Back to square one for Arsenal and Wenger

At the beginning of the season, I predicted Arsenal would finish fourth, behind the other members of the Premier League elite, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

I believed at that time, Arsenal had done little to improve on a squad that failed to impress in the last campaign, really adding only Eduardo and Bacary Sagna. Their team was relatively inexperienced and they would struggle to keep up with the other big sides.

By about December, I had finally come to admit I was wrong, with Arsenal the class of the league, seemingly poised to make their mark, winning Arsenal's first title in four years. Their skill was unsurpassed in England and they were breezing along in Europe and the League cup competitions.

Well, I think I was wrong then too. At this point, Arsenal are about where I pegged them in August, in somewhat of a fight for fourth with Liverpool, sitting only five points ahead of the Merseysiders and still mired in a stretch of wretched form.

I think what I missed in December, and what most commentators missed since August, is Arsenal's distinct lack of depth. Beyond the first 11, Arsenal simply lack the talent to fill in when a starting player must be rested or is injured.

Looking at the number of games started from players of the top four teams, Chelsea have one player Joe Cole (I had to look at that twice to believe it) who has started 25 or more Premier League games. Liverpool have three players in this category and Manchester United, who likely have the deepest well of talent from which to draw, have started six players 25 times or more this season.

Arsenal have started a whopping eight players 25 or more times in the Premier League. Its no wonder Arsenal have suffered through absences of their top players and have began to fade down towards the end of the season.

When it came time to play Liverpool three times in ten days in the Champions League and the Premier League, followed by Manchester United (also in the league), the tank was empty for Arsenal's talented squad.

Arsene Wenger, who had the opportunity to strengthen his side in January but took a pass, will need to look much harder at his team in the summer if he still holds ambitions of winning silverware in this the most demanding of football leagues.