End of season review: The players

Since we last spoke, Arsenal completed their season in what is becoming annoyingly customary limp fashion. Last weekend saw Aston Villa notch another victory at the Grove and the season finished with Theo Walcott's last minute goal rescuing a point for us at Fulham. Not that that point made any difference to our final standing and the team that had the league title in their hands just three months ago were pipped to third place by Moneybags City. How the hell did it come to this?

Well, two league wins in the three months that followed our Carling Cup Final defeat at the hands of now relegated Birmingham tells its own story. It tells a story of a team utterly bereft of confidence, bereft of discipline, of commitment, organisation, ideas and, at times, luck. You have to concede that, even the most vocal Wenger critic would surely concede that. By the same token, even the most staunch of Wenger supporters- the famed "AKBs"- would have to accept that what has ultimately done for Arsenal this season is a lack of quality in key areas. It's, unfortunately, true of most positions in the squad. Before I go into that, let me just say that if there is a positive to take from this season, it's that Birmingham will not be around to ruin it for us next spring. Good riddance.

Let's have a look at this squad, then, shall we? We'll start with the keepers, the two Poles and the one that isn't even worth talking about. I like Szczesny, I like him a lot, he's got attitude, presence and ability. But he is a kid, not just in keeping terms, in real terms. It says everything about where we have been with our keepers that he is considered our best bet for success. Fabianski seems, belatedly, to have got over whatever confidence issues he had but I don't think he'll ever convince everyone that he is the answer to our problems. Almunia? Not worth talking about. Not just error prone, but clearly an idiot.

In defence, Bacary Sagna should have to answer to nobody regarding his contribution to this football club. Unfortunately, he's about as good as it gets back there. Injuries robbed us of Thomas Vermaelen, the man I would like to see captaining the club, for 99% of the season. Whilst Johan Djourou finally made the step up- until injury at Old Trafford derailed him anyway, his partner for most of the season Laurent Koscielny could only be termed a qualified success. Sebastien Squillaci, on the other hand, was not far off being a total disaster. Gaël Clichy was his usual mix of breathtaking interceptions allied to breathtaking stupidity- one such moment basically costing us leadership of our Champions League group. As the season has progressed, it has also become apparent that his deputy, Kieran Gibbs, should be just that. He doesn't seem ready for the first team to me. On the other flank, we had the Clown Prince. I've said enough about Eboue in the past, I don't really want to have to say anymore about him in the future. Unless it's on the day he leaves Arsenal.

In midfield, Alex Song became so key- mainly because his rival for a first team spot was Neves "I'm a winner" Denilson. No, you're not Denny, you're the exact opposite. Incidentally, that comment was about the only one he made that I disagreed with in the interview he gave last week. Otherwise I thought it a frank and withering assessment of Arsenal's travails this season. Happily, the emergence of Jack Wilshere- and what an emergence!- and the welcome return to action of Aaron Ramsey means that Denilson will not be missed when he leaves for the pedestrian leagues more to his suiting in the summer. Although we still need a defensive midfielder to come in and give us a bit more strength- Song is not good enough to rely on all season. Nor should we be relying on him all season. I do believe we have seen the last of Cesc in an Arsenal shirt. I know I said this last summer, but I can't see what is to be acheived by keeping him here now. Let him go, wish him well and let's move on- providing we get the right price of course. If it was Cesc's last season with us, then it's not one he will have cause to look back on with too much fondness, really- thinking of the Nou Camp and Tottenham at home in particular. Is it worth discussing Diaby's contribution to our season? No.

Ahead of the midfield, Samir Nasri looked nailed on for player of the season at Christmas, but seemed to stop playing in the new year. I hope that Nasri stays with us, we'll need him if Fabregas goes. Theo Walcott began the season very well, got injured, but still came back to show improvement in his general play. He scored a few goals this season too. The other winger type in the squad is Andrei Arshavin. I've spoken of my love for the Russian before, but I think that he is now the very definition of a luxury player and I would say he has undoubtedly been our disappointment of the season.

Which leads me nicely to the forwards and Nicklas Bendtner. If you've read me long enough, you know I've always stuck up for the guy. But his failure to even get a shot away in the last two minutes against Barcelona made me realise we're better off without him. He's not good enough to play in our first team regularly, though I would also say that he's not a winger either. Arsène has, I believe, hung him out to dry to a certain extent, but that's not an excuse for a lack of effort on his part. He is unlikely to be missed. Chamakh started the season on fire, giving us a new option, before being doused with cold water around Christmas time. Key to that was, of course, the return to form of our foremost striker and a man who has made me look very stupid indeed. You may have forgotten me claiming that Arsenal would leave van Persie behind, but I haven't and I own up to it here. Robin assumed an Ian Wright like importance in the second half of the season and the amount of goals he scored was, frankly, ridiculous. If only we had the kind of defence that Wrighty once had behind him, then we may just have done something. He is a clear cut above the two strikers serving as his back up.

I was going to talk about the various stages of the season, which I believe our season can be divided into, but I think I've droned on enough here. And I must go back to work, I'll have more on this tomorrow.

For Arsenal and miscellaneous ramblings check out my Twitter feed :http://twitter.com/rockthecasbah77

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