Nothing seems to be going right for Arsene Wenger at the moment, but as time goes by and more points and trophies slip away, I can't help feeling that so many of his woes are becoming self-inflicted by a man whose obstinacy in the transfer market and over-reliance on youthful players who are crying out for some experienced guidance on and off the field are ensuring that his team will continue to miss out on the biggest prizes. Discussions about Wenger's annual failure to adequately replace his former experienced (and successful) players such as Seaman, Adams, Bould, Dixon, Viera et al are now so commonplace as to become tedious, but what should also be of immediate concern is his failure to stamp out the naivety and frustration in his players that gave Arsenal the unwanted record for the highest number of red cards in the Premier League last season, and has already seen them suffer two dismissals in just two matches this term.

A late winner for Man.U., dropped points against apparently inferior opposition for Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, Joey Barton in the headlines for the wrong reasons, and heavy beatings for two of the promoted sides. Nothing much has changed in the Premier League, and the mid-summer dreams and aspirations of tens of thousands of supporters across the country have already turned into a fear of what the next few months will bring for their sides. However, as Saturday approaches, we are faced with a more appetising set of fixtures than the opening weekend provided, starting with the first derby of the new season:

So often the Community Shield is a match that meanders tamely towards a penalty shootout without neutral observers caring in the slightest about the outcome or watching the coverage. This season's renewal, though, has certainly set pulses racing and increased excitement levels in anticipation of the new season. For me, the contest confirmed that Alex Ferguson's summer transfers have poured cold water on the activity of all of his rivals. Much of the deadwood has been cleared out of Old Trafford, and his expensive but youthful acquisitions seem to have added extra vibrancy to his already successful squad. If only Man.City's owners could realise that buying big name players for ludicrous sums of money is not enough unless matched by managerial expertise and tactical intelligence, then they may provide a concerted challenge to United's title. Unfortunately, with Roberto Mancini in charge, they won't.