Are Arsenal a One Man Team?

by Mark Ferguson

Arsenal have hit a poor run of form in recent weeks, dropping points in games against West Ham, Chelsea, Sunderland and then losing to Manchester City 3-0 in the Carling Cup. The truth is you would have expected Arsenal to come out on top in at least two of those games and for Arsene Wenger’s side to concede three each against Man City and Chelsea without reply is as much worrying as it was surprising.

This run of bad results has coincided with Arsenal’s main striker, Robin van Persie, getting injured and came with many of Wenger’s other options up front either only partly fit or out all together.

I have never heard Arsenal described as a one man team; they have some of the best players in the Premiership. However with Van Persie out the Gunners don’t look like they have that cutting edge up front and they aren’t creating quite as many chances as they did with the Dutchman in the team.

If Arsenal were ever going to be described as a one man team many would have looked towards Cesc Fabregas, but is it actually the 26-year-old Dutchman who stands tall as Arsenal’s main man?

Hopefully Arsenal will get back to winning ways soon and I don’t think Arsenal are in crisis like many will tell you, but it does seem that they are missing a lot up front with RVP reportedly out for five months. Wenger has already admitted he will likely dip into the transfer market in January.

Everything this season seemed to go through RVP – he has 8 goals in 15 games – and without him there some of the other players in an Arsenal shirt are going to have to step up. A lot of responsibility will be placed on the shoulders of Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin, both capable of creating and changing the course of a game.

Even with the poor run of form coinciding with RVP’s injury I don’t feel it is fair to describe Arsenal as a one man team. Arsenal have a whole host of top quality players at the club but now these players need to adapt to playing to a different striker’s strengths. Eduardo is a top quality player who is still to get back to his best form, but he is a completely different attacker to Van Persie and Arsenal must adapt quickly to keep the pressure on league leaders Chelsea.

Written by Mark Ferguson, a sports writer who blogs about soccer kits.

Arsenal, English Premier League, Robin Van Persie