Wenger has been The Angry One
The professor is adopting a less academic tone with his confrontational remarks while on the Asian tour. He railed against Xavi for being disrespectful, went after City for its controversial Etihad naming rights sponsorship, and now, turned his wrath on Roberto Mancini for being out of order for pursing Samir Nasri.
Really, all this summer so far has been is the Fabregas, Nasri, and financial fair play soap opera. It’s so easy to push Wenger’s button on these issues. Meanwhile Sebastian Squillaci continued his horrendous display by coughing up a goal to Hangzhou Greentown. Shouldn’t that have set off alarm bells? Where is the defensive cover that Arsenal need to avoid another dismal season? It’s almost as if these remarks are meant to distract Wenger from taking real steps to address what is obvious to everyone.
Being the lone voice of conscience is admirable but in the end a mouth drying one. What City, Xavi, and the Catalan mayor, are doing is nothing new. If you fancy yourself as an activist then step down, join a watchdog organization, devote your energy and ideas to cleaning up the sport. As a manager there is far less room for this thin skinned ideology. Playing the victim does not further the notion of a big club. It accomplishes just the opposite leaving you vulnerable to future attacks.
Ivan Gazidis unambiguously stated today Wenger has the transfer cash to make big purchases. A suggestion – use it to give Thomas Vermaelen a decent partner. There is nothing to distinguish a goal conceded from open play or a set piece. They all need to be stopped and it really is an abdication of one’s managerial responsibilities if the proper personnel to do that is missing. As an Arsenal supporter one more season of defensive ineptitude would be unforgivable.