Arsène Wenger: Schooling comradarie throughout the nations

[Adam]

Reading Danny Murphy slating Liverpool for not having the same spirit since Fowler left - it posed the concern to me of us facing the same with Keown and Parlour going. This has run through the minds of many Arsenal fans in the past, and now.

What it is that you then realise is that Arsène has been able to create a special atmosphere here at Arsenal where players from abroad seamlessly fit into the clubs spirit, tradition, and ambition. It is not like we are lacking in British players either - Taylor, Stack, Cole, Hoyte, Campbell, Garry, Pennant, and Bentley are all in our first team squad.

Arsène tells them they need to prepare for the physical side of the game and that their attitude will change. It is almost the perfect induction to English football. So perfect - that the myths of English players being a neccesity can now be overseen.

So when it no longer becomes a mental and attitude issue - does it become an ability issue?

Do English players give you something on the field a foreign player will not be able to?

Take the example of Reyes. He loves the club and the spirit here already, so he is prepared to go to the gym and really get stuck in matches. He has surpassed even our English players in levels of grit. Ashley Cole is homegrown - but by homegrown; do we insist the player on being English?

Homegrown, for me, can include the likes of Aliadiere - players who have been through our youth system and schooled the Arsenal way by Arsenal coaches. I believe we should not perceive this as neccesarily being an English thing.

People questioned Arsène on what youngsters he was bringing through at Arsenal, and by saying this - they meant English - Arsène replied along the lines of 'People say we do not give young players a chance but look at Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Aliadiere etc'.

Has Arsène contradicted his own belief, and the general masses belief that you must have a core of English players? In 01/02 we had 5 English players starting in Ponytail, Cole, Campbell, Adams/Keown, and Parlour.

We now only have 2 in defensive positions (possibly because offensively English players lack the vision and technical ability to compete in Europe). We had Jeffers, but he is testament to that belief.

It is just an inquiry into what extent we have broken down boundaries, and cracked established views.

I believe the club should have English players overrall to reflect where it is from when the club plays abroad. It is an ambassador of the Premiership. But more and more - the football world is becoming a world without borders. For me, this is also a good thing.

I just cannot wait to see Jose Reyes get stuck in on a cold, wet day in Bolton.

Can you? :wink:

 

[A.Hussain]

in ur attack minded analysis, i think there are a few englishmen who can be creative. at arsenal we have seen pennant to an extent. but i believe that every gooner, if not every englishman is waiting with baited breath for arsenal or norwich, whichever first to unleash the explosive bentley. he embodies the style and movement that once and still is attributed to the original Iceman. lets hope we see a 20 year old englishman do the three lions and the cannon proud. Attack, Attack, Attack! 8)

 

[Adam]

.....and Pennant and Bentley have been schooled by one Arsenal and Arsène Wenger. It takes time. Pennant does have vision and can play the through ball and time it well - he just needs to show it in an Arsenal shirt. His decision making needs time so it can adjust and function within the Arsenal game, and not the Leeds game. Heh.

Chelsea and Manchester United cannot replicate the same comfort zone as Arsenal for foreign players. Their best players are still British, while Arsène has gone to the cheaper European market and got foreign players as his best players and made them perform with enough grit so that they can go a season unbeaten.

Arsène Wenger does choose his players mentally too - he makes sure he knows they can adapt.

 

[johe]

Yes, and for all the above reasons Adam, we can't end up with a Veron. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

"I believe the club should have English players overrall to reflect where it is from" - I totally disagree with this ... football would end if this was the case, think about it if arsenal went to all english players we'd get relegated lol- if foreigners werent allowed to play in england football would be so boring that ppl would just give up watching it :roll: so overall imo having a team full of english because its an english football team is just silly

 

[JazzG]

Reyes was a gritty player in Spain as well and has always been determined. Against Man utd we saw that when many times he came back to help out, it is unlike foreign players to show that kind of desire. Giggs was one on one with Cole and it was Reyes who got back to make the tackle in, he must of sprinted 50 yards to get to Giggs, there were numerous other times when he got back as well.

So we know Reyes can do it but can the others? Everyone within the club always talked of a great spirit within the team lets see if it is true next season. Doing well in this league isn't just about playing the flashy stuff, it is about digging deep and grinding out the results, something we were guility of not doing in 02/03, last season we did it when we had to. If we lose Vieira will whoever comes in grind like he has when we have needed to? I know our back 4 can do it but can the 4 infront of them get back and grind it out? Ljungberg and Gilberto can but I'm not so sure about the other 2 (assuming if Vieira leaves). Pires has let Cole down many times in the past so he needs to sort that part of his game out and if a new CM comes in he will need to help as well. Parlour was great at really playing in a gritty fashion and he will be a big loss to our side, technically he wasn't the best but he always gave it his all, that is why we gooners always appreciated him.

This is what having a good spirit within the camp is all about, we play well together and when needed we dig down together

 

[Adam]

Losing Parlour and Vieira would mean Edu and Gilberto would have to replicate the grit. I am not so sure Arsène would trust this on the long term. A hungry youngster coming in would be motivated for any game, however.

If we lose Vieira (our gritty CM), then the player who comes in will have to show the same. This could of been Carrick. It is less of a risk for a player liek Carrick to come and play CM as he would have no adaptation problems, and he lives in north london. This would of been a sensible transfer. Our non-interest in Carrick could be a clear sign that Vieira is now staying.

 

[Adam]

Pires has let Cole down many times in the past so he needs to sort that part of his game out and if a new CM comes in he will need to help as well.

That's a really good point. Vieira is always covering and sweeping Pires and Cole down that side. He makes a special effort of this, and does it well.

I still believe our defence will be as strong with, or without Patrick, and that our attack will be even more stronger this season. Why? Because our defence relies more heavily on Toure, Campbell, and Gilberto more than Vieira, and our attack has been enhanced with Jose's adaptation and Van Persie inclusion - aswell as Pennants resurgance.

 

[Anonymous]

It still is nice though to see English players come through our youth system who we have developed since they were 13.

Cole is really the only one who fits that description. It think Ryan Smith will be the next.

And on Bentley, how did we come across getting this guy, because he wanst in the teams that won the two youth cups, he just seemed to appear one day.

 

[johe]

It still is nice though to see English players come through our youth system who we have developed since they were 13.

Cole is really the only one who fits that description. It think Ryan Smith will be the next.

And on Bentley, how did we come across getting this guy, because he wanst in the teams that won the two youth cups, he just seemed to appear one day.

I think he first started playing football when he was 9 years old, then we picked him up at 11 or something. Not quite sure about it though, I read it in some interview posted on here a while ago. I think he wasn't very good until just a few years ago where he started to come good. Talk about unfulfilled talent.

 

[lewdikris]

Our internationalist team spirit only emerged in 2001. Before then there was very much a French/English divide within the club.

That's evidently disappeared now, and we're one big happy United Nations assembly.

The only disappointment in not having more English players in the team is that it reinforces that English players in general lack the technique for genuine passing football.

But that will change - and Bentley, Pennant, Hoyte and Smith are the ones to change it.

The same logic will then apply as did when Cole came through - because they're English, and will get international recognition because of the club's stature and they're own quality, they will nail down a first team spot.

And amen to that - the clubs should also be good for the association they represent.

In other words, 2005 or 2006 will see the end of this mongrel collection, and see a new core.

It won't be better or worse, just different.

 

[beanz]

I genuinely think that we (Arsenal) are in the vanguard when it comes to bringing on youngsters to play in this exciting, fast, one touch passing game.
It can only be good for the youth team to be brought up in this environment, literally breathing in the skills of the players around them.
I'm not sure that it matters, or is indeed relevant these days, that the majority of players have to be English, we are an English club and whoever plays for us should reflect that, in the passion and desire that typifies the EPL.