A Look at Arsenal FC's Under-Performers

With three more matches to go in the Premier League, Arsenal's title challenge is well and truly over.

They might be forgiven for losing at Tottenham, but the spectacular capitulation against Wigan sharply brings into focus the quality and commitment of some of the Arsenal players.

It has been a long time since Arsenal have had a quality goalkeeper. Although Manuel Almunia often comes up with brilliant performances, he is often the cause of his own downfall as he refuses to learn from his mistakes and keeps making elementary errors.

His replacement Lukasz Fabianski, however, makes Almunia look like Lev Yashin with his laughable performances. Some might argue that he has not been given enough time on the pitch, but the truth is that the really great players make their mark in the little time they get on the field. I'ts high time Lukasz started looking at other clubs to further his career.

At last year's shareholder meeting, someone in the crowd asked Arsene Wenger why he was offering contracts to "geriatrics." The man was of course referring to Mikael Silvestre, the 33-year-old Manchester United reject. Despite being experienced in the Premier League, Silvestre has often made serious errors, and with his age getting the better of him it's about time he bids adieu to the club.

Abou Diaby is an enigma. He will regularly twist, turn, and dribble his way past three defenders, and then quite inexplicably he will pass the ball to the fourth defender. One would be hard put to find a better dribbler of the ball in the club, but his lack of consistency and a downright lazy attitude on the pitch means he has never really been a crowd favorite. He has the potential to be a great player but it will require drastic improvements on the aforementioned areas in the next season.

There is no one in the club who has simultaneously been the subject of such immense adulation and severe criticism as Theo Walcott. Little blame can be attached to Theo himself as Arsene Wenger seems unsure as to where he wants to go with the lad. Should he make him a permanent winger or would he make a better striker?

There is no doubt that Walcott has immense potential in either position but Wenger has to make a decision on whether to retain him on the wings. If yes, then Theo needs some training as to how to deliver crosses that regularly meet his own teammates' heads. Blistering pace can only take you so far; after that it depends on what you do with the ball.

With the season done and dusted, the manager has three months to ring in the changes. Every season that goes by without a trophy leaves the players with more doubt in their minds.

It is about time Wenger bought some quality replacements to the side and told his incumbents to man up.