Arsenal FC and the Blame Game

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Arsene Wenger

Alexi Lalas, a “harsh for the sake of being harsh” pundit, lambasted Arsene Wenger for this result. He wasn’t alone.

While most agreed the tactics weren’t at fault, the arguments rang from all sides that Wenger can’t inspire his team, can’t motivate them, can’t draw out their best. Forgive me for being a traditional sports fan, but I do not hold the belief that grown men at the top of their profession, men who are paid exceedingly well, should need motivation from their boss for a match in the Champion’s League.

And I’ll go one step farther. If they need some external motivation to win from the tall, silver-haired man in front of them, nothing he could say would instill that motivation. They’re too far gone already.

To be fair, I don’t believe this is the case. I don’t believe the footballers at Arsenal don’t care or aren’t motivated. But Arsene Wenger doesn’t deserve the blame for the reckless incompetence and disregard for each other that was displayed on the pitch on Wednesday.