Many Arsenal fans were not happy with today’s result against the Blues. The best way to treat this defeat is to go down our injury list and that would explain why we didn’t play excellent against the strong Chelsea team.

Arsene Wenger on the other hand wouldn’t do that. In fact, never has Wenger complained that not having Fabregas was the problem of our recent defeats in the EPL. When Wenger was asked about Wilshere’s performance he responded with the best response any manager can respond with, “he’s only 18 years old.” This phrase has many interpretations and through those interpretations, we can make many other interpretations. You see, Wilshere is a top class English midfielder FOR HIS AGE! Basically, Arsenal cannot depend on Wilshere to show leadership skills. Rather we should depend on him for his excitement and most of all, his skills. Towards the end of the game it was evident that Wilshere seemed to get tired and didn’t have the stamina to continue as Wenger wanted. The issue with Wilshere is simple yet sensitive. It’s very easy for Wenger to start Wilshere in domestic cup, EPL and UCL games but at the same time Wenger understands that Wilshere needs to mature not as a player but as a person. Example, the night club incident earlier in the season still proves that he might not be as disciplined as Wenger wishes. What is the point of this? To realize that Wilshere cannot carry Arsenal against top level teams because he still isn’t mature as a person. This isn’t to shed darkness on Wilshere fans because I am a huge Wilshere fan and I do believe that within 5 more years, he will be deadly to other teams. We must look at our problems and realize that Arsenal is not playing with a cushion behind their backs. Wenger is being forced to start Wilshere to search for answers. Fabregas, Bendter, Almunia, Vermaelen, Ramsey, Van Persie, Walcott and now Diaby are all out due to injuries. Honestly speaking, we have done great to answer the injury crisis but players like Wilshere, Nasri and Chamakh cannot handle the pressure to perform greatly in every game we play in. Yet, they still do which impresses Wenger time and time again.

With the injury crisis, today’s game was still close and Arsenal had many chances to score. Let us take the starting lineup of Arsenal and “make” it equal to Chelsea’s squad and make a lineup from Chelsea that mirrors our lineup. Arsenal’s lineup was missing Fabregas, Van Persie, Almunia, Vermaelen and Walcott. So if Chelsea had Lampard, Drogba, Cech, Terry and Malouda all out of today’s lineup, would Chelsea have won today against Arsenal? I’m pretty sure it would have been a much tougher game for Chelsea. Many people out there believe that Arsenal doesn’t have what it takes to win the EPL title or the UCL title. That’s bogus! Throughout the entire season injuries have hit Arsenal hard and players have stepped up to not offer injuries as an excuse to our recent defeats. Arshavin has 5 goals and 6 assists in 11 games. Wilshere has shown his coming of age and showed that he is able to handle the pressure. Chamakh has done amazing, bringing us back in the Bolton game as well as this midweek UCL game in Serbia. Nasri nearly gave us a point by scoring two goals last weekend in a time of urgency.

Look for a strong lineup against Newcastle in the midweek Carling Cup matchup. It seems that our problems have forced Wenger to look at other options which is great. We can give it one more month and many of our players will be back, well rested and waiting to play some football. Chelsea, we will get out revenge the next time we meet. Watch out.

-OA