LEAVE NOW ARSENE! IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!

Arsene Who? That was the headline that covered the London Evening Standard on October 1, 1996 after Arsenal signed Arsene Wenger. Now it’s Wenger Out everywhere you go.  A relative unknown upon his arrival on British shores, despite his successes with Monaco in previous stints. His arrival though heralded a change in the British approach to football. He brought along with him, a fresh and attractive brand of football that condemned the tag of ‘Boring, Boring Arsenal' to the past. Also with him, came a recruitment policy that involved an awareness of the untapped markets throughout Europe (especially France). A transformation in player fitness and maximizing potential while playing football sent from the Gods was his niche and nobody could do it better than Le Professeur. He was the wind of change that Arsenal and English football needed and very soon everyone was following suit.

Wenger also brought success on the pitch with the Gunners with four FA Premier League trophies, four FA Cup wins and four Community Shield wins with a double in the 1997-98 season and the Invincibles tag in the 2004 after going a season unbeaten in the League. A golden period no doubt for Wenger and Arsenal. He was miles ahead of everyone and just like the hare in Aesop's fable , ' The Tortoise and the Hare', Le Prof slowed down, took a sort of a break and everyone caught up with him and most of them even got better than him. A sign of things to come. A sign that he should leave while things were rosy. 

Since 2004, the Gunners adopted a mediocre approach of some sort as they became content with successive fourth place finishes and eliminations at the Round of 16 in the Champions League. The old magic was still there as he has been able to unearth talents across Europe but they have all come to naught. They had their best chance of winning the Premier League but the seemingly fragile mentality that Wenger hid for so long was transferred to his players and allowed Leicester City to surprise us all and claim the League. 

The last few years has seen Arsenal become the laughingstock of England and Wenger is the clown that leads this band of weak and spineless bunch. It is safe to say the times caught up with him and his stubbornness from a tactical viewpoint and a somewhat delayed reaction in transfers is of his own doing and its time he left while he still has some dignity left. 

Time has never been anyone's friend as it has a way of making people forget your best while focusing on your worst. Wenger had the chance to escape this fate but chose to face time for another two years but only weeks into the new season, it appears he's still the same old 'once-good-but now-mediocre' legend who would prefer to lose it all than quit while he has something to hold on to. 

Arsene Wenger is by far been the greatest manager in the history of Arsenal and deserves to be remembered for his successes.. so long as he leaves now! Despite the pettiness of time, it will still give you a choice to define who you are and what you'll be remembered for. 

Over to you Le Professeur.

GOALS, EXCITEMENT, SURPRISES AND MORE! WHAT WE LEARNT FROM DAY 1 OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

The 2017/18 Premier League season is underway and fans were treated to an entertaining weekend all over the world.

If we were to judge based on preseason results and transfer dealings, then the overriding feeling before kick-off would have been that top sides would get off to a flying start. But this is the top flight of English football and things are never so simple.

On a weekend where the reigning champions Chelsea were humbled at home by Burnley, while the favorites showed us their title credentials and Liverpool was Liverpool, 

here's few things we learnt from the Premier League on Match Day 1

1. Arsenal may not win the trophy but will have a big say in who wins it 

The Gunners started the Premier League at home with a nail biting but exciting seven goal thriller with Leicester.

The game showed us that should Arsenal be able to steer clear of injuries and all the unnecessary off the pitch issues that usually plague them, they will be a deciding factor in finding this season's winner. With a potent front line and a back line that looks ready to collapse at any point in the season, we can expect the Gunners to be themselves by having a shot at the trophy in the first half of the season and capitulate midway and try to salvage it at the end. Unless they delve into the transfer market and strengthen some defensive positions, expect Wenger and his men to be kingmakers this season.

 2. New Season, Same Old Liverpool

Usually the Premier League is unpredictable but it has one constant: Liverpool! There's the usual hype and furor about their transfer dealings and performances in the off season , the inability to transfer the performances to the season consistently and then the tag "Robin Hood".

 Though the season is young, The Reds showed signs of these in another goal-fest on Matchday 1 against Watford. Yes, there was the enforced and "semi-enforced" absences of Coutinho and Lallana but with the kind of squad Klopp has at his disposal, this should not be an excuse. A failure to improve in defence and goalkeeping will counteract all the work in attack. There is still time this season for Klopp to improve his and Liverpool's fortunes from "Next Year Will Be Our Year" to "This is Our Year".

3. Signs of Second Season Syndrome for Conte

After a title winning season in his maiden season in England, Antonio Conte has been anything but happy in the lead up to his second season.

With a somewhat unsatisfactory transfer campaign and the apparent lack of squad depth, it looks like the second season demons that plagued Ancelotti and Mourinho (in his second spell) are back and part of the blame lies squarely at his doorstep. His shocking treatment of Diego Costa, an apparent lack of communication between the board and himself (Matic sale) and his tactical rigidness (so far) all make up a recipe for disaster and this is imminent! With the improvements made by title rivals, a lack of depth and a grueling season ahead, it is safe to say Chelsea won’t be winning anything neither will they be defending anything. It might be the end of Conte’s stint at the Bridge. Failure to invest in the squad and a tweak in tactics will mean the ''Second Season Syndrome'' strikes and the London Bridge falls down.

4. Mourinho building Chelsea 2.0 at Old Trafford

Jose Mourinho is building another solid side with Manchester United and Chelsea may have given him the final piece. United’s signings seem to have gelled well but the addition of Nemanja Matic has all but solidified the side and given the team freedom to be fluid while occasionally joining the attack. With a burly target man with the form of Lukaku , pacy wingers at his side, creative midfielders behind him and pivot of Matic and Pogba not forgetting a solid backline and a world class goalkeeper, Mou has all the ingredients to create title winning juggernaut at the Theater of Dreams. Watch Out England, Jose is Coming.