One of the most consistent criticisms of Arsene Wenger in recent years has been of his inability to change style or tactics, either mid game or mid season.
The 4-3-3 formation has become the default setting even when certain players are struggling for form.
None of Arsenal’s wide front men could ever find consistent performances last season and even though Robin van Persie prospered in the second half of the campaign, you could argue that he would have been just as prolific in a more conventional 4-4-2.
Man Utd’s success has been built upon Sir Alex Ferguson’s flexibility and ability to constantly evolve his team’s approach depending on the personnel available and the opposition. In games against Arsenal in particular, we have seen a shift in approach to contain Wenger’s team which has worked almost without fail, particularly in the biggest matches.
In contrast, Wenger refuses to adapt for any opposition or any occasion. One of the most notable occasions when he did was for the FA Cup Final in 2005 and the more negative approach gave Arsenal their last trophy. The signing of Marouane Chamakh last season appeared to suggest that Wenger would now be more flexible in his approach as the Moroccan’s style of play could be used in combination with Van Persie.
Instead, the slick haired striker was only given a chance when our vice-captain was injured before Christmas and he spent the rest of the season alongside Niklas Bendtner as a last gasp substitute and even then both target men were instructed to play as awkward wingers.
Both Bendtner and Chamakh have proved that they can be effective when played through the middle and yet Wenger will still not adapt to the strengths of his squad.
This summer Wenger has bolstered his attack once again with the arrival of Gervinho, who has already excited the Arsenal faithful with a quick fire brace in the friendly against FC Cologne. The Ivorian’s physical presence suggests that he too could provide a foil for Van Persie in a 4-4-2, but Bendtner’s imminent departure hints at the fact that the manager will again prefer to use his attacking options in the wide positions either side of last season’s top scorer.
This policy already appears to have killed Bendtner’s Arsenal career, but Arsenal fans will all be hoping that the manager can broaden his approach as the season approaches.
Click HERE to see the original article. This article was first published on ThisIsFutbol
Written by Jimmyareabi
yes 52 grand a week can destroy career, especially after you shoot your mouth off about leaving arsenal. then you later you find out you were only worth a few quids.
move on niklas, take whatever your team is offering
JUST WATCHED THE BENFICA GAME, WENGER’S TIME IS UP. CHAMAKH IS COMPLETELY USELESS, FRIMPONG, LANSBURY AND GIBBS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I WILL NOT BOTH TALKING ABOUT SQUILACH OR ROCISKY. THIS TEAM NEEDS A NEW COACH TO COMPLETELY OVERHAUL THE SIDE. I FEEL SORRY FOR ARSENAL FANS WHO STILL HAVE HOPE IN WENGER, THERE WILL LOSE ALL THEIR HAIR, FINGERNAILS AND TEETH FROM THE GNASHING AND FRUSTRATION. I CAN’T BELEIVE ARSENAL HAVE DETERIORATED THIS LOW. IT’S PATHETIC.
Sadly true.
He MADE Bendtner and gave him a chance at the top level ffs
Well he has done OK many times for Denmark which is not a mug team. But of course he then plays in his true central position … not stuck out wide for the last 2o minutes.
Arsene didnt destroy his career, and his career isnt over at all, at the end 2009/2010 season he scored some important goals for us and he was looking good, then he got a big head and started saying he should be playing every game,then when he was the opportunities this he squandered them and made him self look like a fool, i think if had keep his head down and worked hard instead of talking he could have been the next Berkamp for.
Bendtner’s career is not over and ,yes, he is a big head. But he never had a chance being brought off the bench in the last 20 .. to play wide right etc.
Wenger has done the same to Reyes, Wiltord, Arshavin and Walcott to date. They are none of them wide players but Wenger has only one game plan and they have to fit in or fail (ie. fail).
RVP is not selected where he is best either.
If say Harry was Manager he would use players where they are able because he is shrewd and adaptable. He would create a game plan around them. Wenger is obsessively inflexible.
This is spot on.
Even a blind man can see that AW has built the team into a one-sided team, so much so that teams who we once brushed aside are now relishing playing against AFC.
This is the most disturbing thing for me about AFC, and it really does not matter who comes into the team and who leaves, if AFC does not become multi-faceted we might as well give up and go home.
I sometimes even think that there is no preparation before a match, i have never seen AW studying his opponents, like you see the other managers do, and our team is thrown into the fray without any preparation.
I have become more and more frustrated over the last 3 seasons at the way AFC has deteriorated from a team that is feared, to a team that everyone is looking forward to beating easily.
This is really sad.
Agreed.
I think it is totally unfair to say he made Bendtner. What he did was he gave him a chance. I think Wenger has a problem when his players start pushing for first team places. Unlike Manu’s coach he is unable to make them wait their turn. That is what happens when they are all the same age. He needs older players who have done this before while the others follow in their steps. I am afraid this is shaping up to be a bare cupboard season again except something happens, like Manu’s stadium falling to pieces and crushing everyone in it. The squad is not good enough to be in several competitions. Maybe if the dropped out of Europa, FA AND CALLING CUP early enough they might have the energy for the league otherwise they are joking again. Lets say it as it is.
For sure, Bendtner was treated badly. So was Denilson and it’s disgusting how Eboue too was forced to play out of position like these other players. We see it now with Walcott on the wing, we see it with Arshavin and we’ve seen it with Rosicky. It was disgusting too how the Captaincy rightly went to Gilberto, and was then stripped from him because it was realised Flamini was in the last year of his contrac (a Nasri situation). So to accommodate Flamini, the armband was given to Gallas because Flamini had to play in Gilberto’s position – and a team Captain isn’t a bench warmer. with our accomplished right back Eboue was on the Right-Wing WITH WALCOTT ON THE BENCH??? Toure conceded a frickin penalty to in that CL QF 2nd leg match at The Kop. I swear down, I’ve bit my lip hard enough to cause bleed when thinking about Wenger’s idea of management. For sure, his good managerial decisions have far out-weighed the bad, but too many fans forget he does make bad decisions … those regarding Bendtner were poor.
I totally agree with this shrewd insight.
Para, can’t agree with you on this occasion.
1.With all Wenger’s experience and successes over the years, the tactics and game plan(s) he uses are clearly deliberate and not as a result of stubborness or ommision. It’s his way and by and large it works.
2.Bearing in mind the meticulous way in which ALL matters affecting Arsenal Football Club are carried out, I should imagine that each match rival is dissected in the most minute detail.
3.We only lost 8 EPL games last season, some of which were due to the most appalling refereeing, whilst others could be attributed to bizarre one-off errors. Apart from poor defending of set-pieces, I do not think ANY opponent relishes coping with Arsenal’s fast-passing attack. When on song, it must be a frightening experience.
So 8 matches lost … bizarre one off errors … and poor defending at set pieces !! That’s OK then.
Meanwhile all the other teams know how to play against us, especially at The Emirates. This includes our ‘ fast passing attack ‘ which usually disappears up its own backside … with pass pass pass (and another three passes) and don’t shoot … while most of the crowd is doing its pieces.
People need to realise all of wengers formations are to accommodate our best players. Our old 4-4-2 with Henry leading the line was so that we could devastatingly counter attack and Henry could be fed by Bergkamp, Kanu, Wiltord etc whoever played next to him. Our current system is to accommodate Fabregas, wenger realised fabregas does not have the pace/power/engine to play in a 2 man central role yet he has terrific vision and playmaking skills so he gives him a free role, are we supposed to destroy our best player in order to accommodate bendtner, chamakh, rosicky etc people need to wise up and realise at the end of the day great players should be able to play anywhere, old ajax and dutch national team philosophy, bergkamp had played literally everywhere (whether it be briefly) before he came to us. AFC til the end.
What do you mean by all of Wenger’s formations ? He only has one. And he changed from 4 4 2 only because the 4 5 1 from opposing teams – which he used to ridicule – was too effective against us.
The evidence is most mature Arsenal players in recent years have NOT been accommodated by Wenger. They have had to adapt to Wenger’s one dimension game plan or fail (ie. fail).
Reyes, Wiltord, Bendtner, Eboue, Denilson, Walcott (?)
How many articles have u written about the careers he helped build? Or there aren’t any?
Yes there are several. We had to nurse them along while they were not good enough. He developed them into top players and then they left … others will follow. Wenger’s loyalty to his youngsters is admirable but sad.
Meanwhile some of the more expensive players he has bought have gone backwards under Wenger … who has made them play out of position to suit his obsessive, intellectual, one dimensional game plan.
the idiot so call wenger is trying to destroy the club.from wat i see today in our match against benfica we re short of players nd wen evr u said dat to wenger he wil denied it bt if he continue lyk dis it wil be
d end of his tym at arsenal.