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Why Arsene Wenger's Arsenal may not finish in the top four
Ben Bailey12.02.09
Currently lying in fifth position in the Premier League, Arsenal have struggled this season. Overtaken by Aston Villa, and with Everton in hot pursuit, the Gunners' aim of finishing in the top four is under threat. Here we look at why it has gone wrong for Arsene Wenger's side...
10 Captaincy issues
Unlike Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, Arsenal don't have an effective club captain. After Thierry Henry's departure in 2007 Gilberto Silva was expected to get the nod, but the Brazilian was controversially overlooked and Arsene Wenger instead opted for temperamental Frenchman William Gallas. Unfortunately for Wenger, Gallas showed about as much respect for the role as he did Birmingham City's sponsor boards, and the ensuing 18 months were dominated by hissy fits and petulant spats on and off the field. To make matters worse, when Wenger finally replaced the Frenchman, Cesc Fabregas' career as captain was cruelly cut short through injury. Since then Manuel Almunia and Kolo Toure have struggled to lead the side as strongly as a Gerrard, Terry, Barry or Neville, and Arsenal have lacked leadership when they have needed it most.
9 Problems at the back
To finish in the top four you need to be strong at the back. The Arsenal defence, which was once the stuff of legend, has withered in recent times. Gael Clichy looks half the player he was last year, Kolo Toure's best days are well and truly behind him, while William Gallas is incredibly unpredictable. So far this season, the Gunners have the seventh best defence in the league, conceding 24 goals in 25 games. Even Fulham and Wigan have let in less.
8 Lack of strength
One of Arsenal's biggest failings is their inability to compete with the more physical sides of the Premier League, Stoke being a case in point. The Gunners may play gorgeous football, but put them up against 11 bruisers and they will hit the deck before a ball is even kicked.
7 Injuries
To be fair to Arsene Wenger, this year he has had his fair share of injuries. Rosicky, Walcott and Fabregas have all had long periods off, while Eduardo has been out for a year. Then in an attempt to inject some fresh blood into the side, Arsenal captured Andrey Arshavin from Zenit St Petersberg; unfortunate then that it is the Russian off-season, and the £12 million man is about as fit as Alisher Usmanov.
6 Goalkeeper
Having seen off dodgy Jens Lehmann and cemented his place as Arsene Wenger's first choice, Manuel Almunia has failed to kick on. The Spaniard has had 10 clean sheets this season, which isn't bad, but, like Almunia himself, is not very good. Compared to Cech, Van der Sar, Reina, and Brad Friedel, Almunia looks like a pub footballer who has dyed his hair blond.
5 Can't take the flak
Somewhat refreshingly, Chelsea's poor run of form has prompted the team to face facts. John Terry has admitted that the results are not good enough and has apologised to the fans for the performances. Why can't this happen at the Emirates? When Arsenal lose, Wenger simply blames someone else. Against Tottenham, it was referee Mike Dean's fault for making a “massive wrong decision”. Emmanuel Eboue thought he had scored in the 13th minute, although Dean had already blown for a foul on Jonathan Woodgate. Instead of admitting that in the following 77 minutes Arsenal were not good enough to score against a side who were one point above the relegation zone, Wenger instead chose to whine at the officials.
4 No defensive midfielder
Two seasons ago Gilberto Silva and Mathieu Flamini were both competing for the defensive midfielder role. Then in an ill-advised move, Wenger let them both go and hoped that other teams wouldn't notice. They did. Without a defensive midfielder, the Gunners have been caught out time and time again. With no-one to break-up opposing attacks they have looked vulnerable on the break and have crucially lacked a ball-winner in the midfield.
3 Tricky run-in
If Arsenal are to successfully finish in the top four they will need to finish the season strongly. Unfortunately for them their run-in is by no means a walk in the park. Their last six games include Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United, with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Stoke all must win games. Aston Villa and Everton both have a series of easier matches.
2 Lack of experience
If you look at the great Invincibles side of the 2003/04 season, Arsenal have always had a wealth of experience and quality throughout the team. Having sold some of their most experienced players in the summer, with the likes of Lehmann, Gilberto, Flamini, and Hleb all moving on, Wenger knew that a campaign with a comparatively young and inexperienced side was always going to be a struggle. But while other young sides like Villa have prospered, the Arsenal boys have not been able to pick themselves up after a bad performance, and the hangover of one match has rolled into the next.
1 Aston Villa
The emergence of Aston Villa as a top four contender has been one of the most exciting aspects of the season. While most of the country has delighted in seeing Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor torment defences, Arsenal fans will have watched in horror as each mesmerising display takes Villa closer to Champions League football. Martin O'Neill's side are currently seven points clear of the Gunners and are the form team in the league, having just set a new club record of seven consecutive away wins. If Arsenal are to catch them they will need to pray for another suspicious case of food poisoning.
Reader views (10)
Whats new in your article? Its same old criticism. We win next 2 and villa draw...everything will change. The only valid point is emergence of Aston Villa
- Amandeep Singh, Mumbai, India
I'll be looking forward to see you eat your words at the end of the season.
- Lex, Arsenal land
Typical Arsenal, beat Cardiff and now your going to qualify for champions league. 4 reasons you wont even be playing champions leage next season aswell! 1) Chlesea will be there as usual so will Man utd and liverpool. Man city will buy more so will Villa and Arsenal will spend all summer trying to buy a russian or crotian for 14 million and will go on all season while this is going on behind the scene you will slip to 6th behind all the express trains I mentioned above.
- Joe, London
Very good article and this from an Arsenal fan. Wengers short-sighted view of his team,( back in Sept 2008, he said they were as good as the 2003/4 team - no seriously her did, stop laughing !)is the reason they won't finish in the top four. Then with lttle funds coming in he will bleat that he can't buy quality players and a downward spiral will happen.
Reading the other Fans comments concerns me, they have this blind allegience to a man who clearly has lost his way, and his "reign" will be seen in two halves. Pre 2005 Very good, post 2005, very ordinary.
Wake up Arsenal fans and smell the coffee !!!
- Mike, LOndon
10 reasons why Arsenal will finish in the top four:-
1) Arsene Wenger has never failed to qualify for the Champions League with Arsenal. 2)Arsenal's decimated midfield will be reinforced with Arshavin's signing, Walcott & Fabregas returning this month, Abu Diaby, Adebyaor, Silvestre & Rosicky returning next month. 3)Despite the injuries Arsenal are unbeaten in the premiership for 9 matches 4) Aston Villa's superb run will come to an end soon, they suffered a poor result aginst Everton & more will surely follow 5) Chelsea have to visit the Emirates, having already lost at home to Arsenal. They have also played 1 more home match than Arsenal. 6) Aston Villa play Chelsea next, while Arsenal face 2 home league matches on the trot against beatable oppostion. 7) Arsenal are unlikely to progress in the Champions League against Roma, whilst the teams above them could progress, meaning more matches & the tiredness that goes with them. 8) As Spring arrives & the pitches recover Arsenal's superb passing game re-emerges. 9) During the run the pressure will get to Aston Villa & their form will no doubt suffer. 10) Liverpool rely too heavily on Geerrard & Torres, who have been suffering from injuries & wont be fresh for the run in. Taking all this into account we will finish 3rd or 4th & possibly even 2nd place, depending upon our result at Anfield.
- Rob Gooner, North London
Its good 2 win but u cant win all d time. Arsene Wenger has won trophies 4 Arsenal & those who thinks he cannot do it again should jump ship & support other clubs. In Wenger we trust.
- Gbenga, ibadan
Captain - Cesc is a great captain. The injury was bad luck
At the back - 3 conceded in last 8 games
Bullied - We just played badly at Stoke.
Injuries - agreed, especially Walcott's
Goalkeeper - Not a great, but no-one else in the Premiership is either
Inexperience - learning quickly and starting to show some real resilience
Can't take the flak - Wenger has always diverted pressure from players.
No defensive midfielder - That's okay, no-one attacks us
Tricky run-in - but next 7 are very winnable
Aston Villa - don't worry, we'll catch Chelsea
- Ian T, Brighton
Other than the part about injuries it's a pretty pathetic excuse for an article. For example - Number 6: Lehmann's starting for Germany and there's been talk from the England camp of Almunia getting a passport and playing for Blighty.
The rest of the article is spoilt by such dodgy, blinkered reasoning. Toure's best days are behind him in his mid-twenties? Tosh.
- American Gooner, USA
All your observations are perfectly true, wenger have to change his approach to signing of players if he is serious in winning any trophy. He need to immediately go for jaskalina of bolton since he has lost out for shay given. Almunia is not a goalkeeper that can lead arsenal to any glory, let wenger not get deceived with his lucky safe, infact he caused most of our defeats and draw we had. Wenger should strengthened the midfield with matured players not players like, eboue, denilson and song, he should reinforce the central defence. As for this year, we should forget been among the first four.
- Dattijo Aliyu, Minna, Nigeria
Wait till the end of the season. Arsene Wenger is forming an amazing team, amidst a money obsessed Premiership that has sold football into the hands of greed. Of course this is caused by the European super league etc. but doe that mean if you are not in Europe you are rubbish, even if you are poorer. Then there are a lot of rubbish teams! Arsenal are having a blip, and it's before the key euro games, perhaps that's all coincidence but I'm not sure. There are no great teams at the moment and the shift from the premiership is inevitable, where quality will be delivered in Italy and Spain etc The tragedy is the fans loss as Abramovich and others take control, but I hope Wenger can hold out against that, and we should be grateful for all he's done than applauding unconditionally those who have stolen the game and spoilt it.
- Widdas, uk
