Sometimes in February, the Arsene Wenger tutored side were pushing for trophies on four fronts - they were in the final of the Carling Cup, Second round of the Champions League, quarter finals of the FA Cup and a mere 2 points behind Man United with a game in hand in the league.
Fast forward 2 months. Now April. They are left chasing Manchester United's shadow in the league. Surprisingly defeated by Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final, bundled out of the Champions league by Barcelona, knocked out of the FA Cup by Man United, and now a huge seven points behind Man United on the log and overtaken by Chelsea with only five games to go, Arsenal have again failed this season.
If they go on to finish the season anywhere except in first place, this will be the sixth season they will survive without a trophy. So much for the dreams of this promising side who has no one else to blame but itself.
With a recurring backlog of injury problems; goalkeeping errors that many's made to believe has been solved with the re-signing of retired former goaltender, German Jens Lehmann; a defensive showing more comical than the Bill Cosby Show; and a forward line in dire need of an injury-free consistent goal scorer as back up for key man Van Persie, Arsenal has yet again shot their title dreams in the foot.
Some die hard gunner fans will look back and suggest that at the start of the season few pundits gave Arsenal the outside chance to make it into the top four much less be fighting for the league title at this stage, and that may be true.
But equally true is how shameful and unforgivable it will be if this crop of fine, potentially great gunner players fail to lift a trophy, any trophy at all, despite coming so agonizingly close on several occasions.
I join many in wondering when and whether they will ever be ready for this.
Fast forward 2 months. Now April. They are left chasing Manchester United's shadow in the league. Surprisingly defeated by Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final, bundled out of the Champions league by Barcelona, knocked out of the FA Cup by Man United, and now a huge seven points behind Man United on the log and overtaken by Chelsea with only five games to go, Arsenal have again failed this season.
If they go on to finish the season anywhere except in first place, this will be the sixth season they will survive without a trophy. So much for the dreams of this promising side who has no one else to blame but itself.
With a recurring backlog of injury problems; goalkeeping errors that many's made to believe has been solved with the re-signing of retired former goaltender, German Jens Lehmann; a defensive showing more comical than the Bill Cosby Show; and a forward line in dire need of an injury-free consistent goal scorer as back up for key man Van Persie, Arsenal has yet again shot their title dreams in the foot.
Some die hard gunner fans will look back and suggest that at the start of the season few pundits gave Arsenal the outside chance to make it into the top four much less be fighting for the league title at this stage, and that may be true.
But equally true is how shameful and unforgivable it will be if this crop of fine, potentially great gunner players fail to lift a trophy, any trophy at all, despite coming so agonizingly close on several occasions.
I join many in wondering when and whether they will ever be ready for this.
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