Arsene Wenger’s fatal flaw cruelly exposed
There was ample proof last night, as at Stamford Bridge in the last round, as to why the Premiership teams’ primacy in Europe has been exaggerated.
Despite the final result, Barcelona made a mockery of the comparisons between their style and Arsenal’s. One team has substance, the other a much-trumpeted philosophy that too often founders against the strongest sides. So it was again.
Arsene Wenger’s fatal flaw has been cruelly exposed this season. A man with admirably romantic ideals, he blindly commits to attack and pays little respect to the tactical side of the game that is often decisive at the highest level.
Arsenal played like a team that had expected to have a lot of the ball- an unforgivable folly against Barcelona- and seemed unaware of how to regain it. Barca, by contrast, pressed hungrily on those rare occasions that they were not in possession.
Overall, the impression one takes from their failure in the marquee encounters this season is that Arsenal are underdogs without a plan to suit that status. They want to be as good as Barcelona but lack the resources to surround Fabregas with players of the same quality.
When it has mattered most, they have looked feeble, dogged by an inferiority complex that only big results will dispel. When a side comes up against superior opposition, the path to victory must be shaped by pragmatism, but Wenger’s autocracy allows no such influence.
Inter Milan or Manchester United could yet find the formula to defeat this wonderful Barcelona team. Arsenal’s fortuitous comeback here ought to provide those two teams more assurance than it does Arsenal themselves, ahead of what could be a long night chasing shadows at the Nou Camp.
Odhran Harrison is the editor of Moral Courage
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I agree in the first half, Barcelona made it look like Men against Boys, but if you watched the last 20 minutes you would have seen an Arsenal onslaught, which Barcelona could not contain, and in the end it was 2-2. I feel that your peice is somewhat biased and an unfair reflection on the game that actually unfolded last night
AW wantts Arsenal to be like brazil. Attack and nothing but attack.I think he could be like KK.If kk had invested in a defender in 1996,he could have won the title that year.
I”m afarid AW’s obssession with attacking/pretty soccer at the expense of tactical pragmatism is going to cost Arsenal dearly.of course nothing is decided as yet but I’ve a sneaky feeling barcelona won’tmake the same mistake twice.
Barcelona were fantastic last night but defending is a part of the game too and Arsenal defended extremely well during that early onslaught. People like Odhran Harrison are quick to slaughter Wenger and his philosophy when they outplay, yet fail to beat inferior opposition in the PL. He’ll be first to his keyboard with a copycat quote saying “Arsenal can’t handle the physical side of the game” or “Opposition teams get in their faces” or even “They have no plan B”, whatever that means. It’s an easy default position to adopt and and requires little thought or knowledge. If Wenger’s lack of tactical nous has been exposed this season it would take someone with considerably more moral courage than Harrison to comment on it without sounding as foolish and inept as this article shows.
I get the impression from the article that you’d already decided the main thrust of you article before the game even started. It may be a wild shot in the dark but can I guess you also defended the Shawcross ‘tackle’.
Unfortunately, with your mind closed to the possibility of change, you missed the major revelation of the match and that was Barcelona struggled to deal with pace from attackers.
Sure Barcelona gave us a lesson in football in the first half, but that was hardly unexpected. How well we coped with it surprised me and going in at half time nil nil against such a rapacious side says only good things about the defence, surely – anything else would disrespect Barca.
You criticise Arsene for being tactically niaive and rigid in his thinking (perhaps you need a mirror) yet it was his tactical changes that spurred our fightback. Perhaps you need a rethink of your tired hobby horses.
Lazy journalism and a pointless post.
Arsenal won’t win anything with Almunia in the squard.
I agree, this article is an attempt to analyze the game superficially. What you need to understand that when Arsenal find their rythm they are a destructive side. For a majority part of the game they were unsuccessful in finding their rythm. Barcelona found their rythm instantly. That is ONLY because they are allowed to play their style in Spain week after week, unlike England where every team that Arsenal play with comes with a strategy to dominate them physically. So quite clearly, Barca players can get in the groove quickly while it takes a long time for arsenal to get a measure of things. That is what happened yesterday. You should respect Arsenal for having a playing style that is unlike others in England and also the courage to stick to this style. In Spain fluid football is respected a lot and almost every team plays like this so teams from spain can easily find their rythm instantly. In England the “committed” game is the way of life and teams which play fluid football are so rare that Arsenal stands out like a gem. Give them some credit man, and stop dumbing down this great team like this. it only reflects on your limited intelligence.
your fatal flaw is that wengers philosophy came fruitful with the come back. i think you should have manchester united or fergie in the title. we came back after being 2 goals down. nobody does that to barca. we also got 2 of their main centre backs out for the next tie. chelsea, manchester united and liverpool have been completley dominated by barca in the past. Coming back after 2 goals down is not completly dominated. what were we surposed to do kick them out the game like typical top english sides. wenger stuck with his philosophy and it was fruitful. I stress i was upset at the first half but (to me) arsenal were not out of breath or out of sorts and after the cesc pen we were going for the winner.
it was a very technical game. you said man u may find a formula. i say bayern will win. and as for chasing shadows, i think they will be chasing theo.
get in u gunners
yes barca flew out the blocks 1st half but again arsenal (to me) were not working that hard and it showed, barca could not sustain that level of play. how can you compare us with the chelsea game. we just played the best team and player in the world.
i agree with the above comment, watch the full 93 mins. maybe you wrote it before the game started it seems lol
You have a fatal flaw bro, not Wenger.
Almunia had an excellent first half of the match but was overshadowed by the mistake he made to rush for the ball and was lobbed by Zlatan.He is a keeper with good quality but less consistency.
Talk about yesterdays game, for the first 20 min we were playing in our half taking everything that barca was throwing.That time we needed to be defensively strong and our goal keeper to be at his best and that showed with song involved in blocking one of the shot and Almunia with the string of saves.
Also, we did make one significant move in that twenty minutes with Nasri going close to valdes goal.
They scored two quick goals when game restarted.However, our players showed charachter to come back and draw the match.
I believe now we have that confidence to go to Nou Camp and fight hard.
What a numpty Mr Harrison is.
Inter Milan or Manchester United could yet find the formula to defeat this wonderful Barcelona team.
Just as Man U did against Bayern Munich where Man U was outplayed for 85mins and they lost 2-1
Do you realy believe Man U or Chealsie can come back and draw as arsenal did yesterday.
The point is Arsenal players were totaly afraid of Barca players supriority for almost 60mins of the game but when it was 2-0 they have nothing to loose again Walcot came in and they all play there game and close up to Barca 2-2.
Where are you English hypocrits criticising Walcot all these months his crime is that he plays for Arsenal if he is playing for any other team he will be your hero. No wonder Capelo is not listening to you hypocrits and no wonder you can not have a good English Coach ot team manager,look at the list,Harr Redknapp,Alladyce e.t.c they are your top English coaches can you give them your England team.
Now look at the list Arsene Wenger,Ferguson,Anceloti,Mancini e.t.c. if you people have options from where will you pick from.
So stop your B;;;S hypocritic lecture and face reality,all of you prayed for Arsenal to fall yesterday but they are still in the race so shut up.
Adam you forgot, Odhran Harrison trained the CL winning Barca team in 2006, all the world-cup winning Brazil teams and the Ajax of 70s. He has every right.
For a more Arsenal-slanted view, check out this post:
http://www.dangerhere.com/why-is-cesc-fabregas-playing-centre-forward/
Hi guys, just wanted to add that I’m an Arsenal fan so an accusation of bias is way off the mark.
I think it necessary to criticise Wenger when it’s warranted, rather than just blindly follow him. can any of you name a big game in the last two years that Arsenal have played great football EFFEcTIVELY in?
Anyway, read my blog if you want, you can read posts from the start of the season when i was saying similar things, and throughout the season aswell, then try and tell me I’m making snap judgements. It’s just an opinion, I know, but it’s as valid as any of yours.
I don’t believe you are an Arsenal fan in the sense that you support the team. You are someone who hangs onto Arsenal to give your articles some purchase. Your point about playing great football EFFEcTIVELY (sic) in a big game is pointless. If I say that they played great football against Porto just a few weeks ago, I assume you will say it wasn’t a big game, despite it being a knockout round of the CL. What about Spurs at home this year? Not a big game? Tell real Arsenal supporters that. Villa this year? Everton away, or any of the recent run of PL victories? Not big enough for you I suppose. What about Chelsea away last year? No? The list goes on. What I suppose you are referring to is that we haven’t beaten Chelsea or Man Utd over the past couple of years. Well, as I remember, Barcelona beat Utd quite easily in the CL final last year and beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the way but, despite their fabulous football last night, they didn’t win did they? Your opinion is, of course, as valid as any of the other contributors. It’s just that theirs is more informed and intelligently argued than yours.
I’ve supported Arsenal since I was seven, I wasn’t writing articles back then…
People that criticise this gentlemans article obviously don’t have a clue about football, they certainly weren’t watching the game I seen. Arsenal were battered from pillar to post. The game should have finished 2-1 to Barca if not for sorry officiating. Carles Puyol shouldn’t have been booked, let alone sent off and everyone knows this. Arsenal shouldn’t have had a penalty. I still have faith in justice been rewarded at the Nou Camp, with or without Barcas first choice defenders Pique and Puyol. It is little short of a miracle Arsenal managed not to concede literally 10 goals. They won’t be so unlucky at the fervent, atmospheric melting pot that is the Nou Camp. Certainly not without their midfield lynchpin Cesc Fabregas(The individual who dived for the penalty), William Gallas and Andrei Arshavin. On one last note, Thierry Henry was every bit as disappointing for Barca as I expected him to be.
Gavin you sound like a manc fan
It was a technical game and barca played their hearts out and ran out of juice. Im sure arsenal will play harder at the nou camp. You talk of justice, well arsenal also got bad decisions from the ref. it isbalanced in my view. the ref was 1 sided up until the pen to barca.
come on u gunners
nothing to lose