Tag Archives: Arsène Wenger

Shopaholic!!!

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I’ve never been as addicted to twitter as on 31 Aug 11. I enjoy the social networking portal but have always used it sparingly and never from the confines of my BlackBerry smart phone. But such was my desperation or excitement (choose as you deem fit) that me and my phone became one on this crucial day.

I did not have access to internet on my laptop, so was switching between several live blogs on my phone to the annoyance of my parents, but nothing on this day could make me leave the confines of the digital web. To anyone who has still not grasped the hallowed event (or is surprised finding me writing about shopping), I’m talking about the “Transfer Deadline Day” of European football.

At the cost of repetition, this is the last day clubs may offload or (more importantly) contract new players in their teams. And this year it was almost the season decider for Arsenal – or so the media made it out to be. Not surprising, considering the club had on the previous weekend been subjected to a humiliating 8-2 defeat by their title rivals Manchester United. The score line alone shouts disaster, that it has never occurred in the 115 years preceding last sunday made it one of humongous proportions.

So there I sat in a little town in northern India reading with bated breath the transfer rumours as if am reading my probable b’day gift list. Korean captain Chu Young Park had already moved in the previous day, and all was set for the Brazilian Andre Santos and German Per Mertasacker to join him any moment. But the latter two were still to be confirmed “officially” and there was the desperate issue of quality midfielders.

While my prayers were directed towards an unlikely move of Edin Hazard, there were rumours about M’Ville, Mikel Arteta, Gary Cahill and Yossi Benyaoun. My heartbeats danced with every rise and dip in hopes as shouted by @SkySportsMobile tweets and several others.

I cursed when it became clear we are not chasing the French club’s players and that turned to bitterness as Arteta’s bid seemed to die down too. Finally though sanity prevailed and we notched both Arteta and Yossi to make the agony of the hours seemingly worthwhile.

Today as I look back I find it almost childish to have risked the health of my body’s engine on events out of my reach and of which, frankly I do not have a deep enough understanding as compared to the men in charge of the club. But I was not alone, with me were millions who ran twitter’s trends crazy with #deadlineday running tops both worldwide and in India.

The answer then is simple – this is football, this is sport, this is human nature. It is the connect we feel for the club, its well-being somewhere intricately connected to our moods. Hence it was crucial for me not to feel gutted and frustrated for the next six months that a couple of defenders and mid field generals be added to the team. It was crucial for sanity to prevail over the season that I see through this tumultuous day.

This is the call of sport, which in its grandiose entirety surpasses the moment of glory. It’s built on a base of emotions running every single day – with or without on field action. It is also the ruthless nature of the sport that we nonchalantly bade goodbye (sometimes even that courtesy is forsaken) to heroes of yore and conveniently replace them with new demi-gods.

Many say it is a display of selfish and tribal emotions without a sense of logic and humanity. Well firstly where did love ever speak the language of logic! And selfish of course we are. That’s the reason we many a times pray for a neutral team’s defeat more than we pray for our victory. That is the instigator for a chorus of boos to unsettle a weak and under fire opponent.

Call it tribal, but few other aspects of human life can claim to churn such emotions in us. In a matter of minutes we go from plucking our scalp off, to crying hoarse with delight (and in the case of Arsenal lately, the other way round). This unknown connect is what makes me wait with bated breath for a Hazard to sign for our club.

Humans have always been addicted to hero worshipping. It was the warlords in the old days, which moved on to an ephemeral “god” (which sadly continues) and today has moved on to sports. These “heroes” offer a benchmark for a mortal like me to emulate. He/she gives me the joy of achievement which in my capability I never can. And once the connect is established – like faith – its mighty tough to break.

Football clubs therefore enjoy the kind of brand loyalty, business houses would kill for. Imagine a band of followers who stick with your product despite having better options elsewhere. A following that in many cases is passed down generations. And a product, which sells without much guarantee or advertisement. Yes fans do revolt and demand a certain level of performance, but deep within they have chosen the club with its inherent imperfections. I would go as far as to say that on many a occassions it’s these imperfections that hold the bond.

I know Barcelona is the best there is now, but nothing could make me shift allegiances despite the obvious fact. I enjoy Arsenal not only because they win (and yes they do win a lot). I follow them because somewhere inside me I find myself in the club. I connect to their austere ways of doing business, I favour their talent nurturing policy, I revere the traditions of a 125 years.

So while we still could not land Hazard, I am happy with what Arsene Wenger has achieved. A healthy pack of talented and proven players for less than an Andy Carroll or a Fernando Torres. That is so Arsenal, and that is good enough for me to stay ever faithful and ever honest. Victoria Concordia Crescit is our motto and I believe in that to the hilt. Now to cheer a string of victories, bring ‘em on!!!

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You Cannot Be Serious Ref!

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Ok while the lines in the title are attributed to the belligerent American tennis star John McEnroe, they were exactly the words echoing across my mind (and am sure several million others) on tuesday night. As the referee pulled out the yellow and red cards in succession on account of a “technical foul” by Robin Van Persie and sent him off, the footballing world was left dumbfounded.

Arsene Wenger later said, “ I just spoke to [the] Uefa people. They are shocked as well. He killed a promising, fantastic football match. What for? If it’s a bad tackle it’s a second bookable offence but the way he did it it’s embarrassing, if you love the game. If you have played football at a certain level you cannot understand that decision. It’s impossible. Even if he [Van Persie] heard the official, where have you seen a sending-off like that?”

His emotions were echoed by almost everyone, with even the Catalan daily Marca reporting it not only to be “very questionable” but simply “unjust”. For those still wondering what am on about, Van Persie was on a yellow card, and as he sprinted on to latch on to a long ball, he was “blown” offside by the referee. The striker instinctively took a shot, which spilled into the crowd, and the ref gave him a second yellow – and thus a subsequent red – for time wasting.

While the rule book does put down time wasting as a bookable offence, but it clearly says  only if the offence is deliberate. And it was clear to the world that Van Persie had shot the ball instinctively, with the whistle being blown hardly a second or two earlier. Ofcourse as the striker remonstrated immediately, with 90000+ fans screaming horse, he had as little chance of hearing the whistle, as would I of hearing a whisper in Bombay’s locals. Sadly the referee forgot a basic code, that game changing decisions such as red cards are often flashed after viewing the offence in context, and weighing the action’s impact on the game.

But despite the above facts, the Swiss’ offence cannot be directly related to having an impact on the result (though it’s clear to see the significance). The same sadly cannot be said of the laughable offside call by the linesman in the weekend’s game against Sunderland. But for that error, the dynamic of the League table would be totally different and such mistakes can have tectonic implications in a season. For all those thinking that I’m just a cribbing Gooner, let me say that I was equally incensed over the Phil Dowd’s failure to send off Carragher for his horror tackle on Nani. What prevented him from giving the Liverpool defender his marching orders I don’t know, but am sure he is not feeling too good about it now.

The problem as I see it is that referees, while having an extremely high pressure job, are the ones in the game with least accountability. What would happen if a referee could be baned / booked after a terrible and game changing mistake such as these. And why are they so shielded from the media? Why this facade of protection for the officials by the football authorities when they tacitly allow referees to be subject to constant abuse and disrespect from managers and players. No official in any other sport – even football’s sibling rugby for that matter – can be challenged by the players as in football.

I feel that if referees are made to justify their actions in public or have some punitive measures taken against them for blunders, the general standards will rise. Now I understand that it is very convenient for them to be made the scapegoats by the losing side, and that would be chaotic, but the state right now isn’t perfect either. We have to have referees taking more responsibility of their calls and justifying them in public – and at the same time protect them from antics of Sir Alexes and Drogbas of the footballing world.

One big matter related to this is the ubiquitous “human vs technology” debate. FIFA is hyper skeptical about bringing any technology in the sport – try mentioning the world “goal line technology” to Mr Blatter of Monsieur Platini. Intervention in football definitely is complicated unlike slower games such as cricket and tennis, wherein their nature permits for detailed referrals, but Rugby has been able to find a middle path. Again the referral system isn’t perfect anywhere, especially in cricket where it has created a furore in the ongoing World Cup, not to mention the chagrin it’s bringing about for the hassled umpires.

What FIFA and others need to understand is that these technologies can never be perfect, they shall always remain an aid to the human official with the final call being his/her. Authorities have to implement them and let them evolve, cause waiting to implement once it is perfect will never happen. Decisions could still go wrong, but no one is asking for an 100% success rate, even a single reduction in the number of erratic decisions being made currently should be seen as a success of the system.

Without breaking the natural flow of the game and devaluing the status of the referee, I guess an apt start would be for the fourth official to have the final word on controversial off-side calls. I mean in case of a disallowed goal (as in the case of Arshavin), or a goal which should not have been awarded, the fourth official – with real time access to match video and related aids – can immediately overrule the field referee. This would not delay the game (as it would have halted in any case) and would prevent the error leaving an indelible mark on the result.

In the end the millions of fans world over forgo sleep, blow away months of savings and drive themselves mad to see their teams win, or even lose fair. Thankfully no one is hinting at any malicious intentions, yet such critical misjudgments do leave the fans dejected. And am sure having watched their mistake, in hindsight none of the officials feel good about it either. A reviewed overrule then, would be much less damaging to their self-respect than a sense of guilt that cannot be (legally) undone. So I plead to FIFA, FA, UEFA etc, please have a serious look at this. There is no shame in losing to a great side like Barcelona – but as Switch (Belinda McClory) laments in The Matrix – not like this, not like this.

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Victoria Concordia Crescit

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I was very excited in anticipation for the last weekend. It promised much drinking with friends, music, travel and above all the day Arsenal finally broke their drought of trophies. So nothing then could be more painful when the two fate-full days disappointed in most respects (except for the drinking with friends part though, thank god for that!). The best maybe, was the nail-biting India-England match (and you know its sad when I’ve to quote a cricket match as the weekend’s high point).

Anyways let’s be focussed on the beautiful game here. It was termed to be the day when Arsene Wenger’s philosophy bore its first (albeit small) fruit. It was to be the culmination of endless hours spent by young stars such like Wilshere, Nasri and Van Persie, toiling towards perfect footballing finesse. And most importantly, it was when millions of Gunners worldwide would be rewarded for their patience and trust in everything the club stands for.

Fact they say is often stranger than fiction, and so it turned out in this case. The moment and fervent anticipation got a wee bit to the young players, ofcourse compounded by the absence of their mercurial captain. The Gunners then, never got into full flow, except for a brief period in the second half, and in the end succumbed to the kind of mistake they are always vilified for.

A mix up between the precocious goalkeeper and (relatively) experienced Koscielny led to the most embarrassing of goals, though that is lesser of the two evils considering how deflated it would have left the players. I do not need to repeat here the barrage of the world’s media on Wenger’s stubborn refusal to get a reliable keeper and his lackadaisical approach towards shoring his team’s defences.

While the above might be true (personally I don’t agree), but even if so, can anyone take away from us the mesmerising goal that was scored by Van Persie. Richard Williams called it one of the most beautiful goals ever scored in a Wembley final, and it indeed was quintessentially Arsenal. A fast flowing counter attack followed by a thundering strike from Wilshere which unfortunately bounced off the woodwork. Only to be collected by a fleet-footed Arshavin, and his cross was volleyed goal-bound by an acrobatic Van Persie.

But as always with Arsenal, it had to be bittersweet, and that acrobatic shot left Van Persie with a knock, which now rules him out of the Barca return tie in the Champions League. Strangely that is not what worries me. What does is the fact that while we are good enough to trouble excellent outfits like Barcelona and top teams in the League, we do still have that soft belly when facing stubborn physical teams that look for breaking our rhythm and blocking all entries to goal. In short we still find it hard to win ugly.

Also lacking is the impetus when the best are missing. I mean Rosicky is nowhere as good as he should be, Bendtner is an enigma to say the least, and that is not what you expect from your bench strength. Where is the hunger that was so innate in Viera and Henry. Bendtner seems almost casual about the way he carries himself on the pitch. As if the opponents would feel obliged and let him score.

But despite all this I still follow the club and would continue to do so forever. There are a million reasons for it, but if I’ve to point out only one, then it is that we don’t buy talent. We do it the hard way, by nurturing them and watching the sapling grow and finally bear fruit. And the world is proof that every time an Arsenal team walks out on the pitch, there is anticipation in the air. We know that things might turn pear-shaped, but with increasing frequency the team is mesmerising one and all, displaying pure, flowing and positive football.

Remember this....not long now :)

For all the detractors, let me point out that in the long history of English football, we still are the only ones alongwith Preston North End to have gone through an entire season undefeated. The invisible era might seem like a faded memory to all Manchester and Chelsea fans, but mind you it was the same manager who brought about it, and he can’t be taken lightly. This season I believe is the tipping point and that elusive trophy is certainly not far now (whatever the omens might be).

We are the Arsenal, and make no mistake, we are as hungry for trophies as all the rest. Victoria Concordia Crescit or “victory through harmony” that is the motto of Arsenal football club, and for sure the current managers believes in it to the hilt. If it takes a few more months for that motto, and the philosophy inspired by it to bear fruit, then so be it. We’ll wait Arsene, cause when it manifests, nothing would be sweeter.

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