Reality gap

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
31 Oct	12:45 PM	P	Tottenham Hotspur (H)	3	0	Win

If yesterday's blog came to you via 4 hours sleep and a somewhat fragmented state of mind, then today's blog ... today's blog I'm starting to feel a little like Christian Bale's character in The Machinist. In bed at the not unreasonable time of 10.30 PM, asleep by 11 PM and juddered awake by 2 AM. A night on the sofa finishing watching Star Wars - I'd started that one on Monday morning - before deciding I might as well eat something before getting into work early was all mine.

Before I decided to put the rest of Star Wars, perhaps not the best choice on an extremely black night of the soul, I was cruising Sky Sports News and came across Jermaine Jenas and his assertion that Tottenham's defeat at Arsenal was a one off. Er, really Jermaine?

What about this then?

Yes, I am that sad. But it tells its own tale, doesn't it? Twenty matches, 11 wins, 9 draws with 41 goals scored against 22 conceded suggests that perhaps it wasn't a one-off at all. Anymore than Tottenham's third consecutive match against a member of the big four ending with them conceding three goals in defeat was. Harry Redknapp can claim there is no gap between the squads, but we all know that Arsenal are in the title race- whether they win it or not, Tottenham are in the race for a Champions League spot, if they're lucky. That is the reality gap.

To be honest, I think enough's been said, and I might not have mentioned this at all had Jenas' daft comments not interrupted my fun filled night, thoughts like fireworks exploding through my brain, on the sofa, "phenomenal squad"? the only thing phenomenal about Tottenham is the size of the ego in relation to the acheivement.

I could go on, I really could, but I don't want to lose you and I fear I might, so I will move on from Saturday's events, as the official website seems to have done.

The original version of yesterday's blog mused upon the plight of Liverpool, the bet I made with Luke's brother and Luke's insistence that 4 draws in a row Manchester City will finish the season crowned as champions. I forgot about that by the time I got home, but I also caught myself wondering about the Chelsea Manchester United clash at the weekend.

With Arsenal playing Wolverhampton Wanderers and with Mick McCarthy's shocking record in the Premier League, it's difficult to see this as anything other than a chance to finish the weekend either in second place, or points closer to Chelsea. Honestly, the way United are playing, it's difficult to see how we won't be in second place come Monday morning, but let's not jump the gun and by doing so jump back in time to last season's assumption that games can be won by just stepping onto the pitch.

It's perhaps, with the visit of AZ Alkmaar a day ahead of us and Champions League qualification beckoning, a touch premature to be considering the Wolves game, but in a classic Arsenal touch, the players will take the field on Saturday evening with poppies embroidered into their shirts as a precursor to a shirt raffle in aid of the Royal British Legion and Help For Heroes.

Moving back to the Alkmaar game and the early team news is that Gaël Clichy will be out for a month, due to a stress facture of the back. I might be wrong, but isn't this the same injury, or type of injury, that ended last season for him? Good news for Keiran Gibbs though, who showed last week just what he is made of. I look forward to seeing how he does in the month ahead with interest. Tomas Rosicky, on the other hand, returns to the squad after a short time out. So it'll be good to have him augmenting the options once more.

Stan Kroenke has made a further share purchase, the percentage of shares owned getting ever nearer to the 29.9 per cent trigger. So that's something else to keep your eye on as I move deeper into my week from hell and Arsenal begin their traditional month of doom.

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