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The Stubborn Wenger!
By Toyin | February 17, 2010
I have never seen anyone as stubborn and myopic as Arsenal’s Wenger in world football. The man just believes that there’s no other way except his and that come rain or shine, he would eventually be proven right. However, the current reality on ground is not the situation. Tonight as they play against FC Porto in the first knockout round of the UEFA champions’ league, the team would be without six regular starters. Gallas, Almunia, Song, Asharvin and Eduardo will not travel to Portugal while the long injured Robin Van Persie has been off the scene since October 2009.
Before the unfortunate injury of the Flying Dutchman, he was on fire for the team. He had scored 11 goals up to that time and his first class thinking and quick feet was a delight to watch for many many Gunners. However, as in recent past, Robin seems to be made of glass and he got injured again. But Le Prof had a perfect solution: Andrey Asharvin!
The only problem is that the little Russian is not a target man. While his talent and ability is undoubted, it could not be claimed that he’s a renowned striker. As usual, Arsene knows. And when the transfer window opened in January, everyone thought that definitely the Prof would at least buy a replacement for Robin while waiting for Nicklas Bendtner to regain fitness. Again, Wenger let the opportunity passed by when he could easily have bought Carlton Cole of West Ham.
Suddenly, the four crunch matches came against Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. The foolishness of Arsene came to the fore when Chelsea and Manchester United comprehensively defeated Arsenal. They could only pick four points out of a possible 12 and the title dream became more like a nightmare once again.
Prior to this situation, Arsenal had the opportunity to progress in the FA Cup against Stoke City. Wenger decided to field a much weaker team against an opponent that defeated his full side last season and he paid dearly for that; they lost the match by 3-1. Having not won any trophy for almost five years now, would it not have been most appropriate to concentrate on the FA cup to at least give the young talents at the Emirates a taste of success?
Rather Wenger decided that the FA was not top of his agenda and therefore lost out again on the chance to taste from the hallowed cup. So the league cup was out and now the FA Cup is out and the Premiership looks very achievable but the personnel is not really there as injuries (the albatross), of many teams has dealt serious blow to Arsenal’s title credentials again. Just imagine for a moment that Arsene actually bought two new players in the transfer window- a defensive midfielder and an outright striker, they could be singing a different tune now. The defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United were not really as a result of lack of trying but due to the absence of a good finisher. As a matter of fact, the last time the Gunners were at Stamford Bridge, they inflicted Chelsea’s last home defeat in the league. And guess who did the damage? Robin Van Persie!
There’s nothing wrong in having a set of beliefs. But there’s everything wrong in sticking with such when there are no results to accommodate the tendency. Wenger is guilty of this. We must not be overly inundated with past achievement to the detriment of current and future progress. While Arsenal as a team has declined on the field of play over the past six years, major competitors have evolved and became more competitive.
A deep look at Barcelona, a team Arsenal played in the Champions League finals of 2006 gives a very apt description of the realities at the Emirates. After that triumph, Barcelona did not rest on its oars and have since won another European cup. Meanwhile, Arsenal has won nothing and the team is still under the studious watch of Wenger!
Under Arsene, the team seems to take one step forward and two backwards. The silly policy on contractual extensions to players above 30 years is laughable at best. All Wenger and the fat cats at the Emirates need do is check out the roles players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher, Michael Ballack, Raul Gonzales, Philipo Inzaghi play in their respective clubs. It is very disheartening to see the kind of goals being set at the Emirate-all financial!
While it is very imperative for a club to leave within its means, it is even more critical to achieve success on the field of play particularly when such a club is categorized among the elites in Europe. Arsenal has gradually but surely fallen off pace in tangible achievement and critical success in the field of play in the last five years and this is unacceptable. Wenger, whether he likes or not, has shown serious lack of ambition.
It also seems that he’s very comfortable with mediocrity having around in his team players like Silvestre, Senderos and Theo Walcott who I must say have been critically disappointing for Arsenal even when fit. Compared to the top goalkeepers in England, Manuel Almunia would be far behind in my pecking order. I doubt whether he would make my list of top 10 goalkeepers in England and yet Wenger sees in him the top class attributes required to be champions. Very laughable! He had it in his hands to have brought in Shay Given but in his usual dismissive manner passed over what would have been a brilliant addition.
While calling players like Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Barbatov etc overpriced entities, they have won tons of silverware for their clubs even as Wenger’s young starlets and ‘cheap’ stars have brought nothing to the Emirates. The foregoing is more than enough reason to rethink strategies and beliefs. The ball is currently in his court, but not for long with the potential exit of Cesc Fabregas; the jewel in Arsene’s crown!
Topics: Who Will Win |