What will they do? Make up puns based on Thomas Eisfeld? I almost did with thoughts of a headline such as “Eis-py with my little eye” or “Eis, Eis, Baby“. Couldn’t quite work out how the more musically acceptable, “Eis-py for the FBI” was going to work which is when that came to a grinding halt.

Ivan Gazidis spoke with Fox News, stood tall, looked Warren Barton foresquare in the eye and made their ridicule look as puerile as it was. Barton – those of us of a certain age will recall was constantly lined up for an Arsenal move on the basis of being a supporter - tried to ingratiate himself with a section of the support by trotting out hackneyed half-wits about transfer spending. It brought a robust defence of the manager but the problem is he does not spend it on those whom his critics desire.

That said, investment is an ongoing process and a balance has to be struck between the here and now with the future. The Summer was badly handled; panic buying has become the byword to describe the late activity. Timing is everything and the timing of those signings lends itself to such a description no matter how wrong it is.

A crucial point is valuation and that is one that Arsène is constantly beaten over. His valuations are below the market, he should pay the extra £5m the selling clubs want, etc. Again, an easy finger to point but noticeably those critics have been very quiet over the transfer fee paid for Gary Cahill by Chelsea; £7m was the valuation Arsène put on the player to the derision of his detractors. He should, the received wisdom of the time was, go to the £18m demanded by Bolton. Would he have been able to prevent the bad start to the season? Maybe, perhaps not, an unprovable consideration.

New signings might not be needed. The cavalry has begun its’ charge over the hill, not entirely in formation and more in a sort of limp arrival. Nonetheless the return of Bacary Sagna is welcomed not just because of his abilities but also the confidence he seems to inspire in Theo Walcott. Whether the inconsistency of his recent spell is cured by having the French international behind him as opposed to a centre back trying his hardest to make the best of a bad situation, we shall soon find out.

Thomas Vermaelen hoped that the win over Villa would have an immediate impact on the Premier League form whilst Theo thought more of the trophy aspect,

This is a great opportunity for us because some of the big teams have gone out. But I think if we do start thinking a bit too far ahead, maybe we will be disappointed at the end of it.

This is a cup competition that we can win and we need to believe that we can.

You can tell that Theo has been around his manager constantly, offering the view that a top four place is more important than a cup competition. I understand that, the desire to compete against the best in Europe on a regular basis is something that a club of Arsenal’s stature should be targetting at the very least.

Yet players constantly talk of the need to win something, for medals and when cup competitions are ranked lower than fourth place in the Premier League, you question whether the players are focussed enough on a tournament to want to win it enough. Wembley last year was a point in question; a prime opportunity to win something and it went horribly wrong. Things went wrong on the day, injuries, they all conspired but there was enough talent to win it. Would the same happen at an FA Cup Final?

And it raises uncomfortable questions for us as supporters to deal with collectively. Is a season that ends in fifth with the FA Cup a failure or is fourth place with no trophy a better outcome. Personally the trophy would make it a successful season but it is difficult to reach a consensus on that with some observing that both are failures.

Both carry failure in one form or another and to be honest, Ivan observing we are still in three competitions is utterly stretching that point; we are not in the title race and have not been this season. There are but two competitions left for Arsenal to genuinely aspire to winning and the Premier League is not one of them.

Happier days on Arsenal On This Day with a thumping of Tottenham at White Hart Lane to enjoy. Interestingly, Arsenal’s two biggest wins in that encounter have both come at Tottenham rather than at home.

’til Tomorrow.

0 – 1 Dunne (33)
0 – 2 Bent (45)
1 – 2 van Persie (54 pen)
2 – 2 Walcott (57)
3 – 2 van Persie (61 pen)

Three goals in seven minutes gave Arsenal a deserved victory, recovering a deficit that was the result of defending as weak and insipid as the beer proferred by the competition’s sponsors. It is all being overshadowed by a wayward elbow from Robin van Persie on Carlos Cuellar bringing forth a typically overstated reaction from Alex McLeish after the match. Whether the FA decide to investigate will become clearer today.

They might like to look into why Richard Dunne was still allowed to be on the pitch as well. Refereeing standards continue to plummet when the Irish defender, having been booked already for a foul on Rosicky in the first half, was not booked for a blatant scything of Ramsey in the second. That is not to excuse van Persie but McLeish might like to keep his head down when it comes to inadequcies in the officiating.

That Villa were two goals to the good is leading to the usual distorted criticism of Lukasz Fabianski. He is not the best goalkeeper at the club, granted, and at times he does leave you screwing your eyes tightly shut with all digits crossed; he was not to blame for either of the goals though. The first was the expected lacksadaisical defending from a corner. Ramsey was overloaded on the flank, Keane delivered the cross for Dunne to outmuscle a cluster of players and bury the header.

The second came as Arsenal pushed for an equaliser before half-time, Villa broke swiftly with Bent set free on the right of the area. Fabianski made a fine save, parrying the ball wide only for the Villa striker to score from an acute angle. Neither goals were the result of goalkeeping errors and the criticism is unwarranted.

That Arsenal were two down was baffling to some extent. It suggests a poverty of performance in keeping with those in the Premier League recently. Whilst not entirely true, Arsenal did struggle at times to break through the nullifying tactics of their opponents. Villa ensured that space and time was at premium, pressing Arsenal when in possession.

The first opportunity came from a setplay when Vermaelen slammed his a freekick from range toward the top corner, Given turning the ball over.  The standard of Arsenal set-pieces is baffling poor. The delivery is more often than not, abysmal. Freekicks regularly fail to clear the wall and when they do, they clear the bar comfortably. As for corners, little wonder we struggle to defend them as I doubt a decent one has been put in at London Colney for a number of seasons. Certainly they are rare enough at The Emirates for Bill Oddie to be overly excited by ones arrival.

Theo Walcott threatened fleetingly in the first half with sporadic forays in the Villa half whilst Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain probed on the left effectively. The youngster went close with a Vermaelen-esque effort close to the interval whilst Rosicky was hinting at yesteryears with his passing, causing Given momentary heart palpitations as he fumbled the Czech’s shot.

The second half was barely ten minutes old when Villa’s world turned on its head. Ramsey was fed by Song and the Welshman darted into the area, unceremoniously pummelled to Earth by Dunne. As Given dived to his left, van Persie’s spot kick flew to the right corner.

Wind was in the Arsenal sail and minutes later; Walcott pranced and danced his way to the bye-line, smuggled a shot past Given but Hutton’s goalline clearance thundered into the net off Walcott. No hint of shame or embarrassment as Walcott wheeled away as if scoring the Goal of the Season. It was not but does that matter?

Within three minutes, the deficit was overhauled. Koscielny adopted the Krol philosophy, elegantly moving through the Villa half and having taken a return pass, was removed from the attacking equation by a clumsy Bent challenge. Given guessed right; the ball flew left. Given guessed wrong.

Few clear chances came afterwards, the best to Walcott but once more he spurned the opening. Clark, for Villa, directed their best moment into the grateful arms of Fabianski.

The reward for victory is a trip to the North East, Sunderland or Middlesbrough await with neither holding any fear. Whilst this victory is no guarantee that the corner has been turned, it was certainly welcome. Overall, the performance hinted that nerves are being overcome and Walcott’s equaliser is certainly a suggestion that Lady Luck has had enough of the misery her absence has caused.

With Sagna, Arteta and to a lesser extent Henry, returning to the bench that is a more important aspect of yesterday. If injuries can be curtailed then overhauling the points deficit is not an overwhelming prospect. The trip to Bolton on Wednesday is not an easy game; they are fighting for their Premier League life. This win gives a bit more grounding to that optimism.

’til Tomorrow.

For Arsenal, this is a chance to consign a horrible January to the dustbin with a win. No Premier League points in January, the bright spot was the victory over Leeds with the goalscoring return of Thierry Henry. The euphoria of that moment lasted just one week but key games approach in the next seven days; very winnable games. Must-win games to breakout of a rut.

New faces might help. Reports this morning suggest that a bid for Lukasz Podolski was rejected; the source is not the most reliable yet hints that the quietness is not a sign of Arsène or anyone else doing nothing, simply doing business the Arsenal way. Quietly and being rejected. Burak Yilmaz would ‘accept a transfer to Arsenal‘ so that won’t happen but there is a new signing which has the potential for causing problems, not least of which will be a run of letters for shirt printing. What’s his new nickname going to be? The Ox is taken, Laub Rat sounds too experimental so The Laub will have to do…

For years, Arsène sought to actively play down the strengths of youngsters, aware of the damage that the weight of expectation might do to a career. This time in a volte face, he is building a player up, knowing that the media pander to unreasonable expectations. I understand that this is all part of a PR war, the media ask the questions, he provides the answers but knowing how fickle Arsenal supporters can be, it is a risky business. The media lap it up such is the paucity of genuine talent for the national team. It is lapped up in the stands because of the paucity of anything in recent weeks.

His performances this season have underlined the potential but they have all been at home. Arsenal’s travails have been on their travels; can Oxlade-Chamberlain provide the spark away from The Emirates? Perhaps but it seems more likely than Andrey Arshavin will be used in those games. This morning’s observations on the Russian from Amy Lawrence pinpoint his problems exactly, ones that the manager is surely aware of but has no inclination to solve simply because they do not fit tactically. And also overlook his performances which have delighted, have come from the left wing.

That was when he was in the side on a regular basis and for someone who was pivotal in his national team, hailed as a world superstar before signing for the club, there is an ignominy in being deemed no more than a regular substitute. Prior to this season, he has been involved in a goal every other game on average – either scoring or assisting – but this time it is one every four games. For all of his manager’s failings in not getting the best out of Arshavin, the player too is culpable for producing his form on a consistent enough basis. There in the problem; lack of playing time will not help his cause and it is a cause worth fighting for. Even out of sorts, he is capable of the mercurial moment that changes a game something which has not been evident this season.

Team news is better with Bacary Sagna a possible returnee from the bench, surely too short of match fitness to start? That means Johan Djourou is likely to keep his starting place although Yennaris’ perfomance in the second half suggested he might do well as a specialist right back. Villa have pace on the flanks and in attack which may sway the manager’s choice given the damage done by United last weekend. Whilst Wenger makes no secret of his targets for the season, a strong line-up today is surely required. The FA Cup, like last season’s Carling Cup, offers the chance of mentally enhancing silverware, especially with the number of big clubs exiting the tournament thus far.

My line-up for this afternoon, fitness permitting, would be:

Szczesny; Yennaris, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen; Ramsey, Song, Arteta; Walcott, van Persie, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Will last weekend have influenced Arsène’s thinking on substitutes? I doubt it, I hope not. The crowd should not deflect the manager from his course. By all means learn from the mistake tactically but not for the sake of keeping the peace. Were that the case, the minor view pushed by Justin Hoyte in the press this morning will be consumed in the headline fog of Winterburn and Merson.

As part of your big match build-up, pop over to Arsenal On This Day for a fine win from 1972. Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

It has intensified the despondency that hangs in the air following the recent run of defeats. By every measure, this has been the worst January during Arsène’s reign; never before has one of his Arsenal sides lost more games than it has won in this month or failed to take even a solitary league point. Quite simply it has been abysmal and as such, intensified the desire for new faces. Criticism now is now founded on an imponderable; Arsène’s failure to buy someone for £10m has cost the club £30m in Champions League money since that new face would have prevented the defeats at Fulham and Swansea whilst single-handedly beating Manchester United. No-one can prove it but like a great many criticisms of this season and those before, this has become an accepted fact without any substance behind it.

We simply will never know if a new signing would have made the difference in any or all of those three matches. As the window has passed without activity, deflated resignation is evident over the lack of business in the transfer market. Arsène observed yesterday that, at a push, he will have four left backs so does not need to sign one. The shifting sands upon which that theory is built are all too apparent. Santos is not fit and won’t be for another month or two, Gibbs returns to training on Monday but his injury record is such that for the moment at least, no-one can rely on him being available for more than a month whilst Bacary Sagna will soon be the only fit right back, Arsène’s relief barely disguised with that announcement. Which leaves Vermaelen.

Whilst I would agree that there is probably enough scope for the club to do without a left back now, it largely depends on Gibbs fitness. Miquel has promise but more centrally than as a full back. I understand the manager’s bluff; he is defending his squad, promoting the view that it is big enough and more to the point, good enough. The latter, through a succession of injuries and lack of confidence, is debatable. The players do not suddenly become bad overnight no matter what sage may opine that they do but personally, I have advocated two signings this winter; a left back and a good central option as back-up for Robin van Persie. I have already conceded the first but Marouane Chamakh is out of form, which is a fact. Why is almost irrelevant, simply that something needs to be done to cover the final months of the season.

The cost is already being felt. Not through goals but a lack of options on the bench. I am not going to revisit last Sunday’s reaction specifically but there is a definite sense that the trust in the manager’s judgement is waning. Yet it is still only a very vocal minority who want him replaced. Largely, it seems that a change of ideas is desired. A change of attitude. Less stubborness. A change of some sort. A change.

I contend that this is not going to happen. Arsène’s strength as a manager is also his weakness; stubborness and an unyielding public belief in his players. The latter is part of the PR game and that nuance is often overlooked by the stated desire for change. Quite simply, what is said on the training pitch and in the dressing room, stays there and does not find its way in any detail to the back pages. In that, you can see a relatively united squad. Malcontents are often the source of such leaks and there rarely is anything of the sort from the Arsenal dressing room. It does not mean that they are too nice, simply that they believe in, and respect, each other. A good sign surely.

And that is one that can be built on. The overwhelming negativity of that substitution has been taken as the general feeling within the stadium. That, we know, is not true. Largely The Emirates is supportive of the manager; dissension to one decision does not break the foundations. Arsène observed,

I always believe the fans’ reaction depends on us. It is the team that has to get the fans behind them, and the fans have to be proud of the team. The vibes have to come from us. Part of our job is to live with those emotional reactions. It is maybe becoming a bit more common in the modern world and you cannot ignore it, but you should not give it too much importance.

I will live forever for the values I think are right in football. One or two lost games or one or two bad reactions will not change that.

Football is a game of emotions which leads to an irrational logic taking hold at times, not just when things are bad either. Fragility of confidence on the pitch is reflected by those off it strikes me that is no different to how it was at Highbury. Collective groans there could be more damaging such was the proximity to the pitch. The manager sought to deflect away from the unsaid part of the bargain. The crowd lifting the players, something which must happen.

It is said that the players ought not to need lifting, they are playing for Arsenal. That confers the support we have for the club onto them. For the most part, they are not supporters. They play for the club, for each other, for professional and personal pride; to win. They will, when their time is up, for the most part want the club to do well, wanting the best. But right now, as much as we require a lift in our spirits from them, they need to know that the crowd is with them. A nice thought for tomorrow when we are at the ground.

My cup weekend starts today at The King Power Stadium. If you are not going anywhere, pop over to Arsenal On This Day for cup memories of a time when a Town had yet to become a City.

’til Tomorrow.

I must say I’m warming to the idea. The last month hasn’t been great. Post-May the future might be a bit murky. But the now, and the coming months don’t look too bad to me. Truth is they’re quite exciting.

And just what have we got look to forward to, besides the presaged pain, humiliation and eventual grave?

Well, the trifling matter of the Champions League second round. Surely we’re not so decadent that we can’t get excited about the world’s biggest club competition. They say it’s going to be our last chance to dine at Europe’s top table for a while, so let’s go mental. Let’s gorge, belch and fart like it really is the last time, and take doggy bags as well.

But spare a thought for our compatriots who didn’t get this far. They’re outside, forlorn, looking in with their faces pressed against the window. It would be cold not to give them a wave.

We’re still in the FA Cup too. It might not have the prestige of old, but it’s a competition that conjures all kinds of powerful memories and still has the power to transport us. If we can avoid replays, a decent run could galvanise our slowly swelling ranks.

And though the league is suddenly looking tough, fourth spot is most definitely within reach. With a bit of luck we’ll have the personnel and form to handle the schedule, and make sure we put on a decent spread for any guests to the grove between now and May. We’ll also have a bulging hamper to pack for away days:

Francis Coquelin should return this week. In the next ten days or so, Arteta, Gibbs and Sagna will be getting there. And in around a fortnight we’ll see Wilshere and Jenkinson in full training. I understand that not all those names inspire euphoria among Arsenal fans, but at least four are important to our first team, and the others are the back up we haven’t had since November.

I should have been conditioned against feeling upbeat about injuries long ago, but something struck me this month – I’ve been getting quite bored. That’s to say, where’s the bloody football gone? Fixture-wise, it’s the quietest January for a good few years, and the quietest month of the season so far. At a measly one match a week our players have had plenty of time to recuperate between games – to the point where I’d guess they’re in better shape now than a month ago.

The scarcity of Arsenal action isn’t ideal for shivery addicts like you and me, but it’s good news for our assault on the home straight. In recent years we’ve looked capable battling through January, started to flag by March and collapsed face down on the tarmac like the teenagers in the Long Walk come April. Call me a dreamer, but I’d like to think that we’ve got that collapsing malarkey out of our system this season.

It’s hard to gauge the atmosphere at the club, but in a week of reports of internal recrimination at the training ground I’m picking up bristling, angry vibes rather than defeatism. Anger’s something we can use. One famous Gooner called anger “an energy”.

And there’s more good news. I think we can say that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has what it takes. Obviously, he does tend to burn quite fitfully, and he could probably make life easier for his full-back, but he has the time and personality to work on what doesn’t yet come naturally. After wondering how he might cope with real Premier League action, Arsène must be thrilled by that performance.

I’m convinced he would not have been able to put in that kind of show against a side like ManU until now. Like most of you I’ve been watching him every chance I’ve had, partly because there was so little footage of his season in League One, and also because a couple of Charlton fans I know had really put him down when we got him.

What I saw in his u21 games was a player with a compulsion to take players on. He was devastating once he had a feel for his opponents, but also, I figured, lacking nuance and variety. He was terrifying against Israel and Iceland. Belgium were ready for him though, and pinned him to the touchline. He had a wretched evening. His teammates didn’t offer much support, and couldn’t get into the game, but I’m quite glad they didn’t. I think he needed matches in which his opponent was smart and prepared.

It leads on back to my Charlton supporting friends. They’d formed their opinion of AOC when Southampton visited the Valley in March 2011. All eyes were on this lauded 17-year-old, but he laboured for an hour with no joy before getting subbed off. So here’s the important part – in one of those England Twitter chats a whole half-year later, he named Charlton’s full-back in that match, Fede Bessone, as his toughest opponent to date.

There was something faintly thrilling about it. Obviously it means he remembered, and if he remembered then he was honest with himself and learned something from it.

What we know now is that he’s a first team contender. I’m sure it opens up all kinds of permutations and tactical possibilities, and gives opponents something different to plan for. But it’s also worth bearing in mind that his performance last weekend was fuelled in part by adrenaline. He was also a surprise – there’s no way Slur Alex would have been prepared for him,

So it wouldn’t be fair to expect to see that kind of level every week. Some manager down the line will come up with a plan to stop him, and he’s going to lose form at some point. But for AOC’s part, the signs are that he’s prepared to learn from the hiccups and keep improving.

Just a reminder to get your daily dose of Arsenal On This Day which tomorrow (27th January) ventures back to 1894. Yes, 1894 BC. That’s 1894 Before Consolsbob. ’til Tomorrow.

Fast forward two decades and the intrusions of the media are more frequent, immediate and from a wider variety of sources. The pundit culture has left more top players sitting on the sofa offering their views on what is wrong. Even the President of Rwanda knows where the blame lies and being a politician, it isn’t with him. Often their observations are no more insightful than those of the ordinary fan – sometimes less so – but sometimes it seems more hyper-critical; sales and hits are king.

There is nothing wrong with airing their views but too often because they have been heroes too much importance is attached to them. Let us be honest, are any of them genuine Arsenal fans? I would perhaps place more emphasis in that respect on the words of Charlie George, for example. However, their views are no less valid, just no more perceptive than you or I.

For Wenger, these interventions are tiresome. Privately, if he reads it all, he must wonder how these people are not top managers given that they know so much. Goodness knows what he thinks of Arsenal supporters; I wouldn’t like to hazard a guess after Sunday.

But it plays into his hands. This is an easy win in terms of galvanising the squad. A team meeting followed by training ground interventions by the manager; surely this will awaken the giant from its slumber. Mikel Arteta should be more positive than most, the new boy untainted by the cynicism of the Arsenal support. His words this morning surely reflect those of the whole squad,

All the players are supportive of Wenger — there are no divisions. When we’ve had bad results the fans get upset with the manager but that’s normal in football. Wenger has done so much for the club that he deserves the confidence of the fans.

Arteta is probably not aware of the scars which last season’s collapse; not fully at least. You wonder if those are resurfacing in some who were here last year or is that counter-acted by the return to training of Gibbs and Sagna or the knowledge that Jack Wilshere is not far behind.

Too many presume that the current run will continue to the season’s end. Surely that is too much presumption. What is undeniable is the wobble that took place following defeat at Eastlands. The victories over Aston Villa and QPR were unconvincing which with hindsight was a warning of the lethargy that manifested at Craven Cottage.

Defeat at Swansea was fallout from that; the win over Leeds with less than half the normal starting line-up in place may have helped individually but collectively, there was still uncertainty which showed in the defensive errors. What do the players do about this run? At this moment in time, a series of scrappy wins would do more good than a resounding thumping of Aston Villa in isolation.

With fourth place the target, back to winning ways immediately is required. Bolton and Blackburn have something to fight for and cannot be construed as easy matches; Sunderland too are on a comparative high following Martin O’Neill’s appointment, beating Manchester City whilst arguably unlucky to lose at Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane. That’s before the North London Derby. How the world would look different were that to arrive on the back of five consecutive victories.

Football is a fluid environment, luck changing from one week to the next. Gary Player observed that the harder he worked, the luckier he became. If Arsenal’s players are working hard on the training pitch and in the ninety minutes, matters will change. As soon as possible though, Footballing Gods.

Still, if you think the current situation is bad, it could be worse as Arsenal On This Day reminds you.

’til Tomorrow.

His absence from the first team has apparently cost him £9.3m in lost wages, bonuses and fines. What are they paying him to induce this, enough money that he can afford to lose such staggering sums. Crucially, their posturing is likely to lead to the first team case of ‘sporting reasons’ for breach of contract. Telling him that he will rot in the reserves unless a deal suits the club is no bad thing until a lawyer gets involved.

One thing that this underlines is the gap between Arsenal and Manchester City financially. Not that this will be Arsène’s problem, he is receiving covetous glances from the Spanish capital. Jose Mourinho’s tenure at Real is seemingly in its death throes and the Arsenal manager is the one that Florentino Perez wants to replace him. Or Señor A.N. Other.

Perez has long had a soft spot for Wenger, approaching him when times are not at their best. He has history in this and has long made clear his admiration for the Frenchman. As with his last offer to Arsène, the clouds are gathering, planting seeds in the manager’s mind as he faces abuse. The last time a Madrid offer emerged came immediately after an AGM a few years back, when the jibe about Silvestre being a ‘granddad’ ruffled feathers.

Whether there is any truth in this, no-one knows. The timing is purely coincidental, I’m sure, it could not possibly be as a result of Sunday? Some have offered the view that the departure of the Frenchman would be no bad thing. Arsenal would, so the logic goes, be free of the financial chains he places on them. Except the chains would still remain. A new manager might well spend the residue of the TPA at the bank but what then?

There seems to be a misguided theory that more money will be injected into the club by KSE. That seems at odds with their other strategies in the sporting empire and counterintuitive; Arsenal’s selling point was always self-sufficiency. Usmanov is no different, attracted to Arsenal by the great profit potential in the share values and dividends. Self-sufficiency comes at a price.

This is before you address the issue of whether or where the squad strengthening should take place.

One who is determined to contribute to rendering the strengthening part irrelevant is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. You suspect it will be a while before the club allow him to talk to the mainstream media with the fallout from that substitution fresh in everyone’s minds. Alarm bells might also be ringing over the endorsement of sorts from Fabio Capello,

I have been impressed with him. He is a good player, who has a lot of quality and is playing at a really high level.

He will be a really interesting player for the next friendly games before the Euros.

It sounds worringly as if the paucity of English talent may manifest itself in the form of a place at the doomed Euro2012 campaign. A strong sense of deja vu with Theo Walcott’s ill-fated trip to Germany six years ago. The weight of expectation at Arsenal on Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shoulders is growing in direct proportion with desperation for change.

The youngster has definite promise and cannot be faulted for his application. The output though is inconsistent, the test is not how well he performed against United but how well he plays in coming matches. My concern with, for want of a better word, the hype is that once performance levels drop he will be subjected to the same derision heaped upon Theo Walcott.

Fundamentally, a swathe of the support is not going to give him time. Only their heroes get that, the rest suffer the slings and arrows of disrespect depending upon which way the wind is blowing. That is just wrong.

By all means be critical of a performance after the match but abusing players or managers? I do not understand it, particularly during a match when surely the word support is an absolute must. The world has changed if that is not the case and not necessarily for the better.

’til Tomorrow

Reading the back pages, you sense that some are revelling in the mayhem whilst others think that we are all idiots. The latter is possibly a hangover from being the chairman’s pet paper, David Woods in this morning’s Daily Star observes,

Centre-half Thomas Vermaelen is believed to have been angry to learn late on, with no briefing from Wenger, he was having to play left-back, after three weeks out with a calf strain.

Seriously, that is a direct lift from their website. I mean did Woods not realise that Vermaelen had played a dozen or so games in the position before being out. Does he really believe that it was a shock.  The village idiot is now employed gainfully.

As you know, I’ve been trawling through newspaper archives and my own scrapbooks for Arsenal On This Day but rarely have I come across such shoddy journalism.

It beggars belief but by the same token pretty much sets the tone for the morning. Robin van Persie’s declaration of loyalty and frustration is delivered in staccato form by The Sun, as if  Hill-Wood and Gazidis have donned hoods and are threatening to kill him unless he delivers a message of support for the manager.

The same thread carries across the media from tabloid to broadsheet, each emphasising the same thing; Arsène has the support of the squad, van Persie is loyal and it’s all the fault of Andrey Arshavin.

Reportedly – and given the veracity of some of the column inches this morning, a healthy dose of cynicism should be applied – the players held a clear-the-air team meeting in the aftermath of the defeat on Sunday. Many of these have been held down the years during Wenger’s reign, the players seeking to put right the wrongs on the pitch. At this, reportedly, Arshavin has been held to blame.

It strikes me as too convenient. Gary Neville accused the Russian of being disinterested, that comment interwoven with the displeasure displayed on Sunday appears to be the foundation of this all. Too many in society though seek out a cheap scapegoat, convenient because it allows a polarisation of dissent onto one subject but more often than not a deflection of individual failings onto another.

Let us not beat about the bush. If there was no injury then the manager got Oxlade-Chamberlain’s substitution wrong on Sunday. He admitted as much in the post-match press conference and we go from there. It is not a signal that he is losing the plot, God Knows there is enough evidence to suggest he has not.

That – and pinpointing Arshavin as the sole cause of the winning goal – is to ignore a simple fact: football is a collective game. One minute can lose a match with a goal. Ninety minutes in which you score less than your opponents tends to be more damaging in that respect.

Arsenal had their opportunities and failed to score. Robin van Persie arguably missed an easier chance than the one he did convert. And what of the defenders culpabilities in the first goal? Song had a distinctly average game and was as much to blame as Arshavin in the winner. Collective responsibility.

Much finger pointing is happening, as much a legacy of the season as one match.  It has been a poor campaign, the summer was not handled well and lessons must be learned from that with a recurrence this year entirely possible. The manager did not replace the players who departed quickly enough, arguably before Cesc left a replacement should have been signed or at the very least announced within a week of departure. That is an ideal world; we do not live in one and no-one on any internet board or forum knows exactly what went on, why the carnage was allowed to occur in the manner that it did.

One thing is for certain. There is no confidence in anything Arsenal any more. The reaction displayed firmly underlines that there is no sense of “We’re all in this together“. Which is hardly surprising when you view the state of world at the moment and the impact of wretched political and economic decisions on society.

The word support does not mean blind adulation; healthy and constructive criticism is actually a good thing, contrary to the opinion of some. At this moment, there is nothing healthy or constructive about much of the criticism being shown. Bowels are turning to water and a feeling of doom is being spread.

And the arguments go round and round. It’s a vicious circle, the only solution for which is apparently to spend. And sell, of course. In fact have the sort of firesale and panic buy for which derision was heaped in the summer.

’til Tomorrow.

0 – 1 Valencia (45)
1 – 1 van Persie (70)
1 – 2 Welbeck (81)

It is a sign of the times at Arsenal; a chorus of boos in the stadium over substitutions mirroring the contempt online. A small but vocal minority. The criticism over the withdrawal of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was vindicated to some extent – it is indefensible to boo a player before they have come on – with Arsène admitting in his post-match press conference that he got this one wrong. That he got the withdrawal of Johan Djourou correct thirty minutes earlier is overlooked.

In the end, the defeat was down to more than one substitution. As per usual, Arsenal spurned chances and were emminently culpable in both goals. Ferguson reacted to the defensive wanderings of Rafael during van Persie’s equaliser and Arshavin’s introduction, to load the right side of the United attack with attacking midfielders, exploiting the defensive weaknesses already exposed. Valencia would do so once more, his foraging run down the right produced a pass to Welbeck to slot home, nine minutes from the end.

The match had started slugglishly, neither side sparked into life immediately from kick-off. The much begged start for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived and the youngster did not disappoint. Like the second half substitute Yennaris, his performance hinted at a readiness for first team football. Oxlade-Chamberlain is further down the preparatory road than his defensive counterpart and his route to the starting line-up less congested.

The parrys and thrusts of the opening exchanges brought no clear chances until Giggs drew a sharp save from Szczesny. When Jones was removed from the action with a knee injury, you sensed that the battle might swing in Arsenal’s favour; surely with three first choice centre backs missing from their opponents, the hosts could impose themselves on the game?

Such dominance never arrived, at least not in the first half. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s raids on the right gave Evra pause for thought, two former Southampton players combining when Walcott fired high and wide of the goal. When it seemed Arsenal would take control United pounced on the counter-attack, only to be denied by excellent covering work by Koscielny. The Frenchman might have been favourite to make way for Mertesacker when he signed but surely the question is now who partners him in the centre?

Nani tested Szczesny as the half drew to a close, the interval bringing to an end the wretched torment inflicted on Djourou by the Portuguese winger. It was a match where the central defender was shown how difficult full backs sometimes find their ninety minutes.

It is not entirely the Swiss internationals fault. Arsenal’s forwards are notoriously poor at tracking back on the left, the right hand side yesterday was little better. Oxlade-Chamberlain might have curbed Evra’s attacking instincts but he was noticeably absent on a few occasions when his defensive backing might have been productive.

The opening goal came as the referee pursed his lips to blow for the interval. Vermaelen’s clearance fell to Giggs whose cross was unerringly accurate for Valencia as he drifted in unmarked. His header guided away from Szczesny’s reach and into the net. It was a goal of collective culpability from Arsenal’s point of view; Vermaelen might have done better with clearance initially whilst someone might have been advised to mark Valencia.

After the changes at the interval, Arsenal came out sparkier than the trudge to the tunnel fifteen minutes previously. Immediately the opportunity for an equaliser arrived. Rosicky led a counter-attack which ended with van Persie firing wide the type of chance so normally converted with aplomb. Ramsey shot high, Evra appeared to use a hand to stop Rosicky. The chances for Arsenal were coming more rapidly as this half progressed.

Koscielny burst forward and with composure played Oxlade-Chamberlain into space, the youngsters effort skewed wide of the post.

And when Arsenal were complacent, United almost punished them; Mertesacker recovering in time to clear off the line after Welbeck had sprinted clear of him to beat Szczesny to the ball.

Once more Arsenal regrouped and forged into attack, this time with venom. Oxlade-Chamberlain rampaged on the right and found van Persie, whose snap effort was early enough to evade the dive of Lindegaard in the United goal. A deserved equaliser, setting the scene for a late win as in 2007.

Indeed that happened but this time the roles reversed with Welbeck’s late goal. Evans cleared off the line as the final whistle beckoned but the wind had been taken from Arsenal sails by Welbeck.

Post-match, Wenger took responsibility for the defeat and exonerated his captain for his apparent dissent over the substitution. The crowd are entitled to their view and Wenger did not seek to hide from that. Opinions are accepted as being part of football, publicly at least. I do not understand heckling Arshavin; he has not been in good form previously but there were signs that he might be coming back to such. Encouragement would be the way to produce this; support not derision. No-one will convince me that the reaction to him yesterday was anything but counter-productive.

Defeat means more hard work lies ahead. We keep telling ourselves that Tottenham and Chelsea have difficult matches ahead, that they will drop points. The problem is that Arsenal need to pick them up and take advantage, something that has failed to happen thus far. Consecutive defeats in the last three games are unsettling, of that there is no argument. Each further defeat is detrimental to Champions League qualification.

Yet the season is not over, there are returning players to come back, players who can make a difference. Would the signing of new players prior to yesterday have affected the outcome? You simply cannot prove the answer either way, attempting to do so merely delusions of an unknown truth.

The danger is that the defeats collectively are damaging to long term confidence. Tin helmets may be required for those who have not lost hope for the barrage of last week is set to crescendo this.

On a more pleasant note, don’t forget to check this morning’s Arsenal On This Day. It’s a winner…’til Tomorrow.

The contrary nature of football, of human beings, offers the solutions. Even with a team that was hopelessly out of form, Arsenal beat the soon-to-be-crowned Champions in the corresponding fixture last season. It was a stronger line-up, granted, but then so was the one fielded by United that day, compared with the expected starting XI today. Motivation is no problem, even before you take into account the feelings of revenge, stung personal and professional pride from earlier this season. As much as they might seek to play down such emotions, it is unnatural for them not to surface.

At his press conference, Arsène considered not playing Champions League football to be a “disaster” from a personal and professional point of view. I can understand his view that the opposition in other competitions is not of such high a standard and it is not. You expect every avenue to be explored in pursuit of that goal and to be honest, those who believe he is not doing so are fools. He might not be pursuing a course of action that coincides with your viewpoint but to claim he is doing nothing opens yourself to ridicule. Whether it is right or not, history will be the judge.

So to this afternoon. United are once more challenging for the title despite, once more, having a team that we are told is sub-standard, not a patch on previous ones forged by Sir Alex Ferguson during his reign. If this side is not up to par, it says much for the current state of football that despite all of the billions invested in playing squads, they are are still the second best in the country.

It serves to emphasize the gap between the two clubs and managers. Both have their strengths and weakness, have made undeniable and significant changes to the English game during the Premier League era. Yet only one of them has been able to forge consistent title-winning teams. Arsène has been bridesmaid more often than the centre of attention. It is hard, maybe impossible, to quantify why there is this difference in the silverware. Talent-wise, Arsenal have more often than had the better squad yet United have nabbed the trophies. Ferguson has been able to more readily identify and gel a winning mentality into his charges. How and why is unproven, subjected to conjecture but it leaves a sense that Wenger’s reign is how Revie must have felt when it came to his Leeds days. Except without the darker elements that pervaded those squads.

The ability to dominate teams at home has underpinned their success. Barring none, the home record in the Premier League is impressive. Claims of refereeing bias often overlook the reason for it; sustained attacking on the opposition area creates pressure on the referee who, in situations where a decision is required, will more often than not believe that the defender has erred due to mental and physical duress. Equally at the other end, borderline decisions are likely to be seen as an act of desperation to gain. It is not a conspiracy of United supporting officials, one where the Mancunian clubs have exploited human weakness.

Injury news for today is better for Arsenal. Thomas Vermaelen and Thierry Henry passed fitness tests yesterday which barring adverse reactions this morning, mean they will take their respective places in the squad. Even if there is a reaction, last weekend’s defeat at Swansea means that copious quantities of painkillers are likely to be injected into the Belgian in the hope of giving some stability to the defence. Wojciech Szczesny has been exceptional in his progress this season but culpability in goals conceded at Craven Cottage and Liberty Stadium identify him as not quite the finished product. Having a stronger defence helps that along the way.

Swansea identified a more natural replacement for Arteta and it is not Yossi Benayoun. The Israeli has always seemed to me to be more of a replacement for Arshavin or Walcott, in the wider midfield role. Tomas Rosicky has more technique in that passing role. Possession, Arsène is being surrendered as the team moves more directly in style which is at odds with the received wisdom that Arsenal are not a team transiting from one formula to another. Whether Rosicky can entirely compensate for the Spaniard is debatable, Arteta brings a steadiness to the central area of the pitch.

Otherwise, the team picks itself such are the paucity of options due to injuries and internationals:

Szczesny; Djourou, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen (Miquel); Song, Ramsey, Rosicky; Walcott, van Persie, Arshavin

A win is essential. For too long we have been talking of taking advantage when Spurs slip up. They did last weekend, so did we. The gap widened as a result. Chelsea dropped points but have increased the gap between themselves and Arsenal. If that continues to happen, forget fourth. That as much as playing Manchester United ought to motivate the players. And motivated Arsenal players are capable of winning this fixture.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.