A New Leaf?

Arsenal are going to have to rewrite their new year’s resolutions if they are going to succeed in 2018 and beyond.

Some might say that improving on the previous year’s standards is not the hardest of tasks – despite May’s unlikely cup win. But in general, there is a feeling that Arsenal have gone backwards on the pitch, and the start to the current campaign will have done little to ease the concern amongst supporters.

To put a definitive finger on what they must do to move forward once again – in a world where Pep Guardiola’s brand of football threatens their unique ‘Invincibles’ tag, and the rise of rivals Spurs to solid top-four contention in recent years – is a tricky assignment in itself, especially with the mundanity of the Europa League holding them back on a continental front without enjoying the positives of frequent midweek rests that champions Chelsea took full advantage of last year.

2017 had begun in a positive light – as far as anyone else was concerned, Arsenal were in the title race by (scorpion) kicking-off January in third place, some nine points behind Antonio Conte’s would-be winners.

But after a shock defeat to Watford at the end of the month, the wheels came off, and it would seem that Arsenal’s fragile ability to crumble at any given moment has been exposed ever since.

As the league form suffered, any respite gained by rare and somewhat timely big-game performances in the FA Cup was countered by their failure to reach the Champions League.

Subsequent failure to juggle Thursday nights and Sunday lunchtimes with two different squads has seen no let-up in the apathy at the club, leading to all-round frustration, supporter unease and recurring under-performance.

‘Time for Change’ has been a common buzzword over the last few years and in one way or another, change has to occur if glory days are to be seen at Arsenal any time soon – else they will fall behind the rest of the ‘Big Six’ and Europa League football will become the norm at the Emirates Stadium – something unthinkable even a year ago.

Whether it is purely tactical or through personnel changes behind the scenes or on the pitch, abiding by the status quo will have Arsenal moving sideways at best.

They have shown brief flashes of their brilliance this season – not least in yesterday’s pulsating 2-2 draw with Chelsea, yet in the same game managed to display the frailties that have made them easy targets – even for the teams they should be casting aside. Five draws in their last seven league games not only shows their all-too-common weaknesses, but also their potential.

A lack of potential being fulfilled at any other club would have fingers being pointed straight at the manager. How ironic, then, for Arsene Wenger to comment this week that referees are untouchable in their profession. Wenger has, both fairly and unfairly, been subject to adverse criticism in his time at Arsenal, yet we are clearly living in the lowest ebb of his tenure.

Arsene is an intelligent man and will no doubt be aware of this – the cups mean nothing at this point, even if they do maintain faint positivity over the summer months. But given he seemingly has free reign at Arsenal with almost every decision down to him, it is up to him to sort the enduring mess at the club out – even if that means walking away from his contract early.

That means not letting star players run down their contracts. It means finding a tactical plan that doesn’t look like it was drawn up on a stag weekend. It means finding a way to motivate the team so that top-level performances are shown week-in, week-out, rather than once in a blue moon. It means knowing when it is time to step aside.

Arsenal have a bright future ahead of them – with or without the current regime in place. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the embodiment of that after yet another stellar and mature performance on Wednesday night. But if they are to right the wrongs of yesteryear, it feels as though the club will have to step out of its comfort zone in order to succeed.