Rubbish.

London. The greatest comeback in the history of the English Premier League also was its greatest choke, as Arsenal threw themselves out of the title race and snatched an unwanted place in the record books, all in the space of 19 minutes of madness.

Having led 4-0 after just 26 minutes of their visit to Newcastle on Saturday, Arsene Wenger’s side somehow managed collapsing enough to allow the hosts to recover for a 4-4 draw. It marked the first time that an EPL team has ever surrendered a four-goal advantage.

The lead disappeared in the space of 19 crazy second-half minutes, and with it any sense that this Arsenal team could make a serious attempt at hunting down league leader Manchester United during the closing weeks of the campaign.

Newcastle took advantage of the mindless actions of Arsenal defender Abou Diaby, who earned himself a red card by throwing opponent Joey Barton to the ground. Yet even short-handed, there is no way Arsenal should have even come close to surrendering the lead built on the strength of goals from Theo Walcott, Johan Djourou, and two from Robin Van Persie.

However, there is a weakness of mind about Arsenal that creeps in from time to time, and it likely stems from a lack of overall experience. Wenger has pieced together a team capable of playing an open, entertaining, and generally effective style, but there was not a single soul prepared to stand tall when things got rough on Saturday.

Newcastle is limited, even more so since the $53 million departure of striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool at the end of the transfer window, but it knows the smell of blood. Once Barton drove in one goal from the penalty spot and Leon Best added a second with 15 minutes left, Arsenal was a sitting duck.

Heads dropped, any semblance of rhythm evaporated, and Wenger’s exasperated rants from the sideline fell on deaf and dispirited ears. Barton’s second penalty set up a dramatic finale, and Cheik Tiote sealed the extraordinary fightback with a superb volley with three minutes to go.

Arsenal’s stumble eased any lingering pressure on Manchester United, despite its shock defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers, which ended Arsenal’s dream of going through the season undefeated. Even with that 2-1 loss Arsenal retains a four-point cushion at the top, instead of what should have been two. In a season when United has been rock-solid rather than spectacular, United once again could chuckle at the generosity of one of its closest rivals, even amid its own Saturday disappointment.

No one was laughing in the Arsenal camp, though. While criticism of referee Phil Dowd was somewhat just, with both penalties being questionable, there still was no excuse for a meltdown of this proportion.

Wenger, never the most gracious acceptor of failure, tried to deflect attention by focusing on the poor decisions, but no one was buying it.
The real reason why his team fell apart was because of the precise shortcomings that have been pointed out for so long.

There’s no strong, influential and experienced leader. No world-class central defender. No proven top-level goalkeeper.

With Chelsea and others spending heavily around him Wenger has stuck steadfastly to his developmental approach of building from within.
The principle is admirable, but his refusal to sanction a handful of key acquisitions in critical areas has damaged his team and its prospects.
There are deficits in the squad and a shortage of character.

Just a day earlier, defender Gael Clichy told the Daily Telegraph: “We are not soft anymore. We are not young anymore. We can play hard.”

But they are soft, remarkably so for a team that has, or had, real ambitions at claiming silverware.




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1st comment

Arsenal’s stumble eased any lingering pressure on Manchester United, despite its shock defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers, which ended Arsenal’s dream of going through the season undefeated?

i think you need to stop writing soccer articles.



2nd comment

I'm not even an Arsenal fan and i just think to myself, what a load of bollox this article is!! There is no way in hell that Arsenal are out of the title race as you say, how many people on match of the day were saying the title race is wide open now is unbelievable.. I'm sure people like Gary Lineker know their stuff.. What a SHIT article!!


3rd comment

Terrible writer gtfo our of writing and work in a factory since you can't come up with anything original and are mindless. Please gtfo and work in a factory in china you scrub writer.


4th comment

Being 4 point behind with 13 games remaining doesn't mean you are out of the race. Especially when ManU have a mine field of a schedule.

Dowd refereeing was a disgrace and he wasn't protecting Arsenal players at all, it is one to say that but then look at the double standard when the goalie was man handled after the first penalty to get the ball.

This article is terrible especially coming from a paper who's tag line is "it's the content that counts."


5th comment

At the beginning of the day Arsenal were 5 points off top of table and, apparently, in the title race. At the end of the day they were 4 points off and yet had "thrown themselves out of the title race."

My god, any unemployed person can certainly become employed by simply claiming the job of the comprehensively stupid person who wrote this piece. And why does he keep this job as a writer when I'm sure he can make more money and get more satisfaction from his work by giving Fergie a daily BJ?


6th comment

I agree the article is very badly written the made that come back possible i wonder if he made all those wrong decisions purposely.Awarding the 2nd penalty was shocking


7th comment

Dear-ohh-dear.This article is so rubbish. Is Diaby a defender.Forget the way arsenal lost the lead and realise they, of all the real contenders, have gained apoint to the rest apart from City, whom i am not sure are real contnders


8th comment

This is the worst article in the history of football this writer is a Manchester United fan this writer is stupid, he is better off writing myths.


9th comment

"London."

I think you mean

"Newcastle"

That is where i stopped reading. You moron.