Certain Things That Arsene Should Consider Doing

Previously, I touched on what had happened to Arsenal, and their capitulation toward the end of the season was there for everyone to see. This season, their points total from March to May compared to the previous five seasons is the worst by far, collecting 1.14 points a game. That is far from championship-winning material, and there is very little that can be denied. After the game this morning when Roberto Mancini's side managed to get an away win for the first time since Boxing Day put them four points ahead of Tottenham and interestingly, only five points behind the Gunners with a game in hand.

Arsene Wenger has come out and said that it was mostly his decesion-making that contributed to the Gunners somewhat mediocrity at present. Theo Walcott however, has been interviewed saying that the players have under-performed and that the Boss is coming out with so many of these statements to take the heat of the team. It is good that he is not blaming other parties for it i.e referees and linesmen. Well, lets look at some of the things that needs to be done by Arsene, and some important one at that.

1. Cesc Fabregas Has to be Sold
   
   For the past couple of months, the Spanish maestro has looked slightly jaded, in fact, since the 2nd leg away to Barcelona in the Champions League. Moreover, I think his mind hasn't been here since then. Yes, he came out and apologised for the performance at Catalunya, but that doesn't do anything much actually. When he has been on form however, he is on par with any player in the world, there's not doubting that. That begs the question as to whether Barcelona will fork out the required 'dough' to get him a ticket to the Nou Camp. Personally, I would like to think that upwards of 35 million will be enough for him, but Arsene Wenger is a business one, and a very good one at that. Judging by reports in the summer, the bid by Barcelona was about around that price, but Arsenal were looking for 42 million at least. Considering Fernando Torres was transferred for the now infamous '50 million', then the fee might be reasonable. Whether or no Fabregas manages to shove aside either Iniesta, Xavi or Busquets remains to be a big question, and it will take some doing. Even a former Liverpool stalwart in Javier Mascherano is not a certain starter in that famous Barcelona midfield.
   
   
   
2. Arsene has to come up with a Plan B
   
   Teams this season have managed to analyse Arsenal pretty well, and it is doing the Gunners no good. Most of the time at the Emirates, the visiting team has appeared to be able to stifle the play of the men in red, and puzzlingly, the manager, the once famed tactician of the game, has failed miserably to counteract the tactics of his counterparts. Sunderland, Blackburn, Liverpool notably have come and put men behind the ball. They allowed Arsenal to tap the ball around, and trying their very best to keep their shape, and evidently being extremely successful. Arsenal enjoyed much of the possession at their home ground, but goals have been hard to come by. I would like to see some variety in the style of play, not totally changing the system because in has helped the Gunners a lot. Maybe reverting to the old 4-4-2 where Van Persie lines up behind target-man , Chamakh, with Walcott and Nasri on the wings. In this formation, Song will be dropped in favour of Wilshere and Nasri. However, there is also a system which enables them to keep their current formation, but with jut a couple of tweaks. Van Persie the lone man, flanked by Walcott and the returning Vela. Nasri to deployed behind the Dutchman and Wilshere and Ramsey to complete the midfield. The downside of this formation is the inability of the Arsenal players to change positions frequently. If they manage to accomplish this, then they can be a hell of an attacking force. The trio of Vela, Walcott and van Persie have to constantly swap positions among themselves to confuse the opposition. It is evident that Walcott and Vela are comfortable playing the centre forward role, and Van Persie is also mobile. Finally, the toughest one, but probably the deadliest. This situation would probably bring back memories of THAT great Ajax side, employing their 'total-football ethos. This would also require another defensive midfielder to be brought in as I think Alex Song has the ability to be constantly caught out of position. Players that come to mind are Jan Vertonghen and Yann M'vila, both within Arsenal's budget. The formation in this sort of free-for-all system will most likely be a 4-1-4-1 where Theo Walcott will be the focal point upfront, being played as the sole centre forward. The attacking four should be made up of Van Persie, Nasri, Wilshere and Ramsey. These four would be vital to their attacking play in coming seasons. They should be deployed as the attacking four, with NO fixed position, thus again, enabling them to constantly shift positions, popping up anywhere across the line and not really worrying to defend as much. Emphasis on attack should be placed, however, controlled aggression would be the appropriate term. That is the reason I pointed out the need for a defensive midfeilder, and an adapt one at that. The role might suit youngster Emmanuel Frimpong, but whether he can retain the level of consistency is remains to be seen.
   
   
   I will have a follow up on this article whereby the final touches are added in what should at least make Arsenal a trophy contender next season.
   
   
   Till next time, Goodbye
   

He Admits it, At Last.

Wenger's reaction says it all


The only game on Sunday put the final nail in Arsenal's coffin as far as the title race was concerned, if it hadn't been already done. At the end of the match, Arsene Wenger was pretty much left clutching his face, if the picture above doesn't already explain it. Hence, the players also looked dejected, and the coach back to North London must have had a very somber atmosphere in it.

Performance wise, the match at the Reebok was nothing surprising with the visitors controlling possession, creating half-chances, but the finishing as usual, left much to be desired. There weren't many clear-cut opportunities, but a side who has majority of the ball has to do something with it. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, Arsenal failed miserably, as they have done for the last 6 games or so. I remember Arsene Wenger saying that second place is good enough, and he was stressing on the fact that the club were on a 16-match unbeaten run. Well, at the moment, both of his statements can be thrown out the window as the club has lost, and might struggle to finish third. I actually think there is potential that Arsenal might go winless from now to the end of the season, and also lose at the Emirates against Champions-to-be, Man Utd. That would mean the Gunners collect 3 points from now till then end of the season, and with Man City going all-out to finish as best as they can, then Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have plenty to think about.


I well not dwell on the showing by the players in the game, as the past six weeks or so, the story has been pretty much similar. Some people have told me that the Arsenal players have tonnes of skill at their feet, but if their mental strength was anywhere near as good, they would be world-beaters. But as we know, that isn't the case at the moment.

For the first time in a long time, the Professor has lost the plot, and actually held his hands up and admitted that he is to blame for their performances this season. In the past, Arsene Wenger had so many fingers that people were wondering where he was getting them from. His actions speaks a lot of him, and I haven't really seen the previously "3 C's" labelled Frenchman (Cool, Calm, Collective) totally out of his zone.

Now, I do not know what kind of a person the new owner, Stan Kroenke is, but I am not sure he will be happy if the team does not win anything next season, so he might apply pressure on the Boss to acquire a couple of players at least to bolster the squad and also get rid of some dead wood at the club, before the disease spreads.

In my next article, I will go in-depth as to what needs to be accomplished by Arsene Wenger to make sure the same thing does not happen next season. So Gunners fans, sit tight.


Till next time,
Goodbye

Minor Changes That Could Make a Major Difference

The more realistic Arsenal fans, and fans of football alike, would probably have the feeling that the title race this season is over and done with. Chelsea might have something to say about that, but well how many times does a team like Man Utd throw away a six-point lead, with five games remaining?

The professionals would certainly look back at this season and will conclude that dropped points, and sub-par performances from teams at both ends of the league, as the reasons for such a topsy-turvy season. The relegation battle looks to be the closest for at least 5 years, and though the race for the title is pretty much over, the race for the final Champions League spot is still in the balance, and if Man Utd somehow manage to do something out of this world, then Chelsea will be on hand to pounce.

One of the most saddening things this seasons from a fans perspective has to be Arsenal's season. The Gunners fans, well most of them, have even called for the manager's head, and as far as I remember, that is the first time in the Wenger era. Personally, I feel that this is premature, as the man has done wonders for the club, though some might say that nothing lasts forever. If Arsene was to be replaced, then there are not many out there who could come in and do some magic right away. Some names who have been mentioned are Frank Rijkaard, Marco Van Basten, and interestingly, Porto's manager, Andre Villas-Boas. Talks in Portugal are that is the 'New-Mourinho'. (The man has guided Porto to an Unbeaten season as of yet, and his footballing philosophy of playing attractive football will certainly entice the pioneer clubs out there, and it will most definitely be a good 'selling' point). For now though, I would like to leave the talk of Wenger leaving to the people in charge, and will concentrate on other more important points.

With the remaining five games, (four each for United and Chelsea), I think Arsene Wenger should try to spice things up, and maybe do likewise tactically. At the moment, the players look slightly jaded both physically and mentally. Whatever the reason may be, the issue has yet to have been dealt with, and has proven costly points wise, and thus derailing Arsenal on their 'title run-in', though there will be groups of people who might question whether the Gunners have earned the tag of having a title run-in in the first place.

Personally, I feel that the Boss should try and make a couple of positional changes which could prove to make a huge difference, and with their position in the table now, I doubt that he has much to lose by doing so. A couple of Gunners who have been caught the eye recently are Abou Diaby and also Emmanuel Eboue. Yes, I do hear some people saying that Eboue was at fault for conceding the penalty against Liverpool, but that was a mere one-off. iaby meanwhile, has performed admirably in the last two games, and surprisingly enough, came against Liverpool and Spurs. The lanky Frenchman excelled in the defensive role of the midfield trio, and will certainly been a plus-point in the past two draws. He also brings something extra to the plate, in that he is more comfortable with the ball, and also has quick feet, which is essential in moments when the middle of the part is suffocated.

Another important positional change is with Jack Wilshere. The young sensation has been the most consistent performer in a red jersey this season, and has probably suffered as a result. In the past couple of games, he has looked sub-par, and I do not blame him. The rumours that surround him about the England U-21 situation does not do anything to help. Currently, he is being deployed alongside the defensive midfielder and has a role of helping out the defense at times. His license to attack is thus a more controlled one, and in turn, does not have as much of an opportunity as Fabregas to express himself on the field. Coupled with his exceptional eye for a pass, his undoubted ability to dribble the ball and look so effortless. This is vindication that his talent is not being fully utilised in a more defensive position. I think this is foundation to make him play in a more advanced position in midfield. I would like to see him swap places with Fabregas, in that the Spaniard becomes a deep-lying playmaker, whereby he has more time and space to sting teams with those defense-splitting passes of his. This will in turn allow Wilshere to receive the ball further up the pitch and he has more ability than Fabregas to go pass defenders. The Englishman is also extremely clever with one-twos and will benefit the likes of Walcott and Nasri on the flanks, not forgetting Dutch maestro van Persie.

Another point I would like to highlight is the twitching of position of Walcott from the right to the left or central. With his pace, he can trouble anyone in the world. If he constantly switches wings with Samir Nasri, then teams will indeed find it harder to read Arsenal's game. It is evident this season that Walcott's finishing this season has been admirable, and now there is more end product to his speedy runs. In previous seasons, some people would say that highlight involving the winger was his fast runs, but nothing more. Wenger has said in the past that Walcott does have similarities to Arsenal great Thierry Henry, and if that is the case, Walcott should be at least given a chance left or better, centrally.

The important thing is that whoever plays up front, the three have to be mobile and constantly interchange. Man-marking will be eliminated if Wenger deploys this tactic. The Professor has said that he would not splash the cash to bring in reinforcements in the summer, thus, it remains to be seen as to who will be brought in if any, and that certain personnel have to leave the club.

Till next time,
Goodbye.

More Than Words at the Lane

On a night when even the most renowned dictionary will struggle to find words to describe the night at White Hart Lane. Breathtaking, scintillating, mind-boggling, bizarre are just some, though I prefer to leave to the others to come up for the superlatives.

To watch the game alone, I felt gifted, imagine those who were involved and especially the players, though I would imagine that Arsene Wenger would have went home sulking after the result, also judging by his so-called 'refusal' to shake hands with Harry Redknapp after the final whistle. Redknapp's reaction to that was vintage, the sort of grin that words cannot describe.

The line-ups were not surprising from either manager. Arsene made two changes with Sagna and Song coming in for Eboue and Wilshere. Spurs, meanwhile, started with the old 4-4-2 with Crouch and Pavlyuchenko paired upfront. Bale was on the left with Dutchman Van Der Vaart on the opposite flank. Modric and Huddlestone completed the midfield for the Lillywhites.

The game produced one of the best, if not the best attacking displays this season, from both sides. The first ten minutes itself was breathtaking, with Arsenal taking the lead courtesy of a crisp finish from Theo Walcott. Barely three minutes later, Spurs were level when Van Der Vaart raced onto a through ball from Vedran Corluka to produce a cool finish into the bottom right-hand corner past the ailing Szczesny. Arsenal managed to regain the lead after the referee played a great advantage for a foul on Nasri, and the Frenchman managed to play a one-two with Diaby and shot from outside the box, can you believe, beating Gomes. Arsenal were on the up, and managed to make the pressure pay, by doubling their lead through Van Persie. Sagna crossed into the box, and it was dealt badly with by Arsenal old-boy William Gallas and Walcott raced onto the ball to dink the ball into the six-yard box. Van Persie managed to produced a scrambling save from Gomes after his header, but the Dutchman pounced to rifle the ball into the top corner of the net.

At 3-1, I, personally, was as nervous as I have ever been. With Arsenal having a history of squandering leads, I really hoped that I would be proved wrong. But I wasn't. Just before half-time, Spurs got a goal back. A cross from Assou-Ekotto was partially dealt with by Fabregas who sliced the ball out of the box, and Tom Huddlestone was on hand to produce a piledriver of a shot, which zoomed into the bottom corner. What a time to equalise for Spurs. It managed to stay that way until the referee blew for first half.

At the beginning of the second half, Spurs were already forced into a double-change, with the duo of Corluka, and Bale forced to come off earlier. Lennon and Kaboul were brought on by Redknapp, and the game was under-way. For the first fifteen minutes of the second half, Arsenal had countless opportunities to put Tottenham to bed, but failed miserably and left their neighbours in the game. Then, Lennon was sent through on the left via a through ball, and the winger's pace proved to be a couple of nots to much for Arsenal keeper Szczesny. The Pole brought Lennon down, and the referee signaled for a penalty. Van der Vaart dispatched it with ease, sending the Arsenal No.1 the wrong way. In the last fifteen minutes or so of the game, Spurs grew in confidence while Arsenal sort of faded. There were more chances for Spurs but that was how it would finish.

In the end, it was more of 2 points dropped for the Gunners rather than a point gained. With Chelsea beating Birmingham at the Bridge, I think we can safely say the Gunners are definitely out of the title race, and the Blues moving into second place in the process. The gap is now six points, and United would have to lose two of the last five to leave any doubt, and Manchester United just don't like giving away presents. Final score from White Hart Lane, Spurs 3, Arsenal 3.

Arsene Has To Learn To Adapt

The game at the Emirates between Arsenal and Liverpool promised much, and to an extent, delivered somewhat. Liverpool came into the game carrying a couple of injuries which forced Kenny Dalglish to field the same team as on Monday against Man City. John Flannigan started at right back, while Jay Spearing took his place alongside Lucas in the middle of the park. For Arsenal, the situation was slightly different as they welcomed back the defensive duo of Johan Djourou and Wojciech Szczesny. That meant that Jens Lehmann and Sebastian Squillaci returned to the bench. I won't bother wasting more time with a match report so let's head to the aftermath and what should be taken out of the game.


Firstly, Arsenal headed into the game needing a win and nothing less. Liverpool somewhat needed the same result to keep their hopes of finishing in the top 5 alive. So, the final result really did not help either cause, but the Merseysiders went home the happier side, stealing a point, with the last kick of the game, in the 101th minute. Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, nor did I make a mistake. This was all courtesy to a trio of injuries, to Carroll and Carragher, sandwiched between Eboue, all in the space of 5 minutes in the beginning of the second half. For the neutral, the game and drama could not have been bettered by any other, though there are ones which are completely mind-boggling.

What Dalglish did on the day worked out in the end, though in the first half, Liverpool were over-runned and were hanging on by their fingertips. In a way, the substitution of Andy Carroll did help them, as Luis Suarez was deployed more centrally, and Dirk Kuyt was given a role to sort of be the battering ram, thus freeing up space for Suarez. In the first half, this didn't work as the Uruguayan was put on the left of a three-pronged attack, with Kuyt on the opposite flank.

As usual at the Emirates, chances came and went for the home side, and they couldn't figure of a way to get past the opposing team. Robin Van Persie couldn't get out of third gear, Fabregas didn't really turn up, though there were a couple of good passes from him, but not enough to be in the Barcelona team. Samir Nasri on the other hand, looked like he was going to cause the Reds problems every time he had the ball. One player who really is turning heads at the moment, is none other than Abou Diaby. The Frenchman excelled in the defensive-midfield role, and was immense in the middle of the park. Comfortable on the ball, he also could put his foot in when required, and his pace is a real asset, more so than Alex Song. However, I'm surprised that Arsene Wenger did not give Theo Walcott to trouble Liverpool debutant Jack Robinson more in the second half. In a game where defenders tend to sit deep, pace will always trouble them.

Also, the inclusion of Nicklas Bendtner on the right again leaves me flabbergasted. The 'Great Dane' is at most a bit-part player at the club, but in times of desperation, he is called upon to sort of be a game-changer, or hero. This decision leaves people more dumb-founded when you have an experienced target-man on the bench in Maroune Chamakh. I know that Arsene is his own man, but at times, he is just too stubborn. For a great manager like him, he has to find way past teams who come to the Emirates and defend deep. If the 'tippy-tappy' football doesn't work, then it must be changed. I'm not saying that he has to change his tactics and throw out the current one. In football, adaptation is crucial, as it will be the difference between champions and also rans. Most pundits criticise players of not being able to adapt to the a different league quick enough, but this season especially, Wenger has witnessed teams that visit the Emirates play a similar style. His failure to adapt his tactics has cost Arsenal huge this season. For instance, the Cup Final was exact, where Birmingham defended resolutely, the FA Cup where Sir Alex played seven defenders and hit Arsenal on the counter, numerous occasions in the earlier stages of the Cup competitions when Arsenal were forced into unnecessary replays. Presently, in the league, the story has been no different. Four of the last five league games have ended in draws for Arsenal, and no matter what anyone says, that is nowhere near Championship winning material. Sunderland, West Brom, Blackburn and now Liverpool have all managed to stifle the Arsenal play, and Wenger has still refused to adapt his style of play.

For example, Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho are pioneers at adapting their teams to exploit their opponents weaknesses so that teams will find it harder to read their style of play. Hence, versatility is extremely key. I just feel that if Arsenal want to get to that next level, which will see them win something, they have to adapt and be versatile. Otherwise, ten years from now, we will be saying the same thing.


Till next time,
Goodbye

A Much Needed Tonic

Manchester United were at home to Fulham, and they stood a chance to further increase the gap between themselves and Arsenal to a whopping 10 points, though it would leave the Gunners with 2 games in hand. With Wayne Rooney suspended with his more than colourful celebration/rant, though that was already been dealt with by the FA. United in the end, ran out more than comfortable winners largely thanks to Nani. The Portuguese winger was magical against the Cottagers, having a hand in both the goals to increase his number of assists this season, though he would be disappointed of having missed out on the PFA Player of the Year Awards' list.


Arsenal, on the other hand, had the task of going to Bloomfield Road to face a Blackpool side, who were in real danger of being sucked into the relegation zone, though the teams below them all lost on the weekend. That aside, both teams needed the points, but for very different reasons. The Arsenal line up was largely similar to the one that started against Blackburn, with the exception of Fabregas, Diaby and most surprisingly, Jens Lehmann in goal. The trio replaced Song, Walcott and Almunia respectively.

Blackpool started well, though were unable to convert their pressure to a much-needed goal. Arsenal managed to score 2 quickfire goals in the 19th and 20th minutes. The first courtesy of Abou Diaby benefiting from a good cross by Van Persie. The second was thumped in by replacement right back, Emmanuel Eboue. Other than that, Arsenal were very much average for most of the half, their defending suspect at times, though the back four were more confident in the German shot stopper behind them. Arsenal were also guilty of missing a chances, which is always expected of them. The Tangerines came out fighting in the second period, and scored via Gary Taylor-Fletcher. There were a couple of fouls in the buildup by Arsenal, and Lehmann was lucky to be on the field after bringing down DJ Campbell. Arsenal managed to sort of wrap up the game when Van Persie added a third, though there were still a couple of moments of madness, particularly one from Gael Clichy, who was guilty of playing like Tom & Jerry.

From an Arsenal point of view, they really needed a game like this to somewhat increase their currently grounded confidence. They weren't great on the day, far from it rather. The defence was suspect, and their finishing was left wanting at times. I was disappointed that Arsene Wenger decided not to do anything when Blackpool were on the up in the beginning of the second half, and they conceded. The substitution of Arshavin in favour of Theo Walcott reduced the pressure slightly, as Blackpool were a bit cautious of going all-out. It would've been better to bring on Maroune Chamack for Wilshere or Fabregas and play 4-4-2 in the second half to prevent Blackpool from going forward. Chamack and Van Persie would've troubled the Blackpool central defense more and with Walcott and Nasri on the wings, they would definitely have scored more.

Ian Holloway's men played well on the day, and could have got a point if Manuel Almunia was in goal, though some may say it is harsh. One player who was good on the night, but has come under much criticism and deservedly so, is Abou Diaby. The Frenchman was very good in the holding role, and has a better pass out compared to Alex Song. Another advantage is that he can get forward and score goals. The only problem is consistency. Most Arsenal players fail to put this sort of form in play for 5 games running, and this is how the team suffers.

The most disappointing thing this season is they have not been able to replicate this sort of form at the Emirates. In contrast, United have been breathtaking at home and slightly wasteful away. Arsenal have the best away record in the league, and if their home form has been anywhere near as good, they would be runaway leaders now, but that isn't the case. The win today somewhat kept the candle lit, though anymore mishaps after this would hand the title to men from Old Trafford. In order to win the title, Arsenal would have to be perfect from now till the end, and also hope Chelsea beat United at Old Trafford, though that at the moment is a long shot. Whatever happens, it promises to be an exciting end to an already topsy-turvy season.

Till next time,
Goodbye

Increasingly Predictable

Last night saw Manchester United come back from two goals down to score four in under half an hour to further increase the gap between them and Arsenal to eight points as the Gunners were playing the late match. Chelsea, meanwhile, surprisingly struggled to break down a resilient Stoke City side and only managed to come away from the Britannia with a 1-1 draw courtesy of a Didier Drogba header, responding to an earlier strike from Jon Walters. As a result, their title defense looks to be all but gone.

The late kickoff saw Arsenal play Blackburn at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger welcomed back the likes of Alex Song and Theo Walcott back from injury. Cesc Fabregas was left on the bench. Robin van Persie managed to shrug off a knock he suffered in the qualifier against Hungary to lead the front-line. Manuel 'safe hands' Almunia started in goal, again.

The first 10 minutes or so was typical Arsenal football. They zipped the ball at ease and managed to get an opportunity when Walcott was in the box. Paul Robinson managed to smother it for a corner. Blackburn Rovers defended admirably and also mustered an effort on goal themselves through Martin Olsson, and Almunia was more than lucky as his diabolical handling only managed to fumble the ball out for a corner. It seemed that everytime the Spaniard got anywhere near the ball, or the was a cross/shot on the way, the defenders and all the Arsenal fans had their hearts in their mouths. Talk about instilling confidence.

The match went on until the referee blew the whistle to end the first half. The Arsenal players lacked some pace, and maybe creativity to unlock the Rovers defence. The second half went on in the same fashion, and Chamack was on. It did not result in much of a change in terms of the way they played, though the amount of crosses into the box by Arsenal was more than surprising to say the least. The Blackburn trio of Robinson, Samba and Nelsen dealed with the Arsenal 'aerial' threat with ease. Kudos to Blackburn and Steve Kean. The second half, however resulted in more chances for the Arsenal, but, to no surprise, they failed to convert them. The only other notable action from the game was the red-card to Steven Nzonzi for a a rash challenge on Laurent Koscielny. Even with 10 men, Blackburn managed to secure their rear-guard with relative ease.

In the end, the only thing Wenger said was that the performance was a 'worry', adding that their game lacked their usual pace. It was really disappointing to watch the Arsenal players unable to do anything to slice through Blackburn Rovers defense and to top it all off, the had relatively, their full team out there, bar Thomas Vermaelen and Johan Djourou.

The result left them 7 points behind leaders United, with a game in hand. For Arsenal to now win the title, they'd have to win all their remaining games, plus hoping Chelsea defeat the Devils at Old Trafford in May. It is practically impossible to think that Arsenal can achieve this task. The last three games have seen them drop six points in total, with consecutive draws against Sunderland, West Brom, and now Blackburn. With wins in these games, they would have been right on the tail of United, being a point behind with a game in hand. But all this is a case of "If's" rather than the here and now.

The performance left much to be desired, though the goal was not forthcoming. In order to challenge the likes of United, Arsenal cannot, at all costs, afford draws against the so-called 'lesser clubs'. United, though poor in the first-half at Booleyn Ground, managed to muster four goals, courtesy of some help from Wayne Rooney, who by the way, managed to notch his first hat-trick of the season. The bottom line is, I personally do not see Arsenal being able to challenge United for the title. In order to prove me and the fans wrong, Arsene might have to come up with a different system to counteract teams like Blackburn who come to the Emirates and park the old bus in front of goal. Maybe a revert to the old 4-4-2 or a 4-1-3-2 formation might help, putting Chamack alongside Van Persie from the off, and going at teams from kickoff rather then leaving it too late. In this formation, two off either Arshavin, Song, or Walcott might have to be dropped from the starting line-up, but knowing Wenger, he might not be bold enough to make such a decision. Plain and simple, teams these days know how to play Arsenal. Just give them the ball, sit back and soak up the pressure, and hit them on the break.

That being said, this will still, I think, be one of the closest seasons ever, both at the top, and also the relegation fight.

Till next time,
Goodbye