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)