Absolutely f*cking gutted...
Wenger believes his side have the character to recover from what he admitted was their worst ever Champions League display in losing 3-1 in Munich last night.
Lets begin by looking at our team...
- Campbell may not play in return leg.
- Toure's loss of confidence.
- Edu also having suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury.
- Dennis Bergkamp appeal rejected - a three-match ban.
- Jose Antonio Reyes could also be suspended for the next three games
We had 56% from the whole game, yet couldn't manage a decent attack! I wonder if Roberto Kovac has any lint left over from Rio's pocket... 2 big games, and Henry in 2 international defenders pockets.
Sorry, but in all the time I have watched Arsenal in this competition, it is clear that not one lesson has been learned.
...I would love to say I was surprised by Arsenal's performance, but this is a continual problem in Europe. Individual and collective defensive errors were once again at the fore, but it would seem churlish to continue harping on about the same old deficiencies without addressing why they are not going away.
Without a doubt two of the most important men at Highbury failed us last night. Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry have been and will continue to be vital cogs in the fantastic achievements that Highbury has been and Ashburton Grove will be privileged to see. However, I would like to deal with their flaws individually.
Thierry Henry...was unbelievably poor last night. It was not just his performance that was wrong, he was a negative impetus on the entire team. The lack of effort was manifest and the fact that Gael Clichy, Jose Antonio Reyes and Flamini kept trying was a credit to themselves rather than one of their supposed leaders.
In fact Henry's attitude was so negative that he even proactively demoralised his own teammate. I do not know if anyone else noticed the free-kick that Reyes hit just over the bar in the second half, but Henry's gesticulations about the best way to claim a free-kick cannot have done his confidence much good. Does this highlight a split in the dressing-room? Henry must not hide in the big games, he is now one of the leaders of the team and must take that mantle not just in his performance, but in his behaviour too.
I am sorry to say this but Arsene Wenger...has has a terrible season. In the last four or five years Arsenal have lost: Seaman, Dixon, WInterburn, Bould, Keown, Adams, Kanu, Wiltord and Parlour. In the summer they seem set to lose Edu. None of these players have been effectively replaced in terms of depth of influence.
When Arsenal were playing their beautiful football and could do no wrong it made no difference. There is no motivation needed for a succesful team. However, the backbone of the team has changed to such an extent that for the new players being schooled at Highbury there is no such thing as 'the Arsenal way'. That is not necessarilly a negative thing. If Campbell, Vieira, Bergkamp, Pires, Ljungberg and Henry under the guidance of Wenger created a new Arsenal way. However, I am not sure if any of them know what that way is apart from a vague affiliation to fast, attacking football.
Many will ask what I mean when I say a vague affiliation to fast, attacking football. In big games particularly in Europe and often against Manchester United, Arsenal have been found wanting. Why? Arsene Wenger admits he is perplexed and this is a major worry.
It is very simple. In an important game big players and big coaches develop very specific plans to deal with the threat of their opponents. Arsenal do not do this. I wish we were good enough not to have to, but we are not and no one ever is. The lack of specific plans demonstrate the lack of a cohesive 'Arsenal way'. You should set aside time to work on a plan B, but we have none. A European knockout game is not the place to try out a new formation that just doesn't work... just ask Sven when to use it.
You must plan for your opponents' stregnths and weaknesses as well as exploiting your own stregnths and working on your own weaknesses.
This brings us on to the final Wenger fault. He does not do the last thing either. Why do Arsenal not work on set plays - defensive or attacking. Is there something wrong with it? Clearly not, but I am waiting to see the result.
Finally, I just want to say that Arsenal are a fantastic team and Henry and Wenger are worthy of all of our respect, but no one is above criticism.
