Kevin Whitcher
At the recent Arsenal AGM, in a 20 minute speech, Ivan Gazidis explained the lack of spending last summer in his discussion about the club’s “virtuous circle” policy, which basically breaks down to: invest in the team, achieve greater success, greater income and then spend the extra money on players. He stated that aside from developing players from the club’s Academy system that would give Arsenal “a competitive edge… we have a world class scouting system. We gave been very active in the transfer market in recent seasons… and have been disciplined in our strategy being talent led and not money led.” And the killer line, “Our squad is deeper, better and stronger as a consequence”. Just as well the AGM is on the third Thursday of October rather than the last, then.
Because the game at Hillsborough last night was a shambles of the highest order, right up there with some of Arsenal’s worst performances under Arsène Wenger. Granted, the competition is fairly low on the manager’s list of priorities, but it reminded me of when weakened sides have been played in domestic cup competitions before, and the players seemed to take their cue from the manager’s selection. This does not matter. Certainly, the Gunners played the fixture like it really was an irrelevance, a chore to be endured rather than a cup tie to win. Wenger is keen to talk about “disrespect” among the Arsenal supporters. His team’s performance was disrespectful to those that travelled to back the players.
There would have been a fair number of empty spaces in the away section, as the allocation for this cup tie meant it presented an opportunity for season ticket holders to buy a precious away ticket to boost their chances of a cup final ticket at some point before the end of the 2017/18 season when this away credit will expire. However, it felt as if a number of the players on the pitch didn’t turn up at Hillsborough in sympathy.
Going forward, perhaps there was some mitigation with the selection, the injuries to Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott (although the theory that the former did not warm up properly for this match beggars belief) and a couple of questionable offside calls. However, the back five were all players who should not look out of place in the first choice eleven (with Cech the first choice pick), shielded by Mathieu Flamini. So with £70 million at the manager’s disposal, the club could not afford better options than the Flamster? Gökhan İnler? Esteban Cambiasso? Scouting system? “Our squad is deeper, better and stronger as a consequence (of) our strategy being talent led and not money led.” Really?
The game does not require any great analysis. Wednesday were physical and were always going to rely on set pieces to create danger. Sure there was an element of this, but their opening goal would not have looked out of place if Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez had scored it in a red and white shirt. Even if the Gunners had problems going forward, there was no real excuse for what happened at the back.
The selection of Giroud up front indicated a horses for courses policy, even if the Frenchman took it literally and played like a carthorse. It was going to be a night when the team needed to be strong in the air. They weren’t. Not that some of the crossing gave the number 12 any real ammunition, and one has to wonder whether the Joel Campbell that played for Olympiacos and Costa Rica has been replaced by an alien being. He was involved, but hopeless.
No blame to the debut boys, either those starting or coming off the bench. They failed to influence the game, but were not helped at all by the more experienced colleagues alongside them. The final minute of first half injury time witnessed the first Arsenal effort on target. This was a mid-table Championship team they were up against here. Not good enough.
And no discernable improvement after the interval, as 2-0 became 3-0. The humiliation complete. A comeback a la Reading away in 2012 anyone? 4-0 down in 45 minutes there. Not with this bunch of uncommitted no marks. Why does Ivan Gazidis say this crap about the strength of the squad? Does he actually believe a word the manager says? Is he blind? Another disciple of the church of Wenger, like so many attendees at the Emirates these days? Pay me over £2 million a year to spout sh*t about the reasons to leave £70 million in the bank that could have been used to improve the squad and I will happily join the flock.
With the game obviously lost, the away section made plenty of noise, with the kind of lunatic gallows dedication oft seen at the likes of Old Trafford. Some made better use of their time and headed down the M1 to beat the rush. Pete Mountford texted me to opine that he believed the senior pros felt that the game was beneath them, that not bothering to warm up properly was symptomatic of this.
It was a competition that was an irrelevance to the manager, and evidently the players, and the performance reflected this. A ramshackle starting eleven that produced what may have actually been the desired result. So no further distractions due to this competition then. All part of the masterplan. Good old Arsenal? Perhaps good old Arsène’s Arsenal would be more accurate.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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