I was supposed to have written something for Arsenal-Land last Monday, but a combination of extra college work, excessive play and my second job – moonlighting as a body double for David Beckham – forced me to admit defeat.
What I failed to consider at the time was the huge difference in tone delaying my regular contribution would have. After an away day at the once impregnable Stamford Bridge, I was preparing myself to inject yet more gloom into the bloated carcass of despair that has hovered menacingly above the Emirates in recent weeks.
What I got, in case I’d forgotten, was the perfect illustration of a why a week is such a long time in football. A vital, if unconvincing, victory to book a place in the knockout stages of the Champion’s League, and an unbelievable turnaround from a goal down to beat Chelsea, has gone some way to relieving the disheartening prospect of being out of the title race before Christmas.
There can be no question that Arsenal benefitted from some contentious refereeing decisions (it makes a change!) but the players also deserve immense credit. After the previous week’s humiliating capitulation against Man City, you would have been hard pressed to find a single person – Arsenal fan or otherwise – who thought a second half comeback against Chelsea was a realistic possibility.
What was amazing – dodgy linesman aside – was that once Arsenal got the equaliser, they suddenly looked like a team reborn. Certainly they looked the more likely winners.
Van Persie’s second came only three minutes after his first and thereafter priority shifted to defence and keeping the Premier League’s leading scorers at bay for the remaining half-hour.
Such a situation usually brings out the worst in us, but, bizarrely, the nervy, error strewn panic that tends to characterise an Arsenal rearguard performance never materialised. This may have had something to do with Chelsea’s strange but welcome loss of confidence, but there are also signs that the ascension of Fabregas to Club captain is having a galvanising effect.
We must not get ahead of ourselves – we have only seen two games and false dawns have been a feature of this season – but there are some causes for optimism. Not least has been the response of the deposed William Gallas and the partnership he looks capable of forming with the hitherto underappreciated Johan Djourou. I was also impressed with the midfield bite injected by Alex Song.
Another encouraging sign was the way Van Persie took his goals and the scenes of jubilation that followed. It suggests there is still plenty of confidence, belief and desire within the camp. What they must do now is build on this result starting at Burnley on Tuesday night and continuing at home against Wigan next weekend. Following this win up with a defeat as they did after the Man United victory would be terminal.
A few good results, however, should not blind us to the very real problems Arsenal still have. I believe the manager would be committing a grave error if he again declines the option to buy in January. There is enough to build on at Arsenal, but build he must.
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