Uefa Champions League:A club starves on a diet of mere compliments. With no trophy for a second consecutive season now that PSV Eindhoven have knocked them out of the Champions League, Arsenal are suffering from honours malnutrition. All the tributes following the League Cup final 12 days ago are fully deserved, but it is Arsene Wenger's priority to give his prodigies a more secure environment.
The manager is behind schedule. The last honour Arsenal won was the FA Cup in 2005 and Wenger's gift for seamless revolution has deserted him, temporarily at least. Until 2006, his team had never finished lower than Premiership runners-up in any full season. They were fourth then and sit there now. The minor decline has come while envy of Arsenal's scouting and youth development is at a peak.
The team is listing because of a shortage of the ballast that senior elements provide. The moment had come, to take a key example, for Sol Campbell and the club to part, but his sort of qualities are missed. While Wenger's preferred centreback pairing may be Kolo Toure and William Gallas, there is a lack of height there.
Arsenal do not care to put the ball into the air, but other sides prepare slavishly to do so against them. The crowd quaked on Wednesday night when Alexander Hleb conceded a foul in the 83rd minute. Mido had headed in from just such a free-kick to take the second leg of the League Cup semi-final into extra-time and, excellent as his leap was, it was too simple for Alex to do likewise and put PSV into the last eight of the Champions League.
Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United concede in such a manner less often and that explains why they will be in the quarter-final draw. The emphasis on defending well comes across as a secondary issue for Wenger. In 22 matches at the Emirates, Arsenal have scraped together a mere eight clean sheets.
Rumours of an offer for Jonathan Woodgate, at present on loan from Real Madrid to Middlesbrough, have plausibility. A little experience has to be implanted elsewhere, although Wenger will not want to reduce the opportunities his youngsters need.
With Gilberto Silva shifted to centre half on Wednesday, spectators must have thought wistfully of the muscle Patrick Vieira used to guarantee in midfield.
Arsenal could not grind their way to safety against PSV and the Dutch side were only on the front foot to earn the free-kick they wanted with seven minutes left because Cesc Fabregas had hit an aimless punt instead of guarding possession. That was one of the rare instances when it is simple to accept the Spaniard really is 19.
The construction of more durable framework will compel Wenger to deliberate on the future of a great player who might be permanently fragile from now on.
Then there is the long-running injury problems of striker and talisman, Thierry Henry.
"I can count on the finger of one hand the times I've played this season without feeling that pain," said Henry of his sciatica, the effects of which may be felt all the way from back and hamstring to the heel in some cases.
"I have had to deal with injuries all season," he said. "I have a sciatic nerve between two discs in my back and, whenever I push, it sends a jolt down my leg. So it has affected my running and I can't run 100 per cent.
"That's been the story of my season: I haven't been able to play at my best but I've got by a few times just on my experience and knowledge rather than my power that you usually see.
"This season I have often been on the pitch when I haven't felt at my best, but I always want to be out there helping the team."
He has coped with the problem for years, but it can no longer be regulated as well as it was in the past for the captain, who will be 30 in August.
As a great footballer, the Frenchman must not be written off, and it is a testament to his talent that he has 10 Premiership goals from a fragmented campaign. Arsenal simply need viable alternatives. If Henry's own back is playing up, the spine of the team must not be allowed to deteriorate, too.
Emmanuel Adebayor, despite haphazard finishing on Wednesday, is part of the solution. Julio Baptista, who never seems to blend into the Arsenal style, has not convinced, and Madrid may have the loan signing returned to them, while Wenger finds Jose Antonio Reyes being sent back from the Bernabeu.
Arsenal have a residual trust in Jeremie Aliadiere despite lifeless loan spells at Celtic, West Ham and Wolves that did not encourage others to believe he can be a mainstay. Robin van Persie should contribute when he is over his broken metatarsal, but another significant forward is needed to complement Adebayor.
These are feasible objectives that need to be met if Arsenal are to keep the promise of their immense potential.
Meanwhile, the leader of the world players' union has written to Uefa president Michel Platini, demanding he close the loophole which permitted PSV to pick Alex, the player whose goal ended Arsenal's Champions League campaign, even though he is owned by Chelsea, who loaned him to the Dutch team after he failed to get a British work permit.
Fifpro, the global players' union, has appealed to Platini to put an end to the practice that allows such arrangements. Their president, Philippe Piat, has contacted Platini urging action.
"A player must belong in totality to the club he plays for."
Guardian Service
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