Does Arsenal lack ambition?

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has came out today to defend the club over claims that they are not ambitious enough. The Gunners haven’t splashed the cash like their Premier League rivals in recent years and it has left them somewhat behind.

Solidarity

Wenger believes the long-term solidarity of the club is more important than going out and splurging on expensive stars.

The Frenchman told Sky Sports: “ We always defend the values of the club, and the model has to be self-sustainable, otherwise it can completely go out of shape and become very fragile,”

“The financial solidity of the club is vital, for me, and therefore I have always supported that and I will continue to do that. I believe that the Financial Fair Play is about that. If UEFA push it through they will have a big supporter in me.

“ I believe that football has to work like every single company, it has to work with the money it produces itself.”

Admirable

Wenger’s philosophy on football is very admirable. His philosophy has a lot to do with the fact that he has an economics degree and would rather run the club as a business. He also knows that when the Financial Fair Play kicks-in Arsenal won’t have to make radical changes to the way they do things.

Of course clubs will find loopholes in the FFP, but Arsenal will still be in a good position when the new rules do come into effect.

Ambitious?

Unfortunately money talks in football nowadays and Arsenal are being left behind. The Gunners have qualified for the Champions League for the past 15 consecutive seasons, but surely just finishing in the top four of the Premier League isn’t good enough for Arsenal fans?

They have gone from perennial title challengers, to perennial challengers for the Champions League places. Not many people would consider them genuine title challengers next season, they just haven’t got a strong enough squad.

Losing

Arsenal have fallen behind some of their rivals and this has led to their star players wanting to leave every summer. Midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri left the Gunners last summer and it looks increasingly likely that captain Robin Van Persie will leave this summer.

Arsenal can’t afford to lose their best players every summer and not replace them. Every summer their squad is diluted in quality. A star player leaves and a player who isn’t quite as good arrives. For example last summer Fabregas left and was replaced by compatriot Mikel Arteta.

Now I wouldn’t for one minute criticise the quality of Arteta, because I’m one of his biggest fans, but he is not in the same league as Fabregas in terms of quality. This summer Van Persie could go and his replacement at the moment is unproven French striker Olivier Giroud.

As I always say, there is nobody better than Wenger at polishing rough diamonds and Giroud could be a gem. However, again he is not the same quality as Van Persie.

Trophies

One of the reasons that players are leaving Arsenal is the lack of trophies. The Gunners haven’t claimed a piece of silverware in seven years and that would worry me if I was a Arsenal fan. That doesn’t suggest to me that the club is especially ambitious.

The club is not going to win trophies by losing their best players every summer and replacing them with cheaper options. Arsenal are trying to keep pace with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, but at the moment they miles behind.

Shrewd

As a man and a football manager Arsene Wenger is very shrewd. He has built some fantastic teams down the years at Arsenal, with very little money. I have always admired Wenger’s work at Arsenal. He likes his team to play the right way and I respect that.

He has stuck to his principles, whether it be through stubbornness or belief. The club may have fallen behind in the short-term, but I do believe that in the long-term Wenger’s policy will prove to be a very clever one indeed.