Is Wenger's Legacy At Risk?

At school, everyone knew the rich kid. He or she usually had a bad speech impediment and a worse attitude. Strange then, when you recollect how many friends they had following them around. With a personality that could offend Jose Mourinho, you could be forgiven for wondering why their flock of friends was so inflated. The raison d'etre can be evidenced in one day - the last day of term. That day when you brought your finest toys to school to show off - Look at my shiny Ecto-1 - but the rich kid brought in an arcade game. Cue a queue - excuse the pun - that snaked around the classroom furniture in order to get a turn. The rich kid, no matter what odious trait they possessed, always had the adulation of their peers. Was it the cash that earned the adoring looks and faux respect? No. It was the kick-ass toys that warranted the two-faced friendship. I wanted a go of Pac-Man just like the rest of my mates. 

The moral of my ramblings? It doesn't matter what has happened in the past, it matters not how horrid the circumstances or person involved. All that matters is you can earn the respect - or what resembles respect - with what you can buy. It's a fickle world. It's not only the brutal world of school where this applies.

Upon beginning research, I searched for 'Champions League winning managers'. The last team to hold aloft the famous jug-eared trophy that didn't spend a kings ransom to build a pricey team, was ironically Jose Mourinho's Porto in 2004. Since then, three of our domestic rivals have emerged victorious from the European elitist tourney - thus also earning eternal bragging rights. 

I recall when Chelsea won the tournament. I was horrified. Whether we like it or not, the Champions League represents a badge of honour amongst fans. Subconsciously maybe, we all yearn for that insignificant little star to hang above our glorious cannon. When Liverpool, Utd and especially Chelsea won the current incarnation of the European cup - we all were aware that a superior weapon had turned up in the armoury of our opponents when it came to football boasts. Much like Franck Leboeuf's one-syllable appearance on BBC1's now defunct sports quiz show 'They Think It's all Over' - They could use one sentence to down any attempt of insulting their respective clubs. After all, they've won the European Cup.

Ottmar Hitzfeld, Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Del Bosque, Heynckes, Wenger's own idol Rinus Michel, Ancelotti, Lippi, Van Gaal, Cruyff, Hiddink, Sacchi, Trappatoni, Paisley, Stein, Clough and Busby. All these iconic names that had their era defined by winning the premier club competition. Like it or not, it polishes what may already be a luminary name. It defines eras.

For Dennis' sakes, even Benitez and Di Matteo have won it. Who next, Pardew? Without a European Cup triumph, Wenger's name will lack a little lustre. Have our previous teams not been up to standard? Piffle and poppycock. Luck plays a massive part. Let me illustrate.

When Chelsea won in 2012, the final vs Bayern Munich was as one-sided a game as you are likely to see. Even the stats don't belie the story. Bayern registered 35 shots. It was the highest amount of attempts for a side to eventually lose. Chelsea had parked their infamous bus and were intent on strangling the game. It worked but had a mixture of the woodwork, Cech and various blocking body parts to thank for keeping the scoreline respectable. 

Liverpool in 2005. One of the most famous comebacks and one of the most remarkable. An alarming slide from Milan, who were cruising, allied to a pumped and buoyed Scouse outfit, led to an amazing triumph for Benitez's men through eventual penalties.

Utd in 2008 in Moscow. The winner for United was a slipping John Terry - later this style was used famously by Steven Gerrard with hilarious results. 

All legendary moments for these clubs. All required Lady Luck to not only shine on them, but to heap a shedload of four-leaf clovers and rabbits feet upon them. 

We have come close, the tragic night in Paris being the perfect example. It's easy with hindsight to ruminate on the variables - but if only the official had let the goal stand rather than send off Lehmann then we may well have earned that very first star.

Another campaign that ended prematurely was when Chelsea and Wayne Bridge dumped us out at the quarter-final stage. We had a fantastic team back then but fighting on three fronts had led our focus astray. See also the defeat to Liverpool in the 07/08 run (Lady Luck not only shunned us on that night but she also took off her shimmery dress to reveal a Liverpool crest tattoo on her left buttock). Ryan Babel, how I take great joy to see you writhe in the lower reaches of the Turkish League. 

What I am trying to show is that it not only takes a great team effort to reach the final of the Champions League and win - it demands that you turn up with a leprechaun stuffed in your shorts. You need to avoid some of the big guns early on in the draw and you need luck with injuries, you need fortune to favour you when ricochets fall. We have not had that.

This isn't to say that Wenger has been blameless - certainly not. I don't put our Euro failings down at his door though. With the ties we have faced in the Last 16 in the last 5 years, we haven't exactly been favourites to progress. We could have avoided last seasons tie vs the holders though, if we had just taken the Napoli game a little more seriously. 

Arsene needs to win this trophy in what increasingly looks like his last contract with us. With our forward line fully fit I honestly say if we click we could outscore anyone. Our defence - now without Debuchy - looks as thin as Victoria Beckham after a colonic though. This does hang solely with our boss.

I think if we progress from our group and the draw does us a favour for once, we can hopefully fight our way to the business end of the cup where only a flukey winner can sometimes be required. Once you reach the semi it is a nervous affair for both teams and it is a great leveller of playing skills. 

Without winning the Champions League, our time under Wenger will be an amalgam of triumph and questioning. What was missing from what was arguably the Greatest Team in Europe at the time - The Invincibles - that meant they couldn't win the Cup? What was Arsene missing? People will start to question his genius. 

A quote from the man himself when we stole the F.A Cup from Manchester Utd in 2005 with an insipid display sums up what I am trying to say rather succinctly. "In years to come, people will only remember the winner". Fans, experts, neutrals will only recall that Wenger failed on the biggest stage. They won't recall the bad refereeing decisions or the injuries. They won't remember the mitigating circumstances or the overwhelming opponents. They will only see that Arsene Wenger never held the Champions League trophy. 

I think this does the man a great injustice. This Gallic genius changed the English game from the inside-out and gave the Premiership the finest displays of attacking football that have ever graced its stage thus far. For him to be labelled a failure is harsh. Look at the regard he is held in by players and his contemporaries. He courts a huge amount of respect. You know the truth though, if he doesn't end up fulfilling his obsession then it will be forever brought up in conversation. 

Jack Wilshere said to the Press after the City game that the squad want to win the Champions League as a thank you to their ever-supportive boss. No shortage of confidence there. They are well aware they can achieve it. They are also more than heedful to the need of European mastery. 

The general concensus from fans is that a League title is the priority - and I wouldn't disagree. It's high time we reclaimed domestic superiority from City, Chelsea et al. A Champions League win though, would surely usurp that.

The Gaffers who are all acknowledged as the 'Greats' of the game have all tasted success in this cash-centric competition. To the distaste of all it is the sole access to an illustrious club that Wenger more than warrants entry to. The bouncers outside have so far resisted all attempts at entry however. It's time to pull out the big guns Arsene - Your legacy is at risk.

http://twitter.com/JokmanAFC Tell us what you think! If you agree, or have a different view, please leave a comment in the comments section or why not write a response or your own article on YouWrite?

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