What a very frustrating start to the season it really has been. Once again we are blighted by injuries & cursed with goalkeeping mistakes. Did anyone really believe we could go to Stamford Bridge without Cesc, TV, RVP, Gibbs & Theo & get a result? If you replicated that injury list for Chelsea they would lose Lampard, Terry, Drogba, Malouda & Cole, (I know Lampard didn't play) I think they would have struggled with that even though they have a much larger squad than we do.

Our lack of tactical diversity & physical strength were also shown up again, we dominated possession but without Cesc we lack the killer ball. It was telling to see even Malouda leaving his foot in (including the very nasty over the ball one on his mate Sagna) & to once again watch Drogba push, pull & bully our lightweight defence.

I do not wish to return to George Graham's brand of football (despite the success it brought) but some of the grit & determination wouldn't go amiss. Our first choice 11 is a match for the majority of teams but is definitely short of what is required to beat Chelsea & Man U domestically and Barca & Inter in the Champions League. I am not one of the people who thinks we have a divine right to win trophies but to feel we will be in the mix come May would be nice. I have broken the squad down player by player & this is my verdict:

1 Almunia - Not good enough pure & simple, got to go.
2 Diaby - Possibly the most frustrating player in the squad, shows signs of brilliance but that is always ruined by lapses of concentration & lethargy, au revoir.
3 Sagna - Not great at defending, not great at overlapping & he can't cross a ball, I prefer Eboue & that sums it all up. Bench.
4 Fabregas - Just started to hit his stride when he got injured (again), the bottom line is we cannot win big games without him & it's very difficult to see either Wilshere or Ramsey replacing his influence or spark in the short term. We need him to play every week if we are to win anything this year.
5 Vermaelen - Our best & most consistent performer last season, his absence has just proved how important he is, still needs a big ball-winning brute to play with.
6 Koscielny - Similar to Diaby, he often does something really good followed by something excessively stupid.
7 Rosicky - Not the player he was before his long term injury. His reluctance to shoot drives me to distraction (although I nearly cried when I saw he was going to take the penalty at Sunderland). Should only be a squad player & his inclusion in the starting line up this season is testament to our current injury situation.
8 Nasri - Would benefit from playing a more central role but with Cesc & a holding midfielder that only really leaves the option of playing Cesc in the hole behind the central striker so it looks like the wing for the foreseeable future (or at least until Cesc does the off).
10 Van Persie - World class but a complete waste of talent, far too fragile & you cannot build a team around a player who plays 15 games a season, a real shame.

11 Vela - Would be a good player in Spain but lacks the necessary strength to succeed in England. Bye.
14 Walcott - I finally thought he was starting to fulfill his potential when he got injured (again), may have the same problem as Vela & is often targeted for that reason.
15 Denilson - The modern day Ray Wilkins. His reluctance to pass forward stifles our flow, apart from Almunia & Flapihandski, the player that I would like to see leave most.
16 Ramsey - Another talented boy, I just hope his progress resumes when he returns, I think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest he will be as good as Cesc but few people are.
17 Song - Had a very good season but has failed to replicate that so far this term. Is far too profligate & needs to play simple passes to the more creative members of the midfield instead of trying to be clever.
18 Squillaci - Looks solid enough but lacks the stature to deal with the Drogbas of this world, could be a short term fix to partner TV but the same can be said for Koscielny.
19 Wilshere - His development has been one of the few highlight of the season so far, still a long way to go but he's definitely going in the right direction, needs to be brought along gently. It's worrying that he seems to be on the receiving end a lot of dubious & heavy challenges but he seems quite robust despite his diminutive stature.
20 Djourou - Not only does he lack the talent to make it at the highest level, he is also injury prone, another one for the exit door.

21 Fabianski - His reputation & confidence is irreparable at our club, I watch every corner or free kick from behind my sofa when he plays. Think he might develop but not with us, taxi for Flapihandski.
22 Clichy - Should be 2nd string but fortunately for him like many of our best players, Gibbs gets injured far too frequently. Clichy is a weakness that has been exploited by our opponents far too often.
23 Arshavin - Talks a good game but rarely produces, I think AW would cash in on him but who would take him? The type of disruptive influence that a club doesn't need.
24 Mannone - Should be our 2nd choice keeper, like our current 1 & 2 he does look a bit dodgy but deserves another go after a few good performances last season.
27 Eboue - Solid & steady, he's never going to set the world alight but is a better defender that Sagna & I would play him.
28 Gibbs - A very talented boy who, injuries permitting will take Ashley Cole’s England place in the next three seasons. If he can stay fit he will go on to replace Ken Sansom, Nigel Winterburn & the aforementioned as the best left back the club has ever had, I rate him that highly.
29 Chamakh - Reminds me of Alan Smith, the unfortunate thing for him is he will not get the service Smudger got so will never be a 20-30 goal a year striker. Could be a good partner for RVP if he ever comes back but as we now play a 4-5-1 system that's very unlikely to happen.

35 Frimpong - Another whose injury came at a very inopportune moment. I've watched his progress for the last couple of years & I had him down as the player most likely to make it from a talented bunch which included Wilshere - high praise indeed. Song would have been under severe pressure with how poorly he has started the season had Frimpong not have got injured.
37 Eastmond - Looked dependable enough last season but hasn't featured much this year. Needs more time.
41 Emmanuel-Thomas - Not sure about him, think he has caught the lethargy bug from Diaby but unlike Diaby he has time on his side, worth persevering with.
46 Lansbury - Another youngster I'd like to see blooded this season. Played well at WHL & my Watford contact spoke very highly of him.
52 Bendtner - I'm not one of the people who doubts he has talent but if he doesn't fulfill it this year it should be his last chance. Needs to get playing asap as his opportunities will be limited when RVP is fit, 3rd choice, bench warming beckons.
53 Szczesny - I'd give him a go, he can't be worse than our two first choice keepers & I'm reliably informed by Brentford fans that he is a very good keeper which even at League 1 standard is more than can be said for MA & LF.

If everyone were fit this is my starting 11: Szczesny, Gibbs, TV, Squillaci/Koscielny, Eboue, Nasri, Cesc, Song, Walcott, RVP & Chamakh & that team would give 99% of teams a game. This being said I'd still like to sign an experienced top quality keeper, a large ball winning centre half & a strong holding midfielder, also with the injuries to Bendtner & RVP we probably need a regular goalscorer too. Then we really would be a threat in the major trophies.