by HTownND (2017-05-11 12:14:22)
Edited on 2017-05-11 12:18:34
Arsene complaining about style of teams that kick his ass...
"Over the last two seasons, teams who have not big possession have won the league,” Wenger said. “And, as well, teams who were not involved in Europe, at all, won the league. Because the league is so physically difficult, maybe it is very difficult to cope with both. We will see how Chelsea respond next season.
“Are teams who are not making the game doing well? Yes. When we analyse it in Geneva [at coaching conferences], we always analyse the Champions League and I must say, in some seasons, the team who had low possession won the Champions League. Over a longer period, it is the teams who have the most possession who win it"
It's too bad that Chelsea lead the PL in goals scored, it's not enough "initiative" for Arsene who likes to keep the ball and not win silverware these days.
But yes, I have a complex (mostly because every time I read about Chelsea there is a Wegner article)
Indeed
He was 17 when Liverpool lost 7-3 to Ajax in the European Cup and Shankly famously quipped "when you lose the ball, continental teams don't give it back."
Liverpool changed their tactics the next year to value possession and patient build up.
Wenger didn't unlearn the lesson when Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 and again with Inter in 2010 playing a reactive style that is easier on the legs over a long season of playing twice per week and that can provide more space for creative players to do creative things.
Wenger was 55 when Porto won the Champions League. But that was the same season Arsenal went undefeated in the Premier League. That is why this entire saga is so fascinating. Unlike Shankly, who had a humiliating defeat to realize he needed to change his ways, Wenger had a brilliant success at the moment when he could have noticed a significant tactical event.
That 2010 Inter-Barcelona semi-final is etched into my brain. That Barcelona team was wonderful and held 71 percent of possession and lost the game. Wenger was 61 at the time of that game and there is no purer example of the team Wenger wanted to be (Barcelona) failing. That Wenger didn't learn to be more flexible after that is something a reporter should really ask him.
is the reversal in player build at Arsenal between the two periods of Wenger's reign. I suspect its half preference to shift towards a Barca style and half financial with the change in ownership and director positions.
Blame ESPN. I go to the Chelsea News feed on the ESPN app, and without fail, Arsene comments show up. I don't go to Arseblog or anywhere else looking for them. ESPN curates them for me, and I'll say it again, I don't get the impression that Arsene comments on other teams as much as Chelsea.
Maybe I'm just getting trolled by him and ESPN, but were I to meet the man, I'd just keep saying I have a hard time hearing him, and it isn't because of his accent, but it's hard to stop looking at this:
But this isn't me looking for it, it's basically always showing up in my Chelsea news feed. (I'd wager Arsene commenting on Chelsea has shown up more than Mou commenting on Chelsea).
For example, Arsene's comments were about both Leicester and Chelsea, yet
Leicester ESPN News Feed
Chelsea ESPN News Feed
7 stories down now, although that's after Conte's pre match press conference. Sure, Lythell is probably looking for clicks, but I just don't understand why Arsene keeps commenting on Chelsea, but maybe I never will, and maybe he'll be long gone, and we won't have to worry about it.