Arsènal (29 page)

In a question-and-answer session held with shareholders two days after the end of the season, Wenger specified he was in the market for a defender (and a creative midfielder). “We have to rectify how we deal with direct balls,” he admitted to the audience. “When a team just goes for long, direct balls against us, we have to improve.” The obvious conclusion was that the sought after defender would be a big six-footer who would provide a better option than Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou and Alexandre Song.

Following the Chelsea defeat Senderos, who had performed admirably against Milan, was given the chance to address the lack of height at the back and with Sagna unavailable Kolo Toure moved to right back. Presumably, Wenger felt Toure to be a better bet in an unfamiliar role than either Eboue or Justin Hoyte, whose defensive qualities he had come to question. Unfortunately, a number of key goals in the final matches of the season were subsequently conceded as a result of attacks down the right side of the defence, with Toure – struggling for form ever since picking up an injury playing for the Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations – unconvincing in the position. Sagna proved a huge loss and another case of ‘what if?'

Due to the quirk of the fixture list sandwiching the two legs of a Champions League quarter-final around the scheduled Arsenal v Liverpool Premier League match, the two sides faced each other three times in seven days. For the first leg of the European tie Arsenal, the home team, went ahead, only to concede an away goal that left Liverpool far better placed to qualify. There was a bitter taste in Arsenal mouths when Alex Hleb was clearly tugged back by Dirk Kuyt in the penalty area in full view of the referee. Events the following week would compound the sense of injustice.

Despite dropping points left, right and centre, Arsenal were still in with a chance of the title, but a second home draw with Liverpool in succession, both sides resting many of those who had been on European duty, more or less lined up the nails in the coffin of any lingering hopes of overhauling Manchester United and Chelsea. Some felt that Wenger was wrong to prioritise Europe and that he should have fielded his strongest line-up for all three matches against Liverpool. He chose to return to the Toure/Gallas partnership for a final time in the league fixture and lived to regret it as the duo were at fault for Liverpool's goal. The similarity between the two games was reflected in the same scoreline and another decent Arsenal penalty claim being waved away by the referee. The personnel may have changed, but it was a surefire case of
déjà vu
all over again (as the legendary baseball catcher Yogi Berra first declared). One hammer blow after another.

Travelling to Anfield for the deciding leg of the quarter-final, many Gooners were optimistic. To have any chance, Arsenal had to score and in spite of not getting the rub of the green in recent weeks, they could normally be relied upon to do just that. The game was set up perfectly for Wenger's attacking philosophy. They had little to lose by playing positively, a simple case of score or go out, and Liverpool notching one of their own wouldn't actually change that situation. The consequence was a marvellous first half as the visitors handed out a footballing lesson. The goal, with the final brushstroke applied by Abou Diaby, illustrated the interplay, precise passing and speed of movement that is the hallmark of Arsenal football at its peak. Once again, they were ahead in the tie and with the advantage of knowing that they too had scored a vital away goal.

Having seen Gallas and Toure struggle to deal with Peter Crouch three days previously, Wenger had brought back Senderos to partner the captain, with Toure again moved to right back. All had reason to feel personally responsible for subsequent mishaps. Senderos failed to challenge Sami Hyppia at a Liverpool corner and the scores were level. It was a rank loss of concentration that galvanised a side who had looked second best up till then, their improvement given further impetus by yet another injury. This time Mathieu Flamini was the victim, his 42 minutes being his last appearance in an Arsenal shirt (at the end of the season he joined AC Milan as a free agent). No Sagna, no Rosicky, no Eduardo and now no Flamini. Van Persie was still short of full match fitness after a long absence and Flamini's replacement Gilberto a shadow of his former self. The momentum was now with Liverpool and it was no surprise when they took a 69th-minute lead through Fernando Torres.

However, the twists and turns of what was developing into an epic encounter were far from over. Theo Walcott replaced Eboue and created a wonder goal to put Wenger's team ahead in the tie on the away-goals rule. As a Liverpool move broke down on the edge of Arsenal's penalty area, Walcott ran the length of the pitch, outpacing opponents and skipping tackles before delivering a cutback for Adebayor to roll in. Pandemonium broke out amongst the visiting supporters as, with 85 minutes on the clock, the goal looked decisive. Unfortunately, the excitement was contagious, and what followed exposed the team's immaturity. By fair means or foul, any attacks had to be halted to buy time to regain concentration. Patrick Vieira would have ensured they were prepared for any eventuality and stopped any momentum with, if necessary, a foul, the subsequent break in play ensuring the minds of his colleagues were fully focussed on the task in hand. Instead his successors fell to a sucker punch.

Left winger Ryan Babbel collected the ball near the touchline and ran towards the penalty area. Wenger was devastated at what followed. “Kolo didn't touch him. Babel pulled Kolo's shirt because he knew Gallas was blocking his way. He did what most strikers would but he went down because he was going nowhere.” It was an expertly engineered example of gamesmanship as initially it even convinced neutrals that Toure had been at fault. The referee was certainly in no doubt, awarding the spot kick and even booking the hapless Toure for good measure. Would Sagna have done better and dispossessed Babel before he was anywhere near the area? Possibly. Toure had rarely been convincing as a full back before his transition to a central defender and did nothing to change that view on his return four years on.

A tale of two penalties. The one denied Hleb in the first leg was far more clear-cut than the one awarded at Anfield (and successfully dispatched by Steven Gerrard). Arsenal were dead and buried. A fourth Liverpool goal in the dying embers of injury time was an academic footnote, although that the scorer was Babel was the final insult.

Arsenal's season was encapsulated in 90 minutes. Playing sublimely to establish a lead and then – with the prize in sight – undone by injury, defensive incompetence, lack of experience and poor luck, they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The Arsenal party put Anfield behind them as quickly as they could and after the short flight to Luton, Arsène Wenger arrived home just after midnight. Unable to sleep, he put on the television and played back the nightmare again.

The following day at home, outwardly calm and relaxed, Wenger admitted that he “still hadn't got over it”. He was adamant that in the same circumstances he would pick an identical line-up. “Senderos played well against Milan, Gallas and Toure couldn't cope with Crouch and Eboue can't defend well enough. The loss of the right back [Sagna] really hurt us. The decisions had gone against us. I looked at the tape again. The ref had a clear view [of the penalty incident].” Apparently, the official excused his decision by explaining to one of Wenger's colleagues that “he was concentrating on the feet”.

Asked how he would pick his players up for Sunday's crucial fixture at Old Trafford, Wenger replied simply, “I don't know”. He was reminded that at times like this he had rhetorically asked himself, “Who motivates the motivator?” He agreed that it was all down to him “and in a couple of days there's another match and you have to focus on that”. With Annie cooking him “something special for dinner” and Léa doing her homework, he was already looking ahead.

The FA Cup and Premier League trips to Old Trafford topped and tailed the two months that pulled the rug from under Arsenal's season, as defeat to Manchester United in the second visit ended the remotest hope of landing the title. As at Anfield, the team played without fear, took the lead, made United look distinctly second best, but succumbed to a penalty and a set piece, even if the award of the latter – a free kick on the edge of the area, looked harsh. A relieved Alex Ferguson actually had some words of consolation for his opposite number at the final whistle. At least Arsenal's display was in marked contrast to their embarrassing FA Cup debacle. This time, hundreds of the travelling fans chose not to head for the exit at full time and stayed behind to chant
“We love you Arsenal, we do”
for ten solid minutes, by which time the rest of the stadium had emptied. It was a heartfelt endorsement on what Arsène Wenger had accomplished from those who had accompanied him all the way on the tumultuous journey that was Arsenal's 2007/08 season. Arsène had allowed the fans to tap into their dreams. He had inspired loyalty beyond reason and created such a strong bond between himself and the supporters that his mistakes, even at this most sanguine of times were readily forgiven: ‘Arsène knows' and ‘In Arsène we trust'.

In the end, Arsenal fell four points short of the 2007/08 Premier League champions. Manchester United retained the title on 87 points, with Chelsea runners-up on 85. “I feel we were one game away in this championship,” Arsène Wenger reflected. “If we win at Old Trafford, we are champions. It's just one game, and in that game we were 1–0 up and we had two or three chances to score the second goal, so you cannot say we had a bad season.” Wenger's point that the final outcome was a close run thing was entirely justified. Further, for the first time since 2004 Arsenal had been in with a genuine chance of adding to their tally of titles.

When Arsenal won the Premiership in 1998, they accumu lated five points less than the total posted a decade later in finishing third. But in that time the bar had been raised and a Champions League Final between Manchester United and Chelsea (who had eliminated Arsenal's victors Liverpool in the semis) showed that Premier League prosperity was being reflected both domestically and internationally to ever-increasing effect.

Wenger had tried to win the Premier League and the Champions League but came away empty-handed. By the uncompromising rules of sport, he failed. But for Wenger, victory alone is never enough. So by his criteria – the style in which the team played and the pleasure it gave to millions around the world – it could be said that he won. As always. However, it could be argued that if his view was taken literally, he was providing his players with an alibi when they failed to land a title or a championship: never mind the score, in the boss's eyes they were victorious. But to watch the feverish figure on the touchline towards the end of the season was to realise the fallacy of this view and appreciate just how much Wenger wants to win.

If great teams are measured by their trophy count, there is still a long way to go before his current squad can be awarded this accolade. Never one to rest on his laurels, it was simply a case of asking himself “What's next?” and he already knew the answer. “Same again please, but this time with trophies.”

Wenger has managed to get Arsenal dining at the Ritz on a budget that should only buy them breakfast in a greasy spoon. And no one at the top table has ever questioned their right to be there. Clubs like Tottenham, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton rack their collective brains and bank balances to find a way of emulating Arsenal since ‘Arsène Who?' arrived from Japan in 1996, a time when they all had genuine aspirations of dethroning Manchester United. Yet until the transfusion of Roman Abramovich's millions into Chelsea, Arsenal were the only club to keep the runaway United in check.

The financial constraints Wenger has had to work within expose those critics who censure him as being more short-sighted than the man himself is notoriously supposed to be from the touchline. It was put to him, “You know people say that you don't see things because you choose not to but you're down on the pitch – you can't see from there, can you?” Wenger answered, “Yes, it's true. I can't see. But what is also true – because I have this reputation now – is that I will not come out against my players. But now, even when I am honest, people don't believe me. Because it's true that [by the touchline] you are in a bad position to see everything.” Short-sighted or not, on a net spend of £4 million a year in the transfer market, Wenger's vision means he has never failed to get Arsenal into the Champions League after their first qualification in 1998, and has overseen the transformation of the club from the also-rans at the tail end of the George Graham era into a football superpower. In spite of not winning a trophy for three seasons, such is the level of popular support the team enjoy, they continue to sell out a 60,000 seat stadium where the price of admittance does not make for a cheap day out. Over 40,000 are on the waiting list for the opportunity to buy a precious season ticket.

Could any other manager have both maintained the club's much envied status as permanent members of the Premier League's elite and provided quality entertainment while doing so? Could they have put Arsenal into a position where, going to Old Trafford in 2008 with five matches remaining, the title was still in the balance? To put it another way, is there a club anywhere in the world who would hesitate for a second if they had the opportunity to employ Arsène Wenger as their manager?

Arsène Wenger may not be perfect. Yet he has ascended the heights with Arsenal. On several occasions, within sight of the peak, they have fallen short, but without the man from Alsace they'd still be sorting their climbing gear out at base camp. It's a place they are unlikely ever to return to.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN