da apostebet： Disaster struck again for Arsenal on Monday night. Another humiliating, almost inevitable defeat has struck their season down. Chances of a top four finish are not only minute, but have also added gallons of fuel to the burning anti-Wenger fire from many of the club’s most vocal fans.
da supremo： Furore about players’ contracts was on the back burner as Arsenal slumped to a 3-0 thrashing at their London rivals. Selhurst Park was bouncing under the lights, but Arsenal’s own ineptitude only inspired a crowd desperate to see their side continue their recent revival.
Arsenal have now won only two Premier League matches since January 22nd. This leaves them rank outsiders for Wenger’s beloved fourth spot and potentially going to end up finishing outside of the top six. If the club wasn’t at crisis before, it surely is now.
It was a significant match for both teams, once again, so let’s take a look at what we learned on Monday night…
Future for Andros
His move from Newcastle to Crystal Palace last summer has yet to really work out, but Andros Townsend’s performance against Arsenal showed he could yet have a future at Selhurst Park.
Seemingly the ideal partner in crime for Wilfried Zaha, Townsend’s pace troubled Arsenal throughout as the Eagles took full advantage of their measly 28% possession.
Finding the net and completing four dribbles, the former Spurs man will know that the remaining games of the season could be really significant in the next stage of his career.
Rebuild Time
Rather than a tactical failing or refereeing injustice, the Arsenal team were universally poor on Monday. Alexis Sanchez’s body language once again raised questions and that was indicative of a team that was not only short on confidence, but lacked any cohesion.
With a squad that looked stronger than they have had in years, Arsenal have epically underperformed yet again. Change is needed throughout the club, but it could be time for a minor rebuild of the playing staff too.
Big Sam is back
It looked awfully like Sam Allardyce had lost his mojo when Palace were struggling after his appointment. An initial decline in their performances and results understandably raised questions, but the Eagles are now playing like the stereotypical Allardyce unit.
Resolute defensively and with a punch on the counter-attack in the form of Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke, Palace are set to stride towards safety with ease. Beating Wenger’s Arsenal was not quite a necessity, but a clear statement of their improvement.
It’s over
A line was crossed at Selhurst Park. Arsenal’s dire second half of the season went from a severe concern to a crisis. Whether it was Jamie Carragher or Craig Burley ranting about the lack of ‘desire’ from some of the players, the media have once and finally turned on Arsene Wenger.
Wenger’s legacy, for the mean time at least, has been tarnished. It could, of course, get a fair bit worse for the Gunners’ longest serving boss, but some face can be saved if he and the club finally accept it’s time for change.