For Arsenal, this season, and many others for that matter, have promised so much, yet returned so little in terms of silverware (nothing in fact!).
This may seem slightly odd when you look at some of the teams we have managed to beat this season – winning 5-3 against Chelsea, then 5-2 against Tottenham and the 2-1 victory at Liverpool, and even the 1-0 win over Man City. On paper, these results would suggest we should be dominating the league.
But sadly these results don’t make up the whole fixture list and, in Arsenal’s case, this has been a bad thing.
Sure we can beat these top teams, but it seems to be the teams lower in the league, those fighting for their place in the Premier League, that we often struggle against. It showed against QPR and against Wigan recently. We seemed to lack the desire to win, a complacency that ended up being our downfall.
The same has happened in games we have been winning by one goal. We drop away and the opposition steals a late goal, resulting in us losing at least two vital points. In these situations, we seem to lack the desire to finish the teams off, to really give them a kicking. This was evident against Wolves a few weeks ago, after they went down to 10-men; we should have pushed on and scored as many as we could of. But instead we seemed to take our foot off the gas and dropped back. The Wolves fans took delight in this, and it was obvious they were trying to make light of their own issues, singing that we must be rubbish to only be 2-0 up.
So our problem at the moment seems to be consistently finishing games off when we have the opportunity and playing at the same level in every game. We know we can do it, those big results against big teams this season prove we can, so surely there is no excuse for us not to be dominating our league.
For now, it seems we must say those words every Arsenal fan has said for the past few years – ‘There’s always next year’.
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When did this season promise anything? I was a salvage missing from the start and we have come out the other end when nobody said we would
There has been ” always next season ” … for how long is it now ? One answer is … ever since Arsene broke up the 2nd great team and thought he could rebuild to his own personal design. Or is one being terrribly , terribly unfair ?
We need more quality signings but Podolski is a good start.
No problem Arsenal fans, am sure next season we are going to carry a trophy, bt wenger have to sign 2 or 3 player for us, so that we can challenge for a trophy next season, i think bringing the likes of m’villa nd vertoghen we nake us bring something to the emirates next season…… up Gunners..
We have to be realistic in who joins but podolski is a good start. Hoillett on a free/comp deal, vertonghen for 7-10mil and mvilla 20mil are realistic if we can clear the deadwood.
Vela, young, bendtner, chamakh, arshavin, diaby, denislon, squillaci and djourou/mertesacker leaving would be a good start
Every pundit picked Arsenal to finish fifth or sixth after it became obvious that Fabregas , Nasri and Wilshire weren’t going to be in Arsenal’s midfield this season.Those three players together constitute arguably the most talented midfield outside of Barcelona’s midfield . Departure of Gael Clichy , our best left back and subsequent injuries at the left back position only compounded the crisis. Finishing third this season , ahead of Chelsea , Tottenham and Liverpool ( who alone spent some $ 150 million in transfers ) should be considered a great achievement . As far as previous seasons are concerned , I think your assessment ir spot on.
Well said, but no excuses for next year now, let’s keep the players coming. Van and m’villa is good but I still think we need another creative midfielder or striker, though I have a suspicion if he gets those 2 we might see a different formation next year, just a feeling, would love to see song and m’villa together in the middle
I’m actually optimistic about next season, and haven’t felt that way for at least 5 years. It would have been great to win a Cup this season, but given the circumstances, we’ve not done too badly. Providing we finish 3rd and don’t have to worry about qualifying for the CL, there are positive signs that Wenger will make the right signings (Podolski, Vertonghen, M’Vila, new striker) and if we can tie down Van Persie to a new contract before Euro 2012, should finally have a decent, stress free pre-season and solid preparation for a strong challenge for trophies.
there’s this saying,never give up try try try again.remember rome was not built in a day.we will soon get there and eureka shall be our hymn.