But right now something is missing.

Something is not right at the back…
The marking for the first goal was a joke. Nobody took Terry, nobody took Drogba and Gael Clichy left his post and went on a bizarre run to nowhere. But really it’s not so much about individuals. There is some kind of imbalance about the team and whereas we can simply put more goals past lesser sides, it’s always going to be a lot harder against the likes of United and Chelsea.

The galling thing is that yesterday’s back four, coupled by Song and Diaby is not a bad defensive shield. Yes, the keeper needs replacing, but as we saw yesterday he can’t be blamed for every error.

As for the second goal…
We appeared petrified of Frank Lampard running with the ball. Enough said really. Drogba got lucky with the ricochet but there was no doubting his determination.

Our attacking play…
Was not terrible given the situation. Arshavin didn’t do a lot wrong for his chance. But at 2-0 down at Chelsea, it’s going to be tough. Especially when you’re lone forward is 5ft 7ins or something like that…

So why didn’t Bendtner start?
I accept the man may not yet be 100 per cent fit. But is there no room for compromise at all? Surely after two sub appearances you could at least give it a go? If he got knackered, I think everyone would understand. As it was, the lateness of his substitution was utterly predictable.

Had we been creating chance after chance just before the break then fair enough. But who can honestly say they were surprised that all we managed between 45 and 64 minutes was one opening for Nasri? A complete waste of 19 minutes. Bendtner is not perfect and he will sometimes screw relatively simple looking things up. But he gave Chelsea something very different to think about.

What really annoys me…
Is that the vast, vast majority of our players ARE good enough but that we seem to have a manager who has become such an obsessive that almost any sense of pragmatism has departed our dealings. I say almost because Sol Campbell was clearly a very pragmatic signing. But he is the exception.

For the past three years or so we only seem to have got players who are perfect fits for what Wenger wants. And while everyone goes through good and bad spells, the likes of Vermaelen, Arshavin, Nasri, Eduardo, Sagna, Gallas etc are good players. Good enough too in my mind.

But it’s the players we haven’t signed that are killing us. The midfielder the summer before last, the goalkeeper this summer and now the striker we clearly need in light of a very bad injury list in that area of the team.

I fully appreciate the perfect player at the perfect price was not available. But would compromising just a little not have been worth it?

So we’re out of the title race…
Probably, but not definitely. We’ll know a whole lot more at 10pm on Wednesday night when us, United and Chelsea all have less than routine fixtures. United and Chelsea both have potentially tough away games, though just as Liverpool have run into form, how annoying that Everton and Villa appear to be running out of it?

The referee…
Why was it that on 68 minutes when Bendtner was chopped down by Carvalho and no yellow card was forthcoming that I was able to confidently turn to the people I was with and announce there would not be a single yellow til gone 80 minutes and that after that at least three would follow?

It’s because I’d seen it all before. Referees, particularly in the big games, seem to predetermine the disciplinary pattern of the game.

It’s either:
a) I’ll book the first foul of any vague gravity and keep going on that vein.
or
b) However bad the tackling I won’t caution anyone. Then on 80 minutes I’ll get card happy as to prove to everyone how well I’ve done to keep a lid on the game for so long.

It’s pathetic frankly. Just referee what’s in front of you. Book Malouda for constantly going in a bit over the top. Probably book Song too. And certainly book Carvalho (hardly renowned as a clean player!) for his foul on Bendtner.

Seriously, for 80 minutes you could do whatever you wanted out there, but so much as touch anyone in the final ten and that was your name taken. For the record Mike Dean booked four in those last ten minutes, including two Chelsea subs for presumably their first offence! Totally inconsistent and yet so predictable.

John Terry
There was something very wrong frankly about the badge kissing pledges of loyalty and commitment at the end. You kind of wonder if he gets it.

For the record, my take is Capello’s decision was undoubtedly right. Had Terry simply hit Wayne Bridge for no good reason, he’d have shown himself unsuitable as captain. Given he’d repeatedly slept with the mother of his child…

Perhaps more importantly though, he’d undermined Capello’s otherwise impeccable judgement. By Capello doing what he has done, the damage to the manager’s authority has been limited.

One other thing that must be said at the end of this quite rambling post is…
That Didier Drogba is an excellent footballer full stop but against Arsenal he really has hit some great heights. Fair play to him.

Hull’s performance last night…
Was the kind of performance I thought northern sides reserved only for us. Credit to Phil Brown (who I warmed slightly towards when he admitted their penalty at the Emirates was a joke) for putting out a side who gave everything and were outstanding for 90 minutes.

It was hard not to contrast their running with the lack of it we saw at times on Sunday.

The statistics certainly show we’ve been wretched against the top two this season…
But Arsene and the team do deserve some credit for their record against “the rest”. Based solely on games against “the rest”, we would be level on points with Chelsea but with a game in hand and two points ahead of United.

At least we’re not sitting here bemoaning all the points we’ve dropped to the dross.

Before Chelsea drew with Hull I’d have taken a draw on Sunday…
It’s certainly true eight points would have been a lot to make up. But look at the remaining fixtures and you see that while we have Man City and Spurs to come after the Liverpool game, they will still have to go to Old Trafford, Anfield and White Hart Lane and entertain City and Villa. We need to be in touch, not on top.

As for Sunday…
I think the team should really pick itself. Diaby or if not Ramsey in for Denilson (who I really hope was watching Stephen Hunt of Hull last night) and Bendtner in for Nasri with Arshavin dropping back. Suddenly, from being a team that is one paced and very samey in some areas, we would have height up front, players who contrast rather than replicate each other on the wings and if not power in midfield (Diaby), then at least energy (Ramsey).

With Theo on the bench we’d have pace to call on too. Another realistic option is to bring Comrade Eboue in for Nasri to make us a little tighter.

And finally…
Transfers. I don’t really talk about them much on here but I will say that we couldn’t find another goalkeeper somewhere in the world to come in for the rest of the season, is a big disappointment. I’d also hoped that somewhere there would be a striker who could have a Kanu/Adebayoresque late season impact. Sometimes I wonder if Arsene is a little too much of a perfectionist when it comes to transfers. Maybe the Harry Redknapp way is worth a try, if only occasionally.

I’m writing two and a half hours after the final whistle…
And a couple of post match pints have soothed me and a post match post mortem that was actually more a public inquiry in it’s scope has helped me make sense of it all.

I should say first of all in case there are any United fans reading…
That your side obviously deserved to win and win comfortably. I don’t doubt that for a second.

That initial bit out of the way…
Our defending was so embarrassing it was almost laughable. We had a great chance to beat what I will diplomatically say is not Fergie’s greatest team and we blew it pathetically.

Let’s start at the beginning…
Today’s front six differed from the one battered by Chelsea only with the inclusion of Rosicky in place of Eduardo. If we were small and one dimensional that day, today’s selection was no less so. If there was any way that one of Bendtner, Theo or even Eboue were fit to start, I’d have gone with them. They may not be the best players in the squad but they do at least have a niche – Bendtner height and the other two pace. Without them, we looked very sameish and all United had to worry about was a variation on a theme from Cesc, Nasri, Rosicky and to a lesser extent Arshavin. Contrast us with United, for whom Nani offered something completely different to anything Park, Carrick, Scholes or Fletcher could do. And it worked a treat.

Talking of Nasri and Rosicky…
Their limitations are never as obvious as when they play together. Both are good players to have, even if Nasri could be offering more. But too often it feels like they’re replicating each other, making our wings look one paced and predictable. Go back to 97-98 and though the formation was different, with Overmars one side and Parlour the other, you had the perfect contrast. Pires and Ljungberg were also very different players.

While I’m on the team selection…
It’s also easy to say with hindsight, but I think starting with Denilson ahead of Ramsey was a decision based on fear and hierarchical dogma instead of logic. It gave us two defensive midfielders employed to mark Fletcher, whose appearance as the “hole” player was admittedly unexpected. The thing with Denilson (leaving aside some quite woeful defending that we will come to) is that if you dedicate yourselves to stopping Cesc you’re not really worrying about Denilson consequently getting loads of space in which to do his thing, irrespective of his five goals from outside the box this season. Ramsey may give the ball away more but he does at least contain spark.

The early stages…
Both sides were enjoying some joy. You can argue Arshavin should have passed once or twice when in decent positions but really they’re exactly the kind of chances you can see him scoring. Given what he was being asked to do, he did it very well. United were enjoying a fair bit of success too, with Nani exposing a still rusty Clichy and Song looking both rusty and a little unsure of what he and Denilson should be doing. These games are all about the first goal and I’d say prior to the opener the odds looked around 63-37 that United would get it. So they were on top, but we were hardly out of it.

When the opener came…
It was a horror show. Nani’s skill to escape Clichy and Nasri was breathtaking. But ask yourself what Nasri was doing there, just as you might ask what he was doing for the second Everton goal a couple of weeks ago. He was drawn towards the ball then and today he would have been better placed a couple of yards behind Clichy to mop up if Nani escaped the full-back. Then, for a defensive midfielder, Denilson’s attempt to stop Nani was pathetic. And then when the cross came in Almunia’s feet were too quick to adjust and when he found himself totally exposed he palmed it into his own net rather than at least fisting it up into the air. Yes, it was an unusual ball by Nani, but no, you couldn’t see many other keepers doing it.

Talking of which…
Just about the only time the post match pub conversation went quiet was when the question of which other Premier League team Almunia would get into was raised. Ask yourself that. I should declare at this point I was one of those who thought at the beginning of the season that he’d do. I was wrong.

The second…
Was disgraceful frankly. Poor enough that despite the Everton horror show we are still able to be caught so badly from one of our own attacks. But unforgivable that despite a huge head-start, Denilson jogged back towards our goal and allowed Rooney to walk straight through our defence. Then as it went in we got the token hands in air exasperation. Pathetic. I readily admit United’s third at the Emirates last season was a great breakaway goal. This was frankly nothing of the sort.

So…
It was 2-0 at the break and Arsene’s refusal to introduce a sub until gone the hour mark was akin to the band carrying on playing while the Titanic sunk. It was ridiculous frankly. If you were United, the last thing you’d want would be a change of approach from us, particularly when it would have meant going more direct. The really galling thing was that it felt as if Arsene was refusing to be budged from what he always does and wouldn’t face up to the predicament we were in. Poor from him today I thought if I’m honest.

By the time Walcott did come on…
It was 3-0 thanks to another terribly defended goal. Bad enough how (Denilson I think it was) lost the ball in the first place. Quite what on earth Gael Clichy was doing I don’t know. Why didn’t he close Park? How on earth did he expect Nasri to catch him? I haven’t seen the replays either, but why were we beaten at our near post too?

When Walcott and eventually Bendtner did come on…
Neither was remotely perfect but at least we could suddenly vary our play. We still had the trickery, but now we also had reason to pump one into the box or move it wide. And sure enough we got a goal from a cross that was tossed into the box, not headed out properly and put in by Vermaelen, who was his usual very decent self.

And you know what…
While United were getting chances, we still contrived to miss two or three really good ones in close succession that would have made it 3-2 with ten minutes (five of normal time and five of injury time to go). My point is not that we deserved to draw, but that that shows just how there to be got at United were, which makes it so disheartening to lose the goals like we did.

A poser…
Why if we have two central defenders in very good form, two good full-backs and a usually very good defensive midfielder, have we conceded 28 goals? That we have scored so many and play gung ho football is I think only a partial explanation.

The statistics show…
That no team in the division has a better record than us when 3-0 down at home. By my reckoning we’ve gone on to “win” both the last two United games from that position and have “drawn” the last two against Chelsea (they finished 4-1 and the other stayed 0-0). We should be proud of it.

I’m not being altogether serious by the way.

But it is true…
That we responded to the hammering from Chelsea really well and now we need to do it again. It’s also the case that you judge a team on their season and not on singular results. And if you look at the season, it’s February and we’re not out of the title picture. We’re four behind United and five (potentially eight) behind Chelsea). And if anyone tells you we’re only still in it because of Chelsea and United’s failings, I’d remind you that at the current rate Chelsea will notch up a near Premier League record of 89 points. So that argument’s rubbish.

I still think…
Not losing next weekend is the key thing for us. After it, Chelsea will still have to go to Old Trafford, Anfield, White Hart Lane and Goodison Park. We will have just the trip to White Hart Lane and we’ve also played Villa and Everton twice too.

William Gallas…
Refuses to make eye contact with Manuel Almunia from what I can figure out. It doesn’t reflect greatly on Gallas but it also tells you everything about what the defence think of Almunia. It’s that bad. Almunia himself is a liability. I hate to think of the reaction had that late mis-kick led to a goal. Either way, it’s hard to see him leading us to anything.

The defence…
Clichy is rusty as anything and were Gibbs fit, he’d have a good case to be in the team. Sagna is good but needs to improve his crossing, Vermaelen inspirational and Gallas gives us something.

Song today…
Did alright at times but looked unsure of his role.

Denilson…
You know what one of my mates thinks of a Denilson performance by how long a gap he leaves between the Den and ilson when pronouncing his name. If it’s short it will be: “Denilson actually did alright.” If it’s long it will involve a look to the heavens in between the two syllables. I haven’t spoken to him after today’s game but I suspect it was a long pause.

Cesc…
Struggled. He needed players round him who United would worry about neglecting if they focused on Cesc too much. To that extent, we missed Diaby badly. Cesc looked gutted. He’s desperate to win the title with Arsenal.

Nasri and Rosicky...
Didn’t deliver on the big stage.

Arshavin…
Was excellent.

Concluding thoughts…
A lot of progress has been made this season and while the defeat was emphatic the table is not a horror show. We’ve still got plenty to play for in the league and now is the time to remember how we won at Stamford Bridge last year, albeit a little fortuitously, in the middle of a far worse run than this.

But I did feel…
Some of the pessimism seemed a little over the top. By my reckoning Villa is no easy place to go, particularly less than a month since we’d tonked them at our place. By my reckoning, Almunia made one decent but not unbelievable save and a cross got fortunately deflected onto the head of Stewart Downing and while he might have scored, it was a lot less easy than some reports would have you believe.

And going forward…
We may not have exactly pummelled their goal but we created two clear cut chances where we struck woodwork and that’s hardly to be sniffed at. You’re not going to have 20 shots at Villa Park.

What about Sol?
Sol Campbell will undoubtedly get done for pace more often nowadays. But Sol Campbell got done in a one-on-one while in his pomp when he was sent off on the first day of the Invincibles season against Everton. His addition looks a good one to me thus far.

What about other transfers?
I think a striker would be great before the window slams shut. But equally just as bringing in an Arshavin (is it already a year?) can boost the place, I imagine bringing in dross can serve to depress the players already there. So I understand how it’s a tough one for Arsene.

That “appalling insult”…
When I heard Martin O’Neill had accused Arsene of an “appalling insult” I’ll admit a small part of me wondered what he’d said now, in the way one might with an increasingly eccentric grandpa.

And then I read what he’d said. “Appalling insult” – seriously, get over yourself O’Neill. It’s becoming a bit of a sport in this country to take UNBEBLIEVABLE offence at anything Arsenal do. It’s like the players and managers have piggy backed onto the “Same old Arsenal” line that the fans trot out regardless of whether we’re the foulers or the fouled.

First we had the most ridiculous response from Bolton to Gallas’ tackle. I know people thought Owen Coyle only changed his mind to keep sweet on Wilshere, but I’d also like to think he realised how absurd he sounded. The funny thing is that he’s now painted Kevin Davies and Paul Robinson as right squealers by changing his mind.

But back to O’Neill. “Appalling insult”. Really? And whoever the hell Villa’s James Collins is, you can get over yourself too. Honestly, pathetic.

This weekend’s game…
Features two players bang on form. United will try to smother Cesc. It’s a crying shame Diaby won’t be fit to give them something else to worry about. For them, it’s all about Rooney. And it could be him v Sol.

It feels like a long time since they tussled in late 2004. Unlike nowadays where internet pressure has forced greater candour, those were days when pundits brushed English players diving gently under the carpet. The Guardian finds itself suitably mealy mouthed today, referring to that incident as:

“On that autumn day the crucial first goal had gone United’s way when Wayne Rooney hurled himself to the ground over Campbell’s challenge in the 73rd minute, winning a penalty converted by Ruud van Nistelrooy and earning the wrath of Wenger, who later accused him of diving.”

I can’t help feeling: “Wayne Rooney’s dive for a penalty brought an inglorious end to the longest unbeaten run in English football” is both more accurate and shorter.

Anyway, as you might have gathered, I’m still not over it.

Remember…
We won’t win the league in this of four games. We just need to avoid losing it. Coming off the Liverpool game a few points off is fine: of the top seven sides, I think only Liverpool and Spurs and us and Villa have played twice. There are a lot more points to be dropped.

And that…
Is about your lot for now. I can’t wait for Sunday. Us v them is a fixture unlike any other. If you were ever going to wear a suit to a football match, us v United would be it. I’ll try to update before Sunday.

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