Delusions of grandeur

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
31 Jan	4:00 PM	P	Manchester United (H)	1	3	Lost

Arsène Wenger says that the reason he hasn't bought anyone in this January transfer window is that "It is not only about wanting to buy, it is to find better players than what you have available and we haven't until now. It is as simple as that."

On the evidence of yesterday evening's embarrassment at the hands of the Premier League champions, perhaps it's time to re-evaluate the quality of the scouting system. Perhaps, as Kevin Whitcher suggests, it's time to assess the manager's ability to judge a player's capabilities once more.

Because, watching yesterday evening's performance, it is clear that there are a number of players who are not worth the shirt on their backs. Only a manager, I don't want to call him arrogant, but let's say stubborn, as Arsène Wenger would be persisting with the likes of Denilson, Almunia and, yes, Gaël Clichy at present. They are by no means the only ones, but they are the ones who stood out yesterday afternoon.

Talking in the pub beforehand with James and Chris, we said how Almunia always lets us down against Manchester United and what happens? Cross going across goal from the cheat Nani? Oh, let me tip that in for you, sir. Thank you. Not forgetting his gift of possession to Manchester United on the edge of our box in the second half and the continued long balls to short players.

It's difficult to pin any blame to him for goals two and three, but the manner of them suggests that not only have we not learnt anything from the Manchester United semi final humbling last season, not only have we not learnt from the Chelsea game two months ago, it suggests that we haven't learnt from the Everton game about three weeks ago. Going a goal down with 10-15 minutes to go till half-time was a blow, sure, but why the need for the whole team to camp in Manchester United's half, leaving ourselves open to a devastating counter. Not once, but twice. Idiots. Seven goals conceded in three home games. Not the stuff of champions, is it?

The frustrating thing is that United were 2-0 up at half-time having had two shots on target and we had watched Arshavin waste a couple of very promising situations early on. One instance as he dribbled down the left before electing not to square to an onrushing Nasri almost defied belief. That is, until Nasri was presented the ball in the middle of the penalty area later on, a free shot on goal beckoned, but Nasri chose to backheel the ball to, um.. nobody, actually. That for me sums up a lot that is wrong with Arsenal today. Defending from the front? No, we're too sexy for that, let's have United come at us and we'll play deeper and deeper. As Chris said later on, it wasn't so much "men against babies as shit players against good players".

But I've digressed slighty, there was a belief amongst myself, James and Chris yesterday afternoon that United were there for the taking. By the same token, Alex Ferguson must have looked at our team selection and licked his lips. You might get away without a proper centre forward against the likes of Bolton, or a proper goalkeeper, or Denilson, but against Manchester United, an interchangeable selection of dwarves isn't going to get the job done.

What is it that Denilson does? I don't know anymore. The game was crying out for the introduction of Bendtner, he arrives with 15 minutes to go. Walcott did his usual after replacing Denilson, ie nothing. God, it was grim. I can't find a chink of light to work with, but perhaps that's because I dragged myself out of my sick bed to go and stand in block 19 and watch and freeze and get angry. Can the boss really not find a better goalkeeper than Almunia? Really? Is Fabianski not a better bet? Or Roger Chesney? Too many players have been rewarded for mediocrity this season and if I see a story on Arse.com later today that Manuel Almunia has signed a new, long-term, contract I will scream and scream and scream. But I wouldn't be surprised.

Now, before I depress everyone completely, it wasn't all bad yesterday. As I alluded to earlier and indeed previously on this blog, I met up with a couple of Arsenal Mania forumites to watch the game' James and Chris. We met up early in the Twelve Pins, before heading out of what was fast becoming a steam bath, and wandering down towards the ground, stopping at the off licence for a beer and heading into the ground. When the game finished, we headed off to the Tollington, where we met up with Asa (another forumite) and proceeded to put the days events behind us by talking about them and drinking. Lots.

We saw Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas drive past us, Cesc actually got out of his car for some reason. The hours melted away and so it came to pass that as I got off my train at Beckenham Hill at quarter to 11 last night, the cold and hurt that I had been feeling 5 hours previously had been replaced by giggles (I had drunk a lot of Jack Daniels) over what a top day I'd had - apart from the football - I look forward to doing it again soon. But maybe not against a proper team.

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