Arsenal A Feeder Club For England MNT?

Rewind to July 2010. Spain have just won the World Cup after narrowly edging out the Netherlands in an ugly 1-0 affair. The Netherland’s constant harrying of the Spanish prevents them from implementing their revolutionary tiki taka style, however their quality is simply too much for the Dutch to handle. While multiple La Liga clubs were represented among the Spanish side, an astonishing 7 Barcelona players started the match. This is no coincidence. An overlying theme among La Furia Roja was togetherness, with the players syncing up in a way that other countries sporting players from a patchwork of clubs could only dream of. Barcelona had in a sense become a “feeder club” to the national side, developing top Spanish talent into eventual World Cup winners. 

Now skip forward 4 years. England have just bombed out of the World Cup group stages after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Uruguay. A Luis Suarez brace has broken the heart of a nation, ensuring the Three Lions will not advance to the knockout rounds. Contrary to the Spanish world champions, this English team looks as disorganised as a Louis van Gaal defence. While they sport decorated individuals such as Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, they simply do not possess the camaraderie that the Spaniards displayed less than half a decade earlier. The English lack a common denominator, a style or understanding that ties their talented individuals together into a well oiled machine. However while the present seems rather bleak, there is reason to believe the future could be a lot brighter. The source of such belief: Arsene Wenger. 

The Frenchman has recently implemented a prominent British core to the club with 6 England internationals (Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs, Calum Chambers and Danny Welbeck) acting as key components to the Arsenal team. All of these players are are below the age of 25, and are expected to cement themselves as regulars for the English national side. Should they all manage this feet, the fortunes of the Three Lions will likely change entirely. No more will we be forced to endure the days of boring, underachieving football that has become a benchmark for England. The addition of an Arsenal core could very well help forge a  team worthy of the highest plaudits. 

For starters, incorporating a nucleus of Arsenal players in the England setup could directly influence the style of football they play. Roy Hodgson’s current side lacks fluidity, and often resorts to static, defensive football. Arsenal however, are stark opposites. Arsene Wenger is widely known for his fluid, attractive style, with players drifting and linking up to perfection. With a core of England internationals in the Arsenal setup, this style of football could theoretically be instilled in the England setup, ala Barcelona and Spain. Attackers such as Welbeck, Walcott, Wilshere and Chamberlain could lead the way for a fast paced, technically oriented England attack, transferring what they’ve learned under Arsene Wenger to the national stage. When you factor in players from rival clubs who fit these credentials such as Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Wayne Rooney, the future for England could be very bright indeed. 

Additionally, instilling a family-esque environment to the England setup could directly affect how in sync of the players are on the pitch. A large majority of Barcelona players went through the fabled “La Masia” youth academy. As a result, many of them have played football together since they were young boys, creating an understanding unheard of in most footballing sides. While Arsenal’s English core won’t have played together since they were children, they are all still in their young 20’s and capable of creating rock solid bonds on the pitch. Even if they do so to a lesser degree, replicating the understanding Spanish players posses would immediately improve the Three Lions. By achieving this, their most glaring weakness would be stamped out, pushing England into a new era. 

When looking at all the successful national sides, a common underlying theme is togetherness. Regardless of how talented the players are, success is only really achievable if they work together as a team. The current England side are in dire need of such teamwork, a problem that could very likely be solved through Arsenal’s English core. From the style of play to the long standing relationships, implementing a crux of players from the same club would drastically improve the Three Lions fortunes. It’s still very early to make such judgements, but England are on the right track. Should Arsenal’s English core develop properly, the sky is the limit for the men in white.

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