KEVIN KILBANE: Arsenal look set to end their trophy drought... but if the Gunners don't win the FA Cup their season has failed

By Kevin Kilbane

PUBLISHED: 18:06 EST, 14 March 2014 | UPDATED: 18:06 EST, 14 March 2014

Four teams are now left in the FA Cup and following Manchester City’s shock exit, Arsenal are the overwhelming favourites and can surely look forward to ending their long wait for a trophy.

After Wigan Athletic’s success against City last week, and their triumph over them at Wembley last May, Uwe Rosler’s side will still have something to say about the outcome of the Cup. It is far from a foregone conclusion, although no doubt Arsenal fans won’t see it that way.

After a few difficult years following George Graham’s departure, the Gunners went through a golden period for 10 years which is still fresh in the memory for many supporters. Players like Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry entertained and won titles and cups and reached the Champions League final. Arsene Wenger could do no wrong.

Favourites: Arsenal will be favourites to win their first trophy since 2005

Favourites: Arsenal will be favourites to win their first trophy since 2005

Next: Arsenal will face Wigan in the FA Cup semi-final

Next: Arsenal will face Wigan in the FA Cup semi-final

 

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But look at the budgets in the Barclays Premier League now and Arsenal are fourth. Realistically that is where they are in the league table, too.

The majority of clubs in the country would be happy with that, not to mention qualifying for the Champions League for the past 15 years, and making the knock-out stages for 14 successive years, as Arsenal have under Arsene Wenger. Some Arsenal fans are still unhappy, however.

Like Manchester United fans coming to terms with a difficult first season under David Moyes, they have a different definition of success to the fans of a club like Newcastle United or Everton; even Spurs.

Before the season started, Chelsea and Manchester City were expected to be frontrunners for the title. Arsenal and Liverpool’s challenge has been unexpected and they both deserve to remain in contention at this stage. It remains to be seen if they have the stamina to maintain it.

Struggling: Mesut Ozil is cooled off considerably since his excellent start for the Gunners

Struggling: Mesut Ozil is cooled off considerably since his excellent start for the Gunners

In Arsenal’s case, they are suffering a terrible injury crisis at the moment which has obliterated the team which led the Barclays Premier League before Christmas.

Mesut Ozil has hardly been firing on all the cylinders which gave him the highest assist tally in Europe at Real Madrid but he is now out for six weeks, joining Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and, most critically, Aaron Ramsey on the injury list. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla have also had spells in the treatment room.

Wales international Ramsey has not been seen since Boxing Day and before his injury he had scored eight Premier League goals in 18 games, of which Arsenal won 12 and lost only three.

Ramsey has had his fair share of critics, including among the Gunners’ faithful, after coming back from the serious career threatening injury he suffered three years ago, but I am full of admiration for the way he came back from that setback.

Big loss: Aaron Ramsey's injury has had a huge impact on Arsenal's title chances

Big loss: Aaron Ramsey's injury has had a huge impact on Arsenal's title chances

Psychologically and physically, an injury like that is not easy to overcome but he was in a good place and was in great form, possibly in the running for player of the season, before suffering his thigh injury at the end of last year. His rehab this time has clearly been very difficult. He has certainly been missed.

Of course, Arsene Wenger could have addressed any injury crisis with acquisitions during the transfer window in January but he takes the view that the winter market is not favourable or affordable.

So while Manchester United and Chelsea were negotiating a £37.5million deal for Juan Mata, and Chelsea then added Benfica’s Nemanja Matic for £21m, Arsenal’s manager kept his hands in his pocket and money in the bank. He decided not to move for his alleged targets – Edinson Cavani was not allowed to leave Paris Saint-Germain, Radamel Falcao was injured at Monaco and Alvaro Morata was overpriced by Real Madrid. 

Wenger may be insistent that January is not the time for bargains, but I am expecting major investment from the club in the next transfer window.

They put a marker down last summer when they purchased Ozil for £42.5m, after weeks of pursuing Luis Suarez. To compete with Chelsea and Manchester City next season, they need a strong centre-back, or two, and a centre forward who is going to score 20 goals, or more. Expect Arsenal to start spending some serious money at last. They are a central defensive partnership and a goalscorer short.

Abstain: Arsene Wenger decided not to add any new players in the January window

Abstain: Arsene Wenger decided not to add any new players in the January window

Chelsea look more solid at the back than Arsenal but only Jose Mourinho’s team, Manchester City and Tottenham have conceded fewer goals in the league. The stats might show they have improved this season but Arsenal still appear vulnerable and don’t look as solid at the back as previous Arsenal teams. Don’t forget, they conceded six to City and five to Liverpool. 

Upfront, while Olivier Giroud has had a good season, and his return of 12 goals so far is already a goal better than last season, the French striker needs competition, and assistance upfront.

The north London derby at White Hart Lane is Arsene Wenger’s 999th in charge of Arsenal. He is one of the great managers of the Premier League era. At times the football his teams have played has been the envy of us all, and he has kept Arsenal in the hunt for trophies, and established their place in the Champions League season after season.

He deserves more respect for his achievements, and for building teams with the clear budgetary restrictions from his employers which, he knows, have been in place since the move to the Emirates, for the long-term benefit of the club.

If he does not to lift the FA Cup in May, then he has failed this season.

Derby day: North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal on Sunday

Derby day: North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal on Sunday

 

My old boss Nigel Pearson stands on the brink of taking Leicester City back into the Premier League. If he does so, I just hope he is a Premier League manager this time next year.

The odds aren’t exactly in his favour. In the last three seasons, managers who have taken their clubs into the top flight have quickly lost their jobs. This season, Malky Mackay and Ian Holloway have gone, following Nigel Adkins, Brian McDermott last season and Neil Warnock the year before.

Club owners can be a funny, unpredictable bunch. They hire managers with Championship experience to get them out of that division, and then sack them when they’re in the Premier League, usually as a result of panicking.

On the brink: Leicester City are in touching distance of the Premier League

On the brink: Leicester City are in touching distance of the Premier League

To chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn’s credit, Nigel Pearson was brought back to Leicester in November 2011 and, after missing out on promotion last season, the club stuck by him.

As QPR are discovering this season, money does not guarantee success. The Championship is a difficult, unforgiving battleground, and games against teams in the lower half of the division can be just as unpredictable as those against your promotion and play-off rivals.

A proven manager in the Football League, who is good at building squads and bringing stability, Pearson has built on the disappointment of last year and made Leicester one of the strongest and most consistent teams in the Championship.

Flying high: The Foxes are seven points clear with a game in hand

Flying high: The Foxes are seven points clear with a game in hand

They suffered a shocking run a year ago, blowing automatic promotion in the process, but they did make the play-offs, only to lose to Watford in the semi-finals.

But with the backing of an ambitious and wealthy board, Leicester improved again in the summer, and they are getting their rewards this season, with a very good squad.

David Nugent and Jamie Vardy have established an excellent relationship and have scored 32 goals between them, with Lloyd Dyer and Anthony Knockaert providing the ammunition from the wings. Keeper Kasper Schmeichel needs no introduction and like captain Wes Morgan, Paul Konchesky and Ritchie De Laet, he has plenty of experience. I hope, like Pearson, they are giving time in the Premier League next season.

Hot shot: David Nugent has 17 league goals this season

Hot shot: David Nugent has 17 league goals this season

Pearson was my manager for a year at Hull City, and he was always very good with me on a personal level. He allowed me to go to Huddersfield Town and Derby County on loan with the minimum of fuss. He was honest, upfront and methodical. It’s how he manages his team.

After blowing promotion last season, he won’t want to make the same mistakes again and I suspect Leicester’s players are already geared up for the run-in. I expect them to be a Premier League team next season.

The owners have been well advised so far, they have been brave and they have backed Nigel Pearson.

Long may that continue.

 

Thumbs up
Aaron Hunt

It may have helped that his team Werder Bremen were 2-0 up at the time but captain Aaron Hunt admitted to the referee that he had not been fouled after a penalty was awarded in his favour and a drop ball was given instead.

Thumbs down
Arjen Robben

World class player but get him anywhere near the penalty area and he suddenly loses his footing and starts falling over. He is a very good diver, as Arsene Wenger said, but it is a joke.

Fair play: Aaron Hunt (second from right) told the referee to overturn his decision to award a penalty

Fair play: Aaron Hunt (second from right) told the referee to overturn his decision to award a penalty

Diver: Arjen Robben drew a huge amount of criticism for his dive in midweek

Diver: Arjen Robben drew a huge amount of criticism for his dive in midweek

 

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Wll obviously

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If they can't win the FA cup from here barring anything really unusual as an arsenal fan I say enough is enough mr Wenger. You would have to question if he is able to motivate the players enough ? Either then leave or start really strengthening your squad and cutting players who never even play cough diaby etc

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Truthful article from all angles. One thing I have to ask is, why do pundits or is it fans in general just expect the "top teams, ie; top 4/5 " alone to progress or win cups in all seasons and not the other bottom teams to win. Surely if Arsenal where to lose to win that would also be entertaining to the neutral eye. Smaller teams should be encouraged to go for it. And it's a good thing this article recognises that spending a lot is really not winning trophies, it's buying them because the prize money or gate takings, even if you get to the final, won't amount to the £37 millions that a club may pay for a player.

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Another gloomy arsenal article by DM. Why are you such northern team lovers?

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Thier seasons have always been filled with failures especially been managed by a specialist in failure

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Well done Kelvin. This is the most objective write up I've read on this site for a very long time. Kudos to Aaron Hunt for his honesty. I watched it, and gave him a thumbs up. Not like some great divers like Arjen.

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I can state categorically that as an Arsenal supporter of nearly forty years that I, nor anyone else I know consider winning the fa cup a mere formality. Ipswich, West Ham, Luton, Birmingham city et al have taught me not to be blase.

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If Arsenal only win the FAcup there season is still a failure.

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A central defensive partnership short? We're pretty sorted for our first choice partnership thanks. They're only going to get better as they're together longer.

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Nice article. Arsenal must win FA Cup this season, because FA Cup was last they won. If they win FA Cup this season this is boost their confidence and can fight for PL. Mr.Wenger has been great coach or manager for Arsenal, No other coach in world have done or achieved this kind of success. If you are not Arsenal fan, but still you love to see how arsenal play, one touch football. He only focused on youngsters, look at the great players that has developed under him. Hats up to him. Live long Mr.Wenger..........!!!!

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