TERRACE TALK: Arsenal - Victory against Sunderland papers over unconvincing display

The atmosphere at Saturday’s encounter with Sunderland was so muted for the first half an hour that I pitied the poor couple who found themselves sitting in front of me.

As hard as I tried to direct my incessant hollering, up and out, over their heads, watching these two constantly recoil every time I bellowed behind their sensitive shell-likes, I felt half-tempted to lean forward and apologise for spoiling their sedate afternoon’s entertainment.

Aside from the customary grace of Mesut Özil and the determination of Koscielny, sadly the Arsenal barely resembled a side targeting the table’s summit.