The WORST Arsenal team I’ve ever seen

Resurgent Wilshere is the only shining light in...

ICANNOT remember a worse Arsenal team than this. They have no desire, no character and none of the blue chip players of years gone by. They are barely good enough to be in the top six, never mind the Champions League.

With Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil missing, this was a glimpse of the future for the club — and it does not look good. This should have been a comfortable win for them. Last month Liverpool went to the Vitality Stadium and devoured Bournemouth 4-0.

There are no excuses. Arsenal lack quality in every department. Just look at that front three of Danny Welbeck, Alexandre Lacazette and Alex Iwobi. None of them would get in Arsenal’s hall of fame alongside the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright and Robin van Persie.

There is no leadership in the back three of Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers. Laurent Koscielny aside, I cannot remember the last time Arsenal bought a top-class centre half.

In midfield, Granit Xhaka was found wanting for Bournemouth’s winner. A defensive midfielder’s job is to win second balls but Xhaka let Jordon Ibe run past him and score. I cannot imagine he will have been called out in the dressing room afterwards by his teammates. That is the problem with Arsenal — everything is too comfortable. We saw it at Watford earlier in the season and now at Bournemouth. Once Arsenal were pegged back there was only going to be one winner.

The one shining light in this performance was Jack Wilshere. Without him, Arsenal would be in even more of a mess. They have to get him signed up as quickly as possible.

How have they let their three best players enter the last year of their contracts at the same time? One, I understand — particularly in the case of Wilshere, who has been injured. But having two, let alone three, out of contract is unacceptable.

Someone in the club’s hierarchy must take responsibility. Arsenal have spent so much time sorting out Arsene Wenger’s contract that they have taken their eye off the ball.

Supporters do not pay their money to watch Wenger. They want to see stunning strikes from Sanchez, Ozil’s wizardry and Wilshere working his magic in midfield. Ozil may sign but I do not blame Sanchez for wanting to leave. He looks fed up with the players around him for lacking the hunger he possesses.

Wilshere is showing he is in a different class to his team-mates. If he keeps up this form, I would not be surprised if Arsenal’s top-six rivals were on the phone to his agent.

One of the biggest clubs in Europe is in a desperately sorry state. Wenger is in danger of wrecking his legacy.