Wenger's eyesight recovers

It is terrific news that Arsene Wenger's eyesight has improved so dramatically. For some time, whenever he was asked what he thought of some terrible tackle by one of his players, he had to admit that he hadn't seen it (the cursed Myopia Wengeris). Now, one penalty by Liverpool, and he has 20-20 vision. He saw every detail in HDTV.

The only problem is that Arsenal are in freefall. Humiliated in the FA Cup by Manchester United and in the Carling Cup by Tottenham, defeated by Chelsea in the League, knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool, they have consistently failed against the best domestic opposition. If you include the two Carling Cup matches against Tottenham, Arsenal have played ten domestic games against top English clubs this season and won only one (1-0 against Chelsea in the League back in December), drawing 5 and losing 4. In these ten games they have scored 11 goals and conceded 21. In three matches they have conceded four or more goals.

The turning point, as Alan Hansen warned at the time, was the FA Cup defeat on 16 February. It wasn't so much the score (4-0) as the manner of the defeat. They were completely overwhelmed. Since then they have played 12 games and won only 2 -- the great triumph at Milan and a narrow 3-2 victory at poorly Bolton. Two wins in 12 games. 8 draws and 3 crucial defeats (against United, Chelsea and Liverpool).

Crucially, in these 12 games they have only kept a clean sheet three times (twice against Milan and once against Wigan). They have scored 14 goals, at barely a goal a game. The problem is clear: the defence is leaky (especially against the very best opposition) and the attack is just not clicking. When Adebayor's golden streak ended, no one stepped forward to fill the breach. Since the United defeat, Adebayor has scored 3 goals in 11 games. Compare this with Ronaldo and Torres. And yet he remains Arsenal's top scorer during this period.

Last night at Anfield, Arsenal were ahead twice but couldn't defend their lead. They conceded two goals and nearly a third with the last kick of the game. In the golden age of Adams, Keown, Dixon, Winterburn and Seaman this would have been inconceivable. This is the story of their season. They have conceded 27 goals in the league (the worst of the top four).

Key requirements for next season are at least two new defenders (especially a replacement for Senderos) and at least one, ideally two, new strikers. It's this lack, not bad luck with penalties, that has destroyed Arsenal's season. And over all this hangs the big question: will Fabregas stay at Arsenal if they fail to win any silverware for the third season in a row? Third in the League, beaten quarter-finalists in Europe, not even quarter-finalists in the FA Cup. Players like Fabregas want glory, and it looks increasingly as if Wenger will have to pay big money to get it. Otherwise, Arsenal will remain the Graeme Hick of the Premiership: thrashing small clubs but falling short against the big boys.