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Arsene Wenger – “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
Arsenal‘s team sheet for Wednesday will project a sorry sight. Whatever little we had in our defence has already been knackered in the very first game of the season itself.
The enormous gamble that the Arsenal management (including the manager) took during the transfer window has spun right on its head. Arsenal’s squad is in shambles. After just one game.
The latter third part of last season bore testimony to the hard work and the grit that the team showed to secure a last gasp fourth place. The PUMA deal was made public shortly after the season ended, and Ivan was fairly vocal about the financial firepower we had at our disposal. It led to unbridled joy and hope among all Arsenal fans for the new season.
The first part of it (removing the so called “dead wood”) was fairly successful, as Arsenal released or sold over 15 players. This freed up about 550,ooo worth of wage space and added another 10 million to our transfer kitty.
But what has happened since then has been nothing short of shambolic. The board had over 90 days to add reinforcements to the squad, and on 17th August we had only 15 senior members on our first game of the season, knowing full well that we are just one injury/suspension away from pulling up kids from our reserves and fielding them.
It’s really worrying to think that whatever hard work we did last season could all just go away this Wednesday night at Turkey. The clash against Fenerbahce looks frightening given the circumstances. We have only three fit defenders and are looking massively short in the midfield. And to think that we’re just one game into the season is hugely disappointing.
Yesterday’s result wasn’t about the inept referring, it was about the squad. Our striking line is led by a player who at best is a suitable player for a mid table club. We had to bring a jet-lagged Cazorla, and later Ramsey had to fill in the centre back position.
The season starts in August and not from September. The supporters don’t get discounts till the team is complete. We pay the highest ticket price, and it should show in our actions on the field.
Arsene Wenger has been in full control of the Arsenal football club since a long time – from the players that have to be signed and their wages, to the scouts and the negotiators, everything is overseen by him. We all know how stubborn he can get sometimes. If he (including the management) is not to share the blame, then I don’t know who is.
The 2-8 at United spurred a signing spree, when it was clear that reinforcements were needed from the beginning. Injuries and suspensions should spur something similar this year too.
Arsene has constantly talked about getting the right quality in, but options-wise, this has been the best summer. I have never seen a summer where so many players and managers switched clubs. So frankly, this excuse of not getting “top quality” is quite ludicrous.
I have never seen such a negative atmosphere at Arsenal. This small video is an example of that [profanity alert]. This guy was one of the founders of Arsenal’s action group (Terry Neil days) and has been watching Arsenal all over the world for more than forty years.
It is evident that a time has come in the club where the board needs to buy a player and tell Arsene: “here is someone you need”. The club needs to be run like a proper football club and not as a profit-based organization. The Black Scarf Movement has issued a letter to the board seeking a response.
Make no mistake, if there is not significant improvement in our playing squad over the next couple of weeks, the rapidly growing anger in the stands will become difficult to overturn. There hasn’t been a poisonous atmosphere like this at Arsenal for over 30 years, and the Board has simply stood by, while things have gone from bad to worse. I am sure you appreciate, this can no longer happen.
All of this is especially disheartening for an Arsenal fan since this summer was supposed to be different. As it turns out, we have shot ourselves right in the foot once again. We are skating on thin ice, balancing a tripod on our head.
The gambles made by the manager and the inconsistent strategies formulated by the board haven’t worked out at all. Running the Arsenal football club is a job with its own set of responsibilities, and it must be done the proper way.
Yesterday’s result showed the whole world what we already knew – our squad needs to be strengthened. But now negotiations will be harder, and options have already diminished. It’s hard to think how a Higuain or a Gustavo or even a Ginter could not have improved this squad.
I love Arsene Wenger, I really do. He has been the best man to guide us through the dark tunnel of the financial crisis. But is he the right man to spend? I am not so sure.
He has engineered the move to a wonderful new stadium without spending any money, but the high is slowly dipping. The blame game and the “lack of options” excuse need to stop.
He needs better players to replace the average ones and get his “mojo” back in the transfer window. With only 15 days left, the job looks quite daunting indeed.
