What is going on at Arsenal?!
First fans call for the head of the most successful manager they've ever had after a string of poor results, then the club captain goes on a spectacular tirade regarding his team-mates and the lack of spine they are showing.
Yep, the crisis fever has travelled across North London and, after Harry Redknapp waved his magic wand to banish it from White Hart Lane, it seems to have found a nice, snug home at the Emirates Stadium.
Perhaps the cracks started to show way back in February in the now famous match against Birmingham, when the skipper William Gallas responded to a late penalty against his team in a very uncaptainistic way. (And yes I did just take a leaf out of Mr. Wenger's book and make up a word.)
As the penalty was being taken, Gallas stormed up the field, sitting down in the opposite half peering at the advertising boards through tear-filled eyes.
This, of course, created a sense that Arsenal were doomed even before the penalty was taken. In addition, if, by some miracle, the penalty was missed, Gallas would not be there to help out with the clearance.
Very uncaptainistic.
After the match, he refused to leave the pitch and sat in the centre cirlcle, sulking. The picture above catches the moment perfectly.
His role as captain was analysed during the summer break, which drew attention to more problems at the normally placid North London club, chiefly the lack of depth at the club.
Arsene Wenger's transfer policies, which have often frustrated many an Arsenal fan, finally over-stepped the mark, as he let players like Mathieu Flamini, Hleb and Gilberto leave without bringing in replacements. Instead, he trusted the young players coming through the Arsenal ranks.
After a topsy-turvy start to the season, in which they lost to Hull, Fulham, Stoke and Villa but beat Manchester United, fans started to blame Wenger's transfer policies for the inconsistency and, for perhaps the first time in his Arsenal career, Wenger faced serious calls for his head.
Suddenly, Arsenal found themselves way down in a lowly fourth place and in a crisis. What West Brom or Spurs wouldn't do for a similar crisis now!
Gallas didn't help by undermining Wenger after being seen outside a night-club with a cigarette in his mouth, therefore breaking the rules "Le Boss" had set down while on International duty.
Very, very uncaptainistic.
And now, in the latest twist in the tale, William Gallas has spoken publically about some of the problems at Arsenal, singling out one player, without naming them, who was a particular problem.
Gallas did, however, say that the offender was six years younger than his 31 years of age. Which makes 25, right?
Now, the list of 25 year olds in the Arsenal squad are as follows:
Robin van Persie, Bacary Sagna, Eduardo, and Emmauel Eboue.
We can count Eduardo out as he hasn't played since that aforementioned match in February , where he picked up a horrific leg injury and Sagna is a known friend and International team-mate.
Gallas did however say that the incident came about during an attacking phase of play, which points the finger strongly towards van Persie. There is always the chance, however, that Sagna or Eboue were also involved in that attack.
Personally, I think that these comments were an attempt to inspire and lift a young team down on confidence, but they simply went wrong.
Gallas' comments about the team needing to be braver and the need to be soldiers were things a good captain would do. Due to Arsenal's and Gallas' recent plight, however, the media have turned these comments upside down so they look like an attack on his team.
The comments regarding the unnamed player may simply be the words of a man who speaks the truth, be it quietly to a friend, or to the world's press. Yes, the comments should have been made on the training pitch rather than in front of the microphones, but were they really as bad as it's being made out? No, I don't think so.
Would you rather a captain who ignored the problems altogether?
What these comments have done, however, is undermine Arsene Wenger one too many times. Should he be stripped of the Arsenal captaincy? I'm undecided. Should he play for Arsenal again? Of course he should! Let's be honest, he's probably the best centre-back they've got right now!
Overall, I think the "scathing attack" was more of a inspirational speech gone wrong.
Arsenal are not in a crisis. They are a good team going through a bad spell and, in trying to make it better, Gallas has just made things worse.
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about 1 month ago
OK a few questions for this debate!
1. Were Gallas' comments meant to inspire the team?
2. Should Gallas be stripped of the captaincy?
3. Should Gallas ever play for Arsenal again?
4. Do you think Gallas' comments were right?
5. Wenger: In or out?
Lets get this debate started!
about 1 month ago
1. Supposedly.
2. Yes, for sure, 110% - I don't know what would have made Wenger strip him off the captaincy otherwise.
3. No - as a player and as a captain, he's let us down far too much - bring Djourou in, I say!
4. Well - definitely, no - they were out of order and something which a captain of a football club or even a player should never have come and said in public.
5. Ridiculous question.
about 1 month ago
There is only one person to blame in the whole William Gallas saga. Arsene Wenger.
Gallas was never up to being Captain in the first place, and Wenger showed an incredible lack of knowlegde and judgement in giving the arm-band to Gallas.
To add further fuel to the fire, Wenger has had numerous chances to move the captaincy on to someone else. After the Birmingham debacle would have been the wrong time, but the summer was perfect. And again he showed poor judgement in failing to take on the prickly subject.
If he had this situation would never have risen.
1. Gallas has tried everything he is capable to inspire these players. This was another failed attempt. But Wenger should have known that Gallas couldn't do it and address the situation.
I admire Gallas for taking on a job he's not cut out for.
2.After this latest episode, Wenger has no choice but to strip Gallas of the captaincy.
In doing so he further undermines himself. As mentioned before, he has had many chances to name a new captain, and with Gallas in a senior position, something like this was always liable to happen.
The blame for this is at Wenger's door.
3.Stripping Gallas of the captaincy after this, is a huge admonishment. It makes a statement, that I don't trust you and you are not fit to lead.
The question isn't whether Arsenal will play Gallas again (they're short on quality at the moment). The question is whether Gallas will play for Arsene again.
4.We don't know what Gallas has tried behind closed doors. My experience of senior figures making statements to the press is that they do so when they feel their views are falling on deaf ears. If Gallas was a token Captain then that was Wenger's fault. If Wenger wouldn't listen to Gallas then that too is Wenger's fault.
The statement shouldn't have gone public the way it did. But you can't question Gallas' convictions.
5.This latest set-back has probably drawn more attention to Arsene and Arsenal than all the results combined. Pressure had begun to mount after the manner of Arsenal's defeats. Questions had been raised on Wenger's judgement in the transfer window. Questions are being raised about Wenger's tactical acumen. And now Questions are being raised about his judgement over Gallas.
All of these questions are self made by Wenger, so the media and fans are right to ask if his judgement is impaired this season.
Past glories count for nothing in football. You are only as good as your last game.
from about 1 month ago
Fair enough Wenger has a lot to answer in this - I have always felt the armband should of gone to Gilberto but there is no need to leave all the blame at Wenger's door, Gallas is 31 a bit of maturity on his part please.
Give me several examples of Gallas trying to lift the team?? I can think of some off the top of my head but not enough to feel that Arsenal are losing a great captain or player.
Correct me if I'm wrong but after the "Keane outburst" it wasn't too long until Fergie said "bye bye Roy".
Besides Gallas had a pop at his French teammates too, I suppose that is all Wenger's fault too. The guy is 31 not 12!!
"Past glories count for nothing in football. You are only as good as your last game." - Arsenal have decided that having 9+ managers in the space of 12 years isn't really for us!!
from about 1 month ago
I wouldn't heap all the blame on Wenger here, but he certainly isn't blameless. If Gallas thought he wasn't up to the task, he should have refused the armband.
from about 1 month ago
Nobody would refuse such an honour Barney.
from about 1 month ago
If he wanted what was best for the team, he would've have refused the honour. I've heard of a few players who have recognised they aren't captain material and refused offers (Pele being the most famous one). In fact, only recently, Javier Mascherano came very close to refusing the Argentina captains armband because he didn't think he was captain material, until everyone managed to convince him otherwise!
about 1 month ago
1. Hard to say...
2. Yes I think so, I didn't understand why he was given the captaincy to begin with. There are younger players who are more fit to the role in my opinion.
3. Stripping Gallas of the captaincy undermines his role on the pitch as a player as well, he's a good player but how things will turn out after this is hard to say. Gallas was upset that his authority was not respected to begin with by this "younger player" and by recent turn of events, will he be wanting to play for Arsenal?
4. No I don't think that they were right. We all know there are problems within the team at the moment, but these things should always be taken care of internally without involving the press.
5. Wenger's transfer policies has bugged me for some time now and didn't get any better over the summer, and appointing Gallas to captain is strange in many ways.. but still, I don't think that getting rid of Wenger is going to make things any better.
about 1 month ago
I hate to say I told them so, but I've been arguing to Arsenal fans since the captaincy was given to Gallas that he wasn't right for the role. I've always suspected that Gallas had a silly streak in him, and that was surely illustrated enough during his switch to Arsenal, so I was very surprised when an experienced manager like Wenger gave him the armband. I think the prize for most predictable meltdown in football history goes to Wenger and Gallas.
As to whether or not he should play for the club again, I actually don't blame Gallas. I just think he was such a bad choice for captain that Wenger has essentially ruined him, by giving a player unsuited to the role too much responsibility and say within the team. Through this badly made choice, Arsene has effectively wrecked Gallas' reputation and career, and illustrated exactly what can happen when you don't choose the right type of man for captain.
Maybe he thought he could change him with the captaincy, who knows, but whatever he thought would happen, the fact is the buck stops with Wenger on this one. I mean if people like us, with no connection to the club, could see the error before he made it, why couldn't Wenger?
about 1 month ago
Good article
1) Yes, but didn't work out too well
2) Yes! Definately, I don't understand why its still not done. I'd like to see Cesc take over.
3) No.
4) Definately not. He'd be better of if he kept quiet.
5) Wenger is a great manager. Everyones allowed a few mistakes, and Wenger is human. He should stay , and like Shyam said 'Ridiculous question.'
about 1 month ago
1. Were Gallas' comments meant to inspire the team? - So he says. I actually think a lot of what is said holds some truth - players need to be brave and show some fight etc... However, Gallas perhaps should look in the mirror, he has not being one of our greatest battlers, has he? He overstepped the mark in naming names everyone knows who it is - Van Persie and Nasri - and he also undermined his manager.
2. Should Gallas be stripped of the captaincy? - Yes. One of Wenger's biggest ever mistakes was giving it to him in the first place. I would of loved him to give it to Gilberto and signed him on a longer deal - he could of still done a job for us. There is no doubting Gallas' ability and perhaps Wenger thought by giving him the armband he would of matured and shown some responsibilty - after all we knew what he was all about since his time at Chelsea.
3. Should Gallas ever play for Arsenal again? - No he has abilites as a player but they were not shown enough for Arsenal. Besides he has lost the trust of his teammates, manager and fans so I can't possibly see him playing again.
4. Do you think Gallas' comments were right? - He overstepped the mark.
5. Wenger: In or out? - stupid question
from about 1 month ago
Hi Mary,
Wenger had a major part to play in the signing of and giving the captaincy to Gallas. As David mentioned above and I echoed myself, Gallas was never Captain material. So the buck stops with Wenger on this one.
Let Arsene answer your comment on the 31 year old. "You can be intelligent by 18 or 20, but stupid by 30"
"Past glories count for nothing in football. You are only as good as your last game" is a well known insight into the game. It's another way of saying "What have you done for me lately?"
and I think your reply about the loads of managers that Spurs have gone through illustrates it well.
Arsenal have been successful ever since Wenger signed. I think it's fair to say Spurs have not, and their managers have paid the price.
What's galling the Arsenal fans calling for Wenger's head at the moment is that Spurs have been more successful lately, by winning more trophies.
from about 1 month ago
You're so nice Willie ....
I'm a bit dejected at the moment ... Ireland rugby are crap enough so far, terrible defending for the City goal and to top it all off it is yet another goal from Stephen Ireland who refuses to play for Ireland :-(
from about 1 month ago
In regards to you answer for number 4 Mary - He overstepped the mark, but do you think there was an element of truth in his remarks? I'm starting to think that's what is getting to the fans and players most - they know he is speaking some truth
from about 1 month ago
No doubting Barney that there is a lot of truth in what he said. However by saying it publically he has undermined his position not only as captain but as a player for Arsenal. He has also undermined his manager and Wenger is nothing but loyal to his players - in fact too loyal at times. He has brought the club into disrepute which is bad enough but the club are also going through a tough time.
about 1 month ago
Just to Q5... Wenger's transfer buys this Summer were woefully inadequete... we needed more cover in defense and midfield... However in the Lead up to the 2007-2008 season we spent 16 million on Diarra, Sagna and Eduardo... 3 magnificent players. Wenger gets roughly 30-35 million, so if he can get 5 decent players with that this Summer/january, I'll be happy!
about 1 month ago
1. I relly dont think gallas comment were made to inspire the team he even said in the article he was doing it because he felt he was getting all the blame when it wasnt all his fault he was just doing it as a cope out because he felt he didnt deserve to be blamed for all of their problems.
2. Absoultly
3.no sold in juanuary and replaced by van buyten.
4. he took it too far by giving specific excamples and the ages of the players which makes it preety easy to identify who it is with some common sense
5. Wenger should defienetly stay and he is one of the best managers in the world and i think in januray he will have learnt from his mistakes and buy some mature players of qulity. I think hes been relly dissapointed that all his young prodigy children couldnt make the step up and he will revery to buying stars that are older.
about 1 month ago
Although obviously controversial, I think it'll be good for Arsenal in the long run.
about 1 month ago
Such comments when gone public are usually manipulated by the press. It is the rule, since manipulation and speculation sells. Admiration and applause don't...
Shall a captain criticise any team mate publicly, for whatever the reason? I think not. A manager can but a captain should know better. The only way this can be rationalised is that the captain complains about a certain case to his manager, the manager doesn't care, shrugs, then MAYBE, but just maybe. Because even in that case you put yourself in a more difficult position; now the manager would definitely not approve such behaviour.
Arsenal is a "ridiculously young" team from my point of view and I believe many Arsenal fans would agree with me on that point. Youth and talent go together all along but in a team which is competing on such high level requires a third companion along these two; experience. Experience "usually" brings wisdom, strength to tackle stress, durability in case of struggle etc. Gallas may have tried to reflect his experiences with such a comment but the timing and the way does not seem appropriate at all.
This comment upon the team in general, acutally, completes the puzzle that was started by the very photo of this article; a sulking captain. To the ref that day maybe, today to the team mate, tomorrow the manager maybe, or the fans, even the board?
I always think that criticism is a vital part of such a performance based activity. But privacy is sometimes as important as open criticism. In a crisis-like situation like this such a criticism would not inspire any of the team mates and naturally would be considered as finger-pointing, which isn't nice.
Gallas should have known better.
If I am not wrong Gallas is stripped off from captaincy, correct me if I'm wrong. Surely he should keep on playing for Arsenal, at least until the end of season, but if he is to keep on looking at his team in this depressed point of view I don't think he should stay longer.
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