TFG
Anyone who believes that, on current form, Arsenal Football Club is too good to end up playing next season in The Championship must be in denial. Three wins from sixteen league games and a run stretching back from March this year in which our form has been pure relegation fodder suggest otherwise.
The latest collapse was not at the hands of a swashbuckling Manchester United team. The club occupying bottom place at start of play had two meaningful shots on target and scored four goals.
Without doubt, those in red displayed a collective lack of defensive organisation which would embarrass a Sunday League outfit. To compound the misery, we showed far more clinical ability in our own penalty area. All of this followed a thoroughly unconvincing performance against Swansea City, where a goal which arose from all the hallmarks of an Arsenal defence won a nervy game.
When the Champions League draw was made, we were seeded along with the elite in Europe. Evidently the arduous schedule which included a creditable draw in Dortmund is too much for this group of players. People have been criticising Paul Merson for expressing his views and I expect similar stick – but as I often say, it is what it is – Arsene Wenger admits that we aren’t good enough, but appears powerless to intervene.
Ideally, Arteta, Santos and Mertesacker would be afforded a period to settle in.
As it is, there will be additional pressure at the outset and those three, particularly, must improve the Arsenal team and the results. Anything else is unthinkable.
Wojciech Szczesny has commendable confidence, but unlike two of our erstwhile “stars”, the Pole does not demonstrate narcissism. His penalty save against Udinese and his performance over the two ties suggest to me that he might even equal David Seaman and Peter Schmeichel. Szczesny has proved Arsene Wenger was right not to buy a new ‘keeper – and for that, credit where it is due. I cannot see how he can be blamed for our most recent malaise – I shudder to think, had Almunia been in goal for this past month or so. We can only hope that Per Mertesacker improves our back line.
As what passed for Summer drifts away, we have been told that the football season would start on Saturday 10 September 2011, with a home fixture against Swansea City. The quartet of signings made in the early part of the transfer window bore the hallmarks of the manager’s familiar obsession, while the late signings signalled a more pragmatic approach. But whether the deadline day players were first choices or panic buys is now academic. Until January, these are the players we must support. What alternative?
There is no doubt, as has been highlighted within posts here already, that signings alone will not end a period which has promoted more despair than delight. I am not certain that the offer of free away tickets to the poor unfortunates who witnessed the worst surrender in living memory represents anything other than an attempt at improving the Club’s image as it reeled from successive setbacks. This is in stark contrast to the nonsense of suing a private business in Spain, simply for making hats under a similar name. Wags have suggested that this will be our greatest victory this season
Ultimately, I am now of the opinion that the transfers were more important in so far as what they represented, than the merits of individual personnel. Were I a betting man, I would lay a decent stake on this season being Arsene Wenger’s last at the Club. Currently, I come neither to bury, nor to praise him – merely noting that he has not looked well for some time and yet the Board have moved to dispel any such concerns. It was anticipated that Pat Rice would stand down, but he has been persuaded to stay for one more year. Only time will tell us whether Pat agreed to stay on for Arsene's last season.
Our season is taking shape, but has not yet been formed. However, the last month has raised a number of questions. There have been suggestions that the Board has a five-year plan, which is not unusual strategy within the business world. Ivan Gazidis appears to have been tasked to deliver progress, although it is unclear as to how this may be measured from within. Most fans think that “success” generally comes with a decoration of red and white ribbons
The Club have recently undertaken an unprecedented number of commercial partnerships and unlike the reduction of debt, any longevity of these must surely depend upon continued success to develop “the brand”.
Most Gooners recognise that the youth project has failed. If abandoning the tried and failed means that experience now enables Arsenal to prosper, then it is time to create a new winning mentality. To that end, there are four names which spring to mind. Steve Bould is already at the Club, whilst Messrs. Dixon, Winterburn and Keown are all splendidly placed to contribute.
With a proliferation of commercial representatives, if Arsenal Football Club demands positive direction, these guys have been there and worn the shirt with pride. Managerial material? Perhaps not yet. But an adult dressing room needs adult standards and committed competitors. Rest assured, none of the above-mentioned legends would have participated in an 8-2 defeat Manchester United, nor won a game for an entirely average Blackburn Rovers.
