Ugly truth about beauty contests

[Lazie]

<P class=story>Arsene Wenger has done a magnificent job for Arsenal and Premiership football, despite complaints that he does not produce enough England players. Given the state of our national team, who does?<P class=story>Wenger does, however, constantly let himself down by criticising teams who do not wish to play to Arsenal's strength by engaging them in a game of free-flowing football.<P class=story>Let us face it, if David had stood toe to toe with Goliath, there would have been only one winner. So why should Wenger get angry when other managers decline to take on Arsenal in a beauty contest?<P class=story>He was at it again after Arsenal's miserable performance against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, moaning about the defensive tactics of rival coach Ronald Koeman.<P class=story>Wenger complained: "I said before the game that Koeman would be defensive, and I was not wrong. He started to play for a 0-0 draw. But only one of the teams was trying to play tonight."<P class=story>Given the mediocrity of Arsenal's football in Eindhoven, perhaps Wenger should have accepted Koeman's offer of a 0-0 draw.<P class=story>Has he forgotten Arsenal's last appearance in the FA Cup final, against Manchester United two years ago when, in his words, there was only team trying to play? And it was not Arsenal.