Arsenal: Alisher Usmanov Unveils The Curtain To True Worry

Alisher Usmanov has stated that Arsene Wenger is not solely to blame for Arsenal’s struggles, suggesting that Stan Kroenke should take a larger share of the criticism.

Throughout struggles that Arsenal have toiled through in recent times, perhaps the worst run during the 21-year tenure of Arsene Wenger, it has been the manager, and after the 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace, now the players, that bore the brunt of the blame.

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And while that is perfectly justifiable, both Wenger and his players have made many mistakes that are deserving of scrutiny, questioning and critique, to simply lay all of the responsibility at their door is perhaps missing the overarching point of concern in regards to the running and the management of the club.

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Speaking in a recent interview in the aftermath of the loss to Palace and the deafening cries from the fanbase for Wenger to leave at the end of the season, shareholder Alisher Usmanov was quick to come to the defence of the manager, stating that he believed it was not just Wenger that should shoulder the blame, but rather, other members of the board and shareholders:

"“I do not think that the coach alone is to be blamed for what is happening. Some continuity is needed. This includes the need to prepare a successor for Wenger, but in a very respectful way. I can suggest that Wenger himself can prepare a successor. I personally, unfortunately, am fully isolated from decision-making in the club. All the responsibility for the fate of the club rests with the main shareholder.”"

The man who he is, primarily, directing these comments at is Stan Kroenke. The majority shareholder, known as ‘Silent Stan’, likes to sit in the background and run the club from a back seat. For some, that is a clear advantage. Unfortunately, though, Kroenke wants to direct the club from his protected vantage purely because he is not in the business to win. He is in the business for, well, business.

Like it or not, Arsenal are now a business, for which the state of the finances, their turnover, their profit margins and their scope are the aims of the club. Trophies are merely a bonus for Kroenke. He is more concerned by the latest sponsorship deal that he can secure.

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While Wenger should not exempt from criticism. There are certainly shortcomings to his management approach and mistakes that he should be held accountable for. However, with or without Wenger, the deep-rooted problems of the club will remain as long as Kroenke persists as owner.