The return of ‘boring, boring Arsenal’

But at its root it was an expression of frustration, as Arsenal were at the time a team that could barely score and certainly almost never scored more than once in a game. It was however the team with the best defence in the Premiership (nowadays Premier League).
Fast forward more than two decades later and the Gunners remain utterly boring albeit for entirely completely different reasons: They are by no means a team that lacks productivity in attack, but they are every bit as predictable as that 1992-93 side coached by George Graham.
The 3-1 loss to Chelsea on Saturday, even more than the midweek defeat to Watford, was but the latest reminder that Arsenal suffer from the same lack of ambition they have showed over the past decade, since the last time they were truly serious Premier League title contenders.
Sure, they will finish in the top-four and qualify for the Champions League, as they have always done under Arsene Wenger. No other club has had this level of consistency.
But this should not be sufficient for one of the most popular clubs in the UK and worldwide, which despite its notorious stinginess is actually also among the most valuable in financial terms.
Arsenal need a change of culture, a shock to the system that will signal they are tired of being so predictable to every football fan’s eyes and next season they would like to try something adventurous – like try to win the title in earnest.
It is certainly not Wenger’s fault but in order for this change to be the radical measure required, the first step will have to be to thank him for his invaluable contribution to the club and find a new manager for the 2017-18 season.
Wenger took over as manager in 1996 and those fortunate enough to be young might be unaware of the revolutionising methods he introduced in English football at first, be it in player scouting, match preparation, player fitness and recovery.
The ‘Invicibles’ of 2003-04 were not a fluke or an outcome of mere coincidence. The fact that Wenger’s team won the Premier League title that season without losing a single match was the culmination of his work and a testament to the level of talent he had attracted to Highbury.
The move to the super-modern Emirates stadium coincided bizarrely with the end of that era. Managers elsewhere caught up with Wenger and adopted his innovations, while new money came into the league and clubs like Chelsea and later Manchester City now had the ability to out-bid Arsenal every time.