It hurts!

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
29 Nov	4:00 PM	P	Chelsea (H)	0	3	Lost

The weekend's hurt and still does. But it was real. That is really how we are. That's our team. Those are our weakness, those are our strengths. We are three goals to nil from the best. Another day it might have been different but the score is real.

Football can really hurt sometimes almost to the point where it gets unhealthy. El Salvador and Honduras virtually fought a war that killed about 3000 people over a football game. Egypt recalled its Ambassador to Algeria last week over a football game. The condescending look on Drogba's face, and the smug professionalism of Mikel and Lampard illegally breaking Arsenal's fluency can drive unimaginable rage. All of that is unhealthy. In the midst of all it is important to take a step back and look at the big picture.

The big picture does not include whether Gaël Clichy, Kieran Gibbs and Robin van Persie were injured or not. It does not include whether the Arsenal goal should have been disallowed or not. It does not regret that had Gallas not shown attempt to clear both balls in the first half, it would have allowed others to do it. By attempting to clear and missing, it put Vermaelen and Almunia out for a second.

The big picture is that over the past 4 years, Arsenal has not answered a big test with a result. That's the team we have. When it has come down to these games, we have not only lost but lost big. ALL our season-changing games and major tests have not been passed. That's the big picture. It hurts but it's real.

My last article here said that in this game our injuries are not going to be issue. Chelsea is very healthy right now. Everyone is present and fit. Liverpool lost key players in different positions are their title hopes diminished. Man Utd have lost key players in one part of the field (which easier) but their hopes have stayed alive even though they wobbled.

Arsenal are basically starting a Liverpool-style crumble just by losing on key player, van Persie. It is not appropriate to say it is from losing Clichy or Gibbs because our defence is still conceding the same average number of goals per game (and none came from Troare's side). To add more concern, I cannot remember Arsenal winning a game that Arshavin did not start.

Arsenal does not have a massive injury issue right now. Rosicky, Eduardo, Vela, Nasri, Denilson and Eboue are available. In the big picture, these players have returned, filled in holes and scored goals and won games. In the big picture, Arsenal has improved from last season. In the big picture, however, Arsenal can still not pass big tests. There is a ceiling that the team cannot seem to break.

Chelsea were there for the taking in the game yesterday and Eduardo had more chances than Drogba. In this season of optimism, we will have to wait to see if the Chelsea was an exception or the continuation of the rule that has been going for four years.

It hurts. The players must also be hurting and deflated too and I'm sure a little humiliated. Eduardo didn't look happy and neither has Arshavin. Fabregas looks lonely. Rosicky is impressively under-performing for his experience, skill and age. Wenger has a lot of work to do, the season could be over very very quickly, we have the scars to prove it.

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