Toothless

Morning all. And a fucking grumpy morning it is, too. Unless you're a Mother, in which case you'll be stuffing your face full of chocolates, arranging your flowers in a vase and looking forward to a nice lunch, a stroll in the park perhaps, and a shag for the first time in about two months.

There will be no match summary today because there's not a lot to summise. You watched the game like I did, and you saw how poor, void of ideas, toothless, and uninspiring we were even against ten men for the last twenty minutes, maybe all bar two players - Wilshere and Arshavin. That the mad Russian had a good game, may suggest the paucity of the players around him rather than his own performance. Just a thought.

Hands up, I didn't think we'd win the league this season, and it's fair to say after yesterday's performance nor did the team, and we won't. Unless a catastrophe occurs at Man Utd, the result against Blackburn gift wrapped the title to them in a lovely big-eared box with a pretty red bow and a card saying - 'Best Wishes, The Arsenal'.

Yes, Manchester United will drop points, so it's still possible, but can you really see this Arsenal team not dropping any more either? Nah, didn't think so. We don't even have the distraction of Champions League or FA Cup football, the only thing for us to concentrate on is the Premier league and we're flitting it away match after match. Man Utd, I'm sure, will win the league at a stroll and I still suspect we'll limp in third. It wouldn't be so fucking annoying but this is one of the weakest Utd teams I've seen in years, there for the taking, and they're going to run away with it.

We lack bollocks. The ability to fight. Add one or two players with the necessary steel to this team and we'd have a great side. Saucy Jack is one of the few that's coming out with any credit. A kid in his first full season, man of the match week in week out, seemingly carrying the team and trying to inspire those around him. But, oddly, those around him seem uninspirable, strange given the situation we found ourselves in before kick off - beat Blackburn, keep pace with Utd and still have a game in hand.

A clear-out in the Summer is needed, I don't have to name names, you know the suspects as well as I do. Bring a few in (of real quality) and ship more than a few out, the difference in numbers can be made up from players within. This team is so close, which is why it all seems so utterly frustrating - it just needs a helping hand or two.  Big shouty and sweary helping hands.

We look like a rudderless ship, an outfit without a natural captain. Cesc is without doubt one of the great Arsenal players, but a captain? No, not for me. I want a captain to shout, to scream, to clench his fists and sweat blood for the cause before, during and after the ninety minutes if needs be, and definitely not a player whose mind is seemingly elsewhere.

The last two games, both must-win, and we've seen the team play them out with entirely the wrong attitude. Complacent to say the least and a smattering of arrogance suggesting that merely to turn up is enough. No, it's not, it's about graft as well, by the bucket loads.

With rising prices at The Emirates and performances like these, supporters are having to put up with an awful lot. It's only a matter of time before they stop putting their hands in their pockets, and the 'Arsene Out' brigade starts gathering momentum (I'm not one of them, by the way). Our manager backs his players to the hilt and puts all of his faith in them, I would suggest it's high time that this faith was repaid.

You can have all the talent in the world, and we've got a fair portion of it, but without guts it will come to nothing. When Manchester United need to dig in, they dig in. When we need to, we are found wanting, and that's the difference between the sides. Football matches, and more importantly trophies are won with desire and belief, not ability alone.

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