by Mark Urban
A lot of focus is being put on Arsenal’s “crunch” game with Wigan on Tuesday, but being a follower of the Gunners, I don’t think dropping points and losing out on Champions League qualification is as disastrous as some are making out and here is why.
Arsenal used to be a force to be reckoned with on the Premier League stage, with players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires making fans drool and opposing teams quake in their boots, but this year makes it 8 seasons without a trophy and a toothless Arsenal are once again nowhere near any silverware and wholesale changes have to be made.
As it stands, it looks as though as long as the team qualify for the Champions League, that everyone at the club seems happy just to go through the motions. This can not be acceptable anymore and although the club will take a hit financially in the short term, I think finishing 5th in the league will be the kick up the proverbial backside that the club needs.
No more putting up with average players who aren’t worthy of wearing the prestigious Arsenal shirt, no more excuses about why Arsenal didn’t sign this player or that or spend the money that Wenger keeps denying he has and the board keep insisting he does, and no more Brazilians who can’t play football – Denilson and Santos I’m talking about you.
Arsene Wenger is rightly still held in high regard for what he has done in the past, but he doesn’t seem to be that same manager anymore and the past only gets you so far. He puts up with mediocrity that shouldn’t be associated with this great club. He has also lost his bite in the transfer market. When was the last time you heard Arsenal and *insert other club’s name here* were going for a player and Arsenal ended up with him? It seems as though Wenger doesn’t want to fight for players and would rather just go for someone who is less hassle to sign – at the expense of quality.
Another excuse that seems to pop up is that the Emirates stadium needed to be financed and that is why Wenger hasn’t spent much money. While I’m sure there is truth in that, you don’t need to be a professor of economics to know that if Wenger sold a lot of the fringe players, (Bendtner, Denilson, Chamakh, Arshavin, Squillaci, Santos) that he could free up both the wages and transfer funds necessary to bring in at least one or two players who could make an impact.
When it comes to the transfer market, I’m all for bringing youth into the club, if they are good enough, and we can all see the quality youngsters Wenger has brought through the Emirates doors through the years, but you can only give them so much time, and you need a balance between youth and experience, a balance they used to have in the glory days of the late 90’s to mid 00’s.
Also, where have all the leaders on the pitch disappeared to? Where is the Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira type of stand up and be counted player, who would drag the rest of the team kicking and screaming to the desired result? Who wouldn’t put up with yet another Denilson or Ramsey sideways or backwards pass. A player who no matter what the score was, gave you hope that even in the 90th minute, things could still be turned around.
The club needs to take a long hard look at itself and I fear that the only way that this will happen is to finish 5th and although, Arsenal fans, it may hurt to begin with, and Spurs fans won’t let you forget it for the next 12 months, it may be just what the doctor ordered to turn things around and get back to the trophy laden days of a decade ago.
You’re a spurs fan in disguise!! as you obviously know nothing about Arsenal!! Finishing 5th?? wtf?? We should finish in the top 4 every season!! and id like to see any other team finance an awesome brand new stadium and stay near the top of the league the way we have done it! Who won the cups this year?? Swansea and Wigan…does that mean they are the best teams in the world?? noway!! Would you rather have the season they had or the season Arsenal had?? So winning a cup doesnt always show how good a club you are! A cup is always nice but id rather go 8 or even 10 years without anything,as long as my Arsenal will be a top team and set up for the rest of my life and for my kids and their kids! because that is what Arsenal fc have been doing whilst always these other pretenders come in a splash ridiculous amounts of money everywhere!! anyone who thinks chelsea or citeh will be around forever is an idiot and needs some maths lessons!! Those sort of clubs will end up in meltdown! and then all their glory supporters will leave and they will fall down the leagues!! thats the price you pay when you sign your soul away!! where as proper football clubs like arsenal and man utd will be at the top for the next 100 years!!!
how can you come pair RAMSEY WHIT Denilson.. Ramsey is excellent AND WILL BE ARSENALS BEST PLYER NEXT SEASON .
That’s the only way, let the greedy guys feel the loss of money, Including the ticket buyers’ money.
even if arsenal come fifth position nothing dramatic will happen why because that man at the top call stan don’t care for trophies as far as the club make profit and qualify for champions league.
Can see where you’re coming from, i’ve had the same mindset for a few seasons now, but it looks as if Wenger has finally begun to realise he needs rid of the deadwood (Djourou, Chamakh, Arshavin, Squillaci, Denilson etc all being sold or loaned) and is looking to spend money on real talent this summer.
Even if we finish 5th, I can still see us making some major signings this Summer, but it would be a little disappointing if we finally build a team to be proud of at the Emirates to not be able to challenge the very best teams in Europe next season.
No thank you.
That is all.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
The writer suggests that Arsenal are satisfied with achieving champions league qualification, I don’t believe that’s the case at all.
Since Arsenal made the decision to build the new stadium, it was expected that the young team led by Thierry Henry would flourish and challenge for top honours.
One reason that went some way to prevent this is the witless attitude of young immature men, led by greedy agents, think Ashley Cole, think Mathieu
Flamini, people who only became known because they were raised by the coaching of Arsene Wenger. Their arrogance and ingratitude was a disgrace.
I’m sure these guys are financially better off due to their actions, but I don’t think you go hungry on Arsenal’s wages. Is it surprising that Cole was voted the most disliked man in the country?
Flamini apparently does get to start some matches at Milan….providing there are enough first choice players unavailable.
This trend continued with the likes of Alexander
Hleb, and Thierry Henry himself. Then the mentally challenged African Adebayor jumps ship because he wanted to be paid what Henry was paid, after ONE good season. Fabregas ,Nasri, van Pursestrings and on and on….
All these players were made by Arsenal, became famous with Arsenal, and slapped the cub in the face as a thankyou!
If half of these guys had the guts to stick around, they could have been winners at Arsenal, but the fact is they take no personal responsibility for not winning things, as if they would have won, but it was all the others!
Footballers by and large are greedy and brainless.
Arsenal will rise again to where they belong, bigger and stronger than before, mostly due to the foresight of Arsene Wenger.
People who call for the end of his tenure are as shortsighted as the players who deserted the club.
Please wenger should spend big this time
I believe finishing fifth may have been beneficial last year, or possibly two years ago – but, there seems to be a fire for spending and quality change.
I believe this would be a horrible year for the team to finish fifth. It could lead to a loss of talent and an inability to sign top notch recruitment.
A couple of seasons ago I was also in the same camp as you in believing the short sharp shock of not finishing in the top 4 would mean the club re-focus and invest some cash. But then I looked at Liverpool and realised how hard it is to get back into the top 4 once you have fallen out.
Less money from sponsors, less corporate tickets,less season tickets sold etc…..
We have the highest priced tickets in premier league, so I for 1 be demanding some money back if I forced to watch Europa league. A lot of other fans I know simply wont renew at the standard cost. Remember the Europa league involves a lot more games than Champions league so that’s our total cup allocation gone before we even get to knockout round.
Make no mistake fail to get in the top and we will see a huge decrease in money and ambition from the club
I couldn’t agree more. Further more, if Arsenal are truly the big club they proclaim themselves to be they should re-examine their transfer policy which has allowed their key players like RVP, Nasri and Clichy to wind down their contracts only to be sold to direct competitors, and other players who were under long term contracts like Fabregas and Song to be sold only because they wanted to leave. Just because you can cash – in on a player and net a profit of 12 to 25 million like it was in the case of Song and Fabregas, it doesn’t make it a good business decision. Rooney and Nani have both expressed their desire to leave Man U in the past , only to be denied by Ferguson. As for Arsenal supporters who say it will be harder to get back in to top four once you finish on the outside , maybe so , but at least Wenger and the board would have to face their failures of being overtaken by a smaller club with a smaller wage bill. I wouldn’t bet against Wigan to split the points at the Emirates in which case both clubs would most likely miss their respective mark. In case of Wigan this would be due to lack of resources but in case of Arsenal it would be due to mismanagement .
nice one man lets see what Mr Arsene has for us come next season
-Arsene Wenger is an Economist He has the developed a sustainable financial model to keep the club Afloat
-He is an Engineer who has engineered the move from highbury to the emirates
-He is a gambler who has wagered our best players in the transfer market and made a potful of money for the boys upstairs
-And now he is wizard who has simply said WE WILL QUALIFY FOR THE CHAMPION’S LEAGUE