Almunia is Number One

The transfer window shut yesterday evening and, if you believe those of us that take up the Arsenal corner of the blogosphere, the failure of Arsenal Football Club to find a goalkeeper to replace Manuel Almunia is likely to have dealt Arsenal's title challenge a fatal blow with another thirty five games to go. Some of you have been reading me long enough to know that I don't believe we can win the title without a better goalkeeper than Almunia, but that belief wouldn't entitle me to throw my toys out of the metaphorical pram and demand Arsène Wenger's head delievered on a silver platter to my laptop by the time I've finished banging out these 1000ish words. Though I suspect Mr Brus may be doing exactly that right now.

The goalkeeping position, and improvement thereof, was seen to be the final piece of the latest jigsaw assembled to try and deliver the Premier League title. However, whilst I suspect that Manuel will ultimately let us down when it matters most, I think it's hugely unfair to concentrate on this one- admittedly vital- area of the team when we have demonstrably improved in all other areas. What's that? Yeah, you heard me. I'm not planning on going through the squad, position by position and name by name, but it's clear that we have a seriously talented squad at the manager's disposal. For example, last season the depth at centre back was pretty wretched, wasn't it? But we now have four players I think we can be confident in at the heart of our defence, excluding Alex Song. Our midfield options, apart from the lack of obvious cover for Song, are second to none in my opinion. Up front, when last season we had no cover for RvP and Bendtner, we now have Chamakh.

I might be moving the goalposts a touch here, I'll admit that. After all, I did say that I wouldn't be going to watch the Arsenal until a new goalkeeper was secured, but who does that help? It certainly doesn't help me- well, apart from the not insignificant pounds I would save by not going. I guess it must seem bewildering to read all year about how a new goalkeeper is a neccessity and then watch someone basically shrug their shoulders when it doesn't happen, but what else can we do? It struck me as I watched Theo and Manuel interviewed after the game on Saturday that, whatever else he's done, Manuel has carried himself with dignity throughout this and I admire his resolution in the face of what must seem intolerable pressure. Ok, he's paid handsomely to deal with it, but he is- to borrow a phrase Edu once used with me when I accosted him in McDonalds on The Strand at 4am (another story)- a "normal person". It must have been, must be, horrible to read about how rubbish you are at your job every day and how you're going to be replaced, I wonder how any of us would cope with that. I know the answer is not to be rubbish in the first place..

Ultimately, Manuel is what what we've got for the rest of the season, I'd be surprised to see a signing made in January, so we better get behind him, because we're going to need him. It strikes me too that we're betting quite heavily on the future of Roger Chesney. If the goalkeeping signing planned was designed not to provide an obstacle to Chesney's path to the first team, he better be one hell of a goalkeeper. Interestingly, the loan out of one of the four goalkeepers, which was said by Arsène to be a certainty, has not happened. I wonder if the manager would have any appetite for testing Chesney in a Carling Cup run, once we've eliminated Spurs and then promoting him. Seems unlikely, I know, but it also seemed unlikely that Manuel would still be the number one come September. I honestly don't see how there's a way back for Fabianski at Arsenal, so if we've got Chesney at the club, we might as well try and blood him.

I know this is disappointing, I feel that disappointment too. After all, I want the best for my club and I don't think Almunia is close to being the best. That said, none of us know exactly what has gone on behind the scenes this summer. I do think it's odd that the best we could apparently aim for was a 37 year old at Fulham, that strikes me as trying to make an easy signing rather than the best one and even that wasn't so easy after all. I do think we'll end up paying for this and howling with derision once more. It's done now, or more to the point, not done now. To quote Damon Albarn, we "can't go back" so what else is there to do?

Well, we get on with doing what we always do, we support the team. It's a shame that the team of 2002-05 has led us to have such high expectations and that the ticket prices we pay niggle at us when those expectations are not met, but for me football has recently become what it always should have been about; having a laugh with your mates, or your partner, or whoever you go with and supporting your team, win, lose or draw. When you're watching 22 men chase a ball around a football pitch (or eleven men chasing at shadows whenever Arsenal are at home) what else should you do, but laugh?

We'll be there or thereabouts at the end of it all, whoever's in goal. Anyway, football costs too much these days to spend 90 minutes being miserable. And yes, you can remind me I said that the next time I go all megastroppy on you!

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