It seems each time Arsene Wenger's on telly, he appears to me like Basil Fawlty the day his car wouldn't start. His interviews are terse and he's dispensed with even the relative charm of "I did not see the incident.""Right, that's it. I've had enough of y-o-o-o-ou!"
And his conduct on the touchline brings on constipation in even the most casual observer - at fifty paces!
He didn't want to talk about the removal of William Gallas as skipper last month, and his mental state looks to have hit an all-time low following the tense draw at Aston Villa.
Admittedly, the two-all stalemate was high stakes indeed for The Professor and his ailing Gunners, but mumbling a monosyllable on Arsenal's title chances followed by outlandish allegations about the referee leave you concerned he's about to enter a Fat Elvis stage. He'd have to go some at the cheeseburgers, I admit.
The Professor got a cob on after Villa's John Robertson visited the ref at half-time. Martin O'Neill said his assisant had asked Lee Mason about a first-half decision.
Wenger said: "I know how it works here. At half-time the referee gets stick and then in the second half every little 50-50 decision goes the other way.
"I waited at half-time to see what happened and I was not disappointed." He added: "That's what happened. It's not only here."
Asked if he was implying that someone from Villa influenced the referee, Wenger added: "I have nothing to explain more than that."
O'Neill said: "John I think spoke to the referee. I think John asked him to explain a decision that Gabby Agbonlahor didn't get, that was all. Simple as that.
"He only asked him to explain the decision and the referee chose not to give an answer."
"That's nothing new", I hear you say.
I know the top managers employ the language of siege mentality to gee up their players - but Wenger's allegations are increasingly unhinged in their delivery.
Wenger's strops and temper must surely be expressing an inner turmoil. How much more pressure can one man take?
The top two managers in the Premier League at the moment, Scolari and Benitez, have co-incidentally suffered with kidney stones at the same time this month. Gerard Houllier's career as Liverpool boss was effectively ended by a serious heart problem and Glenn Roeder popped a cork (or something like that) while West Ham manager.
I'm concerned for Wenger's health. I wonder if he is? I would hate to see something happen to him.
Also from Soccermongery back in August '08: Has The Wenger Project Reached Its Autumn?
Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!
He didn't want to talk about the removal of William Gallas as skipper last month, and his mental state looks to have hit an all-time low following the tense draw at Aston Villa.
Admittedly, the two-all stalemate was high stakes indeed for The Professor and his ailing Gunners, but mumbling a monosyllable on Arsenal's title chances followed by outlandish allegations about the referee leave you concerned he's about to enter a Fat Elvis stage. He'd have to go some at the cheeseburgers, I admit.The Professor got a cob on after Villa's John Robertson visited the ref at half-time. Martin O'Neill said his assisant had asked Lee Mason about a first-half decision.
Wenger said: "I know how it works here. At half-time the referee gets stick and then in the second half every little 50-50 decision goes the other way.
"I waited at half-time to see what happened and I was not disappointed." He added: "That's what happened. It's not only here."
Asked if he was implying that someone from Villa influenced the referee, Wenger added: "I have nothing to explain more than that."O'Neill said: "John I think spoke to the referee. I think John asked him to explain a decision that Gabby Agbonlahor didn't get, that was all. Simple as that.
"He only asked him to explain the decision and the referee chose not to give an answer."
"That's nothing new", I hear you say.
I know the top managers employ the language of siege mentality to gee up their players - but Wenger's allegations are increasingly unhinged in their delivery.
Wenger's strops and temper must surely be expressing an inner turmoil. How much more pressure can one man take?
The top two managers in the Premier League at the moment, Scolari and Benitez, have co-incidentally suffered with kidney stones at the same time this month. Gerard Houllier's career as Liverpool boss was effectively ended by a serious heart problem and Glenn Roeder popped a cork (or something like that) while West Ham manager.
I'm concerned for Wenger's health. I wonder if he is? I would hate to see something happen to him.
Also from Soccermongery back in August '08: Has The Wenger Project Reached Its Autumn?
Soccermongery's all about your feedback, so write away, right away!
It's the long overdue self-awareness that his strategy hasn't and will not work and he needs to decide urgently if he can allow himslef to change tack in midstream
ReplyDelete"cob on". Is that like a "monk on"?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't surprise me if Wenger left within the next 12 months.
He's had an absolutely fantastic run but it's all downhill from now and he should try and get out as soon as possible with his dignity intact.
ReplyDeleteJonny isn't the first person to make the John Cleese connection. Take a look at this clip featuring Eamon Dunphy from RTE in Ireland:
ReplyDeletehttp://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jPgxJXRly5g&feature=related
Actually, it's a fair point. If Gallas had behaved the way he did at Man Utd he'd have been shown the door pretty quickly.
Arsenal lack leaders, both on and off the pitch!
(and I wish our football programmes were as much fun as RTE's!)
Greville; he seems to be able to manage Plan A - but is wanting with any form of Plan B. I agree with your synopsis.
ReplyDeleteJeremy; I now realise that a cob in the West Midlands MUST be a monk in Kent. I should also say a cob is a roll in the Midlands as well!
James: In Arsene We Trust. That's all I want to say to that. There's still fighting quality and a great youth set up.
Marcus: brilliant mate! Research and insight as ever. I see you compare United and Arsenal regularly. How amazing that even two years ago they were toe-to-toe. Now United (not Chelsea) turned the world blue! I wonder if Peter Kenyon's feeling blue.