Arsenal-Mania

Why we shouldn't press the panic button - yet!

By Asser Ghozlan on Tuesday, May 27, 2008

As I settled at home to watch the Champions' League final between Manchester United and Chelsea with my flatmate (an avid Chelsea supporter) by my side, excitingly anticipating an historic clash and a first European Cup triumph for a London club (he was not too excited at the final whistle), I could not contain my feelings of jealousy and contempt at the way the season has gone.

This is especially considering the fact that fans, opposition teams, and the media alike had heralded Wenger's Arsenal as "superb, playing exhilarating football, exuberantly youthful yet irrepressible in their press for unlikely glory at the end of the season". Come May, the very same sources came out with "inexperienced", "immature" and "chokers" as the gist of Arsenal's end-of-term report.

It is easy to be misguided by what the media and rival supporters claim to be Arsenal's "plight", their "ability to play pretty football without winning anything". After all, such is the competitive and fickle nature of top-class football nowadays that such forthright criticism is bound to ring in Arsène Wenger's ears throughout the summer.

And, with Grant's sacking having come courtesy of John Terry ending up on his bottom when he had the chance to strike Chelsea into Chelsea into Champions' League glory, it is another comforting reminder to our club's best ever manager that he is being given all the time in the world to put things right and bring Arsenal the success that they crave and deserve after three trophy-less years.

This all sounds as if I am backing the manager and team to finally bring the title back and go on to win the Champions' League. I am. Having finished four points off United is a clear indication that things are indeed moving swimmingly in the right direction.

Again, people will point out to our "excuses" of claiming that "next year" is our year. However, next year is very much a possibility to behold since we did not end up 21 points behind United, and have ended up scoring more goals, conceding less goals and winning more away matches than any of the last three seasons.

If indeed Arsenal are chokers as has been claimed time and time again, they would not have taken the lead at Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford before ultimately losing all three matches. Lest we forget that many decisions, as well as immaturity and a lack of defensive composure it must be said, have cost us the ultimate prize of winning a trophy this season.

So, for every penalty decision that has not gone our way (ala Liverpool in the Champions' League - TWICE!), there have been moments of madness in defence, with Gallas proceeding to slap the ball inexplicably in the penalty area at Old Trafford when we were leading and comfortable being a prime example. For me, a choker would be turning up to these mighty grounds, freezing in the occasion and ending up on the end of a 3-0 hammering (which brings me onto a major turning point, a sound FA Cup 4-0 thrashing at Manchester United in February).

So what is it that has led to us ending up with nothing? I have already pinpointed how several decisions have gone against the team. Injuries are another factor that has definitely played its destructive role.

Wenger did not foresee entering the busy Easter period without Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky, and Robin van Persie (who has had a shocking season with petty injuries); three massively important players in the Arsenal artillery, as well as a semi-fit Kolo Touré, who has not been his imperious self since returning from Africa in early February. Ultimately, the season can be summed up with these shortcomings in squad depth and a lack of composure and stability in crucial matches.

Arsenal have overachieved this season. We should not forget how they were endlessly laughed off as potential strugglers to finish in the fourth Champions' League spot following Henry's departure to the Camp Nou. It is because we were in such a great position to clinch one of the two "big" trophies and ended up almighty close to the top that it now seems like a bitter disappointment.

But now, these players have the experience of what it means to be leading from the front, an invaluable tool to have entering the new season.

Deserters like Mathieu Flamini and probably Alexander Hleb looking for pastures new will be further causes for concern to the boss and the club's fans, but with shrewd talented signings (with samir Nasri's signing imminent we hear), and Wenger's acknowledgement that "big players with experience" are required, we can be very confident that Arsenal are close to the finished article they have so nearly looked this term.

And perhaps it will be my turn to have the upper hand over my flatmate by the end of next season.

User Comments

26

Syed Haider

Posted on 29 May, 2008 at 02:56 AM - Reply

Although we were sensational in the 2/3rds of the campaign and were leading United by 5 points, we finished behind them. And it was only when we realized we couldnt catch them did we start getting the points in the final few games. We couldnt handle the pressure when it mattered the most, and we had only one goalscorer prior to that: adebayor, who i think we have relied too heavily on. I must say this was not a vintage season for United and Chelsea either, with United losing so many games (and injuries, were in a transition to fit in their young players, and getting off to a terrible start in the beginning of the season), and Chelsea started the campaign poorly as well. When we could have consolidated a solid lead over United (when United werent playing well), we faltered and even when United couldnt consolidate their lead, we kept dropping points. Thats the most worrying aspect for me. United and Chelsea will keep getting better and better because they will make re-inforcements over the summer, i dont think we will be as consistent as them because we are losing our key players.

25

Steve

Posted on 29 May, 2008 at 02:38 AM - Reply

For the last several years, each year we claim that injuries were the problem. If we just had so-and-so everything would have been fine. This article again cites injuries. All teams struggle with this. Our problem is not injuries, it's depth. Arsene's policy of buying young and developing and then losing players in their prime means that we have no depth. This year was a great and surprising year. The surprising part was not that we faded but that we did so well before we faded, as the article correctly notes. Please don't blame our failure on injuries for yet another year.

24

BOY BETTER KNOW......

Posted on 29 May, 2008 at 01:40 AM - Reply

Nasri deal 99% done he confirmed it on french radio tonight

23

Tim Taylor

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 11:10 PM - Reply

I think you must be forgetting Herbert Chapman when you write 'it is another comforting reminder to our club's best ever manager.' If it wasn't for Chapman, Arsenal wouldn't be what they are today. He put everything in motion. However it is good to see Wenger, a man who thinks along similar lines to Chapman, is being given ample opportunity to build another Premiership winning team

22

Baz the Gooner

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 03:48 PM - Reply

Given the desperate extent of injuries we suffered and the appalling loss of Eduardo, to finish in 3rd place with more points this season is a mighty achievement for a young team. AW and PR should build up the team confidence for the next season when new signings will strengthen us.

21

Ray Stone

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 12:00 PM - Reply

I would add that luck can play an important role and in the season's final,critical games we had little of it. The striker injuries mentioned left Adebayor as the only key striker and he went right off the boil from the end of february. Even in matches we won,his first touch was apalling. As long as it doesn't take all next season for new key players from abroad to get acclimatised,and with better luck,we'll win something next season. Whatever though,I do love the football!

20

AG

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 10:35 AM - Reply

At the end of the day mate (Asser here), if you think about it, no team has the divine right to win everything! Now, whilst I agree with you wholeheartedly that we had it in our hands, you have to look at certain turning points that have led to the decline. Look at St.Andrew's for example, horror tackle on Eduardo 8 minutes in, players in absolute shock, we fall behind and come back to be leading 2-1, only to concede a really stupid penalty in the 94th minute (which is what I was going on about, careless, reckless almost amateur mistakes from experienced individuals at key times).

Top players learn from their mistakes, and since this current crop of players had never epxerienced how to handle the top before, I'd back them to come good next season. After all, 4 points is not a lot at all, there was a very fine line between United's double glory and Arsenal's ultimate failure! Keep the faith!

19

PW

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 05:37 AM - Reply

I do fear that losing by Flamini and Hleb we will miss out on the early season cohesion and understanding that we displayed this season. Consider both in turn, Hleb is an amazing player and will be a big loss but he does frustrate many supporters.

Flamini until the start of this season was only a squad player himself and would not have started had Gilberto been available, so maybe not such a great loss. We have a number of players who will fight for the second CM position - Gilberto, Diaby, Denilson and Song as well Djourou (plays that position in the reserves).

Still think we need another striker and a goalkeeper maybe Richard Dunne (buit won’t happen) and if Hleb leaves then another attacking player. Please note attacking player not winger.

18

Bob

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 03:10 AM - Reply

Lehmann only dropped 2 pts

17

Emmanuel

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 02:32 AM - Reply

Im fed up i just don't know what to tell my friends who support rival clubs i paid $500 to a friend cos we had a wager on this trophyless nonsense no matter what its Arsenal cos they just do it for me.

16

Bud

Posted on 28 May, 2008 at 01:30 AM - Reply

I agree with you

15

Berti

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 09:42 PM - Reply

You mentioned that taking the lead at Liverpool, Chelsea and ManUre (just to remind you, Bergs- League and Champions League, DOUBLE winners) and then losing isnt the performance of chokers- then what is? It shows that your team could not sustain a top level performance for the full 90 minutes. Fair? I think so. You need more experienced and world class players next season or the same will happen again and you'll remain trophy-less for a very long time under Wengers' helm.

14

Don

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 08:47 PM - Reply

Yes we are almost a finished item. I could submit plenty of reasons in support of the main commentary but it's like this....we simply have to become the finished item; rather than rehearsing at it!!!

13

paul, glasgow

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 08:35 PM - Reply

i think asser is being slightly kind in his reasoning behind the season ending up trophyless. We had the league in our hands. I agree the future looks good but we always look good when the pressure's off. There was no excuse for some of the draw's at the end of the year.

12

amit

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 06:17 PM - Reply

According to me, what we have achieved over the past few years has been remarkable and technically we're one of the best teams in the world!! We've made our style of play world famous which probably no other team can hail about... so i don't see any reasons for any kind of concerns... Go Wenger!! we can smell the trophies now, we're so close!

11

elninio

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 06:00 PM - Reply

overachieved?? maybe, if we were playing mediocre football but some how winning games. But, that wasn't the case. We played sublime football. I think Van Persie described it early in the season as 'football from another planet'. it didnt go unnoticed thats for sure! I think thats the hardest thing to pallet. If i'm gonna be a realist then ok the manure deserved to win. But the season previous we did a double against them. We were so close and it was not a fluke. We play the best f'ball. Not just pointlessly attractive but effective attacking flare with a work rate to beat anyone. Keep the faith...we are not that far away from greatness again. Forget the players who move on. Players who leave Arsenal find out the hard way that they have had there day...wether it be Henry, Viera, Sol Campbell, Petit, Overmars, Anelka, Ashley Cole, Flamini or Hleb. They will leave for a better pay packet but will they ever reach that fluency or play the game so beautifully as they did in an arsenal shirt under Wenger... no one has... and in my lifetime (32) I have not seen a team play more attractive f'ball than Arsenal under Wenger. I challenge anyone to disagree! Even y'all 80's throwback Scousers....

10

Jesper

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 04:48 PM - Reply

Lehmann only cost us 2 points against blackburn.. We won against Fulham, 2-1. Good story.

9

jthemmy

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 04:15 PM - Reply

You know what yesterday I felt like Arsenal need at least 8 experienced players for the first team.
Example: 2 good strikers; 3 strong and good mid fielders since Hleb and Flamini are away; 2 strong and good defenders and 1 strong and good GK.Winning requires spending although Mr Wenger does it in wise manner. Please Wenger Buy guys who can finish the job. Due to injuries and fatigue buy enough players so that you have two players at each position. This is what the othe teams are killing us with. Our team get tired and injured please Mr Wenger

8

Faiz

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 03:53 PM - Reply

We are almost there, but your right, the departure of Hleb and Flamini will be a big set back. Yet again, we'll be putting faith in Wenger's hands to make the right signings, which he failed to do in the last two transfer windows. Still have alot of faith in him though. As for choking, losing at OT after taking the lead is the definition of choking. I've come to terms with it, and hopefully the valuable experience of leading from the front, as you put it, will hopefully have taught the young players a crucial lesson.

7

BOY BETTER KNOW......

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 03:27 PM - Reply

HAS YOUR FLATMATE GOT A SHORT MEMORY OR SOMETHING M8.These chelsea fans think the premier league started 4 years ago when they won the league for the first time in 50 YEARS.Anyway back to the point of panicking i have already panicked since the birmingham game and it has not stopped im going out of my mind here.We all know wenger will not make a big name signing so there's no danger of that but i think he should at least try to make 1 big signing to at least make the fans happy, after all the money we spend on that club its the least he could do.

6

Iain

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 03:11 PM - Reply

If we hadn't lost 2 points in the last second at Birmingham, we would have only needed a draw at Man Utd to win the league. But that doesn't excuse the need to play Toure as a winger. Or playing Eboue full stop.

5

GWelch

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 03:05 PM - Reply

Love it, could not have said that better myself!

4

Bergs

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 01:35 PM - Reply

You forgot Lehmann's 2 critical blunders at the season's start - that cost us 4 pts!!!! (add in any one of a number of strange ref decisions going against us - plus at least one going ManUre's way, and we've got a title!)

3

Norman

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 01:25 PM - Reply

Spot on.

2

Vinayak

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 12:55 PM - Reply

Arsenal are almost a finished product. I am really looking forward to Wenger's signings this season as well as arsenal's youth coming through the ranks.

1

Vuja De

Posted on 27 May, 2008 at 12:48 PM - Reply

Discerning, informed & knowledgeable Arsenal fans should generally pay little or no attention to what the sporting press have to say about all things Arsenal.

Instead, we should think for ourselves, trust our own judgements, and have faith that Arsene et al will get things right.