By Utsav Kapoor
At the final whistle: 3-0. And with that Arsenal bowed out meekly from the Carabao Cup in February. Although Arsenal has been known for its improved skill under long-time manager Arsène Wenger, the team showed no sign of this during this game and several others before it. The 8-2 at Old Trafford, 6-0 at Stamford Bridge and 10-2 on aggregate against Bayern Munich have showcased various sides of the team’s weaknesses. As an Arsenal fan, it really does feel like groundhog day of utter mediocrity on such days.
Who is to be blamed?
An optimist might argue about the three FA Cup wins in four years, but even they know that it is simply paper over the cracks. So where does the blame lie? Wenger surely faces the majority of the fans’ wrath. However, Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder of Arsenal, and chief executive officer Ivan Graziadio simply dont do anything to garner trust from the fans, which should be enough to hand them their walking papers.
The question that arises now is if it is justified to give Wenger the stick? Support for Wenger seems to be dwindling and even his most ardent supporters want him gone.
Arsenal stands sixth in the league table, around 33 points behind the leaders, lower than Tottenham. It was knocked out of the FA Cup by a Championship team and has meagre hopes of winning the Europa League. To say that the team has hit a rough patch would be an understatement.
Wenger and his turf
Although Wenger has not had a smooth run with managing the team, he has defied odds to hold on to his position, with the team board members appearing to have faith in his abilities. Perhaps this faith isn’t unfounded.
When he was first chosen as Arsenal’s manager over Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff, there was a loud public outcry. Choosing a relatively unknown, small-time French manager over Cruyff was considered a crazy move for the club, and Wenger also felt the heat of this decision. But to truly judge the entirety of Wenger’s managerial tenure, we must look at it through three ‘phases’.
1995-2005: An epoch of unparalleled success
In his first nine years, Wenger led the team to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. He recruited a team that came to be known as ‘The Invincibles’ due to their unbeaten record in the 2003-2004 season and a streak of 49 wins. Wenger focused on developing the skills of the younger players in the team, rather than attracting big names into the fold, a decision that drew equal parts praise and criticism. It was through Wenger’s backing that players like Thierry Henry rose. And thus Wenger won the hearts of Arsenal fans.
2006-2013: Murmurs of Wenger Out
Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ finally started showing signs of vulnerability in 2006, going without a piece of silverware for the first time since the 2002 season. Wenger also decided to move the team’s base to the Emirates stadium to help the club’s finances, however, this also marked the beginning of the era during which the club started prioritising the stadium over the team. Additionally, the introduction of Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, and later Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Manchester City, ensured that money became an integral part of success, something Wenger didnt adapt too well to.
Henry left the team in 2007, but Arsenal astonishingly flourished in his absence, finishing the season with a streak of 22 unbeaten league matches. However, their third league standing was disappointing for the fans. The 2008-09 season also went without victories and the dissenting voices became louder than ever.
2014-2018: Murmurs of Wenger In
As Wenger strove to regain his clubs former glory, his hurdles intensified when Cesc Fábregas left in 2011, and a string of injuries and player suspension left the team to suffer its worst defeat in 115 years at the hand of Manchester United. His woes continued as Arsenal went on nine seasons without a trophy and his off-field rivalry with other managers like Jose Mourinho became increasingly scathing.
After 2014, Wenger had the funds and Arsenal had the pull to attract any player in the world, yet the team only added two players in an area considered a strength of the teamoffence. Although the singing on of players such as Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez gave fans hope that the team was gunning for glory, Wenger’s decision to not build a strong defence and central defensive midfield led the team to its demise. Unfortunately, Wenger chose to rely on the players such as Francis Coquelin, Andre Santos and Kim Kallstrom,- who in fact was signed on to the team despite being injured.
Wenger spoke out and laid strong emphasis on the trust that he placed in players such as Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott amongst several others who were in fact sold/loaned out of the club in merely three seasons. Wenger wanted to build a strong English core but failed to do so.
After his most recent defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the Carabao Cup finals, many alluded to how the Wenger was having a continuous bad run.
“Last season was Wengers worst at the club. This season is shaping up to be even poorer. Yet he clings on, dragging the club he once so gloriously revolutionised into further dismal mediocrity with every day he refuses to quit,” Piers Morgan wrote in the Daily Mail.
So what now?
Despite the many setbacks, Wenger is the longest-serving and most successful Arsenal manager with 15 trophies, a brand-new stadium and, most importantly, a financially stable club. He is arguably the most successful foreign manager the League has ever known.
To some, Wenger will forever be known as the one who revolutionised Arsenal, while others will remember him for the 12 seasons the club went without a title. This will be Wenger’s mixed legacy.
For me, hed be the last of his kind. A man who is driven by class more than cash, and for whom loyalty matters more than punishing bad performances on the pitch. His unique sense of humour and articulate answers at press conferences coupled with his charming demeanour make him stand apart from the rest. Although his term as manager has garnered critics and fans alike, very few can dispute his contributions to Arsenal and English football. Despite the trolling and mockery, Arsenal is a well-respected club whose values and ethics are ingrained in Wenger. In fact, those who believe in fairytale endings may even go on to say we might see a resurgent Arsenal under a resilient Wenger, again.