Will Wenger’s Roster Gambit Pay Off?
Raise your hands if at any point during the summer you said this:
“We need at least 4-5 incoming players to fill out our roster.”
Yep, me too. Now your permutation of that 4 or 5 may have been different. You may have said we need 1 world class player and 3 or 4 good players. It could have been any variety of that. But after a summer that saw loose very little and restock the shelves so to speak it seemed pretty obvious to prognosticators – of the arm chair and journalist variety, that Arsenal were still lacking in certain areas. Depending on your view, the lack of a true DM and CB addition stood out as a glaring ommission
We are all worried what could happen to the team when injuries ravage the squad, especially our defensive unit. Injuries, as we all know is as close to a certainty with Arsenal as death and taxes. Given the long slog that a Premier League team has to go through, some have argued that not filling in these roster slots was going to be detrimental to the club’s ability to sustain an assault on their coveted top 4 spot.
Last season Wenger made the choice to keep his squad small and one front it seemed this risky gambit is paid off. What was that gambit? It is a calculated risk to retain a smaller squad and preserve anew found focus and emphasis on the TEAM above all.
The lack of CB cover remains the glaring omission from the squad and is perplexing. The DM addition it is agreed publically is a spot Arsenal need but is not one that they’ve operated with in the last 9 or so years. So not signing one, while seemingly questionable is understandable. However, with both Koscielny and Mertesacker going deep into the World Cup, there is more concern that letting Vermaelen go and only bringing in Chambers is still very risky.
The fact is we don’t know what Wenger is seeing in training or what his thoughts are regarding the roster. He may have plans with a youngster getting promoted, like Hayden. Though rumour is Hayden is actually one they see for the future at the DM role.
So the question is has, Arsene has once again made the risky choice to run with a thread bare squad to preserve the “team first” mentality. Keeping a pseudo-small squad with players (old and new) he felt had the ethos he was working towards. Again, it’s a risk and it means beating the odds. Arsenal will have to survive injuries to key players for long periods of time. Something we know is unlikely.
In social media conversations, I always get a chuckle from the folks who all chastise Wenger with “we all can see he needs this player, why doesn’t he.” It assumes that the average supporter knows more than a professional manager. For one moment let’s forget any animosity towards Arsene Wenger in particular. Take a look at that thought – a supporter knowing more than someone who’s profession is the building of teams and assessment of players.
I would never question a supporters understanding of the game of football. There are some people out there that know history and players and tactics as well as many. But still they are looking from the outside in. They do not get the perspective of day in and day out with the players and the squad. The don’t see success or failure in training. They also don’t get a chance to understand what the manager is truly thinking about his tactics and players.
But a professional manager, even the worst of the lot got to their plateau and their profession through hard work diligence and a broader understanding of the game than even the most studious of supporters can possess. Managers are managers for a reason and we are supporters for a reason. While I get frustrated with the moves my manager makes, I don’t presume to know more than any manager, especially Wenger, whose credentials speak for themselves.
Right now I think the club is better offensively than it was last season. Even though Danny Welbeck wasn’t anyone’s choice, he could prove to be an astute choice. Young and wanting a chance to prove his pedigree, he should flourish getting the chance to lead Arsenal’s attack. The addition of Sanchez means that when Theo is healthy, the front line of Welbeck, Sanchez and Theo could be the fastest in the league – something that will give every Premier League team room for thought.
Throw in Debuchy, Chambers and Ospina, Wenger clearly wanted to be sure he replaced what he lost and add some promise to the team. For the most part, he managed to keep all his key players. Last season he locked down a British core and supplemented over the last two seasons that with very good talent and added a world-class players in Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez. For all the criticism he has been given all those moves show a vision for this squad that is taking place.
Even with all the aforementioned business people still found time t0 question the manager’s methods. Not many were willing to give him credit that he may be on to something.
When all the other clubs around continued to show significant changes – either in approach to the market, change in managers or substantial player changes, Arsenal were for once again a sea of calm and at one point you have to wonder if this was where Wenger wanted to be all along.
United ushered in a new manager (again), saw an influx of players in and out, Liverpool sold Suarez and brought in 9 players, Tottenham changed managers (also again), City had enforced constrain placed on them but made shrewd moves, and Chelsea acted like Arsenal selling before they bought.
Assuming all of this then, keeping everything on a level plane at Arsenal was essential. And it was Arsene has done. If we’re going to criticize Arsene for poor transfer policies of the past, poor player selection and other issues, then we have to give him credit for keeping all things calm at the club,
When I looked at our squad before the kickoff of the season, I thought that this squad even with its size were at a minimum going to give us the edge in duking it out for 4th. No, I am not saying that is what I want in terms of “success” but in looking at our chances, realistically this is what I think..
Looking at the upheaval of the other teams, I still thought they had enough in them to leave us fighting for a spot at the Champion’s League table. As it turns out, Wenger’s trust in his current squad and his additions haven’t stirred the pot, rather they have further solidified a strong squad (albeit it thin) and strengthened the mentality of it.
And that has been the difference between this Arsenal and recent incarnations. Arsenal after trying other incarnations looks like he has finally got the right balance he has been looking for since the end of the 2005 season.
Let’s be real though, it’s a risk running with a thin squad. When the injuries start to rise and LAST over time, we will all be worried about a potential Arsenal slide. If you didn’t worry, you’re only fooling yourself. But Wenger looks like he has gotten it right across the board with this squad. Since 2005 he has been trying to find the right balance of finesse and grit. We look to finally be there.
Is it complete? Probably not. That additional CB would go a long way to assuaging my fears. But as I said earlier, I don’t know what the manager is seeing in training or what his roster plans are. Let’s all be clear none of us do. It’s a lot of faith for some to place in a man some of have lost faith in a long time ago.
Whether Wenger wanted another striker is up for debate. Some are trying to stir the pot by speculating that since he hasn’t said anything on the signing of Welbeck he didn’t want the player and that it was forced on him by Gazidis. Sorry, the history of this club clearly shows that any deal done whether he ties it up or not is not done without Wenger’s approval. There is no story on the fact Wenger hasn’t spoke. He’s been away in Rome and Geneva for a charity match and the meeting of Elite Coaches and Managers.
The fact is we got another striker. A young and mobile one with a lot of promise. We no longer have to place our faith solely on the foot of Oliver Giroud. If we’re honest though, the faith in Giroud paid off last season as he improved over his first season’s tally and only fatigue and a lack of service really slowing him down.
Previous to last season, I was one of the many who wondered, sometimes loudly if the game were passing Wenger by. Evidence prior to last season suggested it may have. I have always been a realist and never bought for a moment Wenger didn’t want to spend. I always felt the club had agreed to an existence of frugality until such a time as new commercial deals could be locked down and advance Arsenal.
But admittedly I had my doubts. We know Wenger controls all football aspects (players, tactics, staff, etc) of the club. And in the past when money wasn’t spent early and additions weren’t made early, I and many others (a majority) openly worried. Some went the wrong way with abuse. I’ve always tried to be fair. But it’s become clear that Wenger’s faith in his charges has proved right. An FA Cup can attest to that
Now, let’s all accept that we will still go through a difficult spell this season. Every team does. But I am of the thought that the makeup of this current squad, both talent wise and mentally, might make the difficult spells seem more like a road bump rather than a mountain.
Wenger will ultimately be judged (as he should be) at the end of the season. If Arsenal maintain a consistent level of performance throughout, then Arsenal will have a say in the title race and Wenger will have once again been proved right. It’s worlds away but a good run and being part of the title picture will seem world’s away from previous seasons finishes.
You gotta give credit where credit is due and for Wenger, his opening gambit might prove to be a masterstroke.
