A Win Like Beating Yourself in the Head, Repeatedly

Although Arsenal emerged at the other end of 90 minutes of Birmingham at Emirates today, the 2-1 win felt surprisingly painful and repetitive. The Gunners appeared slow and unconvincing with only rare glimpses of the brilliant football espoused by the club's manager, Arsene Wenger.

Although they dominated possession, the Arsenal looked as dangerous as a rubber chicken. Time after time, ventures into the Birmingham box were over-elaborated with square passes, moving the ball side-to-side, while generously allowing the defense to get organized.

While the opposition did not look very dangerous in possession, they always looked capable of scoring off a set piece. Free kicks and corners had me nervous and mumbling under my breath.

The Birmingham goal, in the 33rd minute, came off a throw-in that was only grudgingly defended. Liam Ridgewell had all day to receive a pass, look up to find the 8-foot-tall (that may be a slight exaggeration) Zigic in the box, smoke a cigarette and then send in a cross that the monster Serbian striker expertly headed around a fully-stretched Flappy-Hanski and into the goal. I don't know if Zigic can really play striker in the EPL, but that was a classic header.

While there was little Flaps could do to stop the shot, both he and the defense deserve criticism on the positioning. Ziggie was sitting deep in the box waiting, ever waiting. Neither Djourou, Squillacci or the Polish keeper thought to push the defense up and deprive Birmingham of the opportunity to loiter so deep in our area. Other than that, Flaps had a decent game, though optimism should be tempered by the fact that he has figured in goal in 7 losses in the last 11 games he's played in.

Arsenal got back in the game before the half on a somewhat light penalty, but there was some contact on Chamakh and it was a bad tackle at best. Nasri did the job to equalize. After that, you could sense it was all coming to naught for Birmingham.

While the 3 points is much appreciated, I found the anemic Arsenal performance more significant. The team never looked convincing, and many of the players looked unhurried, uninterested and perhaps less talented than the sort of players we'd hope to have starting, even again Birmingham. There are more underperformers than not on this side. Players like Djourou, Diaby, Eboue, Arshavin, Song, Flaps, and Clichy just do not look good enough to wear the Arsenal jersey. I know, I know. We have a lot of starters injured, but the results suggest we do not have much strength on the bench.

I hate to be the cynic, and I am proud that Arsenal are a rare beacon of fiscal sanity in the Premiership, but are we pennysise and pound foolish? Are those record profits reflected in every pass Diaby sends astray, every shot not taken, every breath held while fans hope that Flaps doesn't bang the corner kick into our own goal?

Of the above listed players, Diaby and Arshavin are the worst offenders. Diaby is notable because of the long, long rope the manager has given him, and the general consensus by everyone except Wenger that Diaby is never going to be Patrick Vieira. Arshavin, on the other hand, is a high-priced acquisition who is currently giving a Rooney-like performace. That would be the contemporary can't-score-to-save-his-life Rooney. He is careless in possession, passes when he should shoot, and shoots like a blind defender when he does shoot. His high goal total is misleading, as he has largely been a liability for Arsenal this season.

So, while 3 points are welcome indeed, it doesn't mask the deep, structural inadequacies in the Arsenal roster.