COMMENT: Arsene Wenger. He was taking the mick, wasn't he Gooners? Talking about signing Yann M'Vila in his match programme notes?
Okay, the Frenchman has blown hot-and-cold since joining Sunderland from Rubin Kazan, but what if the Black Cats had avoided defeat at Arsenal on Saturday? With Francis Coquelin in traction for months, how would Wenger's revelation gone down with fans walking away from the Emirates still clutching their Arsenal programme?
It was the perfect weekend for the Gunners. They not only won. They avoided more injuries and saw their nearest rivals all drop points. Even Liverpool, last night, collapsed at Newcastle. It couldn't have been a better round for Wenger.
But it was Sunderland. Arsenal should always be beating them at home. However, they went into the game not exactly overwhelming favourites. Dropping five points at West Brom and Norwich made sure of that.
And that's where you win titles. Not at home against Sunderland. But by winning at the Hawthorns and Carrow Road.
Arsenal shouldn't only be top of the table. They should be there by some distance. Instead, victory over Sunderland has them two points behind Leicester City and producing the milk-toast comments of "we must hope they now drop points" from Wenger.
The club is second in the standings. They've never had a better chance to win the league in the last ten years. The place should be buzzing. Yet, Wenger is offering up comments like that?
With the winter transfer window about to swing open, Arsenal surely won't let this opportunity escape? Would they dare get to January 31 without buying anyone?
London Colney should be heaving now. We should be hearing from the players about how close they are. About how they can sense something special will happen this season. Instead, we've Wenger "hoping" for Leicester to drop points and poor old Alexis Sanchez offering this in the morning:
"It's worth being sad sometimes. Being broken every once in a while. It's worth it to not always be that happy person that everyone wants."
Bloody 'ell. Step away from the ledge, Alexis.
Don't blame the medical staff for his layoff. This injury lies at the feet of the manager. The Chilean has been playing on the edge for months. Wenger knew it was only a matter of time before his body gave up. But with no cover, he had to keep pushing.
Now Alexis is home in Chile - and obviously down. Like Coquelin, he will be missing for Arsenal's Champions League playoff against Olympiacos.
Is it ironic that Arsenal go to Athens without key men Alexis and Coquelin? No. It's simply bleedin' obvious! A defensive midfielder and a striker. It's what Arsenal needed at the end of last season. It's what they needed on deadline day in September. And now, with the Europa League beckoning, it's what they need today.
This is bordering on the... no scrap that. This is beyond ridiculous. Forget Wenger. Ivan Gazidis? Stan Kroenke? Can you imagine any decent football man allowing such glaring weaknesses in the playing staff be treated with this disregard? Particularly with so much at stake?
Even if Wenger is convinced Coquelin can get back before February, that won't solve the workload of Alexis. In this same position, another manager, perhaps at another club, would be thinking of the audacious.
Why couldn't Gooners see Jamie Vardy in Arsenal red in January? Throw the bank at Leicester and take him to London.
A man in-form. Who knows the Premier League. Can work alongside - and in place of - Alexis. Isn't Cup-tied from the Champions League. And signing him would weaken a direct rival.
He's Ian Wright incarnate. It would be an inspired signing. A title-deciding one. One which we haven't seen since Kenny Dalglish brought Ronny Rosenthal to England and won the league with Liverpool.
However, there's no sell-on value for Vardy. The money needed to land the England international could never be recovered. Oh, apart from actually the riches that come with winning the Premier League...
But isn't that the problem with the personalities at Arsenal? Because, when you break it all down, with the club so close to glory, it is all about individuals and their attitude towards what's important in the game.
And the problem for Arsenal is those currently in control rate Champions League cash over title glory. Rolling the dice on Vardy is just too big a gamble.
It's all about a player's sell-on value and not his title potential.
INJURY TIME
No matter what happens at Arsenal in the coming days, Gooners can at least be happy that nothing is as bad as what is happening to Chelsea and Jose Mourinho.
Mad Gooner Kelechi, after victory over Sunderland, was happy to mock not only Chelsea and Diego Costa, but also serenade their former team doctor Eva Caneiro!
It's a great laugh and well worth checking out below:
