Why Arsenal have gone from invincible to inexcusable
First, they were humili8ed at Old Trafford, now it's sorrow in the San Siro.
Arsenal’s latest devastating defeat showed the rest of Europe what the Premier League has known for years: Arsene Wenger is overseeing the slow decline of a team that used be invincible but is now inexcusable.
No goals, no flair, no guts, no hope.
Even the great Frenchman, who can usually see no evil where his sides are concerned, admitted the Milan mauling was a watershed moment that should never be forgotten.
His actions, especially in the summer transfer market, will speak louder than words though.
The only consolation for disconsolate Gooners is that their team is unlikely to be taken apart by any of Europe’s top sides in the near future - but only because they face a struggle to qualify for next season's Champions League.
After the Milan massacre, Gunners great Emmanuel Petit said: “The match was a disgrace. I agree with Wenger – I am sure it was their worse performance in Europe for a long time.”
Petit criticised the club's response to the summer sales of stars Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.
“[Arsenal looked] sloppy and rushed in the transfer window last August. I am sad, but somehow it does not surprise me,” he said.
“I wondered what had become of the team I knew. It’s worse than I thought – and the most worrying thing is that the club will not do anything this summer to stop the decline,” he added.
“Certain young players haven’t done enough to justify the confidence Arsene has in them.
“Walcott – somehow he’s going to have to reach the next stage. He’s been at the same level for years.
"Aaron Ramsey. Against Milan, I got the impression it was his twin brother on the pitch.
"In the way they behave, in their body language, we see they’re not there any more.
“Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky must be told, ‘Thank you and goodbye’ – and quickly.
"I wonder about the future of the club. Arsene must quickly regain balance. Arsenal were a contender, now they are mere participants.”
Arsenal had 57 per cent of the possession in Milan, but rarely threatened the Serie A leaders.
After the departures of Fabregas and Nasri, Wenger bought potential – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – and men past their prime, such as Per Mertesacker, Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners' boss has had more money to spend – £35million in the last three transfer windows, plus the proceeds of the Fabregas and Nasri sales - but has declined to do so.
And Wednesday night proved you get what you pay for.
As Arsenal's seventh trophyless season approaches its end, the Frenchman’s youth project looks as bankrupt as the Greek economy.
Until his post-match press conference in the San Siro, Wenger had sounded like King Canute impotently railing against the incoming tide.
Maybe Wednesday's defeat will force him to change his ways, so he can say farewell to the English game in style.
Wenger did not castigate his players in the San Siro dressing room. They looked shell-shocked enough without that.
“You dream of playing in a great stadium, against a great team,” said Arteta. “But then you go 4-0 down, and it’s a difficult one to take.
“The pitch was awful. Milan are more used to this pitch, but it wasn’t about the pitch, it was about ourselves. I don’t think we need make excuses.
“We’ve been counter-attacked too many times away from home and we cannot allow this to happen. They scored three goals on counter-attacks – they were the better team.”
With Thierry Henry’s farewell ruined, the leading hope for the future is Robin van Persie.
But with Barcelona, Manchester City and Real Madrid watching, will the captain want to stay?
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani, another known admirer, said of the Dutchman: “He is a fantastic player, really fantastic.”
It seems Milan are the only people not viewing the second leg on March xx as a formality.
Although, they are the club that once got knocked out by Deportivo La Coruna after winning a first leg 4-1 and, more famously, lost the 2005 Champions League final to Liverpool after leading 3-0 at half-time.
“After Istanbul [against Liverpool], I no longer make any predictions, so I am not going to say to you that we have already qualified,” said Galliani.
“Five or seven goals would have been better, because you never know in the Champions League.”
While Milan have their sights set on the European Cup Final in Munich next May, Arsenal now head to Sunderland for a fifth-round tie in the FA Cup - surely their only hope of silverware this season.
“We have to change our minds, because we’ve got another game on Saturday,” said Arteta.
Yet the changes required go much further than that.
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