Kevin Whitcher
In a sense, yesterday evening’s Europa League semi-final first leg at home to Atletico Madrid summed up the later years of Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal. The inability to capitalise on a significant majority of the possession, the team’s chances undone by a basic lack of defensive organisation, often towards the end of matches that should have been locked down. It’s been going on for so long (Spurs at home 4-4 in October 2008 anyone?), that when Antoine Griezmann put the ball past a helpless Shkodran Mustafi late in the second half, the feeling of déjà vu was inescapable. The reality is not that ‘It was ever thus’, it just feels like it. There have certainly been other notable instances in Europe at home. Remember Anderlecht? Monaco? It’s a bit of an Achilles’ heel for a manager who prioritises attacking expression over defensive organisation. Winning teams manage to blend the two.
Still, in fairness to Arsenal, on the attacking front, to create so many opportunities, even against a ten man Atletico defence, was something that should enthuse them for the return leg. This tie is not dead yet by any means. Granted, if I were a betting man, I would back the Spanish team to be in the final, but the Gunners do have a chance. Where they disappointed was the finishing, although it has to be said that the Atleti keeper is rated as one of the world’s best for good reason. Jan Oblak's €100 million buyout clause almost certainly means he won’t be coming to Arsenal anytime soon, but the keeper is one of the positions you suspect the club is looking at in the next transfer window. A cheaper option less established will be more likely. Atleti had two chances of real merit in the whole game, one before the interval where the Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey waltzed through the Gunners backline with alarming ease to create a snapshot for Griezmann which Ospina saved well.
The visitors were rightly reduced to ten men early on after two cynical challenges from right back Vrasljko. Soon after, the referee’s decision not to card a less obvious Arsenal foul saw Diego Simeone dismissed from the Atletico technical area for his reaction. Simeone watched the rest of the game standing at the back of the directors’ box, in spite of an available seat in the visiting club’s two rows, and I’d have paid good money for a jobsworth Arsenal steward to request he took a seat. No-one dared. He was within a metre of Ivan Gazidis, tantalisingly close for a brief conversation along the lines of “How much do we need to pay you to come and sort out this mess?” but the time wasn’t the best, and I have no idea of Ivan Gazidis' ability in Spanish, so that’s one for the director of football. Please God let it be (it won’t happen, but it’s a nice idea). What struck me sitting opposite the dugouts was that, even at the back of the middle tier, pacing around and going through all his usual posturing and gesticulating, Simeone was a bigger visual presence than the old man in the Arsenal dugout sat next to Steve Bould, who spent most of the game sat on his bony backside.
On the field, Jack Wilshere seemed to be the hub of the best things coming from the team. Mesut Ozil’s contribution was negligible and the challenge for the next manager is to find a way of ensuring Arsenal have not just p***ed away north of £50 million on a player who chooses when he is going to influence matches. Atleti, even with 11 men, would have probably settled for 0-0, but a man down retreated even more. Arsenal, with territory and possession, laid siege to the opposition goal and in the second half, you could sense the deadlock had to be broken. Finally, it came with a good Wilshere cross headed in by Lacazette. There was a feeling in the crowd that one goal would not be enough, but sometimes European knockout ties can be very, very tight. Real Madrid in 2006? Villarreal a couple of months later? Going back to the pre-Arsene era, Torino in 1994. Granted, the idea of Arsenal not conceding a goal in two legs against anyone these days is a bit fanciful, so maybe the crowd had it right. Still, by the time the game ended, they’d have all settled for a 1-0.
What can be said about the defending for Atletico’s equaliser? Three men against one. Monreal too deep, playing the sole attacker onside. Koscielny in front of Griezmann. Mustafi, too far from Koscielny to cover his partner. It was Sunday morning stuff and those fans who retain this rather strange notion Arsene should not have been moved on years ago have a position they can defend as well as Arsene’s players can defend their goalkeeper. One long punt upfield. Koscielny unable to clear the ball, muscled off it by a smaller player (who needs Diego Costa?), Mustafi slipping up in the penalty area as he tried to cover the beaten Ospina. It was back to the old Keystone Cops school of defending. Arsene Wenger has changed the perception of the club in his 22 years, but you know what, some of the old school would just love to see a return to the days of Bertie Mee and George Graham when the team knew how to do the defensive basics. Frankly, there is a good argument to get shot of every single one of the back four if you are looking at basic defensive ability, but the reality is these players could be better if they were coached as a unit on the training ground. Having said that, the club probably need better, and I have little doubt there will be at least two new names rocking up before next season begins. Mustafi’s days are surely numbered and Koscielny’s permanently playing through injury and has always had the tendency to be a liability. Arsenal have not had a backline of serious repute since the stadium move. Hence, they have won three domestic cups in 13 seasons.
Atletico’s record at home is mean. They have not conceded a goal at the Wanda Metropolitano for 11 matches. That’s quite a run, but Arsenal have nothing to lose now. They know they can create opportunities against this team. Next week, they will have to take at least one, and probably more. If you want a prediction, I can see Diego Costa returning and bullying Arsenal’s centre backs. Maybe it’s worth throwing Rob Holding in there to provide the ex-Chelsea forward with some bad memories of last season’s FA Cup final. Whatever they do, Wenger needs a performance from his defence that he has never been willing to prepare them for. Before that – Manchester United at the weekend. It could be a bloodbath, because Wenger will play a mix and match team with a few of the kids. It doesn’t matter now. It will be humiliating but another 8-2 isn’t going to get the manager the sack (as it should have done seven years ago, but anyway). It will be a final victory for Jose Mourinho over his old adversary, but Wenger will just brush it off. His priority is Thursday.
Arsenal have a chance of making the final. The mood at the stadium was very flat at the conclusion of this game, the feeling the chance had been blown, that the Gunners had to win this match to have any chance of progress. But the one thing that recent weeks in Europe have taught us is that it is difficult to predict anything. Arsenal have pulled off surprise results in some big games over the last year and a bit. It’s one of the reasons Arsène Wenger is still in the job. The ultimate condemnation is knowing that the team can play to the level they did against Manchester City and Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup, against Milan in the San Siro a few weeks back and for the first 80 minutes against Atletico last night, but the fact they do it so rarely. It's in them but for whatever reason, the manager is unable to get them to produce it on a consistent basis. That is not the case with his opposite number.
On that note, Luis Enrique seems to be the preferred candidate to be Wenger’s successor, but wants £15 million a year (the club are prepared to pay £15 million for a manager and his assistant) and in addition is not enthused by the idea that he will only have £50 million to spend in the summer (presumably supplemented by anything the club can get for players they move on). May be true, may not be, but interesting speculation. For my own money, I am not convinced that Enrique is Pep Guardiola simply because he has won trophies with a team including Messi, Neymar, Suarez and Iniesta. He might be very good, but I need more convincing. Carlo Ancelotti is also considering the Italian national post – arguably an even bigger rebuild job that that Arsène is leaving behind as his legacy. The speculation continues. It won’t be Simeone, unfortunately. It needs his type of manager if the bulk of the current squad are to be retained (Antonio Conte is not an impossibility on that score), but who knows what we will get? My money’s still on Ancelotti, but I am positive any official news will be delayed until Arsène has left the building…
To end, we are bringing out a special edition of The Gooner for the Burnley game. This will be a special on Arsène’s 22 years at the club. It will pay tribute to some of the wonderful times he has given us, but won’t ignore the less enjoyable stuff, if only because there will be a review of every season alongside a plethora of articles about different aspects of his time in North London. At the moment, it’s likely to be 84 pages thick and will cost £5. We have little doubt the official programme will also be an Arsène tribute of a more sugar-coated variety, but you pay your money, you take the choice. Important to note – no-one’s subscription covers this special edition. Existing subscriptions cover up to issue 271 (the current edition) and those of you who have committed to next season will get their first issue in August (272). This special edition will be available to order by post – you can pre-order it here – or if you are not coming to the Burnley game, assuming we do not sell out, the sellers for our reduced matchday sales operation next season should have copies.
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