As a Manchester United fan I can't help look at what is going on with Arsenal and think what has happened? Just 10 years ago this summer, Arsene Wenger was gearing his side up to go a full league season unbeaten, now there is an air of uncertainty over his future and the club looks at times to be in complete disarray.
Part of me is relieved at this, as it has removed a potential challenger to the throne of Premier League champions leaving us only to deal with our noisy neighbours. But part of me sympathises and misses the intense rivalry that a fixture against the Gunners would bring.
In 2006 they were Champions League finalists and known throughout Europe as being one to avoid in the draw. Their slick style of football used to tear defences to shreds and they were spearheaded by arguably the greatest striker to play in the modern day Premiership, Thierry Henry.
Now they are being made to look like rank amateurs by a team that in all honesty are a great side but perennial underachievers. There is a growing unrest with the supporters and some are even calling for the once untouchable Arsene Wenger to be sacked.
But this is the problem with modern football. Everyone has an opinion but very few are grateful for what they have. When the now legendary Sir Alex Ferguson first took the hot seat at Old Trafford, things started grimly and after 3 years unrest grew among supporters who were fed up of watching their bitter rivals Liverpool win everything.
His head was called for and at one game a banner was unfurled at Old Trafford saying "Three years of excuses and it's still crap...ta-ra Fergie.". Yet the United board, to their credit decided to back the man they brought in from Aberdeen and now they can look back with pride at their decision.
In Wenger's case he messed things up from day one by having an immediate and highly successful impact on a club that up until that point had been labelled boring and had gone 6 seasons without even competing for a league title. Admittedly they enjoyed domestic cup successes in 1993 and captured the Cup Winners Cup in 1994 but lets face it for a club of Arsenal's stature if they are not competing in the league then they are underachieving.
The point I am trying to make is Wenger didn't have the slow and fruitless start to his Arsenal reign that Ferguson did at United. He gave the fans what they wanted there and then and then continued to sustain it with top 2 finishes for the following seasons before building a team that couldn't be beaten in the 2003/04 season.
Fast forward to now and he is facing an eighth season without a trophy. Is it time to sack Wenger? Well I would argue no. Things have changed behind the scenes at Arsenal drastically. David Dein who continually backed Wenger throughout the glory years is no longer there and now they have the same frustrating thing as Liverpool and so many other clubs have had, an American on their board.
Financially he has had money to spend but only on the basis he cashes in on his prize assets first to make room. It is evident that Wenger was in the process of building another invincible team but for this policy. Had he been able to hold on to his talent his team could well have looked like this Szczęsny, Clichy, Vermaelen,Sagna, Fabregas, Wilshere, Song, Walcott, Cazorla, Van Persie and Podolski with Diaby et al in reserve. The majority of these players have now moved on or are rotting in a squad that is consistently having to be reinforced by youth instead of the top talent thanks to the boards restrictions on what Wenger can do in the market.
Now the board are promising fresh cash to spend in the summer. Anyone who suggests Wenger is not the man to spend it should remember that over the years he has signed Viera, Henry, Anelka, Overmars, Petit, Van Persie, Walcott, Fabregas and the rest. Who's to say that now he finally has the financial backing of his board without having to sell his best players, that Wenger can't rebuild and go again.
So now is the time to go out there and get behind the manager who gave you endless success through the latter part of the 90's and early 00's instead of booing him. Repay the manager for all he has done in the past and give him next season to reward you for your loyalty. If he flops next season, then enough should surely be enough.
No comments:
Post a Comment