...still disappointed with the Arsenal

As I re-write this thanks to google.ig wiping it, Arsenal has suffered a 3-0 semi-final kicking from Man C at the City of  Manchester Stadium tonight.

How many times has Wenger got to the semi's of the Carling Cup and played the C Team?
Three years? Four?

It's not good enough when Arsenal hasn't really been close to the league title every Easter over the few years either. FA Cup, nope, not in the final with a proper chance of winning. Bar on Penalties, last won in 2005.


The January shopping list should read:

Don't buy anymore kids Arsene. They leave in the end (on a free transfer!) and at their prime.

Out & out striker:
muscular and quick, like Didier Drogba, with the ability to bully defences.
Craig Bellamy, Michael Owen or a similar pocket rocket would do, to get into the box to make the most of the first class crosses that Arsenal's midfield produce.

A holding midfielder:
think Flamini the season before he left. A player like Mathieu would let Fabregas, Arshavin and Rosicki go forward without the fear of having to track back so instantly. This would help with their stamina near the end of matches, where if behind, Arsenal fade.

A defensive leader:
Gallas is doing his best but has rubbed Wenger and some players the wrong way. A rock, a dependable player, a professional like John Terry. Not a 15 year old JT, a 25 year old one. I'm thinking Tony Adams without the drink problem. A Dixon or a Winterburn would do for a couple of seasons.

Sell:
Bendner, he's not the Van Persie junior he thinks he is. He can't turn matches and misses too much for the amount he does net.

Arsenal at the moment, unlike what Arsene thinks, only has a decent A Team, the B and C just aren't worth putting out at a semi-final or against Hull in the league. However, the reserves to need to come up to scratch because the reliance on the big names to get them out of a negative score line is too much week in, week out.

Every year, Arsenal has at least one crunch week. A week where the season ends. Or a week were the scores and the resulting humiliation scars the team and it takes a long period for results to change.

Remember when the 'Invincibles' lost their record at Old Trafford, of all places. It was like someone had died. Also the last two season, an FA Cup tie, Champions League Semi and a must win Premiership game would fall into a 8 day stretch. Arsenal would lose all three matches and in one foul swoop, the dream of silverware was gone.

So far this year, Arsenal lost in the league to Chelsea at the Emirates 3-0. Now, it's 3-0 to Man City in the Carling Cup. Lets hope this isn't the start of something of a crunch.