The thing that I was most frustrated with on Sunday, as was everyone else who I have spoken to, was the fact that our 1st half performance was a mirror of all our 1st halves since the United game - we just did not look like we was interested. Now I'm not questioning our players professional integrity, and as the saying goes you do not become a bad team overnight, but there is no doubt that we are a shadow of our former selves. If TH14 is carrying an injury then AW should give him a rest now to help him recover for later on in the season, as at the moment he is doing very little for the team or himself. But it's not just Thierry who is not playing at his best; you could quite easily add Jose, Bobby, Dennis and in most parts Patrick, who apart from the second half at Anfield is very much out of sorts. He will miss the Chelsea game because of his fifth booking of the season, where our midfield will be very much a patchwork quilt of players playing out of position and all this just three days after we play Rosenborg in what is our most important game this season, since the last most important game we played anyway.

We need a change of luck from somewhere because although our first half was poor the second half performance deserved at least a draw and it was a cruel way to loose a game. But saying that, if there was a good way to lose a game it was like that, at least it was not with a whimper or down to some poor refereeing.

The sounds coming out of Arsenal are that it looks like Sol will be signing a new contract and that Mr. Ed(u) will be on his way, most probably to Barcelona in the January sales.

Following my fine performance at 5-a-side on Friday night I have contacted Arsene and told him that I should be available for selection soon if we do not have enough fit players. I don't think I can manage the full 90 minutes though, as the curry I had after was so nice I pigged out a bit.

Talk Sport? (part 2)
The morning show is followed by geriatric Mike Dickin, definitely a show to miss. This is followed at 1pm by "Hawksbee & Jacobs". Paul Hawksbee (Sp*urs) and his sidekick Andy Jacobs (Chelski) have what I think is one of the best shows on radio. It's three hours of chat, guests and jokes that are all football-related. Considering their football allegiances they give a fair and honest opinion on the game. Hawksbee will openly say that Sp*rs are so far behind the big teams that he is embarrassed at how they have fallen from grace over the last 25 years. Andy Jacobs is also open in his opinion of Chelski and Roman's money, saying that all the money he has pumped into the club will only be bad in the long run and it will all end in tears. They don't say these things to be controversial they just talk about their clubs like the passionate fans that they are.

The drive home show is the "Kinghorn and Cas Show", with Patrick Kinghorn and Tony Cascarino - the former Millwall, Villa, Celtic and Rep of Ireland international. Cascarino is a frank and intelligent man who also has a weekly column in The Times; the trouble is he has a problem stringing two words together, which sometimes gets very embarrassing when he is trying to hold an argument with more experienced presenters. The frightening thing is that Cascarino is the better of the two presenters on this show; Kinghorn is a complete plank of wood. He is the cousin of Tim Sherwood and I think the only reason he got this job was not because of what he knows but who he knows. He more often than not sounds like a demented 14-year-old who talks about as much sense as a person half that age. He attempts to be controversial but fails miserably. It's quite easy to see who is also listening to the show in their cars driving home as they will be the ones screaming "Cuuuuuuunt!!" at their radios.

There are also other evening programs most notably Adrian Durham's "Football First" show, a bitter man if I have ever heard one. He hates everything about the Premiership and the reason for this, he supports Peterborough. Durham has ginger hair and there is something about ginger-haired people that I don't trust; it may have something to do with the Umpa Lumpas from Willy Wonka.

So next time you're in the UK tune in and get your blood boiling or listen on the net

I Heard It Through The Grape Vine
Both Henry and Vieira are playing with injuries at the moment.

Life After Arsenal
John Devine, 80's right back. His footballing days were cut short by injury so after a time playing his guitar in Dublin pubs he decided to buy a motorbike and travel around India, playing music for anyone who wanted to listen and living the life of a hippy.

Spotted out and about.
Dennis and Mrs. Bergkamp in "Toys R Us" on the A10 near Enfield, thanks to Pigeon for that.

Players We Have Been Linked With This Week
Per Weihrauch (Hvidovre) Danish 16-year-old starlet. Aren't they all?
Steed Malbranque (Fulham) Head-banging midfielder.
Marcos (Palmeiras) Brazilian international keeper
Christian Obodo (Perugia & Fiorantina) Nigerian midfielder
David Beckham (Madrid) Again

Useless Arsenal Trivia
Arsenal used White Shite Lane for home games after World War II as Highbury had bomb damage.

Celebrity Gooner
Frankie Dettori, champion jump jockey.

This weeks "Totally Irrelevant" link to Arsenal
The Arsenal players of the early 80's used to drink in The White Hart pub on Southgate roundabout.

All the best,
Teabag