Do we know for sure that Wenger is pulling all the strings? How do we know that it's not certain restrictions (budgetary and otherwise) that put him in a position where he has to go beyond the beaten path for talent...Why are we chalking it up to ego only when it's pretty obvious that injuries to key players (e.g. Rosicky, Adebayor, Eduardo, Van Persie, ) add to his predicament. Last season Arsenal lost the league by 4 points and it only slipped away from them in the 2nd or 3rd to last game of the season...and it was clear that injuries to Rosicky, Eduardo & Van Persie (arguably their 3 bigges players) were a huge factor in the inconsistency down the stretch. Take C. Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez/Berbatov out of Man U's line up and I'm sure they will struggle to adjust...Take Chelsea's 3 biggest players out of the picture and it's probably the same... In yesterday's game the biggest stone pullers were Gallas and Silvestre (and they not young)..
I agree some experience and depth in Arsenal's line up would be a huge plus, but chalking it up to Wenger's ego is presumptive, overly simplistic and possibly unfair....
leave chelsea outta dat..
last year they lost drogba, lampard, essien, terry and cole at crucial times and for long stretches in the campaign yet they still run man utd down to the wire... even essien and ferreira was playing central defence at a point.. arguably the only reason that man utd win the title is that they were the luckiest with injuries.
....and ah bet yuh if the Chelsea pundits had to give an account of their season, they would attribute bumps in the road somewhat in part to having to juggle players around due to injury.. (and of course managerial turmoil despite Grant's record being just as good if not better than Mourinho's)
Just saying that missing your most influencial players will have an adverse effect on any team....
Whether or not Chelsea has more depth than Arsenal to lessen the magnitude of their bumps is a different conversation- to which I've already suggested that Arsenal could use more experience & depth.
kicker dont feel i am making an attack on you ...but seriously any person who is a REALISTIC chelsea pundit (which i like to belive myself to be) would choose not to take the stance of the blame game on managerial change from Early in the season
you have a case of missing ur most influencial players (mourinho though his effect was talked about till after the end of the season was really not a realistic point when it came to playing for the title)...the boys will have to look at the result at wigan where we let heskey score in extra time to snatch 2 points from us and take destiny out of our hands and at the last game against bolton..Or the Cl final where the grass was maybe just a Lil TOO greener or wet for the other side ..basically when it comes down to the business end of playing football a professional on the field only tries to do his best and forgets the off field and behind the scene matters (as humans how well thy do tht is up to them)
as for pertaining to the subject Wenger shouldnt go but he should realise that maybe a lil experience is needed...a Hard steel man like viera in the middle to settle the nerves when a team like villa is bombarding u with attacks....a deffender who makes it clear to even captain gallas and toure that they have to play A game or they will be replaced (like agger and skrtel did at pool with caragher and hyppia)...ive heard talks of derossi coming but i doubt it ..he is prolly another one team roman wonder..(e.g totti)...My advice to arsenal fans is to stop looking to Benzema to come....of course he seems like a obvious candidate he is Young..skilfull and he speaks french (seems like ramsey and walcott the only two youngsters or players period who dont speak a second language) with Adebayor...Van persie...Bendtner that is too many tall skillful forwards and they will stiful each other....maybe wenger could bring in a man like gattuso or somebody who box to box and makes no secret that his business is to boss the midfield ....not a finese player but who could obviously teach men like diaby and song who are capable of filling the role how to have the finese and hard nose style of play (if mikel was in this team or diarra still there then i think they would have had more solidity in the middle even with both palyers having faults in their game)
As for the main question....Wenger has won a title....been to the CL final...and saw countless cups...not to mention a standard of football In the World where only barcelona and roma were able to replicate (chelsea and man u now to some extent too)...ATRRACTIVE foOTBALL....
last year the problem was finishing and depth...he did enuff to build the invincibles he CAN do it again...
but if Wenger deserves a thread like this then i expect to see one for Rafa Benitez who is yet to win a English Premier League medal...
(imagine all this advice for the bloody periods of london) from a chelsea fan...alyuh gyul teamz and periods (3/4 big 4 wear red) does real need we help oui lol (relax fellas is jus kikz)