KNEE JERK REACTION

It is quite evident from past seasons that the winning teams are the ones that are more defensively solid. If a team prevents opponent from scoring, they have every chance of winning the match even if the opponent is outplaying them in every way possible.The Chelsea team last year in the Champions League are a perfect example(although they had incredible luck in their favor!).Spain conceded the least number of goals on their way to lifting the Euro 2008(1),FIFA World Cup 2010(2) and Euro 2012(1).There are other numerous examples(just google for all the stats).The result that you get is "the winning team is the one that concedes the least".

Arsenal started the 2011-2012 season very well,at least from a defensive point of view whichever way you look at it.Especially when you consider how many they let in last year,they conceded the least goals for the first 3 games in the league this season.The praises were coming every corner.Most fans and experts alike, credited the good work to the newly promoted Steve Bould to Arsene's first team coaching staffs as the assistant coach.Many even went on to say that now Arsenal could win this season with the new found defensive solidity.How all of that was thrown out of the window in today's defeat to the league leaders Chelsea!

Arsene had given indications of more "attacking" style he wanted the Arsenal team to show after he was asked of the defensive assurance Arsenal were showing in the first few matches.According to him,the style of Arsenal is such that we will concede goals but we will score more than the opponents.He has mentioned time and again during his tenure at Arsenal that he does not mind conceding goals as long as we outscore the opponent.But what he must realize, and I dare say he does realize it; the fact that all out attacks without any consideration to the defense has given him 7 blanks in 7 years!

The fans and experts alike are not helping here with their comments.They are presuming Arsenal to win trophies so early in the season.It is a knee jerk reaction to the win or the defensive display shown by Arsenal in the few games that they played.However, they must realize that a trophy is won if such displays are shown consistently over the whole season.If today's match is an indicator of things to come,the consistency is absent in Arsenal.

The moment the match started, it almost felt like last season revisited....at least to me.I never felt,during the entire match that we will not let in goals!I think most fans and experts expected Arsenal to win or at least get a point against Chelsea.But in the end ...we lost(how many times have we heard that before?).
The defensive aspect was thrown out of the window today.A really poor display from Arsenal.My appeal to everyone is that let us not "presume" anything.We know how we performed last year(or the years before that) so let us be practical and realists.If Arsenal win one game they do not win a trophy!If we "presume" they will win a trophy after watching 1-2 games, we will have expectations from the team which will ultimately lead to disappointment at the end of the season(the story has been similar for the last 7 seasons).
Let us just get behind our team(win or lose) and hope and pray that at least they give it their best(to me if they don't concede, that is as good as a win really).