It is often difficult to retain a proper perspective in the high-stakes, high-drama realm of top-flight England football. Arsenal’s current predicament is a case in point.
Depending on your viewpoint they have one win in their last six Premiership games or they are second in the table with two defeats in 55 games. Either they are struggling to go through to the Champions League Knockout Phase or unbeaten so far with matters in their own hands when they face the bottom side in group at home on Tuesday.
Arsène Wenger is keeping a proper perspective at the moment. There is an acceptance of the problems and a determination to climb abroad the bandwagon of success once more. Just as he was unaffected by the praise when they were the ‘Invincibles’, he’ll be similarly resistant to any criticism now they have lost a game or two.
Three points against Birmingham at Highbury on Saturday would help as well.
"I don’t feel we are in a crisis," he said. "The spirit, morale and desire are high. We have had a drop in confidence and maybe results-wise we are in a small crisis from what we have expected.
"But if we were capable of doing it four weeks ago then why should we not be capable of doing it now? Four weeks ago people were saying we were invincible now they say we are useless.
"We have to take the right distance. We cannot say we don’t have problems, we have not been as efficient as we were. But the players have not lost ability. Sport is not like that. It is just down to how much the players want it.
"I am very confident in hunger of this team. In every season we have been successful we have gone through a period like this. These players care. They want success and I respect them a lot for that."
Wenger continues to be without Dennis Bergkamp (Achilles), Pascal Cygan (back), Gilberto (Vertebrae) and Edu (broken toe). This week’s Carling Cup tie at Old Trafford also deprived him of Jermaine Pennant (hamstring) and Robin van Persie (ankle). The manager admits injuries have not helped in a difficult period
"We could not rotate in November," said Wenger, "especially as we lost Gilberto and Edu at the same stage in an important area on the pitch.
"In that time we lost eight points in the last 10 minutes and conceded 50 per cent of our goals on set pieces.
"We lost our basics. Now we have to come back and show how strong we are. We have to defend well and attack well. For a period we did not defend well enough."
This game kick-off a crucial week. The Rosenborg game on Tuesday will decide Arsenal’s immediate fate in the Champions League. It is not certain whether the home game with Chelsea the following Sunday with do that same in the Premiership. However it is sure to be influential.
Wenger told Arsenal PLUS on Thursday he will not consider those games in his team selection against Birmingham. Instead he will go from one game to another hoping good results will snowball confidence within the ranks.
"The only thing I can tell is that it will be easier if we win tomorrow," he said. "That would give us much more a chance to qualify on Tuesday and if we do qualify then we have more of a chance against Chelsea.
"Any way Chelsea are not what we worry about. We worry about ourselves. If we don’t win our games and they do then the difference will be bigger."
