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When the Gunners had won the title unbeaten in a run which saw them become undisputed champions, there were few who would believe that this would be the team that would face a drought of a major trophy and fan backlash like it is today. Arsenal is a club based on tradition and loyalty, but when money is taken into consideration, even loyalty does not stand a chance. ‘The Professor’ as they call Arsene Wenger, had a wonderful concept of nurturing talent and bringing up the youth team in such a way that they would become champions in the future. The likes of Francesc Fabregas were given such exposure on the big stage that you can call them experienced players in their early twenties. But the unsettling came when Pires, Henry, Ljungberg and Vieira left in quick succession.

But then you have the supreme argument of ‘Where are the trophies Mr. Wenger?’ The trophies have been surely out of reach in the league thanks to inconsistency and a peculiar habit of underperforming against the underdogs. The closest they came to a trophy recently was the Champions League final against Barcelona, where in spite of leading in the early minutes through a Sol Campbell header, they lost out to two goals from behind.

The problem does not lie in the concept of youth development, nor does it lie in the absence of English players in the squad, the problem lies in the type of players the squad has. It is not a secret that Arsenal’s success has always been credited to its hard-hitting, rock-solid, no-nonsense players. Who does not remember Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown and Ray Parlour? These players who played basic football and concentrated more on tackling rather than passing, paired with the poise and sheer class of Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry made Arsenal a classic team. You can sadly say that today’s Arsenal does not have the experience or balance of the not-so-old successful Arsenal.

The best remark that I have read about Arsenal’s midfield problem is about Fabregas looking like an orphan in search of Flamini, who of course, was plying his trade at Milan with the Rossoneri. I remember how they started the 2006-07 season. They played with such brilliance that Thierry Henry was not missed at all. Fabregas had scored 10 in 10 and they looked runaway leaders. But the fall had to come and it came in a not-so-pleasant way. Even rivals were thinking about what had happened to a team which never used to falter in such a way. Inconsistency and inexperience were blamed that time.

Today we see an Arsenal, who are constantly battling it out with their £25 million a year payment towards the Emirates stadium and the necessity to keep the best of what they have. Fabregas courting Barcelona today reminds me of how Ronaldo courted Madrid a few seasons ago, and keeping the likes of Adebayor, van Persie and Walcott is also a challenge for the Londoners. The problem is not the attack folks. The addition of a two-footed, dribbling, pacey and long-shot-machine Andrei Arshavin has done tons of good to the team. Walcott is emerging as a brilliant player, though inconsistent. Adebayor is a player who is world-class but just does not seem to like playing for them. Eduardo can be a goal machine with an un-broken foot and Vela is another wonderkid is what I have heard. Bendtner is not Premier League material (apart from the lovely first touch) and van Persie is brilliant.

The problem lies in the middle and the back. Fabregas does not have a Vieira to sit behind him. Alexander Song and Denilson are too inexperienced. Gallas is too restless and Kolo Toure seems to be attracted more by the blue side of Manchester than the Emirates. To sum it up, the Gunners need a hard-man, a player who can steady the ship and some extra cash to spend on players who know the English game. Vermaelen would be a good addition to the back given Toure does not leave and Arsenal are in desperate need of a defensive midfielder who will allow Fabregas to unleash his shackled class. Only then will you see an Arsenal who can live in the Premier League farther than 25 games and in Europe farther than the Quarters.