Almunia not alone

Posts : 143 Join date : 2010-09-25

The Gunners tumbled to their first Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday, leaking three goals as they went down to newly-promoted West Brom at The Emirates.

Keeper Manuel Almunia - who conceded and saved a first-half penalty - bore the brunt of the blame for two of the goals as he let Gonzalo Jara's shot slip through his grasp and in at the near post and then went walkabout for Jerome Thomas' winner.

Robson though, believes the Spaniard is not the root of all Arsene Wenger's problems.

"My problem with Arsenal at the moment is I don't think they have a defensive gameplan," he told Sky Sports News HD.

"They will always create opportunities, they will play good, entertaining football, but you have to have a defensive policy as well - and I don't think Arsene Wenger has had one for the last three or four years.

"And until they get that right, I don't think they will win the league."
Pressure

Arsenal were linked with Fulham's Mark Schwarzer and Manchester City's out-of-favour Shay Given in the summer transfer window.

But Wenger decided to keep faith in Almunia - who is out of the Champions League tie against Partizan Belgrade with an elbow injury - and saw his decision backfire against the Baggies.

And Robson admits that he is no longer sure that was the right decision.

"At the beginning of the season I said I don't think they need a new goalkeeper," he said. "Almunia is not the best in the Premier League but he's one of the top six or seven.

"But because Arsene Wenger thought he was going to get Mark Schwarzer and there's been talk of Shay Given, he's been put under more pressure.

"I think the crowd have turned against him; it's going to be a difficult season for him."