Arsenal: What in the world is Paul Merson on about?

Paul Merson, astonishingly, has stated that Arsenal would win the league if Arsene Wenger had Harry Redknapp’s tactical nous. What in the world is he on about?

The latter decade of Arsene Wenger’s tenure at Arsenal has most certainly failed to match the success of the first. Since 2006, the Gunners have won just three trophies: three FA Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2017. They have not reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League since 2010, and they haven’t put together a genuine title challenge since William Gallas cried at Birmingham City in 2008.

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As a result, many have come to question his managerial qualities. Does he have the talent-eye that everyone first thought he had? Is he the tactical revolutionary that he was during the first decade? Is he really as intelligent as his demeanour made him seem?

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But these questions have now taken on a new low. Paul Merson, who did play under Wenger for one season, on TV show A League of Their Own, a sports comedy show with Sky, made a rather ambitious and egregious claim regarding Wenger and his apparent tactical nous, or lack thereof. Merson claimed that if Wenger had the tactical intelligence and abilities of Harry Redknapp, then Arsenal would win the league:

"“People say he’s a wheeler-dealer and it’s so disrespectful. Tactically, he’s one of the best I’ve worked with. If Arsene Wenger had Harry Redknapp’s tactical nous, Arsenal would win the league.”"

Now, all are welcome to their opinion, and the context of which this has been said should be taken into consideration. It is a satirical sports show, not a serious, analytical program. Moreover, Jamie Redknapp, Harry Redknapp’s son, is present. Merson, who has worked with Redknapp for a number of years, is not going to slag off Redknapp Sr. in front of his son.

Having said that, Merson nevertheless claimed that Arsenal would win the league if Wenger had the tactical abilities of Redknapp. To put that claim into context, Redknapp was recently sacked by Birmingham City after six-straight defeats, leaving the club 23rd in the Championship. This followed stints as Jordan manager — he lost 8-0 to Bangladesh and 5-1 to Australia — and at Queens Park Rangers, where he was unable to save them from relegation from the Premier League, though he did later lead them to promotion through the playoffs, before resigning the next season.

In fairness to Redknapp, he found greater success earlier on in his career. He won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1999 with West Ham United. He won the Division One title with Portsmouth in 2003, before leading them to FA Cup glory in 2008.

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Redknapp is far from a bad manager. But that does not mean that he is in the same league as Wenger, even a Wenger who has toiled through the past decade. What in the world is Merson on about?