Arsenal’s Wet Sellotape

Arsenal are staring into an abyss.

Spurs have been amongst the worst offenders in recent times for being goaded off the coach, made to put their kit on and then shoved out onto a field that you’d think twice about running an ‘orse out on.

But last night Arsenal looked lost. Prior to the kick off, all the talk had been about ten nil scorelines and the fact that Jewel didn’t want to put his name to what had carnage written all over it.

The reality was somewhat different. Arsenal gave it a good go to start off with, but even they lost interest in their interminable passing to no purpose after about 25minutes . On my telly screen that little box popped up. Ipswich had actually made twice as many attempts. Taking the ball to the Ipswich penalty area and then passing it to no one doesn’t constitute an attempt.

Ipswich were unspectacular. All the cliches you like. Workmanlike, committed, clunky…With the exception of Conor Wickham.

This was one game I wished Alan Smith was commentating on. After listening to him gush on and on and on about Jack Wilshire’s every breath it would have been fascinating to hear how he would have described the anonymous kid in contrast to the rough but exciting diamond that is Wickham.

The reason that Arsenal are in trouble isn’t just because they got beat by some yokels on a grizzly Wednesday night. It’s the stench of disinterest coming from too many of their players. I used to work with a guy who had a great little phrase for when a ‘co-worker’ had lost interest in the job just before going on holiday, ‘Head’s in his suitcase’.

Never seen a team with so many players with their minds elsewhere. The worst offender is Downsy Arshavin. €25M and he’s barely going through the motions. And they said we bought the wrong Russian.

The return game at the Emptycrates will be matter we are told. I’d like to know how so. It’s clear that since that coward Royston Keane legged it, Jewel has at least given his limited options some shape. Arsenal have failed to beat anyone this season that ran at them. If City didn’t have an Italian manager a dull draw could have been an emphatic win.

Why abyss? Why are they suddenly unstuck? What do you know? I know what players who don’t really care look like. Arsene is too stubborn to dip into that c.£50M operating profit and make the overdue changes. His squad isn’t up to the task. You work it out.

When do they play Barca?

BIOYC!