The game of football has been adjudged the number one of all sports in the world today. The reasons are quite obvious the football soccer provides entertainment and even good health to those who watch it.
Consequently, a lot of football fans all over the world derive a great deal of relaxation and pleasure from watching English premiership matches particularly those involving Arsenal every weekend each soccer season. This is because Arsenal managed by Arsene Wenger a.k.a “professor” plays one of the most exciting, interesting and excruciating football as against what other giant clubs in the world today play.
Indeed, their artistic display, absolute understanding and brilliant combination which produces world class goals each weekend are second to none.
Perhaps, the quality of football usually exhibited often by the Gunners (nickname for Arsenal) may have been responsible for rating the English premiership as one of the best leagues in the world.
What is amazing about the manager is that with little cash spent and much hard work under his tutelage, the English club has remained a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
The beginning of the 2007/08 season was the greatest disappointment for Arsenal’s fans all over the world. The sale of prolific striker, Thierry Henry had made many soccer pundits predict doom for the club.
But to the football followers greatest surprise, Arsenal had scintillating performance which made them topped the league for up to seven months last season. The intelligent French-born tactician transformed his team at that time such that they defeated other English clubs despite the fact that they were earlier dismissed with a wave of hand by critics.
Arsenal once paraded dreaded world stars as Sylvian Wiltold, Robert Pires, Fredrick Ljunberg, Edu, Sol Campbell, Lauren Etame, Ashley Cole and many more who made some teams shiver when they learn that they are meeting the Gunners. But Wenger in his usual practice removed all the players from his team when he felt they could no longer fit into his plan.
After the players left, ambitious and zealous youngsters were drafted into the team. Players like Cesc Fabrigas, Edilson, Eduardo, Bakany Sagna, Gael Clichy and others were recruited into the team. It was clear that Wenger repose confidence in the young Gunners.
Wenger’s policy of scouting the globe for budding talents and transforming them into’ world stars has yielded some dividends, but without talismanic figures like Henry and Pires to guide the young players, Arsenal have continued to struggle to win the English league without success.
As a result of inexperience, Arsenal could not bounce back to reckoning after they won the league title in 2003.
Interestingly, Wenger has good relationship with his players, He trust them and they in turn believe in him. The strong relationship between him and the players resulted to the unity and strength of the club. This has also made the French man to gain the support of his employer. He does his best in terms of training and offer some useful contributions that would assist to a large extent in the growth of the London club.
Also, he has been working very hard trying to build not only a team that will stun the world in a few years time rather rule Europe someday. He has practically turned the likes of Fabrigas, Edilson and others into great stars. The huge task of leading the midfield is placed on Cesc Fabrigas and the young lad has lived up to expectation.
The Spaniard has proved to be Arsenal’s midfield maestro. The absence of Fabrigas in some matches earlier in the season had made them missed some vital points. It is obvious that the team lacks experience but the good display of the young Spaniard has in a longrun serve as an inspiration to players who are younger than him in the squad.
Arsenal has always been known to be inactive in the transfer market. This is due to the fact that Wenger has preferred to execute his plan of moulding young boys into sensational and quality footballers. The question is will Wenger be able to keep these boys together such that they develop into world stars? Will the boys in turn be willing to stay after being groomed to world stars? These questions have arisen as a result of the decisions reached last season by Mathiev Flamini and Alex Hleb to club.
It is hoped that the best will continue to come out of the Emirates stadium because if it does happen, then teams in England in particular and Europe in general will shine at the mention of Arsenal.
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