Wenger's striker plans and just what is Tony Gale's problem?

By Avenell Dave

The professional foul is a funny thing.

By its very definition, it should be a calculated and ruthless attempt to stop a goalscoring opportunity by foul means.

And yet it has evolved into something it is not: a letter-of-the-law edict that is often used inappropriately.

When Theo Walcott was fouled early on against Wolves last night, Sebastian Bassong should have been cautioned along with the penalty that was rightly awarded.

As it was, his dismissal immediately ended the game as a contest and RvP's impudent chip set our stall for a comfortable evening.

Why should I care, you may ask.

We've been on the wrong end of way too many bad decisions in recent years and as @arseblog said yesterday, the failure of the FA to even act retrospectively makes a mockery of the game and its conventions.

We did just enough last night and while we'd all have liked to have seen more goals, Arsene Wenger's reluctance to take off Robin van Persie with the game won says it all about his confidence in his replacements.

Carlos Vela will move to Spain, Nicklas Bendtner won't return and none of can see Park staying given the little game time he has had.

Maroune Chamakh has been ineffectual even if he did show promise when he first arrived but with rumours that Lukasz Podolski has signed for us already and others being linked, it was be crazy to think that Wenger doesn't see his forward line being overhauled in the summer, whether or not RvP signs a new deal.

Another word about last night. I remember a good few years ago - I think it was 1991 - when referee Keith Hackett sent Gale off in the FA Cup semi final against Nottingham Forest.

The Hammers went on to lose the game, Hackett was villified, at least if my manor in Essex littered with West Ham fans.

He did go on to win the title with Blackburn I think but clearly something has prompted him to forever get his claws into the Arsenal.

Whenever he is commentating, he takes every opportunity to slag us off.

If we tackle hard he claims we're dirty; if we get fouled, we're too soft; if we're easing off at 2-0 up and a few days after an intense game against a top four rival, he calls us sloppy rather than appreciate that we're doing a professional job.

He's up there with Mark Bright (have a look on youtube at the 93 cup final when he elbows Andy Linighan and virtually takes off his nose) and Gggggarth Crooks as joke figures whose punditry is as incisive and worthwhile as that drunk bloke sitting on his own feeling bitter that you tend to find in pubs whenever the football is on.

Anyway, we've got a few days to rest ahead of the Wigan game and as we've seen not only last night but in recent weeks, they are playing far better than their position suggests...