W-L-W... Consistently Inconsistent

Arsenal 1-0 Swansea (FA Cup)
Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 5-1 West Ham

The Man City game at the Emirates suggested a tendency to start slowly, very slowly, and then wake up at half time. Three games since have confirmed that tendency, and the result is that against good teams, Arsenal are giving themselves too much to do, while against less good teams, one good half is usually enough.

In the Swansea replay, it was bitty, lethargic, low-tempo stuff in a first half during which ex-Gunner Kyle Bartley came closest to scoring. A wicked inswinging free kick gave him a free, close range header, but his effort, as in the first tie, hit the crossbar. As in the rather chastening league game between the sides in North London, Swansea at times looked more Arsenal than Arsenal themselves, very assured in possession, and threatening despite Michu only occupying a place on the bench.

It was all change after the break. Jack Wilshere produced the kind of display that justifies his status as England's latest great white hope. He was all drive, subtle of touch and with a bewitching ability to just glide past opponents in midfield with a quick change of pace.

Arsenal battered Swansea, but Walcott was wasteful on at least three occasions, enduring one of his less efficient days in front of goal. A couple of goalmouth scrambles in which the ball stubbornly refused to cross the line made you wonder if this was to be one of those strange,unlucky matches, but with an unwelcome extra half hour looming Cazorla fired a pass to Giroud on the edge of the area, he produced a deft first time lay-off inside, and Wilshere advanced to whack the ball confidently past the keeper and in.

The goal and the passionate celebration were both quite Gerrardesque, but in my opinion, Arsenal have a player of more substance than the overhyped Liverpool captain.

The big game at Chelsea, like the big game against Manchester City, brought out the worst in Arsenal again. Another slow start punished, another second half improvement, but another mountain that proved just too high. The way things are going, the mountain analogy will soon apply to the battle for fourth aswell.

Arsenal actually crafted the first clear chance, but it proved to be their only flash of quality in an utterly abysmal first half display. Cazorla zipped a low, cross field ball to Walcott, who fashioned an uncharacteristically incisive through ball to Giroud. The angle seemed to favour the Frenchman but, on his stronger left foot, he drove disappointingly wide of Cech's far post. At moments like that, in tight games, Giroud suffers badly from the unavoidable comparisons with Van Persie. Nobody expects him to match possibly the world's foremost frontman, but the almost-ex-Arsenal player he most often reminds me of is in fact Bendtner! I think Giroud is a better player, but he lacks the Dane's much maligned self-belief, and against good teams, his lack of a clinical touch in front of goal is costing Arsenal.

Punishment was not long in waiting after his miss. It was a typical concession, infuriatingly soft, but not without a sizable dose of misfortune. Coquelin was caught painfully on the ankle in midfield by Ramires, but as the ball broke and the referee missed the foul, Chelsea launched a counter of devastating efficiency. The right back whose name I can't be bothered to try to write raked a long diagonal to Mata, racing in behind Sagna- who has, since I wrote in his praise on New Year's Day, continued to endure his worst run of form since coming to England. The Spaniard killed the pass immaculately and lifted a shot past Szczesny and high into the net.

Cazorla forced a decent save from Cech with a fine long distance try but Coquelin and Diaby were chasing shadows, confounded by Chelsea's enviable trio of attacking midfielders. Arsenal were so passive, apparently unwilling to put Chelsea's possession under any pressure; it all just looked so easy for the home side.

Abou Diaby's apologists most often suggest in his favour that, if and when he becomes fully fit, he will provide a dynamism that Arsenal's midfield otherwise lacks. The irony is that his playing style is in fact so languid and at times downright lazy- he is far more likely to dawdle on the ball than drive his team on. So it was in the build up to Chelsea's second. He was robbed in his own half, he couldn't really be arsed to chase back with conviction, Chelsea outnumbered Arsenal, the ball was worked to Ramires in acres inside the area. He stepped inside the onrushing Szczesny, then flopped to the ground. Spot kick, keeper booked (could have been red!), Lampard reliable as always, 2-0.

Replays were disturbing on a couple of levels. Firstly, there was again an element of misfortune, as Szczesny actually barely made any contact with Ramires. It was a top drawer piece of "simulation"- so good the Arsenal netminder didn't even bother complaining after the penalty was awarded. More worryingly, one angle on the replay showed the incredible fact that when the ball was passed to Ramires, more than one Arsenal player went from a jog to a stroll- walking back towards their own goal. If that's the level of commitment the team exhibits in what was, table standings considered, the biggest game of the season, Arsene Wenger has even more serious problems on his hands than I'd previously thought.

Arsenal continued in abject fashion until the break. If Ba and not Torres had started as Chelsea's striker, the scoreline would probably have been more decisive at half time. As it was, Arsenal still had a chance, especially because Chelsea had, in midweek, thrown away a two goal lead at home to Southampton.

This undoubtedly played a part in the home side's tentative play after the interval, but I was also led to ponder the highly hypothetical question of how the game would have progressed if Chelsea had no manager at all. Rafa Benitez is an absolute control freak who seems to derive no enjoyment from open, attacking football even if his own team are producing it. It would have seemed natural to most that Oscar, Mata and Hazard should simply continue as they had started but it was clear from the outset of the second half that the Blues had containment on their minds. That worked in favour of a Gunners team who had benefited no doubt from some choice words from their manager.

There was energy, purpose, pressure applied to Chelsea players. Why it didn't happen from the start, nobody knows. Arsenal threatened for a long spell to score and finally did when Cazorla slid a delicious through ball to Walcott, and the wingstriker floated a side foot over Cech's dive and into the corner. This definitely set Chelsea nerves a-janglin' and Arsenal found a sudden sense of swagger; a thrilling counter attack instigated by Cazorla ended with Walcott stepping inside onto his usually useless left peg and dribbling an anti-climatic shot hopelessly wide.

Benitez reacted shrewdly enough, though why he waited until Arsenal finally found the net I'm not quite sure. Bertrand came on for Oscar, shoring up Chelsea's midfield, denying Arsenal the space they had enjoyed going forward since the break. Arsenal, on the other hand, had no hands to play, no change from the bench to change matters on the pitch. The fact that Arshavin, overweight and unwanted, was sent on to try and produce something from distant memory rather summed up the ludicrous situation with Arsenal's lack of further signings both in the summer and in the past few weeks.

In the closing stages Arsenal had pressure but only half chances, while Chelsea occasionally broke explosively but failed to make the game safe. At one point, Torres produced a jet-heeled burst that evoked the Torres of old, to leave Vermaelen trailing in his slipstream, but then produced a touch that was very much the Torres of today, sending the ball harmlessly rolling into Szczesny's arms. Ba came on soon after and won his own battle with the Arsenal keeper, dancing around him on the edge of the area, but Vermaelen had sprinted back and managed to block the striker's ensuing effort.

In the end, a damaging defeat, a dispiriting day.

This left Arsenal seven points behind Spurs, and with the game in hand on the horizon against West Ham, truly a must-win game. Things didn't start too well here either, as Collinson smashed home from a corner kick that Giroud had weakly cleared. Soon after, Podolski conjured some much-needed inspiration, collecting Wilshere's cute dink infield and dispatching a thriker past Jaaskelainen, the ball arrowing into the corner of the net from fully 25 yards.

West Ham could have led at half time. Again, after the break, huge improvement. Arsenal blew them away in a whirlwind spell,four goals in about ten minutes. Walcott found Giroud with a near post corner, and the Frenchman volleyed home for 2-1. It looked suspiciously like a rehearsed routine from the training ground, with Mertesacker making a run to create the space for Giroud. That's right- an innovative set piece! From Wenger's Arsenal! Against an Allardyce team!

The flurry that followed was more classically Wenger's Arsenal. A lovely move ended with Giroud flipping a first time pass throught to Podolski, who squared to Cazorla, who sent a cheekly back flick rolling over the line. Then Arsenal broke at pace, Podolski tore down the left and slid a great cross to Walcott at the back stick for 4-1. Then Arsenal broke at pace again, Wilshere sent Podolski racing down the left again, and again he found the right pass, this time low to the near post, where Giroud notched his second and Arsenal's fifth.

Arsenal remain unable to control a match, so they will need more productive flurries like this to stay in touch with the top four. And they still need signings too. But we have learned not to hold our breath waiting for that.

I'll Be The Asshole Saying "I Told You So"

Approaching my 100th post, and still saying the same things as the first one.

I know that this blog is almost always preaching negativity, but I think that a lot of this has proven to be justified negativity. Perhaps the more relevant issue is whether it is misdirected, because much of my ire has been aimed at the manager, who many still seem to see as an untouchable figure. To put him on such a lofty pedestal is foolish. George Graham had almost comparable success (albeit without the nice football) but Arsenal had descended into something of a shambles by the time he was sacked- less than a year after winning the European Cup Winners Cup. So surely it is time to question Wenger, as we look back on five years without a trophy. True, George Graham's Arsenal team were more erratic in the league, with mid-table finishes in 93 and the season in which he was sacked, 95, but back then, third or fourth did not mean Champions League football, and at least they were still winning silverware consistently.

With Wenger, things are admittedly a little more complex. He is the man who has revolutionised the club, on and off the pitch. We have a reputation, which I frankly now believe to be half bullshit, for playing nice football, and for being run the right way. Arsenal now exist as a different entity. Dennis Bergkamp was the starting point, but Arsene Wenger is clearly the most important figure in that. It is tempting to think that if Wenger went, a lot of the French players, Fabregas, and others would follow. For them, he is the club.

But let's rewind thirteen years or so. This club did NOT start with Arsene Wenger. It change into something more attractive for a lot of people, and became more successful, but a winning mentality was already there in the playing staff. While the manager is credited with prolonging the top-flight careers of Adams, Bould, Keown, Dixon and Winterburn, they provided him with the platform for success. Watching Arsenal today, does anyone believe that Arsene Wenger could ever have constructed himself a defence that good?

Some other things to consider. Arsenal reached their only ever European Cup final in 2006 mainly through defensive solidity. In every knockout round before the final, Arsenal failed to score in one leg- at home to Real Madrid, away to Juventus, and away to Villareal, where they barely threatened a shot. They got through because they conceded precisely zero goals in those ties. Martin Keown was at this time a member of the coaching staff. Apparently, Arsene the Autocrat bristles at suggestions that this was of some importance. Arsene the Autocrat this season often stated a Keeganesque belief that Arsenal could triumph through scoring more than the opposition. At the season's depressing end, he is blaming the defence for our lack of success, and absolving the likes of Denilson and Diaby, because they apparently made enough chances at the other end. Do they have no obligation to protect the defence? A defence that had Vermaelen and Gallas, two of our outstanding players?

Maybe he was always like this. Maybe it is the lack of experience on the pitch that is costing us. I used to think that argument too black-and-white but I'm coming around to it now. If not experience, professionalism. Petit and Vieira were professional enough, and good enough, to transform their games in order to better protect the defence in 97/98. Maybe it's telling that this was not Wenger's idea but the result of a team meeting in which senior players aired their views. Where before Wenger had Vieira as liuetenant, the old back four, Bergkamp, Parlour et al, what does he have now? You may say that Vieira grew up in that Arsenal team, but that's the whole point. He grew up beside Adams, Keown and the rest. Fabregas should still be growing up beside experience, instead, he's being asked to lead. Lead a team of (and forgive me) WANKERS. There, I said it. I have a genuine dislike for a lot of Arsenal's players today. They don't care what shirt they're wearing. That Wigan game was the last straw for me. It was unseemly. Abou Diaby should not be allowed play again. Fabianski should be put out of his misery, and Almunia likewise. Denilson needs a kick up the ass, and nobody's around to swing a leg.

I'm Going On Strike: Blackburn 2-1 Arsenal

Will we even finish third?

Let's look for some positives... Wenger still sounds, in public remarks at least, as if he doesn't think we need a new goalkeeper. Fabianski provided yet more concrete evidence to the contrary. He is amazingly prolific in his mistake-making. So maybe some good will come out of another defeat, in a perverse way.

With all the first-choice players we're missing, I see the season's end as an audition for the squad players. Almost to a man, they're failing. Abou Diaby is, for me, a nothing player. Flashes of mercurial brilliance are not what's required from a central midfielder, although in a league in which Steven Gerrard has been lionised, you'd be forgiven for thinking so. Theo Walcott, I've said all I have to say. Eduardo looks a spent force thanks to the neanderthal ethic of the English game. Vela is the new Aliadieire. Nasri, though talented, shirks responsibility too often. Yes, we are missing good players, but what is a squad for?

Third place, assuming we still finish there: some will say it's no disgrace. If they've bought into Sky Sports bullshit, they may peddle a line about it being the best league in the world. This year, the league's relative poorness has covered up Arsenal's myriad deficiencies somewhat but nine defeats cannot be ignored. Something is rotten in the state of Arsenal. You can fall for the rhetoric and the ideals if you so please but as far as I'm concerned, the right man for the job is the man who does the right things; Arsene Wenger hasn't for quite some time and thus I suggest that the Summer and the season that follows become his audition.

This Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal

In 1984 (the book, not the year), George Orwell wrote that "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows". Under Arsene Wenger's increasingly totalitarian regime, the fans have become used to hearing that two plus two equals five, but an atmosphere of revolt is building.

These last two have been the most disheartening games I can remember as an Arsenal supporter. I can't say I was expecting much better, but it's deeply frustrating to witness a team lose the big games, the same way, over and over. I said during the week that I could bear to see Arsenal lose, but not in the same manner again. And while the performance was improved, the decisive factors were a repeat of last week's and other failures that have apparently been ignored by the players and those who guide them. The shortcomings are numerous and have been talked about here at length before, so where to begin tonight? Why not the goals. Chelsea neatly summed up the dual defensive malaise that defines this Arsenal team. The first- the set piece. You could tell just watching that goal that there had been no meaningful work done with these players as to how they were going to deal with the opposition's aerial threat (this is something I'll return to). Terry's free header, Drogba's unobstructed finish- it was another disgracefully easy goal to concede.

The fact that Arsenal came back to threaten at the other end- with Arshavin denied by Cech- made it all the more sickening to view Drogba's second. On the break of course, and another comically simple goal to concede, when you break it down. One pass and Lampard is running at our back four- Song and Diaby deciding that a 1-0 deficit is grounds to abandon defensive duties. But still- he'll need to play a difficult through ball, right? Well, no, because Gael Clichy is going to inexplicably run infield towards Vermaelen, and away from Drogba, who collects Lampard's simple ball, works his way inside the hapless Frenchman and batters the ball past the increasingly pathetic figure that is Manuel Almunia. Fuck me, this is turning into the most annoying running joke ever devised. You'd need to have a dark sense of humour, I mean, in Larry David parlance, "Heart of Darkness-black", to laugh at this now.

To be fair, Arsenal were the better side for the remainder, but it's little comfort. Chelsea happily ceded ground, defended their area well, and played on the counter. Wenger complained afterwards- more grasping for a non-existent moral victory- that they didn't really come out to play. He does not seem to understand that they wanted to win more than they wanted to entertain. Why would they invite Arsenal into an open game with a 2-0 lead? To him it's reprehensible, and I'll admit that I find it dull and uninspiring, but it WORKED. Any Arsenal fan with a crumb of knowledge of the club's history pre-Wenger would do well to consider the hypocrisy of any condemanation of Chelsea's style. Are these "fans" claiming that they would not have celebrated in 1989, in 1991, in 1994? We're all so sophisticated now, eh?

As I've said before, Wenger's successful seasons at Arsenal have been peppered with accomplished counter-attacking play. I distinctly remember an FA Cup game at Chelsea during which Arsenal endured sustained pressure only to win the game with lightning breaks- as recently as 2003. The final in 2005 is not such a sterling example, because it consisted of United making and squandering chance after chance, but again, nobody offered to give the fucking trophy back because we hadn't put on an exhibition of possession-chess. So let's dismount those fucking high horses and fix this mess, or at least acknowledge that the mess exists.

Arsenal have a multitude of problems on the playing side that are gnawing at any sense of optimism. Many people have Almunia at the top of the list, and I guess that is a problem that should be solved quite easily, but here we are, stuck with him for this season at least. But even if he is finally replaced in the Summer, it would be foolish to think that our problems would end there.

One thing that seems obvious to me is that Arsenal need a defensive coach. Perhaps a strong number two who will have the balls to disagree with his holiness, the Autocrat. Wenger either does not or cannot coach defence. It's there in every set piece, and every time we are sliced through in another devastating and simple breakaway. The transition from defence to attack and attack to defence is too slow. Going forward, we often look ponderous. I've stated here before that we are no longer a force to be feared on the break. In a funny way, building the team around Fabregas, great as he is, has weakened this side of our game. Pace and power has been replaced by poise and stealth, but overall the team is too one-dimensional. Walcott is the only forward player with raw pace and seems to have no idea how to use it- he was invisible again. Other than that, it's pass to feet, pass to feet, pass to feet. No threat in behind, no threat in the air.

That's it though. It didn't take long. Out of the title race as soon as the real games arrived. And the Champions League nothing more than a pipe dream, because good teams will either smother us, or play through us, or both. The season will probably retain a competitive edge, because after Wednesday we may well be involved in the undignified multi-team scrabble for 4th. From a position of strength, we could soon find ourselves staring into the abyss. Or we could just finish third, but either way, there will be no happy ending, because there is no reason to believe that what needs changing will change in the coming months. Maybe the Summer transfer window will provide respite.

Maybe Drogba will leave Chelsea. Meantime, pass the Prozac.

Diaby shown up again: Wolves 1-4 Arsenal

I was surprised at Wenger's team selection against Wolves- coupling Ramsey and Diaby in front of the back four. True, I have been calling for the inclusion of the young Welshman, but I hoped it would be in place of Diaby, not in tandem with him.

Well, after 25 minutes or so of Wolves dominance over a lethargic-looking Arsenal, I got my wish, when we were granted the familiar sight of the brittle French midfielder breaking down injured. The difference in performance thereafter- albeit aided by two fortuitous own goals- illustrated that the once-maligned Song is now absolute streets ahead of the once-trumpeted Diaby. At the moment, Song is quite possibly the most IMPORTANT cog in the Arsenal machine.

In modern football, and certainly in a 4-3-3 as attack-minded as Arsenal's current system- the "Makalele" role is paramount. Wenger took a gamble on Saturday that, to me, looked risky from the start. He played six attackers- and two attacking full-backs don't forget- and in my opinion, though the result looks comfortable, a simple twist of fate- and of Abou's leg- may have been decisive.

It didn't take long for the folly of the initial starting XI to be consigned to memory, with three goals scored by half-time. Eduardo forced an own goal from a corner that Hennessy should have fielded. Then his chip after a quick breakaway involving Ramsey looped in (it was heading wide) thanks to a hefty deflection off the luckless craddock. Any likelihood of second period nerves was quashed with a timely killer third before the interval. Sagna- rediscovering the dynamism and accurate delivery that made him such a success two seasons ago- bombed forward, and crossed low to Van Persie's feet. The Dutchman's first-time layoff was subtle and perfect for the appreciative Fabregas who provided another cool near-post finish for this season's collection.

Arsenal were never truly out of second gear all game but what they were after Song's introduction was efficient. The midfield area is called the "engine room" with good reason, and, though I hate to be banging on about it, Diaby truly is a clunky player. Whatever the opposite of oiling the wheels is, that's what he often seems to do. Now, he can't be completely bereft of benefits to the side, otherwise recent results with him in the team wouldn't have been so impressive. But he must not play in the absence of Song unless necessary. Hurry back Denilson!

Second half involved some nice interchanges, some vintage Arsenal overplay, and a snapshot fourth from Arshavin from a half-cleared corner. craddock pulled one back late on when Vermaelen ducked as if expecting Manuel from Fawlty Towers, sorry, Manuel Almunia, to claim a corner. Another softly conceded goal to remind us of the potentially rough waters ahead, but at the moment things are going well. continuing to score at the rate they've kept up so far, Arsenal will not so much break as destroy the Premiership record for goals scored. But if a team this naively idealistic in its commitment to all-out-attack could really win the title, surely Kevin Keegan wouldn't be sitting in the ESPN studio?? The next two league games- Sundeland away, and chelsea at home- should reveal much.

Tomorrow, my long postponed ruminations on the title race overall- including perhaps some complaints about the chelsea-united non-spectacle and some guffaws about the state of Liverpool Football club.

Arsenal 4-1 AZ Alkmaar

The Liverpool match held a bit more intrigue, so I didn't really watch this properly. But I was switching channels so frequently that I didn't miss one of Arsenal's four goals.

The first came when Fabregas, possibly the world's best midfielder on current form, beat their suspect keeper at the near post, after one of those familiar forays upfield by Big Willy Gallas. It was a clever effort but one that should really have been reached by Romero. I guess at the moment cesc is having one of those runs where everything he touches turns to goals, reminiscent of his start to 07/08. Back then, his form was a big part of the springboard for a title challenge. He's surely having his best run of form since that time, and all after I questioned him only a month or so ago. I've gotta stop making these snap judgements.

Anyway, the game was pretty much up for AZ before half time, when Nasri shimmied beyond the last defender from the impressive Arshavin's slide-rule pass, and placed the ball beyond the exposed keeper. Arhavin was again the architect for Fabregas' second, which really illustrated his confidence in front of goal at the moment. Released on the left side of the penalty area, he opened his body out as if to line up a shot across the goal (copyright Thierry Henry 2000) but instead swung his shot high into the net at the near post.

This allowed for a couple of handy changes. I think Wenger's doing well with taking Fabregas off when the opportunity presents itself, not overworking him. He missed out, then, on any chance for a hat-trick, but there was a hat-trick of sorts. Before being replaced himself, Arshavin set up Diaby at the end of a champagne breakaway, which involved Eduardo finding the Russian with a brilliant back-heel. Diaby, I read some fan say somewhere, had a great game. I recorded it so I might watch the whole thing, just so I can destroy that assertion. Or eat a slice of bitter humble pie. He took his goal well anyway.

I must add, for all the flowing football, I thought the midfield was again looking a little too open. Too often that area in front of our back four looked undermanned, and while the Dutch side never really opened Arsenal up, they had a fair few moments that they could have made more of.

Ok, I know, we were in control of the game, and I'm being contrary, but when we come up against the top sides these are the things that simply have to be right. Otherwise your pretty football will be no real comfort. And I'll be disappointed on those days, but I'm a very petty man so I'll also be clinging to the petty comfort of saying "I told you so".

A case in point was their consolation goal. You can say, "it doesn't matter, we're winning 4-0", but to the best, all the pieces matter (I love throwing in little quotes from The Wire). You could argue, maybe, that Almunia is a decent keeper who switches off at times, and what better time than at 4-0 up. But those who've endured his "reign" as number one will know that he does it a lot, at different moments, often very costly moments. So that, allied to his general lack of saves that make you go "Wow", well, it makes him.... shite, doesn't it?

Now, he did make a good save at 3-0, so a pat on his silly peroxide head for that. And I am glad he's back in the team (despite him being kinda shite- I reserve the right to contradict myself). I think it might be good for the team's stability not to be relying on the rookie Mannone. But I think we should buy an experienced keeper in January. Because to me, that seemingly insignificant goal on Wednesday night held the promise of future horror.

Back in their Box: Arsenal 3-0 Spurs

There was a lot of bluster coming out of the Tottenham camp in the lead up to Saturday's derby, so no wonder Harry Redknapp was bitter and graceless in his post-match comments. Robbie Keane's missive about Spurs having superior strength in depth proved particularly ill-advised, for his side looked largely toothless without Modric, Lennon and Defoe. For all their pretensions of swashbuckling football, Redknapp chose to leave Kranjcar out, pack the midfield, and use Keane from the left. This left Peter crouch, to whom Spurs constantly pumped long balls, mostly isolated.

And for all that, Arsenal weren't overly impressive, and maybe that's the most satisfying aspect for us and the most chastening for Spurs. For 40 minutes or so, it was fairly sluggish stuff, but there had been signs that Spurs were there for the taking. Andy Gray praised their well-organised play during that time and he was right to a point but they were probably only impressive because Arsenal's attacking was a bit off-colour. Nonetheless, Gomes had made a great save to keep out Fabregas, and Van Persie had snatched at a couple of passable opportunities (two of these chances came from Spurs giving the ball away carelessly, so the signs were there); at the other end, Keane looked to get in off a crouch knockdown, but the impressive Song tracked back to good effect, and just before the opener, Keane seemed to slip our offside trap but his touch let him down.

And then the vital goal, and it was, for a team with a reputation for over-complicating things, refreshingly simple. The defending was questionable no doubt. Sagna and Fabregas worked a one-two under little pressure to the right of the area, and where the former would usually perhaps begin to work the ball back across the pitch, he swung in an early cross. Ledley King was beaten to the bouncing ball by Van Persie who stabbed it in at the near post, Gomes' hand not enough to repel the effort. Bassong seemed to be missing in action, and King a little slow to react perhaps, but few are the goals that do not arise in some way from an error and I'd prefer to praise a bit of classic centre forward play by RVP. He's flying at the moment. Afterwards, Wenger called him a cross between Bergkamp and Henry. Now, that sounds like some kind of mutant super-footballer, but he has a point in a way. While not having the electric pace of Henry, he is much more a consistent goal threat than Bergkamp, and while not quite capable of the sheer creative genius of his countryman he is fairly adept also at dropping off and threading passes to his fellow attackers. And you know what? Neither of those guys, for all their godlike abilities, would have scored that goal on Saturday.

And it certainly raised the crowd, but that was nothing compared to what followed. In a moment that evoked memories of Jose Reyes' belter in the 5-3 against Boro in 04/05, Arsenal had the ball in the net again with Sky Sports barely finished showing replays of the first goal. I heard a roar from the crowd, saw the camera return to Fabregas bearing down on goal, and gleefully threading a shot past Gomes for number two. Thrilling stuff. And after the devastating sucker punch of Spurs' two-goal salvo in injury time last season, this was a particularly apt way to restore primacy in North London.

The replays showed what had transpired- Van Persie blocked a lazy pass straight from kick off, Fabregas evaded a lunge by Palacios, nutmegged the panicky tackle from King and fooled Gomes with his shot. It was schoolboy stuff from Spurs but a great goal nonetheless, and another moment to illustrate the greatness of Fabregas. He's not renowned for such driving runs- it almost looked like the work of a diminutive Steven Gerrard- but what it showed again was his peerless appreciation of the requirements and openings in each moment of a game. He saw Spurs rocking on the ropes, and where it is his natural style to probe and be patient, here he went for the jugular, and finished the game.

Not that I was willing to admit that at the time, after our troubles in the corresponding fixture last season and last week at West Ham. Two goal leads are a cause for nerves at Arsenal, and the players seemed aware of the danger second half. When Spurs had the ball, we defended with a vigour that I haven't seen in a home game since the 2-1 win against United last season. The next goal was clearly going to be vital, and we did have a sticky period just before finishing the job. The backline seemed to drop a little deeper, which was always going to suit crouch (who Vermaelen dominated throughout), now joined upfront by Keane. Gallas had to be alert to deny Keane once more. He was starting to look a little panic-stricken, and gave away a free kick right on the edge with a handball when challenging crouch in the air. Bentley's free kick was easy for the returning Almunia; he made it look difficult, as is his wont. Then Gallas pushed crouch on the edge- nothing doing this time. Then the nerves were killed off with a third.

Eduardo was floored with a rough tackle on the right but Sagna burst onto the loose ball and beyond the Spurs defence. He saw the linesman flagging for the foul and slowed up, as did the opposing players, but clattenburg had played a good advantage, and when the Frenchman finally realised this he cut the ball in low. Somehow, it evaded the grasp of Gomes and the lunge of the luckless King, and Van Persie was left to gobble up his second.

Thus the contest was ended and I could finally relax. Spurs offered little, but it was encouraging to see Wenger get agitated on the touchline, just after Eduardo had missed an opportunity to make it four, over an inability to communicate defensive instructions to Song and the infuriating Diaby. As acknowledged afterwards, Wenger saw the significance of holding onto a clean sheet.

I thought, yet again, that Diaby had a poor game. To me it's shocking that we've had such a run with him in the side. He plays like the anti-Fabregas. Forever taking too many touches on the ball, he will pointlessly try to hold off a tackle himself when a simple pass would suffice. This sees him surrender possession too much, and he does it all over the pitch. His passes never have the right weight, always short or long or not into the receiver's stride. He has some talent, no doubt, but lacks the intelligence to use it efficiently. Likewise, his physique is misleading because he rarely tackles with conviction and seems disinterested in the defensive side of the game. He was surely the source of Wenger's ire because Song has been playing diligently in front of the back four and has played a big part in our good moments this season. When we are in command of a game, and the opposition striving to turn it, we need another midfielder to drop back more and allow cesc to pick out the front three. Unless you think that Diaby is better at that. Ha. But I worry that he simply lacks the brain and the team spirit to sacrifice his attacking instincts. You'd possibly have similar reervations about Nasri if deployed in the same position but at least he does not disrupt the flow of our attacking as well as burdening the defence.

Anyway, Wenger definitely has to think long and hard about adding to our squad in January, because Song will be going to the African Nations and with Denilson yet to return from a fairly serious injury, the last thing we need is opposition teams marauding through our midfield unchallenged (and in any case I'm still unsure that Denilson can effectively perform the role that Song does).

But here's to a week that saw Spurs talk themselves into a corner and not have the fight to get out of it. Tomorrow I will ruminate at length to nobody about the relative strengths of the established top four and the chasing pack.

carling cup: Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

I don't really care that much about the carling cup. I'm as success-starved as the next man, and would like to see Arsenal win it, but there's little chance of that happening. The quarter-finals will feature Man Utd's strong reserves, as well as chelsea, Villa, Spurs and city who will all still play close to full-strength sides. With Wenger's policy of blooding youngsters and giving reserves a run-out, it's hard to see an ultimate Arsenal triumph. Then again, we did get close in 2007, outplaying chelsea's first team in the final, so maybe I'm being pessimistic, we'll see.

Anyway, we all know it's a distant fourth priority, but that often leads to games like lastnight's and that's no bad thing. With the pressure off, there has often been a lot of freedom in Arsenal's play. Liverpool also rested key men, and they played their part. It would have been hard to tell, if you didn't already know, that this was a Benitez side, as the game was largely open. And it was illuminated further by three fine goals. In the first half, Merida and Insua exchanged left-footed screamers to leave the score level. Early in the second, Bendtner, who'd had a stinker to that point, fired in the winner after another flowing move.

The best of these had come earlier when the outstanding Aaron Ramsey started a move around our right back area and a succession of one-twos saw him advance to near Liverpool's area where he played in Merida with a pass that was, dare I say it, Fabregasesque.

I have to say, I hadn't been sure about the Welshman from what I'd seen last season, but there's been a huge improvement this campaign so far culminating in his best performance for the club lastnight (we'll forgive him a couple of sloppy, tired passes towards the end). Between this, and the return of Nasri, I am happy to say that Diaby's first team time SHOULD soon be up.

A word about Senderos aswell. He always looked capable of costing us the game and if Voronin wasn't so bumbling he could have punished us. I have no hatred for the Swiss as a man, he seems genuine and committed despite his difficult situation at the club, but at a team that play on the front foot as we always try to, he is a constant liability. You can see how the move to Everton would have benefitted him. They're less of an attacking side, he wouldn't have to push up to halfway and be at constant risk of getting turned and left for dead... It's a pity for Philly that it fell through, and maybe he can help us if called upon, but I'm praying that Gallas and Vermaelen stay fit somehow.

Identity Crisis: Man City 4-2 Arsenal

Something's been bothering me about my team lately, and the other day, it hit me: we've become Spurs.

Seriously, think about it for a second. All those things we liked to think separated us from them- trophies, professionalism, efficiency- all those distinctions have more or less disappeared. Now they're just two "attractive sides", both flakey as can be. I guess some would say champions league football is the remaining difference, but anyone who's gonna say that is not now under threat after the last two games needs to take off those rose-tinted glasses and get themselves down to Specsavers.

Alan Hansen is not a man I often find myself agreeing with, but I nodded my head watching MOTD when he stated that he'd never seen a team so susceptible to conceding while dominating a game. Similar points have been made elsewhere. United and chelsea, these are teams who win while playing badly. Arsenal often lose while playing well.

I stated my reservations after the Everton win and it gives me no satisfaction to say I think I've been proven right: this team lacks character. It's perhaps the single most difficult problem to remedy in a team. We've seen outlined already some decent tactical changes made to the side, that had appeared to lead to improvement. But every time the stakes are raised, these guys seem to shrink in stature. Perhaps it is as Myles Palmer often suggests, that these players have been overly-pampered by Wenger. Perhaps it is that they simply need to win something, anything, to start to build that character. I'm not optimistic. This is a team that Wenger has been building for some time- albeit having lost some crucial players at times- and a side that Mark Fucking Hughes has had together for all of a few weeks gave them the runaround.

There are players in the Arsenal team who have stalled worryingly in their development. That is a potentially fatal factor in the progress or otherwise of this football club. If Wenger can not, for another few years at least, spend money, then we are relying completely on his semi-mythic talent for nurturing players. If that has deserted him, we really are in trouble.

Gael clichy is certainly Exhibit A. I distinctly remember a game in his breakthrough season, 03/04, when celta Vigo's right winger at the time gave him an almighty roasting. It was one of those things where you just thought, that's fine, he'll iron out those defensive deficiencies in time. But you know what? It still looks like, and on a fairly regular basis, that same clichy is making the same elementary errors. Allied to this, there's his inability to provide any kind of service when he gets forward- much like Sagna. I don't know is it that they haven't got a target, because in 07/08, when Adebayor was on fire, I seem to remember them both providing some good crosses. Whatever, the bottom line is, those two look to have stoppede dead in their progress.

Then again, there's worse further up the pitch. I always thought Denilson was a nice, tidy footballer, but that seems to be where it ends. Fabregas was stifled by De Jong on Saturday, so the Brazilian simply HAD TO shoulder some creative responsibility- he failed again to do this. And if he hasn't got that in his locker, it's hard to see where his real strengths lie. Rosicky appeared for ther first time in a year and a half and straight way looked what he is- ten times the player Denilson is, Bendtner is, Diaby is... The latter two are out of place as the flanking strikers in a 4-3-3, so maybe it's a bit harsh to be judging them, but in Diaby's case, a man that lazy can't really have any position. He looks unwilling to ever accept any defensive responsibility, and that next to his pisspoor passing makes an absolute mockery of those Vieira comparisons that we often hear, and are encouraged by Wenger. What Wenger needs to do is give this guy a swift kick up the ass but I guess that's just not his style. But look at it this way- Arshavin is embarrassingly superior in ability to Diaby and when he plays the same position, he puts in a fucking shift. If one is the best players in the world has the humility and professionalism to chase back, you've got to question the attitude of a joker like Diaby. In summation, he can fuck right off. I mean that. I'd be happy to never see him play for Arsenal again. Give Wilshere a chance, for fuck's sake.

Also consigned to the bad books, probably forever, is a goalkeeper we have been saddled with by yet more lack of foresight from Wenger. A goalkeeper who just doesn't make saves, and throws in the odd clanger to boot. He has never, not once, had a sustained run of form in an Arsenal shirt, and it's an insult to the fans that we have to settle for this while Shay Given makes stop after stop for our direct rivals for 4th, and a fair few teams have TWO better keepers in their squad.

I'm finding it hard to be optimistic at the moment. It's been pointed out that we have a handy looking run of fixtures now. I don't think we can view any fixture as particularly handy now that our weaknesses have again been ruthlessly exposed- and by a city side who were missing Robinho and Tevez. Our squad is continually ravaged which means our reliance on shitbags like Diaby will continue. If we had the full squad available, it'd almost look formidable. If my aunt had bollocks she'd be my uncle. Expect more struggles.

I consciously ignore the Adebayor fuss because it would detract from the more worrying problems with the team. But just one footnote- he might not look so clever at the end of the season if his impending suspension derails city's charge. That I am forced to clutch already at such petty straws points to the continued decline in the power of Arsenal.

The shit hits the fans: some teams never change

In my last post I referred to an Arsenal- United encounter in 04/05 that was an important moment in a title-winning campaign for chelsea. Having viewed Saturday's game, one could be forgiven for thinking that history is repeating itself. The game was a tour de farce.

There's been ample moaning already from sickened gooners, myself included, and from our notoriously bitter manager, about the referee's performance, but that is something of an irrelevance. The question that Wenger and his team must privately pose is, HOW is such an off-colour United team allowed to escape that game with three points?

Forget the fact that Fletcher clattered through Arhavin in the area- the latter's goal came in the same passage of play. Forget that Rooney's knees were buckling before Almunia made contact with him- the keeper's stupidity was such that there was no choice for the ref except to award a penalty. It was Arsenal's continuously amazing STUPIDITY, and make no mistake, some of these guys are stupid, that gave the game away.

This was summed up best by Diaby's comical own-goal. In fairness, he had one of his best ever games, but is it really worth relying on players whose best games can involve literally gifting the opposition victory? Almunia deserves stick aswell, and Wenger deserves beating with a stick for lumping the team with this liability of a goalkeeper. The best goalies can be seen to be worth a lot of points in a season- Newcastle in the Premiership would be a much more distant memory if they hadn't had Shay Given, for instance- but this guy is LOSING us points. He doesn't make match-winning saves, and he also drops clangers. For a moment, after last season's first leg against United, I believed. I thought he'd finally made it. Then what? He ensures the tie is over with a wretched first ten minutes at the Grove. He's a joker. He showed it again on Saturday, as he had the weekend before against Portsmouth.

I've questioned the big-game character of the players here and I think this game showed I was justified. collectively, Arsenal were good to a point, but individual errors snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. United were wretched, there for the taking. But we gave them a shot of confidence in the shape of two gift-wrapped goals. After that, we were left with that familiar sight in a big game: no bouncebackability from Arsenal. If it was chelsea or Pool, there would have been a siege on United's goal, instead we got sporadic attacks with no real focal point. Probably shouldn't be too critical- we were missing Fabregas, Nari, Walcott, all first choice attacking players. The thing is, with United toothless and lacking fluidity, after Arshavin's wondergoal we should never have been left chasing it. We've looked more solid as a unit in midfield and attack, but the errors of one or two morons can undo a team's good work. Welcome to Arsenal, Vermaelen. No wonder Billy Gallas gets emotional sometimes. He used to be surrounded by pros at chelsea. contrast that with all the times at Arsenal that he's played a blinder and some idiot or another has contrived to render his performance meaningless. Fucking hell.

There SHOULD be optimism, because all in all, we looked superior to United, even without some important players. These must be worrying times for United fans, as Giggs, carrick and others looked rudderless. Again, I ask you, how did we lose that game? Last season, I would have been tempted to say the team lacks character. But now I think that does a disservice to a lot of the players. Most of them did their jobs well and were for an hour or so winning personal duels with their opponents. But it becomes more and more clear that people like Almunia and Diaby can't be carried.

As I've said before, Arsenal teams have had a habit of letting one poor result become a poor run of form. You know what? call it hyperbole, I call it the truth: Saturday September 12th, Manchester city away-one of the biggest games of Wenger's reign. The symbolism involved in ninety minutes of early season football couldn't get much more significant.