Robert Exley
When writing this kind of blog article, one should really be less like a weather-vane that blows in different directions after the most recent run of results and more like a roadside sign-post in attempting to point the way ahead. Another thing to bear in mind is that ninety nine times out of a hundred, the blog writer usually knows little of what actually goes on behind the scenes at Arsenal (there may well be a few contributors on this site that actually do know a few things, but I can assure you this writer’s opinions on that subject are pure speculation).
In recent seasons also, people have tended to have forgotten how, historically, the opening months of a season usually throw up freak results and freak runs of form – such as the Arsenal ‘relegation candidates’ of August 2011 or where past minnow sides such as, say, Millwall or Norwich have found their way somewhere near the summit of the top tier of English football before the clocks have even gone back. Therefore it would be all too easy to get carried away with our recent run of results and being top of the League at the end of September. That said, it would be extremely difficult to deny that a change of mood has occurred over the last few weeks - or even months for that matter - especially if you include our form at the back end of last season.
In fact, Arsenal have actually only lost four league games this calendar year (two of which were back in January) and have actually beaten the European Champions Bayern Munich on their own patch, one of only two sides this calendar year to do so – the other being beaten Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. That in itself is a feat not to be sniffed at. Anyone who has frequented these pages over the last five years however couldn’t have failed to have noticed the longstanding question over whether or not Wenger’s reign should continue – in fact, it was it was barely six weeks ago that the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust publically referred to any extension to Wenger’s contract as ‘inappropriate’.
Is this recent upward swing in form therefore finally a vindication of ‘Our Glorious Leader’? Well, to me, it’s definitely a sign that maybe the Wenger project shouldn’t be shelved just yet, but also that the change in the club’s fortunes may well have been as much down to those around him at long last finally bringing something to the table as anything particular that Wenger has pulled out of the hat over the last six months. We are now into Steve Bould’s second season as Wenger’s number two and, in my humble opinion, it’s probably now that we are finally beginning to see the green shoots of Bould’s contribution.
My reasoning for drawing such a conclusion is that, though the current back five are far from perfect, last season they conceded the second-lowest number of goals in the Premiership, which to me signals a move in the right direction - particularly so when you consider that in 2011/12, Arsenal conceded more goals than all but one of the top eight sides in the Premiership. Also of note is that all three goals against Stoke two weeks ago were scored from set pieces, two of which were even from headers. Anyone who’s witnessed every minute of Arsenal’s matches from around, say, 2005 onwards would know that this is a point worth noting and a possible signal of a marked departure from the frustrating ‘tippy-tappy, never shooty’ incarnation of Arsenal in recent seasons to one with more cutting edge.
Also, the positive effects on the fortunes of a side of introducing a prominent number two to the managerial set-up can be seen with Don Howe back in 1968 and then on his reinstatement nine years later – in both instances a run-of-the-mill side suddenly became trophy challengers again. As well as help from below in the Arsenal hierarchy, Wenger is also now possibly reaping the benefits from a change of emphasis from above. From a personal point of view, a new addition in midfield wasn’t necessarily the club’s most pressing concern, seeing that Arsenal seem to be spoilt for choice in this area at present.
That said, the effect of the ‘Özil Factor’ is that it is a tremendous statement of intent from Arsenal, particularly in showing that they are no longer content to be a club where players like Fabregas, Nasri and van Persie felt they had to depart in order to move up to the next level. The effect of having a world-class player like Özil on the books may indeed raise the bar for the still-developing talents of Jack Wilshere and the in-form Aaron Ramsey, in a way that well-meaning, but ultimately hapless former colleagues like Eboué and Gervinho never could. Here is where the Board, and Ivan Gazidis in particular, are now finally aiding Arsène Wenger by, at the very least, attempting to carry out the role they were supposed to be doing - bringing some much-needed investment to the side.
Many have backed the club’s cautious approach in the transfer market as taking a worthy stand against profligacy. However, though £42.5 million may not be cheap, the fact that upcoming home fixtures against sides such as Norwich have sold out even before tickets have been made available to red members - where in previous seasons these matches have gone to general sale - shows that the increase in demand caused by Özil’s purchase may well pay for itself in the long run (sometimes the club have to think in terms of economics, which is a bit more complex than simple accountancy!).
There are those that may well assert that Wenger’s overbearing presence at the club over the last few years or so has meant that, at his own insistence, neither of these two departments were previously able to assist him effectively in his role to any great extent – again, without inside knowledge that’s something we can only speculate on. Also, recent victories may well have effectively disguised the fact that the current squad still needs further strengthening if it wishes to genuinely challenge for trophies again. For example, at present we’re only one Olivier Giroud injury away from having to rely on Nic Bendtner leading the line – a player who unfathomably is not only Arsenal’s longest-serving player, but one season away from qualifying for a testimonial! (Surely no other player in Arsenal’s history could have found themselves in such a position while ultimately offering so little.)
This may well be a factor that might even eventually derail Wenger’s title bandwagon for this season. That said, looking at how things seem to be currently panning out 200 miles to the north of the capital at Old Trafford, surely at this particular point in time evolution is a more desirable option for Arsenal than a wholesale revolution at the helm – especially when considering that David Moyes (a man whose attempts at replacing Fergie at United seem to be akin to the Wailers replacing Bob Marley with Shaggy) was a name that was high up on the list of many to take over from Arsène Wenger, not least on that of Piers Morgan @04.15) - a man who every time he decides to opine on football these days, seems to quite literally block drains with what he tends to spew out!
Also, according to Patrick Collins’s recent column in the Daily Mail, ‘Arsène Wenger has been making a few disturbing noises. Nothing definite, just the odd hint that the clock is ticking on his career in England, that he may be entering the last lap’. While, among those few sides who these days seem to make up the perennial ‘big five’, there are those who are currently reeling from the shock of the new regarding managerial appointments in recent seasons, stability at the helm might well be in Arsenal’s best interests for just a little bit longer. Which most probably hands the advantage to the ‘Wenger in’ camp – if only for the time being at least!
*Follow me on Twitter@robert_exley
