Well, let’s start with the positives shall we? Another clean sheet! And as a consequence, Arsenal didn’t lose! And Arshavin did not disappoint, given it was his debut in the Premier League. His link up play will become more effective once his colleagues and he are on the same wavelength, he is not shot shy, and he showed enough individual ability to confirm his reputation.

As for the rest, it was another story of a team coming to Arsenal with the aim of getting a point. It’s happened for years and years. The difference with previous seasons is that more often in the current campaign they seem to be succeeding. Or at least it seems that way. I guess the fans have enjoyed/endured a few 1-0s but I haven’t got the enthusiasm to look up the stats.

Boos rang out loud and clear at the end of the game. That won’t concern Arsene Wenger. The paucity of his players’ ability to score should. I think it is time to actually make the players work a bit harder and get them out in the afternoons to practice the things they do not seem to be very good at. So, shooting between the posts for one. Work on first touch another. Ability to cross. Hell, they are paid enough, and putting in the extra hours never seemed to do the likes of David Beckham any harm.

The frustration is that the players do not seem to have the quality to win matches. Pure and simple. That is why there is a chasm between Manchester United and Arsenal in the table. United have had a lot of similar matches to that Gooners endured yesterday, but have enough quality to make one of their chances count. It’s the reason Arshavin was purchased. Wenger has addressed the team’s ability to leak goals left, right and centre, presumably in his instruction to the team, but the payback is at the other end of the pitch.

There is an argument it could serve the team well in Europe. But supporters would prefer to see quality in attack in the bread and butter of the domestic matches. However, this was only Sunderland. Arsenal struggled to win the midfield battle against a team featuring Andy Reid. He has the demeanour and physique of a Sunday morning pub team player. I know they had an extra man in this area, but even so.

There is no point in me having a go at Alex Song and Denilson. Enough others will do that in other areas of cyberspace. However, when you have two players in the centre that pass sideways instead of forward, you lessen your attacking options considerably. It’s a bit like watching the dark old days of George Graham’s team circa 1994. Maybe Rome 2009 will be another Copenhagen 1994. The playing styles are not dissimilar at the moment. The long punt into the heart of the penalty box certainly saw plenty of exposure yesterday.

Wenger’s short of readies in the transfer market and has been for a long time. So he buys prospects rather than proven ability. It’s a gamble. It hasn’t worked. And yet, fans are frustrated because there do seem to be things which the manager does not try that seem glaringly obvious. Playing Ramsey as one of the central pair (ok, he had a bad performance against Cardiff, but how many dodgy ones are the existing incumbents allowed?), giving Vela more opportunities, Jack Wilshere some more exposure.

Wenger might privately argue he could ruin these players by putting them into a struggling side, but given the current degree of creative bankruptcy, I think it’s a chance worth taking. And Vela’s a Mexican international, hardly a raw youth. Ok, he missed a sitter yesterday, but he makes things happen, injects dynamism.

The top four looks unlikely now, although we’re back to hoping Villa collapse. But are the Gunners going to start winning matches themselves? It’s been commented that there is a very winnable run of matches coming up as far as the domestic commitments are concerned. One glass half full Gooner contributor (hi Howard) predicted a 5-0 yesterday. Most thought we’d at least win.

God alone knows what we will see against Roma on Tuesday evening, although I can confidently predict a Song and Denilson central axis with the probably return of Eboue to the starting eleven. I’d prefer to see Nasri in the centre, Denilson moved wide and Vela start instead of the liability that is Eboue. But that isn’t going to happen. So keep getting the 0-0s and work on the penalties lads, the trophy we’ve never won is our best way of seeing Champions League football next season…