After his poisonous attack on Alan Wiley earlier this season, should Alex Ferguson still doubt the ability of referees to keep pace with the frenetic nature of the modern day game, I would invite the Manchester United manager to review footage of his side’s third goal against Arsenal on Sunday.
Sir Fergie was probably too busy marvelling at the clinical execution of Ji-Sung Park’s game clinching third to notice arbiter Foy, 47, grey of hair and large of arse, comfortably accelerating past Denilson, 21, professional athlete and relative veteran of over 150 top level games, in pursuit of the Korea winger.
Though not solely responsible, the Brazilian was also culpable in the build-up to United’s opening two goals and by the time he was withdrawn with half an hour remaining, it was a minor miracle that the usually unforgiving Emirates regulars spared him the ‘Eboue treatment’, opting for ironic cheers instead of boos.
Arsenal have fielded players of limited ability by the bucket load in the past. Hell, they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994 with a midfield which included Steve Morrow and Ian Selly, men who would struggle to spell the word creativity, let alone provide an imaginative pass.
Denilson, despite recent evidence to the contrary, is not an appalling footballer, but unlike Morrow and Selly, he is completely ignorant of his defensive responsibilities.
And in that regard, it is his manager who is to blame.
It should be of deep concern to Arsene Wenger that William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen and the one authentic defensive midfielder Arsenal have on their books, Alex Song, have been his side’s most consistent performers this season, Cesc Fabregas aside.
And yet 28 goals have been haemorrhaged. Significantly 12 in the four games they have played against the Manchester clubs and Chelsea this season – ignoring the three conceded against City in the Carling Cup.
“We did let in too many goals last season and decided to rectify our defence and the system as well. We play an attacking game and sometimes we pay the price,” said Wenger at last October’s AGM.
And therein lies the problem. How can a side whose manager views the concession of goals as an occupational hazard, hope to overcome the mean machines which reside at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge?
Gael Clichy is having a nightmare of it at the moment, but were he to receive the same support Park and Darren Fletcher provided for rookie right-back Rafael, Sunday’s outcome may have been different.
Sadly, while Wenger sends out his troops in the misguided belief that their supposed superior technical abilities are capable of overcoming any obstacle, Arsenal’s trophy drought will continue.
As the final few hours of the transfer window whittle away, Arsenal fans are unlikely to be impressed with their manager’s activity over the course of January.
So far, other than a geriatric centre-half and a set of crimson red goal nets, Wenger has been typically frugal at a time when even gentle, rather than radical investment could have strengthened his hand.
That said, wholesale changes in terms of personnel are not required to transform Arsenal from pretenders into contenders. A rethink of the romantic notion Wenger has of winning matches by paying scant regard to anything that might constitute what he would brand anti- football should be his priority, however.
The Premier League is not Mexico 1970. It’s a completely different beast even to the one Wenger ruled six years ago. He needs to move with the times or he risks falling by the wayside.
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