I’m going to try and keep this short.
Wenger has brought us some beautiful football over the years and when it worked we applauded their beautiful game and when it doesn’t we try to analyse why. Some of the following reasons has been given by both pundits and Arsenal fans alike:
1) We are unlucky with many injuries to key players
2) Our kids are still learning, not enough experience
3) Teams prevent us from play by “kicking us off the pitch”
4) We didn’t get the ref decisions when it mattered
5) Our players weren’t committed and had poor work rate
I can go on and on about various reasons why we have not been able to win silverware since our 2005 FA Cup, but these problems are NOT unique to Arsenal. They happen to all teams to varying degrees.
What IS unique to Arsenal is our style of play and the players Wenger have purchased to suit that tactic. Wenger’s footballing philosophy dictates that a team can win a game by dominating possession with intricate passing to create space to attack. Being technically sound, mentally sharp, and physically fit are key requirements in an Arsenal player while most other teams just need to have “committed” players with a good “work rate” in order to nullify those “Arsenal Type” players. When we don’t get a result, you will remember that these are also the 3 most used excuses by Wenger when explaining why things didn’t work out.
Not only do Arsenal players have to be at their fittest and sharpest in order to play the “beautiful football” that we enjoy, they also have to deal with injuries throughout the season. That’s a tall order for any player to always try to play the game in it’s purest form when there could be other less demanding alternatives.
How about playing more direct passes with an intension to shoot at the goal rather than passing around the box looking for that “PERFECT” goal? Man United also play very beautiful football but they’re more direct with their play and as a result they are more efficient at getting a goal NOT because they’re better at passing but because they playing higher percentage passes that result in a shot on goal while ours usually ends in loss of possession in the final third of the pitch.
Given our injury situation now, is it still wise for Wenger to persist in playing beautiful football or is it time to play some more direct and efficient attacking football? When our key players are neither fit nor sharp, we shouldn’t expect our 2nd string to do things the hard way. It’s no wonder why at the business end of the season our players seemed knackered - you would too if you had been trying to play “PERFECT” football for most of the season and it’s no wonder why we dropped points against lower opposition when Man United dispatched those same team playing no-non sense, direct, and efficient football.
I think I’ve made my point. It’s almost embarrassing to claim we play the most beautiful football but yet have no trophies to show for it. Function always precedes aesthetics!
43 Responses to “Is Wenger Unlucky or Unwise?”
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May 4th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
It’s a case of personal belief. Like fans in World Cup, some admire teams playing with a fighting spirit, winning at all cost attitude, so they support Germany, Italy; some perfer watching great football, so they are fans of France, Brazil, Holland.
To me, Arsene Wenger is a bit of a dreamer. I watch football long enough to understand that playing attractive, attacking football is the most DIFFICULT way to WIN trophies. otherwise the trend today would have been attacking football rather than defensive.
that’s why i think our achievement in 2004 was simply unbelievable. A team play with such flair and skill, yet at the same time maintained such as consistency is extremely rare in football history.
of course, Wenger could have given in and try to be more direct with his football. but then he wouldn’t have been Arsene Wenger would he?
everyone has his own belief and value in life. a 5 years old can easily change his belief and value, a 50 years old is not as easy. George Graham, Mourinho the likes had endured lot of sticks for their negative approach, yet had they ever changed?
the most important thing though is - let’s don’t forget one thing, apart from a few older Gooners like Kiwi and me, most of the fans on this site only been supporting Arsenal within the past 10 years, before we condemning Wenger’s football belief, ask yourself - WHY did you choose to support Arsenal at the first place? Wasn’t it because of the same beauitful football Arsenal played under Wenger that attracted you to support Arsenal instead of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea at the first place?
May 4th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
as for Man Utd, i don’t think there are so big a difference between us and them. the only difference between the two clubs, to me, is RONALDO. Had not because of him, their no-nonsense, direct, efficient footbal might not have carried them as far as with where they are today.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Indeed Neova, we can play beautiful football and still win the trophies to put on the shelf. I personally do not think it is Wenger’s philosophy to walk the ball into the net and in most cases we are unable to score or even attempt a shot at goal in the box because at times we lack the incisive pass. We either pass too square, give up the ball by not being able to split the defense or have players misread the intent of the pass.
No one tactic is going to decide most games but a combination of long, short , wide, central and diagonal passing which will put pressure on the defense. One of our major problems in attack has been predictability. If a defense knows what is coming it is easy to defend. Arsene has predicated his team based on the Dutch and Brazilian “Total Football” concepts and players need to be finely tuned in order to make it successful.
In the final analysis, we need to have creative players who apart from playing within the confines of the system have the individual ability to create and finish scoring chances. This is the area in which we are lacking. Can you imagine a Kaka, Ronaldo, Robinho, Messi and the likes installed in this system. We are just one or two players away from creating that beautiful congruence between playing attractive football and winning all the trophies.
Hopefully we will achieve that next year.
May 4th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Well said Andez. My sole reason for becoming an Arsenal fan 7 years ago was because of their style, flair and elan which was sorely missing in the game at the at that time.
Watching them play football reminded me of the early Brazilians and Dutch, both of whom raised my expectations of the game forever. I could not bear to see Arsenal winning all the trophies playing a Mourinho brand of football.
So to answer your question, I would rather see them play fantastic football, give me panic attacks and increase the contents of my medicine chest by purchasing antacid gel tabs than play dull, boring football.
YES, we all want trophies!!! But what a host of fans fail to realize is the magnitude of success we have achieved this season by reaching the QF of the Champions League and by finishing no worse than 3rd in the EPL with a point total of at least 80 and doing this with a team worth less than half that of Chelsea and Manu , an average age of approximately 23 and only one 20 year old up and coming superstar in Fab. I dare any one to say that Fergie, Mourinho , Grant or Benitez could have reached the heights we have had this year with this team
NUFF SAID
May 5th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I think there were two BIG differences between ManU and Arsenal this season.
1. Goal scoring options: Amidst Ronaldo’s heroics, everyone forgets that Tevez and Rooney contributed a lot of goals. Unfortunately for Arsenal, nobody could support Ade. Our second top scorers in the league are Cesc and RvP with 7 each.
2. Defense: ManU are rock solid. 22 goals conceded as opposed to Arsenal’s 31. That gives them the platform to win games 1-0 when Arsenal are forced to draw 1-1.
Logic dictates that a strong CB and another goal scoring option would put Arsenal in pole position for the title next season. I am in general agreement with that. However, there are other issues which may play into it. Keeping the team intact, which we will not if Flamini leaves. Injuries to key players - RvP, Rosicky and Eduardo.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Great point Andez — we were ONE player different than ManUre. We just need one more player of “super, super class” like a Robinho. And perhaps a bit of strengthening in defense (not a lot — just another competent-in-the-air, solid CB for the rotation. A Richard Dunne-type would do nicely).
May 5th, 2008 at 12:55 am
“ask yourself - WHY did you choose to support Arsenal at the first place? Wasn’t it because of the same beauitful football Arsenal played under Wenger that attracted you to support Arsenal instead of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea at the first place?”
It is true that most of us support Arsenal because of the brand and style of play. We may continue to support it even if we don’t win trophies. But a club of Arsenal’s magnitude cannot go long periods without winning. Otherwise, we will be reduced to Liverpool, Newcastle or Spurs.
What frustrated most Arsenal fans is not that we don’t win trophies regularly, but the feeling that we got so close and things could have been so different if Wenger was a little flexible. Like for instance, after 02 and 04, whey did Wenger not strengthen the team? Also, in Jan, maybe a signing could have helped us in the title run.
Of course, there are many other factors in play here, but the general feeling that we always one player short of being great is what make it all the more frustrating for me. This summer, most of us expect two signings - CB and a goal scorer. Chances are Wenger will sign only one.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:25 am
we should stop fooling around.
lets just strengthen our spine.
a TALL and PROPER goalkeeper….alex gomez of PSV is 6 foot 5 inches and is very, very agile and commanding. he is also a penalty expert. lets get him or somebody similar in stature. fabianski at 5′11 is unnecessary given all our CBs are morons in the air.
a TALL and PROPER, no-nonsense CB. height of around 6′4″ and a no-nonsense, “brave” attitude will work nicely.
a TALL and PROPER, essien-ic CM.
even if we dont allow anybody else to leave, and bring in Vela, Merida and let Lehmann, Flamini leave. We will be quite OK.
I can imagine these 3 would cost 25 to 30 million - which is pretty much our budget.
It would also mean we have to rely on Hleb, Rosicky as senior AMs again! lol.
But at least we’ll now have Vela and Merida in there. With Walcott and possibly Traore doing a job.
And most importantly we would have a SOLID core or backbone.
ie. solid goalkeeper, solid defense, solid CM. the bedrock for winning titles.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:32 am
nipuna, the thing is Arsenal’s “magnitude” today is virtually because of Wenger. we had not won the league title for 7 years before he arrived. and a 5th place finish by Bruce Rioch was considered a good result the year before AW arrived.
in terms of spending power, we were never in the same league as Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea.
if you take into consideration the money AW had spent over the years, his entire regin with us Arsenal have been “overachieved”, even a 4th place finish.
during 02-04, don’t u remember it was the stadium first being built? where the money coming from? i said it many times before, had our manager being another man he would have left long ago. we should feel grateful AW decided to stay.
think of it this way - a man with a bigger EGO (as AW often being accused) would have stood up and dismiss the idea of a new stadium. as a man with a big ego would only care about HIMSELF. Back in 2004, we got an all conquering side, whether Arsenal has money to spend or not in the FUTURE, why would AW worry about it?
a new stadium means he would have limited fund to spend. why he bothered? he could have urged the board forget about the new stadium, give me more fund now so we can win more. makes his own CV look much prettier.
instead, he opted for scarified a side which was on the peak for his power, and willing to scarifiy the team and his own ego for the club’s LONG TERM interest.
damn, how lucky we Gooners are?
the new stadium built with a COST. and everyone had to pay a bit for it. the team, the club, the manager. So should the fans.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:40 am
The differing opinions on the players we should sign shows the difficulty of the task.
Back in Jan, all we were asking for was a winger, even that was because Rosicky was always injured. Then Eduardo got injured, the goals dried up and we suddenly needed a striker too. Then our defense in the crucial games (Chelsea, Liverpool and ManU) and we needed a strong CB.
Now Flamini is leaving, Gilberto doesn’t look good anymore and Denilson/Diaby/Song are too inexperienced. So we need a powerful CM. Finally, Lehmann is finished, Almunia is unconvincing, Fabianski is too young. So we need a GK.
Looks like we need 5 players - that’s a major overhaul.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Andez, I understand your point of view and I appreciate what Wenger has done at the club. It can be argued that had Wenger signed one more player, maybe we could have won the league and/or CL this year. True, we would have spent more in the transfer budget, but doesn’t winning result in more income for the club? Of course, it is not guaranteed that we would have won, but once in a while, it is worth a shot.
May 5th, 2008 at 2:19 am
I actually liked the look of Traore yesterday….made an immediate impact. Know its too early to make up our minds after just after 20 minutes….but I wouldn’t be too upset if we have Traore as our backup left winger for next season.One thing I noticed..was that after a really long time and probably for the first time season…we had serious pace on both the flanks …… Clichy and Traore … Eboue and Walcott…..made a big difference late in the game…would like to see that more often next season. Sometimes if teams just set out to defend and defend like Everton…..a burst of pace could be the key to unlocking it ..rather than skill.
The guy that most impressed me yesterday was Alex Song…he won more than 90% of the high balls that he went for….and also made a couple of really important interceptions. With Gallas-Toure-Senderos-Song-Djourou (Gilberto and Nordveit as backup) as our Center Back options for next season…don’t really see Wenger making a CB buy unless he has money to spare. If he does then he’ll have to sell atleast 2 of our present CB options. Let’s face it ..Toure has been largely in the team because Sagna has been injured ….If we bring this super star CB….then it will have to be Toure on the bench..don’t think he will like that all too much. If you put Gallas on the bench…you can as well say goodbye to him….so what we would be doing is bringing in a experienced CB and letting one go….leaving us back at Square 1.
Much as I like Flamini…i do think that his departure might just be a blessing in disguise for Arsenal….as good as he is…he does not provide too much of defensive help to our back 4..which can sometimes leave them exposed when both Fabregas and Flamini are attacking upfront. I was saying earlier that Wenger might make just 1 signing this year..but now with Flamini’s departure i think I will revise that estimate to 2….one no-nonsense tough tackling defensive midfielder (Makoun rumours seem to be gathering steam) and the attacking winger/striker.
Cheers,
May 5th, 2008 at 2:40 am
i agree with Traore wayne. this kid is actually very skillful. i remmeber someone suggested playing him in front of Clichy. sound like a good idea to me. he may be a bit raw defensively, but he got enough pace and skills to play there in midfield. or at least as an impact backup offers us some pace. the best thing next season is now they are going to have 7 subs, which allows AW to put more youngsters on the bench see what they can do.
as for Song, he been doing very well. but if Toure can come under criticism after so many years playing as CB, sooner or later i afraid Song will get found out as well. especially in the air, and in setpieces.
but i agree it doesn’t look likely AW will buy a new CB, as that would almost mean either Gallas or Toure will have to leave. whether Sendy leaves or not won’t make any difference.
I like Flamster, personally i will vote him as our player of the season, in terms of consistency. but if he wants to leave, to hell with him. AW will not keep anyone who doesn’t want to be here. As a Gooner myself, i sure hell won’t miss anyone who feels glass are greener elsewhere.
the same speaks for Hleb. if he wants to leave, he will be Alexandra Hell to me, i don’t care if he’s as good as Johan Cruyff.
if they both decide to stay, they are the key players for us next season. And go Alex, Flamster! yes, i m biased!
May 5th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Totally agree Andez..if a guy does not want to play for the team….he should be shown the door as fast as possible. Even in the unlikely event that Flamini signs now..i seem to have lost a little bit of respect for him. Said earlier…that he made the move for money..i wouldn’t blame him….but this kind of dilly dallying is just getting irritating. Wenger should never have extended the deadline to Monday in the first place….the only reason why he could have done that was if Flamini had said that he was seriously considering the Arsenal offer….but with AC Milan confirming his capture…he’s made Wenger and Arsenal Football Club look foolish.
I’ve been thinking this over for a long time….is it really as beneficial for players to move for money as they think it is?. If you are happy playing for a team….have great friendships with teammates….and have all the chances of becoming a Legend in the making…is a 4- year contract offering greater money all that important?. I sometimes feel that players are just a bit short sighted when it comes to making such decisions.
Take Wenger’s case….i’m sure he would have been offered..real big money by a host of other clubs over the years…but he chose not to move. Part of it could be loyalty to the club….and part of it could be his penchant for thinking long term. Look at him today..he may not have set the world alight with the amount of trophies he has brought to Arsenal…but his reputation has only increased year after year. Would this have happened if he had jumped 3-4 clubs over the course of the last 10-12 years….i don’t think so. He would probably still be known as a good manager..but never have legend status among the fans or people with interest in football. Today after he finishes his managerial career…he will in all probability be given a job for life with more than decent pay. In the long term..which option is actually giving him more money….is a 4 year contract with a team like Real Madrid offering double his present salary be worth more than his choice to stay on at Arsenal…I don’t think so
.
Would a Dennis Bergkamp be really welcomed by Arsenal Football Club and its fans today…Absolutely. Henry ..I still think he has legend status primarily because his move was more on personal reasons. How about Ashley Cole once he’s finished with his career?….Never at Arsenal….at Chelsea…I don’t think so even if he spends the rest of his playing career there. And unfortunately I don’t think think it will be the case with Flamini as well.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:02 am
It’s not clear what Song brings is what is missing currently in the defense. He is calm and relaxed, looks good on the ball and seems decent at reading the situation (so far). Yet what we need is aerial strength.
All the while, it appears that Song is well suited for the DM role, where he should be able to replace Flamini and Gilberto. But you never know what Wenger has up his sleeve. He could be plotting one signing between CB and DM, the other he will fill from within.
The other point to note is that neither Song nor Traore have been tested yet. It would have been interesting if Villa had won against Wigan. Everton would have made a match of yesterday and then we would really know how good the reserves are. Otherwise, it is difficult to infer anything from games like this.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:06 am
I would like to reiterate my point about Bendtner.
The kid has scored 5 goals in the league. Not much, it might seem. But he has started only 5 games. Also, 5 goals is 4th best in the side (shows how poor the others have been). And every single goal has been an important one.
2 winners against Spurs and Everton = 4 points gained.
2 levelers against Villa and Liverpool = 2 points gained.
1st goal against Derby.
Let’s hope the team warms up to him and he can put behind his problems and work hard to improve himself.
May 5th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Wayne, post 12, I agree 100 percent. I’ve been calling for Traore to get some PT at LM since Rosicky went down. Does he have big game experience? Of course not. However he has all the necessary bits to pose a serious threat, mainly quickness, pace, and power. I griped last week about how Diaby was just taking up a squad place. Surely, Wenger could have given young Armand twenty minutes here and there. He may have made a difference like he did yesterday.
I think we need to hit up Russia for a striker and a goal keeper. I think Akinfeev who plays for CSKA could be our number one. We saw Akinfeev play well against us in the CL but we also saw him get ripped by Inter in the group stage this year. I remember rumors about him being linked last year but he wasn’t signed because Lehamnn stayed. We’ll see.
I also mentioned, before we signed Eduardo, a Russian striker named Pavluchenko. With Pavluchenko, for those who don’t know, he’s tall, quick, and fast with that Russian, Hleb-type guile and a very clinical finish. I think we can get him for cheap. We’ll watch him in the Euro’s and see how he does.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:34 am
To me is like we say here in brazil: Arsenal é um time amarelão!
=/
May 5th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Serious…
I think our players cant control the “pressure” when the league is finishing or are on finals. A big team must keep the “posture” from the beginning to finals.
I still didnt believing that match with Liverpool… to me Liverpool is weak. They loses for my 1st club Sao Paulo FC and if they would play again this month they would lose again.
Not again Premier League… but only Manchester and Chelsea could win Arsenal… the other Loss to ME was lack of attention.
And we cant say this:
“We are unlucky with many injuries to key players”
Why not?
Because the managers, directors, presidents etc… must build a team with good pieces to replace in case injuries.
And Arsenal do not have good pieces to replace.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:23 am
That’s main crux of the issue. Arsenal’s tendency to implode in moment of ascendency. If you look at our record of holding on to leads against big teams over the last few years it is very poor. In nearly every game we have taken the lead we have given it up and the only games we won in such a position was when we scored in the 86th min versus United last year, and in 91st minute against them at the Emirates. Even then, at Old Trafford, we gave up a chance to Solskjaer almost immediately.
That’s going to be the big issue again next year, regardless of signings and squad depth. Are we going to choke away the league again if in such a position to do so? That’s what rival fans and the like will be pining for and half-expecting. Even this season, checking United forums, several of their fans were convinced we would collapse. They didn’t say the same about Chelsea.
So, Arsenal have created a problem for themselves on that score, one that with some intelligence and composure need not have existed. Next season, if we go 1-0 up at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge, will we hang on?
That is the issue that commands my attention, more so than statistical improvements and our home record and away record. For instance last year we had a great record versus the top four and this year we are near the bottom of that mini-table.. Yet this year we are supposedly better.
Statistically, if we improve next year as much as we have this year, we should be reaching ninety points. However, we all know it’s not as simple and logical as that. Teams can go one step foward and one step back. I think next year, more than this year, will tell us how much we’ve really improved.