Wilful Wenger ’ s beautiful game

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger, for all his admirable qualities, has faults.

He is not gracious in defeat, he is as stubborn as a mule and he often suffers from selective vision, to name a few.

But as the charismatic Frenchman prepares to mark 20 years in charge of Arsenal at Burnley today, it could be said his biggest fault is the ceaseless pursuit of silverware by playing fantasy football – a noble undertaking prone to failure.

That is why there are a few conspicuous spaces in the trophy cabinet.

It would be harsh to criticise the 66-year-old since he has won three English Premier League titles and six FA Cups as well as steering Arsenal within 14 minutes of beating Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final.

Yet, all but two of those feats were achieved before the north London club left the marblehalled splendour of their Highbury home for the Emirates Stadium 10 years ago.

But since the stadium move, one that was supposed to elevate Arsenal to the status of European giants, back-toback FA Cups in 2014 and 2015 are all Arsenal fans have had to celebrate.

The team has finished in the top four every year under Wenger, but that consistency has become a stick with which to beat him – proof of the bloodymindedness of the professorial Frenchman for whom the beautiful game means just that.

If the benchmark for Europe ’ s elite is winning the Champions League, six consecutive last-16 defeats suggest that for all his teams ’ flowing football, Wenger ’ s philosophy does not cut the mustard among the devotees of the pressing game. –