Kevin Whitcher
Arsenal did just enough to see off a poor Aston Villa side at home yesterday. The finishing left a lot to be desired when opportunities were fathomed, and unless there is dramatic improvement on this front, Arsène Wenger’s hopes of another season in the Champions League are in serious jeopardy. Villa played with heart, but no great quality. It was almost enough to take a point.
The first half was fairly even on chances, the visitors being given plenty of encouragement by a side crying out for some organizational discipline. Santi Cazorla’s early goal eased nerves after a disastrous pair of cup matches, and partially quelled the chants for the manager’s head on the eight minute mark, although pockets of fans around the stadium could be heard chanting for him to go. It could become a regular part of the ‘matchday experience’ (copyright Arsenal PLC) if things do not improve.
Arsène Wenger told the press on Friday that the club could afford to sign a player with a £40 million price tag such as Atletico Madrid’s Falcao. “We are in a stronger situation where we can spend some money. I’m not reluctant to do so… we only had money recently”. This after years of the directors peddling out the line that the manager has funds to spend if he wants to. It was ventured to me yesterday that if the club had bought one genuinely top quality player every season – which they could have afforded to do if they took a ‘let’s speculate within our means’ approach – not only would they have a much better team now, they might have won a few trophies and retained some of the stars that have left to boot. However, the policy of buying young and developing a team was Wenger’s fantasy. It’s one now consigned to the bin, but it’s cost heavily in terms of a large number of longer term supporters who feel that they cannot recognise any facet of what Arsenal used to mean to them in the current team, with the exception of the number 10, a genuine youth product from the club. More on that later.
Jack Wilshere spent much of the game yesterday harrying his colleagues. There is no question he is already the leader on the field and his frustration is evident. The hope must be that things improve sooner rather than later before he joins the exodus. Flyers were being handed out before the match advertising Arsenal licensed wallpaper. Amongst the options you could choose were current players. Imagine if this had been launched this time last year, and a boy’s bedroom was covered in the man of the moment Robin van Persie? Football can be hard to explain to kids sometimes. I remember Nigel Phillips of the Arsenal Supporters Trust asking Ivan Gazidis at the last AGM how he was supposed to explain the departure of heroes like Van Persie to his young son. Arsenal build them up then cash in on them. Gazidis dismissed Phillips’ words stating he wasn’t sure if it was a question or an expression of angst.
I am not really sure what effect failure to finish in the top four might have this season. Certainly, the £40 million lost revenue will be an inconvenience. However, 2014 sees significant hikes in income thanks to the new kit and sponsorship deals. Will it stop top players arriving at the club? Well, the last one they signed was in 2009 and before that… are we counting Tomas Rosicky? He was hardly on a Bergkamp scale. I think we actually have to go back to Sol Campbell for the last superstar signing before Andrey Arshavin. So just the two in twelve seasons then. Let’s be honest. Arshavin was a reluctant buy anyway, as his subsequent treatment has proved. Isn’t the talk of splashing the cash just peddling out the usual BS to persuade the season ticket renewals to come in.
Here is an idea for those who want to send the club a clear message that their policies need to change, and that sporting concerns need to take priority over posting profit. (Wenger on Friday – “‘Trophies for me are the Premier League and the Champions League because they are of higher quality.” Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Trophies for fans include the FA Cup and the League Cup, hence the anger after last weekend. Arsène knows best????). Season ticket renewals. You may refuse to give up on your season ticket, but you can make the club sweat. If you do not renew until, say July 15th, they are not going to sell your seat to someone else. Why? Because they cannot afford to lose you. If they enquire, just tell them you are uncertain if you will be renewing as you need to wait until mid-July before being certain you can afford it. If enough fans do it, the club’s end of year figures will take a dent, which will make the club worth less. And what do you or I care what it is worth on the books?
Arsenal will not buy Falcao or any other superstar this summer. For starters, it would go slap bang against the wage policy. Secondly, if Arsenal started improving as a result of a superstar signing, Arsene Wenger would not be able to take any credit. He was quick enough to stop Steve Bould having input into training once people started crediting the assistant coach for the improvement in the team’s resilience. We are going to get the same old, same old whether we are in the Champions League or not. Shopping in Kwiksave when Marks and Spencers could be afforded. The older you get, the more entrenched you become in your ways. Wenger, 63 years old, is having a great time doing his coaching drills specialising on technique. There is no work done on organisation and defensive discipline, no tactics in preparation for a specific opponent. He doesn’t enjoy matchdays so much now because with the passing of time, the flaw in his method becomes exposed more and more. His successes at the club would not have happened without inheriting George Graham’s defence and his good fortune in securing Sol Campbell. Since Campbell departed in 2006, the club have won sweet FA.
So Arsenal struggled to beat a frankly average Aston Villa team who may well be playing in the second tier next season. I hadn’t heard of half of their players. The points were unquestionably vital in the chase for a Champions League spot, but I cannot say I actually care about being in that competition any more. The dispassionate feeling I had during the Bayern game remained during the match against Villa. And I realised that, aside from Wilshere, I don’t really care about these players any more. And that is very, very worrying. I have spent eleven years setting these guys up as some kind of heroes to my own son and I’m feeling guilty because I’ve sold the poor kid a pup, as most of them aren’t even trying. Who in that side, do you feel is going to lay their body on the line for Arsenal FC, bust a gut to get a result? They are all far too comfortable, hence my desire to see a Mourinho-style manager who would put a few rockets up a few backsides. Then they’d all be busting a gut like our de facto skipper.
To be happy that the team can just about overcome relegation contenders at home is clutching at straws. However, a silver lining. Abou Diaby’s removal from the fray for another injury will mean we do not have to put up with any more of the standard of performances we have seen from him since his return. Get back to the treatment table where you belong Abou and stay there. Please. I think 2014 is the end of your deal when you can depart along with the man who has ensured you will never have to do an honest day’s work in your life.
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