Real visionaries don’t pay much attention to the crowds; Arsene knows. Yet Arsenal have been exposed once again by a problem that everyman from pundit to pub expert has known about for years – a lack of experience at central defence. Laurent Koscielny may well develop to be a better player than Roger Johnson or Martin Jiranek, he may even already be more technically adept than his opposite numbers yesterday, but experience breeds calmness under pressure and yesterday Koscielny’s lack of both of these qualities cost Arsenal their first taste of silver and champagne for six long years.
Anyone can make mistakes, but the top teams around Arsenal who have been winning trophies would have been greeted with a far more assured combination of defender and goalkeeper than Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny. Manchester United, who have won seven major honours since losing the FA Cup final to Arsenal in 2005 and Chelsea, with five, both have far more experience in these areas, and these factors are closely linked.
Experience also teaches leadership and influence, both of which Arsenal were lacking in yesterday. Their captain Cesc Fabregas missed the match through injury, as did Thomas Vermaelen. In their absence Jack Wilshire exuded more in the way of leadership than his age might suggest, but he was almost alone in this aspect. Injuries happen, and there is a chance Fabregas might move to Barcelona. The more a team turn to players such as Fabregas to pull them through difficult moments, the more he will be missed.
Great teams have leaders all over the pitch. The ‘invincibles’ of 2003-4 had Thierry Henry, Jens Lehmann, Martin Keown, Sol Campbell, Gilberto Silva and Dennis Bergkamp to lead the way when the difficult moments arose. Since then Wenger has made many signings based on physical attributes whilst neglecting the balance of mentalities in the side: Alexander Hleb, Thomas Rosicky, Andrei Arshavin, Theo Walcott. The general feeling now is that Arsenal are a small team both physically and mentally, one which can be pushed around and beaten and will concede goals via set pieces (52% in the Premier League this season).
This problem cannot be rectified in one transfer window and may take a complete change in Arsene Wenger’s transfer policy. Lack of experience is not an excuse that he can continue to use to patch over his side’s deficiencies, as it is he who is responsible for that factor in the first place. So many people have said that Arsenal need an experienced centre-back, and although he has bought the 30-year-old Sebastien Squillaci Wenger chose to use Koscielny and Johan Djourou, a move that backfired yesterday as Birmingham’s inferior team were allowed to defeat his because of that one moment when an experienced calm head was needed.
In my opinion Wenger should do everything possible to sign Phillippe Mexes. The 28-year-old Roma and France centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season, is exactly what Arsenal need and could form a formidable partnership with Thomas Vermaelen to give Arsenal stability, leadership and consistency at the back for the next few years, one which could make the difference between winning trophies and falling at the final hurdle as seen at Wembley yesterday.
Charlie Coffey
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