The topic that I am writing about today is definitely going to ignite fire against me in the Arsenal community, and a lot of gooners would be calling me a disgrace yet again. I would also get comments and advices by a lot of Arsenal fans to go and support Chelsea or Manchester United. But before I move on to discuss the topic of my post today, I would like to clarify that I am a Gunner at heart and I would remain a Gunner always, and I am not like a lot of Arsenal fans out there who don’t welcome any sort of critical analysis. Take it or leave it! I am going to write what I analyse and would raise my voice against the concerns that a top club like Arsenal are facing in these times.
The topic of discussion today is Arsene Wenger and I would like to highlight his past achievements before I move on to being critical about him. Everyone knows and even I admit that Arsene Wenger signing up for Arsenal back in 1996 was one of the bestest things that happened to Arsenal in its entire history. Since the arrival of this man, Arsenal has been on a roller coaster ride and has become one of the most elite clubs in Europe. Arsene Wenger put in a lot of hard work during his time at Arsenal, and he has proved his worth by taking the club to the top flight. Only two clubs ruled the English League for about a decade and that were Arsenal and Manchester United. During his time at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger signed many players and with his amazing tactics of having foreign players, each having a entirely unique skill set, blended a team of super stars. All this hard work led to Arsenal being a very strong club and other teams feared playing against them, and of course Arsene Wenger was the mastermind and the back-bone behind all this success.
Now considering Arsene Wenger’s scenario, the following are the reasons that made Arsene the amazing manager that he is today:
- He became known for turning things around for Arsenal and making them a top club with his great signings, and making them with the FA Cup and the Premier League several times
- Wenger got famous for turning the “boring boring Arsenal” in to a team that plays one of the most entertaining football in the world with the classy one-touch, two touch passing
- Another thing that adds to Arsene Wenger’s claim to fame is his skill of picking up unknown players with potential and polishing them up in to STAR players
I would like to focus on point number three for the rest of my discussion. Yes, thats right that Arsene Wenger has been stamped that he never spends too much and is famous for spending wisely. We have often heard Wenger quote that “We will sign that player only if the price is right,” and this is the philosophy and image that media has been spreading about Arsene since a very long time. According to my understanding and analysis, since the media has played a VITAL role in creating this image for Arsene Wenger, he is trapped in his own shell of EGO and media image. Although this might seem to be a very weird statement, but if we really think about this everything does fall into pieces. For example, Alex Ferguson always has a reputation of being a very intelligent manager but he was never “BRANDED” with terms like a “wise spender.”
We do know that during his time at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has made players like Vieira, Anelka, Henry and Cesc Fabregas, which of course is an amazing achievement. But how I see it is that the importance of being on the back of making such great players, has out-grown Wenger’s obsession of winning trophies for the club that he made. Why does Arsene always dips in the transfer market to get an unknown face? Why is he always spending to get young players and looking to build them in to stars? He is over-doing it at the expense of the club and it’s success. He could rather get more experienced players and seed the young talent between them. Just like how Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas became the players they are today. Did they play among a team of youth and grew as strong players? Where is the experience going to come from if everyone is under 22? Playing lousy experienced defenders like Sylvestre, is not going to instill confidence in the team? Such players are not confident themselves?
How I see it is that with his fame of making superstars from average players, Arsene Wenger has become extremely obsessed with making a team of youngsters who grows up to be the team of superstars. And of course the credit will go to Wenger if such a thing ever succeeds. But going 4 seasons trophyless, losing key play-makers and lowering the morale of the players and the fans is not going to help. Wenger is fighting for his own personal ego, since he doesn’t want to do things how other managers and football clubs are doing it. All Wenger wants to do is spend less and make big players out of them. It is about time he should understand that the overall market situation has changed globally, and it is not the same as it was in 1996. The good thing about Alex Ferguson is that he learnt from his mistakes, understood that the market and the football is changing and wisely moved ahead with time to change hi tactics. He makes players as well as buys expensive to give his team the right blend of players, mentality and confidence. The problem with Arsene Wenger is that, he is still stuck in the 1990s and he doesn’t want to get out of the same mindset. He just feels that everything that he thinks is right, but he should understand that by now and stop fighting for his ego. He should accept the change and move on to change his own tactics, buy experience and put the club on the right track again.
I am not against Arsene, I am just against his ego of not accepting the change with time. Atleast I don’t see things changing too much at Arsenal if Arsene Wenger continues to use the same tactics he has been using in the past 4 trophy-less seasons. And it is not about a trophy at the end of the day, it is more about how the team plays and how we can retain players. And for God’s sake we cannot turn players like Djourou, Alex Song and Denilson into World Class players. Give me or any other player that much match time and they might turn out to be better.
Signing off with the hope that things become well at Arsenal. And I am not going to go and support any other team, if you want to do it? You are most welcome to!
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