DW Thomas
The draw against Norwich showed the glaring truths we all know and have known for some seven years now. Wenger is incapable of winning a trophy. He cannot or will not focus on the defence enough to have a cohesive back four, and it has cost us at least a few titles, and 47 goals this season alone. Half of our starting eleven just didn’t seem up for the game. Song cost us goals because he now believes he is the new Cesc. His licence-to-roam from Arsène has left our back four too unguarded too often. Ramsey I really feel for. He generally works his socks off, but yesterday he jogged back on defence during a Norwich counter at least twice. And his glaring miss only reinforces everyone’s opinion that he is simply not ready, nor good enough yet, to run our midfield. He is no Cesc either.
Szcz was at his worst, especially for the first and third goals. Why is it that every other team’s keeper seems to play like the best in the world at the Emirates? Just not ours. TV and Gibbs were all over the place, and now even our Dutch centre-back is looking like a rookie at times. And finally, how does the Ox not see more time? Gervinho had some decent second-half moments, but our young English winger has sat too long on the bench this season with poor performers in front of him. AOC at least has some spark, some energy, some directness. We need more of our players to play like him, and he is still a teenager! And RVP. There are those who say we are not a one-man team, but we would probably be mid-table at best without him. Take him out of our team and where would our goals come from? Park? Chamakh? Walcott? You’re having a laugh, right?
To fix all that is broken in our beloved club, some real surgery must take place this summer. No longer can we hold on to players who haven’t performed when given chance after chance. Wenger must show the fans and players a new side to his personality. A more ruthless side. One in which winning becomes paramount and money is used to guarantee that we compete in all the big tournaments and the league. He must learn some tactics and be able to adjust to win more close games. This is the mark of a truly great manager, one who understands that sometimes you just can’t play and win the way you want. Even Barça lost to Chelsea this year, and look where they are in the Premier League table. Does anyone really think they are one of the top two teams in the world this year? They just lost to Newcastle 2-0, remember, yet in the CL beat the best club team of its generation (one with our former captain, by the way!).
Wenger must bring in a better defensive coach, someone who has the nerve to stand up to him and the players and demand they work harder off the ball to get it back. We have too many prima donnas who Wenger reinforces with playing time and no criticism where and when it counts. Sure, we have talent, but do we truly develop it and a winning mentality at the same time? Or are these players cushioned, pampered, and living in a fantasy bubble of their own inflated egos with Wenger’s the largest of them all? I want to see Arsène next season yelling at his own players more than at the refs. I want to see players like Ramsey taken off when jogging back on a Norwich counter that leads to a goal. And Song benched the next game when he gives away the ball with a terrible pass that leads to the goal that could cost us the CL places. And our keeper rotated when his performances dip, to show him that he must improve and that his place is not without competition. That takes better players on the bench.
Is Wenger incapable of being a manager who can motivate the team to the next level? To a winning mentality? It sure seems that way. How many years has he had now to do things his way with no results? Does this club really only care about balanced books and profit? How boring, how uninspiring. Nobody watches any sport to dream of seeing their team or player finish third. Sure, many teams are nowhere near Arsenal’s level, but then their tickets don’t cost quite as much either, do they? I keep hearing from those that run the club and team that we are a big club. Then let’s start f***ing showing it! Podolski is a good start, but only if van Persie stays. Add Hazard, Vertonghen, and M’Vila and I think we could be on our way! Come on, let a fan dream of winning, not finishing third or fourth. We Gooners all know it’s possible - not even that far-fetched. But will the man who can change things change himself? Can he be courageous and intelligent enough to see that his methods aren’t working and form a new model? We’ll have to wait and see…what other choice do we have?
