Gunners Players Spied on

WATCHING BRIEF ... Robin Van Persie's every move on the pitch is recorded using GPS

FADING Arsenal might have gone missing in the title race but there is no chance of Arsene Wenger losing track of his players any more.

For the Gunners boss has turned to the sophisticated world of satellite technology to monitor the movement of his stars.

And Robin van Persie has revealed how the geeks at the club's London Colney training ground used their computer skills to check out the claims of a forgetful team-mate.

Mention Big Brother to most footballers and they think you are talking about Imogen Thomas and the super-injunction row with her mysterious Premier League 'friend'.

But to Wenger and his fellow managers, the concept of George Orwell's 1984 is becoming a reality as they take advantage of the latest developments in Global Positioning Systems - or GPS.

Gunners striker Van Persie, 27, revealed: "It's really hard in English football nowadays because everyone knows everything about each other.

"Nearly all Premier League clubs now have a GPS system to track down the opposition and monitor how much players run in a game.

"They know absolutely everything - this one is a lazy player, this one defends well, this one covers a lot of the pitch - and now we're wearing a GPS in training as well.

"We had a funny situation at Arsenal recently when one of the players said he had to go home to pick something up - but forgot he still had the GPS around him.

"So one of the physios said 'Ok, you go home' and these guys went straight on to the computer and tracked him down.

"They could actually see he really did go home and came straight back, so he wasn't lying. And now we don't have a private life!"

For Wenger, too, there is no hiding place as his team which led title race in December now looks set to limp home in fourth.

Angry Arsenal fans booed their team off the pitch after Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa, which opened the door for Manchester City to move up to third place.

Van Persie added: "I can understand the fans' reaction because I feel connected with them and know they are frustrated.

"The players share that frustration but we are giving it everything.

"I am the first person to say when something isn't good enough and I'm not trying to hide from our results. But we should've won against Villa.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=6dfeaca322" >Football Confidential Live - Wednesday May 25</a>

"We had a Marouane Chamakh goal disallowed and it was a clear goal.And Aaron Ramsey had a clear, 100 per cent penalty that wasn't given.

"Just before that, someone passed the ball to me and Richard Dunne basically kicked me. I didn't do anything, I went past him, one against one, passed to Ramsey and the ref awarded a foul against me.

"What I'm saying is that it's not just down to bad luck, it's sometimes bad decisions as well."

Van Persie joined Arsenal seven years ago and, in all that time, has won only the FA Cup - in 2005.

Yet he remains committed to the club and, with his contract due to expire in 2013, is due to open talks this summer over a new deal.

Having missed the first three months of the season through injury, Dutchman Van Persie has scored an astonishing 22 goals in 24 games for club and country this year.

He said: "This is definitely the best scoring form of my career but there's been lots of ups and downs for me and for team this season.

"The highlight was beating Barcelona at home. When you look at them, they play four or five top games in a row and then have one when they don't play so well but still win.

"That is when you can say you are a hugely good team - and that has to be our aim at Arsenal."

Robin van Persie was speaking at the launch of the adidas adipower Predator boot.

The Top 15 Players Wenger Can Target from the EPL

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 15: Arsene Wenger manager of Arsenal issues instructions to his players during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on May 15, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcot Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Arsenal's futile season has somehow worsened, with the North London giants now destined to conclude 2010/2011 in an immensely disturbing fourth place ensuring qualification into the prestigious UEFA Champions League must be earned during the opening stages of next season.

In a season where for the predominant period Arsene Wenger's side conveyed a strong footballing approach, progressing to the Carling Cup Final and enjoying a thrilling two leg battle with recently crowned English Premier League winners Manchester United in the EPL title race.

However, after the Gunners' horrific defeat at the hands of Birmingham City in the Carling Cup Final in the final days of February signified a tumultuous demise which exposed Arsenal psychologically with Wenger's young guns eliminated from all competitions and now sitting in fourth place of the English Premier League.

The 2010/2011 campaign was set to be the season where Arsenal eradicated their notorious five year trophy drought. Wenger's young squad, which the Frenchman had developed and nurtured for some time now by neglecting purchasing quality, big name players, had the ability to succeed in all competitions.

There is no denying Arsenal's attacking talent and array of magical players, but it is clear vital pieces are missing in this fragile puzzle. Defensively, Arsenal are weak; their inability to deal with set pieces and corners alongside continual lapses in concentration and an unorganised off side trap have all diminished the Gunner's title contentions.

Furthermore, although the starting XI is one of the best in World Football, Wenger appears to boast a distinct lack of depth in his squad with the level between the starters and the reserves growing. This has resulted in the Arsenal faithful turning desperately to the upcoming Summer Transfer Window as the potential saviour to Arsenal's fortunes.

If Wenger is able to cure the one or two lingering problems, then there is every chance the Gunners can return to the glory days of the early 2000's. But the French tactician has a tendency to be weak during the transfer window despite Wenger vowing to implement changes.

Too often, the Arsenal manager opts for the cheaper option predominantly from the French League. It is clear Wenger needs to secure the services of a quality player who has Premier League experiences. Granted it will probably come at a more expensive sale than what the Frenchman desires, but with the need for success intensifying, it is time Wenger finally bought some EPL talent.

Therefore, this article shows the top 15 players Wenger can target in the English Premier League.

Arsenal FC- Ranking the 10 Worst Players in 2010/2011

Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Arsenal FC's 2010/2011 campaign ended with a feeble two-all draw against a 10-men Fulham side, concluding what has become one of the most disappointing seasons under Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners entered the season with aspirations to eradicate their notorious five-season trophy drought. Despite Wenger failing to secure quality, renowned services during the summer transfer window, there was still strong optimism the North London giants could revitalize some World Football pride.

Wenger's young squad had been founded via the tireless eyes of scouts rather than excessive funds akin to Arsenal's rivals and nurtured for some time by the French tactician. After a slow start it appeared the Gunners may finally be on course to reward their disgruntled fans as they began to materialize a two-horse race at the penthouse of the English Premier League table, trailing Manchester United thrillingly.

Well into the new year, Wenger's men had progressed through every Cup competition and continued to lead with the eventual champions.

However the season became dismantled after a horror final-minute winner by Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final late in February. The loss signified an immense demise by the Gunners which was followed by respective eliminations from the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup before eventually losing their grip on the EPL title, somehow falling further than thought imaginable; frail performances ensured draws and losses that resulted in Chelsea and Manchester City leap-frogging the North London giants, providing a fourth-place finish.

They had the second-highest wage bill in England, yet the Gunners are fourth in the EPL and have now endured six successive seasons without the satisfaction of silverware. Although a number of positives that have emerged from the season, this is a poor performance from Arsenal, so this slide ranks the 10 worst players of 2010/2011.