Sunday 6 April 2008

R.I.P title challenge, bring on Liverpool (again)

For me it is extremely hard to say this, so I'll take a deep breath, count to five and type it down......1....2....3....4....5....the title challenge is over. R.I.P title challenge.

I said I would NEVER give up till the end, but I'm throwing the towel in now. I'm so gutted right now and I look out the window see the snow fall and it reminds me of how Arsenal's title challenge has come tumbling down. (poetic!)

After dropping points against Liverpool yesterday, the gap between us and United is too big to close. Especially with the number of games remaining. And whats annoying is I bet 'Boro pull off a shock victory today! It would be typical!

The squad that Wenger has built at Arsenal is very very talented. There is no denying that. I feel though it's just the numbers that we lack. We have high quality just a lack of quantity.

There will be work for Wenger to do in the summer. I don't think a major overhaul is needed, far from it. If we can keep this squad together and add a couple more players to strengthen certain positions then Arsenal will be a major force to contend with.

The Premiership title race is a marathon, not a sprint and Arsenal sprinted out of the traps very quickly. United and Chelsea have squad's big enough to cope with marathons, Arsenal, at the moment, don't.

Perhaps we peaked to early in the season? It seems that way. But this season will undoubtedly provide the squad we have with the final piece of the puzzle. Experience.

With a couple more players added then Arsenal will be more than ready to last the distance next season. I'm certain of that.

So for this season, the title race is over. It was nice to be involved even if it may have ended slightly earlier than we would have liked. It's the first time since 2005 that we have been in the mixer and next season we will be more than capable of lasting the distance.

It should be even more interesting next season of course. I feel that it will be a four-horse race, with Liverpool coming into the mixer. They are only one or two players away from competing with ourselves, United and Chelsea too.

And talking of Liverpool, we of course have to play them (again!) on Tuesday.

So with the title gone, we turn our attentions to the do or die game in the Champions League on Tuesday. In fairness Liverpool should be dead and buried after Arsenal's performance in the second half of the first leg.

We should have been going to Anfield with the game as a formality. It is of course, not a formality. It will be a very very hard game. Liverpool will feel that they have the edge after the away goal, and rightly so.

I feel though that Arsenal most defiantly have a goal in them at Anfield. It will be a fantastic game and Arsenal will play as they always play. It will be interesting to see how Liverpool play though.

Will they come out and try to put the tie to bed? Or will they sit compact like they did at the Emirates content with the away goal that they have? I dont think that the Liverpool fans will be happy with the second option at home, or will they?!

I have every confidence in Arsenal going to Anfield and claiming a very famous European victory. It will be tough of course, but this game has become a must win for both sides as it is the only piece of silver-ware remaining for either.

And I hope that will be enough motivation for Arsenal to have. To come so far this season and end up potless would be a travesty.

Keep it Goonerish.....

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm gutted too.

Wrighty you have defended this team and your NEVER say die attitude all season has been refeshing.

You now realise though what the rest of us Gooners have been saying for a while.
ITS OVER!

Agree that next season we will win the league.

Anonymous said...

ARSENAL NEED TO FIND A NEW MANAGER, PURE AND SIMPLE.

WENGER HAS TAKEN ARSENAL AS FAR AS HE CAN. I SUGGEST GIVING HIM THE OPTION OF TAKING OVER AS CHAIRMAN OR JUST RELEASING HIM.

GET IN A WINNER, LIKE MOURINHO. DONT CARE HOW WE PLAY, JUST WANT TO WIN THINGS.

PRETTY FOOTBALL DOESNT WIN YOU TROPHIES DOES IT WRIGHTY7!

Anonymous said...

I do wonder if Wenger has taken Arsenal as far as he can. Our transfer policy holds us back. While other teams strengthen each season, Arsene, with the odd exception, seems to make buys for the future. Even in cases where he does make a purchase for the first team we have never heard of the player. Now I’m not saying that a player is better just because we have heard of him, but just for once it would be nice to have Wenger pull off transfer of the decade.

Anonymous said...

We are tired of watching beautiful football with no trophy to show for it for 3 good years, beautiful football to me are the ones played by our Invincible team and the squad that won us the double not this squad…. They are only good at one thing (Passing) which is not good enough, few of our players will only make it to Man UTD, Chelsea, Liverpool,R. Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan or Bayern Munich first team… Am i saying rubbish? Yes! No! Yes!! No!!

Anonymous said...

WENGER IS A LEGEND

IT's OVER THIS SEASON THOUGH

Anonymous said...

Wenger has not taken Arsenal as far as he can, not yet.

Team still young guys, most people thought we'd be 5th this season behind Spurs (lol)

I think Wenger will have to add a couple of established players next season and we'll be back on track.

I love Wenger's policy to buy young and cheap, however, to make this squad winners we need a couple of players that are already winners.

In my opinion these players should leave now:

Eboue
Lehmann (age)
Hoyte
Gilberto

I am willing to put up with these players for another year or so:

Denilson
Song
Rosicky (gets injured too often)
Bendtner

That means we can potentially get rid of 8 players within the next 2 seasons, that gives us a lot of room for signing some better players.

Anonymous said...

We should sell a huge amount of players and have a massive overhaul at this club.

Its obvious that they are not good enough,

proved by the collapse at the end

Anonymous said...

With all due respect once again arsenal fans know little about european football..

If you seriously think arsenal are going to come to anfield and attack and have it thier way then you are in seriousl trouble.

You totatally have no idea how anfield or liverpool are in europe, trust me this is like nothing you can prepare for.

Anonymous said...

Speaking as a Liverpool fan, you lot would be absolutely nuts if you got rid of Wenger. Whatever happens this season, Wenger just needs to be backed in the transfer market and sign a couple more players. He's one of the best managers in the world and you shouldn't forget that ... anyway, enough about Arsenal, come on Liverpool!!!!!

northbank said...

Your right our season hangs on tues night. but even if we win which i think we will, I don't think it will cover over a bad season for us to finish 3rd in the EPL will not be good enough. As for the team i think to seriously compete over a season we need more like 5/6 top qualty players, And this starts from the back
New keeper
world class centre half
Two attacking goal scoring wingers
and out and out goal scorer!

On a brighter note at least we don't support Liverpool who play the worst football i have seen at the emerates from a big club this season. Liverpool will try to hold there lead on tuesday, and play on the break. which i hope will play into our hands.

I think this poor season for us can only be blamed on one person the gaffer! He has £70 million in the transfer pot. yet buys no one of note. I would give him one more season but if he continues to stick with this youth team policy and buys no experince then his postion at the club has to be put under pressure. He is in a far to powerful place at the club with near total control, in this postion there are no excuses when we win nothing!

Anonymous said...

Arsenal WILL win at Anfield, it pains me to say it. (as a Spurs fan) Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal

Anonymous said...

I'm fed up with listening to people going on about Anfield as a fortress in Europe. It's 90 minutes of football that Arsenal are more than capable of winning. And anyway in recent years Liverpool have the WORST home record in Europe out of the top four. FACT!

Anonymous said...

I'm sick of Wenger not delivering and refusing to spend, this is now three years without a sniff of a trophy, he has to go.

NWGooner

Anonymous said...

[quote]Anonymous said...
I'm fed up with listening to people going on about Anfield as a fortress in Europe. It's 90 minutes of football that Arsenal are more than capable of winning. And anyway in recent years Liverpool have the WORST home record in Europe out of the top four. FACT![/quote]

Oops :)