Been There, Seen That!

Following on from yesterday's blog, I am still vexed by the criticism of Arsene Wenger by my peers. I have managed to satisfy myself that I'm right. See what you think of this logic.

Rewind to 1986. George Graham has just arrived and the culling of the experienced big names starts in earnest. The kids suddenly find themselves promoted. Adams, Rocastle, Thomas, Merson, Hayes and Quinn are given their head.

Few supporters are up in arms as the players who have made way are either too old, or have lost their hunger. The only controversy surrounds the sporadic appearances of the team’s talisman. Charlie Nicholas is struggling to win over the new boss. He is inconsistent yet brilliant at his best.

George is rebuilding and just about everybody is going to give him time to get it right. It helps that in his first season the lads are top of the table at Christmas. Not surprisingly they run out of steam in the second half of the season, but not before they beat Tottenham in the League Cup semi-final, and go on to get the better of Liverpool in the Final.

In year two there is inconsistency as yet more new young players are imported. A new back four takes shape with Steve Bould joining his former Stoke colleague, Lee Dixon, and Nigel Winterburn arriving from Wimbledon. Tony Adams replaces the departed Kenny Sansom as the captain. Charlie Nicholas makes way for the proven goalscoring talent that is Alan Smith.Another League Cup Final is reached, but lost.

I accept Arsene Wenger did not arrive at the start of the 2005-2006 season. I would argue however that effectively he faced the same issues as George Graham, and had already built two great Arsenal sides. He has earned the right to build a third.

Over the last couple of seasons the older heads have moved on. Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Vieira, Pires, Edu and Bergkamp were necessarily sacrificed. Cole has moved on of his own volition.

The kids have come through and yes, they have displayed some inconsistency. That is part of the learning curve they face. Still there was a Champions League Final appearance in 2006, and we were thirteen minutes from lifting the holy grail with ten men.

Almost a year on, and the new crop have reached a League Cup Final, losing not to Luton, but big-spending Chelsea. Do you really expect me to believe that Wenger will not go on to greater things with the likes of Clichy, Fabregas, Denilson, and Diaby?

In 1988-89 Liverpool started the season almost unchallenged as THE power in English football. It ended with Graham’s hungry kids claiming the title at Anfield. Do I really believe that Wenger can lead this new side to similar success in 2007-08? You can damn well bet I do.