Arsenal: Abstaining From Dimitri Payet Not About Ambition

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has indicated that he will not be pursuing Dimitri Payet, but calm the outrage. This has nothing to do with ambition.

Arsenal will not be landing Dimitri Payet either now or in the future, according to Arsene Wenger. This may come as a disappointment to some, but the reality behind it makes perfect sense.

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Arsene Wenger could sign a brand new starting XI and he would still get criticized for who he didn’t sign. It’s just the unfortunate reality of life at Arsenal until he can wrangle in another trophy. It doesn’t mean he is always right, but, contrary to popular belief, it certainly doesn’t mean that he is always wrong.

One quote in particular struck me as perhaps the definition of the Wenger philosophy. “Changing in itself is not a quality, improving is the real target.”

This quote has layers and it pertains directly to Payet. Just because you sign someone and make a change does not inherently mean that the team is going to improve. Plenty of signings have had negative draws on a club and Payet is currently having one such draw on West Ham, where he is refusing to play because he doesn’t like them anymore.

Arsenal does have a load of creative talents. Wenger is right. Alex Iwobi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and the young Gunners would all be set back if Payet were to stomp into the Emirates and claim the role.

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Some of you might be saying “but Payet would be an improvement on those names!” and you would have a point. But again, there is no guarantee that Payet would latch on, as, personally, I don’t see him performing the defensive effort required by Wenger.

Not only that, but you always have to think long term and erring towards the long term is much more beneficial than erring towards short-term gain.

You bring in Payet and you stunt these youngsters and all of a sudden, when Payet wants to get away or loses his relevance in a couple years, maybe we’ve also lost Ramsey and the Ox to other clubs and now we have to play the musical chairs game or finding a long-term replacement through the interior.

With Wenger’s perfectionism, neither is a fun path to go down.

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Payet would provide an option for Wenger. He obviously has quality. But I agree with Wenger on this one. It’s not always just a quick-flip solution. Payet is not as bonafide as some of you think. Just like Mahrez was not as bonafide. Or Vardy.