Okay, okay, it’s time to think the unthinkable. Arsenal, those mighty Gunners, might not be quite as good as we thought. And, after grabbing a fortunate point off lowly Southampton at home last week, they travel to equally lowly Crystal Palace on Saturday. Let us pray.
Chelsea? They’ll probably put four past Everton this weekend, just like they have in successive weeks against Blackburn and West Brom.
Can Arsenal retain their title after years of restricted budgets? Can they hold moneybags Chelsea at bay? Not on current form.
This week, as the smoke clears after the Top Guns misfired in Europe again, real doubts are beginning to surface. After Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Panathinaikos the Arsenal bandwagon is well and truly derailed.
Right now, it’s tempting to say that Arsenal’s named derives from … No, better not go there.
We all raved about that 49-match unbeaten run that came unstuck during the pizza-throwing championship at Old Trafford a fortnight ago. And their youngsters looked good in beating Manchester City in the League Cup just last week.
But the truth is, they’ve let a lead slip three times in four Champions League outings and they were 1-0 up after 80 minutes against the Saints on Saturday and let in two headers in five minutes from the journeyman, Rory Delap.
Suddenly the greatest team in the world (some fools actually believed all that, he said with a very red face) is looking vulnerable (with a V for Vieira). Let’s dismantle this great side, zone by zone.
Thierry Henry has a tendency to sulk. Jose Reyes let himself be muscled out of the game at United. Dennis Bergkamp is getting no younger. So much for the strikers.
Crocked Gilberto Silvha and Edu might be Brazilian but their limited passing comes straight out of Brompton. Patrick Vieira was at fault for Delap’s second goal last week and he lost possession constantly against United. Cesc Fabregas is too young at 17. Freddie Ljungberg peaked three years ago, Robert Pires runs like a duck. That’s the midfield.
And at the back? I still love Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell is injured, Pascal Cygan is rubbish, Lauren isn’t a full back and Ashley Cole is a midfielder. That’s the case for the defence with Jens Lehmann guilty as charged: The worst goalkeeper in the Premiership.
Over the top? Probably. Arsenal always have a problem in November. That’s when the injuries and niggles start and Arsène Wenger, his spending hampered by the development of the new stadium at Ashburton Grove, just doesn’t have the depth.
Sure, the youngsters were great against Manchester City, but as Kevin Keegan pointed out: ‘That’s Arsenal’s third team.â€
Youngsters, as BBC pundit Alan Hansen once famously said, never win anything. Except at Manchester United in the 1990s of course.
Arsenal desperately need a decent, non-German goalkeeper. They must have better cover than Cygan for the illustrious Campbell. Gael Clichy should be tried on the other flank ahead of Lauren, Shaun Wright-Phillips should follow his step-dad Ian to Highbury in the January transfer window to replace Ljungberg.
But the biggest problem? Henry, player of the year and all that, has to play against the big boys like he does against the little no-hopers.
Former Arsenal hero Alan Smith, scorer of the European Cup Winners’ Cup winner against Parma in the 1994 final, insists: ‘Thierry was back to something like himself against Panathinaikos. The history books show Henry has often responded to the critics.â€
Well, they’ve been heavily critical of Henry and captain Vieira in recent days. Both were all but absent at Old Trafford, though they made a bitter, verbal contribution.
When Henry scored a dubious penalty against the Greeks, he chose to posture and pout rather than celebrate. Wasted energy, a pointless point. Wenger said of Cygan’s performance on Wednesday: ‘He played very well but was unlucky with the deflection.â€
That own goal could cost Arsenal a place in the Champions League knock-out phase, with PSV away a very difficult place to visit.
Wenger needs to see things for what they are. This is nasty November, it’s getting cold, his foreign players are starting to think about wearing their dinky gloves and the spine of the team, the injured Campbell, the recovering Vieira and humpy Henry are off colour.
It’s time to read the riot act, Arsène, or Chelsea will disappear over the horizon, leaving only a trail of roubles and a drugged Adrian Mutu behind them.
Enough of this rant. This week will pan out as follows, says the man who is never wrong. As you may have heard last Friday morning on SAFM’s big debate: The way forward is more pizza-throwing, more passion. Less posturing. Less pouting. Believe it.
Villa vs Portsmouth
Pompey were magnificent in their 2-0 win over Manchester United last week, Harry Redknapp has put together a disparate group of players who are proving a very difficult side to beat. Villa, behind Portsmouth on goal difference alone, will be troubled. David O’Leary has been charged for making an illegal approach to Southampton striker James Beattie. They’ve been a bit disappointing this term, expect that to continue if O’Leary remains distracted.
Verdict: Villa 1 Portsmouth 1
Chelsea vs Everton
Everton boss David Moyes admitted this week that the departure of Wayne Rooney might just have lifted a load off his shoulders. They’ve gone from relegation fodder to European contenders since his mega-move to United and nobody quite understands why. This is the acid test though. Chelsea are perfect in Europe, near-perfect in the Premiership. They should be far too perfect here, especially with Serb striker Mateja Kezman regaining confidence.
Verdict: Chelsea 3 Everton 1
Palace vs Arsenal
Fascinating clash. Palace are on the up, with Andy Johnson being touted for an England place, given his recent scoring form. He hasn’t got quite as many (eight) as top man Henry (nine), but he has had far fewer chances. I’ve explained my worries about Arsenal.
Verdict: Palace 1 Arsenal 2
Liverpool vs Brum
The horrific broken leg suffered by Djibril Cissé (coinciding with the four-goals-in-four-games form of Michael Owen at Real Madrid) will hurt Anfield boss Rafael Benitez (apparently pronounced ‘Beneath-us†by Everton fans) but he has the remarkable pace of Milan Baros to fall back on. Steve Bruce will start to face real problems at Birmingham soon. They simply aren’t firing and what has Bruce really achieved as a coach?
Verdict: Liverpool 2 Birmingham 0
Norwich vs Blackburn
Norwich remain the only side in the country without a win. Blackburn managed a draw against Liverpool last time out but they’ve won just once under over-rated Mark Hughes. Hardly an advert for excellence this one, the bottom two scrapping it out with neither side likely to survive in the top flight beyond May. Rovers have the quality though. If only they’d show it.
Verdict: Norwich 0 Blackburn 2
Saints vs West Brom
Bloody Southampton. Bloody Delap. Ruined all my predictions last week. And they deserved a win. West Brom, who may have Glenn Hoddle in charge soon, may just find the Saints beginning a revival on the back of that result. Given the way the players let the axed Gary Megson down, West Brom deserve nothing at all.
Verdict: Saints 2 West Brom 1
Spurs vs Charlton
Tottenham. Fancy new French manager, lots of fancy new foreigners. All that cash and they’re just as bad as they were under David Pleat. Jacques Santini desperately needs a win here against a Charlton side with no fancy manager and no fancy players now that Paulo di Canio has gone.
Verdict: Spurs 1 Charlton 0
Man United vs Man City
Ho-hum. Just a mid-table battle now, the once-magical Manchester derby. Given United’s form at Fratton Park last week, you’ve got to fancy City, who somehow took a point off mighty Norwich last week. It’s okay, I’m joking. One day, that Ferg-ettable strike force of Louis Saha, Alan Smith, Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy is actually going to live up to its £70-million price tag.
Verdict: Reds 3 Blues 0
Boro vs Bolton
Sam Allardyce’s Wanderers produced a great 2-1 victory over Newcastle last week, though Toon boss Graeme Souness complained they didn’t play football the way it should be played. Garbage. Wanderers can’t afford to play football, they need points. Let Arsenal, Chelsea, United and Liverpool play the football. Boro will struggle to beat Sam’s soldiers.
Verdict: Boro 1 Bolton 1
Newcastle vs Fulham
Graeme Souness started strongly at Newcastle, shaking up the old Bobby Robson nicey-nicey regime. It’s starting to wobble a bit now, but they’ve got the players to finish in the top four. Fulham don’t have the players or, in Chris Coleman, the manager. But they refuse to accept that fact. My advice to Souey? Keep an eye on a certain Andrew Cole. He’s been about a bit.
Verdict: Newcastle 1 Fulham 1