Wenger’s grit claims can’t mask the harsh truth
Typically Wenger prefers to concentrate on the fact his side dug deep enough to glean something from a game they looked to have thrown away, rather than on the continuing weaknesses of Manuel Almunia, Sebastien Squllaci and Laurent Koscielny. Bravery can get you so far, brittle goalkeeping and equally suspect central defending in front of goal cannot get you over the line.
For a man so steeped in the tradition of Arsenal, he cannot surely forget what David Seaman, Tony Adams, Steve Bould et al did for the club when Arsenal were a dominant force in the Premier League. His reluctance to find similar types in January, when the alarm bells were ringing, will be more damaging to his ultimate aim of winning his first title since 2004 than any mental scars received in the Nou Camp against Barcelona.
Wenger, though, still believes the harrowing experience against Barcelona can be a positive driving force over the title run-in.
“You cannot go out of the Champions League like we did and have no doubt. It’s a massive blow. We had four targets and suddenly we have only one,” he said. “So the pressure increases on that one. This team wants to do well and I’m so desperate to help them get what they deserve because their attitude from the first day of the season has been absolutely spot on. That’s why I think they deserve to be rewarded and I’m confident they will.”
If he wants to help them so much he has to do something this summer to repair the holes which have been punctured in his back four too easily all season. Albion exposed the frailties with Steven Reid’s simple header from Chris Brunt’s corner for his first goal in five years and Manuel Almunia’s inexplicable walkabout which gifted Peter Odemwingie Albion’s second.
Wenger’s refusal to spend money and his slavish devotion to his own footballing philosophy and developing his own youthful talent, at the expense of a more pragmatic winning mentality, has been the subject of mass debate with Arsenal devotees. No one wants to do the dirty things. At least they have an international break to regroup and for Wenger to get Jens Lehmann up to speed because at 41 and without any training in 10 months, the German has to be a better bet than Almunia.
They cannot keep putting themselves in a position where the likes of Andrey Arshavin are forced to pull out all the stops to save the team. The Russian stood up when his team needed him most with a brilliant goal and he helped set up Robin Van Persie’s equaliser to save Wenger’s blushes and prevent Albion from recording their first double over Arsenal for 50-years.
It was a bittersweet for Reid and his team-mates who embarrassed their vaunted opponents for long periods and overcame the set-backs of Paul Scharner suffering concussion and James Morrison a four-inch gash in his head which needed five stitches.
“At first we were a little bit disappointed but the gaffer brought us around and told us it is a valuable point, which it is,” said Reid.
“Before the game we would probably have taken it and not many neutrals would have given us a chance before the game so we’ve got to be pleased with a point.”
That should be the case for Albion as every point they can muster over the run in can make the difference between Premier League and Championship next season.
For Arsenal there is no more room for error.
They are five points behind United and their precious game in hand is against north London rivals Spurs, who would love nothing better than to leave the Arsenal trophy cabinet empty for a sixth successive season.
But Wenger is determined. The fixture from Arsenal’s remaining nine that looks a title showdown is the clash with United at the Emirates on May 1 and asked about the possibility of beating Alex Ferguson’s side, Wenger said with a smile: “We will.”
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