Should Arsenal prioritize their efforts?
by Ted Harwood on Jan 30, 2012 12:07 PM EST
in Opinion
Email
Print
[Interviewer:] You named a very strong team for the FA Cup today; are you going all out for the competition this year?
"We have to, you know? And uh...as well I felt that we couldn't...lose another game, because it would just be mentally too hard to take for the players, and that's why I felt as well it's a competition where we have a chance, so let's go for it".
That is probably the most conclusive statement Wenger has made in the past few years about the FA Cup. In years past he has tended to deflect this kind of question by saying that the League is always the top priority, followed by the Champions League. Follow us after the jump for more thoughts:
Granted, the above quote came immediately after a big, big FA Cup win for the club, but it does suggest that Wenger can smell blood now, with Manchester United and Manchester City both out of the cup. Four more wins would bring the cup back to N5. Wenger is known to love the Champions League, but that might be a bridge too far this season. AC Milan are no joke right now, and then after that one is looking down the barrel of either Real Madrid, Chelsea, or Barcelona, possibly, and that's just a bummer time for all.
Much has been made, too, about the implications of finishing outside of the top four in the league. While I don't doubt that the club have contingency plans in place for not being in the Champions League next year, it still makes things quite a bit harder. This is known. There are two routes to getting in, most likely, although one (winning this year's Champions League) is, as noted above, more difficult possibly than finishing fourth this year.
There is no doubt at all that Wenger will devote most of his resources to finishing fourth. He always prioritizes the league above all else. What may have shifted this year is his devotion to the Champions League over the FA Cup. It makes sense, probably, to pour the most effort into a cup where one has to beat Sunderland/Middlesborough, then, in terms of odds, probably some of Liverpool, Chelsea, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur. Not an easy task, but easier than Madrid, Barca, Bayern, and Chelsea.
Aidan and I discussed this a bit on yesterday's Fusillade podcast, but now I turn the question to you: which competition would you like Arsenal to really push for over the next 4 1/2 months?
42 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
We won't win the CL and probably won't finish top 4, so yes, we should prioritize the Cup.
Managing Editor, OnceAMetro.com
Five points and goal difference off fourth place right now feels more doable than CL this year, but yeah
by Ted Harwood on Jan 30, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
yeah, but Chelsea are an unstoppable juggernaut that hasn't had a single poor performance all season
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 30, 2012 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
CL is doable too.
Real and Barcelona are tough but Barcelona has fallen to some minnows in the league, what is to say they don’t do it again. Drawing AC off the bat hurts our chances considerably though.
There is ZERO chance that we win the CL. ZERO.
Managing Editor, OnceAMetro.com
by Ben Schneider on Jan 30, 2012 5:04 PM EST up reply actions
Well, someone is a bit of a pessimist.
For all we know, the entire Barcelona squad could catch a one-day flu and be forced to play super reserves, allowing us to win on aggregate. And then, maybe we could play someone weak in the final and win.
It's not pessimism, it's realism.
Look at the other teams in the knock-out phase. To win we would probably have to beat one or two of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern, Chelsea, and Napoli. That’s not going to happen.
Managing Editor, OnceAMetro.com
by Ben Schneider on Jan 30, 2012 7:33 PM EST up reply actions
Honestly as the team is right now we're not getting a top 4 spot either.
A good cup run is much easier than doing well in the league though. A lot of it is luck. If we manage to put all our best performances in the CL like Liverpool in 08 we could snatch it.
Frankly I don’t think we’re likely to do either as things stand but both are possible.
Plus, I think our style lines up a little better against European teams
better than against the gigantic, 6 in the box, counter attacking lower EPL teams we have to play every week.
Captain, there are doubt''s...
by Match Day 5 on Jan 31, 2012 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
It's not realism, it's exaggeration.
Is it likely? Certainly not. But it’s not impossible. And it won’t be impossible until we lose.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 31, 2012 9:48 AM EST up reply actions
There's never a zero percent chance of anything happening
except for impossibilities. But futball is full of random events and can never be 100%
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 30, 2012 7:34 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, that's not true.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 31, 2012 9:47 AM EST up reply actions
Get in the Champions League.
It’s more fun that way, and we probably need the money. Also I would like to continue to be able to hold that over Liverpool for at least one more year, because that’s nice.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 30, 2012 12:24 PM EST reply actions
Do you feel we need the money, or the prestige/ability to sign players more?
by Ted Harwood on Jan 30, 2012 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know our financials, so I can't really say
but I would argue the latter probably, because honestly without that I don’t know what we would use to attract players. Living in London? Chelsea and Tottenham have that too. History? Liverpool and United have it. Money? Practically everyone’s richer. What we have is the promise of playing in two of the world’s most prestigious competitions every single year. That’s why (for example) Arteta signed, for less than he could have gotten somewhere else.
If we don’t have the Champions League, we’re going to be reliant on Wenger finding diamonds in the rough (like Koscielny) or we’re just going to have to sign Gooners and live off of our youth system. Or get lucky that someone wants to come here, I guess.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 30, 2012 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
Why not...
…both Top Four AND FA Cup? Winning silverware at this point would be nice and since the top four is still in reach, why not?
I don’t know. Going for one and not for both just seems like giving up to me.
I take it you were the one who voted for
Stop presenting me with a false choice, or I shall hit you in the face with a halibut, you jerk
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 30, 2012 12:40 PM EST up reply actions
Top 4
FA Cup is nice, but if you are a Hazard, Gotze, or someone like that you probably want CL action.
Top 4
These days the CL is a critical ingredient towards attracting good players to your club, and keeping good players at the club. RVP is hardly going to feel giddy about signing a new contract if we win the FA cup and don’t make CL. Arteta joined us specifically for a shot at playing in the CL. We need the CL, even if you ignore the financial benefits which are considerable.
SBN Bloglist:
The Short Fuse (Arsenal, EPL)
Sactown Royalty (Kings, NBA)
I'd like to win the Champions League
It solves the top 4 dilemma b/c it also q’s you for next years competetion.
That and of course, we’d be Champions of Europe.
How much more money does advancing each round of the Champions league net?
How many more eyes see AFC in the lights for each round we advance?
Are some of you seriously suggesting that we don’t put our best team out for the Champions league each and every chance we get from this point forward?
“Damn Arsene, he played RVP vs. Milan when he should have saved him for QPR.”
There’s a chance we don’t have to go to Camp Nou to win it all.
Massimo is not guaranteed to ref our matches.
I’m not saying we’re a favorite. But there are only 15 other clubs with a chance.
And we only have to beat four of them.
20 million
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 30, 2012 7:34 PM EST up reply actions
One thing i will say is that i think our back line is significantly better than it was in the recent past (assuming sagna is back and playing at the high level he normally does by the time Milan rolls around.)
But overall, everything considered, our midfield is a shell of years past. Being the type of side we are this flaw is simply fatal. I honestly cringe at the thought of what bayern, madrid or barcelona would do to us right now.
As an aside, we all know football makes absolutely no sense whatsoever most of the time. So obviously i will watch every minute of milan and any subsequent rounds we may advance to, but its with the type of foolhardy hope you must have only from supporting your club.
As far as prioritising…you put out your first available xi in the champions league. This is not even a thought which should cross anybody’s mind here. It’s the fucking champions league.
This team will be the death of me.
by NYflyGUY on Jan 30, 2012 7:37 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
I understand the Bayern/Madrid/Barca matchups that would be killer in a home and home at this stage
But there’s no reason the next round can’t be:
Barca-Chelsea
Real-Bay Munich
Benfica-Arsenal
Inter-Lyon
and then if the two Spanish teams advance, I believe they’d be required to play in the semi’s leaving:
Real-Barca
Arsenal-Lyon
And the poll topic was “Where should we push hardest”
And I agree, you always put your best XI out for the Champions League. I was surprised I was one of the few who said UCL.
by CelticPride on Jan 30, 2012 10:43 PM EST up reply actions
I believe that they wouldn't be required.
Man U beat Chelsea in the final once, I believe. However, this is in fact possible.
by Adnan Ilyas on Jan 30, 2012 11:00 PM EST up reply actions
you’re forgetting that we always draw the cuntalonyans
This team will be the death of me.
by NYflyGUY on Jan 31, 2012 12:21 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Oh I remember
I don’t believe it’s technically a requirement. But I know where you’re coming from.
I believe the corrollary is that the cunts from Manchester get an easy draw.
Seeing as the choked up their biscuits this year, I was hoping that the pendulum would swing the other way.
You're on of the few who put UCL because
UCL success now has no bearing on qualification for next season. A top 4 finish does.
SBN Bloglist:
The Short Fuse (Arsenal, EPL)
Sactown Royalty (Kings, NBA)
If we win we are in next year
I looked it up
However I put the chances of us pulling off a couple of upsets at <1% so there fore it is almost pointless to try when you are fighting for every point you can get.
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 31, 2012 1:40 AM EST up reply actions
here you go
2.03 The UEFA Champions League titleholder is guaranteed a place in the group stage even if it does not qualify for the competition through its domestic championship.
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 31, 2012 1:47 AM EST up reply actions
I know that the winner of the CL autoqualifies -_-......
But do you think we have a higher chance of winning the CL, or getting an EPL top 4 finish? Which do you think is more likely?
SBN Bloglist:
The Short Fuse (Arsenal, EPL)
Sactown Royalty (Kings, NBA)
by silverace99 on Jan 31, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions
I'd say
winning the CL <1%
top 4 50/50 at this point
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 31, 2012 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
Honestly think there's a greater chance than that of winning CL
but top 4 is significantly more likely. That’s where the focus should be, and if the CL shakes out conveniently, then I will have a joygasm.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 31, 2012 2:46 PM EST up reply actions
vegas has it a 3% so I guess theres that
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 31, 2012 11:53 PM EST up reply actions
I see no reason that we couldn't go for the FA cup and 4th place
by Sabrina Dessipe on Jan 30, 2012 1:29 PM EST reply actions
I agree
but if I had to choose say there was a league game and cup game 2 days apart I’d send the backups to the cup match
Chuck Norris doesn't need a bat.
he just roundhouse kicks the ball out of the park.
by bearcatcardfan on Jan 30, 2012 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
