Well, the most significant thing about yesterday’s goalless draw with Fulham is that none of the boo-boys started. No Eboue, no Bentner, no Song. And yet it didn’t make much difference. The five man midfield featured Denilson and four players one could only regard as more creative than defensive – Arshavin, Diaby, Nasri and Vela. It was almost as if Wenger had relented to the wishes of the crowd.

And yet, the performance lacked real quality. Fulham, who haven’t won away in the league since the dawn of time and only scored three on the road this season, could quite easily have won this game, which makes the statistic of Arsenal’s defence improving with every match look somewhat strange. But the visitors’ finishing was as poor as the Gunners’. Quite a few close shaves though. Arsenal will have to do better than this in Rome in ten days’ time or their only likely route to Champions League football next season (as holders) will evaporate.

The contrast with Tuesday night was marked. Yes, European football is different, but this seemed a lacklustre performance, even so. It was almost as if the players are already resigned to fifth place, and going through the motions. The cups offer greater hope, which lately has been reflected in the displays.

I had high hopes for Vela, and he still might come good in time, but he is, like Theo, like Bendtner, an impact player, a useful sub. He is too young in the sense that the team is too young. Put into a more experienced team, he might thrive, but not in this one. Arshavin may be the wrong side of 25 but the rest of the midfield are relative pups. There is more experience at the back and results since before Christmas suggest they are doing what is required of them, even if they rode their luck against the Cottagers.

It’s ironic that with such a young midfield and forward line, there should be a lack of pace in attack. Moves that look promising often slow to a pedestrian pace and the favoured tactic of square passing five yards from the penalty area. Even John Motson on ‘Match of the Day’ included the line ‘Arsenal always want one touch too many’. And that sums up the crowds frustration nicely, hence the frequent cries of ‘Shoot!’

Motty also informed us that we are now enduring the longest run of consecutive goalless league games at Arsenal since the 1994-95 season. And at times, the football has been about as watchable. The Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) beckons. You can’t see this team catching anyone ahead of them, and if Villa win later today, that would put another nail in the coffin. We may even be in a position to decline entry into the Intertoto. If Spurs win the Carling Cup (runners up are apparently not granted a European place, which reverts to sixth in the table), then it’s a scrap between Arsenal and Everton for fifth place. And frankly, the longer Arsenal go dropping two points every outing, the more likely it is that the Toffeemen will leapfrog them.

Bleak times. And not a good time to be an Arsenal supporter. We’ve had the caviar, we’ve had the sausages. Now we’ve got tripe. Football is cyclical. Eventually, the team will be back. But the suspicion now is that, with the club debts and the wage bill, some players will have to be sold, and replaced with more value for money squad members. Bring it on, some might say, given the current form.

Finally, a reminder about our competition to win a six month subscription from ArsenalTV online (ATVO) – worth £3.99 per month. Or it can be a free extension if you already subscribe. Basically, you have to email your views on the matchday show that was made free to view/hear yesterday to [email protected] and then we will 1. Pass on any feedback to the ATVO people. 2. Pick a winner for the free subscription. Result will be announced on onlinegooner next Wednesday on one of the pieces posted that day.

More details here. As I was at the game myself, I couldn’t possibly comment on the coverage (think they show it on the concourse, but you can hardly hear it there from memory). However, I suspect it was better listening to the commentary than watching the football…