One good win and suddenly there is Only One Arsene Wenger? Please….. by KM
Arsenal finally produced a performance typical of ourselves. We played with 2 rested strikers from midweek and it immediately payed off. We were dynamic and too much for Newcastle to handle. Onto the positives.
We had 3 rested strikers in Giroud, Welbeck and Sanches and we looked dynamic. Although the first two will never be the world class finishers we need they are team players. Giroud combines well and holds the ball up. He also gives us presence and a chance to win the first ball, something we don’t do a lot.
Yesterday the finishing was good. We had 4 shots on target and scored 4 goals contrary to other games when we had a lot of shots and none of the goals. Welbeck scored a nice goal that was disallowed for no reason but overall we were better because we were fresh and we played with 2 up front.
This was not the first game of the season we played with 2 strikers and just like at WBA this tactic gives the opposition something to think about. Having 2 players in the box gave us more space on the wing and with Giroud and Welbeck, crosses and headed goals could become a regularity rather than an exception at Arsenal. And to make it a true Arsenal performance we conceded from a set piece.
There was one bad thing though and it was the fans performance once again. That “One Arsene Wenger” song was so misplaced even Wenger felt it more ironic than respectful as his reaction in the post-match interview showed. Why? Because a lot of Arsenal fans change opinion from one game to the next.
Wenger might lead us to the top 4 and he did get us to the last 16 of the CL but really is that something only one manager could do. At least he hinted we might bring one defender, but Wenger always says we are not afraid to go in the market, yet we always end till the last day and we are always short of a few players.
One victory is a huge change if look only as far as last week, but the past 10 years show the real story. Wenger has to go in the summer and make way for some fresh faces and new ideas.
Konstantin