After Arsenal lost the Carling Cup Final, it's clear that not just the defeat, but the manner of it has had a severely negative impact on the team, with its effects clear for all to see. Arsenal have looked cowed, callow and unsure of themselves ever since. It's been like watching a child forget their lines in a school play, desperately looking to their parents in the audience for help.
Against West Brom on the weekend, Arsenal's football was staid and pedestrian. The ease with which they gave up the first goal was as alarming as it was predictable. Even when fate intervened to give Arsenal a man advantage while James Morrison was injured, the returning Aaron Ramsey failed to convert the simplest of chances.
And - from an Arsenal perspective - as bad as West Brom's first goal was, their second will adorn Christmas "football gaffe" DVD's for years to come. It's a sad fact that Manuel Almunia not only remains an accident waiting to happen, but an accident that does happen.
It was only then that Arsenal seemed to realise that while Arsene Wenger can prepare the team as best he can, "Daddy" can't get up on stage and hold your hand through the match. Andrey Arshavin scored a fine goal to bring the score back to 2-1, and with both Marouane Chamakh & Nicklas Bendtner both summoned from the bench, Arsenal exploited West Brom's own aerial vulnerabilities to equalise as Robin Van Persie (who is patently playing whilst unfit) scrambled the ball home after good work from both Arshavin & Bendtner.
While Wenger publicly praised the players for recovering a point from the jaws of defeat, the same old problems remain. Arsenal look incapable of being able to grab the initiative in games unless it's handed to them, and they look completely rudderless without their key men, particularly the captain, Cesc Fabregas.
Yes, Arsenal have had some bad luck with injuries, but one look at Manchester United shows that while Arsenal have excuses, United have victories, regardless of whatever enforced changes they have to make to their side.
The past fortnight has been a nightmare for the Gunners, and after the last twenty minutes at The Hawthorns, maybe it's a nightmare that they've finally woken up from. But it may be too little, too late. While Arsenal have been dozing, United have stretched their lead at the top to five points, and another trophy-less season is looking increasingly likely with every passing week.
