Wenger is learning new tricks

The Gunners' manager tactically outwitted Pep Guardiola as Arsenal beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League match at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday

The general wisdom during Arsenal’s nine-year run without a trophy was that Arsene Wenger had become the pioneer who found himself left behind.

Now, though, the old dog is learning new tricks. Wenger has finally adapted to modern methods and it could be the shift in attitude that allows Arsenal to once again compete for the biggest trophies.

Once the revolutionary management techniques that had worked so well during his first nine years at the club became outdated, Wenger had struggled to adapt.

But he is far from a nutty old professor who doesn’t know what he’s doing and now appears to be embracing change and new ideas as much as ever.

On Tuesday night, he produced a game plan that allowed the Gunners to beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in a must-win Champions League game in which few people gave the hosts any hope before kick-off.

When the pressure was really on, Wenger produced. He always seems too. It might not be enough to save Arsenal’s Champions League dream after defeats in their first two matches, but the momentum has completely shifted.

Wenger tactically outwitted Pep Guardiola, the man seen by so many as the doyen of modern coaching.

In recent years, with far weaker teams than his current side, Wenger has made the mistake of trying to outplay the likes of Bayern and Barcelona in the Champions League with inevitable results.

This time, he set his side up to defend deep, to stay organised and committed, and to attack at pace on the counter-attack using the vision of Mesut Ozil and the pace of Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez.

It worked a treat and it was similar to the tactical approach that brought Arsenal their victory against Manchester City in January which started their excellent run of form in 2015.

At Arsenal’s AGM meeting last week, Wenger said he was “more committed than ever, more motivated than ever” to win major trophies for the club.

The Gunners have won back-to-back FA Cups but their last Premier League triumph was in 2004 while they have never been crowned European champions.

This is the strongest Arsenal team since that time and they can boast top-level players in the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Petr Cech and Mesut Ozil.

They are curently second in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Manchester City. In their last three matches, Arsenal have scored eight goals without conceding and beaten Manchester United and Bayern Munich at home.

Last week, Wenger also stood up to shareholders as he defended his record in his 19 years as the club’s manager and spoke about the new methods he is using to analyse his player, opponents and potential signings.

“In the last few years we have built a core of people around the team who can help us more,” Wenger said. “As manager, I get an unbelievable amount of detail and data on every single game on every single day.

"What was 18 years ago my eye, now I have to select the four or five pieces of information to be efficient. About 20 people working around me every day, who work very hard to get us stronger every year.

“We are equipped around our team to say we are really advanced in the way we work and the way we prepare and the way we develop players.”

Wenger may now be 65, but the moderniser has got his mojo back. (GOAL)