Van Persie petulance a sign all is far from well

THE teeming rain that accompanied our return journey from Stoke on Saturday was an appropriate reflection of the melancholy mood in our motor.

At least that was for all except Monica, a staunch Stoke supporter for more years than a gentleman cares to mention, who hard as she tried not to gloat didn’t need a car to convey her back to Cobham. She was so high on her side’s surprisingly comfortable success that she could’ve floated back to her Surrey home, aboard the rain sodden layer of cumulus.

I pulled the covers up on Sunday morning, burying my head in the comfort of a couple more hours of my own reverie, rather then confronting the woeful reality of the five points we’ve blown in the past few days, the worrying reoccurrence of Theo’s troublesome shoulder injury, the potentially significant injuries to Adebayor, Gallas etc and the prospect of playing Man United without them and the senselessly suspended Van Persie.

Having finally sensed some long-awaited signs that Van Persie had struck a vein of form, I was furious with his petulant frenzy. But as if blowing our best chance of a recovery by getting sent off only 11 minutes after coming on as sub at Stoke wasn’t bad enough, I could’ve throttled him when I realised he’d ruled himself out of next Saturday’s big game.

I also didn’t appreciate the way in which Robin waved a dismissive hand in the direction of his Danish teammate as he trotted on. By the looks of things, Bendtner was equally unimpressed at being informed in this fashion that he was to play out wide on the left. Mind you he’d been so ineffective that never mind outside-left, I’d have preferred for him to have been left outside (the old ones are the best).

Yet it was the wave of Van Persie’s hand which suggested to me that all is not sweetness and light in the Gunners camp at present.

Doubtless it’s evidence of the sort of aggravation that only tends to raise it’s ugly head when the wheels begin to come off.

Both fans and players alike were all a little shell-shocked after Wednesday’s derby disaster. Under the circumstances, most of us sensed that Spurs might come away with something, but having demonstrated our undoubted superiority and when we should’ve had the result in the bag, it was the unbelievably bizarre, last gasp denouement of this game that completely knocked the stuffing out of us.!

For my money, mentally, we were never at the races on Saturday and it was no real surprise to see Stoke reap some reward from their most potent weapon. Rory Delap’s throw-ins were always likely to wreak havoc, amidst a defence that so frequently struggles to demonstrate the necessary composure, where a keeper who lacks the necessary presence to dominate his area, only compounds our insecurity.

Who knows, perhaps in adversity we’ll witness the sort of “backs to the wall” display against Man United, which will be just what the doctor ordered to restore the sense of unity needed to get our season back on track.

But as much as I adore le Boss, he seems to have a serious blind spot when it comes to recognising the need for an adjutant out on the park, with the strength of personality to preempt the sort of disasters we’ve witnessed alarmingly frequently of late.

Nevertheless there are plenty of Gooners out there who need to appreciate that we’re only so disgruntled because le gaffer has spoilt us rotten.

If only they knew the taste of the sort of medicine endured by the loyal likes of Monica, they might not be quite so quick to throw their toys out of the pram!

Bernard Azulay http://goonersdiary.blogspot.com