Damn Alexandre Song and Nicklas Bendtner: Arsenal Draw with Middlesbrough

After a poor midweek game by the Arsenal youngsters, fans were hoping for an immediate response from the first team, unfortunately it did not come as Arsenal wasted a great opportunity to climb ahead on the ladder and become a huge threat to the title race.

With Manchester United and Liverpool both drawing a win would have meant Arsenal were only six points from the leaders Liverpool, but a disappointing draw from Arsenal means Aston Villa overtake them in 4th.

It was a scrappy game, which could be said that Arsenal did not deserve to draw. Arsenal took the lead early in the match through Adebayor after a mishap from Boro defender Robert Huth. It was a scrappy goal as all the play had been Boro's.

The lead lasted just under fifteen minutes as Boro capitalized after a mistake from Gael Clichy. The Frenchmen failed to clear the ball and Boro knocked a cross into the box which Arsenal failed to deal with, and former Arsenal forward Jeremy Aliadiere drove a terrific diving head past an out of position Almunia into the top corner.

It was all the French striker did in the entire game—apart from lie on the ground and claim he was injured—but it didn't matter as the goal meant Gareth Southgate remains unbeaten against Arsenal.

Arsenal easily could have won it but Dutch forward Robin van Persie thought he should play like Nicklas Bendtner when near goal. The hero against Chelsea missed three clear cut chances and all could have easily given Arsenal the vital three points.

Arsene Wenger played a massive part in the Arsenal draw by playing an incredibly wrong team. To be fair to the Gunners they do have some rather big injury problems especially when it comes to wingers.

Samir Nasri, Theo Walcott, and Tomas Rosicky are all worldclass players and are all out with injuries. They would have been so useful with their speed and balance which no doubt would have caused Boro massive headaches.

But there were still wingers on hand, the incredibly talented 16-year-old left winger Jack Wilshere more then deserves a start and he would have done nicely with his speed and tricks. There was also the likes of Emmanuel Eboue (possibly) and Carlos Vela who could have both been magical on the wing.

But, despite those players, Wenger went for a four man midfield which was filled with central midfielders who lacked the speed of wingers. He then opted for the useless Alexandre Song playing next to Fabregas when it was obvious Abou Diaby should be playing there.

Song could not pass, control, or run the ball—nor could he mark. To go with Song and put Diaby and Denilson on the wing when they both play in the middle and there is the likes of Carlos Vela and Jack Wilshere who are hugely talented and quick sitting on the bench.

Wenger's substitutions were also awful as he put on Nicklas Bendtner—yes that's right the big useless Dane who can't control the ball. Bendtner was brought on for Diaby (who risked being sent off) when he should have put on Wilshere, Ramsey, Eboue, Vela but instead he went for the Danish striker which meant Arsenal were forced into a 4-3-3 which does not suit a team of Wenger's style.

To make it worse Bendtner scuffed a great chance, he managed to control the ball in the box and with numbers in the middle then thought he would be funny and smash it at Ross Turnbull instead of playing it across goal.

Both Song and Bendtner need to get the hell out of the Arsenal squad come January and Wenger needs to buy some proper players. I do not want to see Wenger sacked, but he needs to sort out his squad.