Bleacher Report - Arsene Wenger

The Sporting Hand Shake: Why Doesn't Arsene Wenger Like It?

Carolina Tiger — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:39:45 -0500

Yet again, Le Professeur has failed to shake an opposing manager's hand after a defeat. Mark Hughes has lambasted the Arsenal manager for his show of sporting disrespect.

"Maybe he's used to winning games, and when he does lose sometimes he doesn't know how to behave," said Hughes.

"I have been to the Emirates Stadium and been beaten 6-2 but I still offered my hand at the end. It is the least you can do."

"I am a little bit disappointed in that respect. You should be a bit more gracious than that because it is unnecessary."

"We all hurt when we get beaten. No-one is more upset than me. But you should always offer your hand."

This isn't the first time Arsene Wenger has not offered an opposing manager his hand after a game. Last season in the F.A. Cup Wenger refused to offer his hand to Hull City's Phil Brown, claiming that Brown was too busy remonstrating with the referee at the end of the game so left the field. This inspite the television replays refuting his claim.

The Frenchman's response to Hughes' claim was ambiguous as ever.

"I think I have nothing to say. I am free to shake hands with whom I want after the game."

"I have no professional courtesy."

His last statement seems to indicate a certain amount of pompousness on his part. This unsporting act would seem to be at odds with the urbane and refined nature of a very fine footballing brain, but with his team performing less than sterlingly of late his usual demeanour has take a back seat to a more surly and conceited man.

Let's hope Arsenal get back to winning ways so we can start to see the best from their most talented Frenchman.

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Would Buying Mario Balotelli Solve Arsenal's Current Attacking Woes?

Callum D'Souza — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:43:10 -0500

Arsene Wenger declared he would for once spend during the January Transfer Window thanks to the injury of the Gunners main striker Robin van Persie. The Dutchman was injured whilst on international duty with Holland and is set to be out for around 4 months.

Since the talented Dutchman's injury Arsene Wenger's frontmen have lacked serious creativity and finishing and Arsenal are in danger of becoming completely out of the title race.

Rumour has it Wenger is set to bid for talented Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli. The 19-year-old is a tremendous talent who has a huge future in the beautiful game. The Italian youngster is blessed with pace, strength, great technical ability and is capable of playing all along the front line.

Rumour is that the Italian U-21 striker is unhappy under Jose Mourihno and is seeking a move out. If Balotelli was to depart Inter and join the Gunners he would certainly be a great attacking threat, especially beside Robin van Persie.

Wenger is set to bid £ 18 million for the talented teenager but Mourihno has hinted he would happily allow Balotelli to depart if Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas came to the San Siro. That deal is extremely unlikely to occur.

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Arsenal Thrashed: When It Rains, It Pours...

Asser Ghozlan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:58:22 -0500

I thought I'd leave my thoughts for a day or two, allowing myself to calm down and allowing the dust from the weekend's debacle to settle.

Unfortunately, not a great deal from what I had planned to say in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's home humiliation has changed 30 hours later.

Here, I sit in the cosiness of my own bedroom, with my thoughts and emotions fully intact, before any of you goes on to accuse me of a spur-of-the-moment slating.

For as the relentless showers came down and as the grey, North London skies turned darker, we were all in for a nasty shock; a realisation of our very own dark abyss.

Funny enough, many of the people around me (admittedly, usually pessimistic folk), predicted a dose of reality on Sunday. My dad, amongst one or two others specifically, envisaged a 0-3 scoreline! I was laughing at 3:55. I wasn't two hours later. And, I'm not now and won't be for some time.

Another season full of superficial promise, full of lies of our technical superiority seeing us through the finishing line, has all come to an abrupt and premature end.

And it has all come crashing down by a relentless Chelsea outfit, highlighted by the sheer power and clinical finesse of Didier Drogba. Then, so pitilessly rubbed in by Ashley Cole's waltzing through our feeble defence to the cry of our hapless supporters' chorus of boos—a backdrop that was surely music to his ears on 90 minutes.

Perhaps one of Sunday's most paining issues is the fact that a vast majority of us were in on this lie right from the very start.

Yet, we believed it and genuinely thought that this would be our time. "Our moment" as Wenger nonchalantly and, in hindsight, foolishly declared.

And, as I admittedly hold my hands up in believing and preaching that we were in with a big shout for glory this season, it would also be a total justice to acknowledge the very fact that I had warned that it had been coming, right from day one at Everton.

Just the day prior to the cursed international break, Cesc Fabregas made a perfectly valid point: that the goals will inevitably dry up, and that the players would then have to fight for each other and win ugly.

And he was right.

Well, half right. We do seem to have indeed run out of goals. But the players are not fighting for each other, but made to look like absolute amateurs out of kindergarten coming up against a blue wave of real sportsmen.

Isn't that just embarrassing?

Arsène Wenger can point to the disallowed goal early after the restart (he definitely has a point to make there). And to Chelsea scoring from their first two shots of the game; one a terribly unlucky own goal by Vermaelen after some truly shocking near post defending by his partner Gallas—both were abysmal all afternoon by the way.

He can point to all the 50-50 decisions going the opposition's way and to Chelsea being not totally faultless in their approach to the match themselves—not forgetting that we were, and will be for a very long time—missing our main source of firepower.

But what we cannot excuse is how we were dominated from top to bottom, pressed all over the pitch, with our style so cunningly used to play into Chelsea's very own hands.

We cannot excuse having 57 percent of the possession of the ball, yet fail to create a single clearcut chance that had Chelsea fans biting their nails or Carlo Ancelotti harrying into tactical changes.

We cannot excuse being physically bullied throughout the pitch, with Eduardo and later the likes of Vela and Walcott in Terry and Carvalho's back pockets, with the midfield showing the strength of a melting chocolate teapot, and our link-up play just about as useful as a gangrenous appendix.

Not only can we not excuse such a toothless performance, but we cannot excuse Wenger's analysis as a mere blip or bad day at the office, with such themes recurring from seasons bygone.

You may remember referring to my best friend Tommy Boi as I previewed the match. Well, moments after the match's miserable conclusion—not quite so for him obviously—I received a triumphant text from him simply asking, "How many times do we have to dominate your midfield with strength AND experience before Arsène Wenger realises it for himself?"

Well, for Arsène Wenger read various other expletives, which we won't go into, perfectly understanding that it is acceptable coming from a Chelsea supporter, eh Tommy Boi?

What struck me from the notion in the text is that we all realise that we cannot match Chelsea's strength and that Wenger alone seemingly cannot.

We realise that the manager's single piece of business over the summer did not eradicate such flaws.

Even in the height of our cruising run and free-scoring purple patch, goals were coming in against us from all angles of the pitch, and that is what no one can fathom of Wenger, a supposedly intelligent perfectionist.

Instead, we had to sit through 90 minutes of assorted drivel, a misery that could have been far more compounded had Chelsea not just fought and battled and harried, but actually played the sort of game they have been coming to grips with this season. A combined fusion of styles that will almost surely—in my humble view anyway—give them the title, whilst we lick our wounds and wonder just how we had all been tricked into believing that we were actually good enough.

Same old story, well, at least the latter part of it rings true anyway—with four defeats in 13 not a significant improvement from the five reverses at the same stage in 2008-2009 and with a more porous defence—conceding two more goals this time around.

All of that with Wenger convinced that we are firmly in the title race, claiming to know Chelsea's weaknesses when he should be concentrating on his own.

I repeat, isn't that just embarrassing?

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Time To Look Ahead: Arsenal's Youngsters May Provide Needed Moral Boost

Stefan Vasilev — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:11:25 -0500

Flowers do not seem to be blossoming for the Gunners at present times. Two losses in a row in the Premier League—one against a supposedly inferior team. Understandably, the spirits of the team have been lowered. Nobody wanted to record a defeat, especially two, that’s for sure.

But all is not lost. While Arsenal is currently trailing 11 points from the leaders Chelsea, there is still hope as a significant part of Chelsea’s team is to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Same goes for a lot of other teams.

Nevertheless, the source of hope and uplift may come from the most unexpected places. The youngsters at Arsenal, ironically, can be the ones to provide the team with a significant moral boost.

Players like Carlos Vela, Jack Wilshere, Sanchez Watt, Armand Traore, Fran Merida, Jack Wilshere, and Vito Mannone are more motivated than ever to prove themselves.

The injury epidemic at Arsenal brings them one step closer to their dreamed first-team participation.

And what better motivation than seeing what you want just in front of you, only an arm’s reach away; and the only thing you have to do is just reach and grab it.

Just recently, after the match against Chelsea, Wenger announced that the youngsters will get their chance to prove themselves.

On Wednesday, Arsenal is playing Manchester City in the Carling Cup. A good performance by any of the aforementioned players can put pressure on the first-team starters to perform better.

Eduardo is one of those players; undoubtedly, he feels Carlos Vela breathing down his neck. This may prove beneficial to him. Even if it does not work, it is a good chance for Vela to apply for a regular first-team place, in case he provides several good performances, of course—a chance he will definitely have in the coming weeks before Nicklas Bendtner returns from injury.

Similar is the situation on the left-back position. Personally, I was tad surprised to see Kieran Gibbs being chosen over Armand Traore during the last year. I have always considered Traore to be the more progressed player. But this still is beneficial for the team. Competition will always raise the bar for its participants.

With Clichy out for another two weeks, and Gibbs out for a significantly longer period of time, it is a golden opportunity for Armand Traore—an opportunity which he surely has waited for a long time.

Another positive sign can be found even in the much tormented and problematic front-line of Arsenal.

The absence of Van Persie is certainly a big blow for the Gunners, and Eduardo’s current form does not help as well. But here’s where two relatively new faces will see their chances.

Carlos Vela has been talked about a lot, ever since the time he spent loan spells at Salamanca and Osasuna, where he gained invaluable experience and was often involved with the first team. Now, he is prepared for Premier League football. His fitness is top notch, and he is more eager than ever to prove himself.

Recently, he stated at the Arsenal web site :

"I really want to improve on last season," he said. "I want to score more goals than last season and play more and the main aim for the team is to win something."

After an injury-stricken beginning of the season, the hunger for improvement for Carlos Vela is there. There is only one way for him: up. And what better than that for the team.

Another new face that may become involved in Arsenal’s attack, and most likely will be seen in the game against Manchester City, is Sanchez Watt.

I have always been an admirer of the youngster’s skills. Skills he demonstrated during the team’s preseason preparation. He is tall, technically apt, and reads the game very well.

He recently signed a new contract with Arsenal, which proves that he has what it takes to remain at the club.

"This is a contract that gives me more time to prove myself and hopefully I will," he said.

"I want to get a few first-team chances, even just getting in the squad because you know you're improving if you're getting on the bench because there are a lot of players in the team.”

He is still quite young and is ever-improving, but if he is able to grasp his chance against Manchester City, he can be a contender for a first-team spot, or he can provide some pressure on the first-team starters, and maybe push them to improve their form.

Vito Mannone is a young player who has already proved himself to a degree. Now that he has tasted first-team football, the motivation to come back will be even stronger. He is a more than decent goal keeper who could become the next big thing, but at the moment, his drive to get into the first team can be beneficial for the first team.

Even in an injury-stricken squad like the current one of Arsenal, the youngster can provide Wenger with a headache or two. But that is only if they perform well.

They will have their chances, as Wenger said. It’s up to them.

And at times like this, their determination to prove themselves is exactly what the team needs. Ironically, the source of problems that the age has caused for Arsenal can be the source of hope and inspiration as well.

Good luck, young Gunners.

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Maybe Selling Emmanuel Adebayor Was a Mistake for Wenger and Arsenal

Callum D'Souza — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:01:28 -0500

Many Arsenal fans saw the departure of lanky Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor to big-spending Manchester City as a good option. Many fans had grown annoyed and frustrated with the lack of form and his eagerness to play with a "bigger club."

However, with Arsenal's current situation and the high chance that they will end their fifth season trophy-less, some are forced to ponder whether selling the 25 year old was a bad idea.

With Arsenal losing their main strike force and goal scorer—Dutchman Robin van Persie—Arsenal are currently short in attack. The talented Dutchman gave the Arsenal front line power, creativity, and most importantly, goals. But since van Persie's injury, Arsenal have lacked all those attributes up front.

The likes of Carlos Vela and Eduardo Da Silva have tried, but failed miserably to contribute to the front line and, though Nicklas Bendtner is still recovering from injury, the one player that Wenger would really crave is Emmanuel Adebayor.

In Arsenal's most recent game against rivals Chelsea, they lacked serious power and also the ability to finish and ultimately score. Adebayor would have given that much needed power and also provided a better target when crosses were flung in.

Every time a cross was swung in it was cleared easily by the Chelsea defence. Yes, the Chelsea back four were outstanding, but Eduardo and the rest of the Arsenal attackers were poor in the air.

Eduardo also failed to take some vital chances. The Croatian preferred to attempt to walk the ball into the net rather than just fire.

The presence of Adebayor may have resulted in the ball finding the back of the net. Not just because of his neat footwork and strength, but also his ability to finish.

The Togolese forward's presence would have enabled the Arsenal midfielders to play long balls, allowing Adebayor to control it down and lay it off to the likes of Nasri and Arshavin.

Still, Adebayor is no longer a gunner, even if he was still part of the Red and White. Chelsea would have probably prevailed, as it is simple for them, because they are a better team.

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Arsene Wenger's Dream for Arsenal's Future Gets a Grim Dose of Reality

Alex Stamp — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:43:26 -0500

Arsene Wenger entered this encounter promising that this time things would be different. Promising that his young charges were ready, after years of maturing, growing, and developing, ready to prove they have grown up and can take on the big boys. But once again, the world has been left waiting for Wenger's charges to deliver on their promise.

When he spoke on Friday ahead of this match against Chelsea, the message was emphatic, the tone teeming with belief. He said: "Everyone will look at the game to rate our potential, and I have no worries about that.

“We are ready for the game, are well focused, prepared and the confidence is good. We just want to focus on the game like we want to play it. I think there is a period for any team to come out and show its strengths. For my team, this moment has come.”

Sadly, for Wenger the moment came and went, with little in the way of a whimper. Once more, Chelsea proved themselves too big, too powerful for Wenger's team-champions elect perhaps, but without doubt, this was a team performance from the top drawer-and full credit must go to Ancelotti for that.

In Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Michael Essien, the Chelsea manager has men of substance, both in character and physical gifts, who were dominating their individual contests at will, and shaping the game to suit their needs. It did appear, despite what Wenger may think, men against boys.

Wenger's myopia is renowned, yet even that fact will not have escaped him. After the match, he rallied against the referee for disallowing a goal which was marginal at best, bemoaned Didier Drogba's decisive contribution, and then admitted Chelsea could drop points. In truth, he looked and sounded like a man desperately trying to maintain belief, when all evidence points the other way.

Belief is a tricky thing. For some, it is a comfort, for others it is a cause. For Wenger, it has practically become an obsession. The infinite pursuit of footballing nirvana, of creating a self-sufficient team, playing the purest form of football. It is a policy which deserves applause, if only for the purity of his intentions.

Yet, sadly, football does not simply operate on a purely romantic level, at some point there must be some result. For all his missionary rhetoric about the wonderful football that Arsenal are capable of producing, the bare fact is that Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005, and have not won the Premier League since 2003.

Sunday just proved that after years of consolidation, the gap between Arsenal and the top remains as large as ever.

At some point it is this point will catch up with Wenger and his pursuit of football idealism. Both Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho when he was at Chelsea, openly questioned the lack of pressure on Wenger to win a trophy year after year at Arsenal.

Perhaps we all are guilty of falling into this trap, being so mesmerised by the beauty of football and promise of tomorrow on offer from Wenger, that we fail to notice the failings of today. Yet there are signs things could be on the turn.

Last season, the boos became increasingly common at the Emirates Stadium, as for the first time the question of Wenger's future became the subject of some debate.

Whether such levels of pressure return could depend on how Arsenal respond after Sunday, yet the dissatisfaction of the Emirates Stadium may return should the team not show signs of improvement.

This is a potentially tricky moment, suddenly after being so praised after a season of highs and lows, Sunday offered a dose of realism which cut through the intricate passing moves, glorious promise of youth and passion and belief so shown by the manager and simply laid bare the truth that Arsenal are far from able to challenge for the title.

The facts are that, beautiful football can, and often does, win titles. Anyone who witnessed two of Wenger's teams-that of the Invincibles in 2003, and the Double winners in 1997/98 will know that beautiful football can win.

But whereas those teams struck a balance between both the delights and the darks arts of the game, this Arsenal seem capable only of the delights.

In a team full of dainty aesthetic players, and the sight of the slight Samir Nasri being replaced by the similarly slightly framed Tomas Rosicky only underlined this, the absence of big strong men was painful to see.

Didier Drogba, John Terry, Michael Essien brushed aside their opponents seemingly at ease. For all Arsenal's pretty passing football, it was the physical element of Chelsea which ultimately won the game.

The problem for Wenger is that these critiques about his team are hardly anything new, in fact, they are as clichéd and well-worn as the plaudits for Arsenal's football.

The absence of a dominant centre half, capable of handling Drogba's height and power, was clear to see. Plus the lack of a midfielder capable of standing up to the power of Essien and Lampard, and a striker of sufficient height, and strength to worry Terry and Carvalho, like Didier Drogba did to William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen, was crystal clear.

Whether these arrivals come or not, could depend on their manager. For a long time, Wenger has insisted he has had money to spend, he just doesn't want to spend it, such is his belief in his players.

Yet if Wenger wants to bring his plans for the future to their ultimate conclusion, then at some point some form of sacrifice will have to be made, and a compromise sought to bring in players with the requisite qualities to compete with the bigger boys.

Because it is these qualities that win titles, and while Chelsea showed they had it in spades, after Sunday's brutal reality check, it is these things that are desperately missing from Wenger's vision for Arsenal's future.

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After Chelsea, How Far Are Arsenal from Challenging for the Title?

Willie Gannon — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:16:37 -0500

Arsene Wenger must be wondering what to do next after Didier Drogba and Chelsea produced a masterclass in efficiency, intelligence, and ruthlessness at the Emirates as they ripped Arsenal to shreds and, in effect, ended the Gunners already slim chances of becoming champions.

Just like last season, the Gunners' stab at the title has come un-done before December, and now Wenger and many of the Arsenal team must sit down and, like last season after Chelsea destroyed the Gunners 4-1, begin the recriminations.

As ever with Arsenal, there are more questions than answers. And as ever in football, the manager has to do most of the answering.

Arsenal are now in danger of going five seasons without a trophy. The buck has to stop with Wenger.

While Arsenal may not spent as much as their nearest rivals, they are still an incredibly rich team, and have the fourth highest wage bill in the EPL. Their choice to spend more on wages than transfers has been a wise move, as it has enabled the Gunners to out-bid rival teams for up and coming youngsters.

The Gunners' policy of signing young superstars from around the world has seen them create a young exciting team, but it has come at a cost.

1) It sends a message out to fans and rival clubs that Arsenal are a selling club.
2) They rarely sign experienced players.

Wenger is central to this policy at the club, and the fault at not replacing experienced players like Flamini and Adebayor with similar players, falls to him, and him alone.

The Gunners have the potential to challenge for the league, but they are at least four players short of a Championship winning team, and, unfortunately, those four positions are the most important.

Arsenal have a weak spine.

It leaves them weak against teams like Chelsea. You may say that they won't face teams of that stature every week, but that's not the point. The Blues are the best team in the league at the moment and currently set the standard, and that is what you should aspire to.

The position of goalkeeper was always going to come back and haunt Wenger this year. His confidence in Almunia is admirable, but the Spaniard is far from being the ideal in his position. He has been with Arsenal since 2004 and has never been regarded as being good enough for a title challenging team. It is worth noting that Arsenal have not won a trophy since before Almunia signed, not that it was his fault.

Wenger's signings as backup have been poor, especially when you consider that far better 'keepers have been available over the last five years. So Wenger must be questioned on why he has stuck with a goalie, that would only be regarded as backup quality by their title rivals, for five years.

Defence is also somewhat of a problem. In Sagna and Clichy, Arsenal possess two of the best full-backs in the league, but there is little in the way of cover apart from Kieran Gibbs, who has some way to go to become a regular.

Arsenal's problem area at the back is in central defence. Thomas Vermaelan has come in from Ajax, and has done ok so far. He has scored a couple of goals, which is always nice, but his main job is to keep them out. The Gunners have so far conceded 18 goals in only 13 games, so the signing might be as good as once thought.

He does, however, look better than William Gallas. The ex-Chelsea squad member has become an Arsenal first team player, and is irreplaceable when compared to the reserves at the Emirates. But his character has always been questioned, and he is not a player who takes responsibility for either his or his teammaters games.

To progress, he must be replaced in the first team, as a backup player he would be superb, but he is not made of the stuff of a title winning centre half.

Johan Djourou, Phillipe Sanderos, and Mikael Silvestre should all be moved on sooner rather than later. They are good enough to play in the Europa League, but not at a team with Arsenal's ambitions.

Midfield is an awkward one. On his day, Cesc Fabregas is the best midfielder in the world, but he needs good support; he can't do it by himself. Fabregas is the kind of player that makes others play, rather than him driving the team on, so good support is essential.

Alex Song is regarded by many as being an "invisible wall," but going forward he offers almost nothing and becomes invisible himself when the Gunners attain the ball. However, a player of his ability is needed in the side as Fabregas' strengths are not defensive.

When you look at the players who could partner Song and Fabregas in the middle, the list is full of superb footballers. Tomas Rosicky, Samir Nasri, Denilson, Aaron Ramsey, and a few more spring to mind, all are exquisite players, and not one of them could even tackle a good dinner.

Point being that Wenger has gone with Denilson lately because he is the most balanced midfielder Arsenal possess and he must play Song because Fabregas isn't too hot in a battle either, so straight away Arsenal are lacking.

The easiest way out of this midfield conundrum that Wenger has gotten himself into is to replace Song with a more experienced more balanced player. A player who could contribute going forward as well as aiding Fabregas in his defensive duties.

The balance that such a player would give Arsenal cannot be underestimated, it would ease the pressure on Fabregas to produce, and would give Wenger far more options than the one or two that he currently has.

It is little wonder that Wenger tried to sign Xabi Alonso two years ago, only for the board to refuse to go to Liverpool's asking price of £15 million, from their original bid of £13 million.

The forward line is another area where Arsenal lack real quality. Robin van Persie is a sublime player, but he is somewhat injury prone and only averages around 25 EPL appearances a season. His backup of Niclas Bendtner and Eduardo are good squad players but lack the presence or quality that a title chasing team require.

Wenger’s refusal to replace Emmanual Adebayor has now come back to haunt him. By placing all his eggs in one basket with Van Persie, he has committed a cardinal sin.

The Dutchman will now almost definitely miss the rest of the season, and now Arsenal look like they have no goals in them.

Gunners fans may point to the fact that 17 outfield players have scored this year, but Van Persie is the focal point of that attack, and his running off the ball creates as many chances for his team mates as his actual assists. Neither Eduardo or Bendtner have the nous or intelligence to even come near the Dutchman’s skills.

One must also worry about Eduardo at this stage of the season. December is upon us and he has yet to play the full 90 minutes, which is worrying when you consider that he returned to full training last season.

On the plus side, Bendtner does have potential, he does not have the ability to become a target man in the true sense, nor does he have the speed of mind or feet to provide the kind of penetration that a player like Jermaine Defoe would provide, but he does possess a good touch and is excellent with his back to goal, and that is exactly the kind of player you would want if you wish to bring the very best from Fabregas.

In short, Arsenal are currently short four players, and given the funding available to Wenger it is hard to see him having the money to buy one never mind four of the kind of players that he needs to win the league.

Now, winning the Champions League...that’s something else entirely...

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The Bottom Corner: Arsenal Needs To Grow Up

Salaar Shamsi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:43 -0500

Arsenal suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat last night, a 3-0 loss to Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium that left many of their supporters wondering if their team was heading towards yet another trophy-less season.

Silverware has eluded the Gunners since they won the FA Cup back in the 2004-2005 season. Needless to say, it's about time they bag a trophy or two.

A financial crunch, caused largely by stadium debt, has prevented Arsenal from making adequate replacements for the likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Mathieu Flamini, Patrick Viera, and recent departures such as Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor.

You might ask: "Why didn't they miss these lads in the beginning of the season?"

Well, here's the deal: every season after yet another trophy-less campaign, they come into the new season, all fired up, with a startling desire, commitment, and passion to win, which ultimately is bound to fade out as the season progresses.

While the hunger to win might not entirely die down, it appears as if the Arsenal squad is out of depth.

An injury to the likes of Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner forces Arsene Wenger to turn to somebody like Eduardo, who, when not injured or diving, might just net a goal once in a blue moon.

I'd play Theo Walcott over him any day.

Arsenal usually start their season competing for the title, but the Gunners appear to run out of gas by Christmas. This means they are left trying to ensure a Champions League spot till May.

To be fair, they have had their share of injuries, but then again, all clubs have to go through the same.

Arsenal are known for playing some rather beautiful football. In fact, they are arguably the most exciting team in the Premier League, but that in itself isn't enough to win a title.

I wouldn't suggest they don't have the quality, considering they have lads like Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, Andrei Arshavin, and William Gallas amongst their ranks.

Still, they are a bit inconsistent when compared to title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

Perhaps, the lack of experience is beginning to tell for Arsene Wenger's men.

Yesterday, Wenger chose to start with both Denilson and Song, both defensive-minded players.

That's a bit like when Liverpool starts with both Mascherano and Lucas. It's completely insane, especially if you want to win a game. Why would you back down and try to hold off the opponent's attack instead of taking the attack to them?

I'm not going to be hypocritical here, so yes, even Chelsea started with both Essien and Obi Mikel, but Essien was given the liberty to attack and he made full use of it.

Didier Drogba could be seen as the difference between the two sides, as the home side just didn't have the finishing touch to bag a goal from one of their attacks.

Armand Traore was lackluster, which is probably because he's behind the likes of Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs in the pecking order.

The Gunners looked rather nervy in defense, which hasn't been the case for most of the season so far.

Thomas Vermaelen appeared as a shadow of himself, but let's not be too harsh on Arsenal's only summer signing, who has been nothing short of spectacular for most of this season.

Arsenal have a game in hand and currently lie in a rather familiar fourth place.

The Gunners host Stoke City next week. Any more slip-ups and Arsenal will find themselves playing catchup to Chelsea and Manchester United.

More than anything, it's about time for Arsenal's players to grow up, but that might not be too easy unless Wenger signs a couple of wise heads.

Boys will be boys.

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Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Chelsea

Callum D'Souza — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:02:48 -0500

Once again the absence of Robin van Persie was too hard for Arsenal as they slumped to their second consecutive League defeat at the hands of Chelsea. Arsenal were lively up and to the final third where they lacked finish and creativity. Two things Robin van Persie blesses the Arsenal score line.

Although 3-0 is a little harsh on Wenger and his men, the defence was the main culprit. Twice they failed to deal with crosses and they resulted in goals. It's plain and simple: Arsenal just aren't good enough to win trophies.

Player Ratings

Manuel Almunia:5.5: Cannot be blamed for the goals conceded and looked relatively solid. However, having conceded three, it does look poorly on his statistics.

Bacary Sagna:5: The Frenchman tried hard to defend the right flank but it felt as if it were too easy for the Chelsea attack. Plus both crosses that lead to goals came from Sagna's side. His crossing was also lackluster.

William Gallas:5.5: Failed to mark up when crosses came in and at times was shaky.

Thomas Vermaelen:5: Like his center half partner, poorly marked the likes of Anelka and Drogba. Also had the burden of scoring and own goal.

Armand Traore:5.5: It's evident he lacks the defensive abilities of Clichy and Gibbs as he failed to contain the Chelsea forwards. But he is a lively attribute in attack with his blistering pace.

Alexandre Song:6: Were you as bemused as I was when he was substituted at half time for Walcott? The only player capable of adding physicality and strength to the defensive side of the midfielder and the only one who tracks back to help his struggling defenders.

Denilson:5: Lacked fitness, strength and accurate passing. Was probably a little rushed back into the first squad, espeically as it was a big encounter.

Cesc Fabregas:6: Tried but failed to create anything. Moved and passed well but like most of the Arsenal attackers, failed when they came to the box.

Samir Nasri:6.5: Arsenal's most threatening player with his pace and movement. A few handy crosses but nothing came of them. Promising signs for the recovering Frenchman.

Andrei Arshavin:5: Is he really that good? Seemed uninterested and lacked any real threatening move. At times the Russian was a little lively but to me it was another disappointing performance.

Eduardo:4: Tried to walk the ball into the net on too many occasions when he really should have fired. Wasteful and gives very little compared to van Persie.

Substitues

Theo Walcott:5.5: His pace was threatening at times and maybe the Englishman should have started.

Carlos Vela:6: Tried hard but no chances really materialized.

Tomas Roiscky:6: A useful assest off the bench. Passes and moved fell and gets credit for annoying the awful John Obi Mikel.

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Chelsea's Win Over Arsenal Confirms Big Four Is Now Big Two

Barnaby de Hoedt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:32:11 -0500

Arsenal's away form has been more than a touch patchy this season but they like their home comforts, winning every game at The Emirates before Chelsea arrived this afternoon.

But now it's time for some home truths.

Chelsea's victory has cut the so-called Big Four down to size.

OK, there's no doubt that Arsenal and Liverpool are still in the elite group of England's best clubs.

But on the pitch it is another story. Chelsea and Manchester United now make up the Big Two.

I was at the Emirates this afternoon and I was there when Chelsea won 4-1 towards the end of last season. It was like watching the same film back-to-back.

It cannot be a coincidence that the Blues have managed to wrack up a three-goal victory on both occasions.

This was worse though because on that first occasion Arsenal's centre-half pairing consisted of Mikael Silvestre and Johan Djourou.

The truth is, Arsenal cannot defend as a team; something that Chelsea taught Arsenal a very harsh lesson in—not that I expect the Gunners to learn anything from it.

It is no exaggeration to say that every Arsenal player was second best on the pitch today. This is not an intended criticism of any of their attitudes, because they all gave everything to the cause.

But at the level they aspire to, some are simply not good enough.

Andrei Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas really struggled to get into the game today but, quite simply, they could do with a little help.

Denilson was anonymous in the second half and there is too much tip-toeing around in the final third from the likes of Eduardo, Samir Nasri, and Theo Walcott. Arsenal played into Chelsea's hands; every time an Arsenal player ventured vaguely towards the Chelsea third, they were made to turn back, slow the play down and pass backwards.

A watched pot never boils and that's what it was like watching Arsenal trying to score today.

At the other end, Chelsea didn't exactly have to pull up any trees to score. Arshavin was caught ball watching for the first, allowing Cole the space to escape on the left.

Drogba was allowed to amble in unchallenged to score; he was hardly made to work to reach the ball, as Robin Van Persie had done for his first against Spurs earlier this season. Thomas Vermaelen's own goal was almost the doppelganger of the first.

After that, a contagious panic spread throughout the Arsenal team every time Chelsea broke forward.

The two sides are streets apart. How lucky Carlo Ancellotti must feel. He is like a step father inheriting a good family.

Arsenal are a good side and monopolise possession well in the middle third of the pitch. However they rarely manage to deliver a counterattack in the true essence of the word.

There is a distinct lack of variety in the type of players Arsene Wenger has at his disposal. Bringing Thomas Rosicky on for Nasri hardly changes the dynamic of the game.

Under the spell of Arsenal possession, the ball glides about the turf from side to side. But there was no weapon to hurt Chelsea where it counted.

Manuel Almunia was also at fault for the third goal, but goalkeepers have a propensity for trying to guess where the ball is going to go and most of them come similarly unstuck.

At the very top level, a team that wants to win trophies needs to be able to defend. Protection, patience, panache; that's what Chelsea have right now. They even pass and move better than Arsenal at times, certainly more effectively anyway.

It's a two horse race now. Arsenal, once again, could not even keep up until half-time, let alone beyond November.

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How Cowardly Team Selection Led to an Impotent Arsenal Performance

Ankush Gulati — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:22:30 -0500

To clarify, no, Wenger is no coward, as the decision to change stadiums and relying on an extremely young side to keep his club amongst the elite of Europe proves.

But in my eyes, there was very little right with the team selection today, and Wenger needed to be a lot braver if he wanted to defeat the league leaders.

Goalkeepers and defense: No problems.

Song and Fabregas: No problems.

Denilson: He's an important player, but a warm-up against Standard Liege after 14 or so matches should not be enough game time to guarantee a starting place against a midfield like Chelsea's.

His performance was average, and he did what he's good at, but there was nobody to really take advantage of what he gives to the team today.

Nasri: Like Denilson, he's barely played, and his only good performance was against Liege as well.

Arshavin: Arshavin's contribution to the team is to be an unpredictable chance creator.

This was absolutely fine when van Persie was around, because van Persie was a stable fulcrum who didn't give the ball away cheaply, and was extremely reliable in the final third. However, in van Persie's absence, there is a need for Arshavin to take over and evolve the van Persie role to the wing, instead of relying on Eduardo, who is clearly, yet understandably, struggling.

Eduardo just started his second or so PL game after an incredibly long time. We know what Eduardo is capable of, but surely he needs more time to adjust to his new role, a role that, one must not forget, van Persie needed several games to adjust to before he finally hit the right notes in the game at Manchester City.

I had a bad feeling before the game that we wouldn't be able to be as direct as we needed to be against the Chelsea defense, just like at Sunderland last week. We seem to need to make two or so more passes than we really need before someone even thinks about taking a shot.

Simply put, Vela or Walcott needed to start this game on the right. Not only to give our midfielders a creative outlet, but also to make Ashley Cole too busy to simply attack at will, creating two decisive goals.

Which wasting Nasri on the right to drift in and be neutralized by Chelsea's midfield, or cross the ball to the shortest players on the pitch, led to.

Denilson's selection was based on wishful thinking and for me, we would have been a lot more successful with Nasri's dribbling in the centre freeing up space for other creative players like Fabregas and Arshavin to be more direct in setting up chances for the likes of Eduardo and Vela/Walcott.

Instead, every time Denilson got the ball, he would either take a few touches and try a forward pass, or make a one touch back to a defender or Song, giving plenty of time for Chelsea to reposition themselves and easily block whatever little we "threw" at them.

I'm used to seeing Arsenal being knocked down, but this time it seems like we fell without even being pushed.

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