Bye-bye 4th?
Written by Asser Ghozlan on Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Before I have you all jumping in on me and hurling abuse at my apparent lack of faith and support in the team, I am perfectly aware that we have just over a third of the campaign remaining, a fairly significant chunk of football by all accounts, in which to save our season. The North London derby highlighted a lot of the grit, resilience, and solidarity in adversity that had been lacking in the early stages of the season, a performance to be proud of in the circumstances, despite yet another stalemate.
And that is precisely why we will be punished heavily come May. Not because we have drawn our last three league fixtures against opposition who are either to be feared or have been on good runs of form, but due to our shambolic, almost criminal performances before Christmas.
Ask yourself this - can you really see us overhauling both, Chelsea and Aston Villa, five and seven points respectively ahead of us? If I was a betting man I would not be so confident at this stage, with many difficult matches, including encounters against the three who were once-upon-a-time called our "title rivals" coming up between now and the end of 2008-2009.
The match against Tottenham was pretty much a no-goer right from the start, with a referee clearly with a vested interest in keeping the home supporters happy, and Wenger's persistence in starting with one of the worst players to ever wear an Arsenal shirt causing a severe handicap in the midfield, having amazingly clocked over 100 appearances. As it happens, Eboué's sending off before half-time was probably what we needed in terms of battling qualities and compactness, but also to rid the fans, our fans, who apparently cheered Eboué's exit for the showers just as vociferously as the Spurs faithful, of his truly crippling and eye-cringing displays.
Wenger might be right in complaining at the seemingly ridiculous decision of chalking off Eboué's goal on fifteen minutes (oh, the irony); nevertheless, where was his voice of dissent at the utter abjectness of the many previous debacles we have witnessed this season, including that inexplicable collapse against Spurs at the Emirates in October? I fear that this run which has seen us tighten up at the back and given us more substance has come a little too late.
Wenger's relaxed attitude towards the whole affair has been remarkably baffling. Having dismissed Aston Villa's threat by claiming that he is "not worried", we now see ourselves in a position where our long run of undefeated matches might simply not be good enough, praying that Villa somehow arrest their own irritatingly long unbeaten run.
Now whilst I do not for one second claim that it is Arsenal's divine right to be in the Champions League every season, this is a team that was apparently ready to take the world by storm and claim glory on all fronts this season, according to the manager and some of the notable big mouths in his side anyway (Gallas and Adebayor spring to mind)!
This time last season we were five points ahead of the pack, with one league defeat to our name, only to end up an agonising four points from being Champions, and so the summer optimism aired by Wenger and co, and indeed us, the supporters, could not have been dismissed as a fantasy. Yet we now find ourselves in a very embarrassing situation, having to look at Everton and Wigan Athletic beneath us with more concern than Chelsea and Aston Villa above us, and that is indeed no disrespect to the former two, as much as it is with much disdain and dissatisfaction at our very own derisory decline!
So, as we prepare ourselves for the "run-in", we should ask ourselves, what exactly is our run-in about to entail? A few more blanks perhaps and the odd win here and there, sprinkled with one or two thrashings by unfancied sides fresh from the unlikeliest of victories at Old Trafford and Anfield, only to carry us through from title hopefuls to the shining lights of the UEFA Cup, sorry, the UEFA Europa League (a very unsubtle attempt by UEFA to glorify the competition)? Or are we finally about to stand up and be counted, showing the world that, as far as laughing stocks of big clubs go, we are not one to be messed around with?
The recent vibes leave me in limbo with regards to which direction we will end up swaying, with some solid performances, yet a sudden dearth of creativity and penetration leading me to think that all is still not good at the camp.
Andrey Arshavin's timely arrival at the club and his announcement to all that " Now I am Gooner", as well as Eduardo's welcome return to the bench at White Hart Lane might just be what we desperately need to kick-start our fight for retaining our status as a "big four" Club. A "star" signing at last, we can now hope that Arshavin's wizadry combined with the return of the main components of Arsenal's artillery (pardon the pun) may just be enough in usurping Villa's gatecrashing of the Champions League party.
As I sat and watched Arshavin's first interview on English soil, excited by news of his signing, as well as relieved that the most boring and protracted transfer saga in football history had come to a positive conclusion, the Russian magician pleaded for our "trust in him, and trust in Arsenal".
To which there is only one reply: trust needs to be earned first.
User Comments
15ermmm
Posted on 21 Feb, 2009 at 04:53 PM - Reply
we cant even score against sunderland...even with asharvin in the team...
6th place for arsenal...
thanks arsene :D
:@:@:@:@:@
14Bo-Gunner
Posted on 15 Feb, 2009 at 12:21 PM - Reply
Bye-bye 1st, to bye-bye 4th!!..what a shame..well I was all the pessimestic before the ARS(havin)ENAL signing. Now we in a dark tunnel but u know what lies ahead, just work ur best to get out..(when it's sunny!)..Peace
13Dieme
Posted on 14 Feb, 2009 at 04:07 AM - Reply
Excellent article. We haven't got a chance at the moment the way the teams above seem to be getting results. Chelsea looked to be sliding down but now with a good manager in Hidink they will probably pick up again soon, whilst we have the big three as you said all to come. I believe our only chance fo CL qualification if we the whole thing and that again is doubtful with quality teams like Inter, Man Utd and Barca in the mix!
12stev
Posted on 13 Feb, 2009 at 12:42 PM - Reply
Good article. And you are right, unfortunately this season there is no reason to trust, at all..
11tom lee
Posted on 12 Feb, 2009 at 07:24 PM - Reply
im afraid i dont agree with this pessimistic view. Why are you a football supporter?
10Michael
Posted on 12 Feb, 2009 at 03:26 PM - Reply
Good article, but i think or only pasage into next years champions league is wining this years champions league and i feel Wenger and the players no this and are prpearing for this by putting in half hearted premier league performances. Afterall i feel it is Wengers holy grail(Arsenal to rule Rome in may)
9Olakunle Williams
Posted on 12 Feb, 2009 at 11:30 AM - Reply
I assure Arsenal will win the League, I know! I know!! I sound stupid right now infact i felt stupid at first but now am ao sure about it like i know the sun is going to rise in the east..I don't expect you to believe and infact i don't expect anybody to believe me but i tell you Arsenal FC will win the league this season 2008/2009..Cheers
8Erik
Posted on 12 Feb, 2009 at 10:25 AM - Reply
I for one am not worried. It is completely possible to win the next seven league games which are against inferior opposition. With Arshavin, Eduardo, Walcott, Fabregas etc. coming into the team (and eboue hopefully going out of the team) I can't see why we couldn't overtake both chelsea and villa (and liverpool too, for that matter). Villa seem a bit nervous, as does liverpool, and who the hell knows what chelsea will do. Keep the faith, fellow gooners.
7billp79
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 10:24 PM - Reply
AV, Chelsky and Liverpool are all playing horendous football right now..Poolies are facing injury woes, Chelsky is rudderless, AV is way above their head, but out of the 3 they are playing the best right now...and everton can do them all some damage...and others down the pike could spoil us some points....
M-U is untouchable at home and downright nasty away... as well as having just as much depth as us on the bench...so I don't think we will catch them....but don't give up on the CL spots just yet.
6Red1982
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 04:16 PM - Reply
Negative but good points...
I will hang on to the fact that Villa have some very hard fixtures coming up over the next 8-9 weeks and that all is not well at the bridge either. Yes I live in hope still, after all we are the awsome arsenal who snitched 4th spot after a bad tun a couple of years ago from spurs, buy poisoning there food before match day (LMAO) or so they say!!
5Antai Effiong
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 03:23 PM - Reply
You are already pressing the panic button. It is too early to do that. You could send a thousand souls to perdition. This sounds true, but I refuse to believe it. Thanks all the same. A very good one.
4caribkid
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 03:05 PM - Reply
True, playing in the CL for most other clubs is not a divine right, but for Arsenal it should be.
We have all the factors which should make it a divine right.
Best training complex, brand new stadium, brilliant youngsters waiting in the wings, 2nd highest payroll in EPL, 2nd highest credit rating in football, highest Net Operating Income, 3rd highest revenue producer, 7th highest value of any sporting organization in the world, over £93 million in unallocated cash reserves and supposedly the most innovative manager of this era.
Being rated as one of the top 5 football clubs in the entire world and the rebuilding process reaching a peak last year where we just missed capturing the EPL title and the CL, due to injuries and being 1 or 2 experienced players short, a few tweaks of the squad and we would have been once again competitive.
Instead, key players all with Arsenal and EPL experience were allowed to leave and replaced by young, inexperienced ones from within the squad. These youngsters were asked to learn on the job without the benefit of mentoring from senior players and expected to work miracles in the fiery EPL cauldron.
We have all seen the dismal results. Every team who plays us now expect to win or at least get a draw and the Arsenal mystique and aura of invincibilty has been lost. On top of that, the very basis of Arsenal, beautiful football, has been non-existent this season and fans are still paying the highest ticket prices to watch a stuttering team look very ordinary.
Our only hope to make the CL next year is to hope that both Chelsea and Villa have horrendous slumps for the final third. If we all play up to the quality of our squads we will be fighting for 5th or 6th place.
3Tee
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 03:05 PM - Reply
mate, its not clever slaggin off eboue, it's gotten old very quickly...half the writers on this site are doin just that... most of the comments/replies you will get for this article will concentrate on eboue (disregarding the rest of your article) and as a result u earn 'points' for more comments but your main point(s) is lost...you're no better than the arsenal fans who cheared his sending off
2caribkid
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 03:04 PM - Reply
True, playing in the CL for most other clubs is not a divine right, but for Arsenal it should be.
We have all the factors which should make it a divine right.
Best training complex, brand new stadium, brilliant youngsters waiting in the wings, 2nd highest payroll in EPL, 2nd highest credit rating in football, highest Net Operating Income, 3rd highest revenue producer, 7th highest value of any sporting organization in the world, over £93 million in unallocated cash reserves and supposedly the most innovative manager of this era.
Being rated as one of the top 5 football clubs in the entire world and the rebuilding process reaching a peak last year where we just missed capturing the EPL title and the CL, due to injuries and being 1 or 2 experienced players short, a few tweaks of the squad and we would have been once again competitive.
Instead, key players all with Arsenal and EPL experience were allowed to leave and replaced by young, inexperienced ones from within the squad. These youngsters were asked to learn on the job without the benefit of mentoring from senior players and expected to work miracles in the fiery EPL cauldron.
We have all seen the dismal results. Every team who plays us now expect to win or at least get a draw and the Arsenal mystique and aura of invincibilty has been lost. On top of that, the very basis of Arsenal, beautiful football, has been non-existent this season and fans are still paying the highest ticket prices to watch a stuttering team look very ordinary.
Our only hope to make the CL next year is to hope that both Chelsea and Villa have horrendous slumps for the final third. If we all play up to the quality of our squads we will be fighting for 5th or 6th place.
1aged gooner
Posted on 11 Feb, 2009 at 02:58 PM - Reply
Good article apart from Chelsea none of the other top three have lost important players Essien and Cole for Chelsea along with Drodba who is permanetly injured in the head.
We have lost Walcot, Fabregas , Rosyski ( spelt wrong ) and Eduardo as well as Toure and Adey in bad form compared to last season and finally we have Eboue who is a libility.
We have more problems than the rest but with Fab and Wal and Ros coming back soon I do believe it will not be to late to claim our spot in the CL at the exspense of Chelsea with all there disruptions.
If Chelsea were not all at sea I think you would have a strong point but just believe until the impossible and back Wenger and the team till the end.
Just as a foot note I think Arshavin is in to eventually replace Fab because there is that possibility of him moving on in the summer.
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