Wenger feels betrayed by Spain led by Barca stars who were the shining light for Arsene and a solid proof that his passing attacking style at the expense of a solid defense was the way forward. "These guys are more than outstanding footballers; they are really intelligent and they are winners," Wenger wrote on www.eurosport.com. "I want to give them credit for that. "However, they have betrayed their philosophy and turned it into something more negative. "Originally they wanted possession in order to attack and win the game; now it seems to be first and foremost a way not to lose. "They have become more conservative, and they don't want to give the ball up because they don't want to give you a chance to score. "That's the impression you get from Euro 2012. Now all of a sudden the Spain miracle is not about passing the ball into the net, but about not letting it into their own goal. What a disappointment... If there is ONE good thing for Arsenal about EURO 2012 - it is the lesson that Arsene Wenger was taught by Spain. But will he be able to amend his philosophy? I am not talking about abandoning it, but will the Last Romantic in world football finally realize it needs some fine tuning to make Arsenal truly competitive again?
Wenger will not change anything and because of that will have to hope his players some how turn into world beaters because he is not going to spend enough to bring in the required players to form a serious challenge on all fronts, nor is he going to up the wages on players already in the squad in order to keep hold of them. He will not change his philosophy on how to play football nor on how to do business with other clubs and negotiate player contracts. He has a structure to all of it and it will not be broken. He is 62 years old and has had this mindset for decades - he is never going to change it.
I like that "last romantic in world football", describes Wenger perfectly, but also fondly. As long as we play exciting football, I'll be grateful.
Erm, the way Spain won the final is everything Wenger wants in a team, did you not see what magnificent football they were playing? Wenger was just stating what most others were saying before the final, that Spain were playing boring possession football, rather than their usual style of exciting possession football, and alas in the final they gave it to us and won the trophy in great style.
This is it. It was Spain before the finals that were more defensive than usual. They did turn it on in the Final. I can't see anyone beating Spain in the WC either. Only Germany have the talent to do it and maybe Portugal on a good day.
They have very good players but rubbish managers. How useless was Maradona? On paper they have some of the best in the world, but if noone can get them to play as a team unit, then they won't do anything. We saw what happened to France and Holland when team unity failed...Spain are an amazing team unit.
They have all the ingredients with their players to be awesome. So to do The Netherlands and to a lesser extent France. Both countries there need strong managers who can make tough decisions and control their prima donnas or be brave enough to drop them. The Argies just need someone in charge who's not ******ed.
Wenger I think is trying to strike a chord with the English. As if he would be upset if his Arsenal team played that way Spain play the ULTIMATE in football, I don't see a way to beat it and no other team can either. Spain in form are IMPOSSIBLE to beat They press the ball and win it back quickly, then their opponents chase shadows most of the game and get tired. They are like matadors, teasing opponents, letting them chase the proverbial red cape and moving it out of the way at the last minute. Death by 1000 blows. What strikes me as amazing is, Spain have managed to take what seems to be a training ground drill (small sided one or two touch football) and turned it into a football philosophy - to great effect. They have betrayed nothing of the sort. do you play an out of form Torres - dropping Fabregas who has created and scored goals to justify his inclusion ? Do they play LLorente - the big target man - when they don't play football suited to his attributes ? these same people claiming Spain are boring didn't come out and condemn Chelsea for boring us to death with their ultra negative tactics on their way to Champion's League success, bunch of hypocrites. Spain are the ultimate masters of football, history says so and so do my own eyes, it is down to the "lesser" teams to formulate a plan to over come it. Spain play perfect football - from a footballer's perspective.
Erm, I said Chelsea were boring! Said Spain were too right up until last night because they were dull to watch until last night. Previous tournaments they've been a joy to watch but right up until they spanked Italy they've been dreary. Fact is they were amazing in the final and whilst Italy were unlucky with injuries they had already gone two behind with 11 men on the field. I couldn't give a flying flip if Spain play with no forwards, what annoyed me was their lack of attacking intent. Last night they attacked from the off and showed how deadly they can be. Why don't they do that all the time?!
I agree, but doing it and being able to do it are two different things. Spain have invested a lot of time and effort to make them into the team you see today. The only other team that has put the same level of input is Germany. Can Argentina, Holland or France get a coach into chaning things. Holland and France have tried it, Holland in the past and France now, but flopped badly. Argentina is the only team not to have a top manager. Personally i think they should get the Italian manager in. He did a brilliant job with a limited Italian side.
Yes, the way Spain won the final is everything Wenger wants in a team. And this is the problem. They won the final in style and all kudos to them, but to get to the final, they have resorted to a much more defensive game. And this is their lesson. You can shine, but there is a hell of a lot of defensive work to be done to put yourself into a position where you can shine. The point is - even Spain can not play beautiful football all the time. There are lots of matches when you have to know how to be boring, boring and still win. This is what Spain shows time and time again, but people are hypnotized by their flair and do not see the other side Too many people look at their panache and fail to see the boring part. Some even say that Spain's defense is not that good.. Spain's defense is the best in the world. It is not back four we are talking about, it is at least 8 players on the pitch who wear their sock off all over it defending, trying to get the ball back asap. This is the foundation of their style. Have ever seen them conceding those stupid idiotic goals Arsenal concede every second game? Arsenal will never win anything until they realize it. Even Arsene says they betrayed their philosophy by playing 5 boring defensive games. But have they?
I was going to say! Most of us were quite... vocal with our critique of their (for want of a better word) 'performances'.
You're not wrong. I think it was only the media and Chelsea fans who "appreciated" their performances
I'm not on a wind up but what was so different in the way Spain played prior to last night to how arsenal played at Barcelona a couple of years ago? Defence (not kicking **** out of people defence but keep ball defence) is intelligent in certain circumstances. Wenger comes across very poorly with comments like that. My honest opinion is that he has become pretty much obsessed with attacking and entertaining football ever since his last trophy winning Arsenal team in 2005 when they played pretty defensively and won the FA Cup on pens and it has cost Arsenal dearly as they don't close games down ... <cueabuseatspurssorryspudfansmilie>
I actually quite agree with you to be honest. We have definitely played defensively in the past (such as against Barca like you pointed out) and I agree that sometimes it is necessary. I think Wenger is correct in saying that winning tournaments through boring football (which Chelsea have done and Spain were doing until last night) isn't great and I hope that teams don't get inspired by Chelsea's horrific Champions League tactics and see that as the way to win games as that would make football, especially tournament football very boring indeed. Arsene is obsessed with attacking football and we do need to build a sturdy defensive gameplan again as the successful Arsenal teams of his tenure were mainly a ridiculously good counter-attacking threat rather than a dominant keep-ball team (although we could do that until teams started piling men behind the ball) and we have genuinely really suffered because of a lack of defensive structure and a large tilt in favour of overly attacking football.
I completely agree. But Wenger lost the plot years ago IMO. How can you criticise the best international team of all time with 3 back to back majors? That is just bizarre. It would be like Chelsea criticising Barcelona
What Wenger has gotten wrong and some of you on here also is, Spain boss possession, that they chose not to do much with it in earlier rounds is neither here or there. It wasn't anti football. Chelsea were happy to sit back and defend and not have the ball - massive difference.
