There was a time when an Arsene Wenger-managed Arsenal would have been three up by 20 minutes in the kind of game we had with Fulham. Opposition sliced apart, gilt-edged chances created, cigars out and slippers on long before half-time. In truth, just occasionally, it became slightly dull as Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp, Pires and co would spend the remaining 70 minutes not exerting themselves and just passing the ball around in true training ground fashion.

One thing you could not accuse the current Arsenal team of is ever letting you relax for a moment. 2-0 up and coasting? Chances are whoever scores next will win the game. I suppose, in some surreal way, it is a tortuous form of entertainment. You can’t look away for a moment, although at times, you do feel like covering your eyes.

My neighbour David Oudot told me that reputedly Arsene Wenger doesn’t like his players communicating on the pitch, as it tell the opposition where they are. Yesterday, it also demonstrated how, on occasion, it doesn’t tell their team-mates where they are either. A loud shout between the two centre backs might have avoided Fulham’s equaliser. What seemed odd once Koscielny collapsed is that there was no movement on the bench to get Johan Djourou warming up. He sat in his seat for a couple of minutes until it was established he would have to come on immediately. Strange. Once he did come on, he had a pretty decent game, the side’s standout performer along with obvious MOTM Nasri.

It’s a shame a good number of Nasri’s colleagues are not playing to the same level he is, as the Gunners would be leading the table by a street if they were. In a season where no-one is taking the bull by the horns, it is perfectly set up for Wenger’s experiment to come good. But in their heart of hearts, most Gooners do not believe their team can win the title. I think this is due to experience. We’ve had serious hopes a couple of times before – in 2008 and last season. Arsenal have been top in February with a theoretically easier run-in and managed to implode. Regular contributor Ian Tanner ventured to me after the recent Spurs defeat that the team are afraid to win, to seize the opportunity to make the most of opportunities. There is a mental block. Perhaps winning a trophy might actually address this, and the Carling Cup is certainly winnable.

But the bread and butter of the league is what concerns us until January. By the time we reach 2011, games against Manchester United and Chelsea will tell us much about whether this season’s squad are more resilient than those of recent years.

For some reason Gunnersaurus did not have his O2 cannon at half-time yesterday. Not even firing blanks, it was a classic piece of symbolism for Arsenal’s first half. So many chances, and just the one goal. Fulham couldn’t help but get back in it. The Gunners played a risky high offside line and got away with it most of the time, but there was rarely enough pressure on the ball from the midfield to justify this tactic. More work needs to be done on what happens when the team do not have possession. It is undoubtedly the area where the team are weakest, and the reason it is difficult to think we are watching champions in the making.

However, one thing all the doubters have in common is a desire to be proved wrong. We would all celebrate wildly if Wenger could win the title playing football in the Brazil 70 mode. But if they are going to do that, then as goals will inevitably be conceded (as Brazil did – the only clean sheet they kept in seven games was against England), more of the chances to score need to be taken. The Fulham game should have been like those against Blackpool, Bolton, Braga and Shakhtar. Comfortable and authoritative. It turned into a stress-fest. Sure there are going to be some narrow wins like this, but should we be having quite so many?

Wednesday night’s game, in theory a formality, is anything but. I can see Van Persie starting instead of Rosicky, and hope that Djourou begins. His dominance in the air (a blatant weak spot for Wenger’s current Arsenal) means he should be starting every game now. He simply gives the team more than any other available centre back. I would not read too much into Wenger’s words about not buying in January. That is, presumably, a smokescreen to stop prices being inflated and the keep the current players happy until a new face turns up.

Manuel Almunia played a half for the reserves behind closed doors against Wolves recently, before another of his elbow injuries occurred. There is one player the manager has obviously given up on, presumably having been told to seek a new club. News from Fulham that Arsenal were still actively pursuing Mark Schwarzer right up until the moment he signed a new deal with yesterday’s opponents certainly indicates a new keeper will be arriving at some point. You can only see repeated mistakes so many times before giving up on something. A statement that sums up the state of mind of many a Gooner at the moment.

It may have needed a combination of snow and Blackpool’s lack of undersoil heating, but top of the league is a great place to be. Let’s defy belief and stick around there a while having made such hard work of getting to the summit.

PS – Someone I know asked me to sort them out for a Leeds ticket yesterday. Unfortunately, I had so many conversations before and after the game, I am struggling to remember who the hell it was! So if they are reading this, please text or email me to refresh my memory. Thanks