This season so far hasn’t been the greatest for many Arsenal fans according to the standards they’ve become accustomed to set by Arsene Wenger himself. To quote him, “”If you eat caviar every day it’s difficult to return to sausages.” However, if you look at the narrative doing the rounds lately, it is almost like people believe the caviar was just an accident from someone who isn’t even capable of providing sausages. Arsene is currently accused repeatedly of a lot of things ranging from the absurd “he doesn’t know tactics” to the confusing “he doesn’t coach his players” to the hilarious “he doesn’t know how to identify talent”.
Normally, these arguments would be made by those who are either unaware or just blinded by temporary frustration and an inexplicable dislike (to put it lightly) of the club’s greatest ever manager and it is probably easier to ignore them rather than explain things to those who would never listen. Unfortunately, these arguments are now being made by people who should know better especially when they claim to know all about Arsene Wenger and are self-professed experts on tactics and coaching and I feel there is a need for a reminder of why the accusations thrown at Arsene are well off the mark. I will attempt to explain this by breaking it down into a series of posts that deal with specific broad accusations that are thrown his way and attempting to prove why these are unwarranted.
Tactical Rigidity, Lacks Adaptability
This is an interesting accusation, especially when you consider how the team has evolved over the years. From playing a pure 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1) from the time of his arrival, to evolving that into more of a 4-1-3-1-1 during the Invincibles era to the modern day 4-3-3 that incorporates aspects of the 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 in it, Arsene has undoubtedly seen it fit to adapt the formation to suit the modern era while balancing it with his own ideals of playing pure attacking football that has become synonymous with Arsenal over the years. I find it rather odd that people who have observed this tactical and formation change over the years find it so easy to accuse him of lacking adaptability or even more hilariously, of being stuck in the past. One could even argue that the oft declared demand for a 4-4-2 is more likely one coming from fond memories of the past rather than one adapted to the needs of the modern game.
Further evidence of his adaptability is how well he has also repeatedly adapted his system to compensate for the loss of a player (or multiple players). He did it in 2005 to compensate for losing Vieira, 2007 to compensate for the loss of Henry, then in 2011 for Cesc. To a lesser extent, its happened now as well to compensate for the loss of RVP as our offense has distributed the goalscoring rather effectively and will only improve as the chemistry improves (consider that our front 6 never played together before this season). For those who doubt that, we have been inconsistent this season yes, but we have still scored 55 in 29 games, just 3 less than we had at the same point last year.
I’m sure some will readily counter that “we’re not talking about long term changes, but on a game to game basis” – so here’s an example from a recent game. It might not have worked to a fruitful result (as everyone knows) but before the home game vs Bayern, there were many who were rather happy with this “tactical” approach, where Theo was put in the middle to use his pace and movement to maybe run in behind the slower CB pairing of Van Buyten and Dante. Ramsey and Cazorla were meant to rotate and help Sagna out with Ribery and Alaba (both of whom were nullified)on the right while on the left, Podolski was supposed to help part time LB Vermaelen. Tactics are all well and good for as long as the players execute them and unfortunately for us, as well as we worked defensively on the right, we worked as poorly on the left with Podolski and Vermaelen both having poor games. They had zero understanding and didn’t work together well as a consequence.
The point of discussing this, despite the game being a result we’d all like to forget, is that, a game/opposition specific tactical plan was there against Bayern, just like there is always one against other teams and the tactical includes players being given the freedom to express themselves creatively. However, the execution by some players on the pitch wasn’t there and that let us down. A switch in personnel and a couple of weeks later, we proceeded to convincingly beat Bayern, one of the favourites in the Champions’ League this season, at their home ground, without conceding and limiting them to mostly shots from outside the box. The tactics were roughly the same, however the difference this time was that the personnel executed the tactics exactly as instructed, especially the back line which was far better co-ordinated and effective in choosing when to step up and when to drop deep.
This could have been passed off as a fluke by many of those skeptics but last weekend at Swansea proved that it was no fluke with a similarly effective defensive performance highlighted against Swansea, one of the toughest away visits in the league. I could cite several more examples where tactical changes for a specific game have reaped huge rewards, whether it is playing Benayoun out wide against Spurs last year or Walcott through the middle against Reading, but I could be here all day doing that.
The point I’m trying to make is that the accusations that he doesn’t do tactics and doesn’t keep his opponents in mind is well off the mark. I am not suggesting that the analysis of opponents is at a Mourinho-esque dossier level but it doesn’t have to be at that level either especially when there is a strong footballing philosophy at heart. What I am suggesting is that with Arsene, a tactical change could often be quite subtle rather than something obvious like changing from a passing game to hoof ball and also, making a tactical change need not be at the cost of changing footballing philosophy. The players can be drilled constantly to ensure they play just Wengerball at its final level but tactical variations are still possible even with a slight variation in team selection.
I guess the thinking behind these accusations is that maybe they expect tactical variation to be obvious and drastic to count as one, and if that is the case, then it is more likely that mindset is in need of change rather than Arsene needing to do more tactically. I would also like to point out that there is a lot of merit in the ideology that sticking to your gameplan and football philosophy is a key foundation of the tactics you seek to incorporate (something that Laudrup also does and is hailed as innovative rather than tactically inept for some reason). Players executing what they’re asked to do, as evidenced by the Bayern and Swansea wins, can be just as effective as more reactive changes that seek to nullify the opposition threat more than sticking to our own principles. I will conclude this post by saying that I personally believe that the execution of the tactics by the players on the pitch matters more than the tactics itself and in a team that is relatively new (most of whom have come together in the last 18-24 months), you will see the execution improve (and happen more consistently) with chemistry, cohesion and teamwork and we’ve all seen what the team is capable of when executing the tactical plan.
I can imagine several counter points arising in people’s heads ranging from “this doesn’t explain poor defending” to “he puts players out of position” to “he doesn’t actively coach his players and tell them what to do”. The counter arguments to questions like this and more will follow in more posts in this series.
Positively Arsenal 
You people are nuts.
Everyone says Wenger is shit and knows nothing.
Some of my mates are proper smart and they write dead good blogs .They say he should play 4 4 2 and get a defensive coach,like what Pat Rice was.
We just keep playing this rubbish system ,I have forgot what my realy clever pal said it was ,but its not what he thinks it should be, and he should know,because he has got nearly 5000 followers on twitter.
PMSL at you lot.
You need to read what them good bloggers say at Le Grove and ACLF.Them is the real deal fools.
Meet me outside the Armory and say this shit to my face.I would punch you hard in the boat race.
Bet you dare not post this from a real fan.
Plastics the lot of you
LikeLike
B-illiterate-Bottom: Reads like a wind-up. Especially the attack on other blogs.
Such nonsense does not detract from another great factual piece of writing. Good job Adi.
LikeLike
Who would do such a thing Shotta?
LikeLike
Facts? Dont give me facts,Facts prove nothing.
It opinions of us fans what pay the highest ticket prices in the world that matters.
i know cause one of me mates went once and he bought a ticket.It cost him his whole GIRO for the fortnight.
LikeLike
George – I wonder.
LikeLike
I bet That Shoota geezer doesn’t even live in London.So how can he be a fan?
LikeLike
Nice one Adi. Brilliant stuff.
LikeLike
Yes indeed, nice one Adi.
LikeLike
If that Belligerent bloke will dare meet me on twitter ,I will tweet him to within an inch of his life,
LikeLike
Nice one Adi, George, that BB fella is obviously inspired by the attempted posts by the doomers,your gonna have to show us that bin full of hate one day, I’m amazed BB posted-I mean,isn’t he usually on the Jeremy Kyle show at this time of day?
LikeLike
brilliant adi, well thought and well said. didnt see anyone complain when the managers tactics were applied by world class winners who had formed their ithaca at arsenal and wanted to raise the middle one to the nenaderthals and the establishment.
to suggest he dont know tactics is like suggesting schummacher doesnt know mechanics…. totally absurd.
who is that spud at the top of the comments…? them good bloggers at lemoan and arlf ? ahahahha …they dont know their arse form their elbow they think arsenal was a top team before wenger ..ha! .
LikeLike
He is just asking fair questions Mel.
He is entitled to his opinion
LikeLike
@ Belligerent Bottom at 10:24 am
This chap is being sarcastic. He actually is a ‘positivista’
Well, he must be………
LikeLike
I have notice that very often when we are defending a lead late on,Arsene brings on cover for our tiring fullbacks.
That’s good tactics and all?
LikeLike
Nice write-up…
I don’t understand what the British media mean by “tactics” – hoof ball, rotational fouling, diving, tough challenges, faking dyslexia to cover fudged accounts, racism???
In that case, I’d have to agree that Arsene does not do “tactics”.
@BB : The only way you would not be a retard is if you were being sarcastic. If those are your real opinions, you must be a spud (inferred from your IQ).
To the other PA regulars – Don’t make of them spud trolls just because they were iodine deficient or dropped on the head or inbred. It’s below us O:-)
LikeLike
F**k me! Myles Palmer has posted something sensible about Arsenal. It is a rare occurrence savor it!
http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/index.php/news/3091/30/Why-Goonergerry-is-exaggerating-I-only-pay-175-more?
LikeLike
Jeez
LikeLike
GP why do you bother reading that twerp? Last time I wasted my time skimming his tripe he wrote that two players who between them produced 50 odd goals last season not mentioning assists were, and I quote “clowns”.
He knows nothing.
At least, less then me. Maybe some people enjoy making idiots of themselves in public? A modern form of self flagellation? Who needs a hair shirt when you have Palmer?
LikeLike
Finsbury
It was a headline on the Arsenal news now blogg aggregator. I rarely read MP. This was a post by somebody pissed off with the untruthful and negative comments about Arsenal’s ticket prices. I was surprised that MP would post it. He does have these lapses every now and then.
LikeLike
Brilliant post Adi, feels like everything you post on here is a conversation we’ve already had and laughed at. Hope things are well 🙂
LikeLike
Top top stuff Adi. Qualiteè.
I’d love to see a post on the myth-meme of the dreaded ‘high line’. A perfect example of gibberish propagated by proper idiots (I’d try to be polite but I am referring to the genius of S.Robson)
AFC played deeper for most of the game against Munchen, and squeezed it up against The Swans, which was partially surprising as you’d think they’d have been more tired. Perhaps the interlull made the difference?
We saw two allegedly counter attacking teams, Madrid and the Mancs play a 0-0 half the other week with both teams playing quite high, so what gives? The truth is that good teams when in form play where it is required; they defend, they attack, they play up the pitch, they play deep. It’s not rocket science. We’ve seen plenty of examples from our own team when on song, for example almost every game against Everton in recent times has seen the team defending and attacking in the same game. Crazy, innit? Yet these performances get airbrushed out of the narrative.
LikeLike
GP don’t mean to tell you what to read, I’ve heard that he isn’t even an Arsenal fan. Which may or may not be true. If I was stranded on a desert island and I was given the option of the company of Myles Palmer or Shebby Singh (who once famously wrote that by not signing Melo AW was taking AFC backwards*) it would be a tough choice.
* Pure Comedy Gold. You couldn’t make it up. Shebby is living Palmers dream up at Blackburn.
LikeLike
You lot best tread lightly with me.
The last person who diss’d me got a proper slap.
And she still hasn’t found her mobility scooter.
LikeLike
Lovely jubbly adi. Thanks.
Great posts all this week btw. I haven’t commented lately ‘cos I’m out of words at the mo, and there’s only so many times you can say “great post”.
I hate Interlulls. The bastards.
LikeLike
Great post.
There are numerous examples of Wenger being tactically astute and and nullifying opposition who are richer on paper. I agree with the post that players have a significant responsibility in transforming tactics into performances.
Vast changes in formation will only make our performances further choppy. Continuity is important and so are subtle changes with respect to the opposition. Wenger does both. This team that he has assembled have gone through a difficult season. They have shown strength, unity (I have not seen any tantrums or public dissing of teammates), desire and responsibility. There wont be any will he, wont he sign the contract drama next season. This team is going to largely remain the same and i see them only getting really good and all the other teams thinking, where the fuck did that come from.
However, the players’ focus should now be on the remaining 9 games.
BB, you are funny.
LikeLike
I just said “great post”. Now you are making me look bad Harry!
LikeLike
Coat for Sensational Arsenal! (insert banned smiley wink)
LikeLike
BB,is you staring at me?
LikeLike
Daym, thanks Adi, really needed a post like this to pass it on to few Wenger Out supporters! Hope this changes the way they think!
(:
LikeLike
Great read Adi.
Apart from the more obvious formation or selection, there is also the little matter of the subtle individual instructions which vary from game to game. It’s not accidental that in some games Theo will stick more rigidly to the wing while in others he is afforded more freedom to roam into the centre; some games one or both of the fullbacks will overlap frequently, in others they’re more conservative; some games the midfield is more fluid with Cazorla able to swap positions with Jack or a wide player as he chooses during the game, other times it’s more rigid. The ‘height’ of the backline changes, the way we press changes. And as you say, sometimes these instructions aren’t carried out sufficiently well by the players but we can see what the plan was.
The idea that we are set-up in exactly the same way, week in week out, regardless of opposition, is utterly absurd. Do these people expect us to play radically different formations from game to game? Switch from possession football to counter attacking football to park-the-bus-and-go-long football? As well as rotate key individuals every game to avoid the dreaded ‘overplaying’. With a team that’s rebuilt every summer!
LikeLike
Johan Cruyff
” I watch Arsenal all the time and i admire their style. If they win playing football the way only they know how then Europe would be proud to have such champions”
why listen to this dutch mug ..what does he know about football afterall…?? we d rather get our football fix from townsend, lawrenson hansen rednapp junior sam allerdyce, pulis, ferguson, pardew cross amy and a myriad others who know better than this johan chap….
even the fans with their beerbellies and tatooes know better than johan …
🙂
LikeLike
You know what’s gratifying about what Cruyff said, Hunter? The fact that he was Rinus Michels’s star pupil and Arsene saw Michels as his guru. Game recognizes game, as the youngsters say.
LikeLike
but gains come one man ..this crowd here and the accompanying culture has witnessed momments in the 30;s 40s 50;s 60;s 70;s 80;s 90;s that put cruyff and his achievements in shame … 🙂
indeed game recognises game which leads to the automatic conclusion that the ones critisising aint got a clue what the game is about …..
LikeLike
same can be said for clough too..he recognised allright..legend brian!.
LikeLike
Nice post. It always amazes me when I hear people say this team is playing with no tactics and how they look like they haven’t played together before.
Tactics are not always obvious. And this team needs time to realize each others strengths and weaknesses.
Main key is stoppages of talent moving during the transfer periods.
keep them together and and sparingly from the reserves and some new blood from elsewhere and show patience. The results will come.
LikeLike
If BB is from the spam bin then the stench must be awful. That was a mini fart? Right?
LikeLike
Most distasteful by BB is the attack on other blogs
We can do without that. Many of us used to post regularly elsewhere, some of us still do. Our disagreements should be philosophical, not personal. Let the snidey bitchy comments stay elsewhere. Keep on the high road PA. Just like Adi’s post
LikeLike
I reckon BB is a real hard nut Shotta – I shall be watching my step from now on, minding my Ps and Qs – sort of nutter who might jump out the screen – taps nose knowingly
I shall be watching Bobo tonight at Hampden Park – running – no legs
Still with his genetic footprint it may be do-able
LikeLike
And Adi – good stuff
LikeLike
Shotta,
Those comments went to a surreal level when people started making stuff up. Like for example on the topic of disagreements, as you eloquently describe. For example I was surprised to be told that I had never disagreed with Passenal nor had any banter over which player had the better game against Shrewesbury last season (Coquelin vs. Chamberlain – It was a high seat perspective vs. a low seat perspective debate I think, we were both at the game. Better not tell BB!) And also whether the ‘keeper looked off form or like he was playing on tranqulisers against Wigan at Home (again I disagree/disagreed with Passenal, er…sorry Passenal!). Strange, because those comments were in the archives.
The relevance is I’ve seen one or two critics of PA claiming that disagreements aren’t allowed here. Which is daft. I’d also take Steww’s and PG’s advice on this one. Leave the revisionists to their revisions.
LikeLike
< tranquilisers
LikeLike
So why are you picking on me Fins? You looking for a fight?
Shotta, I can’t believe you’ve fallen for George’s muppet impression! I think reading all that garbage that ends up in the spam bin has twisted his melon man!
Another well written and interesting post Adi. Keep ’em coming.
LikeLike
uh-oh!
LikeLike
Some of our critics are of the view that the Arsenal support is one humongous homogenous mass and the divisions into Positive and Negative are merely divisive and artificial. Why then do we have the sustained attacks on Wenger despite all the facts or is it the lack thereof
No wonder Adi’s piece is so well received.
LikeLike
BB has said nothing that is not taken directly from the spam bin
LikeLike
Adi, well said and thanks.
BB – very funny. Recalls the maestro Muppet.
England have only had Theo for a few days and they’ve broken him already, I see…
LikeLike
Heh.
Chamberlain hits the bar again.
LikeLike
Heh.
Chamberlain hits the bar again.
LikeLike
Twice in a minute Fins?
LikeLike
Haha.
No. Excuse the double post, misplaced my grit for a moment there. Phew!
LikeLike