Dear Monsieur Wenger,
I wanted to take the time to congratulate you on your team’s recent successes in the Premier League and more specifically the UEFA Champions League. You’ve fought back and are in the heat of a title race and reaching the last eight in any competition is deserved of accolades, but the most prestigious Cup competition in the World, that’s something to be proud of.
The way your team played with such utter confidence against Porto at home Tuesday night was something to behold (and look at the turn around in form of one Nicklas Bendtner from his lowly weekend efforts, simply stunning). The confidence your club displayed directly influenced the teams ability to move the ball at will, maintain possession and attack with purpose, not to mention, it was a night supporters of Arsenal won’t soon forget.
5-0 was the end result to a night that saw your team dominate a Porto team who only a few weeks ago were victorious over you. It’s safe to say there was definitely everything to play for Tuesday night and you proved to the world and your detractors that this Arsenal team has something positive to say in this year’s Champions League and Premier League races. For that, I salute you! Well done.
May I take one more brief moment of your valuable time?
I raised a brow in disbelief this very morning when I read that you’re hoping to be pitted against one Manchester United in the next round of this fine Cup competition we’ve been discussing. At first, I chuckled as I assumed your joy at an important win had tainted your mind to a more jovial state. As I continued to read further, aghast, I realized you were in fact serious and even mentioned London foes Chelsea as another possible opponent for your Beautiful Passing Gnomes (a term of affection, I assure you) in the next round of this competition.
Must I remind you Mr. Wenger that you’ve in fact fallen, slain like a lion in battle, in all four Premier League games this season (quite emphatically if I may add) against these very clubs with which you so openly aspire to meet again on the field of battle? This “good opportunity” to meet an English team you so casually throw around could ultimately be your demise. I must take a cautionary moment to speak a wise word of warning: Take heed of the Rooney’s and Drogba’s of the world. They are scary men when provoked. Fear them.
And how soon you forget only last May the 5th this Manchester United team had you sized up, whipped and beaten like a stray dog all neat and tidy like within eleven minutes of that woeful home semi-final encounter. If I close my eyes for a second, I can still see those pretty little red and white scarves wrapped ’round the neck of those hopeful supports. Their spirits so high and vibrant but crushed so soon and violent. The exposition of dominate force, counter-attacking football and all around arse kicking began courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo laserbeam and henceforth secured your opponents second final in a row at your expense. Had you forgotten this eminent engagement?
And if I may just quote your words from this very morning,
“It’s a good opportunity if we get them to show we can do well. If I had a choice I would say yes. If we get them we cannot do worse than we did in the championship, we can only do better”.
Pray tell how?
Shall we keep in thought that one night of brilliance a title contender, world beater or Champions League winner does not make. Also, both clubs you rush to defy to prove how great you’ve become in the last few months have yet to progress through to the next stage. Would not a day or two of celebration with the lads prove more beneficial than the metaphorical waving of your French finger towards all of Europe? Take heed again, there are some large European dogs across the continent that have just caught your scent. They may not bite your hand if you pat them on the head, but be assured, they’ll bite your hand if you smack them in the face.
Lastly, please give a right proper tap to the back of Samir Nasri for me. His goal Tuesday night was a thing of beauty. You do realize now, I don’t dislike you, your team, or your current crop of players one single bit. You are in fact quite good. I just wish to stress the importance of holding your tongue, and most importantly of all Arsene, don’t get ahead of yourself. It’ll only make you look foolish in the end. Good day.
Sincerely yours,
i don’t think that united and chelsea fans are stupid enough to think that their teams’ victories over arsenal in the league this year guarantee success, should the teams meet up again in the champions league. if they are they, along with the author of this article, could be in for a nasty shock.
What a waste of time this was. What would you have him do, Jesse? Cower in fear? Might I remind you that Arsenal secured 2 solid results against United in the Premier League last season, only to be ousted by United later in the Champions League. It’s anyone’s game come the last 8, and the fact that you even mentioned the head to head matchups of this Premiership season only disproves what little point there is to this article.
League results aside, I seem to remember Man U beating with a slip (by Gibbs) and a dive (by Cuntaldo)….. I agree with the aforementioned that this article is rather useless
I wasn’t particularly troubled by what Wenger said. It is always tricky when a manager is asked about facing a certain team, since they cannot express any fear. If he did, bloggers would be talking about how Arsene Wenger has a crisis of confidence, doesn’t trust his squad against the best, is scared of United/Chelsea, etc.
Really Wenger’s only alternative would have just been to say “I’ll save my comments for after the draw.”
As it is, he didn’t show any doubt, and stopped short of displaying any over-confidence. That works fine for me.
I thought Arsenal were quite unfortunate not to win the match at Old Trafford earlier this season. They did get BLASTED by UNited and Chelsea (twice), but great teams and great egos welcome the challenge. I love hearing that from Wenger, when most coaches would cower and say “Well, whoever we draw, will be a great challenge…etc etc.”
COYW
A penalty and an own goal at Old Trafford sunk the gunners. And a late goal ruled out. They can stand toe to toe with United, they just didn’t the last time they met.
What then are we to do? Tremble in trepidation at the annals of our history? No, I say! I say that the only history that matters is the history we make this day. I say once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; or close the wall up with our midfield dead. In the offseason there’s nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility, but when the blast of the quarter-finals blows in our ears,then imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage; then lend the eye a terrible aspect; let pry through the portage of the head like the brass cannon; let the brow overwhelm it as fearfully as doth a galled rock overhang and jutty his confounded base, swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit to his full height. On, on, you noblest Arsenal. Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof! Fathers that, like so many Henrys and Bergkamps, have in these parts from morn till even fought and sheathed their swords for lack of argument: dishonour not your mothers; now attest that those whom you called fathers did beget you. Be copy now to men of grosser blood, and teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman, whose limbs were made in London Colney, show us here the mettle of your pasture; let us swear that you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not; for there is none of you so mean and base, that hath not noble lustre in your eyes. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start. The game’s afoot: follow your spirit, and upon this charge, cry ‘God for Arsene, Arsenal, and the Champions League!’
Cheers,
Jon
Jesse, Wenger was answering to a question that was asked. Had you listened to the whole interview, you would have got the context of what he actually wanted to say. He is not arrogant. He is simply saying he doesn’t mind playing Chelsea or Man U. This is the classic case of blurring youself from the context of what was actually said and then reading the headlines and simply blathering.
I know United beat Arsenal twice this season, second one more convincingly and there is no denying that. However, if you had watched the first one at Old Trafford, it was Arsenal all over the match. They played brilliantly and United had absolutely no answer to Arsenal. They won because of Diaby’s own goal. Which is not an excuse. I am simply pointing out that they were outplayed. So Arsenal can beat United you know.
Chelsea on the other hand are much stronger and I think Arsenal will have a hard time against them. But Chelsea have been beaten before, and if there is anyone who can beat them, it would be either United or Chelsea.
So, I would suggest you thoroughly read the whole thing, listen to what Wenger is saying and then come back and write this long useless letter.
I echo the above comments regarding the context of the remarks, but it should also be added that in the formal press conference following the match, Wenger was asked, if he had the ability to choose his opponents, if he’d choose English opposition, to which he replied “No.” The media are (logically) hyping up Wenger wanting revenge, but Sky Sports News did air the press conference where he admitted he’d prefer to play other European opposition, but that “it’s not in [his] hands,” so he didn’t want to comment further.
do you even read/watch entire press conference before writing this utter garbage. you are as ***** writer as other so called football journalist in england..
Arsenal weren’t beaten “convincingly” I didn’t think by United at Old Trafford, a Rooney dive and a shocking own goal from Diaby saved them. Didn’t van Persie hit the post once and have like 3 other solid opportunities?
Anyway, I agree with you for the most part. Seems a stupid thing to say at this point.
i wish i could get the 120 seconds it took me to read that post back, but they’re gone forever.
what a ridiculous waste of time. you should be ashamed author of post, ashamed i say.
Hey guys, what happened to just disagreeing?
Why does everything have to be shocking, a travesty, a waste, shameful, garbage, etc. Just say you don’t agree, and say why. When you do, people actually want to read your comments.
Porto. Played English opposition 14 times. Lost 12 times. Was as obvious as the nose on your face that they’d beat Porto.
Wanting to play United or Chelsea. Madness. Simply get outclassed again.
Spot on Fred
It’s all very well saying that Arsenal have been beaten by the odd slip or unlucky goal in previous meetings with Chelsea & Man Utd but they have none the less been beaten. This season especially they have come up woefully short in big matches against big teams. This is not to detract from what was a great European performance against a decent team but for Arsenal to progress further I think there chances are better served by a tie against maybe Lyon (not the force they were two years ago) or Bayern Munich (solid but nothing more) rather than a tie against an English team.
It is quite apparent to me that Arsenal have moved a far distance forward since they played the Blues an Red devils earlier in the domestic season. I think Arsenal would be underdogs according to the bookies against either team, but from my view I don’t think you could predict a winner with any degree of certainty. Especially at the way the Gunners beat Porto without Cesc. Let’s see United do what they did to Milan without Rooney.
Personally, I’m crossing my fingers Arsenal meets United in the semi’s and Chelsea meets Barca in the semi’s. That would make for pure entertainment. I think The Bridge would burn down if they lost the way they did last year, and I don’t see a Gibbs slip up or an O’Shea volley happening again.
Hello
wenger
arsenal team need a creative striker like pazzinz or balolelli and remy or melo and nzonzi to repla song or phillip and hazard to replacemt arshavin and rosicky in team