Some Pride Kept Intact

A respectable 0-0 against worthy multi Champions Man Utd, but at least the season doesn't end with another hammering or hard defeat. We lined up in a rough 4-5-1, and whilst it gave us a lot of balance and control in midfield, we lacked the objective of the game, an ability to score. It is solutions like this that we must find asap before the season kicks off in 3 months time. Another aspect that i did not get it constantly throwing in crosses when there is no one in the box? Also the picking on Evra was childish, and no club like Arsenal should be involved in such negative actions.

Ratings

Fabianski 6: Good performance, then again United never tested him, good charge out vs Tevez.

Sagna 6: Solid as nails as a defender, needs to show more in his crossing, don't cross if there is no one in the box.

Gibbs 6: Not much work, handled Ronaldo well.

Toure 6: Close to back what we expect from him, got forward as well.

Song 7: Good showing, made tactical fouls as well.

Denilson 7: Doesn't funnel the opposition into blind alleys, but a good micro link man.

Diaby 6: We need to see more, he is not an average player, he can really scale the heights if he pushes himself more.

Fabregas 6: Where has his passing gone?

Nasri 7: We need to find a place for him in central midfield asap, very mobile and can spot the moving pass.

Arshavin 5: Invisible.

Van Persie 6: Up against tough defenders, could not get anything from them.

*Little noises about Adebayor who never travelled after a very revealing interview on BBC Football Focus, his future is in the air.*

This is no TEAM, it's 11 EMPLOYEE'S who are contracted for 90mins.

Gosh, that was a true horror show today. Despite some good moments, even those in a Sunday League game know the basic rules, if you concede, ensure you can outscore the opposition. Thus you either need an awesome striker up front, or numbers that break forwards...Arsenal have neither and decide to only have 1 striker and 4 on the bench.

Arsenal have no defence, those up the pitch don't want to do it, those paid to do it at the back look like it's a foreign job to them. The common denominator when Arsenal have caught a bashing has been Silvestre (4-4 Spurs, 3-0 City, 4-4 Liverpool, 4-1 Chelsea), but the others offer no help. Fabianski needs to calm down or get out.

Wenger yet again is the primary fault though. How many times has his trick of Diaby on the left worked? How many times has his 4-5-1/-4-2-3-1/whatever new formation he employs worked? Until this is sorted out, we may see more results like this.

Ratings:

Fabianski 2: Not good enough, caught starring for the first, bad movement for the second, went walk about for the third, too slow to react for the fourth.

Sagna 3: Bad crosses, outnumbered on the overlap, got an assist though.

Toure 2: Never takes responsibility, had an own goal and argued with Drogba, we need a defensive leader, not a player just who plays.

Silvestre 3: Bad marking, but cleared and cleaned up better than Toure. Bad summer buy.

Gibbs 4: Not outplayed, but with the team so far behind, we needed a converted winger to rampage more to get us back in the game.

Walcott 2: No brain, no left foot, and a new contract! Too predictable, just as Gallas warned him, needs to step up to justify his starting spot and £60 000 contract.

Song 5: Not mobile, but physical and clean passing, a delicious lob to spot Walcott as well. One of the better players unfortunately.

Fabregas 2: Early card and the goal came from his foul, from there, his head dropped, no inventive passing, resign as captain if the job is too big.

Nasri 5: Has not found his role in the team, lots of technical brilliance and knows how to use it, but not finding the route to goal for himself or other team mates.

Diaby 1: How many chances does he want, although on the flank, it should allow him more space to express himself. Bad decision making, a loan spell or a transfer, he is a passenger we do not need unless he lives up to his talent.

Van Persie 3: Not a lone striker, not in the box enough, not a match winner today.

Denilson 4: Not much impact.

Adebayor 3: is he a striker or a link man? Strikers must pass and get into the box, not hang around trying to find a pass. Two shouts for a penalty, looks lazy at times.

Bendtner 6: Scored a good goal, a very direct player, lots of energy, and tries his best. If everyone tried like him, we may be somewhere not losing like this.

The Inquest Begins.

As the case is, to find out what Le Boss really says, do not catch it on the BBC or SkySports, instead turn to the French Media. Speaking to French Media, the Arsenal chief confessed "This is my biggest disappointment. Fans were expecting a great evening ... And to disappoint them like that, it's a huge disappointment. "....."I have to take a step back and review the situation. In recent months we were making good progress. But we are failing to win the matches that really matter. This calls for reflection. "

Upon speaking to one Arsenal squad member who also played, he opined ,"I was very surprised that the leaders of the team gave up so easily, we have 60 000 fans who have come to see Arsenal fight for 90mins, and if we are to lose, let us lose with them in mind."

Two conclusions from this, the Arsenal manager has realised that this is the last straw, and the frustations of the fans will be intensified more next season unless significant changes are made. He also realises that this team has shown it is not equipped to win trophies, in the big matches, the team constantly loses, think of the title run in last year where his side threw the matches against Chelsea and Man Utd, and also threw away the match against Liverpool in the Champions League.

The second is one player has realised he has to break ranks and take leadership in this side, such a defeat will increase this players stock with the fans, whilst some other senior members must take a good long look at themselves in the role of this crushing defeat.

Do or Die Time yet again.

As we have become used, Arsenal's season comes down to one game to define a season, this time we must beat the reigning European CHAMPIONS, World CHAMPIONS, English CHAMPIONS, League Cup CHAMPIONS....get the drift? Manchester United have not lost for 24 games in Europe, and taught Arsenal a lesson at Old Trafford, thank God we have Almunia.

I hope the manager Wenger does not mess around with fancy formations or deployments, we need to be simple, play to our strengths, take the game to the opponents, and crucially WIN. This means no 4-2-3-1, no 4-5-1, it means 4-4-2, and if Van Persie cannot start, Bendtner can, after all he has scored 14 goals, 2 less than Adebayor and 3 less than Van Persie, he can score so play him.

It also means stop the Diaby project immediately, he was supposed to offer physical battling vs Chelsea and Man Utd and did not, he was supposed to get forward and try score and did not, it's like playing with 10 men, only that he takes up space. Play Song or Denilson and lets get on with it.

For the sake of all Arsenal fans, lets stop playing attractive football and lets start playing WINNING FOOTBALL. This starts tomorrow Wenger, the players and fans need to get that WINNING MENTALITY back now.