It would be fair to say that today did not exactly go to plan. It was probably our most disappointing performance this season. Last night, I said all we had to do was turn up. We didn't. We lost. Badly. But maybe that is just the kick up the backside that we needed.
The tightness of this year's championship tussle means the league is still very much within our grasp. And if you take the one possible positive from lunchtime's horror show, it is that the wake up call the team will get from a defeat in that manner may spark them into life ahead of what is a vital game against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Most, if not all Arsenal fans will tell you that performance had been coming. Lacklustre displays with positive results have been almost been building up to the demolition by Liverpool which seemed inevitable. We were not just bad, we were atrocious.
And now we've let Chelsea into pole position as this topsy-turvy title race takes another dramatic turn - only thanks to Manchester City's own slip-up, that is. But you have to hand it to them - they deserve to be. Their win against City on Monday will end up being the performance of the season - and if they can pull that off, you would imagine that anything is possible.
So do not be fooled (though you are surely not?) by Jose Mourinho's "little horse" gag, or "team for next year" remark, as essentially, Chelsea are still more or less the team that won the Champions League - plus Eden Hazard.
I would not go as far as saying that he is carrying them, but Chelsea are a different beast with him in the side. And Mourinho has set them out like they are playing that final in Munich every week - and it is paying off marvellously. They now have the chance to go four clear on Tuesday night - and they would fully merit that position.
Manchester City, on the other hand, seem to have re-found their poor away form that, up until Monday, had been all that had blemished their league campaign. I thought they would bounce back well against Norwich but perhaps, the defeat to Chelsea has knocked their confidence more than we might have thought. It is just a shame that they have the next four games at home to get it back again.
As far as Arsenal's league challenge is concerned, today's defeat will put extra pressure on United's visit on Wednesday. There are always low points in any season but to lose today, of all days, means that the remainder of Arsenal's make-or-break games are all on a potential knife edge. A win on Wednesday night would allay fears of a typical Arsenal-esque collapse but another poor result next Saturday would see us spiralling back in the opposite direction.
Bounce-back-ability is the hallmark of champions and Arsenal did respond very well to an on-and-off Christmas period. The onus is now on The Gunners to do it again after what has been a humiliating day.
We must still go into the game against Manchester United, however rejuvenated they may feel by the arrival of Juan Mata. The Emirates has been our fortress and our BFG and co. would like to keep it that way - but the game will be a huge testament to our resolve when the going gets tough. We can make this afternoon's defeat one of the defining days of our season.
Liverpool may have destroyed us today, but if we can come back from this, I am positive that come May, there will be trophies "up for grabs".
Come On You Reds!
The tightness of this year's championship tussle means the league is still very much within our grasp. And if you take the one possible positive from lunchtime's horror show, it is that the wake up call the team will get from a defeat in that manner may spark them into life ahead of what is a vital game against Manchester United on Wednesday.
Most, if not all Arsenal fans will tell you that performance had been coming. Lacklustre displays with positive results have been almost been building up to the demolition by Liverpool which seemed inevitable. We were not just bad, we were atrocious.
And now we've let Chelsea into pole position as this topsy-turvy title race takes another dramatic turn - only thanks to Manchester City's own slip-up, that is. But you have to hand it to them - they deserve to be. Their win against City on Monday will end up being the performance of the season - and if they can pull that off, you would imagine that anything is possible.
So do not be fooled (though you are surely not?) by Jose Mourinho's "little horse" gag, or "team for next year" remark, as essentially, Chelsea are still more or less the team that won the Champions League - plus Eden Hazard.
I would not go as far as saying that he is carrying them, but Chelsea are a different beast with him in the side. And Mourinho has set them out like they are playing that final in Munich every week - and it is paying off marvellously. They now have the chance to go four clear on Tuesday night - and they would fully merit that position.
Manchester City, on the other hand, seem to have re-found their poor away form that, up until Monday, had been all that had blemished their league campaign. I thought they would bounce back well against Norwich but perhaps, the defeat to Chelsea has knocked their confidence more than we might have thought. It is just a shame that they have the next four games at home to get it back again.
As far as Arsenal's league challenge is concerned, today's defeat will put extra pressure on United's visit on Wednesday. There are always low points in any season but to lose today, of all days, means that the remainder of Arsenal's make-or-break games are all on a potential knife edge. A win on Wednesday night would allay fears of a typical Arsenal-esque collapse but another poor result next Saturday would see us spiralling back in the opposite direction.
Bounce-back-ability is the hallmark of champions and Arsenal did respond very well to an on-and-off Christmas period. The onus is now on The Gunners to do it again after what has been a humiliating day.
We must still go into the game against Manchester United, however rejuvenated they may feel by the arrival of Juan Mata. The Emirates has been our fortress and our BFG and co. would like to keep it that way - but the game will be a huge testament to our resolve when the going gets tough. We can make this afternoon's defeat one of the defining days of our season.
Liverpool may have destroyed us today, but if we can come back from this, I am positive that come May, there will be trophies "up for grabs".
Come On You Reds!
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