Oil prices edge higher on Thursday    Gold prices fall on Thursday    Global stocks mostly up on Thursday    Egypt to swap capital gains for stamp duty to boost stock market investment    Petroleum minister, AngloGold Ashanti discuss expanded investments in Egypt    Egypt, Volkswagen discuss multi-stage plan to localise car manufacturing    Egypt denies coordination with Israel over Rafah crossing    Egypt tackles waste sector funding gaps, local governance reforms    Egypt, Switzerland explore expanded health cooperation, joint pharmaceutical ventures    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt's Abdelatty urges deployment of international stabilisation force in Gaza during Berlin talks    Egypt opens COP24 Mediterranean, urges faster transition to sustainable blue economy    Private Egyptian firm Tornex target drones and logistics UAVs at EDEX 2025    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Egypt extends Ramses II Tokyo Exhibition as it draws 350k visitors to date    Egypt signs host agreement for Barcelona Convention COP24 in December    Al-Sisi urges probe into election events, says vote could be cancelled if necessary    Filmmakers, experts to discuss teen mental health at Cairo festival panel    Cairo International Film Festival to premiere 'Malaga Alley,' honour Khaled El Nabawy    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches National Strategy for Rare Diseases at PHDC'25    Egypt adds trachoma elimination to health success track record: WHO    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Arsenal now just a 'Cup' team under Wenger?
Reuters Published in Ahram Online on 23 - 02 - 2018

Victory over Manchester City in Sunday's League Cup final could salvage Arsenal's season but would also provide more ammunition to those who deride the Gunners as a glorified 'cup team'.
It is 14 years since Arsenal last won the Premier League, and they have finished in the top two only once in the past decade, albeit 10 points behind Leicester City in 2016.
Last season they finished fifth and Arsene Wenger's side are currently being left behind in sixth spot as they prepare to face runaway Premier League leaders City at Wembley.
The annual debate about Wenger's future will rage again in the closing months of the season -- with the club's supporters split between loyalists and those who believe the Frenchman needs to step aside if Arsenal are to challenge for the title.
Wenger will point to the three FA Cups he has won in the past four seasons, including last season when they denied Chelsea a league and cup double.
Arsenal have not won the League Cup since 1993 and despite reaching two finals under Wenger, the club has generally regarded the competition as disposable during his reign.
Which makes it all the more ironic that Arsenal's season could boil down to what happens against Pep Guardiola's City.
Even if Arsenal do win, however, former defender Nigel Winterburn says it might not be enough to prevent more of Wenger's diehard support base drifting away.
"They need the victory but will that be enough for some supporters?" Winterburn, who played in Arsenal's 1993 win against Sheffield Wednesday, told Sky Sports.
"I think the frustration with the fans and Wenger at the moment is that they accept that Arsenal are a very good Cup team, they have proved that in the FA Cup.
"But it's the league title and the (lack of) challenge for the league title that people are becoming frustrated with."
By the time Arsenal kick off on Sunday they could be 11 points behind the top four and 10 behind north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Their hopes of returning to the Champions League may well depend on whether they can go on and win the Europa League, having stumbled into the last 16 despite a 2-1 home defeat by Swedish club Ostersunds on Thursday.
"That should be a wake-up call," Winterburn said.
Wenger has won seven of his 12 cup finals with Arsenal, but all of the last three. His record still looks shoddy compared with that of Guardiola, however, who has bagged 11 out of 12.
Even if favourites City do stumble on Sunday, though, they are almost certain to be celebrating winning the Premier League in the Spring -- a feeling Arsenal fans now begin each season hoping for but not expecting.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

Clic here to read the story from its source.