Simon Jailler
I’ve noticed that a few Newcastle fans have posted replies to the various post mortems of the St James Park debacle published elsewhere on these pages and they are largely spot on with their comments. Yes, Joey Barton does not make many friends on the pitch but wouldn’t we also like a few hard men in red & white to boss the Arsenal half of the pitch and beyond? Arsenal’s enforcers of yesteryear would have kicked Barton all over the pitch but we don’t have even one of those in the 2010/11 vintage of Chateau Le Wenger. Perhaps the 20:20 camera coverage of today makes exacting revenge on Barton a near guaranteed red card but if Arsenal had kept their heads and had instead allowed Newcastle to lose theirs and fly in with wild tackles, the Gooner contributors would instead be savouring 3 points gained and closing the gap at the top to 2 points.
As our friends up North also rightly say, Referee Mr Dowd was at least even handed in his shockingly bad officiating to both sides. It’s not just the quality of play overall in the Premier League which has been poor this season. Much of the decision making by the officials has also been substandard fare
Thomas Rosicky and Clichy both looked lightweights and all at sea when Newcastle pushed on following Diaby’s departure. Gibbs is at least challenging Clichy and should succeed him for the left back role but Tomas is now well past his best playing days and we don’t need anymore flyweights in the side who can’t punch above their weight when the opposition start throwing their weight forwards. There is indeed only one Song at Arsenal and that state of affairs can’t be allowed to continue forever more.
The goalkeeping issue seems to have resolved itself more by accident than any grand design but Szczesny needs some defenders worthy of that job description in front of him otherwise all that talent and potential will be wasted. The Verminator’s return date is uncertain and if Squillaci is a stopgap signing then where are the long term centrebacks we can build an all conquering side upon? I’m hoping Koscielny will bulk up and rise to the physical demands of English football but he should be a squad player and not first choice alongside Vermaelen. As ever, Djourou starts to look the business before his creaking body fails again (I’ll leave it to someone else to bemoan the injury prone state of our entire squad) and we’re left with no reinforcements able to step up and perform to Arsenal standards.
I should be delighted with the season so far – one cup final place secured, second in a League surrounded by fallible, equally underperforming teams and still competing in Europe and the FA Cup – but I’m not because all the failings of the current Arsenal side are all so predictable and should be well within the capabilities of Le Boss to fix. It’s unacceptable that:-
1. Arsenal field players who earn upwards of £20,000 per week can’t get to grips with rudimentary defensive play;
2. a club of the stature and resources of Arsenal have only two fully(?) fit centrebacks for selection;
3. of late, Arsene can’t find or develop players who can tackle and shield the defence;
4. we have all that talent at Arsene’s disposal and loads of glory still to play for but absolutely no guts to get stuck in and win it; and
5. almost worst of all, performances this season have been so poor that I have to listen helplessly to muppets like Alan Shearer, Alan Hansen, Gary Lineker and Mark Lawrenson ridicule Arsenal, week after week in their inimitable mind numbingly dull style.
Sort it out please Arsene.
