April 13, 2002 (Sunday)

Wenger's missed a trick by not buying £9m Woodgate

By Terry Venables

FOR a manager whose team were not going to lose a game this season, Arsene Wenger must have some interesting moments alone with his thoughts right now.

The boss who made that boast will have had total confidence in his players and his judgement at the time. Yet I wonder if he is so sure today.

Could Wenger now fear he over-estimated, not his first-team, but the strength in depth of Arsenal's squad?

If he does not end up with the Premiership trophy on the final day of the season, it would be interesting to get his thoughts five minutes after the last ball is kicked.

Indeed, if Arsenal fail to take three points off Manchester United at Highbury on Wednesday, I wonder if Wenger will have the beginnings of doubt.

Will he start to question if greater investment in the summer or during the transfer window would have given him the title with a guarantee?

Certainly, he won't be the only one taken aback by Arsenal's sudden decline on the back of injuries to two defenders. The biggest shock is that it is not the loss of, say, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira that has hit them hard, but Martin Keown and Ashley Cole.

I am a fan of both players — Keown in particular — but even I have been shocked that their absence should have such dramatic and immediate impact.

Nobody would have marked Keown and Cole down as essential, yet without them Arsenal have gone out of the Champions League and seen their runaway lead in the Premier League cut to nothing.

If ever there is a lesson about the need for the biggest squad possible at the very top, this is it.

When I saw Real Madrid play Manchester United in the week, one thing that struck me was the resources at their disposal. They do not seem frightened to keep top players like Guti or Steve McManaman on the sidelines. Attitudes in England are different — and at Arsenal particularly so.

I have often been surprised at Wenger's willingness to make do. Perhaps Arsenal work to a tighter budget, maybe he is not comfortable trying to keep fringe players happy — but Arsene often seems prepared to just get by.

Take the right-back position, for instance. He clearly does not see Oleg Luzhny as a first-team regular but, rather than trying to replace Lee Dixon, he has moulded Lauren in the role.

The player has not done a bad job by any standards — League and FA Cup winners' medals are proof of that — but it is hard to imagine the biggest clubs in Europe making do in this way.

Then, when I see Kolo Toure or Giovanni van Bronckhorst filling in at left-back, I worry. Arsenal got away with juggling squad members last year — but under the pressure of maintaining that success, perhaps their weaknesses beyond the first-team are coming back to haunt them.

That won't hurt them in every game but by the end of the season I wonder how mistakes like the one made by Toure against Aston Villa last week will add up.

Toure tried to blame Lauren when he sliced into his own net — but who could Wenger blame if he has placed too much faith in an overstretched squad?

Looking back, I am increasingly amazed Newcastle were allowed to take Jonathan Woodgate (above) from Leeds for £9 million without opposition from Arsenal.

At the time I didn't give the issue much thought but now I have had time to reflect I think Arsenal missed a trick.

Here is a solid defender, good on the ball, strong in the air, wins the ball cleanly, brings it out in the manner of Tony Adams, available at one third of the price of Rio Ferdinand.

It is one thing for Arsene to say Manchester United paid too much for Rio — but in Woody, Sir Bobby Robson got a bargain. And if not Woodgate, what about Gareth Southgate, when he was available?

In a country currently flushed with good central defenders, it makes no sense for Arsenal to be short in this area — or to have put so much faith in Pascal Cygan, who does not look to be in the same class as his English rivals.

Stranger still is the suggestion Arsene has already told the board he is happy with his current squad going into next season.

A lot will depend on Wednesday's result. If it goes the wrong way, Peter Hill-Wood shouldn't be surprised to hear from a manager that has just changed his mind.

since 17/6/2001

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