Football: Mo Please!

[Mark Antony]

Morata is Benteke level bad when he’s 1on1 with the keeper. 

[polishgenius]

10 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

i'll be stunned if he is still playing for us next season. 

just been looking back through the PFA teams through the ages, not sure which of the following was the most bizarre selection - Pascal Chimbonda, Richard Dunne, Darren Fletcher, Seamus Coleman

Coleman is a wicked player. Unless this was during one of the many years he was crippled, that isn't bizarre at all.

Fletcher was dead good for a while too before his intestines melted, though it's a more surprising decision given how hard it is for DMs to get in.

[Hereward]

And Wenger is finally done.

[ljkeane]

I just came here to post that. Damn it, too slow apparently.

 It’s definitely the right call though. 

[Hereward]

I hope Arsenal take this opportunity to return to their roots* and pick Big Sam to takeover.

*Those of you who aren't Old Gits will not remember Arsenal have a long history of being the most defensive and boring team in England.

[Mark Antony]

Damn never seen an Arsenal team without him as their manager. Will be interesting to see who they bring in and how the team performs. 

[Jordan La Cabra]

Think he will retire or take on another job?

[polishgenius]

35 minutes ago, Hereward said:

I hope Arsenal take this opportunity to return to their roots* and pick Big Sam to takeover.

*Those of you who aren't Old Gits will not remember Arsenal have a long history of being the most defensive and boring team in England.

Yeah, but those of us with Wikipedia will know of Herbert Chapman and decide that tactically revolutionary professors are more Arsenal's roots than 1-0 to the Arsenal.

[Mexal]

I’m excited for change.

[polishgenius]

The immediate favourite for taking over is Ancellotti.

That'd be a terrible idea, even if in the short term it'd be fun.

[Jordan La Cabra]

Vieira has been linked to it quite a bit in the last few days. Not sure that success in the MLS transfers to the Premier League. But he is highly rated by Man City and the City Group, which suggests he has some talent as a manager.

[Mexal]

1 hour ago, polishgenius said:

The immediate favourite for taking over is Ancellotti.

That'd be a terrible idea, even if in the short term it'd be fun.

Can’t imagine this is true. Think we will end up with Enrique, Arteta, Allegri or one of the young German coaches. I hope the latter or Allegri.

[Spockydog]

35 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Can’t imagine this is true. Think we will end up with Enrique, Arteta, Allegri or one of the young German coaches. I hope the latter or Allegri.

It's gonna be Thierry Henry or Brendan fucking Rodgers.

[Mexal]

10 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

It's gonna be Thierry Henry or Brendan fucking Rodgers.

Nah. Maybe Rodgers (I still very much doubt this), but no chance it'll be Henry. 

[Daemon the Leaner]

At least Arsenal have a lot of strategic options. They can either appoint a shiny name (Ancelotti, Allegri), or someone who knows the house (Vieira, Arteta) despite being less fashionable. They can also do both with someone like Henry (defintely risky)... or neither with the likes of Dyche and Howe. (those are less entertaining but maybe safer)

Also, is Tuchel available ? I am aware he's linked to PSG, but with Mislintat being at Arsenal...

Some underrated Ligue 1 managers such as Favre and Jardim have also been linked to Arsenal at some point. They really have a wide list of choices. (so much wide that I can actually see David Moyes taking over)

But does Wenger actually have his word about his successor, just like Ferguson had ? Or will he let the board decide ? 

[polishgenius]

Should be Sean Dyche tbqh.

 

[Rorshach]

While I heartily endorse the choice of Samuele Allardici for the Arsenal post and sincerely hope they go down that road (hah!), I feel one shouldn’t overlook the just-out-of-work managerial genius that is Alan Pardew. 

Just sayin’

[Mexal]

15 minutes ago, Warm-hands said:

At least Arsenal have a lot of strategic options. They can either appoint a shiny name (Ancelotti, Allegri), or someone who knows the house (Vieira, Arteta) despite being less fashionable. They can also do both with someone like Henry (defintely risky)... or neither with the likes of Dyche and Howe. (those are less entertaining but maybe safer)

Also, is Tuchel available ? I am aware he's linked to PSG, but with Mislintat being at Arsenal...

Some underrated Ligue 1 managers such as Favre and Jardim have also been linked to Arsenal at some point. They really have a wide list of choices. (so much wide that I can actually see David Moyes taking over)

But does Wenger actually have his word about his successor, just like Ferguson had ? Or will he let the board decide ? 

Mislintat and Tuchel dislike each other. Don't see Tuchel coming. Mislintat does like Tedesco and Nagelsmann though.

[Jeor]

One always got the feeling Wenger was not going to be there next season. I'm glad he stepped down before he was pushed. Now everyone can get back on board, and if he can manage a Europa League win (tough ask with Atletico still in the draw) that would be the perfect way to say goodbye.

I hope we don't start chopping and changing managers every few seasons after this. Appoint someone for the long term...you have to think with the talent at their disposal, they'll do a good job. I have a fear of a Man United-style managerial merry-go-round but then I remember that Ferguson actually added value to his otherwise "ordinary" (by global standards) players, whereas Wenger has arguably squandered a lot of good talent.

So in that sense, whoever comes in will have a pretty low bar to step over. But we Arsenal fans will demand challenging for the league and success in Europe straight away, probably. I'm happy to be more patient.

Allegri would be a good get. Obviously talented, has won a hat-trick of domestic doubles with Juve, and he's only 50 years old. His last season with AC Milan looks pretty bad (when he got sacked) but every manager these days has one of those on their CV. And if he can adapt to the league, Allegri should also sort out the defensive problems, which are the main issue and give us the biggest improvement.

[Iskaral Pust]

Congratulations to Wenger on an incredible career with the Gunners.  He is arguably Arsenal’s version of Shankley.  I know Arsenal were big and successful beforehand, but Wenger remade them as an institution and a culture.  Stagnation made it feel like he overstayed, but he won three of the last four FA Cups and has a shot at the EL this year.  Stubbornness can be a positive and a negative in a great manager, and I think his extended stay reflects more on the board’s complacency and priorities.  As I’ve posted before, other than Istanbul, Liverpool fans would happily swap the last 22 years with Arsenal fans. 

It’s a big risk to change manager.  Look at Liverpool post-Dalglish, Utd post-Ferguson or Spurs pre-Pochettino.  Only Chelsea have made it work for them. 

As a squad, Arsenal have a large potential for a new manager bounce (similar to United now but unlike Utd as Moyes arrived), but it’s also a team that could conceivably require huge overhaul.  Cech, Mustafi, Kos, Mertesacker, Chambers, Xhaka, Cazorla all look irretrievably past their best or else far below the level they showed prior to Arsenal.  Bellerin is quality but has declined badly (like Ox had) but, if he stays, could rediscover his form.  Elneny, Wilshire, Holding and Iwobi look like squad players.  So that leaves, what, Auba, Ozil, Lacazette, Ramsey, Monreal, and Mkhitaryan as starters to build the team around, with Kolasinac and M-N as possible starters or squad level.  That’s not a small ask.