Re-births have been celebrated with happy and heady
regularity in the 25 years since Sir Alex Ferguson took over at
Manchester United.
But amid the euphoria that accompanied the latest rampage of
gilded youth at Old Trafford yesterday, an element of sorrow
intruded, too.
Because some of the 75,000 spectators felt as if they had
stumbled upon a funeral at the heart of the carnival.
This was an iconic and unforgettable scoreline, 8-2 as memorable
for those who saw it as for the spectators who gazed in awe at
England’s 1-517 writ large on the scoreboard at the Gabba during
the Ashes last year.
Even Ferguson and Gary Neville felt there was something sombre
about it. As they watched Arsenal disintegrate, it was as if they
were mourning the death of a philosophy and the loss of a cherished
rivalry.
Ferguson seemed to suggest after the match he was glad United
hadn’t won by more because he felt awkward at the demise of a once
great club. And Neville seemed more dismayed than delighted when he
said United’s performance might only have merited a 2-0 win over
many Premier League sides.
Arsenal took over as United’s most bitter foes when Liverpool
slipped into decline and Arsene Wenger took over at Highbury 15
years ago.
There was something to admire about them, something more than
just spending and acquiring. They stood for something. They stood
for a style of football and Ferguson and United respected that.
But as Arsenal were swept aside with embarrassing ease, and as
Wenger sat with his head in his hands, it felt as if that era had
passed.
Arsenal aren’t part of the big picture any more. Earlier in the
afternoon, Manchester City had demolished Spurs at White Hart Lane
to underline their threat to United’s crown. For the first time
since the late 60s, they are the enemy again.
And Arsenal? Well, they lost their two best players, Cesc
Fabregas and Samir Nasri, within the space of 10 days this month
and have, as yet, made no effort to replace them.
Whether that is because they can’t or won’t is a moot point that
centres around the personality and the ideals of Wenger.
It has seemed for several years now as though trophies at
Arsenal have been sacrificed for the purity of the pursuit of a
principle.
It has been tolerated because faith in youth is seen as a noble
cause and it suited Arsenal’s financial pragmatism but yesterday’s
result will surely force a shift in attitude.
What is not in doubt is that the club is in stasis, mired in a
state of near-paralysis and self-doubt and marooned near the foot
of the infant table. They will not stay there, of course, but their
8-2 defeat was merely a particularly brutal confirmation that the
summit of their ambition this season will be making the top
four.
Sure, they were hugely depleted yesterday, weakened by injuries
and suspensions, but it was the manner of their capitulation that
suggested they should not expect any swift return to the Premier
League’s top table.
They were called many things in the aftermath of this football
massacre and ‘naive’ and ‘lacking in spirit’ were two of the more
gentle charges laid against them.
It would be just as fair to say that they were spineless,
directionless and clueless. It is also worth pointing out that at
least six of the side who started yesterday’s match are first
choice players.
Much of the blame for their defeat was immediately directed at
Wenger. Celebrity fans like Piers Morgan and Ian Poulter took to
Twitter, berating the man who for so long has been regarded as the
father of the club for his failings.
Many, predictably, called for him to quit, seizing on
yesterday’s result as proof that Wenger’s experiment with youth had
run its course and that now was the time for a change.
When Wenger walked into the post-match press conference, he said
that he would not resign and it is doubtful that the Arsenal board
has any appetite to fire him.
This is his club and these are his players and replacing him
would spark a more traumatic upheaval than that which will follow
even the retirement of Ferguson.
When asked whether he was confident he could turn the club’s
fortunes around, Wenger responded archly. “What is to turn around?”
he said.
Well, there is plenty. More than will be solved by the return
even of fine players like Jack Wilshere, Thomas Vermaelen and
Gervinho.
Wenger should have anticipated the departures of Fabregas and
Nasri and recruited reinforcements, but he didn’t.
That was one of the reasons Arsenal looked so utterly out of
their depth yesterday. But it has also been evident for some time
that he needs to leaven his youth policy with experienced players
who, as Neville put it, ‘have been around the block’.
When those criticisms were put to him, Wenger dodged them. He
said a team of 20 people at the club were working on transfers and
had not found anyone.
Even for devout Wenger fans, that is not good enough. United,
Liverpool and Chelsea have refreshed their ranks. Arsenal have
stagnated.
Last Wednesday, it seemed victory over Udinese would be more
significant than any reverse Arsenal might suffer here. That was
wrong. This result shook the club to its foundations and confirmed
its fall from power.
Wenger is still the best man for the job but the time for
fiddling while his club burns has passed. He must act and act
quickly.
