Let me address some points
I've said it before, but the thing that amazes me is Wenger's policies in the transfer market. I mean, how do you judge what a manager does when buying players? Is buying a failure worse than not prioritising on the positions you're in desperate need of improvement? There is no doubting Walcott and Nasri can become great players, but they cost a combined total of over £20m.
Ok we didn't so much need Walcott at the time but Nasri we needed . The buys we got we tended to need or young players for future like Vela, the problem is the buys we, for whatever reason, didn't get
Bear in mind we lacked a poacher when we got Eduardo and would have had a strikeforce of Ade, Van Persie, Nic and Walcott if we hadn't brought him in.
I think Vieira's days were numbered and selling him might not have been the end of the world for Arsenal, but why didn't they get a proper replacement for him? That's what confuses me as it is clear they are not far off being a fantastic side.
I think there was hope Diaby would take that role but injuries have slowed his progress and at the time, we had Gilberto brilliantly shielding the defence and a young Cesc. Problem with that is Gilberto and Cesc lacked muscle, something Flamini gave last season but if Flamini was more then a short term answer I'm not sure
We did try to get a dm but now must force Song to sit back, at gun point if need be. Half way line a no no Song
Does anyone say Wenger's close to the sack? Do the papers make up stories about someone replacing him?
Ok maybe you need to consider the boards at the club. Benitez got under pressure before but with Parry then Hicks/Gillet not to fond of Benitez, people could believe that. Jose close to being sacked could be because of arguments with Roman. People can believe that.
Now imagine a journalist goes "Arsene Wenger is facing the sack. Even though he has completed the board objectives of 4th place in league and CL group stage last season and completed one of the two objectives already, I say due to a few bad results the board will sack him. Even though they didn't when Arsenal looked set for 5th at last season at Highbury, even though the board have never indicted being unhappy, even though they have backed him, even though Wenger has been hamstrung by lack of money they lack of Director of Football. I say he will be sacked." He will be openly mocked and the men in white coats will come for him. Everyone knows the board of Arsenal are not going to sack Wenger, they might as well do something more credible. Like George Bush has cured cancer
Do you see anyone writing them off for the title?
BBC, 4-4-2, the Times? Aside from everyone at these three places?
Do you see anyone ripping certain players to shreds and putting more and more pressure on them to perform?
Gallas?
Silvestre? Fucking joke, isn't it?! Not buying any good midfielder since Vieira, Edu and Gilberto times etc.
He has done quite well so far and for 500k, if he can sort out the height problem, add a bit more expirience to the side and form an effective partnership, he will be bargain. As for not getting in decent's cm's, what is Cesc exactly? Ramsey? Diaby? Denilson is actually good. We haven't got a dm but that isn't for want of trying
I also think Emirates may be jinxed for the home team. Arsenal are always getting bad results at home recently, and good results away.
we tended to be better away then at home even at Highbury.