There is a certain social stigma related to getting one point out of three when it comes to the big teams, it's somehow acceptable, but at home to a Wolves side which hasn't beaten us in their six previous visits in London, well many of us will rue the chances, the statistics do look depressing. That was the first point Wolves have gotten away in almost four months, we had 17 shots on target to their 4.
Their goalkeeper Hennessey was outstanding, many felt he was the catalyst to getting them the draw, he has 34 Caps for Wales at 24 & looks like he could stand between the sticks for the Dragons for another 10 years. One thing is clear, we need to stop giving away goalkeepers the chances to have stormers against us, we should make them nervous early on, press early on, never give up until the other team is out of it, sometimes our build up approach in the first half is very nonchalant and too patient.
Our full backs were missed, I can't think of any club playing without any full backs for such a long period of time and still managing results, our center backs are versatile, but they lack pace, they don't make the right type of runs and when they do, find it hard to track back, Djourou has been far better at right back than Vermaelen at left back because of his mobility and pace, our Belgian vice captain can't wait to be in front of the imperious Polish number one.
If our season had started in October, none of us would be frustrated as much as we are now, our club did not act well over the summer regarding transfers & morale and I feel the squad and fans are owed some sharp thinking in the January transfer window.
All summer, the media played with most of your minds, touting great signings, they even believed we would break our transfer record twice, names like Hazard, Goetze were touted so much, many supporters feel like if these players sign for someone else, Arsenal will be to blame or that we completely missed out, the same regards the new Podolski situation.
After the summer, the media spread the view that our players were rushed, mediocre, average, but they've done well to steady the ship, Arteta, Mertesacker, Santos have done very well, Park has barely seen a game, I'm not an apologist, but he's clearly needing time to adapt to the Premiership, our frustration is that he leaves in 18 months for the South Korean Army anyway, we need him to be ready now, fans don't really care about commercialisation in South Korea, but I was in Eastern Asia most of 2011, the commercialisation of Manchester United is at a grand scale, if we don't compete, they will make a lot more money than us like they are now and we haven't had a level playing field since we left our beloved Highbury.
Our long summer saga with Gervinho was incredibly destroying whatever fun was left in Arsenal signings before our quick four fire signings in late August, but Gervinho has found his feet, he's not scoring as often as we'd like but a well composed goal yesterday will surely give him the impetus and confidence he needs to start scoring more.
With Chamakh and Arshavin seemingly under-performing to the masses of fans, it's only understandable that many are looking at the January transfer window for hope and what everyone believes to be “super quality” signings.
Chamakh needs to play and so does Arshavin, he hasn't had a run in the team since last year, Wenger has lost faith in him and I love the smiling Russian, but if we could end this 4 years of so much promise from him and he could go back to Zenit for the right price, I don't see why that should be a problem.
Chamakh was so effective at the beginning of last season, he got the games, then grew fatigued and couldn't cope with the league, he's off to the African Cup of Nations in a couple of weeks, but I don't think he'll get many games at Arsenal if Van Persie is fit, the gap between them seems unbelievable at the moment, Bordeaux have been linked with a loan deal, it's the only place he'd want to go, they finished 7th last season and they've struggled this season lying in 10th, if anything they'd be desperate to take him back.
Supporters are very unforgiving when it comes to players coming off the bench, we expect them to save the game, become heroes in minutes like Nicklas Bendtner did 2 years ago, we don't have a super sub this year who can score or pace to inject from the bench like we have done in the past (Oxlade Chamberlain can barely get on the bench some weeks let alone get game time), Walcott is in the starting 11 all the time, Yossi came off the bench and scored last week versus Villa and as much as I appreciate the Israeli international, he won't get a header like that every game.
Perhaps this January window, means that we shake it up a little, show the other clubs that we're not going to finish below the top 4 without a fight, it's unthinkable that we won't make the top 4 this year.
I think Oxlade Chamberlain will get games sooner rather than later, I feel he has impressed Wenger and like Park is slowly being let into this side which had a horrible premier league start.
The truth is, we don't know what Wenger is thinking, it's very difficult to predict what goes through his mind, even when he's denying a rumour or telling us his interest in any player.
Henry, Podolski, Goetze, Hazard, Reus, Bridge, Taiwo.
We can mention the names all we like, speculate, talk about it, get upset about it, it won't help much. News Media will try to get to your head every morning in January, excite you and get you talking, it's their job to. I just don't hope I read or see many disappointed faces come February.
Reality paints a different picture sometimes, as much as many may want Arshavin to leave, no club may match his wages, or if they do, he may not be willing to go there for personal reasons, his family are settled in London.
Chamakh is the same, both him and Wenger are resolute in him making it here, Arsene wants to show us that a free signing can be a success, almost desperately sometimes.
Fans have to stop wishing for signings to take all the problems away, it isn't always that way, look at Chelsea as a prime example, big spending doesn't lead to success, City's two best players this season have not been the most expensive Silva, Kompany.
I feel as though fans don't really want Arshavin, Park or Chamakh to turn it around, we need to believe they can until they are sold, they are not going anywhere on a cold December evening when some are at home taking their anger out on a keyboard via Twitter begging them to leave.
If we do sign someone, let's hope it is the right signing, but we must always support our players on the pitch, they're not playing for any other team but the Arsenal, I don't understand how you can boo a player and expect a massive turn around, not everyone is Eboue.
Diaby, Wilshere coming back will drive this side forward to another level, we know that, we knew this before, but yet we all seemingly want a “super quality” signing at the cost of any midfielders place on the starting line up or to give competition, I guess my feeling is, we were deprived of this in the summer after so much promise.
Gibbs and Sagna are back within a month too and we will definitely start to look a better side, I wouldn't be surprised if we signed a left back on loan in 4 days, none of us really trust the medical team when they say Gibbs will be back and when he does come back, how long for?
This year started to brightly, Arsenal promised so much, but it wasn't our year, I love this football club, it's never boring, somehow we always have so much to look forward to, we are always making a fight back, whether it's in the league, in the media, financially or transfer wise.
We've been given some cracking games and you all remember which ones they were, and probably will never forget them, here's to another 12 months of beauty with Arsenal Football Club. Have a fantastic end to 2011 you fantastic supporters.
Alexander Beck.
