A request to Mr Wenger by AD
Does change equates with risk? If it does, then ipso facto consistency must be identified with safety. Unless, one is able to find that high – octane quality of taking risks consistently. Results must then be born out of ability to shun or bear risks. Exempli gratia: A manager will not change a winning combination even when it is apparent to him that the combination itself is inherently flawed. Thus, while taking a risk that it might all come undone at a most opportune or inopportune moment, the manager shuns the risk of trying to find a more optimum combination that might work better for longer in future.
But then what if, and just to point out there is ample risk in this ‘if’, the combination crashes repeatedly after few highs in favour of ‘vast-and-hard’ to recover lows. Is it combination that is at fault or is it the one who is the constructor of the combination that is at fault? It was after all the combination that gave those highs, which ultimately could not be sustained any longer, whereof the replacement ‘link’ was not found optimum enough to pave the way for new ‘high’ Is it then the fault of the ‘link’ or of the combination or of the constructor? Surely then, having suffered such travesty before the constructor must be wiser now in stuffing strong ‘links’ in his pocket to stave off or facilitate hasty recovery from crashes. But then again it happens, so who’s to blame now, the constructor, the combination, the old links or the store that ran out of ‘new links’. Perhaps it is the game itself that is at fault or is it organizers or even the patch-eyed-bandit-with-gimpy-leg who pick-pocketed our constructor.
If you are confused and ready to bash me over the head should I introduce myself to you in some dark alley for this rambling prolixity, then you are not the only one. For it is the same feeling I get while reading the Wenger ‘in – or – out’ debate. How can anyone, irrespective of which side the argument comes from, claim himself/herself as correct. If they do, hell they must be real geniuses or soothsayers or something. For us normal folks who are no better than the next, and can see no further in the future than the next person, at best we can say —- we do not have a sure-shot answer.
What we have is anger and hurt. Again. And the fact that all of it comes with a distinct feeling of deja vu makes us feel humiliated as well for thinking that this time it was going to be different. So now what to do? Well, truth-be-told there is nothing we could do. We must grit and bear it. Some real cowboys might even grin-and-bear it. Heck, there must be some real optimists who might feel spurred on to put their loyalty on show at ‘a time like this’.
Me. I just want this season to end. So we can move on. I know we are not going to win anything this season. I have known it for a long time now. I know we are going to have Wenger with us next season. If he’s not we might have to check if the Earth is still revolving around the sun. I know the next transfer window will be a version of transfer windows gone by. I know we will feel the same way come September 2016 that we felt come September 2015 or 2014 …. Bitter as well as sweet. Proportions may vary but both tastes would be there in our mouths. We would have the quality to play attractive and at times unbeatable football. But then again at time we would have our stuffing knocked out of us. We might be in line to win something but we will probably win something that would just not be satisfying enough or may be we will win nothing at all. And I will probably be writing another version of the same article. As I have done in previous three years variedly. It would be nice if some of you may remember. You may call me pessimist but I prefer to be a realist. And if I were a statistics man, I would be on an even more solid ground in my reading of the situation next term as would stats of the recent seasons gone by would dictate.
There is a serious lack of inspiration at Arsenal that would make us look towards future with excitement and anticipation. And I am sure that if the players are as human as us fans, even they would be feeling a distinct lack of inspiration presently. Even when everything is rosy for Arsenal there is this fear in the back telling me that it may go sideways anytime and real fast. So why shouldn’t the players be having the same doubts. I mean we do want to play like machines but they are human after all. And when the slide does happen, I tell myself I just knew it. Wenger has become, rightly or wrongly, symptomatic of everything that is wrong with Arsenal. He is an albatross around Arsenal’s neck. I do not know whether after him things would improve or fall apart even more but I think it would nice to view a season without Wenger around my neck.
Yes, there are those who point out how things could be lot worse without Wenger. That may also be true. So for arguments’ sake lets accept the premise that without Wenger we would be like Man United. So what would we be missing except a Champions League place? I am sure we would still compete for FA Cup and without CL might even make good fist of the ‘other domestic cup’. Then would CL, apart from financial reasons, loss be really a loss. It is not as if we seem to be taking CL seriously – crashing out at the first hurdle consistently. Some might say we are just making up the numbers. So would a couple of seasons without CL, to re-evaluate ourselves be so bad.
Now, for the other side let’s assume that Wenger stays is a good thing. It will ensure CL qualification like clockwork. But considering that from next season there will be about 10 serious league contenders, what chance would a realist give to Arsenal in lieu of its track record for say last 5 years. If one looks at the past under Wenger it seems we have as much chance of winning the league under Wenger as under a new coach. Risk is there either way. That is unless we reconcile ourselves to a new emerging reality that, while Arsenal might financially be a big club in footballing terms, we would in line to at best a middle club. One with a shot to win everything but will probably win essentially nothing. With such thinking there is no risk. It’s all good, and if we win something it would be such a pleasant surprise.
What it would be is that it would be nice to have someone new talking to me from the helm of Arsenal. At least I would be able to look towards the future with a new hope without the old baggage. It might not go well, but at least there would be anticipation that the new guy may succeed where the last one failed. And maybe if the right guy is found, anticipation, optimism, ambition, confidence and excitement can be found again. So, I want to risk more disappointment in asking, very politely and very respectfully, Mr. Wenger to go. Thank you for all the wonderful feelings and for not so good ones. You will be remembered. Rest assured. But please just go.
I think it’s time we took some risk. We do it so gallantly and at times frustratingly on football pitch. Why not take some off it as well?
Alex