It was interesting to watch Martin Keown (a stonewall member of the mud an’ studs brigade if ever there was one). He was working for ESPN at the Emirates Cup and was asked about the transfer rumours regarding Phil Jagielka and Chris Samba. Keown claimed he wasn’t sure they were ‘Arsenal type players’ as they wouldn’t necessarily be inclined to ‘bring the ball out’.
I would have thought that Keown, above many, would have realised the need to have a stopper in the side. Someone who can clear the lines. I couldn’t see Jagielka dithering at Wembley like Koscielny did in the Carling Cup. Alan Hansen developed a perspective whilst at Liverpool that ‘they can’t score from row Z’.
United have built so much of their recent success on the partnership between Ferdinand (the ball player) and Vidic (the stopper). Chelsea’s success under Mourinho came with a similar double-act in Terry and Carvalho. During Liverpool’s second place finish in 2009 it was primarily Carragher alongside Agger at the back.
The accusation of players like Jagielka and Samba ‘not being Arsenal players’ may actually be their greatest strength. After all, the Arsenal philosophy has become almost a joke term in how not to be successful.
Manchester United has as good as trademarked the style of mixing strength with skill; whilst Nani performs his flicks and tricks, there is Darren Fletcher protecting the back four.
Following the sale of Gael Clichy the Arsenal defence has begun to look very thin. Kieran Gibbs now appears to be the first choice full back and, whilst he’s appeared at various levels for England and served a couple of loan spells it’s a big ask to come into a defence as shaky as Arsenal’s and fit right in. When Ashley Cole was ‘blooded’ it was alongside organisers like Tony Adams.
The boos at the end of the recent match with NY Red Bulls were ominous. Most Premier League fans wait until the third of fourth game before they turn on the manager. However, Wenger’s relationship with the faithful has been decaying for some time. In the last six years they have teetered from the second best team in the country, to the third best. Now, with the ascent of Man City they are fourth best and as such are the ones to be looking behind (to Liverpool and Spurs) rather than ahead. It would be inconceivable for them to not make the Champions League. Their sound finances have been partly built on more than a decade amongst the elite.
Mark Twain was quoted (incorrectly as it turns out) as saying ‘rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated’. And so it is with predictions of Arsenal’s demise. Even when Liverpool and not Man City made up the ‘top four’ it was Arsenal who was always predicted to be the ones to drop out.
However, there is a feeling that Wenger has gone from being defensive to curmudgeonly in his beliefs and in his faith of his players. The fans, some of whom pay £100 for a match day ticket know that the back five is not good enough to win the title. So why doesn’t Wenger?
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Get David Dein back, let him discuss player transfers as quite clearly Wenger is ruining our club and his reputation. Penny pinching is not going to win tropies at the moment as the likes of Chelsea, Man City and now PSG and Malaga will make it harder for teams to compete. All this debacle about financial fair play is a farce UEFA, FIFA know it. If club decides to sell the directors box at X amount of millions there is nothing this morons can do about it. Wining gives you global exposure hence more money and fanbase. Fans around the world will be glory hunters as everyone wants to be associated with winners. Arsene needs to work on his team and stop focusing on the financial side of things as clearly it takes us years to discuss transfers and we cannot attract world class players as a result. Who would want to stay at a club that cannot win tropies? Arsenal in contrast is the 3rd biggest club in England and needs to show it’s ambition. You might say we can get a billionaire to spend and when he/she is no longer interested we will in serious trouble. Like players, owners will come and go and replace each other. As long the club is established as a winner and global brand there will always be a buyer for the club. Just look at the Mancs, if the Glaziers sold them how mnay will be interested in buying them?