TERRACE TALK: Mixed emotions after an evening of frustration

After enduring the Gunners’ all-too frequent failures to blow opportunities in the recent past, I’ve come to detest the inevitable psychological impact of appearing later in the weekend than our competitors.

There’s a sense that we are already aware of the negative impact of a bad result hovering over us.

With Chelsea, Man United and City all having left the door open for us to steal a march on the rash of inconsistency elsewhere, much like every other Gooner, I was hoping to witness a performance against Martinez’s increasingly impressive outfit that would serve as a genuine litmus test, attesting to the burgeoning composure and maturity that’s indicative of a squad determined to show its mettle. Not to mention the alluring attraction of a seven-point breathing space that would’ve been likely to leave the vociferous Match of the Day pundits sheepishly struggling to retrieve their feet from their mouths.