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Sunday, February 07, 2010

Arsenal FC’s major issues an obstacle to silverware

This is the first a series of articles that an “Arsenal Analysis” reader has written with regard to what he considers as the major issues facing Arsenal FC that need to be addressed.

The first article deals with the most important man at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger. The rest will follow next week.

By Arse Case

Many many debates have been going around since the recent loss to United. I would like to provide an objective eye on the major problems at hand, potential resolutions to the issues and pose the questions that should be asked.

I believe this is an objective and fair analysis of what needs to be looked at this club. I am no pundit or crazed extremist lunatic fan. I am an Arsenal supporter, an MBA student with an objective eye.

This is what I think is blatantly wrong with the club and the issues that need to be resolved for this team to become a championship club, again.


Arsene Wenger:

Creator of Wengerball, the most exciting form of football seen on the planet. In Arsene we Trust, Keep the Faith, Frugal, Beautiful Football, Arsenal, all words that come to mind when Arsene Wenger's name is said.

Arsene is an astutely stubborn businessman who sticks to his own rules regardless of the situation.

Can this eventually lead to his downfall?

His goal of creating beautiful, free flowing football, at little or no cost (to the club financially) has given him the respect of club owners all over the world.

Yet his strict business policies, frugal mindset and lack of will to be told how to run a club has given him a bad reputation amongst his supporters.

Arsene is a godsend to any shareholder of a club, as he continues to bring in revenue, without spending the earnings.

He has moved Arsenal to one of the biggest stadiums in the country, all while maintaining his integrity, keeping the books positive and developing great players.

It comes to mind that Arsene would be better of in the office managing contracts, scouting youth around the world and making blockbuster deals, at the most unimaginable prices.

His increased involvement in the office work, as well as on the pitch, has gotten him confused of where to go when it comes to making the right decisions for Arsenal at the present moment.

It is normally observed through the football world, as coaches ask for as much money as possible to make transfers that are needed to make the team competitive. Whereas the back office USUSALLY says work with what you got, or this is how much you are getting.

Arsene knows everything with the finances. He knows how much he is expecting to earn with the transfers he makes, how much revenue the team will earn, what it will take to purchase and keep players.

As an economist he knows hell of a lot about finance. But is it this financial wisdom that prevents him from performing his job on the pitch? Arsene, as a coach keeps on boasting about his " massive transfer kitty" that he has access to if he wants.

But fails to touch it.

The obvious decision that has to be made here is either he works the pitch or the back office, NOT both.

His business knowhow is clouding his coaching vision from making the transfers needed to improve the team. As a result he relies on players that he already has on the squad, knowing many of them are sub par.

The fact that they are youth and inexperienced means that he can hold on to them for cheap and when they become older and start to show the potential that they are expected to have (if they ever do show that potential), Arsenal will be able to sell them and bring in 100's% return on their investment.

But this is a business strategy, not a coaching strategy.

Coaching wise, he is the best tactician around.

He selects, nurtures and develops the youth better than anyone out there.

His idea of beautiful free flowing football looks genius on the pitch. His idea to hold on to the ball until they find the opening is great as well.

But it is obvious he lacks the mature, experienced players to help balance both sides of the pitch.

Arsene is a great coach and he is a great financial manager. But as a combination of both, his coaching side has been affected. The result after 5 years on the run is no silverware.

Top 4 finish is considered good enough and financial balance and long-term prosperity seems to be priority.

It is not fair to ask for his head after every game he loses. But it is justified to question his objectives when he has the chance to rectify his blatant problems, but refuses to act in a proper and expected manner.

How many years is it acceptable to go with out silverware? Or is Top 4 good enough for the powers that be at AFC?

Most sports teams and fans want results now. They pay to go watch and support a winning team.

It is true that each team needs to go through rebuilding phases, but the length of the phase and how they go about setting up the future has massive impact on fans and the support they provide.

The longer they have to wait for a championship side, the more weary they will get, the more they will complain and the less likely they will spend to support the team, ultimately resulting in a decline of revenue.

What makes a great manager? Ultimately a winner is all any coach wants to be. Here are a few Managers who are considered successful. You can decide by yourself what you think.

Silverware Comparison of a few “Great Manager’s” of the last decade

2000 – 2009

Sir Alex Ferguson: 10 Cups, 1 team (5 FA Premier Championships, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Champions League, 1 FIFA Club World Cup) – *8 FA Premier Championships in 10 seasons between 1993-2003)

Carlo Ancelotti: 8 Cups, 2 teams (1 Copa Italia, 1 Serie A, 1 Italian Super Cup, 2 UEFA Champions League, 2 UEFA Super Cup, 1 FIFA Club World Cup)

Gus Hidnik – 5 Cups, 2 teams (3 Erdersevi, 1 KNVB Cup, 1 FA Cup)


Jose Mourinho: 12 Cups, 3 teams (2 Portuguese Liga, 1 Super Cup, 1 UEFA Cup, 1 Champions League, 2 FA Premier League, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Serie A, 1 Supercoppa)

Arsene Wenger: 5 cups, 1 team (2 FA Premier Champ, 3 FA cup - 2 years winning the double)



12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would be a great shame to see Wenger sacked and not a good end to all he has done.

BUT the time has come for change, he should move upstairs and take on a club mangement role and a new team manager brought in.

GRA said...

Arsene should think of going'upstairs' in the next couple of seasons,or as soon as pep guardiola becomes available.

Anonymous said...

it's a crying shame when Wenger compares the oldest trophy in the world of which we have won ten times to finishing third as a bigger accomplishment. He has simply lost his way, it is now all about making money for the board, winning trophies has gone out of the window and sadly it is time for Wenger to move upstairs and let some else in who has the hunger to win us more trophies. Wenger has been a great manager but it seems he is trying to become bigger than the club.

Anonymous said...

This a good and reasoned article. Thanks for such a decent read without the usual rantings.
It would be a fair conclusion to say that if the job's too big for one person, then get an assistant, and groom him/her to take the reins.
Who's the next in line, then?
From the current staff, there seems to be no coaching genius coming through, and on the economic front, ditto.
Given AW's understanding of this, we can only assume that he opposes contingency planning and prefers to operate as a one man show.
If this is the case, then Arsenal fans should support him and press the case for a 2 i/c with business acumen over the next decade.
AW still has a good 10 years left in him, and should be left to his own devices is he so pleases.

Unknown said...

You are on the correct point. The obvious reason for the Downside of the coaching brilliance of Arsene Wenger is indeed too much pressure of handling the whole club and the finances. We have started to be found out in tactical battles ansd you can't complain that this is not fair if you are caught tactically because that is the beauty of the game.
Remember the Champs League Semis first Leg last year between Chelsea and Barca, Chelsea had tactically taken Messi completely out of the game, that is the beauty of football. If you are going to allow Messi to play freely and say 'Let's see what you can do' , the result will be obvious. I remember the comentator telling in commentry after the both games that Messi had 1 attemt on goal in whole of 180 min.s of both games, isn't that great. And Wengers old teams used to have these kind of players(Essien) to balance the threatening attackers of oppostion, today, we just wait to have Song back from African cup to stop Drogba and Rooney.
Couldn't Gilberto do that, but then why he is not here?
I see one very strong reason for all this downslope in Wenger the Genius' brilliance, the missing link between pitch and the bank, David Dean. He was the man Wenger just had to tell ' Hey, I have seen this player and I want it'. David will get the player for Arsene, or if not possible he will simply say that it is not possible finantially/any other reason, Simple! Weneger never had to think that David Villa will cost 30millions or what will be the wage requirement for Arshavin. But now, Wenger sees the player, he makes enquiry, he decides the transfer fee, he decides the wages, he decides where the player will play, he decides the contracts, he decides the Tactics and training!!
How much a man can do?
A manager just needs somebody whom he can just say, I need this player, can you get it? If not sign this player. Like that.
Bring back Dean or make Gazidis a new Dean or Let the takeover happen and Wenger will be relieved to have bottomless purse like Fergie/Jose/Lotti/mancini/Rafa..
or Just pray !!!

Anonymous said...

trust me, if arsene goes, arsenal will fall. that's why wenger still keeping his job and the board understand how important is that. i don't agree with writer's point of view that arsenal management don't care about trophy. after all, we the only top 4 teams on traditional hands. and changing manager don't even guarantee success. even if wenger splash 100m still not guarantee arsenal will win any trophy. real madrid spend crazy money but still unable to overtake barcelona. we just need a bit of luck with injuries. i do believe wenger assembled a squad good enough to challenge any team but of course when PLAY AGAINST THE BEST YOU NEED YOUR BEST PLAYERS and arsenal unlucky van persie out injured. if man utd and chelsea lost rooney and drogba, they won't have such a good time against arsenal.

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