Panic Stations

Arsenal have been beaten by Fulham at Craven Cottage, and coming hot on the heels of losses at Upton Park and the Reebok Stadium, that’s more than enough in some quarters to activate the panic button.

You know the sort of thing. Teams have worked out how to play Arsenal now. The Gunners are easily intimidated. They have no steel – and haven’t had since Patrick Vieira departed. They have no Plan B. They are guilty of ‘overplaying’. They’re always trying to score the ‘perfect goal’. They can’t defend – especially at set pieces. Thierry Henry isn’t bothered, now that he has his lucrative new contract. The Emirates Stadium may be magnificent, but they don’t know how to win there. And even, Arsene Wenger has lost the plot/is losing it/has got the selection or tactics or formation wrong/must go.

That’s what happens if you’re Arsenal and you’re not winning. Success is not an option and as far as most of the press and some of the fans are concerned, at times like this it’s no good emphasising the quality of the football. So what do they want – Chelsea? A return to the days of grinding out results – the tedious, regimented era of ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’?

Don’t you believe it. They want it all. All the beautiful football and all the trophies, all of the time. And why not? After all, this is Arsenal.

Why not indeed. Except that, as we can see week after week, even rouble-rich Chelsea can’t deliver all that. Especially the bit about the Beautiful Game.