Crisis? What Crisis?

So, the question has to be asked, is Arsenal a Crisis Club? The evidence sure doesn't look good.

The team has dropped 5 games so far (with 24 games to play) this season. One more than they lost all last season.

They're on a skid right now. During that skid, we've seen losses to Aston Villa in which they weren't even in the game, a blow-out by Man City (Man Freakin' City!) in which they weren't even in the stadium, apparently. Players losing their cool on the field (Paging RVN. Paging RVN).

And the Player formerly known as Captain Bill spilling his guts and venting spleen to the media, thusly being relinquished of the burden of being captain (which he had spent the last 2 seasons demonstrating that he couldn't shoulder) and relegated to the practice team.

The team has not had any silverware since the 2004 FA Cup. They're still in contention in the Champs League, but they're also dealing with a raft of injuries to key players.

All the while, Arsene Wenger's policy of develop the kids and don't buy big players has been studiously observed, despite the fact that everyone else in the EPL knew that Arsenal needed a big time center back (and that Un-Captain BIll was not that). On top of that, Wenger has never replaced Patrick Vieira. I'm sorry Flamster, but you were a hard-working, over-achieving little bugger (who always had his heart set on a nice patch of pine in the Serie A). Gilberto. Denilson. Diaby. Imitations, baby. But not the real thing. Hence, this team has no spine. No football spine and no constitutional spine.

I love Arsenal, but face facts, they're missing some key parts if you want to challenge for the league and European title.

But how they respond from here on out will tell us if this squad is a crisis or a contender. Wenger has rightly named Cesc Fabregas the Captain. He's put the most talented player in the leadership role and probably short-circuited the doings of some mega-clubs that'd like to snatch him away to Spain, Italy or wherever. If Cesc can rally the troops, this is still one of the most talented sides in Europe. On their day they can move the ball at will against any team in the world.

They still have a hole in the center of the field, but heart and passion can make up for talent. If they can put together a string of victories and build some momentum and belief, the Gunners can still challenge for the EPL title, as well as the European Championship. The race isn't over yet.