Does Arsenal Do What It Says On The Tin Anymore?
ByThis has perhaps been one of the most difficult weeks for Arsenal supporters in recent times. Many are still holed in the bunker waiting for a favourable display against Manchester City before they chance a glance and thrust their heads above the parapet.
Reason dictates that it’s time to lick our wounds and move on, yet there is a burning desire for the players to firstly redeem themselves and provide a respectable and gallant performance for the remaining games of the season.
It’s fair to say that what has hurt most supporters more in the past fortnight is the manner in which we lost the last 3 games; with the opposing teams rolling us over and tickling our bellies, before sending us back on our way to London Colney with a pat on the back.
Many supporters are still nursing bruised egos as relentless pressure from all quarters has made it more difficult to find solace or a place to ‘plant’ one’s head to shelter from the cloud of storm that circles Arsenal.
Everybody has had something to say about the failures, perceived or not, of Arsenal’s season. From the media hacks to the pundits, from supporters to former Arsenal players, from agents scheming for new contracts for their players to clubs shamelessly chasing the signature of allegedly disgruntled Arsenal players, from the groundsman at Stoke City to the tea lady at White Hart Lane; Arsenal’s performance has been dissected from every possible angle, contemptuously masticated over, and spat out to anyone who will listen.
Yet as we demand that our team goes back to the drawing board and arrest the situation and then show tangible improvement, as supporters, we also need to question and reflect on what we do next. Many inside and outside the club will point out that all the exquisite and attacking football counts for nothing if our defensive walls are cracked as often as they are.
It’s like we’re a team of two extremes, one of playing the most attacking and entertaining football, and one of capitulating when undue pressure is applied on us. Our game strategy works well on the proviso that we break teams down early enough or wear teams down with our ball carrying and technical ability.
It’s more like a strategy of ’We’ll score more than you’. Where a team is able to absorb our attack and hit us when we run out of ideas we struggle with the discipline to see the difficult patches through.
Despite the perceived or actual short-comings of the team, the reaction over the last 10 days in the Arsenal blogosphere makes me pose a question as to what supporters really expect and demand. Granted, the blogosphere is only but a representative sample of the millions who support Arsenal around the world, but it’s a valid cross section nonetheless, and a credible measure of the temperature out there.
My sense is that the bitterness from the collective disappointment, the raw emotion and exacerbation of our defeats by the teams laissez-faire approach in the last couple of games has contributed to the general lack of perspective that could help measure the true progress of this team.
The reaction features extremes from those who feel that the only solution is Wenger’s head on a silver platter, to those who are more circumspect or realistic about the rate of the teams progress. A balance has to be achieved to allow the gains made so far to continue as tweaks are made to resolve the issues that seem to revolve around the mental fortitude of the team.
For some, this is not enough as they quickly point out that it’s pretty much groundhog day when it comes to Arsenal falling short at the last hurdle for yet another season. The view from those who subscribe to this school of thought is that major surgery is needed as enough time has been given to this cohort to prove their worth but they’ve failed time and time again. They don’t want to go on with ’The Arsene Wenger Project’ because it doesn’t do what it says on the tin anymore.
I’m reminded of the story a couple of weeks ago when an American woman fedexed her adopted son back to Russia because he didn’t do what it said on the tin anymore. Apparently, the authorities in Russia who’d shopped her this lovely young and promising lad for adoption didn’t point out his deficiencies and the woman had tried all she could but felt she had got a raw deal and promptly shipped the kid back with a letter of disgruntlement to boot.
The feeling you get is that a section of supporters want to throw this team to the wolves; put them on that one way Emirates flight out of Arsenal with a packed lunch and a souvenir to thank them for their time at the club. Some would throw the manager on that flight too.
Supporting your team though, takes more than throwing in the towel when times are hard. It’s easier to seek alternatives with the ’grass is greener on the other side’ mentality, than to work hard to continue the challenging journey you started. Even during tough journeys, it’s inevitable that you will make changes along the way as some things work and others don’t, but this is markedly different from abandoning the journey and starting over.
Sober reflection will still overwhelmingly point out that Arsenal has progressed both on and off the pitch, but there is still work to be done. If your only measure of success is a trophy, then you will clearly be disappointed that this hasn’t happened soon enough.
Off the pitch, Arsenal has retained its position as the 3rd most valuable football club in the world (valid as of yesterday’s Forbes Magazine publication) behind Manchester United and Real Madrid. A listing on a Forbes index is certainly one valid measure of success.
On the footballing side, the development of all levels of the team through the academy to the first team continues steadily on the path it started. It still is an essential part in securing the long term stability of the team by developing our own crop of players and building the team spirit and togetherness that are the hallmarks of a solid foundation for the future.
We still need the reinforcements to supplement the gains in the first team and these will come. It’s a far cry though from the alternative being suggested following yet another season without a trophy.
While Wenger and his staff get on and refresh the squad for a new campaign, as supporters we can only but dust ourselves off and prepare for the next roller coaster ride.
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Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
Nice article; well constructed and well balanced. Must admit to being a mite concerned by the tenuous link between adoption of Russian children and Cuprinol products, but good for all of that. What is it about Arsenal supporters that they feel the need to self-harm? Is it because we’ve been playing more entertaining football than anyone else in the PL for so long now that we feel no one can genuinly criticise us for technical quality, other that is than ourselves? Or is it that we haven’t won a piece of tin for a few years? Would we rather be Portsmouth, or Tottenham? Are we really so desperate for that open-topped bus journey that we feel the need to gouge chunks out of ourselves. I would rather watch us than any other team in Britain, and I would love a piece of silverware, but not at any price. I know it’s been the stock answer for four seasons, but we really have suffered from being kicked around by the boot-boys, and the resulting injuries have hurt us badly in more ways than one. Let’s not lose sight of the reason so many people love to support Arsenal, and let’s all be proud of that… We can be proud of tin cups when the bones mend.
Very good article. Thank you. I may not have seen the light recently but the switch has certainly become clearer in focus.
Mike B.
I think the problem is twofold. Firstly, a genuine erosion of patience, and secondly a collective brainwashing via the media that a tin pot at the end of the season is the only measure of success.
Losing and falling short is frustrating and a reason to ask questions about what has gone wrong….but that is different from the hysteria we’re experiencing.
I also think that a lot of the anger is driven by the humiliation and embarrassment supporters suffer at the hands of rival fans who waste no time in taunting them. The desire to minimize and eliminate this is a factor in the reaction we’ve seen.
Darius,
yes we do seem to live in an ‘I want it now’ society. I have been a supporter of Arsenal for almost fifty years and would ask all those impatient Arsenal fans to get out an old copy of Fever Pitch (The original).
Eighteen Years! Eighteen f*****g years! Now that’s patience. As for the humiliation… As England fans we’ve been taking it from the Scots ever since Culloden, but we rarely bite back because we know, give or take the odd blip, that England is a vastly superior team.
The media…? Now that’s a whole different story.
I hope we don’t play Silvestre. That dude is an accident waiting to happen again tomorrow! I’ll play his role 4 half his weekly wages & I will do better than him!
It, as you allude Darius, wasn’t the defeats but the manner in which we suffered them that’s unacceptable. We certainly didn’t play like a side chasing down the league leaders in any of those games.
One thing about football fans I’ve noticed is their willingness to respect endeavour, application and desire, over and above outcomes, even in opponents. That we failed to earn that respect is the galling thing. We played like a lot of slackers and deserved what we got for our efforts.
If these circumstances can’t motivate a team to go out there and give it their all, I wonder what will. I truly hope Wenger has given the lot a right thrashing on the training ground.
It certainly is going to be an interesting, and defining, summer.
Darius and others
Myles Palmer describes Arsenal as a ‘one man club’ with Wenger as the dictator surrrounded by ‘yes men’, that his approach has not altered from his time at Monaco and therefore, only signs French and African players. He also claims that Wenger does not allow access to his ‘pampered babies’. He has been using these disparaging terms for some time now. I am an Arsenal supporter. I grew up 3 miles from Highbury. However, I am an Arsene Wenger fan and I have bought into his project. So here are some questions I would like answered.
1) Is Wenger such a powerful dictator that his selfish project to develop young talent remains unchallenged within the Arsenal Boardroom?
2) Or, if he is not a dictator is he being indulged because the Board are happy with the way the business is coping?
3) Or, is it the case that Wenger has accepted the challenge of keeping Arsenal, there or thereabouts, until they can start again to buy the players they need?
I read a quote from Wenger in the December issue of the Arsenal magazine which suggests that he had no choice but to follow the development youth approach due to the costs of the new stadium. Since there is only so much time and effort I would sacrifice to reassure myself of the truth I would take what Wenger says at face value. Which leaves me with Myles Palmer. Clearly a very intelligent man and writer but why is he so poisonous and bitter towards Wenger? Does he know some thing we don’t?
Great post Darius
It has been a disappointing end to the season no doubt. However with a bit of scope look at the overall achievement made. An achievement no other potential manager in the world could pull off. I’m telling you with the injuries to the squad third place is a respectable position. Yes this may have been said previous seasons, but so fuck. What that means is that we are unlucky and you can’t buy or fucking sign luck with a big cheque book or a dodgy Russian oligarch.
Should we have learned from seasons past? Who knows but with the injury to Djourou occurring to late to find a replacement, and then losing van Persie as he’s playing the best football of his career is unavoidable.
You could go out spend a fortune in January, but remember who else is fishing in the market. The fact that a world cup is looming makes players in a squad think twice about moving and players moving to a club that has major competition not want to jeporadise a world cup spot. Not to mention good housekeeping, signing players for a short term fix is not the answer. When players all players are fit (which surely has to happen), it then occurs to players they are second string and unless you are in a position to throw money at international players to keep them quite you will get a bad feeling in camp.
The crash of the team with all the injuries was inevitable, throw in a tie against the best club team in ten years to slap you around and knock the morale out of you and then we have this predicament.
I don’t care what anybody else sees but overall i’ve been impressed mainly. I would have liked the lads not to have shown so much respect to the other big clubs, maybe we could have earned a few points there.
With our resources and strict structure, that I am all for. We have done well.
If we loose a little competative edge by doing things conservatively and with players we have nurtured and moulded into our squad rather than pay over the odds for a supposed superstar. Then I will take that trade with a smile on my face. Because when it all comes off, and it will. How good will it feel.
As you say Darius the club off the field is thriving, and I also think in a more stable state than the higher listed clubs in the forbes rich list.
Another thing to mention about the way Arsenal is ran with Wengers policy is the fact that, our players are looked after, given time, encouragement and 100% support. I feel more support for the Song’s, Cesc’s, Bendtners, Diaby’s……. than I do for the Arshavin’s, Nasri’s and Vermaelen’s and I f***ing love those players. You can keep your big name signing’s if it means I get to see Giles Sunu or Chukwuemeka Aneke turn into a world beater. Imagine watching our team that is littered with homegrown talent lift a trophy.
It gives me shivers down my spine.
Chin up and let’s do some supporting. Man City couldn’t carry our boys luggage and they have spent millions. It’s up to us to get them buzzing with confidence and to put a spring in there step. We really can help earn 3 points. So we need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and make sure that when they step into the emirates on Saturday they get the reception they deserve and play those mugs off the pitch.
George.
Interesting questions you pose there. I’ll try and answer them as best as I know.
Firstly on the issue of Wenger and dictatorship.
My sense is that Wenger is a visionary who strives for perfection. Like many of his ilk, they are rarely understood and their impact is more often than not, appreciated long after they have left.
Wenger is indeed a dominant figure, and Arsenal as a big club (currently valued as the 3rd biggest club in the world by Forbes magazine), needs such a character at the helm. Naturally, with the genious he brings, like with all of us, he has his drawbacks. My view is that whatever challenges he faces in his job, Wenger’s leadership and virtues far outweigh what some choose to point out as his flaws.
Saying that, he is a fantastic manager, one of the best in the world, and probably one of the few who would have managed a club of Arsenal’s stature with the constraints the club has had to operate with.
This slightly leads to the answer to your second question.
I think many people either don’t understand and appreciate the context of Arsenal’s chosen vision and direction, or they understand it and don’t accept that it’s the right path.
Arsenal is the best run club in the world from the point of view of its management structure and the way the board have acted as custodians to protect the long term future of the club. We have never been or will never be like Manchester United or Real Madrid who not only spend beyond their means through debt, but also have bigger revenue bases than we do.
Moving to a new stadium further cements our ability to have organic revenue for decades to come but it comes at a cost. We can’t afford a new stadium and spend mega bucks on galacticos and that is the primary reason the board have opted for the development path. The way other clubs have been operating is unsustainable and Arsenal have taken the longer and more painful task of developing our own resources and doing it in a sustainable way. Besides, there is no guarantee that spending big money that we don’t have on big name players will yield results.
It takes time for such a vision to come to fruition, but more importantly, it needs strong characters to see that vision through. Leaders like Wenger and Ivan Gazidis the Arsenal CEO are well equipped to take the difficult decisions that have to be taken for the club, however painful they are for the emotive supporters.
There’s a perception that it is Wenger who is the egotistic stubborn and selfish Gaffa who will not have things any other way, but that’s just a simple cop-out for those who don’t want to take the time to understand Arsenal’s vision or the context we operate in. Very few of the so called world class managers would agree to manage under the constraints that Wenger has had. Developing youth is part and parcel of the club’s long term strategy and not Wenger’s personal play toy thing that he wants or needs to prove to the world. Others buy with money they don’t have, Arsenal builds within it’s means…it’s our way of life.
As for Miles Palmer, I’ll be upfront with you and it is going to be very blunt.
I think he’s a platinum idiot of the highest order, one who uses xenophobia and racist undertones to spew diatribe.
He hates Wenger’s guts for the simple reason that his access that he enjoyed at the time of writing the Professor has been ruthlessly cut off and he lives on bread crumbs. He is a Chelsea supporting bitter man who has nothing constructive to say about Arsenal’s development and I believe he shouldn’t be allowed to use Arsenal News Review as his blog name. He might as well use Arsenal bashers website.
Suggesting that Wenger only signs African and French players is a false hood. For one, There are 7 or more non-Africans and non-French players in our starting first 11 and regular substitutes. Additionally, the Arsenal youth and reserve teams are peppered with brilliant English talent who have grown together in the Arsenal academy.
I don’t personally read anything more that Miles Palmer writes (I used to), but I’m not going to give him any more real estate on this blog.
I would suggest that you read several articles Stone Cold Arsenal has published in the past that will give you a good feel of the context in which Arsenal operates in:
1. Where Arsenal Leads, Others Will Follow
2. Arsenal: An Oasis of Fiscal Sanity in An Orgy of Excess (this is a 4 part mini-series)
Hope this answers your questions or goes some way in doing that.
Good piece Darius but your headline could let you down. I almost skipped it thinking it was just another rant.
Before the season a lot of Arsenal fans would probably gladly have taken 3rd place plus quaterfinal against Barcelona – and Liverpools fate this season shows why they should.
Hans.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve tweaked the title slightly to be more user friendly… I hope it provides a more sunny disposition.
Another good post Darius. thanks
Regarding Arsene Wenger. I think the way he built a team that is incredibly strong on paper while having almost no money to spend is remarkable. Keeping this team competitive through the stadium re-building was brilliant and needed very strong leadership.
I also agree with you about Miles Palmer. He is a boring dumbsh*t and his total fanatical negativity causes him to lose whatever credibility he might have. Just like politics the truth is somewhere in between the absolute right wing and the absolute left wing.
However, don’t you think that Arsene probably has a little to much power and a little to much on his platter. World history tells us that when a leader has total control their leadership becomes stale and they sometimes loose site of the fact that everyone make mistakes and with no one that they trust to tell them differently it becomes difficult for them to change directions or make needed adjustments. My obsession with our teams defense is the best example of how that plays out on the pitch. The boss himself said after last season that our defense was the difference between us and ManU. Yet this year we start with a more offensive set up and tactically we have done nothing to improve our defense. It probably is worse this year compared to last year. We both think this squad has incredible potential and this year the teams ahead of us all woobled and we could have taken the title, but we seemed to melt down whenever we had the chance to take control of our destiny. At some point you have to look at the manager and say that he shares some of the blame.
Clearly Wenger is the best chance we have to fullfill our teams potential and move on to greater glory. Only a fool would call for him to be sacked. However, don’t you think it might be time for him to give up some of that control for his own good and the good of the team? The impression that I get is that he micro-manages every aspect of the team. How can anyone have the time and energy to do that successfully. Don’t you think we might be better off if he delegated some of the authority, for example, perhaps let someone else manage our defense ?