Arsene admits he's a control freak and Spuds preview

I wanted to open today's post with Amy Lawrence's published interview with Arsene Wenger. Ms. Lawrence is one of my favorite sports writers for numerous reason which include the timing of interviews with Le Prof  - it is usually impeccable.  Today's article is no different. I encourage you to read the whole article of course, but I have pulled out a few snippets for discussion.

In the interview, Wenger freely admits he would not work with a Director of Football citing, not surprisingly, the ideas of control and accountability as his reasons:  

"If a director of football buys the players, when they don't work you are guilty for not using them well. When they work he has bought well," 

He goes on to say "But I think the final decision has to always be with the manager. He is the one who is responsible for the style of the team, and the results. It makes sense that the manager chooses the players who come in."

His logic makes sense in a way.  If a manager's success at a club is measured by how the team performs, and thus the individual players, why wouldn't a manager want to have say over who is bought and sold?  If you look at Chelsea, for example, Roman has eaten nine managers in as many years.  He likes to have a say on the players bought and sold (Fernando Torres his latest and least greatest acquisition), but his presence is the only stable factor at the club.  Here's the issue - is stability that important?  Or does winning trophies trump longevity of managers and the development of their philosophies?  For all the tag teaming of managers that occurs at Chelsea, they have won:   Two League Cups, four FA Cups, three League Titles, one Europa League trophy, and one Champions League trophy since 2004.  The whole question opens a huge can of worms which really comes down to this query:  Is winning enough?  Or is it how a club wins that matters?  I know - my head hurts just thinking about it.

Arsene also discusses the accountability that comes with the control he craves.  And this year, the dragon may come calling if the transfer window closes without significant additions to our talented, thin, injury-prone squad.  There has not been an extension of his contract, whether that be on his end or the club's.  Either way, I think the fact that Arsene's future has not yet been guaranteed, is telling.

So, onto tomorrow's derby.  Our starting XI should be decently strong and a match for the Spudheads.  I know that their Director of Football has brought in seven new players and 

over 93 million pounds, but I'm not too worried.  If this was the squad we were facing next March, perhaps I would not be as confident.  Bedding in seven players takes time.  Soldado has been their only scorer, converting both of their goals due to penalties.  There has not been any scoring from open play.  The one good thing about our small squad, is there has been very little disruption to their bond, their chemistry, that was built last season and this preseason.  I consider this game tomorrow to be well-timed indeed.

Well, that's it.  I'll be back for post-game dissection and some transfer window updating as/if needed.  Have a good one Gooners.

P.S. (For those of you who still hold out hope for Rooney becoming a Gunner, chew on this bit of gossip.)

Plus:  Arsene reiterates his point in this interview with SAF. 

Arsenal Make It #16 - at a Price.

So Arsenal are headed into the group stages of the Champions League for the 16th straight year after defeating Fenerbache 2-0 on the night and 5-0 on aggregate.  Aaron Ramsey again had a barnstormer of a match adding two goals -one with a wonderful outside foot finish- to his flowering development.  Santi  left defenders shaking their heads as his magical feet wove through the midfield and into the box, Superman Sagna was solid again partnering with Mertie, and Giroud was left holding his head in his hands after missing two sitters.  But what a lovely head it is, mais oui?

Unfortunately, Poldolski left the match in the 49th minute via stretcher with a pulled hamstring.  According to Arsene, he is out for the standard three weeks.  On top of that, Rambo pulled his groin and left the pitch in the 90th minute.  So, our already threadbare squad is going into the weekend derby well, even more threadbare.  Which makes these last three or four days of the transfer window even more important.  I'm preaching to the choir I know.  So important in fact that Twitter was alight with the rumor Juan Mata's father/manager was a guest at the Emirates in the director's box.  Would I take Mata?  That's an emphatic yes.  Is Mourinho going to sell to a BPL club?  If he (or Roman) sees us as rivals, then no.  But, perhaps having a barebones  squad at the moment makes us look the underdogs.  And hence, not a rival - which would be, in my estimation, an accurate perception.

Now that we have qualified for the group stages of CL, is it more attractive for players to arrive?  I wondering if it all hinges more on the sale/arrival of Bale to Real Madrid.  The rumored amount of near 90 million Euros enough for a club to push out quality, if not star, material.  Benzema, according to his agent, is unwllinging to leave Real.  DiMaria and Ozil may be different stories.  Ozil apparently stomped off into the tunnel after being substituted in the of last weekend's match, while DiMaria could find himslef displaced when Bale arrives.

Then there is Cabaye. The only positive nugget to the delay of signing him is that it is irritating Pardew.  And we like anything that does that, don't we?

The real truth is, of course, that we do  not know if any of these rumors have a sliver of truth to them.  Not only do journalists get their sources from other papers, but some seem to not want to engage in the common practice of asking questions during a press conference (according to John Cross of the Mirror's tweet).

 

Grrrrr.... Wish some would put as much energy into asking questions as they do tweeting throughout press conference and after. Goodnight.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 27, 2013

But, much as I don't trust what the papers say, I am hanging on every word.  Pure craziness.

And on that note, I am off to perpetuate the madness by scouring the online news.  I am six hours behind the many of you, so perhaps my concern over transfers is for nothing?  Could we have signed players while I was writing?  Time to find out.  Have a good day Gooners.

UPDATE ON TRANSFERS:  Ugh.