Today’s post is by Zim-Paul – A regular here in the comments section at Positively Arsenal.
Some decent Arsenal-aligned folks out there have been kicking about two extraordinary claims that stick in my mind, because at first glance they appear almost reasoned, on superficial, selective evidence.
The first is that Wenger has been acting without much strategic plan, “by the seat of his pants” was a term that captured this, not so much ‘unguided missile’ as ‘on the back-foot’, reactive to events of the summers of 2011 and 2012, tossed about I suppose by some unseasonable weather.
The second underpins the first, that Wenger’s transfers, in and out, over an extended period post-2006, have been less coherent than assumed, incurring disturbing lossesand destabilising team-building, and his own laudable efforts. The idea is that constant tinkering undermined the essence of Wengerball, contrasting sharply with a recipe for success at Manchester United, a stable player foundation; and that ultimately key players saw through it, and left for better options despite their years of loyalty and toil in a forlorn effort.
Well, I never. I hope I’ve described the twin arguments with fairness; do tell if I have not since it is not my wish to exaggerate or distort their intent.
These are two of the most damaging allegations against Arsenal in a decade, including those of the anti-support, the combined efforts of the village idiot trust, precisely because they sound a bit well-dressed, respectable and tidy, backed by ‘data’ in one case. They allow those embracing such ideas to speak the telltale words “I have always supported Wenger but …. I was as shocked as you when I found out, you know, the damning evidence of mismanagement”. The intelligence and corporate worlds refer to this as “plausible deniability”.
On the other hand, being an Arsenal-positive kind of bloke, I saw opportunity, not threat, to debunk such fiction. I am not going to talk about the financial limitations 2006-2011 and the restrictions these placed on the types and calibre of Arsenal players. I am not even going to talk about how many players ended up in just one other club, Manchester City, spirited away by big money, the major destabilising factor at Arsenal by a distance (an outcome ironically of Wenger’s incredible record in identifying technical players).
I am trying to imagine the soap-opera script telling the story of an economist who orchestrated the strategy of moving stadium, unparalleled in modern football management, a plan that by definition must envisage 10-25 year financial projections interwoven with narrative arguments exhaustively justifying the strategy, becoming the same chap who, it seems incredible, abandoned planning, alongside intensive research and stats, as a prime instrument of football management and now “flies by the seat of his pants”. Such genius strikes me as too far-fetched for Mr. Wenger. How on earth did he manage this feat of duplicity? How did he fool us?
The second argument concludes that, by the evidence, Wenger never had a fully conceived football plan in the first place, post-Invincibles, that his tinkering and change of course and composition exposed the paucity and critical weaknesses of any plan he might have had scribbled down. The evidence is presented primarily in the outcome, that as we know is no trophies for 7 seasons.
The logic, pursued by an array of tinkers, sorry “thinkers”, is further presented as that the Invincibles period was built on the rock-solid foundations of the best defence in England, one Wenger inherited. Ergo, he didn’t conjure up the Invincibles either, not really, not as we thought, not quite. Is it all that surprising then, so it goes, that when daybreak came and the inheritance faded, he failed, damningly, on the back of a consistently ‘dodgy defence’. Neat hey? As far as character assassination goes, it has purpose.
The evidence is further based on a hotch-potch of alleged figures and flimsy anecdotal references alluding to and describing a pattern of ‘incomprehensible’ transfer decisions, and mistakes: you know the drill I’m sure, Cole, Pires, Gilberto, Flamini, Hleb, Diarra, Reyes, Adebayor, and a phalanx of hopelessly fat, lazy and geriatric defenders, Gallas,Eboue and so on (sorry, I’m bored already) through to the “inevitable” fall-out culminating in the summer of 2011.
I have an alternative theory. Wenger is fallible, in a strictly football sense, in that his football philosophy places tremendous trust and responsibility in his players. His post-2006 formations came close, damn close, twice if we examine the truth of it, but (injuries aside) had a human flaw despite meticulous planning and fine-tuning. The central premise rested on his ability, as coach, motivator and tactician, to coax, from four or five key players and a supporting cast, a degree of self-belief that they did not, and possibly could not, possess.
He had the best (young) central midfielder in the world, not fully matured, but acknowledged; what he thought was one of the best strikers in Europe (post-injury, proved correct); one of the best left-backs in England (a key position in modern football); and, in time, he had a twin compliment to these in two French internationals: Nasri, seemingly destined for greatness with his deftness of touch, and Diaby, despite injury, showing ability to dominate with an awkward gait, stance and movement on the ball. His teams were decidedly continental, technical and rested (they still do) on dominating the opposition. It has been said that training rarely includes tactical counter-moves to negate opposition strengths or advantages to be obtained from their weaknesses. Yes, I can believe that. Wenger only knows one strategy, to overwhelm, from passing, possession and technical mastery; to emphasize your own team’s creative ability.
He believed in his players, the core had joined young and were nurtured by him from early twenties or younger, and believing in them, he must have believed in his ability to impart self-belief to this core, more than anything that with hard work and freedom to express themselves they would reach their highest creative potential. Yes, I would think Wenger tried every conceivable combination to unlocking these players’ potential, as a team. He spoke passionately about these players, and they about him.
Wenger’s second Arsenal vintage was all but disbanded with the departure of Fabregas, and a summer later, van Persie, combining to make these the most poignant moments in the history of Arsenal in 17 years, and probably much longer. Nine other players left or were required to leave over two summers. Change was resolutely underway. Fans were shocked. Wenger acted decisively, even ruthlessly.
What belies the idea that Wenger did not have a plan underlying a plan was the speed in the re-building, and the actions we now know that could not possibly be ‘purely’ reactive: the clear-out itself, building a young British core, identifying Giroud and Podolski in advance of van Persie’s departure (and what players they turn out to be) andcontinuously strengthening defence with Per, Jenks, Santos, Miguel’s promotion, young Bellerin, now Nacho. The midfield having lost its (then) pivotal players, barely broke its stride, and that’s worth dwelling on as a feat of football engineering. There are a couple that do strike me as speculative, Park and Benayoun on loan, maybe Santos, but overwhelmingly not, nor was there any sense of panic or over-reaction (what the media drooled for) in recent transfer windows. It has been composed. The steady incorporation also of younger players has continued without so much as blinking.
I cannot think of a comparison in recent football history in the scope and speed of successfully transitioning one team into another. Manchester City bought their way with mind-numbing expenses through a transition, and it took longer. Can it be accidental that in the first season of a new-look, transitional side (last season), having lost someimmense talents, an unsettled team attained a higher placing. Was it luck? Many ascribe this to van Persie’s skills, to Benayoun’s or Rosicky’s late-season surge, or Chelsea’s ‘collapse’, but this season the team is out-scoring last season, over-reliance on one striker is thrillingly overcome, we have a lethal trident-attack, centred on a gem named Giroud, the midfield is purring with options and I think we will overhaul Chelsea, again. Somebody is doing something right.
“Planning” (in the sense I mean) is under-pinned by a philosophy, a coherent set of ideas, an identity. Wenger’s overwhelming contribution to Arsenal, his principle legacy will not only be bricks and mortar, but a vision of why football should be played and watched, and how to get it there. I doubt this has changed much, if at all over the years. The least ambitious ideas need the least gestation (for example, Manchester City’s contribution to the game); in Wenger’s case the converse is true. I look forward to the definitive book. When coherence of ideas is principled and tested, planning becomes embedded, continuous and elastic and allows for rapid action when required, because circumstances can and do change; this alone can explain how Wenger has achieved this transition.
Those howling in the wind for “change” are already over one year late, almost two as we speak. By this time last year, a full-blown transition was underway, and it shows every sign of being thought out, articulate and part of something bigger. That Fabregas and van Persie were plausible components of ‘a plan’ (elastic enough to include some probability of their departures) does not change direction and strategy. I was intrigued reading this Wengerism “don’t rule out the possibility that Fabregas will one day return to Arsenal”.
I am confident and delighted that Wenger seems not to have altered his intuitive trust in players, as people, and as a team. What proved fallible or premature with one core of players can and will excel with another; that is a question of character, work ethic and stressing such values as loyalty, teamwork and vision, as much as skill and technical ability. I cannot speak for players who departed. It hurt. Yes, they were young and so much was expected of them at the time. We suffered horrendously from injury “plague” season after season (lest we forget, van Persie, Diaby, Ramsey, Eduardo, Wilshere, Denilson, Walcott, Gibbs, Fabregas, Rosicky and Gallas all suffered extensive lay-offs through injury at critical periods). But Father time, as always, will tell us the big truth much more simply.
In the meantime, Wenger’s method has given everything I wanted from football, the opportunity for players as a team to express themselves creatively, and so, memories of the best football I have seen, certainly in England, and this has never changed in Wenger’s period. The consistency of this standard of football should tell us something about the philosophy behind. I have noted key tactical changes in the latest Wenger team, nuances, but I suspect these are built around the player’s attributes as much as tactical innovation, a combination. Is it my imagination, or has Theo Walcott just grown up, boy-to-man, at Arsenal? I could mention others, Jack and Chewie’s maturity, the story of Diaby, of Aaron, or my favourite, Rosicky. Wenger is a people-trusting person. That’s my kind of football manager.
Positively Arsenal 
Brilliant post, insightful, cuts through the bullshit, sees through the smoke and carries you off into the clear blue skies of truth.
Welcome to reality.
Seminal stuff.
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you say the things which should not need explanations for proper arsenal fans. the obvious the logical and the self explanatory. idiots with an agenda will always twist things to serve their purpose…..
wenger has also been caught in the crossfire of the kroenke /usmanov fight for arsenal control. the public doesnt know who to blame and for what, but wenger is there week in week out (easy target) and the phase of repayment and rebuilding is seen by these idiots as a period of failure because the titles werent coming (another easy and shallow complaint)
it is quite embarassing really, to have fans of this club abuse and mock the manager who transformed the club into something NO arsenal fan could have ever hoped or dreamt off before his tenor.
and as i like to say…those making the most noise are the ones who dont get it. when you understand whats on youre calm and can explain it. when you cant explain it, you react in frustration.
fantastic post zimpaul.
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Bravo ZP! Can hardly be said better. But as others have noted, it should be bleeding obvious.
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Also I like the “village idiot trust”. I suspect there may be only one village idiot though. It’s hard to tell what are his views and what are those of the whole (if indeed there is any difference).
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Top quality post ZP – content and craftmanship
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I agree with those above. An excellent post ZP.
AA from yesterday’s post
“torture by tranny” – What information do you have that Mel (or one of his mates) was involved in torturing people.
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Ramsey & Le Coq are both fi,. Kos faces a late fitness test & TV is definitely out for saturday..
I didn’t get where I am today without wishing CJ a happy Birthday.
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Top, top quality, ZimP. What amazed me this season was how so many of our colleagues in past battles completely lost the plot and joined the village idiots. It was blindingly obvious that the VanNasriGas era was over and Wenger was rebuilding. Yet those who should know better completely pulled the rug of support from under the great man and disparaged him at every turn, propagating the the belief that Wenger is on his last doddering legs. Well they hung themselves “on their own scabbard”. As Hunter astutely observed, despite the war in the boardroom, Wenger has ensured that a bright future awaits this club.
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Wonderful stuff there ZimPaul. “Everything I wanted from football” indeed. AW is a flawed genius perhaps, certainly in the context of this impatient age, but I’m not sure there is any other kind. I’m always fascinated to watch him create and develop a team, and his footballing “philosophy” has surely birthed some of the most sublime football witnessed on these shores. It’s more than enough in itself, but hopefully success in the easily perceptible and tangible form of silverware will follow. He’s won more than enough in his time, but I’d love him to stay long enough to have the last laugh in that regard.
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Arsene Wenger’s magic.
He wears a magic hat.
In the Summer of 2010 he saw Chamberlain, Ryo, Campbell*, Jenkinson & all the rest,
& said I’m having that!
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* Campbell Seems to have some of the same tricks and flicks that the mancy Zaha likes to use. Except he’s been pulling them off at the top of La Liga, which is not to denigrate the Championship. Even more Pace in attack next season? I won’t complain.
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ZP, fantastic write up,I agree with everything you’ve said, the people trusting bit especially, if all of the players you mentioned that have fucked off had the same loyalty, well I think along with the jacks & santi’s we have won some silver stuff.
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When choosing a blog to read and follow, I only look for top, top quality – a site that will strengthen my online reading library …
… looks like I’ve found one.
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Says here: “Patrick Vieira is in line for a sensational return to Arsenal after Arsene Wenger sounded him out about the job of replacing Liam Brady as head of youth development.”
So, PV4 has been apprenticing up at Citeh, and DB10 will return at some point to coach the first team? It’s a possibility.
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this new arsenal.com is amazing…im watching the academy players this saed hajrovic.. …. ahhhhh wenger…..and im shocked to see we have kyle ebecilio touted the next sneijder in fm10 i think…
when this club starts winning…..world beware.
continuation! and from what i see the club has stocked well for the future….and beyond
love this word…beyond
to the top…and beyond.
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and the find of the day…online shopping/manager;s coat..the duvet with the zipper ..a must-have. …
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Thanks for comments. I wasn’t sure whether “re-hashing” old turf was worth the effort, but decided it was, but really only to project forward (a pet hobby, experimenting on you all). So I have a question. If Wenger (as I believe) was about a year ahead of us all, not surprising – he’s hardly going to explain his real forward plans to all and sundry … well, where is he now, still a year ahead? And where is exactly that? Instinctive conclusion, trying to understand what’s happening and how fast he’s moving and with what players and strategies: he’s thinking to eclipse vintage # 1, or similar level of ambition. Gotta be. All speculative, but (a) his career will not last indefinitely, he is in in the twilight of his career whichever way one looks at it (b) the fundamentals were right, but not everything went to plan with vintage 2, obviously, lessons will been have learnt, glitches, shortcomings and I guess he has a lucid aim and clear but flexible plan correcting remaining deficiencies he has seen, far more than any of us and in greater detail (c) he’s ambitious, meticulous, and he’s done it before, and he’s just not the type to rest on his laurels. I just get the feeling, Wenger has said to himself “It’s time, let me show a thing or two about what I have had in mind, footballistically”.
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great post.
i have always said that wenger’s only flaw is that he has backed the wrong people. not because he was wrong about their ability, but he was wrong about their personality.
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The problem with our site is that a wonderful article like this will not give us many discussion posts.There will be little in the way of argument,because all those who would disagree are binned,
Sorry ,but I don’t see any point in letting then on just to have the same od points endlessly chewed over.
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Brilliant, ZP!
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Great post ZP. As you say the idea that Arsene could suddenly turn into this scatter brained, air headed fool with no plan is beneath our contempt.
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The irony is that while some Arsenal supporters have questioned AW, you have supporters from other teams looking on and worrying about what is taking place. Many people can see that Arsene is onto something and something very dangerous.
The shocking part, as noted by Shotta, is that it was those who actually fully supported and defended the manager that have been the greatest cause of the current ignorance and questioning.
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Paul, most of the arsenephiles-turned-doomers start the defence of their action with “I’d love to be proved wrong …”. this supposed get out of jail statement equals poor support in my book.
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Not to worry PG, it’s quality not quantity, everytime.
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Lovely . Wonderful, as someone above mentioned, such stuff need not be explained to the SUPPORTERS.
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Yes Ormer. It comes across as so disengenous. I remember being questioned after saying I know that Arsene would get this team playing well, the question was what makes me think that! what the heck! as if Arsene has even had a team that has not played great football. Unbelievable!
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Yes, I concur with ZP. Quality is what is important. This blog is just fine and will only improve.
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I believe the leading managers must copy each other to a degree. Were AFC copying various other mangers’ 433 variants or was it the other way around? I don’t know, but I see the similarities.
How good were England (against a weakened starting XI for Brazil?) in a game where Hodgson freed them from their D**M?
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Don’t knw what more to say. That was poetic stuff ZP! This site is an enigma on its own.
How I wish the whole goonerdom can see wat we see here but the world won’t b fun if we all reason the same way. As for me and all on this blog, I’m happy for us all because we’ll remain happy since we don’t embrace the ‘DOOMSDAY’ conspiracy of the doomerdom!
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day after day great post after great post im loving it as they say.well done zim paul.
finsbury pv and db will not be the next head of youth del,ARSENAL will promote fromwithin probably terry burton
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Excellent work ZimPaul – Arsene is definately a man with a plan and like you say, because he is always so many steps ahead the media and many supporters can barely see past the end of their own noses. He’s a man completing a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle in front of an audience which is fixated on one piece of the puzzle. If only they could look up to take in the whole picture, they would see the shapes and connections slowly coming together to create a beautiful picture. After 16 years you would think they would understand how he operates. When he says the club are working hard behind the scenes to be successful, he shouldn’t need to be begging them to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Arse or brain, it will be interesting to see who follows Brady in that Academy role. I know Vieira and Bergkamp seem like attractive options as figure-heads, whether they have the right experience to manage such a key department is another matter. Terry Burton could be a good shout given his track record.
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Well, I think AW is chatting bulls about football in England being corruption free. You see, I can disagree with him after all.
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/giroud-is-ea-sports-player-of-the-month
Just like Passenal said.
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Nice analogy Passenal; I’d venture to suggest a sizable portion of the support are actually still stuck on the old jigsaw – we’ve moved on!!
Agree with Terry Burton being an excellent shout btw; will be interesting to see where DB and PV end up in the short/medium term. Maybe developments on that front might be shaped by where AW sees himself from 2014 …
Fins – I think that was the first England game I have actually genuinely enjoyed since, well actually, I don’t know when! My apathy on the international front developed many years ago; if Arsenal are nurturing, developing and delivering the future core of the national side then maybe I’ll start paying attention once more – it’ll be like having two teams to support again!
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aa weve all put the mockers on hector hes just picked up an injury in the newcastle game
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my team in the championship for this season is Watford cos of Zola and then almunia… they were 20th in sept last yr and now they ae up to 2nd althought others around them have games in hand… would be so happy for them to have automatic promotion!
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I tell you what, for Giroud to have won January Player of the Month given the form of Jack alone is very telling. The English media have barely let up about Jack, having started bigging him up before the Brazil game and still singing his praises two days on.
They’ll get up to speed with Lord Olivier eventually.
Gutted to hear about Bellerin – any details?
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Good game v Palace going on right now Team Spirit – on Sky, expect you are watching?
I have just realised this is the first time in years I’ve not been up to Sunderland to see our boys toil on the meadow. Seen some horrible games up there and worst injuries – Per Mer the most recent but obviously Abou’s nightmare abrasion lingers long in the memory.
On the upside, the fact I’m not there suggests it’ll be around 0-3 to the Gunners! (I’ve seen more draws and shock defeats than I care to recall, always a tough place to go – I’m convinced I jinx the guys when I’m there).
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think its just a slight knock
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ehen… and ZP well written indeed…I do feel sorry for those that cant just appreciate AW as he is without the need to tleell him how to do a jib he has been at for 30 plus years. Its why some of \those AW classic answers are so nice… i recall when Nani thought Arsenal could not finish top 4 last season … well what did AW know? only led us to finishing 3rd no less!
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Yes, TS – AW has 30 years of making stupid people look stupid.
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best sunderland trip was 91when the other game kicked off early, the sunderland supporters were giving us the score as we were being given a police escort to the ground the game was a drery 0-0 but it meant we only had to beat a weak utd side at home to win the league the long train ride home was cheered up by the long choruses of “we won the league with gus ceaser” oh happy days
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Great memory AorB! While ago now, mind – the old Roker Park, no less – I saw my first Sunderland game there, real old fashioned stuff – blood and thunder – but terrific occasion. Just a few months before the Stadium of LIght opened.
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and the urinal wall only came upta your waste so everyone could see you piss as they walked into the ground a world away from todays stadiums
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Character building!
Bloody cold up there, mind, without a Force 9 blowing in and out of your cubicles!
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ahh i had me cubicles frozen many a time used to think the north was a different country
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Paul N @ 8.28 pm, he’s being ‘political’. Telling it like it is would not help Arsenal to get a fair call by referees who already make the odd ‘interesting’ calls in some of our games 🙂
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I didn’t see the interview Passenal but did wonder if he was being ironic!!
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Passenal, I believe so too. I remember him saying something like “we know what is going on”, after a United match.
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