Our Premiership Bid is Over: Aston Villa Report

As optimistic as I can be I still don't see how we can win the Premiership title this season. After the terrible loss to Aston Villa yesterday I was left speechless. I was practically in denial that we had loss but it finally hit me that we have now lost two matches at our supposed fortress, the Emirates, already this season. With four losses out of 13 we have the record of a mid-table team or at best a UEFA Cup one.

Unfortunately we must face the fact that we are now out of the race for the Premiership title. Only a miracle, such as a spectacular collapse by every team in front of us, will win us the title this season. I have to admit it has gotten extremely frustrating to see the other three big four clubs win every week while we struggle. We are supposedly challenging for the title and yet we have failed to establish any credentials.

So who is to blame for the 2-0 loss yesterday? I think it's a matter of bad circumstances. I've heard that the players are to blame for not having enough desire and determination to win. I've heard that it's Arsene Wenger's fault for tactically failing us and refusing to buy the players we need. But while both these assessments may or may not be true, I believe our problem is another, entirely different one. I've talked about it before, but I had never seen just how true it was until yesterday.

Look back at both of the teams that have been successful over the last eight years. The 2002 double-winning team and the Invincibles both had a strong defensive midfielder, Viera, who protected the defense and worked hard in midfield. When we reached the Champions League final in 2006 we had an in-form Gilberto to do the job. When Gilberto fell out of form last season Flamini took over and did an outstanding job and we accordingly dominated the Premiership until February.

This season we are lacking this particular quality. Neither Denilson nor Diaby can do the job required because as well-skilled and good-intentioned as both are they simply aren't good enough and don't know how to fill in there. We desperately need a defensive midfielder right now and I'm afraid that by the time January comes around it may be too late to save the season.

The only player available right now is Stephen Appiah, but reports that we were trying to sign him were found to be rubbish. Both Appiah and Arsene Wenger when asked denied it, and I fully believe them. Arsene Wenger is the owner and creator of our style of play. Think what you want but he knows better than anyone else who will fit into the Arsenal system. If he says he's not trying to sign a player then that means the player in question will not work with our style of play. Arsene knows, at least in this case; Appiah would not fit into our Arsenal system and so he was not signed.

But what annoys me to no end is when I read or hear that Arsene Wenger doesn't realise our midfield deficiencies and he is tactically unsound. Look at the evidence to the contrary. We can't see behind the scenes at the club or Arsene Wenger's thoughts, but there are enough glimpses into what's really going on that it is so easy to piece together I'm surprised that not many people have noticed it.

Arsene knows Denilson will not work as a defensive midfielder. As evidence look at the fact that Wenger has now used a 4-5-1 for the last three matches in a row (all at home, I would add, where we are supposedly best). Obviously injuries played a part but what about yesterday when Arsene had two strikers again? He stuck with a 4-5-1 for the defensive stability it brings.

Also, there are multiple sources who said after the summer transfer window that Arsene Wenger tried to sign at least three different top-quality defensive midfielders, including Xabi Alonso on deadline day. But he was rejected in every case. A few months later more evidence was brought to light that supports this fact. Arsene was asked about transfers and he said that it isn't as simple as everyone thinks it is to buy a player. More often than not when a big club wants a player the other club will charge immense prices or refuse to let the player go. This makes it sound like Wenger had experienced this recently, as indeed he did when he failed to sign at least three different midfielders in the summer.

Arsene Wegner also realises our weakness in youth. Two facts back this up: first is the obvious one when Arsene said after the Villa match that we are not consistent enough to win anything right now. Inconsistency comes from youth, and a more hazy piece of evidence came to light a few weeks ago when a player's agent (can't remember the player) denied reports that his player was being targeted by Arsenal by saying that he was informed that Arsenal were right now looking at more experienced options, moving away from youth for the time being. If this is true then it reveals that Arsene Wenger realises that the inconsistency of youth is costing the team right now and he's looking to add more experience to the squad.

So Le Boss realises what's going on and has a plan to fix it. But where does that leave us right now? I'm afraid that we need to accept that our bid for the Premier League title is now over. If not, then it will be by January in our current form. So let's forget the Premiership and focus on the trophies that we still can win. I think the Champio0ns League is very winnable. We are practically already in the knockout stages and all we need is a 0-0 draw at home to Dynamo Kyiv to ensure our place in the last 16. By the time of the knockout stages we will have already (hopefully) bought who we need in January and will be doing well again. Also, we could very well win the Carling Cup this year at current and if both of these challenges fail then we could still go for the F.A. Cup.

If Arsene Wenger, and indeed the rest of us, realise that the Premiership is now out of reach then we can still go on to win some things this year. I hope against hope that this happens and Arsene really does know. Keep the faith, and keep supporting Arsenal through thick and thin. I'll be there along for the ride,

Fab 4