A wave of despair engulfed the red half of north London when initial reports from the continent claimed that Dutch striker Robin van Persie was set to miss the rest of the season with serious ankle ligament damage. “That’s it - our title chances are finished,” declared the most pessimistic of fans. As it turns out Arsenal’s striker should be back to full fitness by the start of the New Year, but questions remain as to how the Gunners will cope until that date. Can a Wenger side who have relied on the talented 26-year-old to spearhead the new 4-3-3 maintain their record-breaking goal scoring form? Which squad members can fill the void and will the Gunners still pose a serious threat to Manchester United and Chelsea come May?
With van Persie sidelined and the Gunners failing to score for the first time this season in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday, many have immediately reacted by sounding the death knell on Arsenal’s title credentials. History however, hints that the Emirates faithful should not lose heart. Arsene Wenger has faced this situation before and against all odds found the necessary personnel, form and confidence to secure silverware.
A vintage year
When Arsenal started the 1997-98 season under Arsene Wenger few at Highbury could have imagined that the club would end the season as historic double winners; fewer still would have predicted that they could pull off the feat without relying on the previously talismanic Ian Wright. By mid-December such reservations seem well placed; lacklustre on the pitch, and with an apparent split in the camp between English stalwarts and European recruits looking irreparable, they trailed Manchester United by 11 points, had suffered five league defeats and were without Wright who was sidelined by a long-term thigh injury. A well-documented frank exchange of views in the aftermath of the club’s Christmas party proved the catalyst for change. The Gunners embarked on a 26 game unbeaten stretch, famously defeated United at Old Trafford, won ten consecutive matches and lifted the Premier League trophy with two games to spare.
The definition of team
Anybody who witnessed the transformation of Wenger’s disjointed squad into quick-fire Highbury heroes will clearly remember the marked change in attitude both on and off the pitch. In the heat of battle a team which included inspirational individuals such as Bergkamp, Adams, Vieira, Petit and Overmars forged an unmatched collective spirit and, arguably more significant, an overriding squad confidence which allowed young charges such as Christopher Wreh and Nicolas Anelka to step into the breach, find their feet and make decisive contributions. The Arsenal of 1997-98 were the quintessential definition of a team and they reaped the benefits. It is towards this side which Arsenal’s current crop of youngsters should look for inspiration.
There is no doubting the potential of Arsene Wenger’s latest generation at the Emirates; what is questioned is whether a squad so bereft of trophy-winning experience can overcome close rivals whose ranks are packed with men who have won it all. Having already walked away from Old Trafford and Eastlands this season without the points that their performances warranted, the forthcoming test against Chelsea has become integral to the season. Win and the gap on their London rivals is reduced to five points with a game still in hand. Lose and an eleven point total to overhaul represents a more daunting challenge than that of 97-98.
Time to step up
If the absent van Persie represents the Ian Wright of yesteryear, then the likes of Eduardo da Silva and Carlos Vela have to match Nicolas Anelka’s breakthrough season and rapid development. As an 18-year-old the Frenchman came into Wenger’s starting line-up with nothing more than raw energy and the confidence to strike on sight. So great was his impact that by the time of Wright’s return from injury, Anelka had so consolidated his credentials that the record-breaking North Bank favourite was kept from a starting place against Newcastle United in the FA Cup Final. That Christopher Wreh was trusted with filling in for the injured Dennis Bergkamp in the same match serves to prove the point that Wenger is prepared to reward novices.
Carlos Vela, having played a starring role for Mexico in the Gold Cup this summer, has already proved himself capable of coping with the pressures at the top of the game. Having been snapped up at sixteen and then loaned to two Spanish sides in order to qualify for a European passport, it is obvious that he is highly-rated by the coaching staff at London Colney. Six goals last term and another in this season’s Carling Cup demonstrates clinical quality in and around the penalty box; what he needs next is a run of games uninterrupted by international duty and niggly injuries. Able to share the pressure with the equally talented, and more proven Eduardo, the pair’s trickery epitomise Wenger’s love for technically gifted and versatile hitmen.
Tactical shift
Physically it appears that without van Persie and Dane Nicklas Bendtner, also sidelined for a month, the Gunners are short of an aerial threat and someone with the requisite strength to hold the ball up and help slip in runners from midfield at the top of the offensive 4-3-3 formation. Although van Persie doesn’t come across as the most imposing of attackers, his 6ft 1inch frame, deceptive pace and strength has seen him grow into a role which he appeared to be struggling with in August.
Perhaps Wenger might analyse the possibility of reverting to a 4-4-2 formation deploying one of either Arshavin, Nasri or Fabregas in the ‘Bergkamp’ hole behind Eduardo, while allowing more traditional wide men like Walcott, Eboue, Rosicky and Traore to function as the Overmars-esque ‘speedy-gonzalez’ either side of Alexandre Song and Denilson’s Vieira-Petit styled axis. As a temporary measure reverting to the tried and tested could save Eduardo from periods of isolation up front while simultaneously offering better cover for full-backs Sagna and Clichy (or Gibbs) who have too often this season been left exposed by opposition attackers.
Collective responsibility and confidence
Leaders ran throughout the spine of the 1997-98 crop, with David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars all noted personalities at the time of their revival. On comparing the current Emirates young guns to such an esteemed group it is obvious that traditional experienced mentors are sorely lacking. Nevertheless, it is a communal spirit and sense of belief which comes from stringing together an unbeaten run which can help paper over such a perceived lack of individual personality.
That’s not to say that Cesc Fabregas isn’t shaping up to be a true leader, that Tomas Rosicky, Gael Clichy, William Gallas and Manuel Almunia are not respected elders inside the camp or that the commanding quality of Thomas Vermaelen and Andrey Arshavin doesn’t inspire. Arsene Wenger has put great stock in educating players in the ‘Arsenal philosophy’ and is certain that years together in the Academy has bred a collective identity – it is now time for this to come to the fore.
Retaining squad fitness
Too often in the recent past Arsenal have come unstuck at the business end of seasons due to terrible injury problems. The horrific leg break sustained by Eduardo da Silva in February 2008 against Birmingham City marked a turning point from which the Gunners title-bid was unable to recover, while last season injuries to Gael Clichy and William Gallas left an inexperienced defence skewered at the hands of Manchester United in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Premiership. As things stand, Wenger is again faced with more injuries than any other Premier League manager; eight in total, half of which are likely to keep players out for more than a month. If that figure can be reduced and the likes of Walcott, Nasri and Rosicky avoid setbacks then by January/February Arsenal should have a squad capable of mounting a creditable threat.
It would not come as a surprise to see Wenger dip into the transfer market again in the New Year, despite his thrifty reservations about buying ‘value for money.’ Of the current squad both Walcott and Diaby made a winter switch to north London (they were joined in the same 2006 window by Emmanuel Adebayor), but it is last year’s acquisition of Andrey Arshavin which should really get the Frenchman thinking. The Russian’s high-profile, last-minute arrival proved a hugely popular in the terraces and for squad morale; should a similar purchase (perhaps Bordeaux’s Marouane Chamakh) be forthcoming then it could mark a further means by which to inject confidence, support and competition.
Tight at the top
The Premier League is tighter than ever before and the record-breaking 95 point tally achieved by Chelsea under Jose Mourinho looks unlikely to be repeated this term. The Blues have already lost on two occasions, Arsenal and United three times each and traditional ‘big four’ side Liverpool five times. With Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Aston Villa all pushing hard for Champions League status more points will be dropped. Avoiding defeat, but at the same time only securing draws, may look good in the statistical almanacs but it doesn’t help you win titles. Just ask Liverpool fans who tasted defeat only twice last year but still saw Manchester United stroll to the title. In 1997-98 Arsenal’s men achieved 78 points to lift the title; that total has been beaten every season since. Perhaps this year for the first time in twelve years that trend could be bucked.
Seventeen different scorers this term prove that Arsenal are not reliant on one man alone. Arsene Wenger knows this but quickly freeing his youthful squad of any perceived psychological burdens will be the biggest test for the Frenchman in the coming days. Should he succeed then the kids from N5 have the ability to sweep all before them just as their predecessors did in 1997-98.