The final humiliation

Enough, I can't stand it any more. We've had some low points over the last five years, but this was the lowest.

There's never shame in losing to United or Chelsea. And certainly no shame in losing to Barcelona. There is no shame, in itself, in losing to Wigan. But losing in the way that we did, a team giving in with a whimper, that is shameful.

We need a response from Wenger and the club built on hard change, because, whilst most of our best players were missing on Sunday, all of our very worst were pathetically on display, and pathetically showing all of their worst traits. You know the names: Diaby, Eboue in his midfield role, Fabianski, Silvestre, the miserably reduced Rosicky. Despite his goal, you might include Walcott in that group. Denilson didn't play, nor did Almunia, Vela or poor Eduardo, but they all should join a group on whom we say simply "not good enough" and move on.

Except we can't just move them on. Silvestre and Rosicky will probably leave this summer. Fabianski may go on loan, I would guess, as a path to a long-term exit. Eboue has various links to other clubs. Eduardo has apparently spoken of wanting to go on loan to get his fitness back. But removing ten players from a squad that may lose Gallas as well, leaves us with a scale of investment we would have neither funds nor time for to do properly.

Ten players, each a symbol in their own way of the horrible combination of the financial constraints imposed by the stadium, the impact of traumatic injuries, and players failing to act on their talent.

There is such hope and quality in our squad. In Fabregas, in Vermaelen, in Sagna, in van Persie and in Arshavin. In the return of Campbell, so strong and determined. In the potential competition between Clichy and Gibbs for the left back's role. In Ramsey's development. Even in Bendtner to be a scrappy striker who gets 15 goals a season in a secondary role. In the development of Song into a ball winner of huge tenacity and power.

But that's only 11 players. 11 players of quality and purpose, against the 10 who represent liability and disappointment.

The most depressing thing of all is we can't fix the problem we have with them in just one summer. It's maybe two or even three years work. And we can't wait that long.

We know Chamakh is coming - that will fix one hole, and give us an option when van Persie doesn't play (which as we know is regularly).

But Arsène please, please, fix the major gaps at goalkeeper, at centre half, at defensive midfield alongside Song and on the right of our front three. It's a big task, possibly the biggest we've faced in a decade, but the rot is there and we need to cure it. We have to or the hopeful moments of this season mean nothing.

Because more of the misery of Sunday is more than I can take.

User Comments

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea