ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Arsenal 0 Blackburn Rovers 0:ARSENE WENGER is brooding over another campaign that may well go wrong. The goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers has added to the harm and he sounded in the mood for radical action. "I want to finish the season and then we'll see," the Arsenal manager said, although he did not go into detail.
He has held the job since the autumn of 1996 and the current contract stretches to 2014. Wenger may have been referring to a thorough rebuilding of the squad but it would also be reasonable for him to ask himself whether his own impact is waning.
The previous home match with Sunderland had also been goalless.
“We’ve known for a long time that these games were coming and that we had to win them,” he said. “It’s difficult to explain. The players did want it but we were just one-paced and that’s not our game.”
Despondency was widespread in Arsenal’s ranks on Saturday. The side have not won a league game since February 23rd. It was quite an exploit for Arsenal to avoid scoring against Blackburn, whose defensive record away is the worst in the Premier League.
Arsenal resisted any inducement to take control, declining to cut loose even after Steven Nzonzi was sent off for an uncontrolled challenge on Laurent Koscielny in the 76th minute.
Steve Kean’s side were, if anything, likelier to score than the hosts, if only because of Manuel Almunia’s shakiness in goal.
Arsenal seemed incapable of imposing themselves and Blackburn cannot have felt overwhelmed at any stage.
Wenger ended the day with three centre forwards on the field, having sent out Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh to accompany Robin van Persie, but that seemed merely to cost the team what little poise they had.
There were occasions when the side might well have scored. Jack Wilshere had a mis-hit when he looked set to claim a goal and Alex Song saw an attempt blocked in the fourth minute.
Instead of developing momentum, however, Arsenal suffered a surge in their anxiety levels. Pleasing as it was to see the return of Theo Walcott from his ankle injury, his inaction during five weeks on the sidelines meant he needed help from others, even if Wenger had hoped the winger would come to the aid of the team.
It may have been natural for Walcott to be replaced but there was a little concern at the sight of an ice pack being applied to the ankle. Of course, nobody would have given much thought to that if Arsenal had been playing the smart and dashing football of which they are capable.
The talk now is of Chelsea strengthening their squad and United planning to spend heavily in the summer. Given the sense of transition at both clubs, this campaign had held out the now receding hope that Arsenal would take their first trophy in six years. No wonder Wenger may be starting to consider a time when he will no longer be with Arsenal.
Guardian Service
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