DW Thomas 
The answer to this is simple, yet hard to come by. A trophy. Be it Carling or FA Cup or the league title or Champions League, we need to end the drought. Like a man in the desert, stranded, thirsty, the fans deserve it, and the club needs it. Finishing 3rd or 4th is just not good enough anymore. Second either. The team have learned plenty of lessons in the past 6 seasons of how to throw things away. Clearly we should be able to see the signs and stop them early. There is a recipe for success that Wenger still won’t follow. I am no psychic, no mind reader. I cannot predict the future. As human beings, we can only control what we can and have to trust to a higher power that the rest will take care of itself. However, Wenger continues to avoid doing the things under his control to bring this club championships. To make us winners again. He can and should do more and that is all we critics ask.
Everyone talked about how it was inevitable we lost the Carling Cup game this year to City. Why? We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years, so I think any trophy possible is a good thing, no? The slack defending on the counter cost us a possible semi-final spot. But, where was Wenger? Again he praises the failure. His words: “That's just a learning process and I feel sorry we lost a game like that which we shouldn't have.” I am no ignoramus. I know you must spin things now and then to protect your team and players. But, where is the other side of that coin from Arsene? Only once in the last few years have I heard about the man raising his voice and tearing into his team about a poor performance or loss. Learning process, still? We need a manager who isn’t afraid to give his team and players a good “hairdryer” when the occasion presents itself. Stop coddling these players, even the young ones. And maybe we would pull off a win like the CC game the other night. I for one would have remembered it for a long, long time. And no, I don’t think a real turnaround has happened yet. Arsene again: “But the spirit has been excellent again and that will take us far.” What is far? Top four? Far should be the top, a trophy. When he says these things, it makes me yearn for someone else. Someone who can, at least once in a while, be honest. These types of losses occur all too often these days for my palate.
We need to buy and now. This January we have another chance to strengthen. No more talk of killing other players’ motivation
Arsene, you must from now on keep our top players, even some into their retirement. Show RVP, TV, and Wilshire you are serious about competing in the modern game. Keep older players with loyalty around to teach the young guns a thing or two about dedication and commitment, hard work. No longer can you let our best players leave and tell us it will all be ok. It won’t. Remember Man United this year? The Blackburn game? By strengthening the squad, you not only bring in better players, but those who are already here get competition for places and a message this club wants to win. The cream will rise to the top.
I will support and watch this team through thick and thin. But, I will not stand idly by when I think our great club is falling or going backwards under a once great manager. I don’t just want to beat bottom three clubs like Wigan. Arsene and the club can still be great again. Our history shows this. But, time waits for no man. Six failed seasons is too long. If profits and top four is all this club aspire too, we will continue to see our best players leave and substandard ones come in. We cannot indulge players not cutting it season after season anymore. It is this one thing that Man United and Ferguson do that keeps them top drawer each year. They trim the fat and reinforce their team each year while keeping proven veterans to show others the ropes. And I do not like United very much. But, I respect winners, no matter how much I loathe them. They continue to win and have won even when they lose players like Ronaldo. Sure, develop our youth, but how many Jack Wilshires will come through our academy again? Give those quality players we have more of a chance as well. Even Park and Chamakh are owed more time. The Ox should start receiving more minutes soon as well. Why keep that kind of talent on the bench so often? It is well known players can burn out if not rested, but he has not even been a sub in many games this year.
Once our squad is up to par, I believe the poorer quality players will stand out more and be shown the door sooner. Or else the level of expectation will push them to succeed and become better. Look at the character and mettle of a player, not just their talent. We could have signed a player like Scott Parker on the cheap but didn’t. And look at the year he is having with our bitter rivals and England. Yes, I’d still rather have Arteta and Gervinho than Parker, but we need more players who are battlers. Arsenal still have some big holes to fill, and we can’t wait until this summer to get the old shovel out. If we are to be great again, we must continue to build and grow. Only one man has the power right now to do it.
