Both sides at the Arsenal v Newcastle game arrived with some tabloid baggage yesterday. The News of the World competed with the matchday programme as a preview of the fixture in a surreal kind of manner. However, the real exposé early on was that of Arsenal’s full backs. The visitors’ homework had been done, it wasn’t difficult and the weak spots easy enough to exploit. However their goal, after Arsenal had regained some kind of control of the game, came from a set piece. Wenger’s team so often look vulnerable to these and so it proved once more. If Fabianski was going to come for this ball, he should have taken out everyone and the kitchen sink in launching himself at it. Instead he tried to beat Andy Carroll from a standing jump. It was painful viewing and a reminder that a few games do not make a good keeper. As the current back up Wojciech Szczesny has not signed a new contract, you imagine the manager will continue with Fabianski in goal. However, he is rarely going to dominate his area at set pieces and so opponents will continue lumping high balls into the heart of the Gunners’ penalty area. In fairness to the keeper, his team-mates did little to dissuade Carroll from leaping for the ball. Chamakh was marking him and normally does better than this.

Things were so bad that Arsene Wenger made two substitutions before the hour mark, almost unheard of. Chamakh’s removal saw Robin van Persie return to action, and although there were some nice touches, ultimately his impact was minimal. He needs games. Cesc Fabregas, on the other hand, is either disinterested or playing through injury. Nothing was coming off for the captain and it was symptomatic that the team also failed to spark. There seemed little in the way of imagination to break down a Newcastle defence that worked hard, but were rarely tested. And let’s face it, none of them have much of a reputation.

What Newcastle demonstrated was some kind of team spirit, a genuine will to win. It’s something Arsenal display occasionally, but not often enough. It’s led to some pretty questionable performances this season, and indeed at the tail end of the preceding campaign. And it’s a reason that, in spite of Chelsea losing and the gap to the top being only five points, the number of Gooners who still believe in the ability of the team to challenge for the title is dwindling fast. It sometimes feels like we have seen this all before.

Some texts received during and after the game from various acquaintances….
“Fabianski back 2 form!”
“Arsenal 0 Same Old Flaws 1”
“Clueless, witless, complacent, pathetic”

As the game neared its end, I really did not get any kind of feeling of a genuine final surge to make the breakthrough. I found my mind wandering back to Highbury and George Graham’s first season as manager. We used to chant ‘Georgie Georgie sort it out’ if the team left the field having had a poor first half. Then, the second half would see a rousing comeback and the comforting glow of victory as the sun set behind the West Stand. I cannot imagine Arsene Wenger having that kind of effect on his players. I wonder if he is a motivator in any sense of the word.

I have a recollection of writing that the club is now treading water, either on this website or in The Gooner, and recent performances have indicated that this could be another long season, even in certain of the games the side has won. What is interesting about the recent revelations about the manager’s personal life is that it makes a move away from London even less likely if he is to prioritise his family life now. So Arsenal will continue treading water for a few seasons yet. The players good enough to remain in the top four, but not coached well enough to actually win anything much at all. What the Newcastle game confirmed is that things have gone a bit stale. This is not a one-off. Recent Premier League home matches have been against West Brom, Birmingham, West Ham and now Newcastle. And not a convincing display amongst them.

We’ve started November with two defeats and the games won’t get any easier. It’s a test of character now. Up to the players to show that they have some bollocks and start performing like it actually matters to them. They need to put together a winning sequence of matches, but I just can’t, for the life of me, see them managing it, at least on current form. Let’s hope my judgment is out…

PS – About to post this when I received the following email from regular Gooner contributor Mark Halpenny…
Looking forward to reading your editorial on the website this morning. You could save loads of time and just use an old one as nothing seems to change with our lot.
Powerful striker dominates us - Check!
Costly individual defensive errors - Check!
Unable to keep a clean sheet - Check!
Plan A doesn't work - Check!
No Plan B - Check!
Arsene spends all match moaning at 4th official - Check!
Arsene sees only magnificence in his players - Check!
Groundhog Day all over again...