Neil A. Fry, Arsenal Audit
“I learned more in four months under [in Italy, manager] Spalletti than in 10 years in England. He puts a lot of importance on playing the ball to feet. One day we trained for over 45 minutes just on goal kicks. ... I really get on with goalkeeping coach Nanni too, as he is a great professional and I never get bored.”
Wojciech Szczesny, during his successful loan period at Roma
Since Ivan Gazidis’s ‘catalyst for change’ fans’ forum comment and de facto absentee owner Kroenke’s reprieve, Monsieur Wenger appears to have left no doubt who remains in control of the Club. The coaching team were given two year contracts to mirror their boss’s. Arsenal Audit has had serious concerns over the stagnant and little changing coaching team, and the nature of their input, ever since the first Arsenal Audit in 2011, and similarly recruitment. Yet, away from Monsieur Wenger’s side of the operation and with analytics, there have been some positive changes as the Club modernises the rest of its operation.
Monsieur Wenger’s coaching team
Club stalwart Steve Bould, now 54, moved from the youth academy, where he was coach since 2001, to replace the retired Pat Rice in 2012, who even preceded Monsieur Wenger. The only fruits of Bould’s youth labour to feature last season was squad player Kieron Gibbs (see also part one). Defensively, it is pre-Christmas 2012 since the former centre-back left a significant mark and there were many suggestions, over a long period of time, that his role was curtailed by Monsieur Wenger. With his serving of a 4-match touchline ban for verbally abusing and man-handling the fourth official, despite the correct penalty award, Bould showed no appetite for any hands on match role on the touchline in the poor League defeats to Watford, at home, and Chelsea and a difficult win against eventually relegated Hull City. Arsenal Audit is unsure of the nature of his current input and unaware of any other club’s interest in his services. Boro Primorac, now 62, is a former (1976 – 1982, 14 caps) Yugoslavian international centre-back who briefly managed Cannes, Valenciennes and Guinea Bissau, between 1990 – 1994, before becoming Monsieur Wenger’s assistant at Nagoya Grampus, prior to re-joining his boss at Arsenal in 1997. Said by Arsenal.com to have a “shrewd eye and comprehensive technical understanding of the game [which] are widely respected within the sport”, Arsenal Audit has been unable to find the sources of such respect and is unaware of any other club’s interest in his services. Neil Banfield, now 61, “a well-regarded player himself” according to Arsenal.com made 31 appearances for Leyton Orient, at his peak, in the old Third Division, between 1983 - 1985. He joined Arsenal in 1997 and coached the youth and reserve teams before being promoted to first team coach in 2012. Arsenal Audit is unsure of the nature of his current input and unaware of any other club’s interest in his services. Gerry Peyton, now 61, made nearly 550 appearances for Fulham and Bournemouth, at his peak, in the old Second and Third Divisions, between 1997 – 1991. He also won 33 caps for the Republic of Ireland. Previously goalkeeping coach at minnows Vissel Kobe and Jubilo Iwata in Japan, AIK Solna, in Sweden; he joined Arsenal in the role in 2003. Subsequently, he oversaw the ‘development’ of Manuel Alumia, Lukas Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny; before Monsieur decided to sign the fully developed Petr Cech. Arsenal Audit is unaware of any other club’s interest in his services. Szczesny, contemplating his future, said of his time at Arsenal “The one thing I want to do is make sure I don’t stay still … I was quite still for five years – sometimes I played better, sometimes worse, sometimes phenomenal, sometimes rubbish.” He subsequently signed for six successive times Serie A winners and twice in 3 years Champions League Finalists Juventus and certainly hasn’t stood still anymore. It is not the link up with Max Allegri Arsenal Audit had hoped for.
In contrast, key main key rivals Manchester United (under Ferguson) and Chelsea regularly welcomed fresh talent and new ideas to their coaching and management ranks. A number of members of Ferguson’s coaching team subsequently moved to prominent positions elsewhere – such as Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Carlos Queiroz and Rene Meulensteen. Last season, former Chelsea assistant manager Paul Clement thrived at relegation threatened Swansea and made such an impact after arriving on 3 January that he was nominated for Premier League Manager of the Season.
Remarkably, despite Peyton being awarded a new contract, the highly combustible Invincibles goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has joined the general coaching staff. A rare and very welcome influx of fresh blood, it is difficult to imagine how he will fit in to the prevailing culture of quiet obsequiousness.
The Arsenal medical team
Arsenal’s medical team became similarly stagnant over a number of years. In the Arsenal Audit of the seasons from 2004 - 2012, it was noted that significant injury absence had been evident since 2008 and that Arsenal had some of the worst injury rates in the Premier League and lagged far behind then Champions Manchester City in its commitment to sports science. Colin Lewin joined Arsenal in 1995, and has been head of the medical department, since his cousin Gary left to join England in 2008. Fitness coach Tony Colbert joined in 1998 and Club doctor Gary O’Driscoll joined in 2009. Arsenal’s medical team has recently been significantly modernised. Between 2011 and 2014, three physiotherapists and three masseurs have been recruited. Shad Forsythe joined Arsenal in July 2014 as the new head of athletic performance enhancement, a soft tissue therapist joined in summer 2015, and fitness expert Darren Burgess joined in June as head of high performance. This week one of the largest cryotherapy installations in the U.K. was announced at Arsenal.
Last season there was a clear improvement. Arsenal were 15th in the Premier League last season in all injuries with 71, well over the League average 57.5; but Sunderland, West Ham and Liverpool were in the 80s (85, 82 & 81). Much more encouraging was that, despite the relatively high incidence of injuries, Arsenal were equal 7th with Manchester City (and Stoke) in terms of injuries lasting just 14 days or more and under the League average (25.7 days).
The Arsenal analytics team
Against all prevailing trends in the game post-Mourhino’s early career, Monsieur Wenger had been philosophically indisposed to considering the opposition’s individual and team game after the pragmatic FA Cup win on penalties against Manchester United in 2005. Nevertheless, Arsenal bought StatDNA in December 2012 for £2.65m – an acquisition which Ivan Gazidis believed would provide critical analytic insights in match preparation, post-match analysis, tactical insights and scouting. Initially, Monsieur Wenger seemed sceptical and stressed the importance of human (his) judgement and evidence of its implementation appeared scarce. With Arsenal in another crisis period, the players appear to have asked for the pre-match analysis of the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses and a bespoke match plan ahead of the tactically astute and disciplined win at Manchester City in January 2015. StatDNA was not credited. Nevertheless, Arsenal have expanded their analytical team. Ben Knapper, recruited before StatDNA, now provides video and statistical analysis relating to team performance, opposition analysis and player recruitment. Mark Curtis became a First Team Analyst in summer 2015 and undertakes pre-match opposition scouting and post-match analysis. A year later Sam Hayball, Football Analyst Assistant also moved over to the first team where he now undertakes training analysis, alongside supporting the pre- and post-match processes.
Nevertheless, Arsenal still had their worst season since Project Youth started and StatDNA’s role in scouting was decidedly mixed regarding last season’s additions (see part one). Mesut Özil’s suggestion that there was a clear and credible game plan focussing on opposition weaknesses ahead of the second 5 – 1 capitulation against Bayern Munich suggests that the human element remains as important as Monsieur Wenger has suggested. However, perhaps he is the problem rather than the solution he thinks.
Monsieur Wenger’s recruitment
For the season before last Monsieur Wenger was the only manager in Europe’s top 5 leagues not to bring in a single outfield player. Last season only Xhaka was bought early and as he gradually established himself, it became increasingly apparent that he was not a genuine defensive midfield player (albeit having significant virtues if they were properly harnessed in a balanced midfield ‘2’). Since Invicible Gilberto left over nine years ago, that position - apart from internal convert Francis Coquelin - still remains vacant. Perez was signed late after another embarrassingly fruitless big money centre-forward pursuit, the unlikely Wenger target Jamie Vardy, failed. Mustafi was eventually purchased late, at an apparently increased fee, following Per Mertesacker’s long term injury pre-season. To put last season’s long awaited dip into Arsenal’s massive cash reserves into perspective, Manchester United matched it with just one of their signings (Pogba).
For this season, the strong and versatile left-sided defensive player Sead Kolasinac was signed early, on a free transfer. Arsenal’s new record signing Alexandre Lacazette was signed just in time for the start of pre-season matches. If he lives up to his prolific record for hometown club Lyon in Ligue 1, Arsenal may finally have a top-quality replacement for Robin van Persie who left Arsenal five years ago. That Olivier Giroud is usually preferred for France may be more to do with their system and available players. A top-quality goalkeeper was absent for nearly seven years until Petr Čech’s arrival, no longer the No. 1 at Chelsea. Arsenal supporters have been bemoaning the crucial absence of a top quality defensive midfield player and centre forward for over a combined 14 years – and still counting over the former.
Very much in the North London way, Tottenham have railed against the inflated market, sold Walker and bought no one and, so far, Arsenal have exceeded Liverpool in total spending on their two players bought in similar positions (Salah, forward £36m. and Solanke, left-back £7.65 m.). Elsewhere, Monsieur Wenger has, once again, failed to keep pace with key rivals – including even Everton and Monsieur Wenger’s frequent nemesis Ronald Koeman. Director of football Steve Walsh (formerly Champions Leicester City’s chief scout / assistant manager) has helped his new club undergo a major overhaul of last season’s 7th placed team. Almost £100m has been spent on six immediate additions (Pickford, Klaassen, Keane, Rooney, Ramirez, Martina) and the protracted pursuit of the £50m-rated of Gylfi Sigurdsson appears to be finally coming to fruition too. Chelsea have spent nearly £120m on a centre forward (Morata, £55m.), defensive midfielder (Bakayoko, £34m.) and centre-back (Rüdiger, £30m.). So far, Manchester United have mirrored Chelsea’s positional spending and around £140m going on Lukaku (£72m), Matic (£38m) and Lindelöf (£30m). The previous season, close to £150m was spent on Pogba, Mkhitaryan and Bailly. Manchester City have upstaged them all with Pep Guardiola spending nearly £200m on five players so far, including three full backs (Walker, Mendy and Danilo) and a goalkeeper (Ederson). Just in case they didn’t have enough forwards already, around £43m. also went on Bernardo Silva. Last season they acquired Sané, Stones, Gabriel Jesus, Nolito, Gündogan and Bravo for around £160 m when the market was less inflated.
As Monsieur Wenger persists with his enduring counter-intuitive faith in his failing players, Arsenal’s traditionally huge cash reserves continue to gather interest and keep Arsenal top of the one table ever-suffering loyal supporters did not want.
New sources:
Not embouldened:
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal-assistant-steve-bould-furious-over-reports-of-rift-with-arsene-wenger-8412825.html
