Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
Andy Pakes previews this Sunday afternoon clash in the first edition of Game of the Week for 2012
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In reality, though, it’s difficult to see how an abandonment of Wenger’s youth philosophy in the hope of a short-term glory fix is going to solve anything. Tactically, this team still has clear direction and is capable of pulling off outstanding victories – like those against United and Barcelona at the Emirates this season – with a tremendous work rate and skilful zonal pressing. Wilshere, Song and Diaby are developing a nice understanding with each other and with Fabregas. For Wenger, it would be madness to upset a midfield that averaged over 60 percent possession last season, and were the most successful passers by a long way.
Defensively, too, bringing in first-team signings seems like a step backwards. Vermaelen is an injury-free season away from world-class status, and it could be argued that Djourou has the same potential. By February this season, before his serious shoulder injury, Djourou had played in 11 games, conceding a total of four goals. The 14 games without him saw Arsenal concede 23. These may only be statistical musings, but one can understand why Wenger is reticent in bringing in an expensive defender to supplant either Vermaelen or Djourou from the first team. This defence can work well, and too much emphasis is placed on individual error. After all, Ferguson’s champions threw away more points from winning or drawing positions than Wenger’s side in the season just gone.
Rather than individual culpability, the biggest problem appears to be the lack of collective identity among the players. Constantly torn between supporter pressure, media ridicule and Wenger’s ideological reassurance, this generation of players hasn’t quite worked out what it wants. The Carling Cup was supposed to be a liberation; an opportunity to buy time for squad growth behind the veil of arbitrary glory. In a world where Manchester United find victories against all odds, and Barcelona supremely rule as the artists to aspire to, losing to Birmingham in embarrassing fashion comfirmed Wenger’s players’ suspicions that they were born losers; destined to provide laughable context for the winning of every major competition. In a table constructed from games played after the Carling Cup final, Arsenal's points-per-game total puts them in 14th. Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn all performed better. Psychologically, the wheels well and truly came off.
In all honesty, it’s quite possible that Wenger doesn’t care at all about winning. Eight times this season Arsenal have reached the half-time dressing room in a losing position, and only once have Wenger’s words inspired his side to victory, and five out of 17 times the Frenchman has talked his side into throwing away a half-time lead. The truth is, having once presided over the Invincibles, Wenger’s appetite for trophies has all but evaporated. He wants to go down alongside Boris Arkadiev, Herbert Chapman and Rinus Michels as having contributed substantially to the philosophy of football. Perhaps it’s time for the Professor to realise that a Premier League that still lauds Jamie Carragher’s blunt tackling as the pinnacle of footballing prowess probably isn’t the right place to auter a perfect footballing vision.
Great article. I think where Manchester United have been so successful under Alex Ferguson is that they combine the fantastic talent that they have with an ability to 'win ugly'. For Ferguson, points come before prettiness, but he is lucky to be able to combine the two! For Wenger, I think that it is the other way around, and I think he is possibly so set in his football ideology that he is reluctant, almost to the point of being stubborn, to change that.
Agree with you both, James and James! Wenger has a great squad of world-class talented players who have the ability to be great. Wenger's a bit of a drama queen though but I think as the players mature over the next season or two, if they stay at Arsenal, he will have a fantastic side.
I'm not too sure Wenger is the problem. Remember that the footballing philosophy at Arsenal was no different when Wenger went an entire Premier League season unbeaten and took his side to the Champions League final. There is just one missing ingredient at the moment: the goal-scorer, it's been so lacking since Henry left the club. Chamakh was meant to give that to the side, but just 7 goals in 34 games suggests he's not good enough. If Arsenal can get there hands on 15-20 goal per season striker, I truly believe they can be the complete team.
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