I live in my own head. I look unsmiling but am laughing inside because I’m paid millions by a board led by the nose to live in that same head.
There are enough Arsenal blogs tripping over themselves in their Wenger rationalizations. They all pretend to speak for him and know his mind. They know who they are. But which modern day manager sends back his premier center back after a sickening head collision where he lay unmoving for minutes and subjects him to further punishment. Yes, Kos unchecked off all the boxes on the Glasgow Coma Scale and every other concussion check list, small or big. He knew his name, he knew where he lived, and he was able to visually track a moving object. But he required stitches and in an open chain, physical environment, that player subconsciously is going to protect himself again if he faces up to a similar situation. Which is what happened as Kos was unable to defend a Jeff Schlupp cross towards Fernando Ulloa, minutes after his return, with Mertesacker’s inattention and lack of speed putting him on the spot for that fatal result. All the joy taken out three minutes later from Alexis Sanchez’s well deserved first goal.
The question is why was that allowed to happen. Because there was only fucking Calum Chambers on the bench. Because we have no cover in the center back position. Because we can ship out Thomas Vermaelen at the blink of an eye but miss out on Kostas Manolas and any player called Sokratis or Chris or Toby or Fubar. Kos will get kudos and rightly so for being brave and save future generations of Frenchmen tarred from being called cheese eating surrender monkeys. The gold standard is a bloodied and bandaged Terry Butcher allowed to carry on without repercussions. But more prosaically, this should have never been. After Leicester City’s equalizer, Wenger was struck by an epiphany, Kos was not fit to continue. Bring on Chambers, who is going to be our center back, holding midfielder, and slot striker.
Wenger, has an undeserved reputation as a coach who cares about players. For those more discerning, he’s noticeable for running some of them to the ground without a second thought. We saw it with Giroud last season and I suspect fatigue and cumulative stresses, led to his current predicament. We are going to see the same with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Oezil whose multi million dollar purchases will dictate the same. Aaron Ramsey too.
Why is it an imperative to keep the pressure on Wenger? Because there is no other. The board loves him and even if on the small chance they knew better, there is no one who can challenge him. They’ve been infantilized. Is that a word? Because it should be when it comes to Wenger. He probably signs off on their toilet paper deliveries. Now, that’s what’s called the Arse-nal.