Some games leave you feeling elated, some games leave you feeling relieved. A sense of injustice can stay with you for months, even years after a match has finished (Thierry Henry would do well to stay out of Ireland for the rest of his life, unless he likes 'random' cavity searches at customs). Some games leave you feeling such despondency that you start to wonder whether it's all worth it.

Some games just leave you numb. Arsenal vs. Chelsea was one such game. By the time Didier Drogba's 86th minute free kick found the back of the net, all you could do was admire his technique, and put to the back of your mind the fact that it was the third goal Chelsea had scored. With no reply. At the Emirates. So lacklustre was Arsenal's peformance that it was difficult to feel anything really. Wenger points to an Arshavin goal which was disallowed early in the second half, a goal that could have changed things dramatically, but away from the media spotlight he'd do well to address his own team's failings, which were many.

Arsenal started reasonably brightly, but possesion did not convert to chances. Chelsea soaked up the early pressure with consummate ease, and it wasn't long before they were able to start asking questions of the Gunner's defence. No one really had any answers to Drogba's power or Anelka's ingenuity, and Chelsea's first two goals were absolute gifts from the home side. Both came about through crosses from Ashley Cole out on the left (as much as it pains me to say it, he was one of the best players on the pitch, in spite of the the hostile atmosphere), who was given far too much space by Sagna. The first was stabbed home by Drogba, inexplicably left free in the six yard box, the second was laughably turned home by Vermaelen who, to be fair, would have done extremly well to do anything but score an own goal given the quality of the cross.

Wenger introduced the completely ineffective Theo Walcott at the start of the second half, but in spite of his bufoonery on the right wing there might have been a ray of hope, had the referee not adjudged Eduardo's foot to be high when he basically kicked the ball out of Cech's hands. If the ensuing goal had stood, Arsenal would have had the foothold in the game they so desperately needed, and I wouldn't have minded so much that I'd spilled my pint when I leapt up to celebrate it.

The decision was probably a fair one though, and it's awfully telling that a correctly ruled out goal was Wenger's focus in the post-match conference. Whether it was a tactic employed to deflect attention from his under-performing team, or whether he genuinely believed it was a fair goal, the real story he needs to look at is that Arsenal managed just 5 shots in the entire game.

That's not shot on target. Just shots. Five of them. In 90 minutes.

If your team's tactic is essentially, if you score 2 goals we'll score 5, then you better make damn sure your star striker doesn't get crocked, otherwise you're just left with a defence that leaks like a papier-maché prophylactic.

It's nearly impossible to overstate the impact that Van Persie's injury will have on this team. His injury is season-ending for himself and Arsenal. The Dutchman was at the hub of one of the most lethal strike forces in Europe, and without that brain to issue commands, limbs just seem to be flailing wildly, like a drunk uncle dancing at a wedding. There's no incisiveness, no spark, no flair. There's no one to play in the middle of a front three either, at least until Bendtner returns, so Wenger might have to overhaul his tactics if he wants to see his team, who had previously been averaging three goals a game, end this run of two games without scoring.

As far as I'm concerned, Van Persie's injury has effectively killed off any chance Arsenal had of challenging for major honours this year. He was so incredibly important to the team, and unless someone can step up and assert their authority on an offense that looks completely lost, Arsenal are going to struggle at both ends of the pitch for months to come.

Short one this week, I'm feeling ill.

Arsenal played Wolves on the weekend, and, as at Fulham earlier in the season, barely even got into third gear. However, instead of fending off attacks and holding onto a 1-0 lead, the gunners instead won the game 4-1, Fabregas and Arshavin grabbing one apiece and the Wolves defence obligingly giving up two own goals. A late consolation robbed the defence of a clean sheet, but only Almunia seemed at all bothered.

Controversial, I know, but honestly, I think I might have been happier with another scrappy 1-0.

Arsenal are currently top of the form table, taking 16 points from a possible 18 in their last 6 games. Another resounding victory has, perhaps for the first time this season, led to journalists seriously pondering an Arsenal title challenge. "What's wrong with that you moron? And what's wrong with 4-1?" I hear you ask. You may be right, I'm probably being ridiculous, but as soon as people start asking: "Can Arsenal challenge for the title this year?", I start envisioning broken legs and centre backs sobbing in the centre circle. Of course Gallas is a couple of years older now, so if and when Arsenal do piss away whatever chance they have of winning the league he might not throw quite as big a tantrum.

In a way, I'd almost be happier if we were coasting along without all the pizazz of scoring 7 goals a game or whatever the average is now. I feel we'd stand a better chance of just sitting off Chelsea and Utd before kicking into 5th gear around Febuary and flying to the top of the table. I'm a moron, I heard you the first time, and I know I have to accept that Arsenal are playing the best football in the country (/Europe?) right now, and I should just be content. However, I think it's the right of every gooner out there to expect Arsenal to orchestrate an extraordinary cock up at any moment, god knows it's happened before, and it always seems much more likely to happen when the team is bearing the burden of expectation.

The team's a little older this team, and hopefully a little wiser. Maybe the inexperience of chucking away a potential eight point lead in 2008 will prove invaluble in the run in this time round. Maybe the away fixture at Birmingham in March will be the point when Arsenal stamp their authority on the title race instead of Martin Taylor stamping on Eduardo's ankle. Maybe Eduardo will score the winner.

Now the journalists have got me believing we can do it. Which is just what I feared.

So, another premier league weekend, another load of talking points. A loss for Phil Brown at Hull means it won't be long before he can spend weekends working on his perma-tan instead of pretending to manage a football team. A loss for Rafa Benitez and Liverpool means...well, nothing really, he's got tenure, or so it seems. There were nine red cards too which just goes to show nothing at all.


Arsenal entertained another non-entity, some team from a couple of miles away. Barnet, maybe. I forget. Anyway, it was far more comfortable than the 3-0 scoreline would have you believe. Suggestions that Barnet have a much better squad than Arsenal were made to look very silly indeed.


I jest, it was of course the North London derby, the 162nd one at that, and it was little Robbie Keane who tried to claim that Tottenham are not only a match for Arsenal, but even have more strength in depth. Point well made Robbie. Good thing you put in the kind of performance to back up such a bold assertion. It's just a shame that Arsenal were much, much better, and that you and your team were in fact rubbish.


Tottenham's long held belief that a place in the top four is tantalisingly close was dealt another blow early Saturday afternoon by a team who are, at least at home, flying. Spurs have been beaten by Chelsea, Manchester United and now Arsenal (they did beat Liverpool, but then so did Sunderland), conceding 9 and scoring 1. They haven't won away at any of those four clubs since 1993. In their defence, Lennon, Modric, Defoe and Woodgate, possibly their four best players, were ineligible through suspension and injury, but surely this allowed Arsenal to test Keane's belief that Tottenham have a better squad. Harry Redknapp was able to call on players like Jenas and er, Bentley, the latter's return to his former club marred by the fact that he did nothing except hoof the ball up to Crouch every time it came near him. Thank you David for reminding us all just why Arsene was happy to let you leave.


I shouldn't overstate Tottenham's incompetence. For 42 minutes everything went to plan for the men in white. Arsenal's attacks were largely ineffective, and Spurs soaked up most of the pressure exerted on them. There were just two notable chances. Song denied Robbie Keane at one end with a great last ditch tackle (Song was great by the way, really calm in the middle and performed both his and Diaby's duties with consumate ease). Then Cesc Fabregas steered Arshavin's deflected shot goalwards, and just as the ball seemed certain to find the back of the net Gomes made a fine one handed save to keep it out. The first half seemed destined to end goaless; but a quick throw from Sagna down by the corner flag was returned to him and he was given the space to smash a good cross right into the danger area. Van Persie (who else?) was on hand to get in front of Ledley King and squeeze it past Gomes. Great technique from the Dutchman, who is finally and deservedly being mentioned in the same breath as Rooney, Torres and Drogba as one of the great premier league strikers.


If the first goal caught Tottenham napping, the second one caught them with their pants down, and gave them a kick up the arse for good measure. If you've not seen it, I suggest you go watch it now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPAvxAgr-aU
You don't score goals like that unless you really really want to, and Fabregas clearly has that desire and conviction so often lacking from this team in past seasons. Two sucker punches from Arsenal, and two fingers to Tottenham.


It didn't get much better for Spurs either. Everyone stopped when Eduardo got taken out next to the touchline, but Sagna was the first to react to Mark Clattenburg's clever advantage and another good delivery (he must have been practicing) wasn't dealt with by keeper or defender allowing Van Persie to tap into an empty net. Woeful defending. You almost felt sorry for them. Almost.


It could have been worse, as chances were created and wasted. In the end Tottenham were lucky to escape a thrashing. The gap between Arsenal and Tottenham might not be as big as it once was, but based on this evidence, Redknapp's men are not ready to bridge it just yet.


Arsenal rumble on though, a midweek win against AZ should all but secure a berth in the next round of the Champions League and going into this weekend's game in Wolverhampton the team should be brimming with confidence. Tottenham, on the other hand, might just have a large, Fabregas shaped dent in theirs.