We will survive loss of big guns

COME the revolution (assuming it hasn’t already started), it will be the fixture schedulers who’ll be first up against my wall, due to their customary lack of consideration for the long-suffering travelling fans, without whom the Premiership’smulti-million pound TV product might not be nearly so palatable.

Nevertheless, with the dampeners having been put on any remaining new season optimism by the depressing anti-climax of a scoreless draw in our late KO at St James’, I’m sure that unlike this aging wet-blanket, there were plenty of Gooners who didn’t particularly mind being stuck on Tyneside, with this at least offering them the solace of an excuse for a Saturday night out on the Toon.

Saturday night in Newcastle city centre has to be seen to be believed. It’s not that different to the London riots, albeit with revelry foremost on the minds of the thronging crowds rather than mayhem and destruction.

Yet this old fart was relieved to escape to the refuge of my hotel room with a takeaway to watch Match of the Day, where as if to highlight the lack of incisiveness of the Arsenal’s uninspiring display, the first two matches showed former Gunners Fabrice Muamba and Seb Larssen banging in spectacular goals for Bolton and Sunderland respectively.

Above all, my greatest concern over the loss of two world class talents in Fabregas and Nasri — if the latter happens, is that the entire burden of responsibility to unlock the tightest defences might now fall upon the young (and hopefully broad) shoulders of Jack Wilshere.

However, in Wilshere’s absence, it seems obvious that we can’t rely on Rosicky for that crucial spark of creativity and such was our lack of potency going forward, on an off day for Van Persie, that we made Coloccini look like Carles Puyol!

There were some positives and the loss of Gervinho’s dynamism going forward could prove a costly blow against Liverpool and Man Utd. There’s also no doubting that Vermaelen’s tenacity leaves our defence looking a whole lot more secure, compared to the hesitancy we’ve witnessed while the Belgian has been out.

The consensus of opinion, however, suggests that players need a couple of matches under their belts to recover their sharpness. An overweight-looking Arshavin certainly doesn’t need more under his belt, but then his immobility around the pitch is perhaps more a matter of a lack of motivation?

It was also disappointing that Walcott wasn’t able to make any sort of impact when he came off the bench, but hopefully the threat of our newest arrival from the south coast will prove to be the catalyst for Theo to finally fulfil all that promise. Unless Arsene intends for us to operate with two diminutive terriers tearing down the flanks — Oxlade-Chamberlain might be an expensive investment on the back of one’s shirt!.

I’m sure subsequent results will demonstrate that it only requires limited ability to dominate Pardew’s lacklustre outfit but I didn’t end up too down, as I spent much of this match waiting for the Toon to nick a win from a solitary assault on our goal.

Although it wasn’t until I sat down to watch El Clasico on Sunday night that I really began to feel daunted, as Real and Barca produced a thrilling match, which really put the overall paucity of entertainment of the Premiership’s weekend in the shade.

When one considers the wealth of talent in the Catalan squad, I can’t help but wonder if Wenger has missed a trick, when we might have profited more from a player exchange plus cash for the sale of our skipper?

Ultimately the Arsenal will survive the loss of Cesc and Samir, but to contemplate a future after the departure of Eboué, now there’s real cause to don sackcloth and ashes!