There were many bad performances to complain about yesterday in Arsenal’s defeat to West Brom, but when Arsenal went two down thanks to a schoolboy error from Manuel Almunia, there was immediately a mountain to climb.

And then the third goal looked like the Keystone Kops running about in the six-yard area, with everyone trying to cover Almunia’s wasted trip to the byline.

Yes Wenger took much to long to bring on Wilshere and Rosicky, but it is his stubbornness in relying on Almunia which is the main reason the points were dropped. The Spaniard’s confidence must already be at an all-time low after finding out that Wenger tried to replace him with (another) over-the-hill keeper in the summer, but after yesterday’s mistakes he must be wallowing in the depths of despair.

Wenger, It’s time to put him out of his misery! Bring on Mannone and Szczesny!

"Арсенал" никогда не выиграет Премьер Лигу с Мануэлем Альмунией в воротах - по мнению бывшего главного тренера "канониров" Джорджа Грэма.

Напомним, что не в первый раз испанский голкипер неубедительно выступил во второй половине встречи матча против "Вест Бромвича" (2:3), что привело к поражению "Арсенала".

"Я считаю, что если "Арсенал" собирается стать реальным претендентом на чемпионство, то в воротах у него должен стоять голкипер экстра-класса", - сказал Грэм в интервью одной из английских программ.

"Альмуния - хороший вратарь, но в Премьер Лиге есть около дюжины хороших вратарей. "Канониры" же нуждаются в восхитительном кипере и совсем необязательно искать их лишь только в пределах Англии или Европы, нужно искать во всем мире".

Защитник белградского "Партизана" Стефан Савич надеется использовать свои знания об "Арсенале" во вторник вечером в рамках матча группового этапа Лиги Чемпионов, тем самым, позволив команде вдвойне насладиться участием в турнире.

19-летний игрок провёл 10 дней контрольных сборов в лондонском клубе в прошлом сезоне, после того, как он впечатлил Арсена Венгера во время поездки того в Белград.

Однако защитник не смог заработать себе контракт с "Арсеналом". Сейчас он готовится встретиться с "канонирами" во вторник вечером в составе "Партизана". Конечно, Савич не скрывает своего восхищения лондонской командой.

"Когда пришло приглашение от "Арсенала", то я был очень счастлив", - сказал Стефан в интервью The People.

"Я провёл в Лондоне 10 дней, хотя планировалось, что буду в клубе лишь 5 суток".

"Венгер - Бог. Он имеет огромное влияние в клубе, все слушаются его".

"Однако сейчас я игрок "Партизана" и полностью сосредоточен на амбициях своего клуба. А именно - победах, в том числе и над Арсеналом".

Гаэль Клиши считает, что следующие 7 дней для "канониров" могут стать решающими.

Напомним, что лондонский клуб вчера потерпел домашнее поражение от "Вест Бромвич Альбион" со счетом 2:3, тем самым, прервав свою беспроигрышную серию со старта чемпионата.

Теперь команде Арсена Венгера в ближайшие семь дней предстоят поездка в Белград для сражения в рамках группового этапа Лиги Чемпионов с местным "Партизаном" и лондонское дерби на "Стэмфорд Бридж" против действующего чемпиона Англии и лидера АПЛ "Челси".

В интервью Daily Star 25-летний француз заявил: "Мы должны отыграть ещё несколько выездных матчей для того, чтобы понять, готов ли этот Арсенал".

Защитник сборной Франции настаивает, что его клуб может выиграть трофей в текущем сезоне.

"Мы ничего не выигрывали на протяжении пяти лет. Но и не стоит преуменьшать наши шансы на данный сезон, ведь прошло всего несколько игр".

"Мы можем одержать вверх над любой командой на своем поле, но главнейшим фактором станет то, как мы будем выиграть на выезде".

"У нас есть игроки, которые способны привести команду к победам. Качество совершенно точно присутствует".

The ex-Arsenal manager George Graham thinks it is obvious that the Gunners are not going to be good enough to challenge for the top honours unless they replace Manuel Almunia with a top-class goalkeeper, and he doesn’t think they should just be looking at Mark Schwarzer.

Graham said: “I think if you’re going to really be realistic challengers for the Premier League you need a top, top-class goalkeeper.

“I think Almunia is a good goalkeeper but there’s about half a dozen good goalkeepers in the Premier League.

“Arsenal need an outstanding goalkeeper. I think they should be looking all round the world, not just in England or Europe.”

The rumours about new goalkeepers are starting to return already, with yesterday’s story about Wenger bidding for Liverpool’s Pepe Reina. I also read the other day that the Nigerian keeper Vincent Enyeama is in the last eight months of his contract. Can you guess which one I think he will go for!

I have a confession to make.

When Manu Eboue had that disastrous cameo against Wigan a couple of years ago, I was one of the frustrated fans who booed him.

I'm ashamed of myself even now.

I was furious at his ineptitude and lack of application, but in truth, the harder he tried, the more mistakes he made.

There are marmite players at Arsenal - always have been, always will be.

Denilson, Eboue, Alex Song, Abou Diaby, hell even Andrey Arshavin divides opinion.

But one player who cements opinion is Manuel Almunia and his performance on Saturday left a lot to be desired.

Some referees would have given a red card to him for the challenge that earned West Brom a penalty and though he atoned with the save, his second half performance was shambolic.

Wenger has put himself in a difficult position.

The concern about Almunia has been clear for some time and if Wenger is to be as strong as he was with Lehmann, the Spaniard has to be dropped.

But with Lukasz Fabianski also lacking the ability to establish himself, will Wenger really show the strength to put in Chesney or Vito Mannone? And would that be advisable?

It makes the failure to sign a decent number one even more ridiculous - and there is nothing we can do about it.

But to blame Almunia entirely for Saturday's disastrous defeat misses the point entirely.

The truth is, Wenger got it wrong.

Without Cesc Fabregas, the side lacked a playmaker - and Diaby showed once again that he lacks the required dedication and application to be a starter for Arsenal.

I'm sure Wenger learnt that he needs more creativty in the middle of the park and despite wanting to protect his new young starlet, he has to start Jack Wilshere, especially when Cesc is unavailable.

The kid changed the game when he came on - along with the only starter to earn his salary, two-goal Samir Nasri - but by then, it was too late.

You can carry one or two off-performances in a team (goalkeeper excluded) but when the likes of Diaby, Clichy, Sagna, Eboue and Arshavin all have bad days, it makes it very hard to win a game.

Sadly, there were signs of the Hull game a couple of seasons back when, whether down to unprofessionalism or tiredness or just a lack of ability on the part of one or two, we seemed to think the game would win itself.

We let ourselves get taken apart with our fullbacks both putting in lamentable displays - and even Laurent Koscielny had a rotten second half, totally justifying his withdrawal.

It says a lot about the manner in which West Brom approached the game that the home fans appluaded them off at the end - they didn't 'park the bus' and they played fair.

They beat us fair and square, and that's what hurts most.

As the geezers who sit behind me said when we went 3-0 down, though - that's not the time to rush out, to start getting on the players' backs and booing.

The players need us most when we're 3-0 down - whoever it's against - not when we're 4-0 up and taking it easy.

I should know - I made that mistake when Wigan came to us a couple of years ago - and I'll always regret it. And never do it again.

Once the game is over, we can moan and complain and debate why and where things went wrong, but not while the players need us.

The next week is crucial - lose at Stamford Bridge and we've got a problem.

Win and this can be put down to a blip.

Who plays in goal could make or break Arsene Wenger and our season.