Arsenal .... Disappoint with Some Hope

Well, a 0-0 draw at home against a less than impressive Sunderland is not the result Gooners were hoping for. There were some bright spots but clearly fears that the absence of RvP is going to smart all season. We controlled the game completely after some early sloppy defending (70 percent possession) and created some real opportunities, but lacked the cutting edge that has cost the club over the past few years. And the way Sunderland played the game will certainly provide a blue print for others, including Stoke next week. Sit back, absorb pressure and hope the Gunners don't put it in net. The way to break this up, of course, is to score early, and that will have to be the real push this year from my perspective. To the grades:

Podolski (C): seemed a bit out of sort, out of position on a few occasions and missed two half chances early by getting bullied out when the goal was open. He will need to improve.

Gervinho (A-): we will still have to see if he can finish when given the chance, but he was bright throughout. His game is based on getting around defenders and he did it more often than not today. Missed a little on the end, but set up others for opportunities they didn't take. Certainly promising after the drop in form after ACN last year.

Walcott (B-): Walcott had some good runs and provided a couple of really good opportunities, but sometimes disappeared and was outshone by Gervinho through much of the match. He will have to step up this year or be unseated by others.

Cazorla (A): showed why he excited Arsenal fans so much once the rumors of his capture surfaced. Missed some chances on goal, but created many and only had two errant passes in the first half. Set up Giroux beautifully on the 82nd minute, but the Frenchman pushed the ball terribly wide. I think he will be a revelation this year and the replacement for Fabergas we've needed.

Arteta (B-): not much from Mikel, who seemed to disappear for large stretches of the match. His role has been partially taken by Cazorla, but we need him to get the offense moving forward quickly after defensive stops.

Diaby (B+): nice to see him back on the pitch and contributing. There are always the injury concerns but, if he can stay healthy, could be a key contributor with his ability to keep the ball in tight quarters, good vision and strong shot. He becomes all the more important with Song now gone. I hope we are planning on replacing him -- otherwise further reason to believe Arsenal are more interested in profits then trophies at the moment.

Jenkinson (C): didn't have to do much on defense, but I have never been terribly impressed with the Charleton full back. And that was reinforced today, with him rarely involved and fluffing a lot of crosses wastefully.

Vermaelen (B+): looked back to his old self with several important tackles and a strong game in the middle. As we move on from negative football in the future, a lot will rest on the Belgian's shoulders.

Mertesacker (B+): a good game for the German, even as there was little pressure. I'm constantly worried about his pace on the break, but was solid with some nice positional football (his strength).

Gibbs (B): A strong game after some early trouble, but nothing truly revelatory. If Giroux is in the middle, we will need him to get in good crosses, and one hopes crosses get better in general as the season goes on. 

Giroux (C+): while he looked better than Podoloski, he missed an easy opportunity to be early hero in the 82nd minute. Instead we will probably find ourselves two points off the pace right off the boot. I think he will improve, but this was the key with RvP last year -- need to finish our chances.

Arshavin (B+): looked okay coming on, but I hope it's for the last time. The little Russian who sometimes can, just isn't the player we were hoping for and it's time to move him on.

Ramsey (B): Ramsey looked decent, but as has become the pattern, misses on shots, tries blind passes which rarely come off and just isn't doing enough to help the squad. I think he might see his time increasingly sparse if he doesn't impress in the coming weeks. 

Arsenal have the potentially to have a decent season and hopefully push for cup glory, which should be a top priority now, but will not challenge for the title unless we see surprisingly performances from a number of the players. We need goals and it is unclear how we will replace the production of RvP. Man U look set to take back the title, though City will certainly still be up there. With Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and maybe some other surprise in the mix, Arsenal cannot blow many points this year if Arsene is to keep his UCL steak intact. Two are now gone and we will have a similar opponent in the scrappy Stoke next weekend. The real concern is all the players that have left in the past few years. Why? What has happened that has pushed loyal Gunners to run toward the door. Has Wenger lost it? Has he lost the competitive fire that made his first eight years sublime? Is our pay structure hurting us as footballers understandably chase the money? We need to win something to stop the rot. I can't help think that the Carling Cup loss has been a key factor decimating this team for the past season and a half. Let's hope we make another signing and get back on track next week.