Arsenal: ‘Angry’ Mathieu Debuchy has no complaints

Arsenal’s Mathieu Debuchy has revealed that he was angry when Arsene Wenger rejected his move to Manchester United. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, though, he should have no complaints.

Football is a competitive sport. In competition, there are winners and losers. Sometimes you receive the joy and adulation of winning. Sometimes you feel the pain and desolation of losing. They both only exist because of the counter-presence of the other.

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In a very similar parallel, sometimes it is the presence of teammates that is the competition that players must win. It is this dynamic that Sir Alex Ferguson mastered so wonderfully at Manchester United, ensuring that none of his players were comfortable in their positions, preventing them from slipping into mediocrity through apathy and complacency.

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That is something that Arsene Wenger, for the most part, has been unable to replicate at Arsenal. The combination of his fierce loyalty to his players and his hesitance to spend heavily in the transfer market mean that many members of the squad know that their standing is safe and unchallenged. However, if there was one player who has felt the force of inner-squad competition in the past few seasons, then it would be Mathieu Debuchy.

Debuchy was signed to replace Bacary Sagna in 2014, who had departed earlier in the summer as his contract expired, signing a new deal with Manchester City. After a successful spell at Newcastle United, it was anticipated that he would simply inherit the starting role. That was certainly what he was signed for. Unfortunately for him, however, it did not quite transpire like that.

Because of injuries, Debuchy could not enjoy an extended run in the team. The man who played in his absence was a young, spritely, exciting Hector Bellerin. Bellerin since made the job his own and, even when Debuchy was able to re-discover his fitness, the Frenchman was resigned to a reserve role at best. It took until this January for him to finally leave the club. It seems as though he wasn’t too pleased:

"“I would have liked to have left Arsenal earlier and to have played for a different club. There were moments when I was angry with the manager. There was an approach from Manchester United and he did not want me to leave.”"

Unfortunately for Debuchy, though, he can have no complaints with Wenger and the club. He may bemoan is bad luck with injuries, and there would certainly be a case for such grievances. But he cannot criticise the lack of opportunity that he was given. Simply, and this is harsh, he was not good enough. Moreover, Wenger could not have exactly allowed him to join a direct rival without finding a requisite replacement.

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Football is a harsh, competitive world. Wenger should not be managing Arsenal football club in a manner that best suits Mathieu Debuchy. It is up to Debuchy to prove that he is best for the club. He didn’t.