Arsenal Analysis: Gunners Season in Critical Condition

After four consecutive draws, Arsenal had a great opportunity to turn things around last week.

The Gunners had, after Sagnas goal in the 58th minute, a 1-0 lead over Chelsea. Even if they didn't play a very good game so far, hopes were up that the club could come closer to Manchester United in the table. But Arsenal didn't have the luck that they needed this day.

Manchester beat Liverpool 3-0 earlier the same day which resulted in a six-point advantage over Arsenal in the Premiership. 

New Arsenal star Bacary Sagna, who scored his first goal ever for Arsenal, walked off with an injury, and this came to be the event that turned this game around. In the same minute (72) as Sagna walked off and Arsene Wenger put Diaby on the pitch, Drogba scored for Chelsea.

Arsenal's defence was not at its best after many players switched position because of the Sagna-Diaby substitution. And on top of that, the replay showed that the linesman could have waved with his flag for offside.

Drogba, who was the man of the match, also scored his and Chelsea's second goal of the day and Chelsea won the game 2-1.

After losing against Chelsea it looks like it will be very difficult to take the trophy home to Emirates Stadium for Arsenal this season. I believe that things can turn around for Arsenal, but if Manchester United keeps playing the way they are at the moment, they will not lose the six-point advantage they have right now.

One variable that could be important for whoever wins the Premiership this year are the Roma-Manchester games in Champions League. If Roma plays like they did last year, will Manchester be even more boosted with confidence in the end of the season?

If that happens, the title is theirs. However, a Roma win could help Arsenal, and also Chelsea, in their fight for the title.

Sagna's injury is definitely not good for Arsenal, but Eboue will play on his position and he will do it well, trying to take back his place as a first-team player.

Rumours say that the team is disappointed with William Gallas as the captain, but this is, even if it's true, probably just a way of showing disappointment over the last month's bad results. I believe that a win in the next game over Bolton will make this problem go away.

It's interesting that the one person who has stood up for Gallas in the press is Gilberto, he who before this season wanted to be captain. I guess this is his way of saying to Wenger that he's not angry over his choice any more.

As I said before, I do think that Arsenal can turn things around, but players like Fabregas, Flamini, and Adebayor need to return to the form they had earlier in the season.

Wenger also needs to show the players who start the games that he believes in them, and not let these young players walk around and worry about every mistake they do in a game. He needs to decide who is in the first eleven and stick to those players for the rest off the season as much as possible.

How then will the season end? I can't give the answer to that, but after the three games against Liverpool on the second, fifth, and eighth of April, we will have a good idea.