That's Arsenal's season pretty much done with for another year, then

[CrapHacker]

What it says up there, really.

I suppose we'd best keep trying for the Champions league.

But I think we have to admit that for all the great kids we have, we're always going to struggle until we get a couple of top quality experienced, but not past it, midfielders/defenders that can just get us up that extra notch to compete with Chelsea and Man Utd.

Not saying our guys aren't great, but an Essien, or even a Mascherano would still raise the bar, and someone of the standing of Carvalho would squeeze in to the squad as well.

I'm no expert, so I'm sure there are several players from Spain and Italy that would be fine, but we need to invest £40 million to do it.

Is it worth the gamble now we've got the stadium secured, without going to the extremes verging on bankrupcy that utd have ? Dunno. Part of me is proud that we can get so close without spending the cash. But part of me thinks that we should be able to afford £40 without breaking the bank. And that should be enough, imo.

 

[Robobum]

It wasn't those kind of players that were the difference today, Arsenal don't have a Rooney/ Drogba/ Torres. Van Persie may have made a difference if he was fit but there was no cutting edge there today when their usual flowing football was missing.

 

[Imurg]

You have to wonder how many more years trophy-free they can before before heads start to roll.
Righteous as it is to not be in debt, if you don't win anything then what's the point of the stadium?

 

[vig]

If they beat Chelsea next week you may change your tune.

It's been a funny old season and there are more twists and turns to come i think.

Title will probably be won with lowest points total for a number of years.

I thought the game was a great advert for british football

 

[Dodger]

I hate to say 'I told you so' but....

 

[CrapHacker]

It wasn't those kind of players that were the difference today, Arsenal don't have a Rooney/ Drogba/ Torres. Van Persie may have made a difference if he was fit but there was no cutting edge there today when their usual flowing football was missing.

I don't think so. Yes it would be nice to have an extra top top forward, but it wasn't the forwards that conceded three goals.

If we can't stop other teams scoring, we can't expect to win. Arshavin and Fab could have done with extra support, true, and a top quality forward will never go amis, but we've got Eduardo, Walcott, and Van Persie, who are injured, coming back from injury, or just not quite there yet.

Van Persie managed 8 goals in 15 games before his injury. Cesc is unbelievable with 14 goals at better than 1 in 2. For me the lack of form and injuries suffered by Eduardo and Walcott haven't helped, and yes, someone with the power of Drogba would be handy, but we've scored plenty of goals this season. But Bendtner hasn't ever quite made it, and he's not emerged as a replacement for Adebayor ( who I was personally pleased to see the back of ).

I've been an Arsenal fan since '69 and I love the style of play that Wenger introduced. And I'm not overly bothered if don't win anything if we have the best squad we can afford. But we keep hearing that there is money to spend. Wenger wants the next Ronaldo, but he's not out there. True. But get the talent at a young age and develop it over time, and buy in top quality competitive players who are obviously cheaper.











I'll be fine tomorrow, just a tad fed up today.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I like the Arsenal pass and move style but there is no real cutting edge. You need someone like Rooney, Drogba, Torres, Defoe etc that will get the ugly goals. It seems at times that Arsenal always want to get the perfect goal. I think if you cna sneak a win next week (big ask though) then the title hunt is still on. I think a 3rd place and Champions League won't be a bad return on a season of consolidation and injury. I think Wenger needs to sign some names though to get the goals.

 

[julsk10]

I agree Craphacker. Our biggest problem is that we do not have a good enough midfield to protect the back four. To me the most disappointing thing today was that Utd wanted it more. For Rooney's goal Nasri and Denilson started tracking him, Nasri just stopped and Denilson made the same contribution he normally makes - none. I feel a quality goalscorer would help but please Wenger open the purse and buy a decent midfielder

 

[CrapHacker]

I like the Arsenal pass and move style but there is no real cutting edge. You need someone like Rooney, Drogba, Torres, Defoe etc that will get the ugly goals. It seems at times that Arsenal always want to get the perfect goal. I think if you cna sneak a win next week (big ask though) then the title hunt is still on. I think a 3rd place and Champions League won't be a bad return on a season of consolidation and injury. I think Wenger needs to sign some names though to get the goals.

I don't think today was about scoring goals -it was about not conceeding them.

Today would have been a good day for an ugly 1-0 win with an dodgy 80th minute deflected goal scored by a centre back.

We nearly got there, but there was something missing.

 

[TonyN]

I dont think cesc and arshavin needed any support today, I think they had enough chances and just had a woeful day. United were world class for the majority of the game and they didn't even play to there full potential.

Somedays you just have bad luck, I am sure you will be back to the sexy football in a week or two and will finish CL no bother!

 

[Robobum]

The days of "shutting up shop" and grinding out points or snatching breakway wins have gone in the games between the top sides, or certainly setting out with the intention of playing that way has.

The attacking players that are on the pitch for all these sides are such that you are playing a very risky game in trying to keep all of them quiet for 90 mins.

If you had a toss up between Cesc or Carrick then I'm sure the majority would plump for Cesc. However, yesterday Carrick's passing in the final 3rd was far more incisive and penetrating and only some good defending by Gallas & Vermaelen kept the score down in that first half.

 

[freddielong]

As an Arsenal fan IMO we are missing a good strong skillfull centre forward such as drogba I really like the look of the 16 yr old Romelu Lukaku and a decent keeper I think yesterday proved that Almonkey is the worst keeper in the top flight in any country.

 

[pokerjoke]

I dont think cesc and arshavin needed any support today, I think they had enough chances and just had a woeful day.































































United were world class for the majority of the game and they didn't even play to there full potential.



If world class is not full potential whats your definition of "full potential".

 

[USER1999]

I think alot of Arsenals problems this season stem from the goal keeper. Almunia seems to have taken a backward step, and the others aren't any better. We need a new keeper.

Denilson is lazy. Bring back Flamini. Song is good, but tired after the ACN, Diaby drifts in and out.

Rosicky, Nasri, Eduardo, RVP, Walcott, Diaby, are all injury prone.

Yet again this season we seem to be the only team in the prem with 11 injured players. I don't remember any time in the last 3 seasons when we have actually played our strongest 11. This is clearly an issue.

I don't think we need Drogba, we just need a new keeper, and every one fit, so there is competition for places, so the lazy ones have to work harder.

What the heck has happened to Clichy? He was the best LB in the prem, now he is the worst.

Pity GIbbs is injured. Oh, here we go again, another injury.

 

[pokerjoke]

I.M.O Arsenal are too lightweight,play great football but need some muscle in there.Sol cambells legs have gone.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I do think the keeper has been an issue for a while. Lehman was there a season too long and neither current incumbents feel me with confidence. I think its hard when a team has a keeper the don't trust and a back four that isn't settled. Going forward they still look a threat but I still think you need an out and out poacher. You were spoilt with Henry who could get the 2 yarder or hit one from 20.

 

[TonyN]

I dont think cesc and arshavin needed any support today, I think they had enough chances and just had a woeful day.































































United were world class for the majority of the game and they didn't even play to there full potential.



If world class is not full potential whats your definition of "full potential".

United are a world class side, and on the day they played world class football, but they didnt play aswell as they can do because if they did they wouldn't have conceaded and would have put away more of the chances they had.