Originally Posted by
Niall_Quinn
Wenger has to start using his squad intelligently. How many times have we heard the "little bit sharpness, dropped a little bit, tired from the midweek game" lines?
A club like Arsenal should be a genuine contender for the PL and the CL. Really we should. We were up at the top level nationally for a short period but even before the stadium move we were starting to dip, as evidenced in that dire 2005 cup final. The writing was on the wall for that squad but Wenger didn't react. He didn't replace the back four properly (remember the Stepanovs, Silvestre, Cygan bullshit?), he didn't replace Vieira (okay we got unlucky with Diaby but look how long he persisted with that), he dumped everything on the shoulders of Henry and after that a kid called Fabregas. Then he looked to RvC and now he looks at Ozil and Alexis.
Yes, a manager has to have go-to guys he can rely on, but these players can't carry the whole load for an entire season. Maybe that's one of the reasons RvC ran away, one season with the entire club team on his shoulders was enough. You tell him some midfielder with a broken back is being signed and there goes the proverbial straw. Is Ozil here to carry the team? Is Alexis? They are good natured about it now but let's see what happens in the future of Wenger does his thing and dumps it all on them to deliver at the top level against rivals that are constantly adding quality to their squad depth.
It's not as simple as any of us think, that's true. But Wenger loves a simple option if his track record is anything to go by. It is simple to go with Coquelin for 60 odd games next season, if the player maintains his form, if he can stand the pace, if he doesn't get injured for 6 months, if, if. You can then say you've given the kid every chance to develop and claim his starting place. But what if one of those 'ifs' don't work out? Then where is the depth? The simple option leaves you only excuses when it doesn't pan out and we've heard them all before.
It's never a bad thing to add depth and it's a sensible thing to utilise 20 players across a rigorous season rather than pin everything on 11 and hope they are standing at the end of it. We saw the pace the chavs can set last season. We can't afford a bad start or a collapsing finish or a lull in the form of one of our key men. We need options so we can sustain a challenge across the span of the entire season in all competitions.
Not only that, football is about psychology too. What do you think that atmosphere at Utd is as they see new and better players walk through the door. It gives everyone confidence and expectations rise. Utd have done the right thing. Maybe they won't be able to play both their new midfielders in every game, sometimes the system won't warrant it, other times there will be injuries and suspensions. But they stand a much better chance of keeping at least one decent midfielder on the pitch than they have in previous seasons.
Fact is, Wenger should have his business done by now and the new arrivals should be heading out to Singapore with the rest of the squad. That's how you raise morale and ambitions sky high. Instead we wait and see. Maybe we will do something if top, top, top talent comes along. Well top, top, top talent is already moving backwards and forwards across Europe and no sign of us sniffing around. If we are keeping our cards to our chest, fine, sort of, because I still think we should have had things wrapped up by now. But if we are fucking around and doing the window shopping routine we though was behind us then fuck that.
Wenger said today Alexis will not start the season. He'll miss the game at Wembley and the first match against West Ham. Ox seems to be perpetually crocked. But we still have good cover in that area of the pitch. Let's hope Kos and Coquelin stay fit though, because if Wenger is happy with us pinning 60 games on those guys again it'll be a real challenge for them to stay on the pitch.
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