Kenya: Wenger Needs Someone Like Benzema

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Dickens Olewe

25 June 2011

A famous saying among EPL managers and players is that you cannot win the title in early season but you can lose it. A cursory look at the 2011/12 fixture suggests that the season will take off with a blast. Spare a thought for Arsenal. After attracting criticism for not winning anything last season the club will kick off another defining season with high profile fixtures. The Gunners travel to St James Park in the opening weekend, the scene of the calamitous crumble and a famous come back by Newcastle. The following weekend they host Liverpool followed by a nightmarish trip to Old Trafford. Arsenal fans are a worried lot, what with Arsene Wenger’s inaction in the transfer market. The imminent signing of Gervinho from Lille has not excited the faithful. Arsenal need a “Thiery Henry” signing, a player who has a “wow” factor.

I reckon Karim Benzema, is what Arsenal need. An English friend, a Middlesbrough fan once told me how the signing of Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli in 1996 lifted the North East club. He told me how alongside his friends they skipped work to rush to River Side Park to witness the unveiling of the Italian striker. Although Ravanelli did not light up the Premier league his presence at the club was massive.

In my view Karim Benzema, is at the threshold of making his mark as one of the best strikers of the world. For Arsenal to sign Benzema the Gunners’ faithful should hope for two things, firstly, that Gonzalo Higuain has a good tournament at the Copa America and secondly that Mourinho makes good his intention to sign Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid. If that happens then Benzema will be available for the taking. Even that said, there’s the worry that Arsene Wenger is likely to repeat his stereotypical one liner, “We already have enough quality.” What’s clear is that if the Gunners do not have a good start then I reckon Wenger will lose the fans.

Chelsea have finally got their man, Andre Villas-Boas. His meteoric rise sees him taking up a high profile coaching role in the space of three years since he started professional coaching.

Unlike Jose Mourinho whom he worked under at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan he’s described as an unassuming character who prefers playing attacking football, a departure from Mourinho’s “cagey” football. The fact that he worked at the club during the Mourinho years means he’s not a stranger to some of the players and also to the backroom power brokers. He’s also fluent in English meaning that he will be able to defend his turf against the unforgiving media who will not relent in attacking him if he does not merit the hype. He’s unlikely to suffer the fate of Juande

Ramos during his time at Spurs. Ramos looked like a stranger at the club and the fact his limited vocabulary meant Gus Poyet faced the press in pre and post match interviews alienated him further from the fans and the media, he did not last. How Fabio Capello has managed to stay put is still a mystery. Abramovich will welcome the new coach with an “open purse policy” to allow him to get the players he wants but when the season starts there will be no excuse. The Portuguese manager will add another flavour to what is looking like a fun season already.

Dickens Olewe is a football analyst. He comments on local and international football

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