WHY WE DIDNT WIN TROPHIES 

For me the reasons we didn't win the League and the Champions League (or at least get to the final) began with Eduardo being injured. Not for the affect it had on all the rest of the players, although Hleb, as I say, was I think, affected to a degree, but because Eduardo was becoming brilliant for us, and hopefully will be again. In the tight games against Villa, Boro, Wigan, Liverpool and the like when we dropped points we shouldn't have, Eduardo could well have been the difference.

In general, as I said before, too many players have been getting muscle and tissue injuries and it is a standing joke that if AW says they are out for two weeks then there's more chance of seeing Elvis Presley riding Shergar down Holloway Road during the next 3 months than seeing our injured players kicking a ball at The Emirates in that time.   

NO LEADERS? 

I also think that when we needed them, we lacked real leaders. Players to the game by the scruff of the neck and change it. We allowed ourselves to be convinced that if we kept on passing it around we would score eventually. Which we did, largely, but unfortunately so did the opposition. So 1-1 draws against Villa, Boro & Liverpool were costly and we sort of just allowed it to happen and only raised ourselves in the last 10 or 15 minutes. We showed we can win games like that but it won't happen all the time. We needed that sort of thing in the first half, not at the end.

Refereeing decisions cost us many points. I can think of only two or three decisions that went for us in the season, but many against. Three against Birmingham, two against Boro, at least one in each of the 3 successive games against Liverpool, the ones against Chelsea, one away at Man U on Bendtner. All crucial. I don't think this is me being that biased, as starting with Fulham at home on the first day we only just won when we had two stonewall penalties not given to us and Sanchez had a rant about us diving.

Of course the media picked up on this, it being a chance to climb into Arsenal, and all this sympathy was shown to Fulham.  In much the same way as with Jewell and Wigan last season, and even when Sanchez was obliged to apologize for being totally wrong it made no difference as the damage had been done. It set the tone for the rest of the season. Jewell was totally wrong also, but being a Scouser, it was of course not his fault so no apology was forthcoming. 

And while I'm on the subject of moaning about decisions, did you see Arsenal players surrounding the referee at any time during the season? Did you see any Arsenal players always chipping away at match officials during the games? Did you see Arsenal players swearing at referees during games? Not even when Taylor broke Eduardo's leg did you see Arsenal players surrounding the ref. Imagine if it had been a Man U, Chelsea or Liverpool player lying on the ground. It would have been mayhem.

What if any of the other 3 had had that penalty refused in the CL first leg against Liverpool or had the one given against Kolo in the second leg? It doesn't bear thinking about. But our players don't do that. Have they learned we will get f*cked over even worse, like we were after the CC Final against Chelsea last season or that there should be more respect for officials or are they just nicer than the likes of English players like Terry, Rooney, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Carragher, Giggs (he is sort of English), Hargreaves, Lampard, A Cole, Scholes and the rest?

Hleb was also a big factor. If we can get a good fee for him then I wouldn't be upset at him leaving. He showed in the first half of the season he can be a great player. But his form in the past few months and what has happened since he developed a liking for Milanese ice cream leaves me about as cold as the two scoops of raspberry ripple with a fat f*cking Nerazzurri contract on top that he was offered.

The second player who was a huge factor is that waste of space called Eboue. I won't go on about him again except to say. 'Just do us all a favour Arsene - tell him to f*ck off and not come back. If it's a question of money I'm sure we could have a whip round and raise enough to pay someone to take him off your hands.'

If I was to criticise Arsene for one thing, then it is this. What does he see in the bloke? Beats me.

So that's my thinking behind us not winning the two big prizes.

END PART 4

FINAL PART HERE

RETURN TO PART 1

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