Not for the first time, Arsene Wenger got mad while his team strove to get even — vainly on this occasion because Wigan were better than them, or at least cleverer and better prepared psychologically.
Arsenal had no excuses. They were not tired and the incentive — a chance to increase their grip on third place before Saturday’s confrontation with Chelsea — was massive. I hope that the dismay Wenger, his face thrust forward and finger wagging, vented on Kevin Friend was not confined to the fourth official, for the true time-wasters had sportingly been given 82 minutes plus stoppage time to address a two-goal deficit.
Too many on the Arsenal side looked ordinary and I remain convinced that only a ruthless upgrade of the squad, however difficult financially for the club and emotionally for Wenger, will restore Arsenal’s competitiveness with the best in Europe. The loss of Jack Wilshere, now extended to England, is bad luck but the creative back-up cries out for better than Gervinho and ready-made defence-slicers do not come cheap.
Arsenal have a choice. They can continue to think long-term, relying on Uefa-led policies to reward their infrastructure, or try to balance youth development with star signings. Even Barcelona do this. Would they have won the Champions League in such style without the hugely expensive David Villa? After which they spent almost as much on depriving Arsenal of their best player through the retrieval of Cesc Fabregas.
Wenger has admitted it is becoming harder and harder to achieve this balance. At yesteryear’s prices, certainly: Gervinho cost about the same as Thierry Henry. So let Arsenal shop with the best this summer. Are they to buy or sell big?
It is a question to which not just Robin van Persie but Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wojciech Szczesny will seek the answer. At the top, youth development and the market go hand in hand.
