Posts Tagged ‘Silverware’
Arsenal’s patient approach should reap rewards - hopefully
There has been a lot of soul searching among Arsenal fans recently as they come to terms with yet another season without a trophy.
The defeat to Barcelona was greeted with disappointment naturally, but also with that mutual respect football fans give to an opponent when you have been fairly beaten. Arsenal fans held their hands up, Messi was just too good. Indeed, Messi is so good his was almost singlehandedly responsible for Argentinean’s World Cup betting odds tumbling after that club victory.
But the defeats that really hurt Arsenal were against Spurs and Wigan, setbacks which killed off any lingering hopes of the title. This has lead to the inevitable enquiry and apportioning of blame.
Many point to the board, others look at key injuries or underperforming players, while more and more look to Arsene Wenger, whose frugal transfer policy and reliance on youth has failed once again.
But I would like to believe Arsenal, despite their trophy drought, are on the right track. They may not have signed too many players for big money in recent years but they have made one massive investment - the stadium. This is an outlay none of their title rivals have had to make, but it was essential if the Gunners were to compete in the long term.
However, a new stadium doesn’t guarantee success. The past two decades are littered with examples of clubs who moved to shiny new stadiums, thought (and bought) ahead of themselves, only to end up at the wrong end of the league, drowning in debt, playing in a half full white elephant.
By building the Stadium Arsenal had to take on debt, and the club are actively looking to pay that off season after season.
This has restricted Wenger in the transfer market yet, despite the lack of silverware, he has still kept Arsenal in the top four and consistently taken them into the latter stages of the Champions League.
It is widely agreed that a revolution isn’t needed at the Emirates, in fact one only or two experienced additions, to add strength and guile to their youthful skill and panache, could be the difference between perennial nearly men and genuine Premier League title challengers.
By keeping the Gunners ticking over while the board have paid off debt Wenger has been cementing solid foundations from which to build on. Foundations which are certainly more solid than the leveraged debts of United and Liverpool, or the reliance on sugar daddies at Chelsea and City, both of whom could face oblivion at the whim of one very rich man.
Once the stadium debt is down to a manageable level it is hoped Wenger will be able to spend a figure more befitting of a club that has annual turnover akin to that of Real Madrid and Manchester United.
In this era of instant success and kneejerk sackings I really hope this patient approach, so at odds with what is happening in the rest of Premier League, meets with the success it deserves.
Tags: Arsenal Fans, Champions League, Drought, Drowning In Debt, Experienc, Football Fans, Guarantee Success, Gunners, Latter Stages, Massive Investment, Mutual Respect, New Stadiums, Outlay, Patient Approach, Setbacks, Silverware, Spurs, Wenger, White Elephant, World Cup Betting Odds
O’Neill’s chance to emerge from the shadows
Martin O’Neill has an affinity with the League Cup. He won the competition twice with Leicester in 1997 and 2000 as well finishing runners up in 1999.
Back then the victories were the pinnacle of his achievements at the Foxes, who have been unable to reach such heights since. Fast forward to today and a win for Villa at Wembley could be the launch pad for future success.
The Villains have improved steadily under O’Neill since he took over a club that were dark horses for relegation in 2006. The previous season the club had laboured under David O’Leary. With an aging squad and fans’ morale at an all time low, changes were needed at all levels.
But with able support from new owner Randy Lerner, who took over from Doug Ellis, O’Neill refreshed the squad with young dynamic players like James Milner and Ashley Young as well as solid pros like James Collins and Richard Dunne. The club has finished in the top six in the past two seasons and are well in the hunt for a top four spot.
But the one thing to elude O’Neill is a trophy, and until he achieves that he knows his achievements in turning the club around will not be recognised when we glance back at the history books in a few years time. It is often said that a trophy can open the floodgates and clear the way for more to follow. With the support of Lerner, who has consistently backed his manager with cash, O’Neill will hope victory could signal the start of a new era at the club rather than be the peak of his Villa reign.
Standing in their way is a familiar foe in Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Fergie’s trophy laden legacy at United would not be unduly affected by a defeat on Sunday, but with their current financial troubles prompting newspaper stories predicting their imminent demise, adding another piece of silverware to the bulging cabinet would serve as a reminder that the club is alive and kicking.
A lot will depend on the type of side Ferguson decides to pick. With his side in the midst of a Premier League title battle and a Champions League knock out tie with Milan, he may decide to pick his kids. However, even if Fergie does pick his first-teamers I fancy Villa to triumph anyway. The club have been starved of success for a long time - their last trophy was the league cup in 1996 - and the fans will be desperate for the players to make up for their disappointing performance in the 2000 FA Cup Final, where they limped to a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.
I feel that extra motivation will be enough to ensure it will be a Claret and Blue day at Wembley on Sunday. Although the Carling Cup betting odds make United favourites for the tournament, Villa have already taken four points off them in the league, so an upset can’t be ruled out.
Tags: Alex Ferguson, Dark Horses, David O Leary, Doug Ellis, Fergie, Financial Troubles, Foxes, History Books, Imminent Demise, James Milner, Launch Pad, Manchester United, Martin O Neill, Mids, Randy Lerner, Relegation, Richard Dunne, Silverware, Sir Alex Ferguson, Villains