The wonder of Wenger

I have never doubted the genius of Arsene Wenger, even when things haven’t gone for us in the past few seasons I have always felt that his managerial skills were second to none. The article I wrote about Wenger a few months ago stated that Wenger was a man coming to terms with the fact his youth policy (i.e. his reliance on youth over experience) was not working. I said at the time that Wenger was not as stubborn as many would consider him to be. The defeat at home to Chelsea represented a crossroads for Wenger, does he continue to rely on youth or does he go for some experience? I’d stated that the great Wenger experiment was coming to an end and that he knew it but would he be big enough to admit it? The answer is an emphatic ‘YES’, re-signing Sol Campbell is a big statement. The Frenchman has never re-signed a single player for the club, so many ex-players have been rumoured to be returning in the last few years and had he gone for someone like Flamini or Hleb it would be understandable – they are still young. Instead, Wenger has gone for a 35 year old whose last competitive game was 7 months ago! I happen to think it’s an excellent signing, someone with the experience and fight needed to take us over the finishing line. Sol Campbell proves that Wenger has accepted the flaws in his plan and that is an encouraging sign for all of us.

The title of this article relates to the fact that we are currently sitting in third place with the possibility of being top of the Premiership on Wednesday night. That in itself is an achievement but let’s consider the many injury problems Wenger has faced this season, the fact we are still fighting for the title in January speaks volumes for the great man. I can only think of one game where we have had a more or less full strength team and that was when we beat Blackburn 6-2 in a thrilling game at the Emirates in which our attacking display was simply sensational. Unfortunately the injury situation is like a conveyor belt – one gets injured another returns. Obviously RVP is the biggest miss for us, we are essentially playing without a proper striker and yet we still have no problem scoring. Let’s consider for a minute that Wayne Rooney injured himself on the weekend and was out for the rest of season. I’ve watched United many times this season and he is their talisman, without him I think United would be vying for 4^th place. That’s one player, now consider injuries to Carrick, Giggs, Scholes at the same time and they would be in serious trouble.

Wenger has built a team that plays for each other, a team spirit I have not seen since the days of the invincibles – this team has a long way to go before we can match them but we are heading in the right direction. Considering all the constraints Wenger has to work to, I would argue that he is a better manager now than he has ever been. We might not win the league but I feel only injuries will be our undoing – I genuinely believe that if RVP was fit we would be champions come May. We should celebrate the fact that on the small resources Wenger has at his disposal he continues to create a team and a club that we should be genuinely proud of. When I read about all the debt in football and the trouble the likes of Liverpool and Utd are in, it really does bring home the belief that Wenger is a visionary – the best thing to happen to Arsenal Football Club. A well run club will bring us success on and off the pitch and I’m backing Wenger to deliver.