Arsenal Debate: How Far Are The Gunners From Glory This Season?

Unless you haven't been reading any newspapers, then you've probably read or heard somewhere that Messi was the latest to state his opinion on the Fabregas to Barcelona saga.

Opening a conversation regarding said saga with an Arsenal or a Barcelona fan is like inviting a dragon to a gas station. A flame war is inevitable.

While Guardiola has been stating time and again that Barcelona has no intentions of making any attempts to sign the Arsenal captain, a statement he's been making since last summer, that is to be fully expected from a manager, usually the master mind of any team.

However, Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta and now Messi have been making statements that only simpletons are expected to make, and obviously the Argentine was hurt by the defeat more than expected.

The Ballon D'or winner stated that Barcelona was the only place Fabregas would win silverware, and seeing how Arsenal are on the verge of a Carling Cup final, it seems his comments have came at an awkward point in the season. But indeed Messi's comments lead to an imminent debate: 

Just how far are the Gunners from silverware and glory?

Trophy-less for over five years, it appears that times weren't kind on this new generation of Arsenal players, but things usually get worse before they get any better. After all, you should ask Messi. His team went from 1999 to 2004 without a single trophy. Surely it would be a contradiction to take a stab at Arsenal's current predicament.

Arsenal are still fighting on all fronts this season, but it usually takes less than two weeks for the Gunners to get knocked out of at least two tournaments. And with the trip to the Nou Camp drawing ever closer, no one can argue that Arsenal's days in the Champions League might be numbered.

But wait! While Xavi's comments about Arsenal being out of the title race before December have proven to be blatantly off the mark, who's to say that the expectations of Messi and the rest of the footballing world are accurate.

After all, it wasn't Barcelona that turned the game around in the Emirates Stadium in five minutes, it was Arsenal. And while the Nou Camp is Barcelona's ground, who's to say Arsenal don't have what it takes to advance through the gates of Catalonia?

Arsenal are going to Wembley to play in the Carling Cup final. Certainly Messi's assessment about winning trophies couldn't be more wrong. In less than a week the Gunners have a chance to end their five-year trophy drought, should they overcome the physicality of Birmingham City.

As for the FA Cup, while Leyton's draw was indeed disappointing, it's not as bad as people expect. The Gunners were able to beat Leeds in the second match at their own backyard. Not to mention that the return leg is in the Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal goal-scorer on the night was Rosicky, someone who desperately needed to score for the sake of his confidence level, and he did it by adding a new dimension to his game through a magnificent header.

Clearly drawing Leyton isn't the end of the world, especially when you put into consideration the fact that they were attacking with bravery and were resolute throughout. The end result was a magnificent goal scored in the dying minutes, they deserved it, good for them.

The verdict on the FA Cup isn't clear, especially when the Gunners face none other than Manchester United in the next round, should they advance.

As for the EPL, while it's still a long way until they reach the end of the season, Arsenal are four points behind Manchester United, and they have easier fixtures as well. Although it's safe to say that Arsenal have pondered many games against easier opponents before in the past, complacency would be fatal at this point in time, it has cost the Gunners many times before in the past.

While the Gunners have already surpassed the expectations of many critics in the world of football, scrapping their way through some tough battles, while Chelsea, Real Madrid and other giants in the world of football have failed, the only expectations they must surpass are their own. And with Wenger's guidance, they might very well be on the right path.

It's not easy to pinpoint Arsenal's exact position, and their direction, but it's safe to say that it's easy to predict their destination.

Success.