TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - There is a broader issue at stake when Arsenal meet Wigan at Wembley on Saturday than the settling of an FA Cup semi-final. If Arsenal fare well, the question of Wenger's future will flick on to the next game. If they falter, it may come to an unpleasant head there and then, as reported by The Guardian.
On the day the draw for the last four of the FA Cup was made, Arsenal were third in the Premier League, and 11 points in front of Everton (who were seventh). A place in the top four looked comfortable, and the chance to win silverware at Wembley opened up with Wigan, Sheffield United and Hull in the mix. What has happened since has shaken Wenger deeply.
Five points out of a possible 15 in the Premier League, including such emphatic scorelines at Chelsea and Everton, has ramped up the pressure. Wenger is struggling to understand why a defence which seemed so robust in the first half of the season has developed a tendency to crumble. "What has been strange in our season is that for a long time we looked very strong defensively, we had an outstanding defensive record, and we lost it suddenly. That's the surprise of the season for me," he said as quoted by The Guardian.
Another common theme in their disappointments is an inefficient start that has set the tone for them to be easily shocked and Wenger has been stressing the importance of a brighter opening against Wigan. "Who would say it is not important to start strongly? The authority you put on the game is linked with the way you start. When you don't start strong you always put yourself in a dangerous situation."
Arsenal's FA Cup run has inspired some of their most confident and convincing football of 2014. In defeating three Premier League opponents – Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton – and easing past Coventry, they have proved capable of rising to the occasion. Wenger is mindful, though, that Wigan deserve the utmost respect, having beaten Manchester United at the Etihad to get back to Wembley.
That sets him off on another riff about the romance of the FA Cup. "Everyone can dream of winning it at the start of the season. It is a dream open to everybody and that is the beauty of the FA Cup. Last year Wigan won it, this year you have Sheffield United in the semi-final and that kind of dream open to everybody makes the competition special. In the league you can talk and talk but we know the biggest budget will win it. That open dream is what makes this competition special in football. "Don't imagine I sacrifice every day of my life not to win a trophy. Everybody fights for that," said Wenger.
THE GUARDIAN | AMY L