The Season is Over

Following on from the Swansea game, I had the customary browse through the headlines, seeing if I could find some sense in the tangle of tabloid wish-wash.  It was scarce.

I had only just recently deliberated through the United thrashing of Bolton, noting how poorly the 5-0 scoreline reflected the game.   Bolton managed 20 shots at goal against United’s 13.  It is true that Bolton’s efforts were generally from distance and largely straight at the keeper, but you’d agree having seen those statistics again that Bolton were hard done by.

Not so with the commentators at the time.  This far into the season, the quantity of hype, hyperbole and sheer manufacture is of soap opera levels.  De Gea launched a long ball forward, which couldn’t quite be reached by the forward, although United managed to haggle for a corner.  After the corner eventually found a United player and the ball was buried in the net, the commentator duly attributed the goal to De Gea and commented on how he had passed his examination with flying colours.  Each exaggeration built on the next, and as the proverbial frog stew goes, the end result was so distant from the point of departure, but one small lie at a time, sufficient to fool the ignoramus.

If you genuinely believed the columnists had an astute grasp of the game, you might as well go and cash your winnings right away.  The title race is certainly a two-horse race between Unitd and City, with Chelsea taking honourable mention, ahead of a galloping Liverpool or desparately misguided Arsenal.

I fail to see how one game against Swansea has just determined our whole season.  Please explain this to me.

We went into the game with 2 new spinal players learning the curve, missing what I believe will be our key creative player in Gervinho, and minus another 2 key spinal players in Wilshere and Vermaelen.  Yes, we will always be missing key players, but here’s the difference: new signings do not bed into the Arsenal system after less than a week of training and while recovering from international duty.

Underneath this issue is a very basic concept that needs grasping.  The “Arsenal Way” is not a collection of players with similar abilities, but a method of football.  If the style is a collection, then all you do is buy a certain style of player, plug them in and let them perform from day one.  As such, if players like Pires, Nasri, Henry, Walcott and Song epitomise the Arsenal Way, then why did they need time to settle?  Certainly Pires was experienced, so no defense on the age front.

On the contrary, the Arsenal Way is a taught style.  Wenger’s systematic training methods are well documented and unique, and he puts players through drills towards achieving a specific style.  Whether you believe that style is appropriate for the Premiership is of course another debate entirely, but the fact that there is a very specific system is not in dispute.  Of course Wenger buys players who can fit that style, but getting into that style requires a period of adaptation.  It certainly requires more than one week of training.

One chief criticism levelled against Arsene and the board this season – a fair criticism – is that the key signings were left so late.  Precisely, for the reasons I’ve mentioned.  The players need time to learn the Arsenal Way and understand their role in relation to their team mates.

As such, to look at the Swansea victory and draw all kinds of assumptions from the game is really lower league.  I hope you didn’t do it – will a smack on the wrist suffice?