Wrighty or Henry?

[Exiled In Newcastle]

You're right that the cups became our strong points in the mid-90's, but that was down to the Wright effect.

I really don't want this to come over as an anti-Wright thing, but I do think it's a fair assesment of what was happening when he arrived and the fact that the team dynamics changed from virtually the moment he arrived (ie - bypass the midfield) can't go without comment.

Wrights fault? Absolutely no way. Graham surely knew what he was getting and it could also be argued quite easily that the defeats against Benfica and Wrexham were also reasons for the change in dynamics. But the harsh facts are that Wright joined a team playing absolutely superb, vibrant, attacking football and it turned into the dour sleep inducing fare of Grahams final years.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Interesting debate, good to see it got back on track after vanreyes' habitual histrionic intervention.

Wrighty was my hero as a kid, he's still kind of my hero now. Is that an admission a 28 year old should be making? I'll let you be the judge of that. Anyway...

24-15-23-18-15-23-10.

I'm adding Wrighty's 91/92 Arsenal total, it was 24 wasn't it? Or 25, maybe? So Wrighty hit 20+ in the league "only" 3 times in eight years, 92, 94 and 97. Does that make him a Cup player? Possibly, but if you consider the injuries and suspensions that decimated his seasons, both 93 and 98 stand out here, I think it's a little harder to argue. Certainly, Wrighty's tally of 128 Premiership/ Division 1 goals is up there. And I reckon that his strike rate in the league would stand up to most strikers, then and now.

His effect on the team? I don't believe it's a coincidence that I came to regard Liverpool, in the later years of Michael Owen's time there, as a facsimile of the Arsenal teams GG churned out in the second half of his reign, with Owen fairly obviously cast in the role of Wrighty, with Robbie Fowler taking on Kevin Campbell's role. Now, I'm not gonna say that Campbell and Fowler were comparable as players, but they both came up through the ranks and both were key men in their respective teams before being usurped by "greater" talents.

More of that in a second, but the point here is that Liverpool 3 years ago, were just like Arsenal 10-12 years ago were over reliant on one man for their goals. And look where it got them. Cup glory but nowhere near the League, ever. Is that Michael's fault, Ian's fault or the fault of the players around them and the manager who ultimately picks the players and the system?

I think you also have to look at Campbell and Fowler and what they've acheived since leaving their first clubs. Campbell has managed a respectable career, but never ever threatened to hit the heights he did in his early years at Highbury. At least he's been respectable though, whether at Forest, in Turkey, at Everton or West Brom. Which is more than can be said for Fowler. A player I thought was a magnificent talent has really wasted away, I think. Yeah, he's doing alright and has lots of money, but Robbie Fowler could and should have been one of England's greatest strikers, in my view. The fact that he isn't it is really only down to him.

Likewise, with Campbell; to blame Wright for Campbell's lumbering reincarnation of Frankenstein, is to ignore the fact that GG cast him out onto the wing, is to ignore the fact that Campbell never really lived up to his promise (Martin Hayes anyone?) and basically just forgot how to score goals. I know footballers thrive on confidence and the slightest blow can cause untold damage to their egos, but Campbell needed to be stronger in his head and sharper in his finishing.

There was another point I was gonna make here, but it's gone. Wrighty's Cup record WAS phemoneal though, I'll give you that.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

But the harsh facts are that Wright joined a team playing absolutely superb, vibrant, attacking football and it turned into the dour sleep inducing fare of Grahams final years.

What about Rocastle being replaced by Jensen and the gradual marginalisation of Anders Limpar combined with the decline of the Merse as factors?

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

Selling Rocky was (with hindsight and sadness) the right thing to do but Jensen wasn't his replacement really although I see what you're getting at.

Whilst there are obviously other factors gearing everything towards Wright (whoever's 'fault') was the catalyst for the skill leaving the team. Not only Rocky and Limpar, but also Merse, Campbell and Smith were marginalised, not to mention Davis and any others with skill.

Wrighty's (league) strike rates:
1992 - 24 in 30
1993 - 15 in 30
1994 - 23 in 39
1995 - 18 in 30
1996 - 15 in 31
1997 - 23 in 35
1998 - 10 in 24

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Not only Rocky and Limpar, but also Merse, Campbell and Smith were marginalised, not to mention Davis and any others with skill.

Was that the sound of a nail being struck squarely on the head?

Rather sadly, I've worked out the percentage strike rates. It totals out at 58.44% comfortably over a goal every other game, breaking down thus:

92- 80%
93- 50%
94- 58.97%
95- 60%
96- 48%
97- 65.81%
98- 41.66%

Three things interest me there:

1) The amazing strike rate of 80% in 92, never bettered and therefore suggesting that Wrighty mighty have suffered, albeit not as much as others, from GG's post 92 shift in emphasis. Or that Wrighty was in once in a life time form!

2) The dip in 96 to 48%, between two good seasons. Of course that was the season of Rioch and the transfer request.

3) And the final season, Wright's worst in Arsenal shirt (after a great start, mind). No wonder Arsène let him go!

 

[Exiled In Newcastle]

For me his first season tally was more down to him being a somewhat unknown quantity, and the fact that the whole team went on a mad scorefest (ironically started when Campbell came on as sub against Wednesday with 20 to go and tore them apart) for the last 14 games. 38 goals in 14 games. Also, the team was still geared to play the ball through Smudger that season.

After Wright signed, twice golden boot winner Smith scored something like 13 goals in 90 appearances.