Familial duties at Yuletide often necessitate reluctantly missing a home match. For once, then, I was delighted that Sky's incessant tampering with our fixture list worked to my advantage. On Sunday morning I performed my own version of The Great Escape and headed back to my adoptive London Town, travelling as much in hope as expectation as Aston Villa were the only PL team yet to lose at our new home, boasted the league's meanest defence and were itching to complete a Grand Slam of so-called Big Four scalps.

Cesc's cameo took the plaudits, of course, but there was much to cheer. The Villains hardly created a chance worthy of the name; Song and Diaby were immense. Continual comparisons between the latter and Vieira are ridiculous, as Arsene intimated yet again recently. Our Invincibles' captain never posed such an attacking threat; Diaby is on course for a dozen goals this season.

Referee Phil Dowd should be congratulated for booking Ashley Young and Song for blatant dives in quick succession but, yet again, visitors to THOF were allowed to commit serial niggling fouls with impunity. It speaks volumes that ambitious Villa were reduced to such spoiling tactics, while two up-front (Agbonlahor and Heskey) quickly became one. 3-0 to The Arsenal could have been many more.

Exactly one month ago we trudged home disconsolately after a similar (but very harsh) scoreline reverse. Who'd have thought Chelski would drop seven more points than us (nine to two) in the following five rounds of matches, with one win in seven in all competitions before finally, fortuitously overcoming neighbours Fulham? Who needs to splash the cash?

Splash the cash yourself on the latest ‘Gooner’, number 201. Howard Lamb's perfect summary on page 8 of, and antidote for, the stupid Ole chants should be heeded by our fans. On the final paragraph on page 16 of Mark Halfpenny's article - an important observation from, and analysis of, last season's still-painful Champions League semi-final - should be heeded by our playing staff.