Beneficent Blackpool are perfect opposition for shot-shy Gunners

Posted Sunday, April 10, 2011 by theguardian.com

Arsenal must end their recent scoring drought at Bloomfield Road or bid adieu to their Premier League title hopes

Beneficent Blackpool are perfect opposition for shot-shy Gunners
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger reacts during their goalless Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers.

Arsenal's once-prolific scorers have suddenly stopped finding the net. If they cannot rectify that problem this afternoon, against Blackpool, who have the most porous defence in the league, Arsène Wenger can probably bid adieu to any lingering hope of his side being crowned champions. Three goals in their past five matches represents a severe drought for a team of Arsenal's attacking ambition. Wenger believes the barren streak is an adverse reaction to being knocked out of three competitions within the space of two weeks last month, an explanation that risks raising further questions about his team's mental strength.

"When what happened to us happens, you are in grief and the spontaneous side of your game goes a bit, and that is why goals have dried up a little," the Frenchman says. "It takes time to recover. We have not given up, but it is not as easy and spontaneous as before."

There must be more to it than that, though. The form of some of the team's attackers began to dip even before the cup disappointments. Marouane Chamakh, for instance, started his first season with the club in superb fashion, racking up 11 goals before Christmas, but his only goal since then has been in an FA Cup rout of Leyton Orient. Nicklas Bendtner has not scored in the league since December. It has been more than three months since Samir Nasri's last goal in the league.

Injuries have impaired the contributions of Cesc Fábregas and Theo Walcott, and the latter is likely to miss today's match after suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury during last week's 0-0 home draw with Blackburn. Arsenal could not choose better opponents to help resolve their scoring problems, though. Blackpool have conceded an average of more than two goals per game this season and were trounced 6-0 at the Emirates in August.

Ian Holloway has been so resigned to shipping goals that his whole survival strategy this term has been like that of a cowboy in a fusillade, hoping his side hit the target just one time more than the opposition. Wenger, however, suspects that, today, his counterpart, clinging to Blackpool's Premier League status, will alter his approach for once. "Before the game, every team says 'if you don't defend well against Arsenal, you will not touch the ball', so we expect even Blackpool to change their way."