Jon Brodkinfinds Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger convinced that his new team will deliver success in due course
Arsene Wenger does not usually choose to reflect on past achievements. Just before his 10th anniversary at Arsenal in September, he said he was so focused on the present and future he did not even know where his medals were.
So when the Frenchman offered a reminder yesterday that he is one of the most successful managers in his club's history, his deviation from the norm seemed designed to emphasise in this difficult period that the saying "Arsene knows" still applies.
There was a feistiness and defiance about Wenger ahead of today's game at home to Tottenham. Questions about his strategy, signings and selections have gathered pace after defeats at Bolton and Fulham all but guaranteed Arsenal will go a third straight year without the Premiership title. Even Champions League progress hangs in the balance - Arsenal needing a point at Porto on Wednesday to guarantee progress in the competition that provided relief last season.
Wenger, though, was forthright - there will be no signings in January because the current crop is developing into a great squad.
He has built and rebuilt teams with huge skill, so his knowledge on such matters hardly deserves to be doubted, but the pace at which this team are fulfilling the potential Wenger sees worries fans.
A former Highbury manager, George Graham, pointed out this week that the supporters have become so used to trophies they "don't want success in two years' time". He suggested the loss of Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Edu and Dennis Bergkamp could not simply be covered by youngsters and noted that Arsenal lack on-pitch leadership.
"It doesn't annoy me, I am not a beginner," responded Wenger, who is without the injured Henry today.
"I don't even take it in the wrong way; I can understand. But I am responsible, I do the job and I do it like I want to do. I know where I go and I will do it my way. (Some) people like it, (others do) not. That I can understand."
He feels he has earned the right to be trusted. No Arsenal manager has bettered his haul of three championships, which eclipses Graham's two titles.
"When you don't win games everybody has an opinion, but if I look at the number of titles Arsenal have won in their history, not many have done better than me," said Wenger. "I believe in a consistent way. We have shown great consistency and you can say as well that with the resources we have, and some other clubs have, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Some clubs have spent much more money and are far behind us in the last few seasons."
The point about financial restrictions is valid and Wenger cannot be accused of ignoring the need for experience since summer purchases included William Gallas, Tomas Rosicky and Julio Baptista, who are 29, 26 and 25. Injuries to that trio and Freddie Ljungberg have hurt Arsenal, especially the recent loss of Gallas.
Yet the volume of such players arriving did not match the likes of the departing Bergkamp, Cole, Pires and Campbell while some younger squad members have seemed either not yet ready for a team with championship pretensions or not of the requisite quality. Justin Hoyte is a case in point. Alex Song looked lost at Fulham when Wenger rested too many players, though the manager insisted: "You will change your mind about him." The lack of a specialist left-back to compete with Gael Clichy has been a hindrance.
Nothing, though, has proved as significant as the regularity with which Arsenal have missed chances and committed lapses to fall behind. They benefit greatly from scoring first and opening up games, particularly at home, where too many points have been dropped. Henry's dip in form has been another factor.
It was instructive to hear Wenger say, of decisions which have gone against Arsenal: "At the moment we are not strong enough to deal with that." He reiterated, though, his faith in the squad: "We made a choice when we built the stadium to build a new team and sometimes you struggle a little in a new stadium. Also it takes a little time for players to develop but I'm confident they'll be great players."
He is even willing to wait for the leadership the team require: "They will grow into leaders - Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Johan Djourou. You have to give them time. I feel when this team have confidence and belief they will be irresistible, as they have been already." The club's fans will fervently hope Arsene still knows.
Guardian Service
