Arsenal have had a torrid start to the season. Selling last season's two most creative midfielders, one of whom was the talsimanic leader of the club and best player for the last few seasons, was not the ideal scenario that Arsene Wenger would have wanted. Dropping points and losing your new striker for three games in the opening match gave few encouraging signs. Compounded with a home defeat, another red card, and the rainclouds that formed over the Emirates last Saturday had a metaphoric, ominous feel to them. Facing a week which involved a trip to Udinese with a slender 1-0 lead, followed by a trip to the fortress of Old Trafford - the more hyperbolic around were proclaiming that Arsenal's season and future could be torn to shreds in the matter of a few days.
An early goal for Udinese and the doom-mongers were ratcheting up the schadenfreude, readying the obituaries and sharpening the knives for Wenger, a man apparently more embattled and under siege than the old elusive Colonel himself. I mean Gadaffi by the way, not the chicken guy. No-one has it in for the chicken guy. Van Persie's equaliser, benefitting from some impressive and encouragingly direct play from Gervinho got them back in control, but it was the next moment that was the real clincher.
Johnny Consonant AKA Wojcech Sczcezczeczeczcezczeczceny produced what is probably the finest penalty save I have ever seen. A fiercely struck and well directed bullet heading for the back of the net was diverted away by the flying Arsenal keeper - admittedly it was at a relatively saveable height, but to get it away when struck so powerfully was superb goalkeeping. 'Superb Goalkeeping' We are talking about Arsenal here, right? The moment of magic from the young Polish goalie kept the momentum firmly with the Gunners, as well as providing genuine class and confidence between the Arsenal sticks for perhaps the first time since Mad Jens stopping Riquelme in the 2006 semi final.
Theo Walcott sealed the victory in the game and the tie with a well taken goal that showed again why he should be played through the channels and beyond the defence. The turn him into a technical winger experiment of the last 5 years, throw it out. Stick him up top, see what happens.
I digress slightly - the bottom line is that Arsenal progressed. They now await their fate in the draw but have every chance of putting these August woes behind them and getting beyond the group stages yet again. Furthermore, Wenger can spend the final few transfer window days shopping with the lure of Champions League football, not to mention the money that has secured. The question is, will he? The stubbornness that Wenger has shown for years now towards spending big money on established players shows no sign of abating, but for me the time has come where a failure to invest would be criminal and inexcusable.
Arsenal's prospects look brighter already, (the imminent Old Trafford destruction notwithstanding) but the fact is a young, inexperienced and injury prone squad need reinforcements capable of immediate entry into the first team. A refusal to do so, even for the noble reason of faith in your current players, would put Wenger in a very difficult position if the team falls short on the pitch. Surely the owners will start to demand why the money they make available is not being spent, when the results are being delivered are below par. Of course Wenger has immense credit in his account due to his glorious past, continued success on a (self-imposed) budget and frankly incredible business record of turning young players into profit; but if he doesn't invest some money now, that credit will be crunched all too quickly.
The draw coming tomorrow morning will be eagerly anticipated across Europe, including, much to the relief of many, the red half of North London.
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