The team had slightly more shots than Sunderland, and had a perfectly good goal disallowed but that shouldn't take away from the fact that this was a lackluster performance. My good friend HC described Wenger's team as a high wire act, but this is more fairground than circus, a continual rollercoaster.

If Arsenal hadn't played so badly against Hull, and earned three points, then this would be a reasonable result. Sunderland have not beaten Arsenal at the Stadium of Light since 2000, when Niall Quinn scored the winner. Last year our reserves pulverised them.

After the game Arsene declared his team was not sharp enough, I can't disagree with that. However what is the cause is the more important issue. Was it tiredness (too many away games after CL nights), starting with 4-3-3, lack of motivation, or just not good enough?

A step back or just November?

One performance on its own proves nothing, if this was draw amidst a host of wins it would be just a blip. The big question is does losing to Fulham and Hull, and drawing at Sunderland away indicate that this team is a step back from last year?

Clearly this is a far worse start than last year, but then last year's start was exceptional even by Arsenal standards. True we have had the same low level of opposition; the "real test mantra" will apply again this season.

Wenger's teams always have a rough patch, and four points out of nine is such a patch, or one out of six if you prefer even grimmer statistics. Usually that patch is in November, last season it was March. In the past the team, has, on occasions, overcome the bad patch and gone on to win trophies.

Is this team good enough to recover, to achieve better form? Wenger was not given enough credit for last year; he missed the title by four points. If he could have kept that team together (not that I think Hleb is missed), then we almost certainly would have had a better start. Flamini is not a great player, but this is a team game, and we played better with him.

Flim Flam Fab

Arsenal never score from corners, except when they have to.

Wenger is now struggling to get the midfield balance right again, Flam and Fab worked perfectly. Diaby has moved his belongings into the treatment room. Song has not been given enough time to develop a partnership with Cesc, and the jury is out on Denilson.

Even if Wenger had bought a Flamini replacement, and I think he should have done, that replacement may not have fitted in by this stage. All this water under the bridge, Wenger can't buy until January, even if he wanted to.

The big question is what, or who will develop, by Xmas? Can someone step up to the plate and contribute to a balanced midfield with bite. If Wenger cannot create a central midfield partnership that performs on a consistent basis then we can expect more blips. However if he can develop what he already has then we could perhaps win a cup or two.

The barrier to winning cups in the recent past has been Wenger's concentration on the league. If we are out of contention early on then maybe he will stop being so sniffy about the Cups.

Of course that is not what you want to hear is it? Nor do I particularly, we all want the league, but any kind of silverware could help the team win the league next year. The transition can't go on forever, least ways not without some markers on the way.

However all this is conjecture the time to make a more realistic assessment will be just after Xmas.

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