It is incredible that today we face Manchester United in a clash at Old Trafford which could settle the fate of the Premier League title, and that is not my lead story. But then, the events of the shareholders Q&A were somewhat extraordinary, and the fall-out from those tense exchanges continued throughout yesterday, right up until the point that ArsenalTV screened footage from the event at 9pm.
Perhaps I was being naieve, but I was amazed that ArsenalTV went to the Stalin-esque lengths of editing out the most controversial moments of the interrogative session. An hour-long Q&A was reduced to about 35 minutes as the discussions of Silvestre’s geriatricity, Adebayor’s future, and the ability of the likes of Song and Diaby were erased from the club’s own recording of the occasion.
I can understand the logic: the exchanges were unflattering to both Arsene and the fans who affronted him with their all-too-direct questions, but in that case I would have pulled the programme completely. Censoring content that has already been made public by the national media is somewhat futile.
Perhaps I’m being unfair, fuelled by my annoyance at not being able to see something that would clearly have made for an enthralling piece of television. It was an in-house event and the club have a right to edit that in whatever way they choose. We are lucky, however, that we live in a world where their censorship does not deny us a full account of what actually took place, thanks to good sources like this one at ArsenalInsider.
From what I was permitted to see, I gleamed that Arsene is a man very much under pressure. His responses became almost hectoring, as if he felt a need to re-educate his audience on football’s values. And in many cases, his arguments stood up.
Something I feel he was trying to say but never quite managed to capture was that we as a club would benefit from being more insular. We live in a world of media saturation, whereby we are all incluenced by an external perception of the club. When that is negative, it is easy to succumb and feel similarly. Some clubs battle negative perception all the time – I’m thinking of Chelsea, primarily – but their fans can at least point to trophies. Of late we have not had that defence, and that leaves us as fans feeling vulnerable.
In an ideal world, we would not give a toss what the media think. We would not care what the fans of other clubs think. In an ideal world, you could argue, we would not even bother to look at the league table. This club exists only for us, and we exist only for this club. All that should matter is that this club is run to the best of its capacities – the problem being, perhaps, that we are unclear as to what those capacities are. But trophies are transient – as soon as they are won they are given up again. The values of a club – the spirit, the style – are more significant. As Arsene himself mentioned, Liverpool have not won the title for two decades, but they are doubtless a great club. Being true to our culture and our heritage ought to be more significant than any statistic.
I know that reeks of idealism and is a philosophy that is almost entirely alien in results-driven modern football, but I don’t think it’s without merit. Arsene once famously said, “Everyone thinks he has the prettiest wife at home”. At the moment we Arsenal fans are slagging off our missus and lusting after a few voluptuous but ultimately cheap tarts.
And you know what – if we got them, it’d only be a fling. Like Arsene said at the Q&A – if he spent £70m on a player, people would be happy for two months, and then the despair would creep back in with a stronger hold than ever. And everything that he had worked so hard to build would be irretrievably disturbed.
I know many will read this and still insist that trophies are what really count, and I am certainly not advocating a trophyless period as a good thing. But it seems to me that Arsene believes that trophies must be the fruits of a club’s ethos, not the defining factor. It’s a view that I’m inclined to agree with. It’s a view that preserves something of football’s soul at a time when it is draining rapidly away.
We are all disappointed to be trophyless again. But there is still so much to be thankful for. Let’s not let disappointment define us. We are still The Arsenal. One shareholder suggested that the club’s motto ought to take more prominence, and I can’t agree more: Victoria Concordia Crescit – Victory Through Harmony. This is a difficult period for this football club, as we all knew it would be when emabarking upon the Emirates adventure. Arsene is the best man to have at the helm, and we need to rally behind him.
Crikey. So, Manchester United today. A point will hand them the Premier League title, and thus the obvious prize for Arsenal players is to be the party-poopers on their rivals’ big day. A few members of the squad might also have an eye on United’s next game at Hull, knowing that defeat tomorrow would leave United needing to win at The KC Stadium on the final day, with the tantalising possibility of a Hull relegation into the bargain.
Manuel Almunia is still out with an ankle problem, so Lukasz Fabianski will continue in goal (gulp). In defence, I’d imagine Gibbs and Sagna will flank Toure and one of Djourou or Silvestre. Ahead of that it’s hard to guess who’ll start, but Andrey Arshavin is fully fit and raring to go. He gives a frank interview to Martin Samuel and The Daily Mail today which, aside from some somewhat terrifying comments about Arshavin’s adoration of Barcelona, contain some fairly forthright views on the team’s immediate future. He wants to follow the template United have set – starting now:
“Arsenal have not achieved good results in the last few years, but that is easily explained because the team is so young. I believe we are now at a point where it will begin to work for us and enable the team to start scoring and move on as Manchester United did.
A few years ago, they had young players like Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo, who were very promising, but they did not win the league and achieve the right results. Now they are older, they cannot stop winning. Arsenal have been recruiting players for two years, so I do not predict results a long way in the future: I predict them for next season, if we can add some others to our team.
We must buy in the summer. Not more potential, but players who are ready to do it now, players like me. We need two or three. If Arsenal want to win, they have to do it. We are tired of waiting.”
It seems that in the four months he’s been here he’s arrived at what is an undeniable accurate assessment of the team. After his tremendous impact at Anfield, here’s hoping Arshavin can shine on another grand stage today.
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Andrey Arshavin will feature in a pull-out from The Observer tomorrow entitled: ‘Football’s Seven Deadly Sins: Pride’. There is also one with today’s Guardian about ‘Greed’ – featuring, fittingly, the story of Ashley C*le’s departure to Chelsea.
It’s horrible to see people who love each other very much fighting. But then, when a relationship is in trouble, sometimes that’s what’s needed. Brutal honesty can be difficult to bear, but from the inevitable conflict that occurrs, a greater mutual understanding can be arrived at, wherefrom problems can be overcome. (I should at this juncture point out that I gained this knowledge almost entirely from watching Sex & The City with my ex, and have thus far been entirely unable to apply it successfully in my own life.)
In the wake of the crushing defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea, the bond between Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans appears to under considerable strain. Yesterday, at a Q&A between Arsene Wenger and shareholders, it seems to have descended into a full-blown blame-game.
I should point out that I have seen no footage of the event, nor was I there. There is some suggestion that ArsenalTV will screen it tonight, though I am yet to have that confirmed. These quotes are therefore without context, and it’s worth bearing that in mind when perusing my clumsy analysis.
The first bone of contention arose after a supporter questioned the players’ desire. Arsene retorted:
“It is easy to sit in the stand and say that they are not up for the fight. What they have done in this season in a negative environment shows what they can do.”
I would rather suggest that what they did (or failed to do) in the first half of the season went a long way towards engendering that negative environment. He then compared the home fans with the away fans, stating:
“There is a massive difference between the away fans, who are absolutely fantastic, and the home ones. It is always that negative way of thinking, that the players do not care. If we do not get there next year [playing in this style] then I am responsible and will stand up for it. But what this team needs is people who are fans of the club.â€
I am a fan who goes primarily to home games, but I have no doubt when I say that the away fans are (as a rule) more vocal and more supportive. But this is true of every club in the league. I don’t actually think our home fans are hugely more difficult to please than many other sets – look at the way Bolton fans have dogged Gary Megson, despite him doing an admirable job. There are fans who will groan at the first pass that goes astray, but I remain convinced they are in a minority.
That said, the relationship between the fans and the players is as poor as I can remember it. In the space of this season Eboue, Adebayor, and Bendtner have all been booed. Bendtner and Eboue have escaped of late, but that in itself shows how fickle these reactions are. Yesterday a shareholder labelled Silvestre “geriatric”, and Arsene was reputedly more than a little irked. As Goodplaya and I discussed in conversation last night, I suppose the fan who did so would similarly complain about the lack of experience in the squad.
Arsene is keen to take responsibility, and so he should be. But perhaps if he is that keen to protect his players, he needs to give them the tools they need to succeed. And by “tools” I of course mean “additional, better players”.
There are disgruntled fans, but there is a simple way to appease them: trophies. And winning a trophy – the FA Cup, say – does not always come at the price of bankruptcy– sometimes it comes at the price of fielding your strongest XI in the semi-final. I think it is the underlying suspicion that prizes are no longer what motivates Arsene that leads to such frustration. Is this a squad assembled to win plaudits or prizes?
“I believe he was disturbed at the start by a little bit of bad feelings from the fans because he was close to leaving the club and it unsettled him a little bit. And after, he had a big [hamstring] injury [that kept him out for two months from early February]. He looks now in training very, very sharp and back to his best. I don’t want to go especially into any individual assessment of who we want to keep and who not, at the moment, and normally Adebayor is part of our plans for the future.”
It’s not exactly the kind of strong talk he has used when expressing his desire for Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas to remain at the club, and if there is interest at around the £20m mark, I expect Adebayor to depart this Summer.
It’s a situation that makes me sad, really. Adebayor came here as a nobody and many fans fell for his boundless energy and fearless determination. I remember several games where we were chasing goals and Adebayor would be running to get the ball and placing it for goalie to take goal-kicks. He was a cult hero of sorts – not the most ability, but all the will in the world.
He is unrecogniseable as a player now – far more reliable in front of goal, but far more casual in style. I firmly believe he is a less effective player for it. In his former guise, he was the ideal foil for a goalscorer – I once hoped he’d prove to be the Heskey to Eduardo’s Owen. Now, he acts the goalscorer himself, casually strolling about and waiting for an opportunity to come. It does not make the most of his natural gifts, and it does not suit our team. And, in terms of attitude, it’s just not on.
Arsene and Arsenal made him the player he was last season, when he terrorised defences and banged in thirty goals. And then he got a fat contract and sat back on his laurels. Maybe it’s because he knows he’s earning as much as he possibly can and no longer has the drive to improve. Maybe it’s because he feels he can’t win anything in this Arsenal side and lacks motivation. Maybe he really is just lazy. Whatever it is, it’s not good enough. I’d rather have the Adebayor we had in his first season – the one who missed two open goals at Portsmouth but covered huge expanses of ground – than his current incarnation: the supposed African Footballer of the Year and £30m superstar.
Amidst all the bickering, there was some fantastic news yesterday: Tomas Rosicky has returned to full training. In many ways, the real test begins now, as we find out if he can cope with a heavier schedule. All things being well (which, admittedly, seems unlikely), he could be on course to return to playing action in pre-season.
This blog has exhausted me a little. Arguments are like that, I suppose. I hope in the cold light of day Arsene and the fans can look each other in the eye and agree that we all just want the best for the club. There is plenty of work to be done in the coming months and years, and I still believe Arsene is the right man to oversee that. And for all his seemingly negative comments about those who fill the Emirates Stadium week-in week-out, it’s worth remembering to whom Arsene felt he owed the greatest apology after our Champions League exit: the fans.
This year has been a failure of sorts, but next year does not have to be. In 2007/08, Arsene’s Arsenal showed serious potential. We mounted a serious title challenge, in a year when nobody expected it. We had, it’s worth pointing out, just finished fourth and sold our star striker.
Let’s believe it can happen again – otherwise, really, what is the point?
The man who writes Goodplaya.com is undoubtedly wise. At the bottom of the article that link will transport you to, should you have the courage to click it, he says this:
“He is not closed-minded. The idea that Arsène Wenger is some stubborn guy who is not open to having his ideas challenged and there is nobody there who can say ‘listen we need someone with experience in the middle of the park or at the back’ just isn’t true.
“He is asking questions of himself all the time and talking to people all the time. He does not believe he has all the answers and I see that as one of his strengths.â€
The mischievous could almost interpret that as a challenge. I hope it was.
Goodplaya’s hope has somehow transformed into a near certainty in my mind: in raising these issues in a public forum, Gazidis is applying pressure to Arsene to show that he is a big enough man to correct his own mistakes. Admittedly it’s just speculation, but it makes a degree of sense. And when was the last time there was a voice from above Arsene applying any kind of pressure at all? When was the last time someone from the board talked about the vaguest possibility of needing “someone with experience in the middle of the park or at the back”? Gazidis has impressed me immensely since his arrival, and I’m hoping his first Summer at the club will be indicative of the influence he is beginning to wield.
Arsene will today receive a more direct grilling from the club’s shareholders. Obviously I’m sure there’ll be some fascinating dialogue, so I’ll do my best to get hold of that as soon as possible. Do get in touch if you’re one of the men wiring Arsene up to the polygraph.
Debate continues to rage (well, not ‘rage’, but certainly gently swash about a bit) over whether or not Theo Walcott ought to travel to the European Under-21 Championships with England. Whilst the sensible thing from our perspective is probably to give him a rest, I’m sure Theo himself is eager to play – and it could prove beneficial. After a three month absence he looks fairly fresh and not in need of a huge Summer break, and a successful tournament could provide a real launching pad into next season. My hunch is that he will go.
Those who follow me on twitter might have heard this clip as a preview of today’s blog content:
For those who’ve yet to see the blue-ming thing, here it be:
Of course opinion will be divided, but I have to say I’m not enamoured with it – particularly the dodgy collar and pinstripe. Sure, it’s not in the same league as the dreaded ‘wh*te kit’ of a few years back, but it’s a hell of a drop off from this year’s fantastic ’89-esque shirt.
All I can ask is: why blue? Blue is a colour that has ancient associations with sadness, stemming from the idea in Greek mythology that the blue of the rain signified the tears of Zeus. It’s raining where I am today. Presumably because Zeus is crying about this rubbish kit.
There’ve been some midweek stirrings in the Arsenal press office, principally to deny the somewhat malicious rumour about Pat Rice retiring. After beginning as idle speculation on a few blogs, the story made it as far as The Times, who really ought to know better. The problem with the story is that it is borne principally out of the incorrect belief that Pat Rice doesn’t really do anything, and that even if he did Arsene would be unwilling to listen. CEO Ivan Gazidis’ comments in a recent meeting with the AST were clearly intended to dispell that myth:
“The idea that Arsène Wenger is some stubborn guy who is not open to having his ideas challenged and there is nobody there who can say ‘listen we need someone with experience in the middle of the park or at the back’ just isn’t true.
He is asking questions of himself all the time and talking to people all the time. He does not believe he has all the answers and I see that as one of his strengths. ‘He is not someone who takes the easy route to protect himself. He will place the protection of his players above that.
He is not going to go out and say ‘this guy is not good enough’ or ‘this is where we are weak’. He has the ability to make difficult decisions when they have to be made, but until then, he protects and supports the players he has.”
Pat Rice is going nowhere. He loves the club and remains an integral member of the coaching staff, as well as being an important link with the club’s history.
Should Manchester United avoid defeat at Wigan tonight, they could clinch the Premier League title against us on Saturday. Were that the case, it ought to motivate our squad to spoil the party – though it’s hard to know what motivates this current bunch.
After the immediate success of Andrey Arshavin’s move to the Emirates Stadium, it was inevitable that the media would be swamped with the stories of other Russians keen to bathe in English football’s milder climes.
With our own Soviet Superstar struggling to come to terms with his left-sided role, it’s no surprise that he’s been asked by the Russian media about the possibility of Arsenal making a swoop for Arshavin’s international colleague and CSKA winger Yuri Zhirkov:
“Yes, I know Yuri well. But the problem is would he like to move to Arsenal?â€
Zhirkov, nicknamed ‘The Russian Ronaldinho’, excelled in the European Championships as a left-back, but is more suited to an attacking role. He’d undoubtedly be a good addition , though I suspect defensive reinforcements will take precedence.
Pavel Pogrebnyak, meanwhile, played alongside Arshavin for Zenit St. Petersburg. He was close to joining Blackburn in January as a replacement for Roque Santa Cruz, and is now being linked with a move to North London:
“It is the first time I’ve heard about Arsenal’s interest, but, of course, I’m pleased that the club is interested in me. I think that for any player to get the opportunity to work with Arsene Wenger would be a big step forward.â€
If the first he’s heard about Arsenal’s interest is a question being asked about Arsenal’s interest by a hack fabricating a story about Arsenal’s interest, then it’s probably fair to assume that Arsenal’s interest, like The Tooth Fairy, The American Dream, and Brad Pitt’s character in Fight Club, isn’t real.
Elsewhere, Kolo Toure has declared himself “in love†with Arsenal and eager to sign a new contract – something I’d fully support. Toure might’ve lost a yard of pace, but he’s still one of the few players you can rely on to give his absolute best.
Right, that’s all that’s going on, really. The club appears to have entered a brief mourning period after a traumatic week. Hopefully we’ll get over it/ourselves in time for Saturday’s renewal of hostilities at Old Trafford.
