Is it Wenger's ego rather than his ability that has cost us?

[Letters]

My best guess. Wenger has an unflinching belief in principles that others will only speak to rather than practise. He thinks the game should not only be played in a certain way but run in a certain way. He makes no secret of it. Clubs living within their means, financial doping, level playing fields, these are the things he talks about. I picture him as a knight on horseback - going up against a tank and complaining furiously after he has been run over about the lack of honour displayed by the tank driver who, with a few levers, can easily overcome years of training, discipline, restraint, chivalry. For as much as he's practical in a financial sense he's utterly impractical and lost in ideology in other key areas connected to the game. An anachronism. If everyone thought his way then the sport would be better. With nobody else thinking his way he's left us, the fans, having to suffer for his ineffective (even if well intentioned) principles. Changing is easier said than done. You have to want to change, for a start, and I doubt he does.

Of course he's ideal for the like of Kroenke. Even if he didn't agree with what the yank is doing it wouldn't matter because their methods coincide even if their personal agendas don't. I'm not saying he's not fully on-board, just that it wouldn't really matter if he wasn't.

That's my guess too.

[selassie]

That's my guess too.

Yep me too.

I personally think that Arsene is at the point of "no return' in regards to relaxing his methodology and modifying his approach.

It's "His Way" or no way at all. He would sooner walk than be told to modify his approach to achieve better results on the football field, that's just my opinion.

This is as good as it will get until he leaves IMHO.

[IBK]

Agreed, NQ. AW is utterly wedded to his principles and thus his ego overwhelms the club's primary interests. These principles include not pressuring his best players to stay. The fact that he is given free reign by an owner/board who have no real interest in winning silverware makes it a perfect storm.

Wenger is principled but not stupid, which is why he appears to have thrown in the towel against the mega rich clubs - and why it is perfectly reasonable to suggest that it is player development rather than silverware that motivates him these days.

With the news of today's new kit deal - my concern is that Wenger will still approach the transfer market with the brakes on - and buy what he regards as good value rather than buying the very best players possible. In that sense Wenger is like a great racing driver competing with the handbrake on.

[LDG]

I'm more concerned with his tactical decisions rather than the players he's bought.

I'm not saying that he's done well in the transfer market, by any means, and yes he has gone for cheaper "bargains". But if his objective (as set by his employers) is to get ECL, and that he only has X amount to spend (not forgetting we apparently needed a profit each year in the transfer window), then it's a bit harsh on Wenget, saying it's his ego.

I don't doubt that some of his "ideologies" are satisfied by being prudent, but I firmly believe he still wants to win the league, the ECL etc just as much as he ever has.

We have some dosh available now (supposedly) so perhaps we'll find out this summer.

[selassie]

I'm more concerned with his tactical decisions rather than the players he's bought.

I'm not saying that he's done well in the transfer market, by any means, and yes he has gone for cheaper "bargains". But if his objective (as set by his employers) is to get ECL, and that he only has X amount to spend (not forgetting we apparently needed a profit each year in the transfer window), then it's a bit harsh on Wenget, saying it's his ego.

I don't doubt that some of his "ideologies" are satisfied by being prudent, but I firmly believe he still wants to win the league, the ECL etc just as much as he ever has.

We have some dosh available now (supposedly) so perhaps we'll find out this summer.

Oh he still wants to win, he wants CL & PL, but it has to be done "The Right Way".

I know this has already been covered by NQ and IBK, but Arsene doesn't play "Psuedo Accountant" or "Preach Pureities" for no reason. He believes in his metholody and principle and will only take satisfaction out of winning this way. This is just my opinion.

Oh and yes he's a lousy tactician.

[IBK]

I'm more concerned with his tactical decisions rather than the players he's bought.

I'm not saying that he's done well in the transfer market, by any means, and yes he has gone for cheaper "bargains". But if his objective (as set by his employers) is to get ECL, and that he only has X amount to spend (not forgetting we apparently needed a profit each year in the transfer window), then it's a bit harsh on Wenget, saying it's his ego.

I don't doubt that some of his "ideologies" are satisfied by being prudent, but I firmly believe he still wants to win the league, the ECL etc just as much as he ever has.

We have some dosh available now (supposedly) so perhaps we'll find out this summer.

I've thought quite a lot about this recently. I don't think Wenger's tactical ability has changed at all since he has been with us. While I know you are not arguing this - it makes no sense at all that it has somehow deteriorated from when he was successful. Tactical acumen could only ever improve over time with experience - not the other way round.

From everything we know about him - Wenger is tactically 'deficient' because he does not study tactics (in the sense of working out how other teams play and how to beat them). What he has is a style or system of play - and we have seen probably three of these during his time with us, the current one being his vision of 'total football'.

IMO - Wenger's success involved encouraging astute and talented players to express themselves and maximise their potential in a fluid system that allowed them to do it. It worked because he had the personnel to achieve this - together with a degree of continuity.

His problem these days is not 'tactical' in the true sense - it is that his chosen way of playing is vulnerable - both going forward and defensively, and that he simply does not have the quality of players to carry it off. And by quality - IMO it is not so much technical ability - but all round quality including leadership; character and footballing intelligence. The main difference from before is that in the 'Invincible' era - his senior players could do it without coaching, with younger players learning from them. These days, his players could probably perform better with better coaching (ie being told what to do and how to play), but we know Wenger is not that kind of manager.

So if we take Wenger's abilities as a constant, then the principal problem is his choice of personnel - and here's where I feel his ego has got in the way. First - as he's gone on he appears to have become more messianistic and intolerant of other people's views. We had a glimpse of this with Keown, and its resulted in his buying, on the whole, characterless players who don't have it in them to add the extra that is needed to win. This has been reflected in his choices of captain; his lack of leaders on the pitch when needed, and his reaction when a player like Van Persie (by all accounts) dared to speak to Wenger about how the team should be developed. This attitude appears to have evolved, because he had leaders between 1996 and 2005. And to me it reflects ego - both in refusing any alternative views on the pitch, and being blind to the contribution of his 'character' players to his success.

Second in his purchasing decisions. While I agree that these have changed direction recently, he still hasn't signed real leaders. But the disastrous 'developmental' signings that he has made, and in some cases persevered too long with are well documented. For me - again this is ego. An assumption that he can make Henri's out of every player signed from the backwaters of other leagues or clubs.

Third in his wage policies - that have led to us squandering the resources we have and being unable to reward our top performers so as to keep them. Again - an arrogant belief that his approach is right - when clearly it has hurt us.

Fourth - a seeming belief that he can succeed despite his best players going with his blessing. Again - an egotistical approach.

You will say that his player departures have been forced on him. It may be harsh, but I can't accept this. His key departures IMO have been caused by a combination of his wage policies stated above; disillusionment at his methods by his senior players, and Wenger's principled approach not to stand in the way of his player's wishes (plus a naive belief that they will favour his crusade rather than fame and fortune elsewhere). I accept that he sees himself as a financial guardian of the club, but this is part of his indulgence in his principles.

AW has unprecedented power at AFC, and unprecedented support from the board, for whom he is a cash cow. I refuse to believe that if he threatened to walk unless funds were made available to buy or keep a player he wanted, the board would turn him down.

[Tipsychubbs]

I'm more concerned with his tactical decisions rather than the players he's bought.

Basic things on the pitch aren't being done, we are quite an easy team to play against if teams have a good gameplan, in fact we make it easy and lack of hard work off the ball (and I don't mean pressing at 100mph for 90mins but positional discipline and teamwork)

If that aspect improved, and its just one of a few, we'd be getting more towards the max out of the current crop of players. But that is a job for the next manager it seems not Wenger's style.

it is that his chosen way of playing is vulnerable - both going forward and defensively, and that he simply does not have the quality of players to carry it off. And by quality - IMO it is not so much technical ability - but all round quality including leadership; character and footballing intelligence. The main difference from before is that in the 'Invincible' era - his senior players could do it without coaching, with younger players learning from them. These days, his players could probably perform better with better coaching (ie being told what to do and how to play), but we know Wenger is not that kind of manager.

So if we take Wenger's abilities as a constant, then the principal problem is his choice of personnel - and here's where I feel his ego has got in the way.

Without the personnel and tactics, its a bad combo.

The game has changed though, I'm not sure you can just get away with the personnel approach these days anymore, as I mentioned any teams with well disciplined gameplans and the personnel mix will do better.