From Simon : Wenger’s psychology
Hi Myles,
The key question is why does Wenger produce Arsenal teams that are so mentally frail?
A common observation is that the team has no leaders. No strategic leader like Tony Adams. No physical leader like Vieira and Keown. No technical leader like Henry and Bergkamp.
People forget, however, that these technical players of the Invincibles WERE ALSO physical and strategic leaders. Henry and Bergkamp had a burning desire to win and other players looked at them and thought: ‘If a player as talented as Bergkamp has such a ferocious desire to be the best, what is my excuse?’
Players like Ozil and Sanchez today ARE technical leaders, but they are NOT strategic leaders and physical leaders. When the team is dire straights, they will not take other players with them.
There is only ONE technical AND strategic leader in the team – Cech.
So the question is why? Why has a manager who KNOWS what it takes to produce great teams become so clueless?
Why has he UNLEARNT all that he learnt and put so successfully into practice?
The reason is simple, and it points to an argument that you yourself have made time and time again.
Over the last decade, Wenger became so obsessed with his power within the club, with his reach and influence, that he decided to no longer sign players who have these multiple leadership qualities.
He has REMOVED any hint of REAL leadership in his team to cement his own control.
He no longer has ‘shouty’ types in the dressing room. He prefers softly spoken and well-mannered men like Ozil, Walcott and Giroud.
The desire for total control is an affliction that impacts on many people who get a sniff of power. You have witnessed it many times in history and see it today with politicians, business people and even in toxic personal relationships.
The Arsenal supporter would have had hopes that FA Cup wins would point to a different trajectory, that – in fact – these players can do what it takes to be true winners.
But we all know that they are not winners and more significantly they have a manager who DOESN’T WANT them to be winners.
Can you imagine that? A manager who does not want his team to be winners!
It is a brutal concept to get your head around.
Your thoughts would be welcome.
Myles says:
Afraid I’m too busy today to summarise my thoughts on that.
His choirboys could have beaten Spurs with 10 men.
That 2-2 draw was the best of Saturday’s games and I’ll write about that tomorrow
From Pete : George Graham
How many supporters would have swapped George’s “one nil to the Arsenal” over the last few games .
But for George’s indiscretion, which was ridiculous for such a shrewd man, how many titles would he have won?
Two pretty much when Liverpool were still at the height of their powers. Considering the defence he built I would suggest a few more. He founded his success on defence, which included the glut of tough centre backs, Adams, O’Leary, Bould, and Keown. He even had the nous to buy back Keown from Everton. I think quite a lot more success.
Apart from buying Vieira, and one or two others, the defence was pretty much a Graham construction. So it is obvious that when this gradually retired the aura and success of Wenger went with it and the barren 10 years started.
Wenger has produced the beautiful, and must be congratulated in by so many brilliant forwards.
But it is the defence that wins games when the forwards are unable to penetrate, and more particularly gives the forwards confidence .
My view is that Graham would have found the forwards, and midfield players to supplement what he had. The illusion that was Wenger was always bound to disappear once his inherited defensive players retired.
So I pose the question would we swap all the pretty flair over the last 20 years for the grinding, on occasions for success , of Graham. I believe that certainly there would be no barren spell of 10 years.
So would our supporters swap the likely regular success, though not perhaps as attractive, for years of Wenger pretty but unsuccessful football?
Myles says:
The George Graham crowd of the 90’s has been hugely diluted by the club.
It’s been a very clever and effective marketing strategy.
Fans who know football have been replaced by Sky-era punters who are younger and more affluent and more susceptible to hype and hero-worship.
So 40,000 of the 60,000 are gullible and King Arsene is their leader.
However, everyone I know thinks King Wenger has reigned far too long and should walk this summer.
I discovered something tragic and astounding three years ago.
The club staff are taught The Five Eras of Arsenal but Bertie Mee and George Graham are never mentioned. Those managers have been written out of history.
How Stalinist is that? Bertie and George never lived and never won trophies.
And the ridiculously arrogant Wenger has never mentioned George Graham’s name once in 18 years, as far as I’m aware.
Maybe he wrote that Five Eras on Arsenal document.