Oh Arsene...

We've been here before. Extreme optimism and genuine belief turns into despair and resentment in the space of a few short (long, for Arsene Wenger) weeks. The last time such a collapse happened was in 2008, following Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Birmingham which memorably saw captain William Gallas sulking like a child on the floor in the opposition half alone while his team conceded a last minute penalty. It started a downward spiral that saw the Gunners' season crumble away. They were going well in the league and cup competitions before then, and now three years later I could substitute the same story and apply it to the present, with only minor details to change. The situation is still the same and the problem is still the same. Although the season is not completely over and I take the risk in writing them off too soon, many will agree, even Arsenal fans, that it is over after losing to Bolton on Sunday, and that they will finish their 38th Premier League game of 2010/11 without the title, and of course no other trophies as consolation. This will make it six years without any silverware, and for a club of Arsenal's stature, many will see it as unacceptable. Cesc Fabregas was even recently quoted as saying his manager Wenger would probably have been sacked from an equivalent club in Spain if he had presided over such a lengthy trophy drought. That is another matter, as this is England, and not Spain.

Some of the personnel may have changed since Arsenals 2007/08 late-season demise, yet the manager remains in place, the younger players that were on the fringes then and have remained at the club have arguably improved, and despite what may be made of Wenger's supposed reluctance to bring in 'big' players, the squad, I believe, is better than it was. Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin, for instance, are hardly unknown talents. However, the manager has remained, and the footballing philosophy is the same. With this unwavering Wenger philosophy of beautiful football inevitably comes the dissenting shouts of "frail" and "lack of maturity" whenever the excellent technical prowess that Arsenal possess as a team do not quite yield the right results that Manchester United or Chelsea would more likely be able to grind out. A valid summary of Arsenal's current predicament was aptly provided in two words on a football forum yesterday: "S**t Barcelona". Recent results have shown that Arsenal lack the grit to get the job done. I am not doubting the ability of any of the Arsenal players. On the contrary, I feel they have one of the best squads in the league in terms of ability. If the league was decided by mental state of mind, however, they would be mid-table at best, and I stress 'at best'. It is difficult to pinpoint the nature of this problem, though. Wenger clearly knows these players inside-out, yet when it comes to the crunch, it is left to him to come up with excuses about refereeing decisions or some other wild myths to account for the failings of those he sends out to win games.

People talk about the lack of big-money signings, and yes, they perhaps should be made in the summer to bring a bit more steel - psychological steel, if anything. Even one or two older heads would bring a balance to the squad, as too much pressure is heaped on Fabregas as captain to inspire and lead, and frankly he hasn't been consistent enough as a leader this season. The dire goalkeeping situation doesn't help either. Edwin van der Sar, for one, has shown that a championship winning team needs a world-class stopper, and the keepers that Arsenal have used this season have cost them more than they have saved them, most notably in the Carling Cup final. Stan Kroenke's increasing involvement with the club at a corporate level is an unknown entity. It is most likely the funds will be there for Arsene Wenger should he feel the need to utilise them, but his future, like the future of the club's ownership (with supporter shareholders unwilling to sell to the American) is uncertain. He still is the right man for the job, but those dissenting voices are not getting quieter.