We should've seen it coming. A team high on confidence facing up to a fairly routine fifth-round FA Cup tie at home to a mediocre Championship side - add in Mike Dean for good measure and you have yourself yet another infuriatingly frustrating afternoon's torture. Bit of a giveaway, really. Typical, typical Arsenal.
Unfortunately, confidence has ended up backfiring horribly on Arsene Wenger. With one eye on Bayern, a weakened but nevertheless, a fairly strong and experienced Arsenal side walked on to the pitch this afternoon. There is no reason whatsoever for him to expect the team he put out there to lose that game, never mind failing to score. In any competition, in any circumstances, to perform at that level against lower opposition is inexcusable, unforgivable and downright pathetic.
It really hurts to criticise a team I love so much; it's almost as painful as going all that way to see them crash out like that. But criticism is exactly what they deserve. The booing that followed the haunted whistle of Mike Dean's were fully justified. It was another one of those days that happen far too often at this club given our ambitions. I would go as far as saying these days are now becoming the norm at Arsenal.
In my eyes, starting Gervinho turned out to be both Wenger's and Arsenal's downfall. Pre-match, it didn't sound a bad idea to put a "forward" back in the team on the back of a decent continental tournament (performance-wise), up against lower league opposition to ease him back in - not that he was getting in any time soon. But it seemed as if that temporary run of form has helped not him in the slightest. Same old, same old from Gervinho: sitters missed, passes misplaced, players run into, falling over, dribbles stopped abruptly short for no apparent reason - you get the idea.
The defeat triggers pretty much the same response from all present inside the Emirates: another year without a trophy. The fact that barely anyone believes we have any glimmer of hope in the Champions League speaks volumes. Who in their right mind would pay £120 to watch that against a ruthless Bayern team? They certainly won't sit back - they'll kill us. And whereas before this weekend I was banking on a first-leg victory, all that confidence instantaneously vanished following the end of that game.
And finally, the 'Wenger Out' brigade were out in force once again. What more can he do? When will people realise he is not the problem, or am I wrong? This group of players is capable of so, so much more. He was powerless with the timing of the goal just seconds after a triple substitution that we desperately needed. Clubs would kill for a manager like Wenger. Now they're calling for his head? Crazy. No-one will be saying that if we get a decent result against Bayern, that's for sure. Arsenal fans will be the first say that they can change their opinions just like that.
And who's to say anyone else will do any better? Out of the 'available' managers in the game, I'd only take Mourinho, and even that's at a push. Players don't get half the stick managers do. Is it Wenger's fault that players like Gervinho can't stick a ball in the net every once in a while? Is it because of Wenger we had Diaby moving around like an injured antelope today? Is Wenger to blame for the trophy drought? I hope we all come to our senses.
It wasn't our day. But where there's life, there's hope, and our trophy ambitions are still alive if a little lofty at this stage. If Chelsea proved anything from last season, it's that team spirit can get you through when all looks up, and we certainly need that spirit to guide us on Tuesday night and beyond. Days like this seem like the end of the world, but now it's time for a fresh start. It's our last chance. Bring it, Bayern.
Come On You Reds!
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