Arsenal – Not Enough Stress?!

This is the third blog looking at Arsenal from a scientific angle. Following Schrödinger’s Arsenal and Wenger’s Room I felt compelled to add a third for a trilogy of entries, those that know me well will know why.

After having tackled Schrödinger’s Cat and Mary’s Room, I scoured for another theory or thought experiment that could be applied to Arsenal when I stumbled upon a psychological theory that was very intriguing and thought-provoking.

The theory I encountered was the Yerkes-Dodson Law. This theory, in layman’s terms, states that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal (stress). Very simply put, at a certain level of induced stress, people perform better. But if stress goes well beyond this level, performance decreases. So it’s all about finding that sweet spot to achieve optimal performance.

The theory is often times better shared using the following illustration:

Now, when performing intellectually demanding tasks, the level of arousal doesn’t need to be high to achieve peak performance, as the lower level of stress will allow for better concentration. For physically demanding tasks, a much higher level of stress is needed to hit peak performance.

So, how can we apply this to Arsenal?

Having followed the club we all know that Wenger is a man that coddle his athletes quite a bit. Time and again we see the likes of Rambo, Theo and many, many more, continue to get chance after chance after poor displays or less than stellar runs. We see the squad, quite often, start off matches in a surprisingly docile manner, with a lack of urgency which leads to comments like, “Same old Arsenal starting slow. Well, we’ll get going in the second half.”, etc. How many times during a season do you find yourself saying, “Where’s the urgency with this team?!” My suggestion is that the squad, at those times, doesn’t find itself stressed enough to hit peak performance.

On a player level, places are pretty much guaranteed as there are limited bodies – regardless of performance, there is little threat of losing one’s starting position. Even if wanting to make a change, depth of quality is limited at many positions, but we’ll leave that aside for now. The calmness some often praise Wenger for could actually lead to a lower stress level which would be detrimental to achieving optimal performance levels in athletes. Of course, as stated earlier on, you don’t want to go beyond that sweet spot of arousal or you end up with a decrease in performance, much like we saw last year with Mourinho and Chelsea.

What’s the sweet spot for Arsenal? How is it achievable on a constant basis? We can all agree that it won’t be the same for all players. Some will have a higher tolerance for anxiety than others. That’s where man-management comes in. This is where I believe, more than anywhere else, Wenger has lost the edge. In the past, when he wasn’t able to get the best out of X or Y player, he had leaders (Keown, Adams, etc.) that could certainly up that stress level and increase that urgency to get the best out of those players. This current team has a lack of leaders so Wenger doesn’t have that luxury anymore and hasn’t for quite some time.

Now, I’m not saying Wenger needs to be like Conte or Simeone on the sidelines or throw boots about in the dressing room like Fergie, although many of us wish he would adopt SOME or MOST of those methods from time to time. But he HAS to be more ruthless and instill a sense of urgency in this team. He needs to bring in quality bodies to ensure no player is comfortable in their position, ever. If you don’t perform, you ride the bench until you show you can, or until your replacement doesn’t perform. This would create the right level of stress for the squad to fulfill their potential. We’ve seen this squad start slow, uninterested and without urgency far too often for a top team.

In the end, the majority of supporters want Wenger to find the balance he once had. Every detail matters in football, man-management is what sets apart the good teams from the great and Arsenal need Wenger to be a great man-manager again, to find those levels of stress to get the best out of the team as whole, if that means hurting some feelings along the way, and that’s okay.

Up the Arsenal!

 

Next Year…

Next year, we’ll be better.

Next Year, the board will allow for spending or force Wenger to spend, depending on who you believe.

Next year, we’ll buy the players to fill our needs.

Next year, those players will FINALLY be available.

Next year, Wenger will be more tactically aware.

Next year, we’ll make that zonal marking work.

Next year, we’ll shoot more, as a result – we’ll score more.

Next year, the players will self-motivate or Wenger will be a better motivator, whichever comes first.

Next year, Leicester won’t be as good or we as bad.

Next year, Aguero’s hammy will definitely give Pep fits.

Next year, Tottenham will go back to their “normal”.

Next year, no way do United, Chelsea or Liverpool improve.

Next year, our forwards will finish Mesut’s chances, if Mesut decides he’s ready for another year.

Next year, Theo and Giroud become World Class.

Next year, Alexis won’t play 25 matches before October.

Next year, we won’t injure our own players by overusing them.

Next year, we’ll allow players to warm up properly on cold weather days.

Next year, our title bid won’t fall apart by December.

Next year, we won’t scramble in January to sign a player at a position everyone knew was a need in the summer.

Next year, the supporters won’t create a “bad atmosphere” – haha, imagine the nerve of that.

Next year, we’ll definitely do better against “lower teams”.

Next year, we’ll be better in the London derbies.

Next year is almost here. Are you ready?

Up the Arsenal…

Benzema Reports Conveniently Edited

Yesterday there was a report from the journalist Paco González of Cadena COPE/Mediaset Sport that our very own Arsène Wenger had “phoned” Karim Benzema in an attempt to convince him to move to Arsenal. As it is summer time and the typical crazy transfer season mentality takes over conventional, rational thinking, not many people bothered to see what else the journalist had to say about the situation.

Let’s just begin with what was actually said and the proper translation of it.

Paco Gonzaléz has assured that Arsenal have called Karim Benzema this summer to convince him to leave Real Madrid but that the forward has rejected any proposal.

“Benzema has rejected Arsenal. There has not been a formal offer to Real Madrid, but this summer Wenger has called for the second straight year.” said the reporter on Cadena COPE where he explained that “the rumour that was going around (implied) was for Dzeko, but in the club they have it clear that it’s neither Dzeko nor anyone else.”

Now. You can plainly see that even though a call was supposedly made, there was an outright rejection, and for the second summer running. I won’t get into the implied tapping up that occurred here, so let’s move on. I find it interesting, as I have told several people, that Madrid had several objectives for the summer and when they saw those objectives weren’t going to be possible, they moved to plan B which was to concentrate on role players and shoring up certain areas of the pitch, which they have done and likely will continue to do. The last bit about Dzeko was a rumour that was floating around about Real Madrid looking at a certain striker and Paco saying that it was dismissed. He went on to clarify that Madrid are not interested in Dzeko or anyone else but still remain intrigued by Castilla prospect Borja Mayoral if they do have a need for a striker. If you are to believe the above report from Paco, you have to believe the entirety of it. You can’t pick and choose what to believe.

Some will say “But remember Özil said he wasn’t going to leave in a press conference!” Yes, that was outwardly in a public setting & while speaking to the press where, despite what is going on behind the scenes, Madrid like to keep everything looking all proper and tidy. Despite him saying this, behind the scenes for the better part of a week, the negotiations where already being finalized for his move. In this instance nothing is being played out publicly so Benzema telling Wenger/Arsenal no over the phone isn’t for theatre. There is no audience to pander to.

Furthermore, the recently extended Benzema is very happy in the Spanish capital and is ready to fight for his place (which Paco alluded to by saying he would indeed have to win his place) and for his squad, Perez still believes in him, and an internal memo conducted by Benitez and staff came to the conclusion that overuse of star players caused timely injuries that led to the trophy-less season. Can things change? Of course they can, but not likely to.

So once again we have a certain part of the media and a certain part of social media that take only the parts of the reports they like and disregard the others. When one starts to edit out parts of reports to suit their wants, I guess you can see how they’ll believe anything.

Wenger’s Room

After having written Schrödinger’s Arsenal, it was a natural continuation to take another thought experiment and introduce Arsenal variables to see if it could stand up to scrutiny. There were many experiments that were intriguing, but then I stumbled onto one in an old textbook and knew right away there was no need to look any further. It was a perfect fit for the one subject that all Arsenal supporters weigh in on, almost on a daily basis – Wenger.

 

The Theory

Before delving into the actual experiment one must understand what it is trying to disprove, mainly the theory of physicalism. This philosophical theory states, broad strokes view, that mental processes are the result of, or can be reduced to, physical processes in the brain. There are many unique theories both philosophical and scientific that stem from this but all contain the same notion, that there is only one substance with a place in ontology, the physical. For the moment this is all we need.

 

The Thought Experiment – Mary’s Room 

This variation is quite modest and tackles one example of a multi-layered argument first made by Frank Jackson in 1982. It’ll do for the purposes of this entry. Mary’s Room is a very simple thought experiment that means to prove physicalism false, specifically the branch of physicalism that claims completeness of physical explanations of mental states.

Mary has been confined her entire life in a room which purposely lacks any colour. She’s never seen colour although she does have the ability to see it. Through books, also devoid of colour, black and white monitors and other colourless media, she is practised in neuroscience to the point where she is an expert on the subject. Mary is educated on everything possible about the perception of colour in the brain and all the physical facts about how light works and the process necessary to see colour.

After Mary’s education is complete she is allowed to leave the room. This is when, for the first time, she experiences direct colour perception. She sees the colour yellow and just by seeing it, learns something new about colour perception; what the colour yellow looks like.

Jackson concluded from this simple thought experiment that if physicalism is true, Mary would have gained all the knowledge about colour perception through her education, but since she learned something upon leaving the room, physicalism must be false. He goes on to explain:

“It seems just obvious that she will learn something about the world and our visual experience of it. But then is it inescapable that her previous knowledge was incomplete. But she had all the physical information. Ergo there is more to have than that, and Physicalism is false.”

Got it? Good. Now, what does this have to do with Arsenal? I’m glad you asked.

 

Wenger’s Room

For the purpose of this entry, we’ll say that Wenger’s 10 year trophy-less time was his period in the colourless room.

Wenger, for all intents and purposes, was severely restricted for most of those ten years. In theory he had a transfer budget, but it wasn’t what it had been upon his arrival. I say he was restricted for most of those years as it was obvious from the expenditures the last few years that the restrictions were lessened by the end of the drought.

So Wenger in this white room, had to educate himself in financial restraint. Selling off top-end assets, acquiring lesser assets to combine and attempt to replace the originals for the sake of qualifying to the CL year after year. Maintaining that status quo and paying off the stadium debt became paramount and winning titles, or at the very least truly competing for them, was something that was lost in the bargain. Legends were replaced with boys with big dreams, big demands and no backbone. Wenger during this time became a good businessman, but as a manager was unable to mould those kids into champions.

Lesser managers would have seen the club drop out of the top four, sat with a new stadium and increasingly less attractive product on the pitch and in financial turmoil. Better managers, wouldn’t have stuck around under those restraints. Wenger taught himself rather well and was able to push the squad on year after year. Sometimes underachieving, sometimes overachieving, but always in the mix near the top. The football, whilst not title-winning, was attractive, until, ironically enough, the restrictions began to lift and there was more money available. Wenger was finally let out of the white room, but had he lost his mojo from the early years at Arsenal? It certainly seemed so. Attractive football with memorable matches were replaced with laboured wins and forgettable losses.

The club seemed behind the curve in things like training methods (one example), that were once hailed as revolutionary. The time in the white room seemed to have dulled Wenger’s ability in the one thing us as supporters care about the most, the product on the pitch. Take all the things mentioned and add the increasingly bizarre way that Arsenal, year after year, climbed the injury table you could easily come to the conclusion that he had “lost it”. Was it fair? Absolutely not. Was it likely. It appeared so, as there was no evidence to the contrary bar the annual trips to a competition Arsenal had very little chance of winning but needed to stay ahead in the financial game. Even when the restraints were slowly lifted the team lost players and signed the likes of Squillaci. Even with good times around the corner, there still were/are, some growing pains. There was an increased rate of turnover as “Project Youth” came to a halt and there was a greater effort into recruiting more mature, experienced players that were indeed, more talented as well. Wenger was seeing colour again as if for the first time, learning something new…or re-learning.

So now, over the past few years with lessened financial restraint, the boss has reinforced the squad with the likes of Özil, Sanchez and just recently Petr Čech. Obviously unshackled Wenger has found his stride with two FA Cup wins in two seasons and partial runs at the title derailed either side of Christmas due to injury. Has the old man learned something he was missing or just back to basics now unburdened with having to be cheap as opposed to just prudent? For me, I would like to think it’s a bit of both. Wenger came out of this period with a more hardened sense of truth. He saw boys he groomed into top players turn their back on him and betray his trust. This definitely had an effect on him, you can see it in his shrewd decision-making of late. Sitting Vermaelen, as captain, benching Szczesny in league play for Ospina, etc. I could go on but I think you catch my drift. The reinforcements he’s added and is seemingly continuing to add show the restraints are now a distant memory. The youth that is now being given a chance have a deeper sense of loyalty as well. Lessons lived, lessons learned.

All in all, whether we like it or not, Arsenal went through this period and the face of it, the embodiment of it was Wenger. Through thick and thin the man stood there and took his shots, deserved or not, and for that he deserves praise. The juggling act he performed to maintain the status quo certainly hurt the rest of his duties, denying that is just folly, but the man, like the club, persevered and learned from it. Now we can watch a revamped side push on and truly compete for titles, with a few more additions and a bit of luck! The journey is not complete, when is it really ever complete in sport?

The lesson’s learned IN the room in this case are just as important as the lessons learned and actions taken once free of it. The club is in an enviable position to push on now and for that, we should all be grateful.

 

Schrödinger’s Arsenal

There is a thought experiment in quantum mechanics called Schrödinger’s cat, born out of the need to explain the complex nature of theories in quantum mechanics and how they would play out (absurdly so)  in everyday life and how under the proposed theory of the day published in 1935, a quantum system such as an atom could exist in multiple states. These multiple states all corresponding to different outcomes, this was referred to as quantum superpositions. The theory of the day known as the Copenhagen interpretation, stated that a quantum system existed in this superposition until it was interacted with or observed by the outside world. At this point the superposition would fall into one of the definitive states possible.

Schrödinger developed his experiment to show how someone could create a superposition where a large-scale system was dependent on a quantum particle in said superposition. Hence the cat in the box. He wasn’t out to prove the Copenhagen interpretation right, he was out to show how ridiculous the current (in that time) view of quantum mechanics where when applied to everyday life.

There have been different interpretations of this thought experiment throughout the years, some more elaborate, some less, dependent on the audience, but in essence, here is the theory;

A cat is sealed inside of a box. The cat is not alone in this box mind you, it’s sealed along with a contraption built out of a Geiger counter connected via relay to a hammer and a tube of hydrocyanic acid. The last piece of the puzzle is a small piece of radioactive substance. Over the course of an hour, the radioactive substance could remain stable and the cat remains alive or the substance could decay. If the substance decays, it would cause the Geiger counter to go off, setting off the relay that would free the hammer to smash the tube that contains the acid that ultimately kills the cat. Under the Copenhagen interpretation and the view of quantum mechanics, the cat is both alive and dead until the box is opened.

Now, what does all of this have to do with Arsenal? Well, let me explain.

First we have the cat. The “cat” for me is achievements; wins, progression in competitions, cups, etc. Then we have the system, the “system” is everything at the club; players, manager, etc. Then finally we have the small substance in a superposition state, that’s Arsenal’s performances. The time allowed for the experiment is the time between matches, where anything and everything is possible, the time where Arsenal exists in multiple states. The opening of the box, the observation from the outside world to see what state Arsenal is in, would be the performance and/or results on match-day Follow me?

We as supporters all throw out different scenarios for any given match. The box is closed. The cat is very much alive or very much dead, we don’t know. We hope it’s alive, we wish above all else it remains alive, when it comes to match-day we cheer it to be alive still, but more often than not these days, we have no idea if we should get the cat food out of the cupboard or go online to shop for burial services, such is the inconsistency surrounding Arsenal.

The nature of the inconsistency is mind-boggling. Let’s take the Monaco match as an example. Arsenal have reinforced, not to the best their ability, but have done so nonetheless. Most of the key players are healthy, the majority of the team has the experience in the Champion’s League thanks to the year in and out of qualification. Finally, after a fair number of years with difficult ties to progress, a seemingly manageable tie was on the cards against an undermanned team, and yet – capitulation ensued. Leading up to the match, after a good run, with the only blip being the NLD loss, one would have thought this was a statement match, yet there was no urgency, no passion, from top to bottom.

Now, Arsenal face a crossroads. It isn’t a crisis as some may have you think. It’s a chase for identity. For so many years, especially for those teams led by Cesc and Co., they were chasing giants and legends of football. Now, this team, with the likes of Özil, Sanchez, Cazorla, Ramsey, they need to make their own way, their own legend, and they are somewhat struggling to come to grips with the label of being a “big team”. You see flashes of it, what Arsenal “could be”. Then you see flashes of what Arsenal were, in those years after the Invincibles, “also-rans”. This current team is dealing with one of the worst cases of multiple personality I can remember in sports. On their day, with the talent available, they can beat anyone, yes, anyone. But on a bad day, they can lose to anyone, yes, again, anyone. The box is closed.

What makes the difference in one match to the next? In a wonderful performance and meltdown? One would say opposition, but that’s not necessarily the case. AFC has beaten good teams and lost to mediocre teams as well. Sometimes week to week. That is not the trait of a settled team, that is not the earmark of a team pushing to be elite, or being pushed?

I hate to say it, but I must bring it up. For 10 years Arsenal were trophyless. There are many reasons, but the truth remains. There have been talented teams that underachieved and so-so teams that may have overachieved. The one constant has been Wenger. There is no denying he was a great manager. I don’t think you can find many that would dispute that. The real discussion is – is AW still one now? He was innovative in tactics, nutrition, etc. Is he still now? Has Arsenal stagnated by clinging on to the past or is this the period where the team is built for the next big run. Are we all fooling ourselves thinking as much? All hard questions. None of us have the answers. That damned box!

For my part, I believe that Arsenal will take that next step, further reinforce, become more consistent. Whether Wenger is a part of that or not remains to be seen. Taking that next step doesn’t guarantee any more success than now though, it just guarantees a better shot at it. Teams like City, Chelsea, Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, PSG, etc. will all continue to spend money on the biggest names. Arsenal will have to become more consistent whilst they close that gap, it won’t be easy, but it can happen, will happen I dare say. For that to happen, there has to be some accountability. If that includes replacing the manager or certain players, so be it. As long as it’s good for the club.

In the meanwhile, there really is nothing to do but support who is on the pitch and who is guiding them from the sideline. There will be no additions and there won’t be a managerial change from now until the end of the season, so there is no point bringing negativity to the party. The first step to cleanse the atmosphere from the loss on Wednesday is Sunday versus Everton. A sign of a good team is being able to bounce back from adversity and Arsenal have managed that over the last few years, giving us all hope. Certainly if Wednesday was meant to be a statement match, after the result, one has to think Everton has now become one as well, more important even.

This is the chance for the players to take a step forward and show what they’re made of. This is a chance for the manager to make changes that signal mediocrity will not be tolerated. For a great many reasons, this match on Sunday could make or break the spirit of this team for the remainder of the season.

I for one back them to make that statement, what about you? Right now, Arsenal exists in multiple states, anything is possible. What will be the outcome? Will the cat be alive or dead? Sunday at 2:05pm we’ll open the box and find out.

Disclaimer

*It must be said that my understanding and knowledge of quantum mechanics and all the attached theories is very basic. I am explaining it to you as I have come to know it, which is to say, how a college professor taught me, a failed athlete that was half paying attention in class when this was taught. I also took the liberty to brush up with web searches, naturally! To those with extensive knowledge on the experiment or this field, my apologies if any mistakes were made.*

Arsenal – Sport and Athletes in the Entitlement Age

No one can really point out exactly when or where it happened. I certainly don’t have the exact date – the hour, minute, second or location it occurred eludes me. I think you’ll find it eludes us all, the exact point it happened. When did supporting a club go from an enjoyably insufferable dedication that brought family and friends together, to a 24/7 news cycle addicted, horde mentality with a generous serving of self-entitlement? Where exactly is it written that Arsenal MUST win, just because some, you, me, say they must. Let’s attempt to narrow it down.

Sport. Those that follow it, are engulfed by it. Sport, football in particular, Arsenal to be exact, is the reason you are reading this now and the reason I’m writing it – It’s a wondrous thing. Sport can show man in his purest of form. Athletes competing, in unison, striving to achieve a predetermined goal. Then there is the supporter, who plays their part, who at times cheer and push those athletes to higher levels, sometimes beyond themselves, to achieve – something, anything. It is a relationship that is mutually gratifying most times.

Alas, like sport, which is cyclical, the relationship between supporter and club (from players to owners) have their rough patches. These patches nowadays tend to show the nasty side of man. The abusive, cursing, violent side that is sometimes excused by some due to the sense of self-entitlement that now surrounds certain teams. Cue the fist-fights, protests, banners, etc.

My team, your team, our team, Arsenal is going through one of these rough patches, or so “they” tell us. “They” talk a lot don’t they? “They” like to tell you and me what should be, because of course “they” know better. All of this despite just recently having achieved one of those coveted goals, an FA Cup win. “They” apparently want their Arsenal back. Which version? The one that wins a trophy a year? The one that buys the exact needed reinforcements every year? Guess what? That version of the Arsenal never existed. Further news update, the version of Arsenal that competes near the top of the table year in and out is only a recent incarnation as well.

It’s really very simple, the self-entitlement of the modern Arsenal supporter has made it so that “grading” the team is now based solely on the trophies won that year. Now let me clarify, when I say “modern” supporter I don’t mean age, I mean mentality. There are plenty of “older” modern supporters. Still with me? Good.

So, where is this sense of self-entitlement coming from in the Arsenal supporter base? Where is it written that after the normal cyclical success of the club throughout its history, that not winning something on the season is now a failure? Every elite club in Europe has had a spell(s) where they weren’t relevant. So both historically with the results of the club and knowing that in sport nothing is assured, why now do we expect to win something every year?

The answer to that isn’t so simple, so I’ll start with the less controversial portion of it. Passion and access to information. The passion for the club, whether you are young or old, hasn’t changed. With the utmost confidence I can say we all truly love Arsenal, and it would be a truthful statement. You couple that passion with the access to information we as a society now have, and you have borderline obsessives throughout the supporter base. No longer is it just reading the daily newspaper or sports magazines to get the latest info. No longer is it waiting for the next radio show or the next match to get your “fix”. Now, all things about the club you support, the club you love, is at your fingertips. Access to players and their personal lives, commentary on the club from a thousand pundits, other supporters that have both similar and differing views on many subjects are RIGHT THERE, at your fingertips, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You can access that information whilst at work, in the WC, on your commute, anywhere, anytime. That submersion is difficult to counteract. When you have so much information, about anything, then you feel you have all the answers, how could you not, how could we not (I’m as guilty as the next guy)? With that sense of knowing, well, everything (so we think), how can those in the club not see it? How can they not fix it? How can they not win, each year, every year in fact! Therein lies the delusion or is it just an illusion? Or better yet, in this age of Football Manager commentary, is it just a bad simulation?

The second part of the answer is obvious, even though some won’t want to admit it. Who has contributed the most for setting the bar so unbearably high that winning a trophy is the only sign of success? Who is responsible for fueling the modern, self-entitled supporter to feel as such? Well, funnily enough, the very man that receives all, well most, of their abuse – Wenger.

Now, some of you have read my posts here and follow me on social networks, you know I’m the furthest thing from an AKB. I am not afraid of change at Arsenal, I do blame Wenger for a good portion of our inadequacies in personnel in recent years, and the current “weak” mentality that seems to be festering at the club, but I also understand that Arsenal wouldn’t be where it is, on the brink of competing with the elite, if it weren’t for him. Arsenal Football Club has a long, proud tradition, but the fact is that there were many, many down times as well. What Wenger has done is make it so those “down” times now are near the top of the table and playing in Europe. It’s switch in mentality and execution at the club that he instilled into the fabric at Arsenal and the man has now become a victim of his own success.

What a bad joke it really is when you think about it.

Man comes into an institution, changes the path of said historic institution for the better, has unprecedented success, positions said institution for greatness, then progress is stalled for some time, and the supporters for that institution who have become emboldened with a sense of entitlement bestowed upon them by said man, now abuse that man. That’s what it’s come down to. The modern supporter, using his passion and his information, having selective memory and with his sense of entitlement now abuse the man who helped create that winning atmosphere, thus the entitlement, at the train station, on the pitch as he comes on or off. They abuse the players much the same and on social media. The vocal few spoiling it for everyone.

I am not an apologist for Wenger the manager, there is plenty of criticism to be thrown his way on a variety of issues. I am not an apologist for the players and their bad performances, which there have been plenty. But I do know you don’t achieve anything with abuse, with that abuse, you lower the standard of the club you claim to love. On the reverse side of that, abusing those that take things too far is just perpetuating the cycle of idiocy that now seems rampant. Protesting, speaking out, organizing, etc. is everyone’s right who chooses to partake in it, and done properly, with class, can be beneficial for all supporters. We as supporters, should never think we have a right to take that away from those who choose to go that route.

The situation with supporters these days has become so complex. A bit of clarity and perspective is needed. Success has bred a sense of entitlement with supporters of Arsenal. That has led to some really unfortunate circumstances recently both with those abusing and those trying to correct the abusers.

The growing pains of becoming an elite club are apparent. More trophies, bigger stadium, more success – more expectation. More expectation, more entitlement. If that entitlement can be curbed with a backwards glance at the history of the club, and the realization of just how far we’ve come under Wenger, we may be able to put out more fires than are started, because as we know too well in sport, no matter the era, there will always be those that take it too far. But unlike years prior, the modern, entitled supporter has many mediums to make themselves heard. Sometimes, too much of a good thing turns bad.

Up The Arsenal.

A Case for Pace, Power and Change

August 31st, 2011; Just three days after being humiliated by Manchester United 8-2 at Old Trafford, fielding a team that included Traore, Coquelin, Jenkinson, Djourou and Miquel, Özyakup, Lansbury and Sunu on the bench, Arsenal went on a Transfer Deadline Day spending spree that saw the likes of Arteta, Mertesacker, Santos and Benayoun join the club.

It was a busy summer that saw a lot of movement in and out of the club. Short term it was a step backwards, but could yet be looked upon as a turning point to better times, but I digress.

The departures that summer were big names like Cesc and Nasri and lesser names such as Clichy, Eboue and Traore. The arrivals were Jenkinson, Gervinho, Chamberlain, Park, Toral, Bellerin, Olsson, Gnabry, Campbell, Eisfeld to add to the names mentioned earlier. It was definitely a turbulent time.

I want to focus on two players that Arsenal acquired that summer and that are under scrutiny by pundits and supporters alike – Mertesacker and Arteta.

There are a multitude of positives that these two have in common. Character, professionalism, experience, an ability to “read the game”, and most importantly, what was so desperately needed at that time, in conjunction with all previously mentioned, leadership ability.

The short journey for both players has been a bit different but for me, they are both at the same point in their careers and exhibiting the same weaknesses. Let’s break it down by player.

Arteta:

Arteta isn’t a DM, holding midfielder, etc. , whatever you want to call it. That’s just a fact. He played a more forward position at Everton and was in fact a play-maker and sometimes scorer. Upon his move to Arsenal, where he took less money to play in bigger matches with a bigger club, he also took on, at 29, a more defensive role. He did it as best as could be expected given the age at which he switched positions, the demands of the position given the style of system he was thrust upon, the upheaval in personnel he had to endure and the pressure all of that entailed. In summary, the man sacrificed what was left of his career to go to a bigger club and do what they needed him to do to get on the pitch and contribute. It was utterly professional – selfless even; A rarity in sports.

For the first 18 months, he was AN answer, just not THE answer at the position. For the last 18 months, it has been rocky, to say the least. The issue with Mikel is simple; Playing deeper, in the position he was/is asked to play, he’s being tasked with covering the back four, particularly the CB’s who are left exposed by the attacking FB’s, against players much faster and stronger than him. With his diminishing physical abilities (most noticeably pace), he simply isn’t able to do this task effectively. It was admirable to watch in the first half of his Arsenal career, the effort, the organization, the leadership, all on display, that helped us grind out results. His experience and ability to read the game allowed him to be relatively effective against most teams (top clubs excluded) and his clear passing talent allowed for some opportunities in the attacking end. It was a “bend don’t break” approach and it was OK given the transitional nature of the period. It isn’t what is needed now however, with the talent acquired by Arsenal these last few years.

Midway, since his arrival, whether it be age, the physical toll of the position or simply that the opposition knew they could – Arteta has been overrun in midfield. Where as before it was by more talented opposition, the deterioration of his physical abilities has allowed for less adroit teams to take advantage and run roughshod over the Arsenal midfield. Long story short? Arteta is getting old, is slower and has less of a motor. He was never meant to be the complete answer at that position but has been plugged in to stop a leak, but now the damn has broken – the water found a way through as it always does.

This isn’t new news, it’s been easy to see for quite some time. What was at one point admirable, is now cringe-worthy most times. There is a reason why in the last two summers there has been SOME effort to replenish the ranks at that position. I say some effort because if there was ABSOLUTE effort it would have been accomplished. Arteta can’t help getting older, getting slower and being played there despite obvious flaws for the position.

Mertesacker:

Mertesacker had a bit of a tough transitional period after his move. The rigours of life in the EPL are immense to deal with and it showed with the big German. He was even confused by pundits with Metzelder who briefly played for Real Madrid; what’s in a name ey? Slowly but surely, he became (still is) a fixture in the side. Like Arteta, Per is a true professional that embodies all that is right in sport. Just like Arteta, Mertesacker is not exactly blessed with physical prowess, although he’s a tower of a man. Despite this, he was able to use his vast experience to be at the right place, at the right time – most times.

The similarities of the decline of their physical attributes is especially intriguing given that both arrived at the same time.

Mertesacker is a mountain of a man, but funnily enough doesn’t use that to his advantage. He is a more technical player that uses positioning to ward off attacks. Since day one, where he has struggled has been his lack of pace and power. More physical forwards can out-muscle him and more pacey forwards can outrun him. Players that possess both attributes absolutely destroy him – Lukaku for example.

Although the above scenarios do occur, they have been offset by the dynamic pairing with Koscielny and were limited to exceptions rather than norm as the pair became better acquainted. Experience and great positioning coupled with physicality and grit – A great duo.

Yet, I am concerned with the deterioration of Mertesacker’s decision-making and positional awareness versus attackers that have one or both of the attributes mentioned before. Simply put, whereas Arteta’s decline can be attributed to physical limitations, Per’s is more mental. That’s not to say Per hasn’t “lost a step”, but never being fleet of foot before, the decline there is minimal and surely can be compensated for. The mistakes where Per misreads match situations have gone up considerably over the last months of last season and into this year. As an example, there has been much praise for Debuchy on his arrival, due to his “sweeping up” of play – coming behind attackers to dispossess them or make the final tackle to save the defence. Although some of that was with Chambers beside him at CB, some of it was also with Per there, that’s never a good sign when coming from one of Arsenal’s most experienced players.

There have been times during this period (end of last year – beginning of this year) where replays show Per knows where he needs to be and is unable to get there or something out of the ordinary happens; a fall, an off-side trap poorly executed, etc. There are also times where he is just physically outdone. Such was the case of Lukaku’s goal a couple of weeks back where, although fouled, the BFG was simply tossed aside. Is it rust? Is it a player in decline and if so, is the decline mental or physical?

Better yet, is any of this fixable?

Remember, we’re talking about Arsenal’s captain and vice-captain here, as well as a major portion of the spine of the team!

What does this all mean?

So, after giving my take, and in the end that’s all it is, what does this all mean?

I have been waiting for Arsenal to get a proper holding midfielder for the last 6 years. It has cost the team time and again. There is a need for a player with technique, power and pace to compliment the creative talent in the side. There are players available, the funds (also available) have to be spent to acquire one!

For this position, Arteta isn’t going to suddenly get faster, stronger, meaner, etc. The physical attributes will continue to deteriorate. He is 32 going on 40. I like Arteta, I really do. I have said it time and again. He can be a squad player, he can continue to guide younger players, he is a great leader and a wonderful professional. He just shouldn’t be Arsenal’s main choice for holding midfielder. The solution is clear and has been for some time – Arsenal need to sign a holding midfielder!

For Per, I have a lasting hope that he can improve on his present form. The BFG just needs to be more aware of his surroundings and adjust for the opposition faced. There needs to be better communication across that back four and the team in general. The mistakes have gone up, yet hopefully can be curtailed as the season progresses and the partnerships with new players grow. The need for Arsenal to address proper CB cover is still an issue with or without Per’s issues or improvement.

Football is a funny game. Nothing happens as you think it might. On that August in 2011 when Arsenal went “bargain shopping” as some called it, to fix the many issues at the time, the club ended up with these two players that brought stability, professionalism, pride, work ethic and class when it was sorely needed and missing. They have been the embodiment of professionalism ever since and I don’t think you could find anyone associated with the club that could speak ill of either player.

But this is sport, sentimentality is in short supply. Football teams and players are in the business of entertainment, results, and money. Will Arsenal do what they must to take that next step? Or will we as supporters be having these same discussions next September? Questions about how the summer was a missed opportunity to get on even footing with the elite? Time will tell.

For me, it’s clear what needs to happen as I’m sure it is with you. Will it happen is another thing altogether. Those decisions are left to those that know better than us.

They do, you know – “know better than us”, that’s what’s so frustrating.

Up the Arsenal!

ITK Tic Tac Toe – Arsenal Sign Sanchez

This piece never made it to this site, originally written the 9th of July – so here it is.

Information. It’s what everyone wants.

We connect to Facebook, Twitter, every football site imaginable to get those precious bits of information. The problem is, that “information” is usually anti-Arsenal, late or altogether wrong. I imagine a scenario in “football journalist’s” (I use that term loosely) offices in which they have several dart boards up with team, players names and fees. They have pre-written scripts that have blanks ready for those missing pieces and all they have to do to finish off the often times predictable story is to throw those darts to get the appropriate info for the next mash-up.

It really is that desperate and that ridiculous. Phantom players, phantom teams, phantom fees and in the end, what is it? Phantom news.

So, we as football supporters struggle with what to believe, what sources to read, who to listen to.

So, when I got a message in mid June that read, “We’re signing Alexis Sanchez.” My first response was, “get the f%@# out of here”. Why? Well, Josep Bartomeu (Barca’s president), had a press conference two days earlier where he said they were not letting any of their top players leave. So my thinking naturally was, “Alexis is a top player, no way he’s going.” (Cesc was sold days later, so much for his word!).

So I messaged back, “Are you sure?! Really? How reliable is the source?”

He messaged me back, “Reliable. Trust me.”

Trust.

Trust is a funny thing, it’s earned, not given. Did I trust the person sending me the text? Absolutely. You have to understand, this is a person that has never claimed to be in-the-know and doesn’t want credit as such. This person, well, they had no reason whatsoever to lie or any track record of it with me. So I began to get excited. Should I tweet it? Should I shout it? What could I do?

Then came the next message, “Nothing about this online please.”

So, there I sat, mid June, one of the bigger AFC transfer stories about at that moment and I’m asked not to say anything online. What do I do/say?

“Ok, you have my word.”

Given the origin of the news, I knew the request didn’t extend to the podcast members with whom I regularly speak with, so naturally my next text was to them:

As you can see, I wasn’t the only one that was told, there where others who also knew and also kept this to themselves, as asked, until it was official.

So the countdown began and so did the inspection of some of the most notable ITK’s on Twitter. Finally there was something I could measure to see what outlets and who was reliable. Besides Geoff, you know Geoff, not one of the ITK’s got it right. One very arrogant ITK, who loves a fight, on the same day tweeted that Liverpool were given the go ahead to bid for Sanchez as Arsenal where only after Draxler only! Laughable.

It went on and on and on. As if any of us needed any more proof. There are but one or two reliable ITK’s or better yet, people with accurate info from time to time, on Twitter. They can be wrong sometimes, but that’s because situations may change, but their track record over time speak for themselves.

We all know Twitter is filled with supposed ITK’s. They have Google Translate on a separate tab at all times. They follow every journalist from every country, every sporting news outlet and they pretend they know how reliable these outlets are. They take anything Arsenal related or relevant and plop it into Google Translate and then tweet something along the lines of “I was told/I heard today that xxxxxx would happen.” You know these lot. When they are proven wrong later, they blame the journo or outlet. When they are “right”, they pump their chest out and tell everyone how right they were, but never telling you the person who “told them” was or that in fact that they read it…these lot are a disgusting, self-absorbed, attention seeking bunch. I won’t even get into the Indykalia’s and Fairthorne’s of the world.

So there I sat, day after day, knowing what was happening and seeing it take shape. So, I decided to do what I always do. I took local news from radio, tv and print and passed it on; I translated it properly (I’m a native Spanish speaker) and sent it out to followers on Twitter and listeners on the podcast.

“What are our chances John?”, I was asked. “Looks good.”, I replied; or something to that extent. I got slated a few times for things I posted:

Liverpool want 80m€ for LS. Barca want to include Pedro in the deal. Alexis is looking elsewhere. PSG also have interest in LS.

— NoDefMidNoParty (@Gooner_In_BCN) June 24, 2014

Anyway. Sanchez. He has flat out said he is not going to ‘Pool to FCB, hence why Pedro’s name was being thrown about in Suarez move now. — NoDefMidNoParty (@Gooner_In_BCN) June 29, 2014

All locally reported and passed on, along with other similar posts. These reports coincided with what I already knew. All the meanwhile, all the lads from the pod who were privy to the info and I just chatted and saw how everything was taking place and we all commented on the evolution of the story. Over time, something became apparent and we all came to the same realization, the reporters haven’t a clue either.

They may get news earlier and some have better contacts than others, but for the most part, they are grasping at straws, much as we do. They get bits of info and they connect the dots given past experiences and relationships with the clubs they follow and report on. In the end, they are only slightly better informed then we are. It’s not eye-opening really, we kind of knew that didn’t we? But “kind of knowing” and “actually knowing” are two different things.

How do so many get it so wrong so often? The journalists at least have an excuse, they are working with what they have and if what they have is almost nothing and other outlets from other countries have some info, they try to piece things together. It’s their job, after all, to print stories. They call it rumour/gossip and move on to the next “story”; a successful job as long as it gets hits – So the bigger the story or rumour, the better. Do I agree with it? Nope. Do I understand it? Yes.

But why do these wannabe ITK’s do the same? What is the motivation to dupe people? Is it the followers (of course it is)? What is the necessity to lie about their intentions and their “news”?

Very simple. A lack of attention. They are very bored or very ignored. Take your pick.

I have been wrong many times, not as often as I have been right – but I always hold my hands up in those cases; Cesc moving, hell, even Alexis! Way before I got THAT message – “We’re signing Alexis Sanchez.” Why? Because I only pass on local news and make educated guesses. Nothing more or less.

ITK’s, real ITK’s are never wrong. They know what’s happening. Real time, real info, all the time.

Are you ready for this? THERE ARE NO REAL ITK’s ON TWITTER, ON FACEBOOK or ANYWHERE else. They covet their jobs or the jobs of those that give them info too much. There are people who may get info from time to time and pass it on, but anyone that knows anything, will not share it 100% of the time for fear of losing their position or having their contact lose their position. Be happy with those few credible sources that tell you “we have bid x amount for this player, will it happen, I don’t know.” You are already ahead of most journos having those tidbits of info.

There are some people on Twitter and other social sites that want a higher standing or want to pretend to know things and people they don’t. Pity them. They are a needy bunch, they are easy to spot. You know their names, you know their “style”. You know who they are. Call them out, they need a reality check. They make those “If X happens, I will deactivate!” tweets and promises. They will never do it, but hold them to it! We would all be better off! (The most they will do is change their display name, we know this, but let’s make it inconvenient for them at the very least).

Conversely, there are people who want to give you hints and want you to know the small bits of info they get. Be grateful. Stop the abuse. Use time and past revelations to see if they are legitimate.

For the first time in June, I got info ahead of time instead of a detailed explanation after – I was briefly “ITK”. Guess what? It wasn’t fun. It was so hard not to yell it from the top of my lungs, but I gave my word, so did other’s and we just smiled – that was enough for us!

The person who gave me the info doesn’t want it shared who exactly he is, but some of you know. He has taken a lot of heat for views, but he is someone not after attention of this nature. Funny how that is. The ones with the info want none of the credit/attention and get most of the hate. The ones with lies get most of the attention and praise and continue to operate despite their obvious deficiencies and lies.

It’s a game. It’s horrible. It’s ITK tic-tac-toe and like the real game, you only win by enjoying the game, not being right/wrong as it often ends in a draw.

Enjoy this summer Gooners, it’ll end up being a memorable one once you get to look back on it. At the end of the day what matters is the club, our season and where we can go from here. Now that the restrictions of the past have somewhat been lifted, we can build upon the success from last year and take that often talked about, “next step”. The future is bright, and guess what? We all win as supporters – Isn’t that what matters?

Up the Arsenal.

Aaron Ramsey – I’m Sorry & Thank You

Listen, let me start by saying I never abused Rambo. I criticized him for his run of form as most did and the rest should have. I’m not a woman or a fanboy so the boyish good looks means nothing to me. I am a football supporter, I’m a Gooner and that’s where my allegiance lies.

Before I begin in earnest, let me say this. If you are one of those “I never doubted him” or “I never criticised him”, let me say this. I call bull%&@€! If you truly support the club, there had to have been a point during this time that you thought about having the lad on loan or sitting him for a while. Either that or you are one of the above, a fangirl/fanboy OR you are blind, in which case you are forgiven, you didn’t get to see the truly dreadful performances he managed at times.

There were times when Aaron’s play made me scream and cry. There were times were another shot or ten of Jack Daniel’s wasn’t enough to erase the missed back-heels, the sloppy passes, and the wayward shots. I wasn’t shy about saying that I backed the lad, but that he needed a loan move to cure his bad form. I was quick to say he needed to be a lot more like Song at Barcelona and make his acquaintance with the Emirates bench and often. You see, for me, it seemed that the trials and tribulations the club were having with Rambo working out his kinks on the pitch with Arsenal instead of with some other outfit on loan wasn’t an ideal situation.

Then came the positional changes! Oh my!!!! Rambo on the right, Rambo on the left, Rambo as an AM, Rambo as a CM, Rambo as a DM…everywhere there was Rambo. The sloppy Rambo that we all saw and most commented on and some abused (never agreed with them by the way). He had/has a non stop motor that I admired but things just weren’t clicking. Looking back at it now, those are the times that have made him the player he is now. Short term suffering for long-term achievement yes, that’s why Arsene gets paid the big bucks and I’m sat here looking like a mug. At the time though, it seemed that this once promising player was being thrown to the wolves, out of position and being run ragged at the cost of matches and points and I hated it.

I was, like we all were, worried about league position and trophies. I wanted him or whoever Arsenal had in form at the moment to play to help the club achieve “things”. So for a good year to 18 months, I criticized the lad. In my mind rightfully so. As the months wore on, I had thoughts that the injury was too severe and that the player wouldn’t reach the level and beyond that he looked so capable of prior to the leg break. I doubted Ramsey. In my mind, once I have doubt, it becomes something that’s very hard to turn off. So, when the moments of great play last year began to become more frequent, I chalked it up to coincidence. It was late in the year, the other teams were fatigued, Ramsey was on decent form and the combination flattered to deceive. So went the narrative in my mind.

Fast forward to the summer, the flashes of brilliance continued, an air of confidence was more evident and those back-heels and touch passes were now coming off rather easily and more frequently. The ball was hitting the back of the net; and it continued well into the season. Despite a slow start after being “Taylored” vs Villa, Arsenal were heading into December fighting for the title and Rambo scoring goals at will. No extended summary was needed. I was WRONG. Plain an UTTERLY WRONG; but, as it benefited the club, I was happy to be wrong. Never been so happy to be wrong in my life. Then came the injury lay off that cost Arsenal the title. That’s how important a piece of the puzzle this kid has become. Let me rephrase that; that’s how important this man has become to the club. Arsenal where making do without Theo, without a proper holding midfielder, or a deadly striker. The club was making do with the likes of Podolski, Chamberlain, Cazorla, etc. out at certain times. Once Rambo and Özil were out, the run was in essence over. What a turnaround it’s been.

It all culminated in the FA Cup victory last week with Ramsey side footing a delicious finish and doing his best Charlie George impersonation lying face up on the pitch and letting the glory sink in. The comeback on the day was complete, but so was the comeback for the player. From terrifically talented youngster, to broken leg sufferer, to misfiring player, to one of the club’s most important players and finally – trophy winner. Doing what the likes of Cesc & RVP had failed to do, LEAD the club to a trophy.

Aaron, Mr. Ramsey, Rambo,

I was wrong. I am sorry, and from all of us, thank you for a wonderful season.

Up the Arsenal!

 

Let’s Play a Game… – Arsenal Injuries

A lot has been said about the lack of bodies to Arsenal in January when it was apparent that injuries where starting to take their toll. Although the club made a mistake by not going into the market in a more aggressive manner, there are a lot of misconceptions about the squad as a whole.

To give you an example of what I mean, I constantly read about how Arsenal have a thin squad. That’s just not accurate. The bodies are there, they are just not all in the right areas. Another issue is the personal opinion of supporters as it pertains to different players. Just because you don’t like a player, doesn’t mean he’s not useful.  My opinion is that the Gunners lack the quality  much more than the quantity that so many like to point to. A brief breakdown of position by position:

GK – Szczesny, Fabianski, Viviano

FB – Gibbs, Sagna, Monreal, Jenkinson. Area of need due to experience.

CB – Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen. Area of need.

MF – Özil, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Cazorla, Walcott, Chamberlain, Gnabry, Arteta, Flamini

FWD – Giroud, Podolski, Bendtner, Sanogo. Definite area of need.

Other – Ryo, Akpom, Zelalem, Bellerin, Olsson, Hayden, Källström, Eisfeld. Most of these players, bar Källström, took part only in FA Cup or league cup action. Ryo and Akpom took part in 1 league match each.

Forgotten Souls – Diaby, Park

In total, 25 players took part in league matches. Two of those players having only one appearance. If you compare that to The Invincibles season, where 22 players took part and two of those also had just one appearance each, you will see that it is indeed the quality of the second and third choice players rather than the quantity of bodies available. Why Arsenal have the amount of injuries or why the quality isn’t there in certain areas is an altogether different subject, which has been written about ad nauseam.

So now that we’ve dispelled part of the “thin” myth, let’s take a look at how injuries have impacted the run at the Premiership title and how similar injuries would have impacted the top three clubs in front of Arsenal.

Arsenal key injuries since January; AM – Özil, CM – Ramsey, CM – Wilshere, RW – Walcott.

There is no point in trying to deny it, having these four players as part of the group instead of on the sidelines would have made all the difference. That’s not to say that it would have eradicated the losses to City, Chelsea or Liverpool, but it certainly would have made the difference in matches versus Stoke, Southampton, Swansea, Everton. Points are points. Arsenal would have had more now with this group intact, or at the very least available for more of those matches, than without. It’s a fact, not an opinion.

Let’s see the output of the equivalent players of the top 3 and who would have backed them up at their respective clubs.

Liverpool:

AM – Coutinho, CM – Gerrard, CM – Henderson, RW – Sterling

31 goals & 31 assists. Having a look at the squad, there are very little options after the starting XI. They’ve been fortunate to have limited injuries.

Chelsea:

AM – Oscar, CM – Ramires, LM/LW – Hazard, LM/LW – Schürrle

30 goals & 19 assists. Having sold Mata & de Bruyne, the backups to these positions would be the likes of Willian, Salah, Lampard. As we have seen a few times this year, even WITH the above four healthy, Chelsea have fallen to some pedestrian teams.

City:

AM – Silva, CM – Yaya, AM/LM – Nasri, RW – Navas

35 goals & 30 assists. Backups here would include Jovetic, Fernandinho, Milner. Needless to say, once you get past the first XI, the creative aspect of this team changes.

If you look at the different teams above there are certain things that stick out. Liverpool are by in large living on the output of their attack and their luck with injuries. Chelsea have a good attack, but no striker. They have good options in midfield and a solid defense. City has a plethora of striking options, but when either Silva or Yaya are not on the pitch, they are different team. Likewise, when Aguero has been injured, they’ve been less than stellar.

Conclusion

NO team could have withstood the injuries to key players Arsenal have been dealt this year.  Whilst some may have depth at certain areas, all the teams in front of us have an area of weakness as mentioned. Had the areas where those team have strengths been hit with injuries as Arsenal have, we would be having a different discussion.

Let’s put this into perspective. Thanks to the folks at injuryleague.com we know that Arsenal lead the EPL in the Injury League table by a huge 80 matches on second place team. They lead Liverpool, who is the closest top four rival in the Injury League table by a margin of 111 matches. The next closest top four rival is City who Arsenal lead by a margin of 133 matches. Finally, they lead Chelsea who is second bottom in the Injury League table, buy a margin of 168 matches. injuryleague.com calculate the table as such – One player injured for one week = one point. You can see that table below.

To put things further into context, you have the percentage of matches the key players have missed for the club. Theo Walcott has missed 75% of Arsenal’s matches. Oxlade- Chamberlain – 58%. Lukas Podolski – 47%. Aaron Ramsey – 47%. Jack Wilshere – 39%. Mesut Özil – 25%. You can see those and other percentages below.

Now, are injuries the ONLY reason why Arsenal faltered? No. The lack of quality backup options is definitely an issue, but as explained earlier, you’d be hard pressed to find a team above AFC with the sort of backups at every position like most pretend they have. They have just been lucky enough not to deal with so many injuries to so many key players. To add insult to injury, pardon the pun, most of these injuries have been at the same time, which makes dealing with them tougher.

Training methods definitely need to be looked at. There has to be something that makes Arsenal more susceptible to injury than other clubs, this has been a trend for some time now. If it is not the training methods or having players rush back from injury, then the club must educate the players to stop if they feel anything close to a problem. Beyond that, the type of player purchased may need to change. Arsenal may have to forego smaller, technical players for stronger, bigger athletes. All of this is conjecture, but “it” needs to be fixed, no matter what “it” is.

Although I expect the team to end the year in the top four and end the trophy drought with an FA Cup win, the league was a missed opportunity. As a supporter I felt the club had more than enough, even with obvious missing pieces, to make a run at the title. Lack of addressing the injury issue in the January window hampered the run and further injuries decimated it. What we can hope for is that the issues that have caused these injuries are addressed and that the areas clearly lacking talent are reinforced. If this doesn’t happen, Arsenal will be repeating another season as Injury League Champions and I for one don’t want any part of that trophy!

UTA!