Arsenal 1-2 Wigan and The Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain conundrum

It is hard to be too critical of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal after their resurgence over the last few weeks, and indeed this loss owed far more to a determined and accomplished defensive display from Wigan Athletic, than a particularly abject performance from the Gunners. True Wenger's men were not at their best, but credit must be given to Roberto Martinez, who has instilled belief in a Wigan side most thought were all but relegated after they lost eight matches on the spin, earlier in the season.

Pre-match, Sky's Gary Neville - pound for pound the best pundit in the business right now - predicted Arsenal, at home and in good form, would be extremely positive from the outset, and this seemed to be how Wigan saw things as well. They lined up with ten - often eleven - men behind the ball, worked hard to win possession and then counter attacked with gusto, dispensing with the pretty passing that has been Martinez's managerial trademark. It was a gutsy performance by Wigan; they played effective, direct football, battled to a man, and left Arsenal struggling to create clear cut chances.

After the game Wenger bemoaned the referee's failure to curb Wigan's time wasting - and he had a point - but the truth is, Arsenal looked as though they could have played for another half hour and still not got their equaliser.

Indeed for much of the second half, Wenger's men looked devoid of inspiration. Benayoun was ineffective and Walcott well marshalled; Van Persie was repeatedly forced to drop deep to get a touch of the ball, and you felt the crowd willing the Frenchman to make a change. When it came, the sight of half-man half-forehead, Gervinho, on the touchline received a lukewarm response from the crowd.

The player they really wanted to see, was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Arsenal manager has shown a marked reluctance to give game time to Oxlade-Chamberlain over the last few weeks, and given the player's form earlier in campaign, Arsenal fans have been left scratching their heads.

Arsene Wenger's reputation as a manager who is highly adept at developing young players, is well earned, and it is no surprise that many young talents have, in recent years, chosen Arsenal over other top Premier League clubs, as the place to continue their football eduction. Is Wenger simply protecting his player, his years of experience telling him that the young midfielder has been elevated to the position of "fan favourite" before his time? It could be that he simply does not want to expose Oxlade-Chamberlain to those kind of pressures just yet.

Another school of thought is that it is Wenger's legendary stubbornness that prevents him from playing the teenager. It seems that whenever the fans demand something, the Frenchman digs his heels in and for several games earlier in the year there was a real battle of wills between manager and fans, most notably when Oxlade-Chamberlain - Arsenal's best player on the day - was withdrawn for Andrei Arshavin, in the game against Manchester United. Arshavin's poor defending would then play a part in United's winner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eedFlvSaSXM

That, in particular, was a decision that baffled, and it came at a point in the season when many supporters had begun openly questioning whether Wenger should continue at the club next season.

With the team now back to winning ways, is this Wenger's way of showing the fans that he was right all along, that they can win without Oxlade-Chamberlain? Is this Wenger reminding the fans that Arsene knows best?

Quite possibly but, ever the conspiracy theorist, I'd like to put forward another suggestion...

After his performances in the Champions League and against United, the clamour for Oxlade-Chamberlain to start for Arsenal was deafening. But in addition, and perhaps crucially, there was talk of an England call up. Most worrying for Wenger, there was the prospect of his young talent being taken to Euro 2012.

Arsene Wenger is often described as a control freak. He is certainly meticulous and, many would say, dogmatic in his approach to management. He does things his way and he will not be swayed, by the capriciousness of the fans or bandwagon journalism; in many ways, admirable qualities.

It would be fair to say that he has never been a fan of international football and he is constantly complaining about his younger players being called up. For a manager so much in control at his club, a manager who prides himself on knowing how to nurture young players, to lose sight of them for weeks on end for under-21 or full international duty, must be, you would imagine, almost impossible to cope with. The wrangle over Theo Walcott's inclusion in the squad for the European under-21 championship in 2009 is evidence of this...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/5395815/Theo-Walcott-inclusion-in-England-Under-21-squad-leaves-Arsene-Wenger-simmering.html

In fairness to Wenger, his concerns about Walcott's fitness proved to be well founded. But the point is that the Frenchman has previous. The fact that Walcott - a young man passionate about playing for his country - had to "defy" his manager, to accept his call up speaks volumes.

I believe this is the reason behind Oxlade-Chamberlain not receiving the time on the pitch that many seasoned Arsenal supporters believe he deserves. By holding Oxlade-Chamberlain back, Wenger is ensuring that the England manager - whoever that may be come June - will simply not be able to justify calling up his teen prodigy. Wenger will have him all to himself for a summer of tedious, fitness building - and in no way commercially motivated - pre-season tours of Asia and the Far East.

Wayne Rooney forced himself into the England side in the run up to Euro 2004, through the unimpeachable quality of his football that year, and took the tournament by storm, before his unfortunate injury. Oxlade-Chamberlain's performances earlier this season were similarly eye-catching, and if his form had continued he would surely have been in Poland and the Ukraine this summer.

Of course Arsene Wenger's first concern must be Arsenal but, in holding back the talented midfielder, he could be robbing the nation - and the wider footballing world - of the potential breakout star of Euro 2012.

Arsene Wenger's Easter Epiphany?

Has Arsene Wenger finally seen the light?

In 2008, I was asked to write an article on the subject of captaincy, in the wake of William Gallas losing the armband at Arsenal. The move was prompted by the publication of an interview Gallas had given to the Associated Press, in which he claimed that his team were "not brave enough," needed more "soldiers" and were fighting amongst themselves.

Gallas had been a divisive figure during his tenure, and his infamous sit-down protest on the pitch at St Andrews was still fresh in the memory when, on reading those comments, Arsene Wenger felt compelled to remove the Frenchman from his position, after less than eighteen months in the role.

At the time, Wenger said this, on the subject of captaincy:

“I don't believe too much in leadership… I believe more in good passing than a guy who jumps around with the hands in the air and plays the leader.”

Three days later, Cesc Fabregas was appointed as Arsenal captain.

There is a school of thought that says you should make your best player you captain; a player who leads by example, the sheer quality of their play inspiring their team-mates to greater heights. There are obvious benefits, not least that you bind that player even tighter to the club, which can help ward off potential suitors. But, at the time, I argued that what the Arsenal first team desperately needed were more traditional "leaders": dogged competitors with a winning mentality, in mould of a John Terry or, more pertinently, a Tony Adams, the inspirational Arsenal captain Wenger inherited when he arrived at the club.

The argument that this Arsenal side lack backbone, and are mentally frail, is at least three years old. He may have been wrong to say it, in the way that he said it, but I believe that, ultimately, William Gallas was right.

As Arsenal's season has collapsed in a cascade of disappointing draws and defeats, Wenger has cut an increasingly lonely figure on the touchline: pacing, skinny-limbed; his face pinched into a permanent frown; complaining vociferously - and often without foundation - about perceived injustices. He has also been increasingly chippy with the press, stating his belief that both he and his team have been subjected to sustained and unwarranted criticism.

Wenger clearly feels victimised. But the irony is that it is precisely because he is held in such high regard, that he is the subject of such persistent and repetitive criticism: he is a couple of leaders away from a great side; a centre back away from a great side; a goalkeeper with presence; a midfielder with bite. Three or four players of proven quality are required, with the experience to help solidify what has the potential to be a great team. We've all been saying it: fans, players, pundits, the press. If only he would open his cheque book.

I believe that most neutral fans - on some level, at least - want Wenger's Arsenal to succeed: they play football the way the vast majority of us think it should be played. We can see Wenger's faults - he is dogmatic, stubborn - but we hold the belief that if he would just compromise - for one transfer window, for one summer - if he would just go out and spend, then surely the trophies would come. But as each year has gone by, Wenger has dug his heels in ever deeper, determined to prove us all wrong.

Arsenal fans are clearly losing patience with their legendary manager. Defeat to Birmingham in the Carling Cup final was the last straw for many. For others it has been the implosion of their challenge for the Premier League, in a season where their rivals have stuttered and the title was there for the taking. Rumours have surfaced that Wenger will walk away, that Real Madrid will come calling if Mourinho leaves the Bernabeu at the end of the season. Some have even started calling for him (whisper it) to quit.

But now, there are signs that the previously unshakable faith Wenger has shown in his footballing philosophy could, indeed, be waning. Contrast his comments, following Arsenal's defeat at Bolton yesterday, with the quote from three years ago:

"It's very unsatisfactory... we didn't take our chances. That is frustrating because I feel the potential is there but we still lack something: maturity and experience and calm in important situations."

Alleluia.

Perhaps this will be enough to persuade those doubters who, like Morgan, have descended into a fug of despondency in recent weeks. The truth is, we won't know if Wenger really has seen the light until the transfer window shuts at the end of the summer.