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

That said, this pairing from our youth team had a part to play in our title winning season, with O’Shea playing in 33 of the 38 league games last season, and Fletcher 24 games. They are important squad members, despite the criticism they sometimes endure, and players of their ability, featuring in as many games as they do (49 in total for JoS last season, 40 for Fletcher) would cost us a pretty penny. Their inclusion in our team is of course a credit to Ferguson.

Arsenal fans will not want to see the back of Arsene Wenger, even if he fails to win anything for a fourth year, and I am not being overly critical of this. However, Wenger’s reassurance over his future at Arsenal, being offered a “job for life” at the club not so long ago, could be having a costly effect on our title rivals. Whilst all managers strive for success, it is the pressures of the job that urge managers beyond imaginable realms to go out and achieve it. There is no doubt Fergie felt the pressure before that FA Cup win in 1990, and has likely felt it every year since. Wenger is given all the time in the World to develop his young players in to title contenders, with their mentality echoing something of the “next season” talk we hear from the dippers in Merseyside.

It is important to remember though that whilst Wenger is crafting a young side by choosing not to spend the wealth his club makes available to him, Sir Alex Ferguson is doing exactly the same. Close to half of the 25 players representing United this season are 24-years-old and younger, with equally bright, if not brighter, futures. Not including the keepers, who are both 30+ (with United having Ben Foster for the future regardless), there is less than a year in the average ages of the players who drew 2-2 at the Emirates earlier this season.

I can’t complain though. As for Wenger’s refusal to spend big, long may it continue. There is no trophy dished out in May for competing for the title with the cheapest squad, rather, the trophy awarded to the team who proves they’re the best over 38 games. With 29 games played, United are placed first in the league, and it would take a brave man to bet against that being the case come the end of the season.

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