It’s all been happening in the last week, hasn’t it? Arsene Wenger’s been getting battered by the fans and the press. There are still a loyal contingent of folks out there who believe and support him but you can’t ignore those who can’t.
Now, before I go on, I feel I need to point out the obvious: We have no clue as to what goes on behind the scenes at Arsenal. All we can do is look at the evidence before us and make calculated guesses, although I don’t speak for everyone when I say that.
Looking at the squad, it’s fair to say that we need reinforcements but at the same time, the fact remains that we took it to the wire up until the last six games. Yes, we capitulated in the most depressing yet familiar fashion, but you can’t tell me that in February you didn’t think to yourself: “we might just do it this year”. Even with the players in the squad who are so obviously not good enough for the team, we were still pushing United and playing good football.
Everybody seems to think that more players will be the answer and I agree, a defender, keeper and defensive midfielder (so Song can have a breather once in a while) would be wise, but what’s the point when Wenger only seems to look for 15 year olds around Europe. We have enough ‘tippy tappy’ players, who can do nice step overs and silky skills, but where are the scary players like Roy Keane or Martin Keown types in the squad, whose job it is to just fight back against teams who think they can bully us?
We could do with a few old heads knocking some sense into our Twitter loving/FIFA 2011 playing footballers and drilling it into them to hold leads and not to switch off. Whether Wenger does that, remains to be seen. His argument is there’s nobody out there to sign, but what’s wrong with a player like Kevin Nolan? You might laugh and call me every name under the sun, but you know what? He has heart, and he does a great job in the Premier League; he scores goals and more importantly, he gets stuck in. Also, Chris Samba. Again, not fashionable, but he also plays with heart and he loves to defend and also, he’s built like a brick…well, you know what I mean.
Players of that ilk. No frills, but they do a job and I think that balance of our existing players who know how to play football mixed with their grit and determination, I think is a recipe for success.
Like I said earlier, the support for Wenger seems to be waning.
I still have faith in him, because he has Arsenal’s best interest at heart and for me – as a fan – that’s important. However, I also think Wenger has an unhealthy status within the Arsenal hierarchy.
I’m starting to believe there are too many ‘yes men’ at the club who kiss the ground Wenger walks on and I think it’d be a good idea to get Tony Adams back at the club and give him the Number 2 role at the club and perhaps groom him to be our future manager.
If a player like Thierry Henry comes out and says: “Tony Adams taught me what it is to play for Arsenal Football Club; when I finish playing I want to go back there”, then it’s not the dumbest idea to bring Mr Arsenal back home. I feel his presence will strike fear into the hearts of our young players and it will motivate them to pull their finger out.
So, a combination of ugly, unfashionable players along with an Arsenal legend could just be the tonic we need to turn our nearly men into bona fide winners.
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