I fully accept that Arsenal were far from their best in our latest Premier League game, but we did end up taking all three points off Sunderland in front of a relieved home crowd at the Emirates. To be honest, though, I really do not care too much how it was done, just that it was done.
It was a bit like when a striker is on a scoring drought and just needs a bit of luck, maybe the ball bouncing in off their backside or something. The Gunners simply had to stop the rot and bounce back from a nightmare month of November.
Arsene Wenger alluded to this and admitted that he was nervous ahead of the game and you could see that most of the players and the team in general felt the same. Somehow we managed it and that was a testament to the character in the team as well as some real quality. For me this was the key phrase from the manager’s post match interview on the Arsenal website.
He said, “It was our first game without the injured players and we absolutely had to win.”
Now if Arsenal continue to play like that it will not be good enough. We are not Man United. But if, as I expect, this result settles the side and allows us to get back to the fluency and balance that has been so impressive in the league this season, then the only thing that will be remembered from this game against Sunderland will be the three points and the end of a thankfully short winless run.
Do you think Arsenal are now back on track?