Written by Jeff Fairbrother for Gunnersphere.com: According to a recent issue of the Daily Mirror, Arsene Wenger is now saying that one of the reasons why Arsenal didn’t do so well this season was because we had two players involved in the latter stages of the World Cup finals…played in July of last year!
I guess we have to add this reason to the numerous other ones that he has trotted out this season, to account for the many defeats and poor displays that Arsenal have produced.
Wenger has blamed (at one time or another) the ‘bumpy pitch’, the ’long grass’, the referee, the fourth official – for not allowing enough extra time, having to play against ‘rugby type’ teams, tired players, too many games in a short time period, injuries to key players, and of course, ‘bad luck’!
Of course, none of the other 19 teams had any of these problems to deal with did they?
Whilst these reasons (excuses?) are funny enough, I think Arsene really needs to look at the real reasons why his team performed so poorly in games that mattered:
1. Lack of quality players in certain positions (everyone knows what areas these are)
2. Certain players lacking experience in the Premier League, and especially in big games.
3. Too many injuries (long and short-term)
4. No leaders on the pitch
5. Players being made to play out of position
6. Some players lacking simple skills (crossing the ball from the flanks)
7. Players lacking tactical awareness, and the ability to change tactics when necessary
8. Players who play as individuals and not as part of a team
9. Players are not scared of the consequences of losing (‘hairdryer’ treatment).
If Wenger is going to bring in several new players this summer, what will he do about all the problems stated above? Because I can assure you, they won’t all suddenly disappear just because of new additions to the team.
Hopefully, he will bring in some quality, experienced players who will have the tactical awareness and the heart for the bigger games in the Premier League.
The remaining issues would still need to be addressed, and if Pat Rice is to stay on as the No. 2, as reported, then maybe it’s time for a fresh face to take over the coaching, because while Pat was an excellent full-back in his day, times have certainly changed.
Perhaps the players would react more favourably to a different coaching regime that would help bind the players into a cohesive unit where everyone knew their own responsibilities and their importance to the team – players playing for Arsenal, not their own glory!
Should this person be someone with a recent winning history with the club?
Those who come to mind immediately are Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, Ray Parlour, Thierry Henry and David Seaman. All of them would command terrific respect from both the players and the fans.
Do you agree with my assessment of the season?
Do you think Wenger should add to his management team this summer and if so, who do you think is the right man for the job?
Give us your thoughts on the matter.
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Well hopefully Viera will take a coaching job with us, so it’s definitely a move in the right direction. Personally i think theres noone more respected in this generation of Arsenal than Bergkamp. If he was to come in as reserve coach or summit then i’d love him to take over from Wenger when he eventually does retire. He’s inspirational to the players, he has an excellent work ethic towards training and he has the same ethics towards football that Arsenal has
The pathetic performances of Arsenal at spring each year is caused by Wenger himself.
His one dimensional stye is so easy to counter.This allied to his high defnce line is a rcipe for a porous defence.Yet he still persists in this strategy when it is soobvious to all that it is flawed and yet he keeps on giving excuse after excuse.
That is why the redfaced is a winner.Most people thought when Tevez and Ronaldo left,he would struggle.He has proven everybody wrong.His secret is nothing stands still in life and in soccer.
Now if Wenger were to reinvent himself that would be something.For starters he has to stiffen the defence by tweaking his tactics and getting the right players.IF not,it will will be spring repeatingtself come March/April 2012.
yea, i support u Matt. Bergcamp or Viera should replace Pat Rice.
You can rabbit as much as you want– but until you face Arsenal, suffering bad penalty, offside and free kick (or not) decisions, on balance costing at least 20 points, how can you expect a result? By my reckoning ManU have benefitted from these decisions by at least 10 points. You must live in cloud-cockoo land if you expect any team to be able to cope with abuse at that level. Do you watch the games? Do you go back and study the tapes? Do you keep a tally of silly decisions that penalise Arsenal on a drip, drip ,drip basis– week after week–even in games we win? Obviously not– or you would’nt print the rhetoric you do. Until we get fairness on the pitch- signings or changes in coaching are just as futile as paint on the deckchairs of the Titanic. Get some research done! The Press and media know about it but those spineless gits dare not do anything to help. We have to help ourselves.