Arsene Wenger Must Stop Making Same Mistakes If Arsenal Are To Challenge

Four games played; two lost, two won.

Not exactly a great start, nor a terrible one either. There is a long way to go in the Premier League yet and with Chelsea and Manchester City the only undefeated sides to date, one can count on it been a good race this season.

Whether Arsenal will be in the race or not is another matter.

Two defeats to date isn't ideal but shouldn't raise panic stations among Arsenal supporters just yet.

Arsenal haven't the biggest squad in the English Premier League and it may not be the best but questions must be asked whether Arsene Wenger is using it to its full potential?

Since preseason, Wenger has championed the 4-3-3 formation which proved so successful for the all conquering Barcelona team of last season.

Against Everton, Portsmouth, and Celtic it seemed to work quite well and Arsenal got positive results in all three.

The formation was combined with an added work rate in an attempt to win the ball higher up the pitch to elevate pressure on the defence.

Signs that this was beginning to crumble came in the second half of the defeat to Manchester United.

After conceding the equalising goal, Arsenal seemed to fall apart. Belief went and in a state of confusion where there should have been none, Abou Diaby headed the ball into his own net.

While the game at the City of Manchester Stadium has been dominated by one name—Emmanuel Adebayor—it would be folly to overlook the mistakes Arsene Wenger made in his team selection.

The same mistakes he has made time and again.

One of his first mistakes was starting Manuel Almunia in goal. Unfortunately, this is one that is now beyond his control because of inactivity in the transfer window and injuries to other options.

Almunia is a decent goalkeeper but he has rarely induced confidence in the Arsenal faithful.

Often times he is indecisive, not knowing whether to stay on his line or come for the ball.

It would be an interesting project to compare Almunia and Manchester City's goalkeeper Shay Given on Saturday.

Almunia seems to have a problem communicating with his defenders, and on the two occasions I have seen him play live at the Emirates, he doesn't seem to overly use his vocal chords.

In comparison, Shay Given continually gives out orders to his defenders.

When Jens Lehmann made two mistakes in as many games, Wenger was quick to replace him with Almunia.

At least three goals this season came about by Almunia's indecision and yet he remains in goal.

The only other option is the injured Fabianski.

While a brave keeper, Fabianski needs to be tied by a rope to the goalpost for fear he would run to the half way line to claim the ball.

Having a shaky goalkeeper is a worry, particularly if he is playing in front of a shaky defence.

To his credit, Wenger did well in signing Thomas Vermaelen in the summer for €10m.

Vermaelen has struck up a decent partnership with William Gallas to date although they were torn apart at times by Manchester City—although I argue that those problems started further up field.

Most Arsenal fans would be content enough to see a starting central defence of Gallas and Vermaelen, but the problems start when one of them inevitably gets injured.

The options aren't great to say the least.

Johann Djourou has been ruled out for the season following a knee operation, leaving Phillipe Senderos, Mikael Silvestre and Alex Song as the only options.

Wenger gave Senderos the option of leaving Arsenal in the summer, one he seemed keen to take up.

However, proposed moves to Everton, Aston Villa, and Hull all fell through leaving Senderos in no man's land at Arsenal.

The Swiss is a decent defender but prone to massive mistakes.

The other option is Mikael Silvestre, another error prone option.

Wenger can, if needed, drop Alex Song back into defence but then there is a feeling the midfield may lose some steel as it is the Cameroon international who protects the back four.

Don't get nightmares Arsenal fans, but what happens if Vermaelen and Gallas both get injured or suspended at the same time?

A trio of Almunia, Senderos, and Silvestre defending the goal is very worrying.

This 4-3-3 formation that the Arsenal boss has persisted with so far has seen Alex Song sit in front of the back four and to date he has done quite well.

Joining him in midfield has been Denilson and Cesc Fabregas.

In a perfect world, Song would cover the left hand side of the defence with Denilson covering the right side of defence leaving Fabregas in a central role to work his magic.

Sadly this isn't the world Wenger inhabits.

On Saturday, for reasons known only to himself, Wenger played Fabregas wide on the right, nullifying much of his effect.

Fabregas' forte is spraying passes forward from the midfield to his forwards, not playing on the right side.

Coupled with this mistake, Wenger played Nicklas Bendtner in front of him.

Bendtner has come in for a lot of criticism from Arsenal fans who believe he is not up to it.

However, who honestly thinks that Bendtner is cut out to play on the wing?

Bendtner is the nearest thing Arsenal now have to a target man, yet he was the one on Saturday making the crosses into the box instead of been on the receiving end.

Robin Van Persie was yet again played in a central role.

Is Van Persie a good target man? No.

Is Van Persie good at winning headers to knock down to the on rushing midfielders? No.

Does Van Persie have the strength to play the central role? No.

Bendtner scored two goals for Denmark in the internationals playing in the central role while Van Persie scored for the Netherlands while playing wide right.

It begs the question—why not play Bendtner central and Van Persie on the right of a front three?

To compound these mistakes, Wenger then made every Arsenal fan close their eyes in fear as Abou Diaby came in for the injured Andrey Arshavin on the left.

Abou Diaby on the left wing! Again!

Diaby gives the ball away more often than not. He can't cross. Rarely does he find a team-mate and he doesn't track back. So why does he get a starting berth out on the left wing?

Is it mere coincidence that three of City's goals come down the Arsenal left?

Two of them were mistakes by Gael Clichy but it is evident that Clichy is not happy with Diaby in front of him.

Arshavin and Samir Nasri both make attempts to do their defensive duties and track back to help, Diaby just lazes around the pitch.

The Frenchman's best position is either behind two front men or coming from midfield to score goals. His performances to date hardly warrant a starting place, yet going on Wenger's history he will start again against Standard Liege on Wednesday.

In the past Wenger has cited Diaby's defensive qualities as to why he plays him left wing.

As most other people fail to see this it begs the question as to why Kieran Gibbs didn't get the nod on Saturday.

He filled in more than adequately for Clichy last season when he was injured and the young Englishman is in fact a left winger who has been converted to a left back.

Hence, you get someone who knows how to defend but who also likes to get forward and can whip in a good cross.

With Diaby having two bad games in a row now, will Wenger finally give Aaron Ramsay or Fran Merida there shot to claim a place? There is also the option of the left footed Jack Wilshere.

The best Arsenal fans can hope for is that Tomas Rosicky remains fit and will play left wing until Arshavin and/or Nasri return to full fitness.

Just to put the icing on the proverbial cake, Eduardo was left on the bench until it was too late.

He is another who could play left wing if needed.

The Arsenal manager claimed he wanted to keep Eduardo "fresh" for Wednesday. Problem is, Eduardo may not play Wednesday if UEFA uphold his two match ban for diving.

Saturday's game at Eastlands also saw a return of the much hated Arsenal over passing.

One could only imagine what the players were saying on the pitch:

"You shoot" *ball is passed* "No, you shoot" *ball is passed* "No, you shoot" *ball is passed* "You shoot" *ball is passed* "No, you shoot" *ball is passed* "No, you shoot" *ball is passed* 

Until eventually possession is lost or it has gone out over the end line.

It wouldn't do much harm for Arsenal to take a leaf out of the Frank Lampard notebook. Have a lash and if it doesn't go straight in it might very well get a deflection.

So, Arsene Wenger can blame the referee, the weather, the internationals, the water bottles, the "stupid" defending but hopefully when he sat down on Sunday to watch the Manchester City vs. Arsenal game again he will realise that a lot of the blame rests on himself.

The Frenchman may claim that he hasn't much money to spend in the transfer market on players and that may be true but at the moment he isn't getting the best out of what he has got.

Play the players in their proper position Arsene, you never know what might happen!