Four, Ten. Five - There’s no success like failure

Walcott
By Boris Mellor
November 30 2006

There’s no success like failure. And failure is no success at all, sang Dylan. It seems to fit the current Arsenal team. I can’t be bothered to detail a blow by blow description of the latest debacle. I will make just two points

1. I have been saying for weeks that a fish rots from the head, and a team from the back. First goals against Arsenal, Hamburg 4 minutes, Bolton, 10 minutes and Fulham 5 minutes. Twelve goals against, 33% more than Man U and Chelsea have conceded.

But it’s not just the total, but when you concede them. Fulham conceded one, but not until they scored two. All these goals are soft, several defenders, including Lehmann could have stopped McBride’s header – no one did.  Chelsea only conceded first once all season. Teams don’t have to bully Arsenal, they just need a corner, and until it is sorted out the debacle will continue. Yet some Arsenal fans insist on telling me that that the Gunners defending is not a problem.

 

2. Wenger sold the present for the future last night; he looked ahead, worried about the forthcoming games and decided to rest key players. In doing so he underestimated Fulham and brought about Arsenal’s defeat. Nobody to blame but himself. He told his team to stand up, and picked a team to fall down. Picking a team for defeat is not the way to create success. Confidence will be at an all time low, and as a result Toure and Senderos will not be available for the Chelsea game. Arsenal without Toure at the Bridge – do I not like that. Only a brave man, or an idiot,  would put money on Arsenal at the Bridge If Wenger wants success in the next game he needs success in the present one. Nothing succeeds like success. Wenger ignored his own good advice; take it one game at a time. He looked too far ahead and came a cropper. You’ve got to plan for the future? True, but defeat is the wrong tactic.