Five… Reasons Why Arsenal Will Struggle For Silverware

1. Rigid wage structure

Arsenal might run a tight financial ship, but their wage structure is costing them current and prospective players. Mathieu Flamini’s move to AC Milan was in part motivated by a superior contract offer from the Italians after Arsenal’s bid fell well short of what Flamini expected. Alexander Hleb is expected to leave the club for similar reasons, and while Arsenal don’t have a problem in attracting talented players to the club, when a player of David Villa’s calibre says he would like to join the club Arsène Wenger is forced to resist because he would crave too much money.

2. Age matters

Wenger’s policy on age has not provided any immediate rewards, and every top team benefits from an old head or three. Milan won the Champions League last year with an ageing but thoroughly experienced side while closer to home, Manchester United benefit from the input of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs and Chelsea from Claude Makélélé. Wenger rids of any player over 30 or offers them only one-year extensions – a rule that saw the departure of the hugely influential Robert Pires – and insists on purchasing only young, mouldable players especially up front – where Arsenal have suffered the most.

3. Don’t splash the cash

Arsenal’s spending may have been curbed by the new stadium, but Wenger has always had money at hand. Yet his infatuation with keeping the books balanced and maintaining his positive transfer balance sheet cost Arsenal the title this season when injuries struck in the second half of the campaign and there was no depth of quality. Wenger will oppose signing expensive players, particularly because his hands have been burnt before with the likes of Jose Antonio Reyes, but seemingly this is what the club needs. Just look at how effective Man Utd’s expensive summer signings have proved as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side head for a pair of coveted trophies.

4. If unhappy, leave

Many clubs are content in letting discontented players leave, but sometimes pride has to be sacrificed for the greater good. The departures of Pires and Flamini show stubbornness on Arsenal’s part, and rather than shuttle unhappy players to the exit station there must be a more conciliatory atmosphere in order to keep the best players. Real Madrid president Ramon Calderón recently said that target Cesc Fàbregas must ask to leave before Los Merengues can move for the talented Spaniard, clearly aware of the connotations such a request would have.

5. Brawn over brain

The stylish football Arsenal display is frequently breathtaking and must be sustained for the good of the game. However, when it isn’t proving successful, the players must learn the art of being able to change the way they play in an instant and transform their approach into the Premier League fashion of playing hard and direct. Drawn games, not defeats, are what cost the Gunners title glory, and the team’s methodical rigidity tactically can be apportioned some of the blame.