ARSENAL FANS GETTING USED TO LIFE UNDER WENGER
Two rash decisions became the defining moments on Sunday at the Emirates and once again exposed why Arsenal have only qualified for the champions League in eleven seasons, failing to win the title in any of them; strategy, tactics, flexibility.
I have listened to players who played under Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho several times and one thing they always talk about? ‘The plans’
These serial winning managers always had a ‘next’ plan before each game. For example, ‘This would be a hard game and we need grit in the middle to show them we are here. But if Roy gets a red card however, we would bring on Jamie and Mike would move to the left’
‘If they score us a goal, I would put on James as a second striker because that team is not used to being put under pressure as opposing teams always play them scared’
‘If we score a goal, he (the opposition coach) would bring on Damien as he always does when he switches to direct football’
‘They (the opposing team) always wet the middle of the pitch so we have to play to the sides and penetrate from there’
They were forward thinking, preparing for the inevitable and planning for the worst conditions. They had plans A,B,C,D so they only put the plans into action when those situations showed happened during the game. Maybe that is why they are serial winners and maybe why their beliefs are toxic and can induce a winning mentality in even the fainthearted.
As I looked to the Arsenal players on the pitch, it was obvious that they didn’t know how to react to Giroud’s change and they obviously didn’t know what to do. Can you truly win championships over 38 weeks without planning for the setbacks, battles, ugly, bad and crazy games?
There was silence for most parts on Sunday, except for the occasional boos whenever Cesc touched the ball, perhaps Arsenal fans are getting used to life under Wenger…
Apart from Mertesacker committing the first cardinal sin at the Emirates on Sunday, the other cardinal sin was for Giroud to be taken off and the next cardinal sin was to wait before introducing energy players (Ox and Sanchez) Okay maybe Sanchez is not fully fit, but he would always raise the decibel levels in any theatre on any given day. By the time both players went on, Chelsea were already toying with Arsenal as the boys in red looked lost without a single clue of what how they were going to even play forward, talk less of making any impact. Don’t be fooled, Arsenal are still in it, but they’ve just allowed Tottenham back into the title race and I can’t wait for the North London derby.
LEICESTER TAKE ON MANCHESTER AND LONDON FOR GOLD ON PRIZE GIVING DAY
If history is to be revisited this season, Manuel Pellegrini’s name would be on the EPL title in May. Ask me why? Not only have only four other managers won the EPL title in the last 11 years apart from him: Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelloti and Roberto Mancini, in the last twenty years, the EPL has ended up in either London or Manchester.
I don’t bet, but if I was a betting man, I truly wouldn’t know where to put my money at the moment.
The biggest losers this season would be Manchester United I guess, as this was a season where neither Manchester City FC nor Arsenal could muster a sustained run of form and a season where Chelsea capitulated under Jose Mourinho, but also where LVG couldn’t just take Rooney and Co to the level needed to win the title (Just yet)
The question is, would there be a new manager’s name on the EPL this year or would it be a case of the same old story? Is Mr Rainieri able to achieve with Leicester what he couldn’t do at Chelsea?
Leicester have been consistent in proving the critics wrong and have won over the doubters, my only concern is whether they would have the heart and the legs to go all the way during Sir Alex’s ‘squeaky bum time’
However they have shown resilience played as a team, been industrious and they have no super sized egos to worry about in their dressing room.
The board have a dream, the manager fuels the dream and the fans just believe, but would it be enough in May?
POCHETTINO MARCHING THE ARMY ON!
I wrote a piece some months ago by Tottenham and the direction the club took after Gareth Bale. Buy young players, develop them alongside the talent we have in the academy and ship out those who do not embrace the visions.
It has taken them a while but Tottenham are just a touching distance away from the EPL, with City floundering and Arsenal wobbling, Tottenham have the talent and the manager to win the EPL.
They have a classy style of play, a modern approach to training and a fantastic youth academy which they’ve ploughed money into.
Its game on for the EPL and I wish I had a crystal ball to view prize giving day, but I guess this is why the EPL is still the best in the world.