Cracks Continue to Show At Arsenal. What Must Arsene Wenger Do?

Those of you who watched yesterdays Carling Cup Final between Arsenal and Birmingham will have at times been stunned at the state of Arsenal's defensive prowess (or lack of). A lot has been said in the media about the result and how it came about. I would like to initially focus on what Birmingham did well during the match, as I think this has not been recognised as much as it should. The focus however will be on what The Gunners are lacking  at this stage and the effect it may have on the remainder of their season. 

Arsenal players dejected after a catastrophic defensive display. Photo: Tom Jenkins, Guardian

Alex McLeish should be credited for an astute tactical set up against an Arsenal side still yearning for silverware. a 4-5-1 set-up ensured a packed midfield who's tireless work ethic paid dividends. The 6ft7in Nikola Zigic was the lone Striker and was clearly the main target for almost every forward pass that Birmingham played, including almost every kick that Ben Foster put up field.  McLeish will have known that Arsenal's suspect back-four would struggle to cope with Zigic; and so it proved when the Serb headed Birmingham into the lead.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster was in simply outstanding form, only beaten on the day by an outstanding Robin Van Persie volley. Other than that, Foster was composed, confident and was buoyed on by every save he made. A solid defensive display also contributed to a memorable day for the Blues. As a long-term Aston Villa fan it is difficult for me to write what I am about to....Birmingham City were outstanding and on the day more than deserved their victory. 

So, to focus on what went wrong with Arsenal. Where do I start? I am conscious of the fact that many readers will have work in the morning, so I will try to keep it short!

I refuse to believe that any Arsenal fan was not disappointed/gutted with yesterdays result. In a competition that many deem as 'pointless', you could clearly see how distraught Arsenal's players were at the end of a torrid 90 minutes. Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas and a few more have expressed utter disappointment on their Twitter pages since yesterday. 

Wenger has long been in search of a quality Goalkeeper; something I believe Arsenal have not really had since David Seaman. Wojciech Szczesny was the preferred choice on the day and what a rotten day it was for him. It took Szczesny only 80 seconds to haul down Lee Bowyer for what would have been a certain penalty, but for a completely incorrect offside decision. He then was caught in no-mans land for the first goal; attempting to burst through a host of players and clear only to be beaten by the tall frame of Zigic. A very poor game from the goalkeeper who made the occasional bread and butter save.

Arsenal's back line could also be called into question once again. On paper Arsenal lack a Defender who can intimidate opposition Attackers. Psychologically I believe this has an effect on the way in which opponents play against them. Koscielny, Sagna, Djourou and Clichy do not cause concern before a game starts. The likes on Vidic, Ferdinand, Terry, Ivanovic and Toure for example do.

Arsenal's shape was messy throughout, constantly being overrun by Birmingham's packed Midfield and being drawn into areas they had no right to be in. Naturally they struggled to deal with the high ball throughout the match, but after the first 20 minutes failed to adapt despite several warnings. Furthermore, Arsenal without doubt lacked a leader at the back; a Tony Adams type figure who can lead by example and scream instructions throughout a tough 90 minutes. Lastly, Arsenal choked when it mattered most; with Koscielny clearly at fault for the 89th minute winner for Birmingham. A distinct lack of communication and understanding was again highlighted in a comical instance between the centre-back and Szczesny.

Certainly you could assess the game in further depth, but it is simply a case of utterly woeful defending, a lack of any cohesion in the back five and a lack of belief in themselves as a defensive unit. 

Wenger will have to go on the hunt for a Central Defender when the season ends, and quickly! The Premier League title will prove a step too far for Arsenal, not to mention a daunting trip to the Camp Nou to face a Barcelona side who will want revenge. With the lack of a Transfer Window before the seasons end, Arsenal are going to have to contest their three remaining competitions with the same resources that have at times plagued them. In addition to this, a Goalkeeper must be on Wenger's shopping list, who despite a £50m club profit has barely spent a solitary penny when given the chance. For years Arsenal again have not had a leading figure or any real stability in this position; opitimised by constant rotation taking place between the sticks.

A club like Arsenal should be competing in EVERY competition they take part in. Yes, they got to the Carling Cup Final but fell at the final hurdle. Barcelona will now look to pray on a defensive line that will undoubtedly still be licking their wounds when the fixture comes around. The likes of Messi, Villa, Xavi, Iniesta and Pedro will be far less-forgiving that Birmingham's attacking forces. I do not think Arsenal will win the FA Cup, given the fact that they face an away trip to Old Trafford if they get past Leyton Orient in the replay. Another trophy-less season will see unrest amongst Arsenal fans, whose patience will only wear so thing. Shape up Wenger...before it is too late!

DH