Yesterday’s late kick-off was another chance for Arsenal fans to suffer pangs of disappointment from watching their side fail to capitalise on opportunities presented to them. Arsenal played out a 0-0 draw with relegation threatened Blackburn – who even tried to help the Gunners out by playing with ten men for the last 15 minutes (Steven Nzonzi was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Laurent Koscielny). For all Arsenal’s huff-and-puff, they lacked a great deal of cut and thrust and failed to pull-off that killer move.
The result meant that Manchester United pull further away at the top of the table. United are now seven points clear – though Arsenal have a game in hand.
It’s disappointing, but it’s further evidence that this squad needs some work. Forget the defence and the goalkeeping positions – after all, it’s widely acknowledged that something desperately needs to be done there – it’s not so widely acknowledged that Arsenal also have problems up front.
Sure, Arsenal are world-renowned for their free-flowing attacking football, but too much of this comes from the midfield. Player’s like Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri are always going to create chances, but on a day such as yesterday when Arsenal really needed a striker to step-up and chip in with a goal, Arsenal were found lacking.
The trouble with Arsenal is that if Robin Van Persie is having an off day, or is injured, they struggle to finish the opportunities given to them. He is, I would argue, the club’s only world-class striker – despite what Nicklas Bendtner may think. Draws with Sunderland, West Brom and Blackburn testify to the fact that Arsenal aren’t forceful enough when under pressure.
The season is drawing to a close. Arsenal are only competing in the Premier League and are desperate for silverware, but keep letting it slip away. They desperately need a second world-class striker to support Robin Van Persie.
Marouane Chamakh started the season well enough, picking up the slack for the team whilst Robin Van Persie was out injured. However, he strikes me as rather a limited player. His link up play is good, but he’s got no pace, and doesn’t score from outside the area. I just don’t think he’s forceful enough and isn’t really a game-changer.
Nicklas Bendtner is an incredibly frustrating player. Sure he grabs plenty of goals, but he also fluffs easy opportunities, has an awful first touch, has no pace and hardly moves around off the ball.
Arsenal fans must look on in despair when they see Chamakh and Bendtner come on in an attempt to rescue the game (as they did against Blackburn yesterday). There have to be better solutions at a club such as Arsenal.
There will be an Arsenal clear-out this summer and the money made from sales have to be utilised in the right manner if Arsenal are to have any success in the future. It’s my hope that Arsene invests cash in a goalkeeper, a defender and a world-class striking partner for Robin Van Persie. If that involves spending big, so be it – Arsene, the fans are getting impatient.
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U’r right we need a pacey striker upfront 2 partner van persie.smn diff from what we hav ,the tavez type of a strike if u like.van persie has 2much burden alone 4 and 4 all his scoring prowess and inteligent movement he is not a forceful player he need suport.we also need lively out and out goal scoring wingers 2 support the frônt man.we only hav theo at the moment.we need options there,smn who can change the game .our game has become 2 predictable.teams know that if the sit back and defend decently the ar certain 2 get smthing against us.we need a bit of urgency in our game our tempo is shocking .when we had players like flamini we always played on a high tempo.i hate 2 say this fabregas has lost his influence the sooner he is replaced the better.
LOL! Arsenal are the ultimate choker of the premier league. 4 trophies to be won yet they won none! Haha…
Boys will be boys.
Haters gonna hate. Which team do you support and what have they won? 10 Quid says its a much lesesr team. Man U and Chelsea fans rarely go out of their way to bash the way Spud fans do.
Haters gonna hate.
No, the strikers are fine for the game they play.
When the team clicks goals come from everywhere. Tall Strikers that can hold the ball is what they have and what they need.
At the moment the defensive situation and confidence & spirit are the real problems.
On the offensive side the fault is Wengers. His insistence on fitting round pegs into square holes is obvious. How many true wide men does Arsenal have? Almost all the players playing wide came from clubs where they played centrally.
Out goes Bendtner, Vela.
any 1 of these 3 in: Benzema, Eto’o, Ibra
add in Hazard or Aguero and we’re sorted up front.
Fans stop pondering around with the arsenal team the main problems are as follows:
1. there is no supporters committee at arsenal to voice out the concerns.
2. arsene takes the team as his own entity he does want to hear from any body even the rightful owners
3. the policy of naturing the young telents does not work for an ambitious team like arsenal. he better turn that team as a reserve and buy the capable and strong players.
4. the policy of buying players that are not established almost everybody came to arsenal as a raw players.
5. Wenger should be fired with immediate effect for the fact that he says he doen’t listen to anybody’s cocerns when the team is underperforming.
Arsenal lack fight and desire!! They are mentally weak! It is very hard to teach this to a group of players that majority have this mentality. If you have majority of the team with a strong mentality, than usually it forces the other players to step up, but unfortunately this is not the case at Arsenal right now. Also I wondered why did Wenger take off Arshavin when he seemed to be the only one that was trying to create something… after he went off, they limited themselves to crosses hoping for a header to go in… Subs were wrong; Team fight very low (as seen in many games, even in some we have won); Chamak not good enough; Bentner not good enough; Somebody please tell Clichy that he has no clue how to shoot; Almunia sucks; And somebody please tell the entire team that they are trying to win the league and they must FIGHT HARDER to the end!! Changes HAVE to be made this summer!!!!!!
no one can say anything better
Help, I agree with a blogger, whatever next. For a long time I have believed that something is amiss in the effectiveness of Arsenal’s attack. Has beens like Alan Hansen keep moaning on about Arsenal’s defense, but compare our defensive record this year to other teams… We have a lot of possession and create plenty of chances but conversion into goals??? What is our biggest score this year? We should at least have ended 2 or 3 games with a monster score of 6-0. We haven’t. Solution? No idea but I expect it’s a bit more complicated than just buying a top striker.
We need Eduardo 🙁