Sunday, the 2-8th

With Arsenal giving their worst performance (statistically) in almost a century on my birthday, critics continue to slam Wenger and his pupils. The cliché of inexperience, lack of physicality and the gradual wearing down of a once world class defense continues to hit the ear buds Wenger is currently wearing.

But what is stopping Wenger from buying established players like Parker and Cahill? Is it money? No. It’s overflowing at the Emirates currently. It is his belief in a philosophy- the philosophy of trust. Wenger firmly believes in the philosophy to trust youngsters, the philosophy to create passion and talent rather than buying it, to contribute to the beautiful game before contributing to the bank balance of the owners. It is no wonder that a squad consisting of veterans like Rooney, Young, Evra, Nani and Giggs thrashed the callow Gunners. In fact, SAF was completely aware of the fact that if at all Gunners slip out even a 1-0 victory under their noses just as in their last encounter, questions would be raised on him and his side. In short, Gunners did not have anything to lose at OT on Sunday except the three Premiere League points.

In fact, the match proved to be a head to toe inspection for the Gunners. Mr. Wenger clearly knows the areas he needs to strengthen. And yeah, the meaning of strengthening the squad is different at Emirates, way different than it is at OT, Ethihad and Stamford Bridge. The strength to be added to the squad is never measured in terms of money here, not even in terms of talent. It is measured in terms of trust and assignment of responsibilities at a young age. It is this approach that has made Fabregas the leader he is today. It is this belief that Wenger showed in Nasri that has enabled the 22 year old to be a part of one of the most elite collection of footballers at Ethihad. It is no surprise that a 20 year old Gunner has been named the captain of the senior Welsh side.

The way two Manchester sides and Chelsea chased talent in the transfer market exposes their impotency to create talent. Personally, I feel, that shows they are far from being a football club, they are just ventures financed by some business minded people to win championships. That is not the case at Emirates. Contributing to the sport has always been the culture at Arsenal. Gunners don’t run behind talent, talent grows in their backyard.

It is not the first time that an exodus has taken place at Emirates. But it is no coincidence that the exodus is always followed by an affluence of talent. When more than half of the Invincibles had left by 2007, many doubted Arsenal’s top four status and their decade long legacy of qualifying for the knock out stages of Champions’ League. But time and again, the trust and responsibility shown has worked. And it will work now as well.

Mr. Wenger has done it before and he will do it now too.

Stamford Bridge – a mystery, a jinx, an obsession.

With the arrival of the eighth manager in seven years at the Stamford Bridge, Chelsea now look set to for another dramatic season. While it is certain that happenings at the Bridge between Aug, 2011 and May, 2012 will be too big to be ignored not only by their city rivals but also by the Manchester clubs, it remains to be seen whether those events will be termed as success by Roman Abramovich.

Stamford Bridge has always been a mystery. It’s hard to believe that a squad of world class players has not won the most elite competition in Europe yet in spite of preparing, aiming and playing their hearts out. One year, it was a slip of their captain’s foot, the other year it was a decider goal in the 93^rd minute and yet another year it was the Special One himself that kept the Blues away from the European Championship. But not winning the Champions’ League, in no way, reduces the status or success Chelsea enjoys season after season. With just two trophy less seasons in six years, the period when their city rivals haven’t won a single trophy, the question is what does success mean to the Blues and to their Russian boss?

Clubs like AC Milan, Arsenal and even Manchester United enter the transfer market to patch the voids left in their squad by the departing players. It’s a different story that these clubs have hardly made a correct and a sensible signing in recent years. Milan have still not found a replacement for Kaka, Arsenal are yet to find another Toure and Lehmann and Manchester United are still in search for the correct player to don number 7. But what makes Roman Abramovich spend season after season bringing in new managers and the top players available in the market? Is it a business mind at work or just an obsession?

The squad at the Stamford Bridge is too strong to be strengthened further. The likes of Drogba, Lampard, Cole, Terry and Cech are capable enough to take the team to the helm of the European football. An icing on the cake is their recent L50m purchase of the Spanish wizard. Torres might have failed to reproduce the magic he created at Anfield a couple of seasons ago but he has in no way been an under performer at the Bridge. His goal drought is mainly attributed to the price tag he possesses rather than his game. The only concern Chelsea face is that their world class squad will be too old to be called world class a couple of years from now.

What Chelsea needs to win the Champions’ League is stability and consistency. Talent is neither a requirement nor a priority for them. They have already built a squad; it’s time to build a team.

If at all, Sanchez, Nasri or Neymar come in, who will Andre replace from the current playing eleven to test the new signings and what will be the reason or gain of that replacement remains a question.

The reason for the sacking of man who won a double just a year back and lifted them from the sixth to the second position in the league this season is still not clear in many minds. Surprisingly, many Chelsea supporters don’t seem to have this doubt. They, like the owner himself, seem to have been blinded by the unusual treble success of Andre Villas Boas. But one thing is for sure, if Andre happens to be another victim of the long standing jinx at Stamford Bridge, the fans will have to welcome another manager next year or rather much before that. Because it is not football that directs things at Chelsea, it is an obsession that rules the Bridge.