The reaction to our defeat in Greece went a little too far in some quarters I feel. It wasn’t a good performance and we deserved just what we got but lets not forget that we fielded a mix and match team of players who obviously haven’t had the required game time together to work as a cohesive unit. Look at the first team against Swansea at home to the team we saw at Wigan. It takes time

Channel 5 must be rubbing their hands with glee today, the two Manchester clubs who a few months ago were supposed to dismantle everything in their path will have to reschedule any future plans for Thursday nights as they embark on a Europa adventure. Without the glare of the Champions League audience, perhaps Mr Samir Nasri can shine enough to claim that ballon d’or that he so craves.

Some may say that I am jumping the gun and shouldn’t be mocking our rivals well I make no apology for my snide tone this afternoon, it is my job of a football fan to act rather smug when things are not going the way of those who have spent the last six years sticking the boot into the club I love. Others may have the last laugh but for me, it is all about today. The same way I will celebrate an Arsenal victory against Wigan even though it is only 3 points out of 114.

Football is actually quite remarkably fickle really. Time is different in football to real life. Only in football does it seem absolutely fine to move to the opposite end of the spectrum in such a short space of time without any type of wriggle of shame.

Here are a few examples of this.

Then >> Fergie has done it again with an amazing new crop of talented kids coming through
Now >> The youngsters at Manchester United are simply not good enough to wear the shirt

Then >> Manchester City have the firepower to take on Barcelona
Now >> It is still early for them in the Champions League, they need time

Then >> Wenger needs a defensive coach and Chris Samba
Now >> Vermaelen makes the defence look solid, Koscielny has improved a great deal

I have endless examples ticking through my mind like flicking through a pad of notes but I don’t want to bore you even more than I have. The reason why I bring this to your attention today is because after the games last night, I decided to flick on a couple of sports talk shows which I have avoided like the plague for months now but seeing as even they couldn’t find a way to slate Arsenal, I thought I would listen to what everyone had to say about the Manchester clubs.

You had Manchester United supporters calling in saying that they were in crisis and that Fergie had lost the plot etc. In some ways I felt a sense of relief that a lack of perspective didn’t just apply to a section of North Londoners but even supporters of the team that won the title last season. I heard that Rooney was rubbish and had to go, Fergie should be sacked for not buying a midfielder.

knee-jerk?

This is where we are though, you are not allowed to drop any points, ever. If you do then replacements have to be brought in. How about a new system where a new manager is brought in for every game and the aim is to choose a manager that is suited to each fixture. Roman can afford it, he should give it a bash.

So what of the FA? They are jumping to the defence of Wayne Rooney and have managed to get his ban reduced. Which Wayne Rooney you ask. The one who unprovoked, kicked a Montenegro player in the back of his legs. For no apparent reason.

Which FA I hear you ask. The same FA that enforce the rules in our domestic Premier League. You know, the ones who banned Gervinho for three matches and ignored Joey Barton.

Well that looks great doesn’t it? I am now supposed to believe that it is a level playing field. That Fergie time doesn’t really exist, that the Eduardo penalty embargo was just a figment of my imagination and that Alan Shearer kicking Neil Lennon in the face

and getting off Scott free as England captain was just one of those things in this funny old game. Silly paranoid Gooner talking rubbish I guess then.

Anyway, I have spent far too long talking about other things when the reason why you are here is to read about the Arsenal.

The reaction to our defeat in Greece went a little too far in some quarters I feel. It wasn’t a good performance and we deserved just what we got but lets not forget that we fielded a mix and match team of players who obviously haven’t had the required game time together to work as a cohesive unit. Look at the first team against Swansea at home to the team we saw at Wigan. It takes time and if anyone should know that then it should be Gooners who have seen the transformation first hand. Look at Thomas Vermaelen for example, if he wasn’t one of our golden boy’s then we would have had comment after comment explaining how bad he was and that we needed a replacement. He was part of a unit that really wasn’t a unit or hasn’t had the chance to become one.

The home side were erm, at home and had potentially millions riding on that result. I will be concerned if we get 10 injuries to our first team at the same time but until then I will ‘take a little bit distance’

It would be different if our squad of youngsters were beaten at home to Crystal Palace, that would be awful but I cannot imagine that it would happen to a big club. This was the Champions League and we had already qualified against a team that were desperate to.

What I am still rather upset about though is the usage of a very likeable Brazilian. When you have one fit full back in your squad, you don’t play him in a game that means nothing but that is done now. I have to deal with the grief of not seeing him jinking inside Everton wide players and dragging the ball back from Osman and company.

Like I have repeated in the Twitterverse, I hope Arsene chooses momentum over experience. Essentially it is down to Djourou or Miquel to replace Santos. If the former is selected then Koscielny’s new partnership with Walcott and Mertesacker will be broken up. Mertesacker’s partnership with Vermaelen is broken up and Vermaelen has never ever started at left back for Arsenal before. At that level it is just too many changes to make, too many partnerships broken up.

Miquel would be a straight swap for Santos and he would also have Vermaelen who plays left center back as his cover. Not that he should need cover. He won’t be bombing up the pitch whilst bussing out the Samba dance moves but mainly because he had a good game against Manchester City in the beer cup and was one of our better players when he came on in Greece.

If Jens Lehmann still wasn’t a legend in your books then surely he has to be now after slamming Manchester City for being dour and having fans who are quiet. Perhaps a statue should be erected along with Chapman, Henry and big Tone.

Apologies for the ranty nature of today’s post, I promise to be somewhat calmer tomorrow.

Don’t forget you can purchase a COYG Arsenal shirt for only £9.99. Christmas is coming.

Until tomorra