The Gunners manager’s fatal attraction to playing at all costs leaves defence as an afterthought – as highlighted in the 2-2 draw with ChelseaStoppage time provided a vignette of classic latter-Wenger Arsenal. Hearts were in mouths, and nobody knew whether to celebrate or panic or faint. Having taken a lead, then thrown a lead, and then seized back some pride with a last gasp equaliser, Arsenal’s defence evaporated completely as Chelsea almost won it all over again. “Never a dull moment,” muttered one fan to his mate as they shuffled out the stadium having witnessed another night of strangely confusing excitement against a top opponent. Arsène Wenger recently said, albeit tongue in cheek, that he would prefer to play with...
The Chelsea playmaker is back in the thoughts of Antonio Conte and making the most of the situationFor the opening 55 minutes at the Emirates this was a bitty, fun, meandering game, an odd mix of sublime moments of skill, bruising collisions and clodhopping errors. From a Chelsea point of view there will be major regrets that a period of first-half dominance wasn’t converted into goals. Above all Antonio Conte will be frustrated that a performance of sublime playmaking on the left of midfield from Cesc Fàbregas wasn’t rewarded with greater incision in front of goal.Fàbregas didn’t just pass the ball better than anyone else, he did so with a style and grace that came from a different place altogether....
As Frenchman prepares for 811th league game in charge to overhaul Sir Alex Ferguson it will sharpen focus on his legacy and who will eventually succeed himBehold, the age of Arsène. The past few years of Arsène Wenger’s extended Arsenal farewell have brought something new, a gradual piling up of gongs and garlands that have little to do with trophies won or goals scored but speak instead to his extreme, unyielding longevity. Longest-serving Arsenal manager. Longest-serving manager in Europe. As Wenger ticks these marks off like some stately old slugger gamely rounding the bases, tipping his cap to the bleachers, there is a feeling of end times about this.In July Wenger edged past Sir Alex Ferguson as the longest-serving manager...
Carvalhal needs immediate impact at Swansea, Schmeichel seeks redemption and Chelsea’s Azpilicueta-Morata combination threatens StokeThe wisdom of appointing Carlos Carvalhal as Swansea’s new manager is, to say the least, questionable: a man who was dismissed on Christmas Eve for underachieving with Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship does not inspire confidence. Still, he may prove successful: many doubted him when he arrived at Wednesday in 2015, and he started well there, reaching the play-offs in his first two seasons. But if he is to change things at the Liberty Stadium, he needs to do it immediately. After Saturday’s game at Watford, three of Swansea’s next four league games are against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool. If they do not beat the...
The performance of the Arsenal midfielder against Crystal Palace was a reminder of why he has inspired managerial leaps of faith in the past – and may do so againJack Wilshere was not short of admirers during Arsenal’s 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park. His first touch was a beautiful piece of velcro control as the ball dropped on to his left boot in the first minute, making everyone in the away end go weak at the knees, and the Arsenal midfielder even had a fan in the opposition’s technical area. It was Roy Hodgson, of course, who sent eyebrows rocketing skywards when he named Wilshere in England’s Euro 2016 squad.Wilshere had only just returned from one of his many injuries,...