Tuesday Thoughts

By: travis | November 4th, 2008

Today is a day of rest for the Gunners, and with the injury list beginning to read more and more like a first XI, it’s a welcome sight for a team that is already looking weary. All you can do is shake your head and wonder why the boss was so stubborn as to not bolster the squad. I’m not going to squabble about Hleb, Flamini or Gilberto, but the likes of Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs providing depth ahead of the latest CL fixture, it’s a growing concern. Especially with Man United lingering on the horizon.

Jorge Moran at Fox Soccer sounds off about the Gunners, pointing blame directly at Arsene:

The issue is as perplexing to me as it must be for many an Arsenal supporter. At the risk of committing footballing sacrilege, however, I feel that most of Arsenal’s current plight comes down to Wenger.

It pains me to write that because I respect the man more than I probably should admit. Yet he alone holds the reins of his club. There is no director of football lurking in the shadows, puppeteering and maneuvering without the Frenchman’s knowledge or approval. Wenger has molded Arsenal how he’s pleased.

Good points raised. There can be no other place to go, even with the struggles of the players on the pitch. It’s the players that he has put his faith in, and perhaps they are letting him down a bit – but he hasn’t set them up for success in the way that he could have. With all of Philippe Senderos’ failings on the big stage, wouldn’t he have been useful against Hull City, when they scored off that corner kick, or dealing with Rory Delap’s throws? We know that the partnership of Kolo Toure and William Gallas hasn’t been wildly successful, and throwing in a Man United reject seems to be yielding very little, aside from making three-fourths of the back line French. This is an issue that will be tested and under the microscope from now until January, when reinforcements (hopefully) arrive.

The injury news ahead of tomorrow’s match against Fenerbahce isn’t good. As expected, Theo and Adebayor are added to the list. It is still unsure how long they’ll be out for, but from the looks of both players I would venture a guess of several weeks – although there is chatter that Walcott could make it back for the weekend. A win tomorrow would go a long way towards boosting morale and preparing for the tough task of facing Manchester. More to come tomorrow.