Dennis 'god' Bergkamp At Hand To Pass The Baton, Mesut Ozil MIA

I was up for a six, but in the end it was three points, a three goal difference gained and three different scorers in a 4-1 mauling of Sunderland at the Emirates. To be honest I expected more of the black cats, something close to the verve of their display in the first twenty minutes or so of the second half.

The flying Dutchman. Image BBC/PA

A lot of positives from this game, first to mind is the consistency we have shown, now in two consecutive games, to impose ourselves early on.  For huge swatches of this season, we have been stronger as the game wore on the.

This ‘patient play’ approach has done some obvious good, but as Liverpool (we were on the receiving end here), the Bayern Munich game (where we had the ‘best team in the world’ on the ropes) and Southampton (an example of the most lethargic of starts to a game) illustrated, a controlled gung-ho approach is an important arsenal in one’s armory.

What was most pleasing is that this high energy start came in the heels of energy sapping 50+ minutes of chasing shadows against Bayern in midweek. The choice of the starting cast (finally some squad rotation- another plus) against Sunderland played its hand with Arteta stealing the show acting as the sinoatrial node, setting the pace for a pulsating attack.

Jack was at his best with archetypal thrusts from deep, to hug the edge of the Sunderland box and be available for that decisive, extra, deft touch. (a)Santi Cazorla, his usual self, putting a thorough attack and defense shift on the right, you only can thank him. Little Mozart strum the strings with so much gusto allowing Wenger to conclude that his number 10 display was the closest Arsenal had witnessed since the now immortalized Dennis ‘god’ Bergkamp.

Arsenal Squad To Face Sunderland

Giant slayers Sunderland are in town and going by manager Gus Poyet presser, they smell blood. Sitting in the red zone at the wrong end of the table, the Black Cats will give it all to take advantage of the likely negative effect of the much talked about handicap of our thin squad and a punishing fixture list.

How will we line-up against Sunderland?

This, when coupled with the manner of our loss some 72hrs ago against the reigning European champions: a game that had swara written all over it, meaning the stars simply didn't align for us.  I am reminded of the reaction of my new pub pal that eventful Wednesday night when Alaba’s penalty hit the post on its way out.

 It was something along the lines that Arsenal’s football gods were finally awoken from their deep slumber. As it turns out, that fair bit of luck was merely a startle from their deep REM sleep as we were soon immersed into the nightmare that in the first place had startled them from the slumber.

It must have been a particularly harrowing experience for Mesut Ozil. The past few days for the German star upped the ante as he has lived through the nightmare of partisan, sell-the-papers, get-the-page views media talk. When he signed for Arsenal, part of the talk was how his move finally afforded him the stage to shine.