Towards the end of last season, especially in our games against Tottenham (away 3-3), Liverpool (Home 1-1) and Bolton (away 1-2). Arsene Wenger was going absolutely mental on the touchline; kicking water bottles after every decision that went against us whilst also being persistently unable to sit still for more than two seconds.
I don't think I had ever seen him like that. In the fifteen years he has been here, he had almost always maintained his composure whilst on the touchline, yes he did lose it a couple of times-but In my opinion never to this degree. I was baffled, yes there was pressure from the fact that wins in those games could potentially have won us the title, but we had been in many situations in the past where there was a heck of a lot more pressure, yet Wenger was nothing like in the state he was then.
Now, I'm sure you are wondering how on earth this links to the predicament we are currently in, but please bare with me.
The reason why Fabregas left us was because Barcelona could easily fill his trophy ambitions, whilst we couldn't. It has nothing to do with it being a 'childhood dream to play for Barca" etc. otherwise he certainly wouldn't have left there in the first place (to move to what at that time was a more successful club) and he wouldn't have publically dismissed speculation lining him to sign for them in 2008 (remember then, they finished 20 points of Real Madrid, and were thrid in the league-> arguably we were closer to winning something than them lol). However, it came clear to him in the summer of last year that he would win trophies at Barcelona, so he requested a move. Now, this next part I am guessing but I would have imagined Arsene sat down with him and convinced him to stay on for another season to finally prove we could win at least one trophy, and that if we didn't we would sell him off to Barcelona the next season (this could have been a reason why we were fielding stronger than usual sides in the FA cup and Carling Cup).
Anyway, as we all know we spectacularly collapsed towards the end of februaury and early March, blowing our chances of winning the FA cup, or Carling Cup or Champions League. Our sole chance of winning a trophy and hence keeping Cesc was by winning the premierleague.
Wenger is an excellent judge of ability, even his critics (which sadly are growing day by day) would agree. Now I look back, I am sure that the reason why he was so tentative was because he knew how badly our team would struggle without Fabregas, whose future at the club would depend of the outcome of those results.
Do you agree/ disagree?
End of season Wenger antics makes sense now
posted on 18/9/11
I agree.
posted on 18/9/11
wenger has lost the dressing room, period. When you do that regardless of who he signed in the last transfer window is irrelavant. Hence we have been on a dip since last season when we lost the CC final. There were disagreements between the players & wenger on playing the injured Cesc. Players wanted cesc to play, wenger didnt.
posted on 18/9/11
The problem is that there is no grit in that team whatsoever.
Look back at the team that last one the League - it was full of fighters like Campbell, Keown, Viera, Gilberto, Cole, Toure along with the elegance of Henry and Bergkamp.
Now look at who you have - where is the grit?? there is none, they are all powderpuff players and no matter what you might want to think, RvP is not even half as good as Bergkamp or Henry.
Someone like Scott Parker would have been a good buy for Arsenal, put some bite into that midfield, and Gary Cahill would have been a good purchase too.
Instead you got Arteta and Benayoun which says it all really.
posted on 18/9/11
I think it's 4-3-3 unfortunately that's winding Wenger up.
I think Wenger has concluded that 4-3-3 is the best chance of winning any game. He's committed to it totally.
The problem is it depends for it's success on having an extremely talented and hardworking midfield.
If the midfield isn't there, it's a nightmare system just asking for a kicking and one that will make any attempts at defence just laughable.
With Wilshere (or last season, Fabregas) injured, new players getting accustomed to the team and Ramsey trying to achieve form, Wenger knows the midfield isn't there.
posted on 18/9/11
Mouseburger I agree with you. I have wanted us to get Parker for so long and he would have costed only £6 million. We clearly needed another centre back as Vermalean was out for whole of last season and it was likely he would get another injury this season. Cahill or Samba would have been ideal.