to buy players for Stans benefit.
Is it not possible that the players he really wanted….to take us to the next level were just not available, didn’t want to come?
I Don’t believe every report in the media, but we have been linked to sufficient top strikers to suggest there have been attempts to buy some pretty expensive players.
Wenger is now making signings of the calibre of Ozil, Alexis, cech. Not easy to get players like that.
It is very possible we will add a striker this summer to challenge giroud, especially with Danny out, with perhaps a young forward from the youth ranks given the chance to develop.
As for any of these guys managing arsenal….yes, they may well have a good season or two, but it will be virtually impossible to equal what Wenger has done for so many years, especially with the challenges he has faced. Arsenal are not a club to chop and change, wengers replacement will need to possess the gift of consistency and longevity amongst many other qualities. Whether these two managers possess that in this league remains to be seen
Now we have a new name…Simieone. Come on Palace…We want you to win the FA cup
Imo, this article is purely nonsensical.
Klopp won nothing with Liverpool, yes. Cut him some slack man, this is a dude who came in the middle of the season.
He overseered big-margin victories against the likes of Man City, Southampton and so on.
Allow him make the transfers he wants this summer, and let’s see. We all know the Liverpool defence is shambolic.
I consider Liverpool as genuine title contenders next year, already. (watch this space).
Comparing Wenger to Poch and Klopp is downright disgraceful. It’s a pity it has gotten to that stage.
Wenger has become a fraud. Maybe die-hards like you will only recognize this when he fails to ”lift” his annual ”top four” trophy next season.
@ Alex, you work in Arsenal’s financial department? So how do you know this ‘Wenger choose not to buy players opted to save money for Stan’?
It’s amazing how people know AW thinking when they probably never met the man in their life.
Have you heard of this thing called a ‘budget’ before? And do you know how it works?
Eni Victor I am really grateful to you for your comment, because it is the perfect example of what we were discussing in the original article by AKH yesterday (Can possible reasons for unsupported opinions be understood?) and utterly fails to comprehend what the second article is about.
Now normally when someone writes in and has not got the hang of what is being discussed, rather than embarrass them I just cut the comment, but you added the wonderful, “Wenger has become a fraud” to the second of a series of articles that is about the way some people express opinion as if it is a fact and are unable to generate any sort of logical analysis or indeed evidence to back it up.
So I could hardly let that go. I think that although we are only half way through the day I must award you my new CONCRETE THINKER OF THE DAY award. You are the very first and I think we should keep your comment as an example of what all concrete thinkers should aspire to.
.
Two years ago, we finished 4th. Last season third. This second second.
Any experts in complex mathematical patterns detect anything going on here, with our “fraud” of a manager?
There are silly comments and there are stupid comments but this must top it ‘Wenger has become a fraud’.
20 years at the top end of the table and ‘he’s a fraud’, laughable. Another sperm that shouldn’t have made it all the way.
looks like we have signed Xhaka, if twitter is to be believed.
Boom Xhaka laka…
That is extremely disrespectful Tony! I personally do not agree with his comment! But he deserved his opinion. And it’s not for you to pigeon hole him by awarding him a ridiculous title! Show a little class
Yes it’s nearly done! Just medical to go through! 25m rising to 30m Arsene means business! Morata next
Excellent piece, Walter. Just two cents on “Poch” (I use this term as well, not because I like him but in order not to make a mistake with spelling of his last name) and Klopp.
I wouldn’t compare two of them for the reason you have mentioned apart from the fact that neither could replace Arsene.
Poch is a manager who hasn’t won anything with anyone, a manager who makes over-achievement in the mould of David Moyes. It’s one thing to over-achieve with Soton, Everton and Tottenham and completely another thing to meet expectations, let alone over-achieve with Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea or City. Poch is a poor gambler. He had been praised for his decision to sacrifice Europa League (as if he would have beaten Borussia Dortmund anyway) and later FA Cup in order to focus on the league…only to get dropped from second spot to third.
Take a look at this one: you have four games to go, a superior GD to Arsenal who are yet to visit Etihad and a five-point gap…and you don’t win a single game. You lead 2:0 at Chelsea and concede two. You play your last game at the relegated team, for over half an hour you play 11 on 10 and…you ship five. An epic choke. If it happened to Arsene or, hell, Van Gaal, the media would be all over it.
Klopp has actually won something in his career and improved Liverpool a lot. He made them create chances and score goals. Two cup-finals are a good result for a manager who has been basically managing someone else’s team. The thing is, Di Matteo did even better with AvB’s Chelsea but I can’t recall if he was called a new Messiah. I know that he didn’t last until 2013.
Also, Klopp has a negative record with Arsene (2-2-3) and has an awful injury record at both Borussia and Liverpool. Not exactly an improvement on Wenger then.
Sorry, OT, Not official, but leaked pics suggest….Welcome Xhaka…….just be careful with the refs over here!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/granit-xhaka-pictured-arsenal-kit-8018252
Mandy, I sure see a lot of pictures of Xhaka in a for us Gooners rather familiar environment and in an Arsenal shirt… this looks like a first early transfer window buy
A brilliant signing some real steal to the midfield! Some really respected sources (not the usual we are going to sign everyone) also saying me are close to agreeing a fee for Morata with Real Madrid, they have a buy back clause and will activate it! Wenger really isn’t wasting time and I really hope he wins the league so we can hopefully keep him for another 3 years
Exciting times!
Yes Mr Broeckx, my greetings please. I think the perceived unity that looked to have been forged between the 2 main camps of the Arsenal supporters of the, AKBs & the AOBs rivals at the Ems on the final match of the season, should be natured to matured and allowed to grow up from strength to strength.
Arsenal Holding Plc.; are not in need of any new manager to manage Arsenal FC at the time imho. Not even the pundits acclaimed Pochettino nor Klopp or any other manager whose non existing or regressing titles winning capacity are no longer hidden but have been acquainted with. Consequently thus, non of those managers been clamoured for Arsenal by a section of the Arsenal supporters and the media should be employed to manage Arsenal FC in the future.
Happily, the Arsenal board have on ground a more than equal to the task manager in Mr Arsene Wenger, who has successful been managing the club in the right direction in all football matters.
However, for a more title success next season, more especially success in the big titles (the BPL & the UCL) to arrive at Arsenal likely as from next season, Arsenal should take a gamble to sign 1 big all round big player in the like of Paul Pogba. And could also add the like of Granit Xhaka to strengthen both their attacking mid fielders and creative mid fielders in additions to the ones they already have on ground.
And also sign 2 top top quality players of a CHB and of a LHB in the summer to make the Gunners back-line to be more strengthened for next season campaign task.
My personal opinion is, Arsenal will need to sign a big all round midfielder who can efficiently keep possession of the ball, attack, score many goals, give many end product assists, trackback to defend, win the ball from the opponent player and able to withstand being harassed off the ball by many players gathering on him. And 1 other top quality midfielder. In addition to these 2, 2 top top CB & LB will definitely be required to fortify the somehow leaking Arsenal defence line of last season.
Would the Boss ask the Arsenal board for say, £170m for these ambitious 4 signings this summer, and would the Arsenal board give him that amount to do his summer signings? Let the Boss ask board for that amount of money if at all it’ll be enough. And let the board give him the money. The investments could turnout to justify the means. I think Arsenal will collect some handsome TV right money soon in £200m? So, they can spent out of that and not touch their security savings in the bank.
Has the Boss truly signed Granit Xhaka if some comments on that subject which I’ve read in this article that is currently running is true? If the Boss has, I say welcome Xhaka to Arsenal and I wish you a successful next season campaign for Arsenal.
Nevertheless, imo, the Boss should not sign another midfielder again this summer, save a big one like Paul Pogba. The Boss doesn’t necessarily have to replace the trio of, Arteta, Rocisky and flamini at the same time with signings. I think he has already replaced 1 out of the 3 of them with Elneny. And now with Xhaka who is said to be arriving.The remaining 1 position should be filled by a graduate Arsenal academic player if any is available and can successful take on that role.
And is it also true that the Boss will sign Alvaro Morata, if so, then, there will be no money to financially accommodate the signing of Paul Pogba.
Arsenal may likely end up signing: Xhaka, Morata, a CHB & a LHB for their 4 summer signings.
I feel that Klopp has it in him to really achieve in England (Pochettino less so) and I sincerely hope we don’t have to remind you of this article same time next year.
@polo
You can say that to dismiss my argument.
Polo how about you ??
You met Wenger or have you got proof there was no money to spend .?
You can fall in love with the man but you not talking foitball.
@ Alex, I wasn’t the one who allege that ‘Wenger choose not to buy players opted to save money for Stan’? You made the allegation so you should show proof that he ‘opted to save money for Stan’.
Tony,
What happened to the oiks? The comment by victor eni seemed to be in pole position for one.
Sorry OT, ok slightly on topic as Arsene is showing he knows what he is doing again… With Granit(e) (Rock) adding to a midfield of Le Coq, Mo, Santi, Jack, and Rambo, we have a quality midfield to choose from, with a number of potential combinations to keep oposing managers on their toes.
Arsene has stated time and again that he will leave a squad and a war chest for his replacement, and with 5 top class CM’s all under 25 it would look like he is living up to his promise if he calls time next summer (not that I want him to, but might not be surprised if he does).
I don’t mean to be the evil one who bursts some of the over inflated opinions expressed above, and neither do I believe that it is a ‘lack of class’ to simply quote what the Bieslian disciple, The Poch had to say about the current Arsenal manager:
“Arsene Wenger is like Maradonna or Messi”
The words of the Tottenham manager, taken from the Murdoch press no less. You know, the very same media who are today heralding the return of the busted flush to Old Toilet even though another manager with far greater respect in the game, “sex masochism” notwithstanding (better then sexist mysogeny that ends up in the courts?) won a trophy/bauble yesterday. It’s almost as if their narratives are more important to the hack dwarves then the footy on the pitch…
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/10191348/arsene-wenger-like-maradona-or-messi-mauricio-pochettino-says
You can hit the dislike button if you like but it wasn’t me who said it.