Are we doing that badly this season…?
…No seriously. Let us consider our results this season. Much of the focus in recent blog posts around has been on how Arsenal have been a shadow of themselves compared to previous seasons. Yes this might be the case but should we really curse the team, Wenger etc?
Defeats against Fulham, Stoke and Hull (in particular) were awful and showed a vulnerability not seen in Wenger’s teams for a long time. Indeed I was so horrified at the first loss at Fulham, I felt that this team was probably the worst for a while. And yet every time we’ve had shockers we’ve had results against Utd, Chelsea and commendable draws against Liverpool and Spurs when down to 10 men. So surely this team is not the worst yet. Indeed the goal that Nasri scored against the Red Devils might well be a contender for goal of the season, such was the quality as it demonstrated the teamwork required to breach the defence of Utd which since then no one has breached.
Negativity about this season for Arsenal FC has persisted. If our defence was dodgy, then our attack was great. If our defence was great, our attack lacked a spark. If Denilson has been superb, Diaby/Song less so and it goes on. If we can hold our own against our table toppling rivals, we seem to crumble against lesser known opposition. Is it too much to expect a lot from this club? I guess we have been spoilt by the Arsenal teams of 1998, 2002, 2004.
The key point to notice is the players we have been missing for a while now. Cesc, Walcott, Rosicky, Eduardo (now fit so let’s put Adebayor’s name to this list). To compare this against the teams above us that is to that ..
Utd would have to do without Ronaldo, Carrick, Giggs, Tevez/Rooney
Liverpool would have to do without Gerrard, Alonso, Riera Torres/Kuyt
Villa would have to do without Barry, Young, Gabby, Carew/Heskey
Chelsea would have to do without Lampard, Deco, Ballack, Drogba/Anelka
When Utd miss either Ronaldo or Rooney they seem to struggle. Pool’s reliance on Torres and more so Gerrard is well documented. Chelsea would miss ‘deflected goal’ scorer lampard and a striker for certain and Villa’s campaign for a top 4 spot would stop right in its track if 3 of those 5 players went missing. So really are we doing that badly? My hunch is that we are only about 5 points behind what we should be at most. And if you think about it, 4 of them were squandered because our team had 4 minutes of madness against Villa and Spurs. Of course we deserved better against the Hammers but its amazing that had we simply collected more points from just 1 or 2 games things would have been a lot different. Of course, this is just retrospectively speaking but it just goes to show how much we need to keep things in perspective.
Also, let me put the dreaded question to you out there. What happens if Arsenal do finish 5fth? Is it the greatest shame? Our north london rivals who aspired for the Champions League are battling for Premiership status. Do we wish to be in their predicament? No, of course not. Let us also remember that Milan who we defeated last season are playing in the UEFA Cup this season. And they didn’t lose many of their players. Even Kaka stayed. So if we fear of a mass exodus I say steady, let us back our club. The season is not over.
I think what frustrates me is Wenger's stubborness. All it would have taken last season was for him to strengthen in the Jan transfer window. Then the FA Cup match at OT where Man U where on their knees beforehand having lost to City and got a last minute equaliser at Spurs. Yet he sends out one of those I dont care sides (because its FACup). We get battered and hand Man U the initiative and look what they did.
Then in the summer we don't give Flamini the contract he surely deserved because we are penny pinching (again) and also lose such a creative player in Hleb. He tells us that the players we have are good enough when we can clearly see that Almunia, Denilson, Diaby, Eboue & Bendtner need good players around them to make them look good.
All it would have taken to see this team go to the next level was keeping hold of Flamini and bringing in a few quality players ie. Alonso, Arsharvin but he wouldn't do it back then.
Now its almost too late for this season. I am not sure if we can get 4th – its a tall order.
I found your post very well written and interesting.
It is indeed a wonder how we managed to keep in touch with the teams above us with so many injuries to key players.
As you point out Man U, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea would not have coped if they had similar injuries to key players.keep up the good work!
1970′s Gooner