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The Wenger Complex

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It has been a barren five years for Arsenal fans, the memory of Patrick Vieira’s FA cup winning penalty against Manchester United in the 2005 final feels like forever ago. For a club that was so successful around the turn of the century and spawned possibly one of the greatest Premier League teams in 03/04’s ‘Invincibles’, it has certainly been a strain on the fans perception of Wenger’s new breed.

Fans and critics alike find themselves looking back at Wenger’s teams of old, teams that won trophies on a regular basis. Captained by Tony Adams and later Patrick Vieira, with support from the likes of Emanuel Petit, Nigel Winterburn and the safe hands of David Seaman and to an extent Jens Lehman. Arsenal were accused of being dirty, overly aggressive and more importantly they were disliked for being successful. Accusations that no neutral could rail at Wenger’s current crop.
Wenger has not done himself or his team any favours, using any opportunity given to remonstrate the perceived injustices he sees week in week out against his team. His preferred targets the likes of Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce. Wenger, as we all know, argues that opposition teams play a little rougher than they usually would against Arsenal. His opposite numbers and critics counter his claims, believing (quite rightly) that they have every right to ‘rough’ Arsenal up, knowing very well that technically they are no match. In a subverted way, you can see it as a compliment to Wenger’s philosophy, especially when the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea revert to counter attacking football when up against the Gunners.

It is the list of casualties suffered at the Emirates that adds weight to Wenger’s ire. Aaron Ramsey, Eduardo Da Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby are just a proportion of the players that have been seriously injured against the likes of Stoke, Bolton and other more ‘physical’ sides. Yet Wenger was the first to leap to Jack Wilshere’s defence after the young midfielder’s reckless challenge on Birmingham’s Nicola Zigic, citing Wilshere’s inexperience and exuberance, rather than focusing on any malice in the challenger. If the tables were turned, then yes, Wenger would have been furious. Is he hypocritical? It’s debatable, but as any football manager has admitted, they will defend their players to the hilt and Wenger is no different.

Success is ultimately the barometer for criticism; if Arsenal were regularly gathering silverware then this debate would be irrelevant. Look at Man Utd and Chelsea, currently the two most successful teams in English football. They too can play a to high standard of technical ability. However, as United showed at the Britannia stadium and as Chelsea demonstrate on a regular basis, they can handle the physical tests thrown at them too. Furthermore, there is no complaint from the two sides, before or after these physical tests. They understand that to be successful you have to overcome such challenges.

It seems that Wenger wants the world to subscribe to his team’s mentality; one borne out of technical excellence and built on a template set by the Dutch total football. Unfortunately for Mr. Wenger not all teams have the material at their disposal that he does. Therefore they play to the strengths that they do have. Wenger himself denies the claims that Arsenal are a soft touch, citing the recent game against Chelsea he commented: “We were not dominated physically at all. On the contrary, we dominated that game physically, so we are not too soft.” That may well be true, but unfortunately the most important statistic of that game was that they lost. The result against City may have looked good on paper and Arsenal certainly passed that test with flying colours, but the game was never really a contest after the sending off. Arsenal need to prove that their way of playing football is successful as well as aesthetically pleasing. Otherwise they won’t be remembered.

Wenger suffers due to his strictly European approach to football; Arsenal’s approach to football is more akin to the Spanish national side’s ‘Tika-Taka’ than the kick and rush approach more commonly found in British football. It is an approach that should be lauded and English football should really be learning from Wenger. Yes, he may be a little too hasty to criticise others, therefore leaving himself open to receive a similar dosage, but he is a visionary of the modern game. The English national team demonstrated this summer the need for technical ability. Just as Spain demonstrated a juxtaposition of that and showed what can be done with it when interwoven with a level of physicality. Wenger, although easily criticised, has changed Football in England with his Arsenal team, but as said earlier, to be remembered he needs Silverware.


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  • Boz says:

    “His opposite numbers and critics counter his claims, believing (quite rightly) that they have every right to ‘rough’ Arsenal up, knowing very well that technically they are no match.”

    If that weren’t a dangerous comment (see number of broken legs and career threatening injuries) it would be laughable. Get a grip.

  • Edmund Simpson says:

    Astonishing how this brief overview of Wenger’s last, trophy-less five years conveniently omits to mention that the club have funded the construction of a spanking new stadium. Unlike other teams, Arsenal have elected to finance the prodigious financial burden this entailed without the aid of the ill-gotten gains of a plutocrat.
    Despite the fact that he has been starved of fundsa(average outlay on players over the past 5 years = 4 million quid. I repeat 4 million quid – which is less than your average Championship side), he still managed to clinch a CL berth every year, and play some decent football along the way.
    I could go on listing his astonishing feats but what is the point? you wither love him or hate him, and apart from Biff in Ohio or some such place, ALL Arsenal fans love him.

  • Yourareachump says:

    Another carbon copy blog from an anti-arsenal writer. Your tine would be better spent by taking a class, this was really poorly written. Arsene admitted that Wilshere’s tackle deserved a red. On the subject of arsene wanting other teams to play a technical style similar to arsenal, one look at Spain’s success compared to Englands, and it might be a good idea.

    Your an idiot

    • Learn to read says:

      Though I thought the article was biased, the last comment was obviously from someone who can’t read.

  • The BearMan says:

    Often misunderstood “YES” especially by critics, pre-historic football managers, and players with poor technical ability whose schooling in the game came more from rubgy or watching the opponents of BiG Daddy in wrestling. How so, the way to deal with a player that gets by you on the ball is to take him out. When you consider English players command higher wages and they on most occasions cannot even pass the ball with accuracy. Evidence World Cup 2010.

    Now how to change that culture and dirty practices, we witness, week-in, week-out. Well entered Mr. Wenger who is showing us how. Not by using what we consider, well seasoned players. Because in most instances, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. But by nurturing young talent with the hope they will make a measured difference. Unfortunately, for most of us the way we spell success is “SILVERWARE”.

    Finally the current Arsenal squad is adequately skilled to challenge for everything this season, BUT it is a matter of the WILL!

  • neil says:

    “he needs to win silverware to be remembered”….. hahahahahaah………I think he might just be remembered by one or two people !

    Whether a jumped up “journalist” called Mr. Winson,or was it Wimsey will be remembered is less clear.

    A bronze bust stands in a foyer of Emirates Stadium, that’s the ground Wenger had built, he has taken the club from a strong position in domestic football to a berth at the pinnacle of the game. Obviously thats a little unpalatable to a Wenger critic, but it remains a fact.

    What was your name? Where is the bust in honour of your achievements?

    Oh I forgot they never erect statues to critics do they !!

    Hahahahah

    • AnonymousGun says:

      Indeed.

      Arsenal have won the biggest cup of all under Mr. Wenger .. One that holds 60k+ peoples week in week out.

      Its pathetic parrot critics like you that wont acknowledge it.

      20+ years from now, he will still be remembered as the manager that managed the club in high standard while moving stadium, an achievement not many could replicate.

    • The BearMan says:

      Friend I remember life under Graham’s management style. Many of us fell asleep for 80 mins with the boredom. We all hoped Arsenal never scored to early otherwise the shutters will be up as we ventured into defensive mode. Yes we may have won the game, but we felt the cold waiting for something else to happen.

      Football has never been this exciting in the UK, and even ManU, had to do some catching up and did. Chelsea and Man C, found a fast track method to success, while Arsenal Re-built. This team just needs some tweaking, a few additions to strengthen the squad. We don’t need to waiste monies on a goal keeper. But the defence needs one or two additions. The secret remedy for Arsenal. players staying fit and focussed, everyone raising their game and a bit of fortune.

  • Stroller says:

    You are 100% wrong that he ‘targets’ the likes of Allardyce, Pulis (and the not-missed Phil Brown). It is the reverse in fact. They pick up on his comments about over-physical or reckless play and respond with snide personal remarks about him.

    The great thing is that he never gets personal back to them but stays super-cool and generally ignores them. They end up looking embittered and classless.

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