I rarely read the newspapers but from yesterdays news it seems like we’re in a crisis.
We’ve played 5 games so far this season and currently sit just above the relegation zone in 17th position, amassing 4 points. Of those 5, we’ve only managed to win one, which was a nervous 1-0 victory over Premier League new boys Swansea City.
The other games include an opening day draw against Newcastle United, a defeat at home to Liverpool and that drubbing against Manchester United. A 4-3 defeat at Ewood Park completes our opening 5 Premier League matches.
But are Arsenal in a crisis?
Generally speaking, 5 games into the season is hardly enough time for any manager, nevermind a great such as Arsene Wenger, to be judged upon. The problem we have is that it seems to be the same old story season after season.
Our defending is shambolic. There’s no other word for it. We can make all the excuses in the world but the fact is we can’t defend. We’ve had some really poor defenders in our time, Pascal Cygan and Igor Stepanovs come to mind, but this weekend really summed up where we are.
Against Manchester United, we were ripped apart and it could have been 14 or 15 if they didn’t feel sorry for us. But at the weekend, the severity of the situation really showed.
Arsenal are a team that are always capable of scoring, that’s one side of our game which has never really been questioned over the last 15 years. But at the back, it’s a disaster. The fact is Blackburn Rovers, whose fans were so upset with manager Steve Kean, intended to protest after the game. Blackburn Rovers were rooted to the bottom of the league and their fans were not happy at all. They had scored 1 goal at home all season, yet against Arsenal they filled their boots.
That’s the context you have to put this result in. Bottom of the league, struggling to get a win under their belts, their fans on the brink, yet they scored 4 goals against us. If Blackburn Rovers, a team with the manager who the bookies have favourite to get sacked first can score 4 goals, what are the rest of the league capable of doing to us!?
With al due respect to Steve Kean, he is hardly the most experienced or talented manager in the league, yet he easily worked out how to beat Arsenal. The idea is simple really, Arsenal’s defence is so fragile that and balls played in behind or in the air will result in goals. Making Blackburn Rovers look like Barcelona is quite a feat yet we managed to do it.
And where is the blame?
There is no blame at Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger is the only one at the club that expresses and opinion. The board are never come out with any intentions, and of course we have Silent Stan. At clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City who all have foreign owners, we understand what their intentions are. But not at Arsenal.
What does Silent Stan want? What is his vision for the club?
For me, Arsene Wenger has his hands tied and is not the one to blame. We have no idea what is going on behind the scenes at the club and ever since David Dein left the club, Arsene hasn’t had any real support within the football club.
The board are the ones who are seemingly only interested in making money rather than winning trophies. Many that drubbing at Old Trafford was Wenger’s way of telling the board he’d like some proper investment into the club, but instead we brought in some last minute deals which were blatantly not Arsene’s kind of signings.
Players like Mertesacker, Santos, Young and Arteta are ones that have experience but are not world class, nor players you would see at United, City, Chelsea and even Liverpool or Spurs, with all due respect.
While the media turn up the heat on Arsene Wenger, it would be sad for Arsenal to sack a manager that has brought so much success to the club and someone that has put Arsenal on a steady footing for generations to come. When you think of the disgraceful sacking of Peter Reid by Peter “I ruined Leeds United” Ridsdale then that is not the way we want to go.