Giroud's exponential improvements hint at a Wenger renaissance

Trophies were not the only things that vanished from the Arsenal scene between 2005 and 2014. During those barren nine years, one of Arsene Wenger’s trademark tricks also disappeared. That talent, which had powered the club to seven trophies between 1998 and 2005, was his unerring ability to radically improve his players.

Gunners fans first saw this magic at work with Ray Parlour. For years, the curly-locked Essex man had veered between the tolerable and the satisfactory, every inch the George Graham midfield model. But under Wenger’s guidance, he became an astute maestro, winning player of the season in 1998/99 and rifling home from 25 yards to help win the 2002 FA Cup Final.

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