Should Arsenal fans be worried? Probably, but not completely. Important Arsenal players have a track record of releasing “difficult” statements about the club’s lack of ambition, which really translates to their lack of interest in shelling out £150,000 contracts. But I wouldn’t be too concerned over Bacary Sagna’s recent comments.
Was Sagna wrong for what he said in that interview with L’Equipe? Again, probably, but not completely. He just echoed what every Arsenal fan currently thinks of the club. Why is the board so willing to let important figures leave the club and not find immediate or even adequate replacements? Like everyone, the right-back saw Robin van Persie’s departure coming from a mile away; Alex Song’s departure, on the other hand, really came out of left field. Players, like fans, aren’t always comforted by the in-house politics as reason for an important player leaving, especially if that player isn’t replaced. Like Sagna, many would have had their doubts about where the club was moving.
But on the other hand, was it right for a player to come out and say what he did so soon? The wounds of van Persie’s attack on the club are nowhere near to healing, yet here is another key player voicing his displeasure at the running of the club. That’s fine, but keep it indoors and away from the public eye. What good is anything like that going to do when the transfer window is shut, the team are trying to adjust to new arrivals—very capable arrivals at that—and, most importantly, it was revealed that the club are looking to negotiate a new deal for Sagna.
Now, Sagna has never been a problem for Arsenal in the past. He arrived out of the blue in 2007 and has been one of the immovable forces in Arsene Wenger’s team prior to his two recent injuries. His ability to get up and down the field is a great asset in the manager’s style of play, even if his crossing is a little on the wayward side. But why now? What exactly is he after? If it’s trophies, well by simple mathematics not every title-winning side can accommodate every player who wants a winner’s medal. That’s not to say Sagna wouldn’t be a great fit at many other big clubs, but at some stage common sense has to come first.
What about a contract? If he’s after a hugely inflated pay-rise then he might as well pack his bags. Arsenal have already made clear that they won’t negotiate with rebellious players in that manner. If he wants more money then that’s fine, the club will just move on and focus their attention elsewhere. If he wants trophies, then he really should be looking to make positive strides with this promising group of Arsenal players, rather than taking a page out of van Persie’s book, who borrowed from Cesc Fabregas, who pinched from Patrick Vieira.
I don’t blame Arsenal fans for getting into a panic over Sagna’s latest outburst , the club are hardly moving forward if they keep having to cycle through a seemingly endless supply of want-away players. But this whole thing of criticising the club works both ways, as in players should be free to voice their concerns as well. My biggest worry is that the moment was ill-timed and not entirely in-keeping with what should have been said.
Santi Cazorla’s Arsenal career was barely five-minutes old before he made a passing comment that van Persie and Alex Song needed replacing. Although, it was very easy to skip over that remark considering his new status among Arsenal fans. But it’s perfectly fine, at least we know that players aren’t looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses and that the squad does need strengthening.
I’m not entirely convinced that Sagna is going to be the next high-profile player on the way out; if he is, then it will be entirely the club’s choice to let him go and not by his own forceful push out the door. But just for once, it would be pleasant to hear a player speak from the other end of the scale, reaffirming supporters that they’ll continue to work hard for the team and not cause further panic and unrest. Maybe that’s asking too much.
