Fire Arsene Wenger? Arsenal Should Take A Leaf From Fergie’s Book

If Arsenal are to go more than four seasons without not only a league title, but any trophy at all, then what does this say about Wenger, and the unpressurised environment at the club?

It is without doubt that even Sir Alex Ferguson, the most successful manager ever in English football, would be given his marching orders long before he was given the opportunity to go four years with an empty trophy cabinet. It is interesting to look at Fergie’s track record at United when comparing the two managers. We all know the great man has won a sackful of trophies, but it is his consistency with winning as much as the number of times he’s won that should be noted.

Since Fergie’s first trophy in 1990, when he won the FA Cup ‘to save his job’, he hasn’t gone longer than one season without winning something with United. In the 17 years since that FA Cup success, United have seen just four years without a trophy.

1995 (won the double the season before, the double the season after), 1998 (won the league the season before, the Treble the season after), 2002 (won the league the year before, the league the year after), then the worst period, 2005 (won the FA Cup the year before, the League Cup the year after).

Now, before the ABUs start, Ferguson has of course spent more money than Wenger has done. Ferguson’s teams have always cost more than Wenger’s has. But how far can we take that argument? Chelsea’s team cost far more than United’s did last season, but that didn’t stop Fergie cruising to the title (and lest you forget both Nemanja Vidic and Gary Neville played in less league games than John Terry did last season, before the injury card gets pulled).

Whilst United have made available more funds for transfers, it cannot be ignored that the lack of spending at Arsenal is Wenger’s choice. He’s had the money but for whatever reason, has decided against expensive dips in to the transfer market, rather investing his time and effort in youth. This is a United tradition, dating back to Sir Matt Busby, which was again realised with our Double winning side in 1996. However, Ferguson has the nowse to combine the players from our youth system with big money signings.

This season, 25 players have represented United (not including the League Cup match where several of our youngsters got a run out), nine of them have come from our youth team, seven of them cost £7 million or less, and nine of them were big-money players. Fergie has the perfect balance of youth products, bargains and expensive signings.

Wenger would not pay over the odds for a player, it seemingly goes against his principles. When United were searching for a Roy Keane replacement, they had no choice but to pay the overinflated £18.6 million price tag for Michael Carrick. Whenever United are interested in a player, the transfer fee rises, and when you buy English players, you can always expect another few million quid slapped on to the transfer fee. However, I honestly believe that without Carrick last season, we would have not won the league. He gave us that little bit extra we would have been lacking in John O’Shea or Darren Fletcher, playing an important part in our well moulded team.

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