Arsenal: Arsene Wenger’s defence is increasingly outdated

Arsene Wenger is defending his position by stating that he has turned down the whole world. But the argument doesn’t quite follow. Like him and his Arsenal tenure, it is increasingly outdated.

Arsene Wenger is under pressure. Arsene Wenger, in fact, has been under pressure for some time, but after the Carabao Cup debacle on Sunday in which his Arsenal side first committed cardinal footballing sins and then passively laid down and allowed Manchester City to waltz all over them, that pressure is reaching a fever pitch.

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It was clear to see in his press conference on Wednesday morning. Speaking ahead of Thursday night’s re-match against City, this time at the Emirates and in the Premier League, Wenger was a little spiky in his responses to the journalists present, swerving round questions, stating that he had already provided an answer when it was less than satisfactory, and having an air of uncertainty and doubt, lacking his usual unruffled, composed presence.

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It was in his answers to the security of his position at Arsenal that his unsettledness trickled through, undermining the very words that he was uttering. Wenger, obviously wanting to defend himself, which is natural for anyone when they face criticism, used an argument that he has rested on time and time again:

"“My position is my position. Honestly, that’s the last worry I have at the moment. My worry is to focus, to get the team ready for tomorrow’s game <…> I am just amazed that I have to always answer things that are exactly the same. I am here for 21 years, I turned the whole world down to respect my contracts. So I am still amazed that I still have to answer these types of questions.”"

Unfortunately, though, it is an argument that has a decreasing validity. Essentially, Wenger is claiming that because he used to be a great manager and the apple of many other clubs’ eyes, that he should be trusted now, even revealing that he found it amazing that he was being asked these same questions.

That is totally and utterly illogical. No right-minded person is trying to claim that Wenger used to be a bad manager. No one is demeaning his remarkable achievements. But people are questioning and criticising the state of the present day, the current problems at the club, the current shortcomings of the team. Wenger’s argument does not address any of these points.

Essentially, Wenger’s point is that because people have thought that he would be a good manager at other clubs and countries throughout his career, Arsenal and the fans should think that he is a good manager now. The two do not connect. If Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry were still playing football for Arsenal, they would not be good. The same, as the results prove, can be said for Wenger.

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I love Wenger and have great respect for him, but it is becoming harder and harder to defend him. Even he might be able to recognise that fact.