Arsenal Club Focus – Is the pressure finally getting to Wenger?
As Arsene Wenger stood in the rain watching on forlornly as his team once again entered self-destruct mode, Arsenal fans will have all been wondering why the customary end of season disappointments seemed to be happening some six months early.
What was all the more galling was that Arsenal were actually playing some good football and seemed to be controlling the game. It may not have been the classic Arsenal wizardry but there were many promising moments. But soon enough negatives began to seep out, none more so than the increasing likelihood of Emmanuel Frimpong getting sent off. The tough-tackling midfielder had enjoyed a good game but it just seemed to be a matter of time before he would see a second yellow, a fact that could be seen by many an Arsenal fan, but not it seems by the one man whose opinions on such things count. Wenger’s stubborn refusal to take Frimpong off at half-time may have contributed to his team losing the match.
Despite getting his marching orders, Frimpong played very well and was a powerful force in the Arsenal midfield. It is very clear that his game is all about hustling and harrying the opposition, but after being given his first yellow he demonstrated his inexperience by not reining that in as much as he could have. This is not Frimpong’s fault - he is a young and inexperienced player and he will learn from this red card – but Arsene Wenger should surely have seen what was happening and given that this was a match against potential title rivals, Frimpong’s substitution must have been an option.
Even staunch supporters of Arsene Wenger over the years will admit that it is becoming increasingly difficult not to criticise him. During Chelsea’s match with West Bromwich Albion, the Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas made a tactical switch around the half-hour mark after identifying that his team were being out played and failing to create enough in the final third; a change that undoubtedly helped them win the match. After watching Wenger fail to show the same tactical nous against Liverpool, it was refreshing to see a manager have a Plan B.
Wenger cut an increasingly frustrated figure toward the end of the last campaign and it seems his summer holidays have done little to lighten his mood. Any trace of good luck seems to have deserted the injury-hit Arsenal squad and based on Wenger’s demeanour on the touchline, it doesn’t look like he is quite sure what to do. Managers are always under pressure, but the pressure from the fans is at a level he has never had to deal with before and surely there must be some additional pressure from the board and players mounting. Whatever the situation is, one thing that is absolutely clear is that Wenger is currently experiencing the biggest challenge of his managerial career and it is starting to show.
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