Arsene Wenger’s Transfer Comments Are Bang On – For Arsene Wenger.
Ah social media – it’s never one to let an Arsenal, more specifically, an Arsene comment to the press left unscathed. Yesterday and carrying over into today, Arsenal social media went into full blow out mode when Arsene said this to DeSports
“We’ve already bought one player — Xhaka — from Monchengladbach,” Wenger said. “So we’ve bought one midfielder and we’re still on the market to buy one or two more players. But it is not easy.
“It is not just buying. We also have to keep a good balance. If you buy too many players you destabilise your team. So three is the maximum.”
You only have to be a passerby in the Arsenal universe to know that there are a few buzz words in those comments that go right to the heart of any fan who just exudes self-righteous indignation at any mention of Arsene Wenger and transfers.
For the uninitiated – it’s the number of players mentioned and comments on “balance” and “destablising” the team.
Ah, I don’t think Wenger is reader of social media. But if he were I find it likely he knows exactly what buttons to push because he did and he did it well.
First, let’s focus on the number of players. In looking at his comments I would offer up that he is focusing in on players who can have an immediate impact on the starting XI. By that I mean if they aren’t “sure thing” starters they will be strong enough to push current starters.
If that’s the case up to signings makes sense. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Wenger sees the need for signings but given the Vardy link and the link to Wolfsburg’s Rodriguez – a Striker and defender surely seem in the cards.
But is any more really needed? You can look at the exits in the MF of the three senior players of Arteta, Flamini, and Rosicky. The likes of Elneny and Xhaka surely cover most if not all of that. Though Wenger does like the creative type like Rosicky. But maybe (rightly or wrongly) he is banking on Wilshire being fit for more than a fortnight this season.
While many are speculating that either Theo or Oxlade-Chamberlain look likely to leave there’s only a smattering of any linkage. I suspect both to be here when August closes into September.
We all agree that a mobile striker is needed. The Vardy link came out of left field. No one saw it coming. While I’ve stated I could care less either way whether he comes or goes – it’s a statement of intent that Wenger sees the need to get that type of player in there.
Many on twitter will argue that he’s at some point going to say “at least we tried” and stick pat with what he has. At some level a coach of any level will choose to stick with what he has. However, with Arsenal scoring less goals especially at home than they have in recent years, I think it’s a safe bet that a striker – a mobile one comes in before the window closes.
The one thing this whole argument on is 3 really enough misses is the fact that no one has any clue on what if anything Wenger intends to do with formation or style of play. Surely that more than anything dictates the number of players that come in.
We don’t know if he is going to stick with the 4-2-3-1 (I think he will) which will keep Özil in his preferred number 10 role and likely see Xhaka paired either Ramsey or Cazorla. Or he could try to once again see how things work in 4-1-4-1 with Xhaka as the 1 in front of the back 4. Finally maybe he’ll opt for a 4-3-3 with Ozil shifted out wide in the midfield, coming from out to in.
The point is, we have no bloody idea what he intends to do and that more than anything should dictate the number of players we bring in. This isn’t football manager. You can’t just insert cheat codes and get all the players you want. There has to be a pragmatic approach to transfers.
Which brings to the next point. Wenger’s use of the words “balance” and “destablising.” Yes, these words even annoy me. Of course I know what he means and I know it’s far more nuanced than he portrays it to be.
The fact is inserting a small or large number of players into any squad can have a harmful or helpful affect. It’s frankly a crap shoot. You just don’t know. There are as many cases that show that minor adjustments to the squad keep the team humming and on an upward trajectory while you can look at clubs like Man United that have spent wildly and brought in numerous players without much success.
Of course you can also find complete opposites to these theories. Wenger is never going to go gang-busters in a transfer market. He is always quality over quantity. And as hard as it is for every arm chair manager to accept – that’s his model of operate and he’s entitled to it. When a new manager comes in maybe he’ll do it differently.
It’s real easy to pass judgment on players when we see them one week. And yes, there are cases to be made for improvement. However, Wenger and his staff see players throughout training and in games and assess his players on a total picture. Oliver Giroud isn’t a world beater. He is a workhorse that runs hot and cold. But when he’s hot (not of the good-looking variety) – he’s damn hot. Wenger’s looking for a striker is a tacit admission he needs something to change it up when that happens. During training sessions, Wenger also reviews strategies on various platforms, including trang cá cược bóng đá, to find new techniques. Wenger doesn’t give up on Giroud because he sees the qualities he has and what they can bring to the Arsenal game.
I know that balance and such buzz words are like finger nails to a chalk board for many fans. Because they seem like such nonsense words. In the world of a supporter, you buy a play, you make it work. It doesn’t always work that way. Getting it wrong can have detrimental effects.
The sad thing about all of this is -it’s June 20th. We’re not even in the heart of the transfer window yet. We can expect more comments like this and more hand wringing and griping by the social media pitch fork brigade. Oh joy.
