500 not out for Mr. Wenger

jank

From the bbc:http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/4139474.stm

Chelsea against Arsenal - rarely can a match so early in the season have had so much hype.

But lost in all the hyperbole and spin is the small matter of Arsene Wenger taking charge of the Gunners for the 500th time.

The 57-year-old would not want it any other way. Statistical platitudes mean little to him when the chase for silverware is on.

WENGER'S ARSENAL RECORD

October 1996 - August 2005
498 games:
Won-293; Drawn-116; Lost-88
Goals: For-633; Against-297

Wenger lives and breathes football, famously once remarking that all he knows about London is his home in Totteridge, Highbury, London Colney where Arsenal train and all roads in between.

Such focused dedication has helped him reach unparalleled success at the club.

When the former Monaco boss arrived in England after a short sojourn in Japan in 1996 he set his sights on Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson.

WENGER'S SILVERWARE
Premiership
1998, 2002 & 2004
FA Cup
1998, 2002, 2003 & 2005

His side soon won their first double, the Frenchman had got under his rival's skin and Arsenal undeniably had the upper hand by the time they concluded their 'Invincible' Premiership season of 2003-04.

But Wenger and his charges had little time to reflect on that glory before the tables had turned and the hunter became the hunted.

Last season, the Premiership's latest managerial import, Jose Mourinho, set about changing the domestic pecking order and Chelsea assumed the mantle of champions.

Wenger looked agitated, the urbane exterior replaced by a frustration at his inability to stem the success and silverware flooding to Stamford Bridge.

In an effort to do so this term he has called for his team to "defend better", but there is a proviso.

He has no intention of mimicking the more pragmatic approach fostered by Mourinho's men because he does not want to betray his free-flowing footballing philosophy, he does not want to lose "what makes us Arsenal."

"When a guy comes into Highbury and pays £50 to watch a game he knows when he sits down that he will see goals," Wenger explained.

"Do you expect me to say 'Sorry my friend, you will still spend £50 but you will not see goals anymore - you will now see a team that plays 11 at the back'.

COMPETITION-BY-COMPETITION
League: 334 games
Won-201; Drawn-85; Lost-48
Europe: 79 games
Won-34; Drawn-21; Lost-24
FA Cup: 54 games
Won-40; Drawn-9; Lost-5
League Cup: 25 games
Won-14; Drawn-1; Lost-10
Community Shield: 6 games
Won-4; Lost-2
"He will say 'Come on, I'll stay at home', because he's used to seeing goals."

Wenger has revolutionised Arsenal.

A decade ago they were renowned for 1-0 scorelines and a "win or lose, let's get on the booze" mentality within the squad.

He came down hard on the drinking culture and imposed a strict diet and modern, meticulous training methods.

Allied to that he has an amazing ability to spot talent at low prices, such as Patrick Vieira or Freddie Ljungberg, and attract youngsters to blood in the academy.

Combined those visions and skills have created a dynamic team that has reaped reward on the pitch.

In 1995/96, the season before Wenger's arrival, Arsenal scored 67 goals at a rate of 1.43 a game. In their last campaign this had rocketed to 117 at 2.05.

Wenger has also been a driving force behind the club's new 60,000-capacity stadium which will host games from the start of next season.

Certainly Wenger is seen as the fulcrum of the club by the Gunners board.

"To manage that number of games at this level is an outstanding achievement," vice-chairman David Dein was quoted as saying in Friday's Daily Mail.

"There's no doubt he's the best signing we've ever made. He's an extraordinarily committed professional and the future of the club is in safe hands.

"He is developing a new team and they are all part of the long-term future at the club."

Wenger will want to step into the new ground as Premiership champions and for that to become a reality his irresistible force needs to outwit Mourinho's immovable object - starting on Sunday.

That footballing challenge is the perfect way for Wenger to bring up 500 matches in charge.

One of the greatest of the modern managers. Built up the club almost singlehandedly by spotting under valued players and making them into the worlds best.

He broke that strangle hold of the more vastly wealthy Man Utd and was the only manager to put it up to fergie over the last 15 years, often getting the better of him. Now of course we have jose mourinho joing that party.

7 top flight english trophies(3 league, 4 fa cups) and he isnt yet there 9 years. 4 charity shields to boot too. His fa cup record looks the most impressive.
in 54 games he only lost 5 and won 40 :eek:

In the future he will be regarded as having done as much if not more than Chapman in bringing Arsenal success and laying down a solid foundation in where future success could be acheived. All you have to do is look at the new world class stadium

Lets hope he will be there for another 500.

mike65

Yep "Arsene Who?" has done pretty good, the only things he really needs to fix are the teams poor dissaplinary record and his failure to convert domestic
success into CL success. Rafa Benitiez must really have pissed him off!

Mike.

Big Ears

Anyone else see Mourinho at the press conference joking that his players were crazy to celebrate his 40th Premiership game with him .

Arsene has done and great job and not only has he brought great success to Arsenal he has had them play in a manner that not only seemed incredible compaired to George Graham's Arsenal but it was incredible compaired to every else in the league , possibly the nearest any English side has got to playing 'total football' .

His youth policy has been nothing short of spectacular and he truely is a special manger . Heres to another 500 and maybe a Champs League trophy with it......he deserves it .

Jivin Turkey

mike65 wrote:

the only things he really needs to fix are the teams poor dissaplinary record and his failure to convert domestic success into CL success.

Arsenals disciplinary record was one of the best in the league last year. Its certainly something he has addressed in the last couple of years.

As regards the European success, for me its the only thing that is truly holding him back to be considered one of the all-time greats of the English game. They have really failed to deliver in the CL, and the QFs are not good enough for a team of Arsenals calibre.

A very intelligent man, with one of the best eyes for a talent that I can remember.

Pepe LeFrits

Hah, I remember seeing the press conference announcing him as manager, thinking 'a guy called Arsene managing Arsenal? from Japan? is this a joke?'

He has revolutionised Arsenal. Unprecedented success aside, 'Wengerball' really is a joy to watch. He's done away with the drinking culture at the club and rejuvenated the training facilities. If he still has the desire to keep doing the job, I think his best years with Arsenal are still to come. The young players at the club now are much superior than to what they were a few years ago, and the club will soon be able to match any team in Europe (bar Chelsea) in spending, if they so wish.

Jivin Turkey

Yeah I have to say, no other English team compares to watching Arsenal on form.

Their games are generally exiting to watch anyway as given some of their players fiery nature there is generally a lot of incident.

The Muppet

Great Manager, he certainly turned Arsenals fortunes around and developed players that had not made the grade elsewhere into world class players. He is facing testing times ahead but If his past performances are a guide I,m sure he will continue to succeed

I still hate him though.

BaZmO*

And yet he's had no success in Europe and has never retained the League title.

The Muppet wrote:

I still hate him though.

Me too. Does the man ever smile?

B.

PHB

Arsene Wenger is best manager in the entire world in the transfer market. Full stop.
He has taken a club, spending on average 5 million a year, a sum lower than nearly every other premiership club, to the top 3 in the country consistantly for nearly the last 10 years.

He has never retained the premiership, neither has anybody else cept Fergie.
Big deal, how many other managers have one it besides him and Fergie, 2! And to even compare the achievments of Blackburn and Chelsea, who are the two teams who best epitomise buying the title, is a joke.
And he does it all while playing some of the most entertaining football in the world.

I hate the guy, but you can't do anything but respect him.

MrJoeSoap

PHB wrote:

He has taken a club, spending on average 5 million a year, a sum lower than nearly every other premiership club

I'm pretty sure he has spent £150m or close, receiving almost £100m. That doesnt really constitute spending £5m a year.

As for £150m being lower than nearly every other premiership club... wtf?

PHB

he spent 145 million, sold for 100 million, and inturn a net of 45 million.
9 years, divied = 5 million.
A net spend of 5 million is tiny, utterly tiny.

jank

to the top 3

Shouldnt that read top 2.