Arsene Wenger has the full backing of the Arsenal support, and rightly so given what he has already achieved, but it’s been a while since the support had something to celebrate about and so it is understandable that questions are starting to arise about the approach being taken to building a winning team. Arsenal play the best Football in the league but when they are allowed to play the best Football and today against Manchester United they forced Arsenal into a game they couldn’t handle and it lead to the 3-1 thumping that has put them in a hole in the Championship race.

In the middle third of the field Arsenal are brilliant to watch, they control the ball well and they pick out the short sharp passes and even that was evident today but in the final third they could offer nothing. They lacked the finishing touch that mattered in the outcome of the game and were left to watch Manchester United hit them hard on the break and score three well worked goals. Wenger has said before that the money is available to improve the team, in fact he said it again just this afternoon, but has also said he is not sure that he will make any changes. Is he being stubborn? Does he really believe his current crop can get the job done? They can certainly come close but until he gets a man who really can out muscle opposition defenders and put away the chances put on a platter to him by the creative boys in Arsenal’s midfield then I think they will continue to come up short in the title race.

Splashing out cash isn’t Wenger’s style and he is out to prove that the title can be won by growing a team rather than buying one, but if he was to throw the money at someone like David Villa it really could make the difference for the Arsenal team.

And what about United? I hate to give credit to United whether it is due or not, but you cannot help but be amazed by the player Rooney has become this season. He has gone from a very good player to a world class superstar this year and has adapted to being the loan striker United crave. With Nani on the right wing, were he looks much sharper, United cut Arsenal down. Nani’s move in from the wing to score the first goal was beautiful stuff and Rooney’s powerful run up the middle of the field to get onto Nani’s pass for the second goal was the stuff you only see from someone like Rooney.

Unfortunately the win puts United closer to the title race than I hoped they would be after today, but the deserved the win. Arsenal controlled the ball for a lot of the game but when it came down to it they could do nothing with it and were duly punished for their inability to play physical and finish off their chances.

On the subject: 2009/10 Premier League, Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Manchester United | ALL SUBJECTS |

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