The Time for Analysis is the Summer

As expected, everybody has called for Arsene to sign players. They want experienced, fully developed players, because, like Arshavin, these players apparently grow on trees.

Last year, the criticism was that we're a feeder club. We develop players, and they leave for greener pastures. There's no hope in keeping players like Cesc, van Persie, and Adebayor, because we're not a big club. Now, after a understandably devastating failure, our fans want us to buy experienced players to replace the developing young players. Of course, they'll spin it to meet their own agenda. "Having experienced players will make the younger players development easier."

There were even calls from Manuel Almunia and Emmanuel Adebayor urging the manager to buy experienced players. To which, Arsene responded that they're players and that they don't necessarily know what is best for their club.

In his press conference, which produced headlines like "Wenger won't splash the cash" in the English papers, Wenger emphasized his point. He said:

"We are criticised because we play young players, then we are supposed to let them go when they are in a position where they start to perform at the top level? That is not acceptable."

He also said that he was looking for a couple of signings, and that the players he will sign will be experienced.

Believe me, as much as I was hurting after the loss the United, it was ten times worse for Wenger. People think that Wenger enjoys his job and doesn't have any pressure or accountability. To which I'd answer that every club other than Manchester United would want Arsene Wenger as their manager and that the pressure Arsene puts on himself is greater than these people think.

It was a shock and a blow to him when we crashed out against United, because he honestly believed in this team. Immediately after, he seemed to be shell shocked. But two days on, he seems to have steadied himself and ready for the next fight.

And on Sunday, we face a team who had their hearts crushed in such a cruel manner that it was hilarious to most Arsenal fans. I'll admit that the sight of Drogba in flip flops made it incredibly amusing. The game on Sunday is important for analysis, but reaching for third seems unlikely. Either way, it's still a derby and the players will be up for it. We'll see how Gibbs rebounds.

More than anything, keep this in mind, Wenger's teams perform best when there is no international summer tournament and a complete preseason with all the players can be achieved. Wait til next year.