Topic: Arsenal

[DivisiveNewSigning]

You can fuck right off with that, we're Liverpool FC! I don't give a monkeys how much of a rut we've been in recently, it's not an honour for us to be on the same pitch as Real Madrid and it's certainly not an honour to be "humbled" by them.

I certainly want us to be challenging for the league and CL every season, however unrealistic that may be, as should Arsenal fans. If we're not doing that, or progressing towards doing that, something is going wrong.

Finding it an honour to be humbled by Real Madrid, jesus wept.

Wind your neck in mate, did I say it was an honour to be humbled by them? Actually read it back. It was an honour to play against them. Don't get me wrong I wanted us to twat them and then twat Barca and then twat Bayern but get real and look at the last 8-9 years. I enjoy football the most when we're testing ourselves against the best teams and Liverpool fucking football club is back on the lips of everyone in Europe.

I hope we get back to times like 2009 when we smashed them 4-0, but it's a building process. Do I think they're a better club? No. Do I think they have better fans? No. Do I wish I was at the Bernabeu instead of Anfield? Fuck no. But don't give me shit for enjoying playing against the big boys, coz you just make yourself sound like a dick-head.

[Cliff Bastin]

I guess qualifying for the Champions League every season for god knows how long has taken the gleam off it for you...? Utter crap that mate.

Top 4 is an achievement, and it's hard earned these days with the competitiveness in the League. The reward being playing in the aforementioned Champions League. Maybe you've grown tired of being knocked out by the same teams year in year out, but the chance to test yourself against the European giants is what football is all about to me. Playing against Real Madrid a few years back... I didn't care we got pretty much humbled - we were against Real Fucking Madrid and what an honour.

The way you and some of your fellow supporters talk about Wenger is a joke. You won the FA Cup not 2 years ago. I get the frustrations about not kicking onto the next level, but it's not as easy as snapping your fingers. If any Red on here ever said something like "I hope we finish outside the top 4 to get rid of the manager" there'd be fucking murder and rightly so.

Top 4 is not an achievement. It is just a league position which means you qualify for the Champions League. Give me the back to back FA cup wins over any Champions League qualification. The 2014 final was by far our best moment of the last 10 years when Ramsey scored.

I never got that feeling when we finished in the top 4. People who celebrate it or call it an achievement are just adjusting to mediocrity.

[Xabi Gerrard]

Wind your neck in mate, did I say it was an honour to be humbled by them? Actually read it back. It was an honour to play against them. Don't get me wrong I wanted us to twat them and then twat Barca and then twat Bayern but get real and look at the last 8-9 years. I enjoy football the most when we're testing ourselves against the best teams and Liverpool fucking football club is back on the lips of everyone in Europe.

I hope we get back to times like 2009 when we smashed them 4-0, but it's a building process. Do I think they're a better club? No. Do I think they have better fans? No. Do I wish I was at the Bernabeu instead of Anfield? Fuck no. But don't give me shit for enjoying playing against the big boys, coz you just make yourself sound like a dick-head.

Aplogies for the misunderstanding then if I got you wrong  . But take a look back at what you wrote;

Playing against Real Madrid a few years back... I didn't care we got pretty much humbled - we were against Real Fucking Madrid and what an honour.

And again;

Playing against Real Madrid a few years back... I didn't care we got pretty much humbled - we were against Real Fucking Madrid and what an honour.

I'm sorry mate, but I just can't get on board with that mentality. I personally didn't enjoy the 2014 CL campaign. If it was part of a building process then great, but it wasn't, it was just a one off shambles. Bringing it back to Arsenal, just goes to show that different fans of the same club can want different things. Easy to see why some fans might love the stability and the CL group stage experience. Not really my cup of tea to be content with that but each to their own.

[Ashburton]

Arsenal fan tv - the gift that keeps on giving.

In all seriousnes Wenger is finished. Their squad is excellent and he's getting no where near enough out of it, their record in Europe is appalling. Year after year it's the same season, it'd drive you fucking mad.

They need a new manager in the summer. Wenger's lost the plot. Walcott scores a hat-trick. Straight back on the bench. Chamberlain played well, back on the bench. Welbeck bags 2, not even in the squad.

He's lost his head - call it a day.

Picking players based on standing not form will do that.  Watford was a 100% three points game, could have potentially played for a draw at the weekend, but losing for the first time at home in 29 years to Watford is yet another capitulation in the league and I cannot see what is causing it.
 
To me it speaks to what I've been pointing out for years, poor tactical decisions.  If you want to play Giroud and cross it in to the box a lot, play some pacy wingers and wingbacks.  But no Gibbs or Bellerin, Gabriel at RB despite being unable to hit a cross to save his life, no Walcott despite hitting a hat-trick and looking sharp.  This meant the only way through was an eye-of-the-needle pass through their compact setup.

Also still not a sign of Perez starting in the league, he comes on with 20 minutes to go and manages to hit the crossbar last night, after a MotM performance against Southampton and being highly thought of from La Liga.  He's about the most productive player in the squad in terms of goals & assists per 90, ahead of Alexis, yet seems to spend most of his time in his puffy jacket on the bench.

Ferguson is the only I can think of who had continuous success at the very top in different eras. Wenger is not the same. Most managers aren't. His time has gone. He is still a very good manager just not the manager who could once again make Arsenal champions.

Ferguson is an absolute legend, I hated Utd with a passion when we used to rival them for titles every season, but only because his team was so dangerous under him.  His team was scrappy, skillful and never, ever gave up - amazingly nor did our team back then.  I think Wenger has got the tools, the squad is excellent, but he's losing the title with stupid losses against poorer teams.  If we lost 6 games against City, Utd and Chelsea and lose the title by ten points, then you can blame the oil clubs - but repeatedly not turning up until the second half is a problem which isn't going away.

[Something Worse]

Huge blow for Arsenal as Claude says he's considering retiring from ArsenalFanTV

[Ashburton]

I guess qualifying for the Champions League every season for god knows how long has taken the gleam off it for you...? Utter crap that mate.

Top 4 is an achievement, and it's hard earned these days with the competitiveness in the League. The reward being playing in the aforementioned Champions League. Maybe you've grown tired of being knocked out by the same teams year in year out, but the chance to test yourself against the European giants is what football is all about to me. Playing against Real Madrid a few years back... I didn't care we got pretty much humbled - we were against Real Fucking Madrid and what an honour.

The way you and some of your fellow supporters talk about Wenger is a joke. You won the FA Cup not 2 years ago. I get the frustrations about not kicking onto the next level, but it's not as easy as snapping your fingers. If any Red on here ever said something like "I hope we finish outside the top 4 to get rid of the manager" there'd be fucking murder and rightly so.

Qualifying every season is meant to produce a platform, eventually, to do something with it.  The side is one of the richest and highly paid in the world, it should be getting to quarters and semis most seasons.  I don't see it as entitlement, I see it as high standards reflecting the ability of the club to bring in top talent.  Arsenal and Liverpool are amongst the 'European giants', I'd only consider less than a handful of clubs as "huge" and that is the usual Bayern, Real, Barca amongst them.

I don't agree it's an honour to play them, and frankly you lot threw out a poor side and got humbled because you had no ambition in that game.  Ironically the first team lost the same weekend despite the extra rest, anyway, with many fans on here considering it small time for one of the most successful clubs in Europe to wave the white flag before a ball was kicked. 

Perhaps we are talking about different attitudes here, and perhaps at the moment Liverpool playing RM is all about getting autographs and being excited tourists, just happy to share a stadium with Cristiano.  For me, the gloss of playing the big sides (we practically play Bayern pretty much every season at this point) just reminds me of what this club should be - a top side on the pitch with the ability to deliver in big games against the highest quality of opposition.

[J_Kopite]

Huge blow for Arsenal as Claude says he's considering retiring from ArsenalFanTV

Probably the right thing for his mental health really

[Adz LFC]

Qualifying every season is meant to produce a platform, eventually, to do something with it.  The side is one of the richest and highly paid in the world, it should be getting to quarters and semis most seasons.  I don't see it as entitlement, I see it as high standards reflecting the ability of the club to bring in top talent.  Arsenal and Liverpool are amongst the 'European giants', I'd only consider less than a handful of clubs as "huge" and that is the usual Bayern, Real, Barca amongst them.

I don't agree it's an honour to play them, and frankly you lot threw out a poor side and got humbled because you had no ambition in that game.  Ironically the first team lost the same weekend despite the extra rest, anyway, with many fans on here considering it small time for one of the most successful clubs in Europe to wave the white flag before a ball was kicked. 

Perhaps we are talking about different attitudes here, and perhaps at the moment Liverpool playing RM is all about getting autographs and being excited tourists, just happy to share a stadium with Cristiano.  For me, the gloss of playing the big sides (we practically play Bayern pretty much every season at this point) just reminds me of what this club should be - a top side on the pitch with the ability to deliver in big games against the highest quality of opposition.

The lad is on a wind up and you know he is, but you've used that to have a dig at us for playing a weakened team in Madrid. Just remind us how many European cups Arsenal have won again?

[The North Bank]

Its not black and white regarding top 4. It depends what stage or circumstance a team is at. I'd say between 06 and 2014 it was a good achievement for us to get there given that we became a selling club. Last couple of years it became a minimum requirement for the season, now that's no longer good enough as a title challenge was expected for this season.
For Liverpool top 4 this season is an excellent outcome.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Full Time Devils is full of whoppers but Arsenal fan TV is in a whole other league of its own

Imagine having to sit next to this guy for 90 minutes 


<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/7KOxv1oXVNQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/7KOxv1oXVNQ</a>

That fucker needs punched until he stops moving, surely this YouTube channel isn't an accurate representation of Arsenal fans, two of my friends follow Arsenal and they're great lads, 90% of the fuckwits on Arsenal TV or whatever it's called need euthanased, saw one lad talking a bit of sense last night, Asian fella called Mo, he seemed to be the extreme exception though.

[Something Worse]

Probably the right thing for his mental health really

Yeah I guess, I'll miss him though.

[RMG]

Probably the right thing for his mental health really

Arsenal don't help really.

[Ashburton]

That fucker needs punched until he stops moving, surely this YouTube channel isn't an accurate representation of Arsenal fans, two of my friends follow Arsenal and they're great lads, 90% of the fuckwits on Arsenal TV or whatever it's called need euthanased, saw one lad talking a bit of sense last night, Asian fella called Mo, he seemed to be the extreme exception though.

It's designed for fans of other clubs, which is pretty shrewd marketing considering there are a lot more of them.  There seems to be one lad on ArsenalTV who seems somewhat level headed, who has the rather weary look most Arsenal fans have at this point.  The others are definitely on the bandwagon for the ad money via Youtube, and to be fair to them if they are making decent money from putting reaction videos whilst travelling home & away to your team, there are worse ways to make a living.

The lad is on a wind up and you know he is, but you've used that to have a dig at us for playing a weakened team in Madrid. Just remind us how many European cups Arsenal have won again?

The last line of the paragraph you bolded stated the club isn't where I'd like it to be at the moment, which is being reliant on a big performance to beat the very top tier sides.  It's fair to say most Arsenal fans look at the club and see massive potential - for years it was a question of flogging the top talent and churning through a set of youth prospects, but this is a solid group of players and a good squad - it's time the manager did something with that.  At this point it's going to have to be an FA cup or getting the best of Bayern over two legs.

I was waiting for someone to pull the European cup list out, it is an honour-roll any club would be massively proud of, but it doesn't mean bad decisions are not possible.   I am talking about putting a side out which demonstrates you're there to just make up the numbers shows lack of ambition, and it dovetailed what I was talking about with Arsenal.  Why just qualify for the CL if you aren't going to put things in place to win it to at least try to win it - investment, tactics, management, support etc.  As Leicester demonstrated last season, anyone -can- win it, however unlikely it appears at the start. 

[DivisiveNewSigning]

Jesus Christ it's so black and white in here. Think people are getting too caught up on the word humbled. And the sentence makes perfect sense mate, we were humbled but it was still an honour to play them. In fact any team of that ilk currently because like it or not you can count our big European nights on one hand in the last several years.

Maybe it's an age thing. For reference I've never seen Liverpool win a league title. Maybe you're right and my standards are a bit lower than a few of you mega-fans trying to have a pop. I'm not on a wind up at all and it's a bit insulting really. I get exciting mixing it up with the big boys in Europe, because I believe that's where Liverpool should strive to be. Not fighting it out in a group of Eastern European nomarks on a Thursday night. Top 4 this season will only be an achievement if we kick on and that's what we've failed to do for years now.

I feel I need to mention Arsenal in some capacity due to the thread title. They'll be kicking themselves over last night with the results around them this weekend. Real missed opportunity. Also just watched that utter nob-jockey on the Arsenal Fan TV - please tell me people don't actually talk like that - we need a "fam" and "blad" counter in the corner for the next video.

[Hij]

Arsenal don't help really.

[Schmidt]

It's designed for fans of other clubs, which is pretty shrewd marketing considering there are a lot more of them.  There seems to be one lad on ArsenalTV who seems somewhat level headed, who has the rather weary look most Arsenal fans have at this point.  The others are definitely on the bandwagon for the ad money via Youtube, and to be fair to them if they are making decent money from putting reaction videos whilst travelling home & away to your team, there are worse ways to make a living.

Yeah these fan TV channels are clearly just trying to make money regardless of whether or not it damages the club. I really don't get why people click on them, it's just a bunch of attention-seeking bell ends faking outrage to get more views. That Andy Tate prick turning into a mini-celebrity on the back of his whiny little rant put me off ever watching any crap like that again.

[TheShanklyGates]

Jesus Christ it's so black and white in here. Think people are getting too caught up on the word humbled. And the sentence makes perfect sense mate, we were humbled but it was still an honour to play them. In fact any team of that ilk currently because like it or not you can count our big European nights on one hand in the last several years.

Maybe it's an age thing. For reference I've never seen Liverpool win a league title. Maybe you're right and my standards are a bit lower than a few of you mega-fans trying to have a pop. I'm not on a wind up at all and it's a bit insulting really. I get exciting mixing it up with the big boys in Europe, because I believe that's where Liverpool should strive to be. Not fighting it out in a group of Eastern European nomarks on a Thursday night. Top 4 this season will only be an achievement if we kick on and that's what we've failed to do for years now.

I feel I need to mention Arsenal in some capacity due to the thread title. They'll be kicking themselves over last night with the results around them this weekend. Real missed opportunity. Also just watched that utter nob-jockey on the Arsenal Fan TV - please tell me people don't actually talk like that - we need a "fam" and "blad" counter in the corner for the next video.

I think it's your choice of words that people are taking exception to rather than the overall sentiment. We all want to see LFC up there challenging among the European heavyweights again but it's not an honour to simply be on the same pitch as Real Madrid. We aren't Sutton United getting a once in lifetime opportunity to play a team leagues ahead of them. We are the joint 3rd most successful club in the history of the European Cup for fucks sake. 

[MagicHat]

Top 4 this season will only be an achievement if we kick on and that's what we've failed to do for years now.

but when Arsenal reach top 4 and don't push on so get unhappy, we get criticized by you?

I do get why some Liverpool fans would be excited at getting Madrid and so on after awhile out. I think Wenger was right to an extent about top 4 trophy, nowadays, one can't leap from 7th to top level for a sustained period (you might get an odd one off season but soon go back down to old level), it is about climbing up the table stage by stage. Liverpool and Spurs finish 4th this season? Great for them, Liverpool back in CL, Spurs cementing their place for another season. For us during the staduim era? Was necessary. It may lack romance but it is what is required, get to top 4, cement place for a few seasons, using the money to invest in team, depth and infrastructure (if new staduim, may be about cup runs and sticking in top 4 for awhile as it had to be for us). Then one pushes on which is where we haven't done. Even in CL, there is going to be a case of learning to progress, of getting stronger each year so one can hope to do even better and pushing on over time.

I love the domestic cups becuase I don't know how we will do. We have got to finals (and won some recently in Fa Cup) in both tournaments, we have also had some early knock outs. Clubs should dream of a CL run but we don't have that dream. We draw Bayern, Madrid, Monaco or a team made of cardboard and we will go out in the first knock out round. Every time. There is no glory, there isn't heartbreak anymore, there is weary predictability. We face the teams year in year out which is going to dull the glamour but we don't get the "maybe this will be our year" for even a semi final, we know how this will end. Also how next year will end. Or the one after that. Heck, if every team in Europe other then us was barred from CL, we know where we will finish. First knock out round.

[DivisiveNewSigning]

but when Arsenal reach top 4 and don't push on so get unhappy, we get criticized by you?

Arsenal been in Champions League for about 16 consecutive seasons, and best they've done is one semi-final. They've won a couple of FA Cups in that time which is a good achievement but no real sustained success since around 02/03. I'm not bashing them at all since Liverpool have had, what, an FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League title in the same time period.

We've been in the Champions League once in the last 6 years, and we lost Suarez a couple of months later. Every team should be looking to kick on, be that us, you, bluddy Leicester. Fans have a right to be critical when the team spends a campaign working their bollocks off to finish as high in the league table as possible and achieve Champions League football, only to take a step backwards and invest horribly and lose all form from the previous season.

I've got a lot of shit the last 24 hours for my comments about other European teams, namely Real Madrid. However they've been in the Champions League in god knows how many successive seasons. In the last 6 seasons they've won 2 and been in the semi's of the other 4. That's where I want our team to be. Just because I have respect for their club, and use words like fucking "humbled", doesn't make me any less of a fan or yearn any less for success on all fronts every damn season.

[kaiser franz]

It must be torcher to be fan of arsenal ;)I mean fantastic game last saturday,fast and dynamic lineup and all that and then come tuesday and he put slow labourous team while 4 best players from saturday he leaves out,Welbeck not even in squad.Personally i would put Sanchez forward,Welbeck left,Perez or Walcott right and Ox at centre midfield,Giroud only as super sub and plan b.What is with Perez anyway,every time i seen him play he looks really good,why the hell Wenger play him so rarely.

[Redman0151]

Full Time Devils is full of whoppers but Arsenal fan TV is in a whole other league of its own

Imagine having to sit next to this guy for 90 minutes 


<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/7KOxv1oXVNQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/7KOxv1oXVNQ</a>

Arsenal Fan TV really is an absolute joy. I still can't believe Ty is 46 years old and he dresses and acts like a teenager

[kaiser franz]

Arsenal Fan TV really is an absolute joy. I still can't believe Ty is 46 years old and he dresses and acts like a teenager

Arse fan tv always joy to watch after defeat but i agree with that guy,i watched against Southampton and first half against Watford ,couldnt believe the difference and its all on Wenger.I know its was weakened Southampton but arsenal play was just so fast and mobile with Welbeck,Perez,Walcott,Sanchez and Ox,its crazy that Wenger didnt notice that and try to build on that.

[The North Bank]

Arsenal been in Champions League for about 16 consecutive seasons, and best they've done is one semi-final. They've won a couple of FA Cups in that time which is a good achievement but no real sustained success since around 02/03. I'm not bashing them at all since Liverpool have had, what, an FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League title in the same time period.

We've been in the Champions League once in the last 6 years, and we lost Suarez a couple of months later. Every team should be looking to kick on, be that us, you, bluddy Leicester. Fans have a right to be critical when the team spends a campaign working their bollocks off to finish as high in the league table as possible and achieve Champions League football, only to take a step backwards and invest horribly and lose all form from the previous season.

I've got a lot of shit the last 24 hours for my comments about other European teams, namely Real Madrid. However they've been in the Champions League in god knows how many successive seasons. In the last 6 seasons they've won 2 and been in the semi's of the other 4. That's where I want our team to be. Just because I have respect for their club, and use words like fucking "humbled", doesn't make me any less of a fan or yearn any less for success on all fronts every damn season.

If you're looking at the last 16 seasons.
We've actually been to one cl final, a couple of semis. Since 2003 we've won a league and 3 cups.
I'm not disagreeing with your sentiments, I agree with the rest of your points, just thought I'd point out what we've won since your figures aren't correct.
I don't think the word humbled is appropriate when Liverpool meet real Madrid. 2 European giants, even if you're not at their level right now .

[The North Bank]

It must be torcher to be fan of arsenal ;)I mean fantastic game last saturday,fast and dynamic lineup and all that and then come tuesday and he put slow labourous team while 4 best players from saturday he leaves out,Welbeck not even in squad.Personally i would put Sanchez forward,Welbeck left,Perez or Walcott right and Ox at centre midfield,Giroud only as super sub and plan b.What is with Perez anyway,every time i seen him play he looks really good,why the hell Wenger play him so rarely.

I would have gone with the exact same line up as you, and it is frustrating the complacency in Wenger's selection. In must win games.

[DivisiveNewSigning]

If you're looking at the last 16 seasons.
We've actually been to one cl final, a couple of semis. Since 2003 we've won a league and 3 cups.

More than happy to be corrected. Just looked back and you're right on those stats.

Out of interest are you in the Wenger in or Wenger out camp (to boil it down to it's simplest form)? If out, who would you like to see as a replacement and what changes/additions would you like them to make with the squad?

[The North Bank]

More than happy to be corrected. Just looked back and you're right on those stats.

Out of interest are you in the Wenger in or Wenger out camp (to boil it down to it's simplest form)? If out, who would you like to see as a replacement and what changes/additions would you like them to make with the squad?

I think what happens for the rest of the season will influence my position on Wenger, so I've gone from Wenger in to somewhat undecided.
No idea who to bring in. At the start of the season I thought Pep Klopp and Mourinho would be sure successes and Conte would flop. He's walked the league.
Simeone is everyone's favourite next manager at any club, its a hard call as Wenger has been around so long that his imprints are everywhere.

[jillcwhomever]

I think what happens for the rest of the season will influence my position on Wenger, so I've gone from Wenger in to somewhat undecided.
No idea who to bring in. At the start of the season I thought Pep Klopp and Mourinho would be sure successes and Conte would flop. He's walked the league.
Simeone is everyone's favourite next manager at any club, its a hard call as Wenger has been around so long that his imprints are everywhere.

That's the difficulty, knowing when to stick or change. I would title myself a tradional old fashioned type fan who sticks by the manager, when he goes through the hard times. I remember in the last year of Rafa, how hostile this place became as various factions locked horns. I get the impression its a bit the same at Arsenal at the moment. In the end I just accepted it when he left, but look what happened the start of a disasterous number of events, which almost finished us off as a club.

Changing at the right time can transform a club if you get in the right person to succeed, but it can also as easily be the ruination of you as well.

[Cliff Bastin]

Some difference though as at least our owner knows how to make money and run a football club competently as far as finance is concerned.

[Elzar]

That's the difficulty, knowing when to stick or change. I would title myself a tradional old fashioned type fan who sticks by the manager, when he goes through the hard times. I remember in the last year of Rafa, how hostile this place became as various factions locked horns. I get the impression its a bit the same at Arsenal at the moment. In the end I just accepted it when he left, but look what happened the start of a disasterous number of events, which almost finished us off as a club.

Changing at the right time can transform a club if you get in the right person to succeed, but it can also as easily be the ruination of you as well.

I agree, if Sanchez/Ozil leave this summer along with Wenger, as has been discussed, Arsenal could struggle big time if they don't get their next appointment spot on

[jillcwhomever]

Some difference though as at least our owner knows how to make money and run a football club competently as far as finance is concerned.

It still depends totally on the manager you put in. If he doesn't get you into Europe then you will still get weaker, while others take your place on the Euro gravytrain.

[Ashburton]

It still depends totally on the manager you put in. If he doesn't get you into Europe then you will still get weaker, while others take your place on the Euro gravytrain.

Less of an issue now with the prem money being so substantial.  The larger focus isn't the players it's the direction of the club.  Realistically, Ozil and Sanchez are getting in to their late 20s and are going to be around for a handful of years.  There will be big players coming and going at most clubs, however if Ozil and Sanchez leave specifically because the club couldn't match their ambition as players (to win at the highest level), then that would be damning for Wenger - demonstrating they, having worked with him every day, are not convinced he can deliver.  At that point, I'd consider his position untenable despite how well the board backs him - a substantial problem will be who to replace him with.

Conte's ability to hit the ground running has convinced me more than ever, of the need to be bold and reach as high as is possible.  If that option isn't available, then better the Devil you know.

[TheShanklyGates]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10754183/arsene-wenger-reveals-he-tried-to-sign-ngolo-kante-twice

Arsene Wenger has revealed his admiration for N'Golo Kante and admits he tried to sign the Frenchman twice.

Wenger says he was interested in signing Kante when he played for French club Caen, and again at Leicester.

Kante has played a key role in Chelsea's rise to the top of the table this season and appears well placed to collect a second Premier League medal in May.

The 25-year-old will come face-to-face with the Gunners at Saturday lunchtime, live on Sky Sports 1 HD, and Wenger said: "I tried to sign Kante when he was in France and when he was at Leicester.

"We cannot explain everything - transfers are transfers - but it is quite obvious when you look at where he has gone.

"I believe Kante has had a huge impact. It's no coincidence Chelsea are where they are and Leicester did what they did last season."

Earlier this season Arsenal beat the Blues 3-0 at the Emirates and, looking back on that match, Wenger added: "Maybe for them it was a little bit of a wake-up call.

"(Antonio) Conte (Chelsea manager) managed to change things."



I like Wenger and have a lot of respect for what he has achieved in the game but he needs to stop coming out with shite like this

[bird_lfc]

In his defence I've seen the interview and he was both asked 'have you ever tried to sign Kante' and asked 'when' when he said yes.  But yeah, he could of just palmed the question off

[Cliff Bastin]

It will be a tragedy tomorrow. Another 4 or 5 nil coming up. Wenger hasn't got a clue what to do away from home in these games.

[mallin9]

It will be a tragedy tomorrow. Another 4 or 5 nil coming up. Wenger hasn't got a clue what to do away from home in these games.

It wasn't thatttttttttttt long ago that versus an on-fire Manchester City Wenger shook up his stolid same-old, same-old and we had Manchester City 0- Arsenal 2, was widely hailed as the dawn of a new day for Arsene.

Flash forward and this is probably the most Arsenaly of the recent Arsenal campaigns.   I do miss Abou Diaby references, but the discussion of trying to sign N'Golo Kante has bucked me right back up!

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

This is too good not to be shared 

https://twitter.com/TwoFourFours/status/827550810473107456

[MagicHat]

It will be a tragedy tomorrow. Another 4 or 5 nil coming up. Wenger hasn't got a clue what to do away from home in these games.

Doubt it, either an easy 2-0 win for Chelsea or a 1-1 draw as Chelsea may be content for a point rather then go all out for the win seems likely but one never knows.

I can appreciate Wenger is trying to be honest when he discusses players we missed out on but it is just riling fans at this point. If we got half the players we didn't quite land, football would be over becuase our side would be so fantastic that everybody else would give up

[jimbo1962]

seems like Chelsea are guaranteed 6 points every season...against Arsenal
look up " Bottler " in the pictionary and you'll see a picture of Arsenal V Chelsea

[MagicHat]

seems like Chelsea are guaranteed 6 points every season...against Arsenal
look up " Bottler " in the pictionary and you'll see a picture of Arsenal V Chelsea

Which is impressive given we beat them earlier this season so where are Chelsea getting the six points?

[vivabobbygraham]

Up the Gunners!!