Arsenal, Champions League
Great - just not in the trophy-winning sense
Arsenal are not quite there yet; and, so reluctant to spend big and to compromise with their style, perhaps they never will be. These fatal flaws are part of what makes them such a delight - and they are great, just not in the trophy-winning sense. But on nights like this, complaints seem rather callous.
Twice in little over a week, Arsenal have scintillated with their trickery, their passing, their finishing and their youth. Had the performances been consecutive, it would seem there was nothing this side could not achieve. But the fact 6-0 and 4-0 wins were sandwiched by a humiliating home defeat to Hull City rather serves to rein in the hyperbole.
What is clear is Arsenal’s attacking players possess a dynamism, fluidity and supreme ease in controlling the ball is that even Chelsea and Manchester United at their best find hard to match. When Arsenal are playing well watching them can create a rare sensation. The individual brilliance of players is transcended by the greater collective whole, for their ball retention, intricate passing and sheer audacity is the product of not so much players as the greater footballing ethos of the club.
Sheffield United are a combative and resilient Championship outfit, yet they were blown away by the wondrous skills of a second-choice side whose average age was just 19. FC Porto are a proud club and the champions of Portugal but they were simply outclassed, flattered to lose by only four goals. Both these performances were superb, but more amazing was the lack of surprise that greeted them: Arsenal have wowed with such regularity under Arsene Wenger that they have a feeling of certain regularity. The depth of young talent, as Carlos Vela and Jack Wiltshire are the latest to illustrate, is phenomenal.
When Arsenal get momentum, they are often unstoppable, overawing opponents with pace, power and the sheer technical prowess. The problem, alas, is when things are not so easy: when an early goal is not forthcoming, passes are misplaced and frustration grows.
There may be a temptation to label Arsenal flat-track bullies - brilliant performers sometimes outperform all against grade B opponents but are consistently outdone by the very best, as the retirement of Graeme Hick is a reminder of. It is expedient to, but doesn’t hold up: Arsenal have held their own against the best, and their outstanding performance in the San Siro felt like a defining moment in the side’s development, the moment when potential gave way to regular performance.
Except it hasn’t quite worked out like that. Still fundamental problems remain: a lack of experience; a lack of depth; a lack of variety in their play; and perhaps getting overly frustrated when they are not bossing the boss. When all is well no one cares. There is no type of style Arsenal lack the ability to master, as the away wins against Blackburn and Bolton illustrated. But they are riddled by a chronic inconsistency and suspicions of certain flakiness. Great sides don’t lose to teams like Fulham and Hull twice in a season, let alone five weeks.
They are not quite there yet; and, reluctant to spend big and to compromise with their style, perhaps they never will be. These fatal flaws are part of what makes them such a delight - and they are great, just not in the trophy-winning sense. But on nights like this, complaints seem rather callous.
Tags: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Carlos Vela, Champions League, FC Porto, Hull City, Sheffield United
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I like the article. You certainly appreciate how delightful AND frustrating Arsenal can be at this stage in the current team’s maturity. I don’t agree that it has anything to do with being reluctant to spend big. I just think the team are young and therefore a bit naive. However, the way Arsene is constructing the organization as a whole, Arsenal is fixing to become a dominant footballing superpower in the next 3-7 years. If Arsene can keep the core of the team intact over time and continue to build the reserve and youth feeder system as he has done, then watch out.
Yes Arsenal FC are brilliant and frustrating at the same time, and I agree it’s because they are young.
The plan currently is a long term view, whereas the fans typically see in short term. They want a trophy, and they want it last year.
I currently don’t mind the long term plan, as it’s not based on bad debt that other current English clubs are basing themselves on.
I think your criticism is wide of the mark and not very clever. Like most so-called ‘experts’ og pundits you have failed to grasp the simple but very important fact that this Arsenal team is build for the future, but that it has evolved so quickly that it is a future that will soon be here.
Lack of experience is the only valid complaint, but the funny thing about experience is that it will come automatically before long. What will never come automatically to any team is what this Arsenal team has in abundance: quality and style in every position and all the way down through the youth ranks - and a visionary manager of the highest rank.
Defeats against Fulham and Hull are part of the learning curve, but soon there will not be any more of those defeats. I can assure you that this Arsenal team is a great team, not only in terms of style, but most certainly in potential for winning trophies, too. Instead of moaning about momentary lapses of concentration, you should rather be awestruck by the fact that this team is still not playing to its full potential. Just imagine how frightening this Arsenal team will be, once the last bits of immaturity are gone!
As you yourself admit: Even Chelsea and Man. Utd. cannot quite lay claim to such attacking perfections as this Arsenal. When the final pieces of the jigsaw are firmly in place, there will be no stopping this powerful Arsenal team.
it’s too early to draw any conclusion. Suffice to say when the gunners play the other big three then can realistic assessment be made.One swallow does not a summer make.
On the other hand the display shows the gunners are not underestimating any team.It better be that way because no epl team least of all is a cake walk.
Next stop sunderland. Under Keane he will tell them toclose down the gunners . That;s the only to play the gunners.
spot on. a precise response tot he predictable overreaction by gooners to the mauling of a terrible porto team. arsenal are a very good team but not a great side. until wenger is able to resolve those weaknesses they will remain sporadically thrilling and brilliant but liable to implode in the key matches. remember though that this criticism is in comparison to the very best teams in Europe, arsenal are capable of beating nayone when everything gells but when it doesnt they cannot fall back on their grit and physical endurance as they dont seem to have a great deal of it i the big matches. the problems they have remain spinal: they have a good goalkeeper but not a great one; gallas and toure are good centrebacks and potentially greatones, but not with each other; fabregas needs soemone strogn alognside him in midfield ([perhaps Song is the man); adebayor and rvp are not auited to Arsenal’s style of play, neither of them are team players and netiher of them have the techncial ability required to thrive at arsenal. as a combination Bendtner and Vela already look more natural than rvp and ade do, though Wenger views the former as too young at present.