The Curious Case of Arsenal Football Club

This season has been an average one for Arsenal fans. The team has put in too many shoddy displays and underperformed when you expected them to deliver. Some say the players aren't good enough, some blame the manager for his stubbornness and same approach to every game irrespective of opposition. One thing is clear, both arguments have valid points. Players have been sold and replaced with players of less quality. Some haven't been replaced. You can question the ambition of the club and hunger of the manager who was successful in the past. However, Arsene Wenger is clearly suffering from the inept performances of this team. You can see it on his face and the way he's clearly restless in every game, like he's expecting a cock-up of some sorts from his team. That confidence and calmness he used to exude from the touchline is clearly gone.

You can blame the management of the club for consistently sanctioning the sale of it's best players. No singular sports team wins anything when they embark on an endless selling spree. It's like Arsenal has become more of a financial institution obsessed with their balance sheet rather than the performance of the team on the football pitch. On the other hand, you can also blame the manager for not speaking out before now. The norm has always been that the club had money but that Wenger doesn't want to spend. That is a bit naive. Which top manager will seat on piles of cash and watch his team fail year after year?

A couple of seasons ago, Wenger made a statement that suggested he's been forced to sell high and do bargain basement shopping for replacements.

Imagine the worst case scenario, we lose Cesc and Nasri in the same week, no one would ever believe you are a big club after.

Or something along those lines. Arsenal did sell those players a week later. Am not sure Wenger wanted that. Kroenke and the board must have over-ruled him and pocketed the cash. You can sympathise with wenger on that premise.

But, who bought Park, Santos, Squillacci and Gervinho? There seems to be an apparent lack of willingness to spend by Wenger, even when the funds were available. He would rather claim there's no value in the market or say that no one out there can improve his team. Nacho Monreal was signed only after Gibbs picked up an injury despite the fact it was clear Santos doesn't have anything in his locker. Chamakh, Park and Bendtner were all sent out on loan without any replacement. That smacks of arrogance and lack of desire  to improve or compete. Add to that the complete absence of Arshavin from games this season and you question why Wenger didn't add at least a striker and winger.

Another talking point is Wenger's approach to games. The team seems to be very predictable. Too many times teams have been able to stifle Arsenal without trying too hard. Norwich, Swansea, Bradford, Blackburn all come to mind this season. The managers too often says that they don't bother about other teams or key players; they just focus on their own philosophy and quality and the way they want to express themselves on the pitch. Sounds like someone out of touch with reality and the modern game. Less endowed teams have been able to do better than Arsenal this season just by their managers being flexible with tactics. Swansea the obvious example.

Whatever financial restraints Wenger must have been on, it doesn't excuse his dodgy game plan, defensive frailty and lack of dynamism of his team. He's obviously under a lot of pressure and strain. The fans are less forgiving as they have been patient for too long. Arsenal has ten games to rescue their season. Finish in the top four, and Wenger will have a shot at re-building this team as funds are clearly available now. Seven points behind Spurs and five behind Chelsea, a loss and a draw this weekend for both teams can hand the momentum back to Arsenal. But of course, they have to win their own games first. Bayern is ten days away, chance for a bit of redemption.