Arsène Wenger

[Dave]

Just now, Danny said:

Domestically they were great but that Arsenal side were never really a threat in Europe until 2005, for a team to be considered that good it's a massive disappointment that they couldn't replicate anything on the continent.

I would argue that had they of won that second leg against Chelsea, The Invincibles would have had a very good chance of beating Monaco to get to the final. Porto would have been a very challenging and entertaining game. 

[Danny]

Just now, The Palace Fan said:

I would argue that had they of won that second leg against Chelsea, The Invincibles would have had a very good chance of beating Monaco to get to the final. Porto would have been a very challenging and entertaining game. 

Maybe but there was a 6 year period where Arsenal were comfortably first or second best in England, also during a time where winning the FA Cup was seen as winning a major honour. To have a side as good as they did and struggle in Europe is a defining way in measuring their success, for example they are weirdly compared to United's treble winning season side when media and fans look back on those years but in reality they're not comparable at all.

That was the best chance at least in their fairly modern history of ever winning the Champions League/European Cup.

[SirBalon]

2 minutes ago, Danny said:

Maybe but there was a 6 year period where Arsenal were comfortably first or second best in England, also during a time where winning the FA Cup was seen as winning a major honour. To have a side as good as they did and struggle in Europe is a defining way in measuring their success, for example they are weirdly compared to United's treble winning season side when media and fans look back on those years but in reality they're not comparable at all.

That was the best chance at least in their fairly modern history of ever winning the Champions League/European Cup.

It was also a period in European football which hadn't shown a massive detachment of the elite clubs from the good clubs.  Our record in Europe's biggest tournament is dismal.

[Danny]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

It was also a period in European football which hadn't shown a massive detachment of the elite clubs from the good clubs.  Our record in Europe's biggest tournament is dismal.

Had you of won the competition it could have completely changed the trophy drought you then went on, just through players wanting to join despite lower wages and of course marketing a win in what would turn into the biggest normal season competition in any sport.

[Dave]

2 minutes ago, Danny said:

Maybe but there was a 6 year period where Arsenal were comfortably first or second best in England, also during a time where winning the FA Cup was seen as winning a major honour. To have a side as good as they did and struggle in Europe is a defining way in measuring their success, for example they are weirdly compared to United's treble winning season side when media and fans look back on those years but in reality they're not comparable at all.

That was the best chance at least in their fairly modern history of ever winning the Champions League/European Cup.

I agree with you Danny. I remember I'm 2003/04 being active on forums for the first time and somebody making the point that Roman Abramovich will be good for English football because Manchester United and Arsenal will have to spend to keep up which will create a better league.

Obviously it wasn't that simple but the German and Spanish teams were dominating the European competitions with good reason jusy beforr Roman as they had to best teams.

Ferguson versus Mourinho was the turn of the tide because Ferguson had to raise his game to keep up and eventually conquer. Arsenal had a great side in the early naughties but when they hit their prime 2003/2004 they didn't take advantage of it which is a massive shame as over 90 minutes they could have beaten AC Milan or Porto.

[Danny]

2 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

I agree with you Danny. I remember I'm 2003/04 being active on forums for the first time and somebody making the point that Roman Abramovich will be good for English football because Manchester United and Arsenal will have to spend to keep up which will create a better league.

Obviously it wasn't that simple but the German and Spanish teams were dominating the European competitions with good reason jusy beforr Roman as they had to best teams.

Ferguson versus Mourinho was the turn of the tide because Ferguson had to raise his game to keep up and eventually conquer. Arsenal had a great side in the early naughties but when they hit their prime 2003/2004 they didn't take advantage of it which is a massive shame as over 90 minutes they could have beaten AC Milan or Porto.

Yeah, and had they of won it it'd be remembered with far more respect and excitement than say Chelsea's because they would have done it with skill and style, as opposed to just getting battered by teams but scraping through.

But obviously the side that scraped through had more about them in this competition than any of those Arsenal teams did back then.

[SirBalon]

50 minutes ago, Danny said:

Had you of won the competition it could have completely changed the trophy drought you then went on, just through players wanting to join despite lower wages and of course marketing a win in what would turn into the biggest normal season competition in any sport.

Definitely...  It adds so much prestige, pulling power and status.  Around Europe you are on a whole different stratosphere if you've won that competition previously.  I know it may sound ridiculous but to a Spaniard, Celtic are a bigger club than Arsenal.

Had we won it fpduring that period it would've helped in all sorts of manners including Wenger obviously.

[Danny]

6 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Definitely...  It adds so much prestige, pulling power and status.  Around Europe you are on a whole different stratosphere if you've won that competition previously.  I know it may sound ridiculous but to a Spaniard, Celtic are a bigger club than Arsenal.

Had we won it fpduring that period it would've helped in all sorts of manners including Wenger obviously.

I think that'd only sound ridiculous to a young football fan tbh, speaking historically of course.

[Panna King]

13 hours ago, Danny said:

Domestically they were great but that Arsenal side were never really a threat in Europe until 2005, for a team to be considered that good it's a massive disappointment that they couldn't replicate anything on the continent.

That is down to tactics  and game management, Wenger has failed to win a 2 legged cup in his whole career in Europe and also Domestically.  That is Why Arsenal always 9/10 went out in the knockouts, even to some pretty average teams. 

[SirBalon]

24 minutes ago, Panna King said:

That is down to tactics  and game management, Wenger has failed to win a 2 legged cup in his whole career in Europe and also Domestically.  That is Why Arsenal always 9/10 went out in the knockouts, even to some pretty average teams. 

There are so many underlying details and statistics that really undermine the whole picture of Arsène's tenure.  I remember listening to an episode (Podcast) of The Game which is sponsored by The Times and presented by Gabrielle Marcotti where he had various veteran journalists from around Europe... This was about a year and a half ago or so where the chief editors of MARCA, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Le Figaro, Le Équpe, The Times and Bild...  It was a brilliant show, one of their best ever and they done an extensive analysis of Arsène Wenger with truths put out from the editor of The Times on the relationship between Arsène Wenger and the directors.  I'm not going to go into all the finer details because I could misquote, but it didn't read good and that's that they all showed tremendous respect for Wenger on the whole and what he had done initially at the club and also (not forgetting) for English football.

[AMG]

I REALLY hope this DOESNT happen

 

https://www.insidefutbol.com/2018/10/25/ivan-gazidis-mulling-former-arsenal-boss-arsene-wenger-as-next-ac-milan-coach/394399/