Arsenal FC: Just How Can Arsene Wenger Win a Trophy?

Mehdi MustunJun 17, 2011

Every year for five years we have been saying this is it for Arsenal. This is the season. Six years after nothing, and we continue to say next year will be the one.

What exactly has happened to Arsenal? And will next year truly be the year that we can be winners of a trophy.

Since the break up of "The Invincibles," Arsenal have struggled to compete with the big teams. Each year seems to feel worse, even though last year we had a very high chance of winning a trophy. However it's that question; what exactly goes wrong for Arsenal?

Is it the little mistakes players make during games which give away points? Is it the late goals we give away to small teams? Is it the fact we're not lucky enough? Or is it even the consequences of the wrong decisions made by referees? Do we even need to go and question the manager?

To be honest, we will never know because at the end of the season, we're not the winners and we can't go back in time change the little things which went wrong. What we can do is focus on the things which need to change.

For a start, if we want to be the ruthless champions we want to be, we have to organize a team which balances out, meaning some players are happy on the bench, the balance of attack and defence, the balance of which players have more power on the pitch.

Last season, the teams energy was focused on Fabregas. He was the hope of the team. With Fabregas came the blossoming of Van Persie's force. The two linked together several times to produce many moments of excellence. Without Fabregas, the players were not so good. Fabregas helped stabilise the team.

If we want to start challenging right at the top, we have to centralize the team to more than one player or two players. We need at least four players who are confident at really organizing and taking charge in the team. At the moment the only players I can think of are Vermaelen, Fabregas (at times), and Van Persie.

There are no other players in the team who have the confidence to shout at another team mate and in return have that team mate listen to him. Sometimes it appears as if we are too naive.

Another step in becoming champions is bringing in players! Players such as Samba and Scott Parker. Players who are tough and experienced to start putting some discipline into the team. Players also have to start leaving. These would include Denilson, Bendtner, Rosicky, Squillaci and Almunia.

Furthermore we need to keep Fabregas and Nasri. Arsene Wenger said recently Fabregas is an Arsenal player and will be for a long time. Remember he is on contract. The constant media buzz of Barcelona players will not affect this contract.

Although Fabregas may want to leave, ArseneWenger knows what is best for him. Should Fabregas leave, Madrid beat Barcelona to La Liga, and Arsenal Win the Premiership and Champions league, I am sure Fabregas would feel like jumping from a cliff.

Arsene Wenger knows that winning trophies is right around the corner for Arsenal and that Fabregas is very much part of the plan. Should he leave, the team would be destroyed. Wenger is not stupid.

One other key Midfield player is Samir Nasri. Nasri had a great spell at Arsenal this season, in which we saw a true champion coming out of him. The spell however started fading out towards the end of the season. Should the two stay, Arsenal's chances of winning a trophy would be boosted by half.

I believe another way Arsene Wenger could improve the chances of trophies is by changing the formation we play out football. Arsenal are no Barcelona. We have different players. We don't have one player who can take on a whole team. We 'have players who can run the whole 90 minutes. We need to adapt a formation which suits the players we have.

At the moment I feel the best formation is 4-4-2. Having Van Persie play alongside someone would help him a lot, as well as not having players out wide who are not in their preferred positions. For example playing Nasri on the wing.

If Fabregas or Nasri were to leave it would leave the option for one of them to play with Wilshere who has been unstoppable this season. He will be very much a key to success next season.

The Problem in defence can easily be sorted out by signing Christopher Samba and Leighton Baines should Clichy leave. Personally I feel Clichy had recently produced far too many mistakes and it is finally his time to move on.

Formation Arsenal should play:

                   Szczesny

Sagna      Samba   Vermaelen Baines

             Nasri (Wilshere)
                              Fabregas
Walcott
                                         Miyaichi
                Van Persie
                                ...........?

For that striking role, there is of course Chamakh who had a bright early spell last season, however he quickly gained fatigue and was constantly beaten in the order by Van Persie. This is why I feel we need to adopt the 4-4-2 formation as it fits the squad better.

Barcelona had Villa and Bojan who were the only strikers on the team. Arsenal had Van Persie, Bendtner , Chamakh, and the true position of Walcott as well. The Barcelona front line can play anywhere up front unlike the Arsenal players. We have to focus on a formation in which the squad can maximize their skills.

In addition to all of this, a vital thing Arsene Wenger has to introduce to the team is squad rotation. By rotating the squad continuously it reduces fatigue in the team and their is less chance of players getting injured by over playing. This way players will also stop complaining about not starting games.

We have seen many times come late season and players are injured. Arsene Wenger has to realize now, this is a crisis situation. Seven years of no trophies would clear Arsenal of being a great team in the current time. Something has to be done. And quick.

There has even been late rumour of Gary Cahill as well as Samba on the cards for Arsene Wenger. Should this happen, Arsenal's problems at the back would no longer exist and We truly would become champions again. The other rumour is that we are in the hunt for Lille's Gervinho, who would aid the attack.