Boasts amid blunders

On an afternoon when his crumbling season so nearly fell off the rails once and for all, Arsene Wenger chose his moment to proclaim the most unpredictable title race in years is destined to finish with his Arsenal side being crowned champions.

The 'In Arsene We Trust' movement will join their hero in claiming this 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns was a triumph for Arsenal's battling qualities in a month when their bid for a Quadruple has collapsed, yet even the most loyal followers of the legendary Gunners boss must question the motives behind his lavish boasts on a day when the flaws in his side were exposed for the umpteenth time.

With howling defensive errors undermining Arsenal's attempts to emerge from their recent slump, the two late goals that staved off another defeat merely papered over the cracks in an increasingly desperate title charge.

However, Wenger told the gathered media at The Hawthorns that his side were on the brink of becoming kings of English football, even though they fell five points behind title favourites Manchester United after this draw.

"We will win our game in hand and beat United, which will be enough to make us champions," Wenger defiantly boasted on a day when his side conceded another sloppy goal from a corner and saw the latest calamity 'keeper moment from Manuel Almunia leave them in danger of what may have been a fatal defeat.

While Wenger had every right to laud his side's dramatic late fightback thanks to goals from Andrei Arshavin and Robin van Persie, the truth was they looked like a side whose bolt had been shot for the first 70 minutes of this game against lowly West Brom.

However, the excuses continue to flow from the Arsenal boss as he did all he could to deflect attention away from a team who are clearly running out of steam at a crucial stage of the season once again.

"The pitch was difficult for us to play on in this game," Wenger said by way of explanation for this latest disappointment. "Also, we were far too tentative, too nervous in the opening period of the match. Clearly what has happened to us in the last few weeks was playing on our mind in this game.

"Still, I feel we showed great spirit and commitment to get back into this game and when you are 2-0 down away from home with 20 minutes to go, a point has to be viewed as a good result.

"This performance proves we are ready to battle and we are up for this fight and, even though big the mistakes we made to get ourselves into a difficult position today were disappointing, this is not a moment for personal criticism. It was our fault we conceded both goals, but we found a way to get a good point in the end."

It's hard to believe a defence that is so desperately inept when defending set-plays has a realistic chance of winning the Premier League and West Brom needed just three minutes to expose Arsenal's weakest link once again, as Chris Brunt's floated cross was headed home by an unmarked Reid. Aaron Ramsey was the guilty man as he lost his man in the box at a crucial moment.

Accusatory finger-pointing from defenders was complemented with arm-waving from 'keeper Almunia, yet the lack of a leader at the heart of Wenger's defence had been exposed and the remaining 87 minutes of this game suddenly had the potential to decide the futures of more than a few high-profile Arsenal stars.

The response Wenger would have expected from his players would not materialise before the break, so his move to replace the persistently ineffective Denilson with Marouane Chamakh at the break confirmed he appreciated the scale of his crisis. The roar that greeted the departure of the Brazilian from the travelling Arsenal supporters confirmed that they believe he has long outstayed his welcome in this team.

Yet disaster was just around the corner for Arsenal as after 58 minutes, a long punt upfield inspired keeper Manuel Almunia to rush from his goal and collide with defensive partner Sebastien Squillaci.

If this was not a team challenging for one of the biggest prizes in world football, the comedy scene created by Arsenal's No. 1 would have been humorous, but Wenger did not see the funny side as Peter Odemwingie fired his shot into the unguarded goal to double the Baggies' lead.

The Arsenal boss threw a water bottle in disgust as his side had attempted suicide a second time and, at that point, it was hard to see how a side lacking inspiration and drive would find a way back into the game.

That was before a stunning strike from Arshavin and a fortunate leveller from Van Persie gave Arsenal a point the West Brom manager felt they deserved.

"We played against one of the very best teams in the Premier League today, so collecting a point was a fine effort," Roy Hodgson said. "This is certainly a point gained for us and, while we were given some help by Arsenal in the two goals we scored, that performance was close to the maximum my players can provide."
Those who witnessed Arsenal's efforts at The Hawthorns will confirm it was the display of a side who appear to be wallowing in their own self pity after going out of three cup competitions in quick succession.

These players seem unable to recover from a setback and respond in the right manner and that looks certain to deny them their final shot at glory in this troubled season.

Wenger's confident boasts after this game may well have been designed to convince his players that they will shed their defeatist mentality in time to enter the winner's circle come May, but you have to wonder whether even the persistently optimistic Frenchman seriously believes their moment of glory is a matter of weeks away.

MAN OF THE MATCH
Steven Reid. The Albion midfielder showed some classy touches and outshone many of the star names around him.

WEST BROM VERDICT
This was a gutsy effort from Hodgson's men and, while the two goals they scored were gifts from Arsenal, their energy levels remained high throughout. Time will tell whether they have enough class to stay in the Premier League.

ARSENAL VERDICT
Just for once, Arsenal struggled to produce the brilliant flowing football that seems to compensate fans who claim the entertainment they get from their team is more important than trophies. Even though this point may be useful in the title race, the Gunners didn't look like champions in the making at the Hawthorns.

EXCUSE CULTURE
Footballers will hide behind any excuse offered to them when they fail and Wenger may be guilty of providing his players with another get out after this latest below par showing. The Arsenal boss blamed the Hawthorns pitch for his latest setback, but the reality is the fragile nature of his players was a bigger issue.

Source: Kevin Palmer, ESPN Soccernet on 19 Mar 11

Manuel Almunia's slow recovery spares Arsène Wenger declaring his No 1

Arsène Wenger has been spared making a decision over his No1 goalkeeper as Manuel Almunia has still not recovered from his elbow injury and will not be under consideration for the home fixture against Fulham on Saturday.

Wenger has started with Lukasz Fabianski in Almunia's absence yet the Arsenal manager has shied away from declaring that either player is his first choice, a policy that has attracted criticism.

Wenger will have to nail his colours to the mast once Almunia is fit but the Spaniard remains unable to fully extend his elbow, despite playing in a reserve-team match nine days ago. He played for 45 minutes in the 2-1 win over Wolves but did not look entirely comfortable.

Almunia's last appearance for the first team came in the shock 3-2 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion on 25 September, the match in which he took the bang to his elbow and played poorly.

If, as expected, Fabianski retains his place when Almunia is fit, the latter may consider his future at Arsenal. Wenger could play Almunia in the Carling Cup semi-final ties against Ipswich Town and the FA Cup third round against Leeds United but that may not be enough to satisfy the 33-year-old.

In a twist to the club's goalkeeping situation, Mark Schwarzer, who was a transfer target for Wenger during the summer, has agreed a new contract at Fulham.

"He was obviously very flattered by the interest," said Mark Hughes, the Fulham manager. "We're delighted that he's decided to stay here and we can move forward now."

Wenger has a slight doubt over Samir Nasri for the game on Saturday; the midfielder took a knock to a knee in the Carling Cup win over Wigan Athletic on Tuesday but is expected to be passed fit. Wenger remains without Cesc Fábregas, Thomas Vermaelen, Abou Diaby and Sébastien Squillaci.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 2 Dec 10

Arsène Wenger's goalkeeping blindspot is simply bananas

The Arsenal manager has revived the tradition of introducing a random element but it may be a winner by the laws of the jungle.

Pundits are fond of telling us that football "is cyclical". Like the frequently expressed view that a team who haven't picked up three points on their travels for six months "are due an away win by the law of averages", this appears to be another case of superstition posing as science. If football really is cyclical, then it is plain that some teams are on much shorter cycles than others, with clubs from the Lancashire cotton towns forced to circle the solar system on a moped, while Manchester United are tasked with whipping round Salford in an F-111.

The north-east's clubs, meanwhile, have plainly missed their turn-off and are heading directly away from the title, unable to focus on finding a route back due to somebody in the passenger seat muttering: "I told you to stop and ask someone for directions, but would you listen? Would you hell as like."

One thing that plainly is cyclical in what Pelé once memorably dubbed "a necessary rung on the ladder to advertising impotence cures" is the jokes. This week, for example, somebody told me that after his series of gaffes against West Brom, the Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia had "thrown himself in front of a bus, but the bus went under him".

The first time I heard this quip was 40 years ago. The butt of it then was Gary Sprake. Sprake was the goalkeeper in Don Revie's mighty Leeds team of the late 60s and early 70s. The Leeds manager was a bloke who left little to chance, so it has always seemed odd that he put so much faith in the talented yet erratic Welshman. On his off days Sprake wasn't so much prone to errors as totally supine before them, infamously diving over an innocuous Peter Houseman shot in the 1970 FA Cup final and getting in such a flap during a game against Liverpool in 1967 he threw the ball into his own net. As a consequence the Kop serenaded the man from Swansea with a chorus of the Des O'Connor hit Careless Hands" (Sprake later used it as the title of his autobiography).

At least he fared better at Anfield than another keeper, Everton's Gordon West, who was presented with a handbag by a spectator, an apparent reference to a US TV show Honey West and the fact he was reckoned "a bit of a Mary".

Had Gordon Banks, Joe Corrigan or Pat Jennings been between the Leeds posts they'd have been more or less invincible. Sprake added an exciting randomness. Back around that time there was a popular myth that, under orders from the Vatican, priests regularly turned up at condom factories and stuck pins in the product. The Welshman seemed like the football equivalent, an arbitrary hole in the prophylactic barrier of Revie's defence. Sprake added risk. He was the chance element on which all sport thrives, without which it would merely be a sweaty version of chess. Perhaps that was why Revie persisted with him. I'd like to think so, anyway. Certainly Leeds weren't as much fun once the more reliable David Harvey arrived.

Since then other top managers have seemed churlishly reluctant to embrace the Sprakes of this world. Brian Clough boringly insisted on buying Peter Shilton, for instance, and Howard Kendall stuck with the thumpingly predictable Neville Southall. Bruce Grobbelaar had his moments, admittedly, and Sir Alex Ferguson briefly flirted with the idea of making things a little more interesting when he opted to replace the tediously excellent Peter Schmeichel with Massimo Taibi, "The Blind Venetian". Sadly, after the Italian had proved his worth by winning a man of the match award and shipping 11 goals in four matches, he was given the heave-ho.

Now, at last, we have Arsène Wenger, a man seemingly determined to add some hazard. The Frenchman has already demonstrated a remarkable reluctance to buy any of the sort of rambunctious strikers with thighs like a pair of hogs who insist on hoofing the ball into the net whenever they get the chance. People have often wondered why this is, seeing in it some aesthetic judgment, a repudiation of such direct vulgarity. The truth, I believe, is quite different. Wenger knows that if he'd bothered to buy somebody like Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy or even Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink it would all have been too easy; likewise the Alsatian's mysterious decision not to bother looking for a goalkeeper once David Seaman had hung up his ponytail.

A friend who watches a lot of wildlife programmes tells me that you can always distinguish the alpha male among a troop of gorillas: he is the one who moves most slowly, who constantly and lazily exposes his vulnerable throat and abdomen to his rivals. By so doing the alpha male signals that he is unafraid, that he is confident of his ability to defeat anybody in a fight. Zoologists call this "the handicap principle of selection".

Wenger does not move slowly, and as far as I'm aware he is yet to bare his stomach to Sir Alex or Carlo Ancelotti, but by failing to buy a replacement for Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski (a hero on Tuesday but surely no more than a sliver of cheese away from further nightmares) he could be signalling that he is the male who ought to have first crack at the Premier League bananas.

Source: Harry Pearson, The Guardian on 1 Oct 10

Lukasz Fabianski ready to unseat Manuel Almunia as Arsenal No1 keeper

Lukasz Fabianski is ready to challenge Manuel Almunia for the first-choice goalkeeping position at Arsenal and hopes to start against Chelsea on Sunday.
Fabianski went from Flappy Handski to Fab Handski after what Arsène Wenger described as a "faultless" performance during his side's 3-1 win away to Partizan Belgrade last night.

The Pole saved a penalty and brilliantly palmed a late shot round a post, banishing some unfortunate memories of errors in Arsenal's goal and possibly persuading the club's fans to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Fabianski started in Serbia only because Almunia, heavily criticised for his mistakes during the 3-2 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion, had been left at home, apparently nursing an elbow injury. With Almunia rated doubtful for Sunday's trip to Stamford Bridge, his former understudy is on stand-by. "I am ready to play against Chelsea," Fabianski said. "I am always ready, so we will see."

The 25-year-old, signed by Wenger from Legia Warsaw three years ago, claimed to be immune to the criticism. "I was never really bothered by all the things said. I was always trying to focus on my job and my work. That is what I was always doing and that is why I am grounded."

Fabianski would not be human were he not even a little hurt by the scathing analysis of his perceived blunders against Porto in the Champions League last year, during a 2009 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea and, just last week, against Tottenham in the Carling Cup, and he appreciates football's shades of grey. He stresses that goalkeeping is about more than pulling off show-stopping saves – or making the odd misjudgment. "Overall I am pleased with my performance," he said, well aware that rumour has it that Mark Schwarzer or Shay Given may be arriving at the Emirates in January.

"I am not just talking about saves but reading the game, coming for crosses or playing with my feet. Every aspect of goalkeeping is important for me, so I am pleased with my performance in general."

Such perspective is all very well but is still hard to escape the feeling that a September Tuesday night in Belgrade could yet come to be seen as a watershed in Fabianski's career. Certainly Wenger could not disguise his delight at seeing the goalkeeping ability "we see every day in training" finally transported to the pitch. "I am confident he can come out as a great keeper," said Arsenal's manager, who will give the injured Cesc Fábregas and Thomas Vermaelen fitness tests before the trip to Chelsea. "I know it is in him."

Fabianski hopes to be part of a winning side at Stamford Bridge. "We are playing really well this season," he said. "There was a big shock on Saturday [against West Brom] but I think you could see against Partizan we had learnt some things from Saturday. The performance was much better so we are looking forward to the Chelsea game. It's going to be an exciting one to watch – and we are in good condition."

Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 29 Sep 10

Arsenal look fine in theory but persistently fail the practical

A better goalkeeper than Manuel Almunia is required but he is not solely to blame for the Gunners' shortcomings.

Arsène Wenger might have been mistaken for a boor if not a bully last week. The side he chose for Arsenal's Carling Cup tie at White Hart Lane appeared a breach of the unwritten law that major clubs must send out makeshift line-ups in the early stages of the tournament. Extra-time was needed, but following their 4-1 loss Tottenham Hotspur may have felt that the earnestness of the visitors was crass.
Wenger gave a hint of support to the theory that any trophy is a prize to be coveted by a club that has gone five years without silverware. The wider truth, however, is that it is becoming difficult for him to pick a subdued side. Were everyone fit, he could have sent out an entirely different starting XI against Tottenham that would have been more intimidating still: Almunia; Sagna, Squillaci, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Walcott, Fábregas, Song, Arshavin; Van Persie, Chamakh.

Whether through youth development or astute transfer dealings he has assembled a rich collection of footballers, yet there can be no euphoria in the stands at the Emirates. The practicalities of the game again eluded Arsenal in the 3-2 defeat by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. During their last top-flight campaign, those opponents notched just one away win, against a Middlesbrough side that would also be relegated in that 2008‑09 season.

It could well be that Albion's current manager, Roberto Di Matteo, is transforming the club, but the earlier away trips in the Premier League saw them lose 6-0 and 1-0 at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively. Even though West Bromwich will have reflected on those defeats, it was Arsenal who did most to ensure their triumph. At such moments protocol calls for Manuel Almunia to be rebuked if not derided and he was undoubtedly at fault.

When the Spaniard supplanted Jens Lehmann in the 2007‑08 season, the German vented his scorn. Few would believe that Almunia stands comparison with the sort of goalkeepers who turn out for other leading clubs in the Champions League. It is undeniable, too, that Wenger sought to remove him from the line-up. Considering that Fulham had an interest in selling Mark Schwarzer, who was approaching the last season of his contract, and Arsenal had every cause to recruit him it was a feat of some sort that a deal was not struck.

The principal consequence of Wenger's efforts to bring in the Australian can only have been further damage to the confidence of Almunia. He is to miss tonight's match with Partizan Belgrade because of an elbow injury but the harm was done while saving Chris Brunt's penalty at the weekend. Although a better goalkeeper is required at the Emirates, it would be facile to see Almunia as the source of all sorrow.

Wenger was once known for his rigour, with the partnership of Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit sited in front of the centre-back Tony Adams during the first phase of the manager's tenure at Arsenal. Gilberto Silva would be signed in 2002 and despite the fluctuations over his spell in London, the departure of the holding midfielder six years later still seems regrettable, particularly since he is still good enough to be playing for Brazil.

All the same, Wenger's various decisions are having an impact and the Premier League looks more forgiving of aberrations than it has been of late. The sole unbeaten side in the top four is Manchester United and they are yet to win away from home. By contrast, Arsenal claimed the sort of hard-bitten victory at Blackburn that is not generally viewed as part of their repertoire.

Admittedly, that battle-hardened air is not yet present on every occasion. Sheer panic by Gaël Clichy cost the side a win at Sunderland. From a broader perspective, Arsenal can be hopeful if there is an increase in confidence as the side settle down. A stable combination in the middle of the back four would be of benefit yet we are still to see how, say, Laurent Koscielny's rapport with the currently injured Vermaelen evolves.

Arsenal's scope for progress cannot be ignored. Cesc Fábregas is yet to return and if Robin van Persie can maintain fitness once he has regained it the impact ought to be profound. Theo Walcott's pace should be of value, too, when he comes back from ankle trouble. Nonetheless, the healing that Arsenal need so badly must take place in the mind. A side chastened in the league last season by comprehensive defeats by Chelsea, as well as Manchester United, go to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 28 Sep 10

Arsène Wenger backs Arsenal's derided goalkeepers to defy the critics

For a man so dedicated to cultivating the attacking arts, Arsène Wenger is suddenly being forced to spend a perplexing amount of time on the back foot.

As he swapped the dark clouds and heavy rain engulfing Luton airport for Serbia's late September sunshine today, questions about vulnerabilities within his goalkeeping department and the leadership qualities of a side shorn of Cesc Fábregas must certainly have echoed in the Arsenal manager's ears.

Wenger's team arrived for tomorrow night's Champions League game at Partizan Belgrade having lost only once this season – defeated by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday – but with concern mounting about the calibre of their goalkeepers.

Reiterating his principles with characteristic defiance Wenger once again defended Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski while also shrugging off suggestions that he erred in not signing Mark Schwarzer or Shay Given during the summer. Instead the Frenchman continues to rely on Almunia and his understudy, Fabianski, who will be Arsenal's last line of defence tomorrow evening as the former is out with an elbow injury.

Injuries are rarely welcome in football but Wenger probably has reason to be relieved about this particular malady. Not for the first time, Almunia was heavily criticised for his part in the 3-2 West Bromwich defeat, during which he was blamed for Albion's second goal. His manager looked suitably relieved to be able to pull him out of the firing line and offer a plausible excuse.

"Almunia is injured, he did his right elbow in making [conceding] the penalty [which the Spaniard saved]," he said. "We checked him at half‑time, he had some pain but said he could go on." In the second half Arsenal's keeper allowed a shot from Gonzalo Jara to squirm past him.

There will inevitably be suspicions that this is a "diplomatic" injury designed to protect a shell-shocked player but, whatever the reality, Wenger cleverly gave Almunia's critics reason to doubt their damning analysis before claiming he would have started here if fit. "No, I wouldn't have dropped him. The keeper is always the easy target, the easy scapegoat. But we win and lose together, even if people think he made a mistake on the second goal. Manuel is very low. He's disappointed. But the whole squad's very low. We had a good opportunity and did not catch it."

If Wenger harbours regrets about not signing Schwarzer or Given during the transfer window he was keeping them to himself. Similar discretion was applied to any potential recruitment of a new keeper in January. "I don't think that's the right debate now," he said. "We have the squad we have. Players who did not come in are not the problem."

Fabianski is possibly even more error-prone than Almunia but his manager remains unworried. "I have no concerns," said Wenger who will put Wojciech Szczesny on the bench. "Only the media do. Fabianski's made mistakes in the past but has shown he can learn from them."

Having exhausted goalkeeping, the conversation turned to the vacuum left by Fábregas's absence. "It's always tempting when you lose to say there's no leader but I believe you share leadership and we have plenty of players of character," said Wenger, who declined to name his captain for tomorrow night but readily reasserted core principles. "I'll tell my players to continue to play the way we want to play and to believe in themselves."

Partizan's class of 2010 may be a shadow of their 1966 European Cup finalist forbears but the Serbian champions – much to Red Star's chagrin – cannot be underestimated. "They're technically very good and well organised," acknowledged Wenger who, taking Serbian police advice, has requested enhanced security for his squad. "They'll use every possible break to hit us on the counter-attack. We'll have a lot of the ball but it'll be frenetic."

Coached by the 36-year-old Aleksandar Stanojevic, the unbeaten, fiercely proud, Serbian league leaders – who have appealed for their sometimes violent fans to "behave" tomorrow night – boast a former Wigan reserve goalkeeper in Vladimir Stojkovic, along with a potent Brazil‑born forward named Cleo.

The recipient of death threats after crossing the great Belgrade divide from Red Star last year, Cleo scored eight times in six Champions League qualifiers and is now widely regarded as "the best signing" in his new club's history. Charged with frustrating him tomorrow night, Fabianksi may not care to be reminded that Partizan are frequently dubbed either "The Steam-Roller" or "The Grave-Diggers".

Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 27 Sep 10

Almunia at fault as Gunners crash

West Brom destroyed Arsenal's chance to close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League with a thrilling victory over the Gunners at the Emirates.

Three second-half goals from Peter Odemwingie, Gonzalo Jara and former Arsenal player Jerome Thomas put Albion in front before Samir Nasri scored two late goals for Arsene Wenger's side.

It was Arsenal first home defeat since they lost to Manchester United last January and kept them four points adrift of leaders Chelsea while Albion moved up into fifth place.

The writing was on the wall for Arsenal in the opening half. Thomas caused the home defence an early scare but his cross from the left wing evaded the lurking Odemwingie.

Emmanuel Eboue had the first real chance for Arsenal in the 13th minute but his shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area went wide of Scott Carson's right-hand upright.

Andrey Arshavin should have put the home side in front seconds later but he managed to hit the post twice when he got on the end of a cross from Eboue.

It was a close escape for the visitors who were now beginning to feel the full onslaught of Arsene Wenger's side.

In the 20th minute, Marouane Chamakh went close with a six-yard header as Arsenal continued to surge forward. Four minutes later, Nasri went close with a 25-yard low drive that flashed just wide of the target.

Odemwingie almost gave the visitors a shock lead against the run of play in the 27th minute but Manuel Almunia pushed his angled drive onto the post.

Albion were enjoying their best spell of the game and seconds later Almunia had to be alert to collect a dangerous left-wing cross from James Morrison.

Wenger was forced to stalk the edge of his technical area in frustration and his demeanour was not eased by Nasri's volley into the crowd from 18 yards in the 36th minute.

Almunia then became the villain and hero in the space of 60 seconds as West Brom squandered a great chance to take the lead.

In the 37th minute Almunia brought down the speedy Odemwingie and referee Michael Oliver rightly awarded a penalty and booked the 'keeper.

But Chris Brunt's poor left-footed effort was easily saved by Almunia, who dived to his right to keep it out.

In the final minute of the half, Albion keeper Carson had to be at his best to deny Bacary Sagna's six-yard header - tipping his effort over the bar.

West Brom took the lead in the 50th minute when Thomas wriggled free on the left flank and crossed into the six-yard box for the unmarked Odemwingie to put the Baggies ahead.

And it got worse for the home side two minutes later when Almunia blundered to allow Albion to make it 2-0.

Brunt set Gonzalo Jara free on the right and his low angled drive from the right edge of the penalty area went through Almunia's hands and into the net. The Albion scorer was booked for taking his shirt off in celebration.

Wenger immediately responded with a double substitution, sending on Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky in place of Abou Diaby and Eboue.

The changes helped to revive the Gunners but West Brom's defending was committed and impressive. In the 65th minute, Arsenal made a third change when Wenger removed Laurent Koscielny in favour of Carlos Vela.

Arsenal pushed forward in numbers but Albion's rearguard held firm despite all the home side's efforts. West Brom sensationally made it 3-0 when Brunt crossed for the livewire Thomas to fire into the net in the 73rd minute.

But Arsenal finally reduced the deficit two minutes when Nasri danced through the West Brom defence before firing past Carson.

Nasri grabbed his second of the game in injury time but, despite a frantic finish, it was not enough to prevent Arsenal slumping to their first home defeat since last January.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 25 Sep 10

The Window Closes on New Keeper Hopes

So, the transfer window slammed shut for another few months yesterday evening and there was no late activity to report other than the loan moves of Armand Traore and Nacer Barazite to Juventus and Vitesse Arnhem respectively. That there was no new goalkeeper signed will be the biggest talking point amongst Arsenal fans.

The "goalkeeping situation" was not just a figment of fan-talk or internet hysterics, it is clearly an area that Arsene Wenger recognised needed addressing due to the fact that a formal bid was tabled for Fulham's Mark Schwarzer. Personally, I am not that disappointed that the Australian has not come. At his age, he was never going to be a long-term solution and the fact that it has taken until this point in his career for a big club to take a real interest in him rather suggests he is not actually that much better than what we already have.

That said, I do believe new blood was required. What Schwarzer would have brought was a change - and, even if a top-class keeper couldn’t be found, a change would have felt like a positive step forward from the current status quo where the impression is that Arsene Wenger keeps telling us we have four great goalkeepers but no one really believes him. You wonder whether the manager really believes it himself. Tellingly, whilst the club might have been trying to bring in a new senior goalkeeper, it seems that we have hardly had other teams queuing up to take either Almunia or Fabianski off our hands in order to make space.

So, for the time being, we have to make do with what we have got. Whatever reservations people have about Manuel Almunia, he has to be the first-choice goalkeeper. He is the best we have currently got and, in the cold light of day, he does make more saves than he costs the team games. He might not have the ability to add ten or fifteen points to Arsenal’s season in the way that David Seaman used to but most of the time he does a reasonable job. (It’s a shame we have to settle for "reasonable" though, isn’t it?). Now he knows he has at least until January as the Gunners’ likely number one, it is up to him to rise to the challenge, find some confidence and show the manager and fans that he is the man for the job. Time will tell whether he has it within him to do that.

The real worry is Fabianski. It will only take one injury to Manuel Almunia to see him promoted to first-choice and that is a prospect that sends shivers down the spine. I wish I could be charitable enough to call him “reasonable” too but he has had his chances and has spectacularly blown every one of them. Sadly, at a club like Arsenal, who have aspirations of being in a position to win things every year, you cannot get away with a goalkeeper who has proved himself to be a liability at this level. We can only hope that Almunia stays fit and the Pole’s opportunities are minimal between now and January when there will be another chance to review matters.

As for Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczęsny, it will be interesting to see what happens with these two. It seems unlikely that Arsene Wenger will keep four goalkeepers on the books, so it is probable that one will go out on loan. Szczęsny returned from his loan spell with Brentford last season with rave reviews and many fans calling for him to be pushed up the pecking order. However, as always, the only opinion that matters is that of Arsene Wenger and we could get to see whether he rates the young Pole as highly as the hype surrounding him would have it.

Though the goalkeeping debate is the one that will rumble on past the closure of the window, Arsenal fans ought to be pretty content when looking at the business conducted over the summer as a whole. At the end of last season, most supporters, (at least, those with realistic expectations), were calling for a new goalkeeper, reinforcements at centre-back and a new striker. With the confirmation of the signing of Sebastien Squillaci last week added to the arrivals of Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh, Arsene Wenger has delivered what most have wanted - two new centre-backs who have a bit of age and experience behind them and striker who will give the front line some physical presence. On top of that, we have seen Jack Wilshere properly promoted to the first-team scene and, most critically, Barcelona’s attempts to sign Cesc Fabregas successfully rebuffed.

A new goalie would have completed the set but it was not be. Many supporters will be haranguing Wenger for failing throw some money at bringing a new face to keep goal but you can’t always get what you want and we all know that is not how he works. The situation puts pressure on him and, indeed, the goalkeepers at the club but it is up to them as professionals to respond to that pressure positively.

As we embark on the first international break of the season, and taking stock of the last few weeks, Arsenal supporters should also be very happy with the start that has been made to the campaign. Seven points have been taken from a possible nine and two traditionally tricky away games have been negotiated and gotten out of the way early.

Saturday’s victory at Blackburn was particularly pleasing. The clash of cultures between the Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal and teams managed by Sam Allardyce has been well-documented over the past decade and the Gunners have had some of their roughest days playing Allardyce sides. However, at the weekend, they held off plenty of late pressure from Rovers to cling onto their 2-1 lead.

It was excellent to see Theo Walcott picking straight up where he left off against Blackpool and notching the first goal. Again, he showed a degree of directness and assertiveness that has been missing during his time at Arsenal. If being left out of England’s World Cup squad in the summer has had the duel impact of both giving him a good rest and the time for him to consider that he has to start genuinely stepping up to the plate and raising his game, then that is all to the good.

He got plenty of criticism last season from pundits and fans, myself included, and it is hard to argue that it wasn’t deserved. However, nothing would please me more than if he made a telling contribution to Arsenal’s campaign this time round and proved his doubters wrong. The fact he has already equalled his previous best-ever goal tally in a Premier League season surely bodes well for the months ahead.

It was disappointing to see that Robin Van Persie picked up an ankle injury in Saturday’s match. Hopefully, it won’t keep him out for too long. Cesc Fabregas still looked a little short of complete fitness but another couple of weeks should see him right.

Usually it is a shame to see players go off on international duty but, with a solid start to the season banked, it will give everyone a few more weeks to pull themselves up to full pace (assuming they don’t return with injured!). It’s been a good start. Let’s hope the players can build on it further when they return.

Source: David Young, ESPN Soccernet on 1 Sep 10

Cancel that order for the silver polish then

Manuel Almunia had a decent game against Blackburn on Saturday. He’s had decent games before and he’ll have a few more yet. He will also have a few games in which his lack of ability at the level he is being asked to play will cost his team points. Remember the corner at Anfield little over two weeks ago that he flapped at and completely missed? It didn’t result in a goal, but that was more down to fortune than anything. Remember him pushing the ball into the net at Birmingham last season at a time when Arsenal were miraculously still in the title race? And we’ll always have Paris in 2006. Barcelona’s winning goal would have been prevented by a better keeper. Yes, Almunia had pulled off a blinding reaction save shortly before the interval, but his mistakes will often undo his good work.

Arsenal need a top class keeper to challenge for the two trophies Arsene Wenger thinks are worth bothering with. Wenger knows it, the board know it, the players know it and the fans know it. Opposing teams also know it. There is no doubt that the money is there and there was talk yesterday that the club had offered 14 million euros plus Almunia for Hugo Lloris, the French international shotstopper. And the attempt to secure Mark Schwarzer has been a running story for weeks.

Why did Arsenal fail to secure either? Because although they have a big club turnover and big club admission prices, they sure don’t have big club pretentions on the football field. And the manager has unquestionably developed a small club mentality when it comes to buying players. Sometimes, you just need to pay the asking price and be done with it. Manchester United don’t mess around trying to save the last penny on a transfer deal. Their target is identified, they bargain hard and they make a decision. If the price is too high they move damn quick to secure an alternative and don’t worry about counting the pennies. United have won a number of trophies since Arsenal last managed one.

Ever heard of speculating to accumulate? Wenger told shareholders in May 2009 that he would use all the resources at his disposal to improve his team’s chances of success. I am afraid that, as of September 1st 2010, that answer has to be filed under bullsh*t. Because he hasn’t. Arsenal have money in the bank and a nice guy in goal. That combination isn’t going to win you anything. Wenger will face shareholders again in a couple of weeks’ time, but this time, questions must be pre-submitted. Let’s face it, we can’t have an open exchange in which honest and frank views are expressed by those that are part-owners of the club, and hence Wenger’s employers. They might just be unfavourable and in the land of Arsene, nothing at all is wrong and the players beyond criticism. London Colney is football’s version of The Big Rock Candy Mountain.

It isn’t good enough, and sadly, when it begins to collapse, the fans will turn on Almunia, and the manager too. I have a little sympathy for the player. He is attempting to do his job as instructed by his employers, he simply isn’t quite good enough at it. But he doesn’t decide whether to buy a better replacement. He seemed to be saying his goodbyes after the Blackburn game and was conscientious to sign every autograph that was asked of him for fans waiting in the rain by the team coach. It’s just a shame that he will become the fall guy once again as Arsenal drop key points. The signing of Lloris would have made perfect sense with a French-speaking back four in front of him, and two further Frenchmen in the holding midfield positions to boot.

Instead we have an experiment that has failed too often. A keeper who is weak at set pieces and easily intimidated. Arsenal managed to keep Blackburn at bay from free kicks on Saturday with the offside trap. But corners and long throw-ins presented problems and what was required was a clear the decks keeper who will take out all and sundry as he claims the ball. Wenger’s side were a shade fortunate in the first half as Rovers missed a couple of headers that would have gone in on another day. So Almunia will be targeted and he will eventually cost points as he so often does. Arsenal will fall short again and that will make it six years without a trophy.

The bank balance, however, is looking particularly healthy. Someone has calculated the team’s net spend this summer in the transfer market as around £3 million. The equivalent of the takings for a single matchday. When you add the savings made from not paying William Gallas anymore (his wages probably equal to the combined amount being paid to the three new arrivals) then it’s a valid question to ask about the manager’s ambitions. The football will probably be good enough to keep the team in the top four, but the glass ceiling that is a consequence of the lack of squad depth in key positions won’t be broken. Maybe the quarter finals once again in Europe and the predictable exits in the domestic cups. It’s same old same old, as indeed are the weaknesses in the team, and as with every year, the manager has not addressed them fully. Presumably Fabianski comes in if Almunia gets injured. What a joke Arsenal have become. No wonder Cesc Fabregas can’t wait to get out.

But for a million or two, Mark Schwarzer could have been here in July. You have to wonder where all the money saved over the years by not buying sufficiently will end up. Will it ever be spent or is it just being siphoned off by directors using some clever accountancy techniques? Self-sufficiency is all well and good, but at least reap the rewards of what you sew. Arsenal have made serious profit over the last 12 months. If it’s all about self-sufficiency can someone give Arsene Wenger and the board an allotment to tend and hand over the decision making at the club to someone who knows what is required to win a trophy?

Source: Kevin Whitcher, The Online Gooner on 1 Sep 10