Half as many points as Chelsea is unacceptable

20 October 2014 02:21

It's the same old Arsenal story. I've tired of writing about it over the last few weeks and it's sad when the only positive I can see is an injury to Arsenal's star/talismanic/insert-overly-dramatic-accolade which will give other players a chance, and give Ozil, (whom I name because readers unfamiliar to the squad would not recognise him from the aforementioned descriptives), some time off to think about his performances and degree of commitment.

It's depressing. Arsenal have 11 points, Chelsea 22. Even Manchester United, laughed at, vilified and generally everyone's whipping boy in terms of performances, sit above Arsenal in the table by the virtue of their goal difference, but have played a game less! Time after time Arsenal play pleasant enough football in the middle of the field, which is unsurprising given they appear to have cloned a veritable posse of interchangeable midfielders who presumably have some sort of hive mind connection, but when it comes to the remaining two thirds, it's just not good enough.

Whilst in attack, Welbeck has actually settled in far better than I thought he might, defensively, Arsenal are all over the place. Actually, that's inaccurate. Defensively Arsenal are located in one place. The treatment table. At times it's like watching an episode of The A Team. No one gets killed in any of the episodes but you just know that there will be a vast amount of incapacitation's happening at various times throughout the performance which will render people impotent and unable to carry on. It's just a case of waiting for when, rather than if, this will happen. The introduction of Shad Forsythe to the medical side of Arsenal has done nothing to slow down these injuries. And for all of Welbeck's enthusiasm, he can't be expected to outscore the goals that every team seem capable of putting past his defence, game after game after game. He's not a Costa, or a Falcao. Nor is Sanchez.

The lack of movement in the transfer window from Arsene Wenger in defence is tantamount to handing a teenager prone to self harm a Swiss Army Knife and saying : "Test if all the blades are sharp for me!" while surreptitiously slipping a Leonard Cohen album onto their mp3 player. Even a defensive midfielder would have been something of a help! Playing Monreal in the first place is taking a risk. Playing him as a centreback is almost farcical. Diaby is due back, but can Arsenal seriously rely on him with his previous record of injuries. Frankly, no!

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Arsenal have persisted with the idea of buying and nurturing more attacking midfielders than you can shake a stick at, while neglecting defence and a world class striker. Well this year, it appears different results are occurring, but they're not positive. Other teams are now stronger, more equipped to deal with Arsenal's midfield, and as such, are getting more chances on goal, and subsequently taking them, turning what would have been a 2-1 Arsenal win, into draws.

2 wins in the first 8 games leaves Arsenal 4 points from the relegation zone, and 11 away from 1st place Chelsea, who are being driven by Cesc Fabregas to places the Gunners can only dream about. For myself, I get no enjoyment out of watching the team I've supported for decades any more. It pains me to see what we've become. We're an injury riddled, excuse making parody of the side we once were, season after season, and yet we continue to charge exorbitant ticket prices to the fans. Game after game, possession stats show dominance but are rendered meaningless by the only statistic that counts. The end result.

West Ham sit 4th in the table, with a manager whose job has been under threat for months allegedly. Big Sam seems to have picked up the Sword of Damocles and wielded like a man possessed and has gained results accordingly, and well done to him for it. Is it finally time for the board members at the Emirates to take a look at the situation and establish that the constant in this downward circle is Arsene Wenger himself, or will one very lucky FA cup win be enough placate them? You cannot win the league after only 8 games, but you can most certainly lose it, and it looks as if Arsenal may well have done just that. That leaves the FA Cup and a top 4 place as the only rewards for a season once again, from a team whose wage bill was recently reported to exceed Chelsea's.

Arsenal FC should be better than that.

Source: DSG