Thank You David Moyes, And Welcome The Wise Old Head « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade

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Thank You David Moyes, And Welcome The Wise Old Head

Mike Urbanski

Yes, thank you, David Moyes.  And welcome the “Wise Old Head”.

A year ago Denilson, in perhaps the most astute observation he’s ever had, mentioned in an interview that our beloved Arsenal were lacking.  Lacking in leadership on and off the pitch.  Blasphemy, many cried!  How dare you?  We have Cesc!  We have Robin!  Wanker!  Tw**…well, you get the picture.

His comments hurt because many of us knew in our hearts it was somewhat true.  We all love(d) Cesc.  Many of us still do.  We all love Robin, he of the blessed goal.  And, of course, we love Arsene and The Arsenal.  But what if…what if it was true?  What if the leadership needed for the team just wasn’t happening?  There’s no denying Cesc’s exploits while wearing an Arsenal shirt.  There’s no denying Robin’s love of the Badge.  And I’m not in any way laying this off on them as the more senior players in the squad.  Even Cesc mentioned that the lack of a senior player…a Vieira-type bloke to really take command was perhaps missing at times.

The Arsenal, under His Lordship Arsene Wenger, has taken football to heights previously unseen in England.  The style.  The panache.  The goals of absolute beauty.  The Invincibles.  We’ve been drowned in talent for so many years it’s hard to remember what “One Nil To The Arsenal” matches were really like.

David Moyes never had that talent.  David Moyes never fielded a team on the pitch the likes of what Arsene Wenger could draw on, even on Moyes’ best day.  David Moyes and his players simply had to make do.  And for six years under Moyes, Mikel Arteta learned how to lead under those circumstances.  He learned how to win with a squad that had heart, but not great talent.  Knew how to fight, but was often bereft of technical skill to equal the top sides.  The spirit of fighting for points, leadership through hard work and guts was what Mikel Arteta learned under David Moyes, and Arsenal owe them both a debt of gratitude.

Early this season it was all a bit shambolic.  The dreadful draw against Newcastle.  The second half failure against Liverpool.  And United away.  A worse beginning could not have been scripted.

Then in came Arteta, released at the last possible moment by Moyes on deadline day.  But what did we get on this last minute deal?  Cesc part deux?  No.  A flashy play maker of the sublime pass?  Umm…not really.  A gut-busting runner in the middle?  Nope, not that either.

There have been some frustrations vented at Mikel Arteta so far.  Not many, but a few.  I would caution against that.  Watch closely what he does on the pitch.  He runs the attack, allowing Ramsey to venture forward.  Or he lets Ramsey run the attack by sitting deeper.  He defends the middle higher up the pitch, freeing Alex Song to connect to the back four without fear of losing the middle.  He’s smooth on the ball.  He makes SMART passes, if not always flashy.  But most of all he is CALM in the middle and he does what’s needed and quietly leads from the center of the pitch.

There are many kinds of leadership.  I’ve had the pleasure, and sometimes the misfortune to be under several managers kinds of managers in my life.  And, depending on the situation, different styles fit different situations.  Denilson, I think, was calling for a Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira guy.  A lot of Arsenal supporters agreed with that.  But I think Arsenal have moved past that situation to where a more cerebral leadership is required.  Certainly fire and passion on the pitch are necessary, and the odd bollicking doesn’t go amiss.  But the thunder-voiced hard man would seem terribly out of place in this squad.

Cesc was a leader on the pitch through his performance, but not perhaps, the leader of the squad.  Does it not seem that this Arsenal side “belongs” more to Robin van Persie with him taking the arm band?  Why is that?  Robin is not a yeller.  Robin doesn’t go around clouting people on the head to get things done.  And yet, he LEADS.  And, I would argue, Mikel Arteta leads as well.

What Mikel Arteta has brought to this side, what Denilson was asking for last year, was the Wise Old Head.  Someone who’s been through the wars, been forged in the fight.  Someone who understood that it’s easy to lead when you’re winning, but infinitely harder to find it inside when things go against you as they so often have done in recent seasons for us.  A Wise Old Head gets through adversity.

A Wise Old Head doesn’t put that head down when Chelsea score the go ahead goal just before halftime or equalize late in the match.  The Wise Old Head digs a bit deeper, calling on reserves of mental strength and leadership to find a way to win.

So, from me to David Moyes, a hearty Thank You.  And to Mikel Arteta…welcome, the Wise Old Head.

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