Flawed transfer policy leaves Arsene Wenger open to scrutiny

“Is it time for Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal?” this website asked yesterday, with what appeared to be a healthy sprinkling of rhetoric. Of course the vast majority of you answered that Wenger’s remarkable record over the past 12 years means that he deserves patience and respect, but what was fascinating was the number of Arsenal supporters whose replies were along the lines of “No, but … .”

Wenger is a football genius, a visionary, a legend, but he is not without flaws. His dedication to the aesthetics of the game – and, by extension, to the development of young talent – is laudable, but in recent seasons it has seemed that this, rather than results or trying to win trophies, has become his priority. How else to explain his persistent refusal to buy the kind of aggressive, experienced central defender and central midfield player without which no team can realistically expect to win the Premier League title.

Arsenal came close last season, closer than many of us imagined. They were still just about in the title race until March and ended up finishing in a creditable third place in the Premier League, just four points behind Manchester United, with a total of 83 points which in some previous years would have been enough to win the title. They also reached the Champions League quarter-finals, beating AC Milan along the way, and were on course for the semi-final until Kolo Toure needlessly conceded a penalty in the second leg at Anfield. The margins that separated them from glory were indeed small.

But the recurring factors in just about every Arsenal defeat – the late capitulations at Old Trafford in the Premier League and Anfield in the Champions League last April, the losses to Hull City and, in particular, Fulham and Stoke City – are a lack of physical and mental fortitude, the latter stemming from a lack of experience. Everybody knows it, but, for whatever reason, Wenger prefers to ignore it. Amid the clamour for a rugged, experienced centre-half this summer, Wenger opted for Mikael Silvestre, who was a fragile case even at the best of times at Manchester United. As for the centre of midfield, faced with the departures of Gilberto Silva and Mathieu Flamini, he decided to put his faith in Denilson, the 20-year-old Brazilian, and Alex Song, the 21-year-old from Cameroon. To put it mildly, neither is the finished article.

The concern is that Wenger is not interested in “the finished article”. If he has a vacancy in his team, he would prefer to fill it with one of the exceptional, if raw, talents in his reserve (or Carling Cup) team or, if he has to look outside the club, with a young, up-and-coming player rather than the more obvious solutions favoured elsewhere. Few could deny that Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor, to name but four, have more than justified the club’s outlay on them. But is it time to extend analysis of Wenger’s transfer record to those players he has not signed, rather than just those that he has?

Wenger was interested in signing Xabi Alonso from Liverpool this summer and was told that the asking price was £16 million (which means that he could have been signed for a little less). Alonso is not the prototype of a holding midfield player, but his intelligence, his vision, his passing and his under-appreciated workrate would have made him perfect for Arsenal’s purposes. Wenger liked the idea, but decided not to pursue it for two reasons: the price (fair enough) and a potential negative impact on Denilson, whose progress he thought could be stilted by the arrival of a 26-year-old whose best years appear to be ahead of him.

As for the defence, the Silvestre signing seemed like a bad joke at the time and is even more perplexing three months later. Even the maligned Philippe Senderos, now at AC Milan, would have been a better bet against the aerial threat of Stoke on Saturday. Sir Alex Ferguson spoke respectfully about his decision not to stand in Silvestre’s way when he learned of Arsenal’s interest. In reality, the Manchester United manager was rubbing his hands with glee. And don’t get me started on Manuel Almunia, who, despite an improvement over the past three seasons, remains deeply average.

One poster on yesterday’s blog claimed that the “knives are out in the media” whenever Arsenal lose a game and that Chelsea or United would not be subjected to such scrutiny or criticism. Leaving aside the fact that every supporter has a misplaced belief that there is a media conspiracy against their club (few more so than Chelsea and United), a personal view is that Wenger and Arsenal are viewed in a very sympathetic light by the media, in part because of the football they play and the ideals they represent.

But that does not make them immune to scrutiny. And, as much as I respect him, his achievements and his philosophy, the concern for Arsenal is that the scrutiny will intensify over the coming weeks because, whatever they might do against United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, they remain too inconsistent to challenge for the title.

Oliver Kay

Comments

[Matt King]

A very measured and truthfull article Oliver. Yes I too have the upmost respect for Arsene Wenger, but why o why he will not sign a couple of Tony Adams or Patrick Viera's. Gallas and Silvestre - Rejects of our rivals. If Arsenal fail to secure CL football this season, as has been predicted for a couple of years, then he may just start to listen.....

[Gary]

I've been telling anyone who would listen for years that Wenger has one huge hole in his managerial make up that would forever stop him from being a really good manager. His achillies heel is that he does not recognise the value of a proper centre forward either the traditional target man (Teddy Sherringham, Roque Santa Cruz) or goal poacher (Owen, Lineker). Through the great teams he's assembled he's never really had that player, preferring instead to rely on a host of converted wingers and midfielders for goals. Henry was exceptional, scored many goals but was essentially a converted winger and when Arsenal needed a target to find long in tough European games he was not the man. Thus Arsenal for years played great football but wanted to take 3 passes too many and sidefoot in from a foot out. Corners were redundant because no one up front could head the ball, the style of play was so multi-passed and indirect Henry and Pires even famously overcomlicated a penalty! Why oh why wasn't there a Sherringham or an Owen at Arsenal... even if they spent a lot of time on the bench as a plan B. Arsenal needed playing options up front that could head and hold the ball, were prepared to occasionally lash a shot rather than another pass... a player who could score "dirty", ordinary goals by being in the right place at the right time ....like Lineker. Arsenal never had that option... and that is the crux of the matter they have never in Wenger's reign had a plan B. What really gauls is that last season with Adebayor they found a player who was a more traditional type of forward (mainly in that he scored a lot, I wouldn't say his heading and holding were that strong) and they led the league with his goals.... until guess what he ran into a couple of weeks dry spell/injury and there was no back up because the specialist role of striker still wasn't recognised. Adebayor was only out for about 3 weeks but that was enough for United to roar past to another title. Arsenal have given us some brilliant football over the years but how much better would it have been if they'd have had proper strikers available to throw into that mix.... all through the Wenger years good teams have come along at crucial times and been able to neutralise Arsenal's threat (which was usually Henry or some other tricky winger type) and Wenger has never had a plan B to counter it on the bench. It was an unlikely masterstroke by Alex Fergeuson to add Teddy Sherringham to his squad and he had a major impact on that Utd. team winning their magnificent 1999 treble. Either Crouch or Defoe who went to cash strapped Portsmouth would have been great buys for Arsenal. I'm sorry to be a great manager you have to have balance and I'm fed up that always when Arsenal are rumoured to be in the transfer market for a striker it's someone like Frank Ribery the French WINGER.

[peter]

Oliver it was as if you took my every thought and put it down on paper. The only other thing i would add is that Arsenal don't work hard enough when their opponents have the ball , they don't harass and they generally let the other teams advance into dangerous scoring positions. This game is 90 minutes.

[Phil]

I love Arsene to bits but he has always had a complete blind-spot - central defence. Cygan, Senderos, Stepanovs (what the hell was he all about ??), complete comedy acts. Not only so but he showed the dependable Matthew Upson the door "so he could develop elsewhere".

[gabby]

just seen wenger on sky complaining about stoke. i think he has lost the plot.

[Chris]

M. Wenger should never have let Flamini go - simple as that. No one has provided his energy this season. Diarra was also a mistake. Whilst he may have had to pay through the nose - a very good centre to replace Gallas should have been sort after his display at Birmingham. This weekend is going to be difficult to watch!

[RICHIE]

The media have always loved him, yet all he does is slag off the game in this country, slag off every opposing team (especially those who dare beat him) and slag off every official who gives a decision against him. According to our press, he's a refined and cultured Frenchman, a true genius. If he's that refined, he should learn how to accept defeat, know when his team is second best and resist the temptation to start laying punches on opposing managers! Oh, and he thought Van Persie's sending off was harsh!?

[Axel Skog]

Are you serious? "Let's talk about the players Arsene didn't sign"

Oh God. He didn't sign Zidane either, hey, let's sack him! I expected more from a contributor of this website than frivolous speculation and rather idiotic statements. Wenger should never get fired. As an Arsenal fan - one of the few true ones that are left in this world, at least so it seems nowadays - I can honestly say that no other manager would have been able to do the things Wenger has done with the same budgets and restrictions. Suggesting anyting else is ludicrous, obscene and embarrassing.

Even if Arsenal, under the management of Wenger, ends up never winning another trophy he should not be sacked merely for keeping football alive. The dispiriting pragmatism used by his fellow contending managers is sickening, not to mention the lack of moral fiber in modern football. Wenger truly is the antithesis of evil.

[David]

I think wengers resolve on this issue will only really be tested if they fail to get into the champions league, at the moment u can go season after season not winning anything but still earn buckets full of money from the champions if you do even vaguely well which arsenal have done in the last few years and as mentioned in this article the difference between getting close and actually winning things are tight but if they actually failed to finish in the top 4 that would be a failure beyond questions of the system wenger is employing so he woudl be forced into changing his approach, but while they continue to play well, almost win things and the money keeps coming in there is no real reason to change what is a succesful business plan in general.

[Chris]

Hey Phil wat about Sol Campbell. He was brought in from Tottenham and he has was one of the best central defenders there is.
Toure hasn't done all that bad and yes he has some flaws with headers but on the other hand he has saved arsenal so many times putting his body on the line. He just needs another solid defender like Campbell. Its no wonder their when they were together Arsenal won trophies

[Simon A]

Good article. As a Spurs fan even I can see that Wenger is a great manager whose Arsenal teams have, and I say this begrudgingly, produced some of the best football the Premier League has seen! However Oliver is absolutely right that this in itself does not make him immune to either criticism or even the occassional error in judgement (Cygan over Upson? Keeping Eboue but letting Bentley move on?)!

Managers continually coin the phrase that it's a "results business" and so it stands to reason that if Arsenal continue to get poor results that the finger should be pointed squarely at Wenger!

Also, his comments regarding Stoke yesterady show a darker side to Wenger that for me tarnishes all the good things he's brought to the English game ... a man whose complete lack of respect for footballing philosophies different to his own is all too apparent! It's no coincidence that Arsenal under Wenger have a history of poor discipline and tantrums when they hear their manager "complain and blame" when things go wrong all the time. It's a fair comment to say that Mourinho, Benitiez and Fergie are guilty of a moan and gripe themselves but there anger is usually directed at referees for not "protecting" players, rather than being so disrespectful as to accuse fellow professionals of deliberately going out to injure players!

I for one don't think he will be sacked or that he even should be any time soon (although the Spurs fan in me would love to see it!) but if they fail to secure CL footballl, which I think is a real possibility, then Wenger should take the blame for that failure! It's plain to see that there squad is only 2 or 3 players short of being a great side capable of challenging for the title. So if the money was there, and given that Wengers reputation and Arsenals stature would make them a great proposition to players, why were they not signed? The arguement of stiffling player development is nonsense when you consider the number of games a top club plays in a season - Denilson et all would still have got games if a holding midfielder had been signed! Plus you can bet your bottom dollar Wenger will soon be complaining that these young players are "burnt out" from playing too many games, so that justification is a nonsense!

[jim]

Rubbish. Easy to talk of signings not made but lets face it where would you stop. Many said we needed a new midfielder when Viera left but Fabregas has turned out all right hasn't he? The media screamed for Henry'r replacement and instead Ade grabbed 30 last season. Same goes when Clichy got a first team start, and Van Persie, and Toure and now even Walcott. Not buying in players and promoting from within has kept us in the top 4. Sure we could have afforded to replace one or two players with an expensive known signing, but not all of them, and had we done so in the past do you think it likely that the likes of Ramsey would have chosen us over boy hood heroes ManU in the summer, it's signings like him that keep us ticking over.

Oh and all this talk of having a "proper" big CB is B.S, at the end of the day Wenger doesn't want one, prefering to quick players who can get forward, engage in play and grab the occasional goal. It's a question of style of play and if it works it work, if not then it's still a viable managerial choice, after all this time last year the press were lambasting Fergusson over not having a "proper" big CF but that worked out didn't it?

[Healy is God]

Silvestre is a very average player. I think we all accept that. However for free and to add some experience, not the worst signing ever.
The problem is he should only have been signed as a squad player as back up. Wenger needed to sign a quality centre back.

I agree that Almunia is a muppet and should be second choice.

Obviously flamini leaving was a big blow and he need to be replaced and this would be my only big critisism of Wenger. To think that Denilson could do a similar job is ridiculous.

Helb i also think was a big blow. He was so instrumental to arsenals flowing football. But at least Wenger got Nasri in as a replacement.

The problem is who does Arsene get to solve the midfield, centre back and goal keeper issues?

I don't agree Alonso was the right option for the midfield role. Although a technically gifted palyer and great passer of the ball, Arsenal need a Mascherano. and who's about?????

The same problem lie with the keeper and centre back positions.

To get any real quality your talking £20 mil plus for each.

Does Wenger have this much too spend????

I'd also like to add, refereing to the post about Arsenal not having a target man. Isn't Adeybayor a good target man? and Bentner could play that role.

[Keyser]

Simple fact is that the media in this country will build up any person or ideal until the point they can make milk it no more, Wenger's reached that pinnacle and now they'll deconstruct this image they've built up of him at every conceivable oppurtunity.

Wenger should know this and rise above it or maybe he has ulterior motives to what he said and he has a distinct point.

On his abilities ? They're still there and stronger than ever, the only thing thats changed is how he has to apply them, Chelsea and United have changed the landscape of football, football is simply about money now, spend the amounts that have been spent and it almost gurantees you success.

Pity the fans cannot appreciate this, though who can blame them it's all about value for money and how much success they can derive as quickly as is humanly possible, in an ideal world Wenger would have no equal, a world of salary caps and effective debt management.

This is not an ideal world and it's down to how he chooses to cater his prinicples to the way football has changed that will determine how long he stays at the club or even in the game, to a point where he can take it no more.

Van Persie got a red card for barging into the keeper, Ryan Shawcross went through the back of Adebayor's ankle when neither ball or player were on the field of play.

[Johnny]

He doesn't sign big name players so he does not get under pressure. He is afraid to sign them, because he knows the day he spends 30m in 2 or 3 players, next season if he does not win anything, he'll be out. The media love him, yet his achievements in the last 4 are years are zero.

Every other manager in the PL is evaluated by his present record, not past achievements and certainly not for future potential. The media have been saying this kids have pontential to become the best for years now. Time to get real, Wenger is nowhere near the likes of Sir Alex and Mourinho, who are pure winners.

[Michael Christides]

It is gratifying to see respected media persons and simple fans alike finally waking up to reality about Mr Wemger's blind spots as well his players' glaring shortcomings.All these had been there even when trophies were being won and masked reality.But, he is a good man,enlightened in many ways and a credit to managerial ranks, only I wish that he had a keener eye about players and the game irself and in the absence of that, at least he had engaged supporting coaching staff capable of rectifying such defficiencies.
I don't want him to go. I want him to stay, as an improved manager because were he to go 90% of the players would not be there for the next manager for one reason or other and Arsenal would take years to rebuild.

[Anthroptom]

And where, may i ask, are you going to find the Adams, Keown's and Viera's?? It is all too easy for people to consistently make this point without actually providing players who fit this mold. Answers on a postcard to the usual address....

[Damian Waldon]

''Wenger should never get fired. ''

Someone who posted earlier said this! Therein lies the problem.

This idea that Wenger is above the club is absolutely ludicrous! If he does not win anything this season, that will mean 4 years without a trophy.
Considering how long the board, and fans have been indulging this lithe youth experiment of his, I’d imagine if the above happens, he will either be shown the door, or told to change his policy.
I have supported the club for almost 40 years, and watched every brand of football we played between 1970 and now. And as much as a part of me enjoys watching the brand has developed over the last 12 years, part of me yearns for the days when we scored 1 and shut up shop under GG.
These days our squad is of such poor quality that you don’t expect them to keep a clean sheet nor get the three points.
Some fans have become so brainwashed that they will argue vehemently with you that the likes of Song, Eboue, Denilson and even Adebayor are good enough to command starting positions for our great club!!! You must be joking! Eboue is no more than a reserve Full back, Song an average midfielder, Denilson the same, and don’t even get me started on Adebayor! We have put up with some absolutely dire players in the last few years, all in the name of AW wanting to prove that you can win the league without spending big!

Sort it out Wenger, or you’ll lose the support of those that REALLY COUNT! The fans!

[bob torrent]

Arsenal should be compared with Aston Villa, Spurs, Liverpool and Newcastle; not Chelsea and Man U, who spend 10 times more on players than the others. Do you really think Fergeuson or Mourinho would win leagues without vastly out-spending their peers?

[TigerBoy]

Arsenal should be compared with Hull City & Stoke City, not Liverpool, Spurs etc.

[Colin Blues]

2 points I have to make here. Firstly for those forgetful people who say Fergie has only managed to achieve success on the back of money, remember Aberdeen European Super Cup & Jose who won modern CL with Porto without spending anything like what Arsene has spent!!

Secondly although Wenger is a glorious manager with totally understandable ideals, and the football his side produces is brilliant on the eye, when will he put the supporters of his club first. Back his judgement and attempt to win one last big prize before leaving on his terms. Surely they deserve his best attempt not a manager who now appears more concerned with not making a mistake and enjoying the praise he receives for producing these young stars!!

[bob torrent]

let's see who gets relegated then

[Haider]

Within the resources of the club he done a BRILLIANT job.

[gooner4life]

To the Guy who said "lets never sack him"
If fans are happy with mediocrity go and support a side that will bring you this over the past 10 years Wenger fair enough has breed a side to challange 4 the PL but this season has shown me alot about the man either he is to stubborn to see the problems that lay beneath I.E players not being nowhere near good enough or certain players thinking that Arsenal owe them something and that we should be over the moon that they are staying the only player i thought we should of been trying our darn hardest to keep is Flamini and we let him go but then seem to be happy for Ade to stay when we could have got a nice sum of money for "Monster touch" I love my club with all my heart and I am more aggitated now then when we finished 11th in 95 we should not be in this postion all the promises that where made by the board and wenger in the summer and the end of last season where just to put dummys in the fans mouths and to shut us up i think its time for change people i really do i think Arsene is the best in the world at what he does but you know when your time is up and i think its time for a new manager change is not always a bad thing but to many fans would rather be safe whats wrong with wanting a little more i tell you what NOTHING bring in passion besides CESC, KOLO, CLICHY, WALCOTT every one else seems more worried about what there doing that night then the actual game. As i said we are winners not just some average door mat to hold up the top 4. TIME 4 CHANGE.

[Sam]

Arsenal arent that far away. Im a utd fan and last season i said that i thought this season they would win the league but now they seem further away than ever. However they do have i'd say around 75% of a tilte challenging team. Gallas is a negative influence and probably the worst captain in the league. Why give the armband to someone who threatened to get himself sent off and score o.g's for his last team clearly not a leader. Adebayor is a bad influence because he wanted to leave, and now he gets paid twice as much as more than most of the first team. The keeper isnt the worst but he seems deperately short of confidence probably because his centre-backs are woeful. This would be my arsenal team with everyone fit:

GK- Almunia
RB- Sagna
CB- They need a new one!!! maybe Micah Richards?
CB- Toure
LB- Clichy
DM - Bring back Viera and make him captain
CM- Fabregas
CM- Rosicky
RWF- Walcott
LWF- V Persie
CF- Eduardo

What do the arsenal fans think?