By Bagga Wilks
Arsenal succumbed to an 8-2 drubbing from Manchester United on Sunday, August 28, 2011. The previous week, they lost to Liverpool 2-0. Arsenal managed to qualify for the Champions League by defeating Udinese but Arsenal is falling behind and runs the risk of becoming anachronistic in the rapidly changing world of soccer.
Wenger is living on past glory. He enjoyed success in the past with players like Viera, Henry and Bergkamp. Wenger presumes that he can continue in the same mode and still enjoy success. Wenger is now an albatross around Arsenal’s neck.
Kenny Dalglish took over Liverpool last season and recognized that if Liverpool was going to be competing in the league of the elite, his club would have to spend money. Dalglish did not spend money aimlessly. He understood the team’s weaknesses and he moved to fill certain critical positions. His signing of Suarez was key and Suarez has performed magnificently. He purchased top flight wingers, Dowling and Henderson. And he acquired Charlie Adams for his midfield general.
Even though Gerard is still mending, Liverpool has a first class aggregation, not only with the newly acquired players but Kuyt, Lucas and Meireles. Liverpool has great attacking weapons. Dalglesh needs now to strengthen his central defenders and he can compete with the top clubs in the world.
Mancini was drowning with dough and spent much of that money foolishly. But for this season, things are finally falling into place. With players of the caliber of Dzeko, Aguero. Nasri, Toure, Silva and Richards, Manchester City will run over the mediocre like Tottenham and compete with the best in the world.
Manchester United as they demonstrated against Arsenal are now a cut above where they were when they won the league. The young bucks at United have come of age. They were brought along adroitly by Sir Alex and now he is turning them loose on those who seek to dethrone the EPL champions.
Winger has to recognize that scrooges in the world of soccer finish last. Arsenal is now an also ran team because Wenger hasn’t realized that an elite team can no longer depend on homegrown talent. It has to aggressively scout talent throughout the world and be willing to pay big bucks for top notch players.
Wenger had expressed an interest in Juan Mata but allowed Chelsea to snatch the playmaker from Arsenal. With the loss of Fabregas and Nasri, Arsenal is bereft of playmakers. The young Turks springing up from the academy are not that better than the old Turks. Arsenal is like the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century. Arsenal has become the sick man of the EPL and Wenger, the tragic anachronism in the new age of soccer.
No comments:
Post a Comment