Playing the Blame Game
I read recently a great description of a sports fan and their support of the teams they follow. In the article they equated ones favorite teams to another child. We will stand up for them in good and bad times, and defend their honor. They can make us extremely proud one day and frustrate us the next, but they are always there.
It was about as perfect a statement of supporter-dom that I have ever read. If you have kids, a pet dog or even a pet rock. You love them, you spur them on and when they frustrate you, you let them know about it. Well, in light of Arsenal’s abysmal performance at the San Siro they other night, Arsenal fans are finding all sorts of ways to let the club know about their frustration.
Whether its calls for the board to be sacked, the manager to be sacked, the board and manager to be sacked or the players to be sold, Gooners all over are looking to place the blame somewhere. But who really is to blame? Why are we in this never ending cycle of shite?
Let’s briefly examine each culprit then I’ll give you my answer. And you can give me yours.
The Board.
In 1999 when plans were announced for the creation of new Arsenal stadium in London we were all told one of the biggest reasons is that it would allow us to compete with the biggest clubs in Europe. Since the Emirates opened up however, we have experienced nothing in the silverware cabinet and the biggest clubs in Europe routinely shred us, our biggest rivals in England thrash us and our best players are sold to help pay for the monstrosity that is Emirates Stadium.
Before we go on let me make one thing clear, I am glad we have the Emirates its a jewel in England right now. But it has crippled us. The move to the Emirates forced an austerity plan on the team that has severely hampered this clubs ability to sign quality talent in that could substantially help the club.
The desire to pay down the debt to a manageable state is applaudable but it has also foisted upon the team a policy that placed too much faith in the team uncovering talented young gems from Europe and hoping they become proven stars. Additionally, the austerity program has become to some nothing more than a ruse to cover over the fact that the club’s board are merely milking the supporters of their hard earned cash. How else do you explain a 6.5% rise in ticket prices only to follow that up the next year with another ticket rise. All the while, reporting record profits for a football club.
Profits mind you that aren’t being turned back into the club.
A lot of people want to automatically blame Wenger (we’ll get to him shortly) but I firmly believe that the policies that we are operating under have been established by the board and enacted by the manager. The evidence is firm in that there are comments in the press of late that tends to show a crack in the relationship between the manager and the board.
There was the innocuous comment Wenger made about making sure he starts each summer by making a £15 million profit for the club. Now it was originally without any context and later Wenger was prompted to clarify the statement. But to me it read as a subtle slight to the board.
Finally the board and by extension the senior management of the club guided by Ivan Gazidis (someone still has yet to explain to me how the Deputy Commissioner of the MLS goes to being the CEO of one of the top clubs in Europe) are gaining a reputation as the gang that can’t shoot straight. From poor commercial deals to ineptitude in negotiating contracts and estimating the transfer market they have severely left this club on the edge that could take a very long time to get back from.
The Manager.
As manager, Arsene Wenger is usually the first target of all blame. He is called arrogant, snooty and a host of other words we all know and that I will refrain from putting into print. Wenger has taken what has been given him by the board and run with it.
If the board is the architect of the policies, Wenger has shown himself a willing accomplice. He has taken the youth policy and run with it full hilt often times identifying players that often seem very talented and in the end wind up being colossal busts. And when they do wind up being total failures he hangs on to them too long with a blind faith that any zealot would be proud of.
His abject faith in players like Denilson, Almunia, Arshavin and Walcott (yes there are others) has been to the detriment of the club. In some regimes it would’ve only taken one season or even a half season for a player that continues to fail to find themselves on the way out. Wenger keeps giving these players a shot. Over and over again. To much the same affect as before. What’s the saying about the definition of insanity?
Additionally, Wenger of late has been tactically suspect. When I say of late, there are periods of time throughout the last few years, but this year specifically it seems he is slightly off-kilter with his tactical choices. I am perplexed about the plan at Milan. The pitch was a disgrace, clearly set up this way to neutralize our one advantage—speed. When that became obvious to Wenger, he offered no plan B or C to try and overcome it. During moments like this, it feels as though Wenger could benefit from a strategy akin to consulting a list of online poker sites, where one might carefully weigh options before making a move. Again, it was the same old story all over again. When things went wrong—horribly wrong—the necessary adjustments were not made. And while I do not want to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain overworked because of his talent, why not bring him on earlier when everything else has gone wrong?
Then there is the insane devotion to our financial principles which on merit are something very good to adhere to And in fairness I don’t know and no one really knows if the financial prudence has been foisted upon him. But he has run with it. Using it as a crutch along the way. We supposedly had Juan Mata tied up only to have the deal die because we didn’t get the Fabregas deal done in time. Wenger used to be the master of shrew buys but know he looks like a chump. He still gets a few right but they are no longer the norm. Those early Wenger teams were all made with shrewd buys. Now shrewd buys are left to teams like Dortmund and Napoli. Sure they are different leagues but their success is down to good management and prudent, shrewd financial transactions of talent.
Wenger for whatever reason thinks he has to buy big to buy good. Or buy small and develop. Its maddening and its not working. His stubborn nature has tied us to this and his ‘gentleman’ professor type manner has protected the board that likely is driving the policy.
Finally there is the notion that winning isn’t every thing. I am sorry in sports WINNING IS THE ONLY THING. This view perpetrated by Wenger that as long as we finish in the top four, remain financially sound and continue to develop talent is success. Well, last I checked there is no prize for finishing in the top four, as sound as financial prudence is what has 7 years of it gotten us and we develop talented young players to see them piss off to some of the top clubs in Europe. Again another set of ideas that just isn’t working.
The Players.
Players can be excused if they aren’t good enough. They didn’t select themselves for the team. That fault lies with the manager. What they can’t be excused from is taking the pitch and having a complete lack of heart and desire.
In the aftermath of the Milan disaster, Petit, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon all laid into the players for a complete lack of – anything. Petit was especially harsh calling on Wenger to sell players like Rosicky and Arshavin to make the point loud and clear. Nigel was a little more diplomatic saying the players had let down the manager.
They didn’t just let down the manager they let down an entire fan base. This has been a season of yo-yos. No one begrudges a hard fought loss like when we lost 1-0 to Manchester City in December. We worked our tales off and if not for some dodgy calls we might have walked out of there with a win.
What fans cannot and should not tolerate is performances like Milan or Swansea away where the players were devoid of any passion or heart. These players need to remember a few things, they are getting paid handsomely to play a game and when they take the pitch they are wearing the traditions of a club that has 125 year rich history Players before them have put themselves on the line to establish the traditions and expectations of the club. It’s all about the pride in wearing the Arsenal badge and they completely, completely failed at Milan and other times in this season.
Finally, there is also no excuse for some players and their shit attitude on the pitch. You know who you are. Walking around, with half-arsed efforts or wondering why things didn’t go your way, when it was likely your fault they didn’t go your way. If you can’t be arsed to play for the club that pays yu and gives you the opportunity to live the life you lead, the fans shouldn’t be bothered singing your praises.
In the end there is blame to go around and at varying levels. No one should be singled out because at every step of the way someone or a group of someone’s has had a hand in why we are here. It really is going to take a collective ‘pulling heads out of arses’ moment. Whether the fans initiate it or some has a moment of clarity at the club, it has to be done. If not the consequences could be worse than a miserable night in Milan.
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