Arsenal FC: Season of the Gunners on the Brink of Complete Disaster

In just two weeks’ time, Arsenal has seen three competitions slip away. After losing the final of the Carling Cup at the hands of Birmingham City, Arsene Wenger insisted that his team was mentally strong enough to bounce back.

Arsenal appeared to be on a high after beating Barcelona 2-1 at the Emirates for the first leg of the Champions League, but that is now clear that the result may have just been a fluke.

Before the Carling Cup defeat, Arsenal managed a very slim victory over Stoke City at the Emirates on a goal from the improbable Sebastien Squillaci. Although the Gunners got the victory, the performance was not the greatest. Coming with that victory, Arsenal also got injuries to Theo Walcott and CescnFabregas.

The Gunners managed to "bounce back" from the Carling Cup loss with a 5-0 victory over Leyton Orient at the Emirates for the FA Cup, sending them through to face Manchester United at Old Trafford. With the possibility of cutting United’s lead in the EPL to one point after they lost to Chelsea, Arsenal could not take the three points from Sunderland at the Emirates—another lack of concentration and will from Arsene Wenger’s side.

The elimination from two more competitions came mid-week at the hands of a very good Barcelona squad, and this afternoon against a somewhat "reserve" Manchester United squad.

Arsene Wenger has repeated for years now that, with time, this Arsenal squad will be one of the greatest. Well it’s been six years now and the Arsenal fans are still waiting for that great Arsenal. Is Wenger looking to create a "great" Arsenal team that can’t beat his direct rivals? A team who picks apart all the other teams, but when it comes to that big game where they need to be able to grind out a result, they are unable to.

How much longer do Arsenal fans and the Arsenal board keep faith in the French manager?

His lack of options off the bench is one of the key factors to Arsenal down fall. With players such as Denilson and Abou Diaby in the center of the park, the Gunners are at a clear disadvantage. Denilson can’t defend for the life of him, yet he is a holding midfielder? Diaby plays in the center of the park for an Arsenal team that likes to spread the ball around, yet he is one of the key factors to Arsenal’s slow counter attack. He continues to time after time hold onto the ball too long, allowing the opposition to get back into position.

After a spectacular season last year, Andrei Arshavin isn’t nearly one third of the player he was a year ago.

Why is that?

Watching his body language on the field, Arshavin appears to be very out of shape and careless. A number of short easy passes gone wrong, lack of intensity on certain plays and his inability to take on defenders like he did last year. Is it time for Arsenal to part ways with the Russian who is being followed by Juventus?

When is it time for Arsenal’s head office to give Wenger an ultimatum?

Can the London side give the manager who put the club into an incredibly positive financial situation an ultimatum?

I would imagine so. A soccer club is not only about being in the positives financially at the end of the season. When talking about success and titles, financial stability doesn’t really come into the equation.

Has Wenger’s time finally come to either spend some money and bring in proven players with experience, or will Arsenal continue to "compete" but continuously fail in the critical moments?