Many adjectives – both positive and negative – have been thrown at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger over the years, but careless is rarely among them. However, with the Gunners’ assault on four trophies in danger of total collapse, the Frenchman has questions to answer.
For six months, Arsenal seemed on track to end their trophy drought and prove that passing and flair could triumph over power and squad depth. But just like the disappointing 2007/08 campaign, February and March put a series of dents into those hopes, creating a strong sense of déjà vu as Wenger’s side were dumped out of three competitions in quick succession. The Premier League, where they still trail Manchester United, is now their only hope of salvation.
And, amid the recent struggles, the same old issues have resurfaced, ranging from transfer policy to playing style and mental strength. These points have been repeated time and again in assessments of Arsenal’s trophy credentials, but little has been done to remedy these failings. It is generally accepted that making a mistake once is excusable, however to repeat the same mistake on multiple occasions is just careless.
No issue is more glaring than Arsenal’s continued reluctance to invest in a world-class goalkeeper. Despite a string of costly goalkeeping errors over the past five seasons, Wenger has failed to make finding a long-term solution a high priority. In the meantime, Manchester United have enjoyed six solid years from Edwin van der Sar, Chelsea turned to Petr Cech back in 2004 and Liverpool placed their trust in Pepe Reina in 2005. Arsenal, however, have lurched from one disaster to the next with first Jens Lehmann then Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski between the sticks.
It is no secret that Wenger has money to spend, making it all the more frustrating that the Frenchman has not shelled out for a top quality stopper who might save the Gunners 10-15 points per season. And, in a tight title race, that makes a monumental difference.
Instead, Wenger has relied upon keepers who have blundered numerous times in recent seasons. Almunia’s latest howler – racing off his line at West Brom and handing Peter Odemwingie a simple finish – cost the Gunners two points. Earlier in the season, the Spaniard was equally culpable against the same opposition with an error from a Gonzalo Jara strike.
But for a purple patch back in 2009, when he was touted as a potential England number one pending an application for a British passport, Almunia has been an unpredictable presence for Arsenal fans. Going back further, Lehmann mixed moments of brilliance with tantrums and sloppy errors. The difference back then though was that the quality of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp largely papered over the cracks.
On the positive side, a ray of light has appeared in the form of 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny, who displaced Almunia and produced performances that belied his young age before picking up an injury. But while Szczesny may be a long-term solution, Wenger needs a more experienced keeper for his assault on the Premier League and Champions League over the next few years. Options may include Dutch number one Maarten Stekelenburg and veteran Italian stopper Gianluigi Buffon.
The title race is likely to go right down to the wire, but do not be surprised if Arsenal ultimately pay the price for failing to invest in a top class goalkeeper. Wenger has rightly earned bucketloads of praise for his success in North London as well as the attractive playing style he has cultivated, however he has also opened himself up to criticism with his somewhat stubborn approach to the transfer market. After all, with no obvious depth in the centre of his defence or midfield, goalkeeping is not the only area in which the Gunners need reinforcements.
Wenger is desperate to lead Arsenal back to the top – both domestically and in Europe – and he must appreciate that all great teams lean on their goalkeeper when times are tough. The Gunners cannot do that and until the Frenchman dusts off his chequebook and lands a match-winning stopper, silverware will continue to slip through his fingers.
