Arsenal lack one thing – Leadership!

It was a dark Sunday for the Gunners supporters. After enthralling in the pre-season and promising even more in a season that is touted as one to be the difference, Arsene Wenger’s team fell flat on its claims.

These are not just expectations from the supporters. We are also talking about the drummed about hopes from Wenger and all his players. Talks of ‘being there’, ‘challenge for the Premier League title’ etc. were fed daily to the supporters. And when the team lost their first game (that too at home) to West Ham United, the bubble burst.

Sure enough, everyone will say that one match is too soon too early to pass any judgment. In a season where the title is decided over 38 matches, this is a very valid argument. However, at the same time, it is also pragmatic to look at every match as a finale and learn as much as you can – especially from losses.

So, what does the weekend loss suggest to Wenger? Surprisingly, for a team that has looked very much dynamic so far in the pre-season, Arsenal looked subdued for most part of the game.

It is easy to blame Petr Cech for the loss as his mistakes cost the team dearly. But, there are glaring holes elsewhere too – more notably, there was not even one player who could carry the whole team into battle.

Old timers will point out that in difficult times Patrick Vieira or Tony Adams would scruff up and lead the team. Unfortunately, this aspect was missing throughout the match against West Ham. Who can do that in the present team?

Is this a side lacking in experience? Not at all – most of the players are regulars. In fact, the team had 10 full internationals on the pitch, but none were able to ascertain and impose themselves. It was only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who looked like scoring a goal anytime or taking it to the opposition.

There is some argument on the tinkering done by Wenger at the central midfield to accommodate Aaron Ramsey. But, to blame the loss on this and put the changes by Wenger as culpable takes the light off the real issues.

Arsenal has often been blamed for the soft under-belly; for being that team which satisfies itself on the Champions League qualification and nothing more. This is exactly where characters like Vieira are required. Wenger would be desperate to see someone in his squad take this opportunity and develop into a real leader that can make the team fight for their lives…

Sridhar

Tags Adams Vieira

35 Comments

  1. We Lack Leadership cuz oLd, outdated cargoes like Wenger, Arteta and Per are still allowed to Lead!

      1. CORRECTION

        The only problem with arsenal Is they seem to have forgotten how to write a check
        Or should I say ,unzip the club’s purse
        Or should I say ,open the vault .

        Lauren Mayer : ” many arsenal players lack in-game intelligence.

    1. Personal opinion or philosophy is good for Manager himself but not good for Arsenal we a whole going forward – people like Thierry and Usmanov are coming out and disagree with some decision if i can recall.

    1. You mean quality! thats the only thing you need to have a good team (football intelligence) very good example is Barcelona you dont need any individual player to shout out at others and tell them what to do or how to play there is no such a thing in football.

  2. “Arsenal can’t afford to Lose to crystal palace” …………..one thing’s certain….. This Jamie carragher must be romantically attracted to Arsenal!

  3. meanwhile Ronald de boer……..Ajax youth assistant says “Sanogo Lacks qualities” …And this is the boy we expected to Lead the Arsenal attack? L()L

  4. You would expect Kos with his age experience and position to take a step forward and lead by example. Similar with A Ramsey, his all action game he should be rolling up his sleaves and leaving his footprints all over the place, does he want the central role? Giroud should be getting his head first to everything and leaving his elbows on someones head. Ox was very poor in this fightless manner too, lack of concentration and not putting his foot in. Ox is a capable fighter that’s what makes it all wrong. Coq of all people ..come on son. Ozil and Walcott unless its going forward I would not expect those to take the responsibility upon themselves. Talkers, Im not sure if we have too many. Per should have been shouting and if that happened at che Im sure Cech would have been shouting. Even Bould on the bench I would like to see him give someone a rollicking.

  5. Though Ramsey may not be perfect, but with his energy, he will make most top teams first 11. So Wenger did not tinker with the midfield in order to accommodate Ramsey, NO. What happened was Ramsey had to play on the wing in order to accommodate Ozil.

    1. Never. And thats the problem with Arsenal and fans. We think that our players are good enough but in truth they are very average.

        1. Do you even know what average means, if you said average pl player well then mid table quality (well that is where we’d finish if there was truth in your words). Saying an average player well then you have to consider everybody and every level, so conference up to the pl average would be middle of league two. I think it’s certain that our players are at least above average. The main starters we are talking about, so we have different players ranging from above average to world class or very nearly close ..arguably of course. This sounds like most top class teams.

      1. You got that right mate .
        The same way they rated Podiolski even though he was crap .
        Ramsey, wilshere ,Walcott,mertesacker , GIroud are squad players at best but in all honesty , a few of them should not even be Wearing an arsenal shirt.
        Apart from the purple patch 2 seasons ago , Ramsey has been crap ,wilshere has been crappier and Giroud is alway crappy .
        For the style we want to play .
        Good ball control
        First touch
        Possession in tight areas
        Speed
        Consistency
        Speed and accuracy are very important.
        Ozil needs runners and garbage boys to function. You want players attacking and not defending. He had garbage boys feeding him the ball in the German national team and at Real Madrid. He also had good strikers to take advantage.

  6. We have a 6’4 snail who ducks out of aerial duels for vice-captain and a pint-sized sideways passing guy who uses ridiculous amounts of hair gel as captain. You just can’t make this stuff up

  7. The way some fans rate Ozil, I start to wonder what they are seeing that I am not seeing. Is the rating based on his potentials and what he did before he joined us? If it is simply based on what he has done since he joined us, he does not deserve the high rating in any way

  8. Lack of leaders is the main problem we have. For years our captains have been sitting on the bench, either hurt or not good enough to play. I honestly have not seen any other team in this predicament. A Captain of a football team MUST lead in the field, it is great to have a captain that is good off the field as well but his job is ON the field!
    Wenger might have a problem with strong characters, his lack of real ambition will piss a real leader off! If we have another mediocre year I can see our most ambitious player Sanchez starting to look for a new place to go to match his ambition.

  9. Can’t wait for crystal palace game! Anytime we lose a match i just wish the following day would be another match so as to get the lose off my head. Can tomorrow be Sunday?

  10. I put last weeks teams into Football Manager, we beat West Ham 3:0 and Ozil was man of the match.

    I guess the reality is a little more complicated and players aren’t machines.

    (It’s not FM’s fault- it’s a great game and I hear Brendan Rogers uses it to scout for players)

  11. Graham Hunter about Grzegorz Krychowiak on sky sport

    “First of all it is news to Sevilla that Arsenal have looked at Krychowiak,” Hunter told Sky Sports News HQ.
    “You could accept that Sevilla are Europe’s great selling club – with Porto they are probably the shrewdest at buying short and selling long and making huge profits.
    “It’s not unheard of that with Krychowiak, who has been there a season, they might double or treble their money after 12 months.
    “But, they have sold a huge amount of players in the last few seasons to make them an immense amount of money.
    “They are guaranteed in the Champions League, their revenue streams have increased beyond all recognition and, because of that, they will not want to sell. They will no longer be the cash and carry for bigger clubs to come in with heavy budgets.
    “If Arsenal decide that this fierce, tough-tackling, clever, goal-scoring central-midfielder – who meets the criteria of what critics of Wenger have been saying Arsenal have needed for three four or five seasons – then yes, he would suit them.
    “However, if they are to get him they will have to ram-raid Sevilla to convince them to part with him ahead of what is a Champions League season for the Andalusians.
    “He’s the right player, but late timing coupled with a Sevilla side who are cash rich [could see him stay].”

  12. To pursue the point of leadership. I find it odd to have a club captain who sits on the bench most of the time and occasionally gets ten minutes to stretch his legs in non competitive situations.
    Further more one who is offered a years extension to his contract when he is obviously not part of the future plan.
    From Arteta`s point of view, I wonder how he feels, week after week, a spectator watching someone like Mertesacker playing his role? Is he just a mercenary, like much of the professional world ,who picks up his cheque and doesn`t give a damn or, as I believe, he is sensitive enough for it to hurt the man? Why Wenger has not had the decency to offer him the coup de grah and ease his frustration and hurt I don`t know. People cricitise Wenger for many things but, if he has an Hercules heel, it must be centered around his failure to appoint a suitable captain.

  13. I remember Usmanov said two years ago “every position needs two world class” something which i agree with him 100%

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