Crown beyond boring Arsenal once again

ARSENAL were favourites for the Premier League in January, remember. This, we were told, was the season when things would change, when their campaign would climax with a title as opposed to renewed membership of the top four.

Yesterday, the former became a mathematical impossibility, while the latter is under threat after 18 consecutive years of Champions League football.

Even Arsene Wenger, whose side were top on January 18, admitted to now being ‘worried’ about clinging to fourth. He will be clinging to his job should fifth-placed Manchester United dislodge them during the closing weeks of the season.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce could not resist a dig, even if it was concealed amid a compliment.

‘I’m sure Arsene thought it was going to be his year on the basis of what Chelsea and Manchester United were doing — the window opened,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately, for them, they haven’t quite taken that opportunity. But they’re still in the top four again and will qualify for Europe for 19 years on the trot — I would just like to be fourth from bottom!’

Qualifying for the Champions League, however, has long since ceased to be a cause for excitement, especially as they have exited at the last-16 stage in each of the past six seasons. ‘Boring, boring Arsenal’ they used to sing in celebration of the stingy title winners of the early Nineties. Now, it is just as tedious, only minus the league trophies.

For Arsenal were boring yesterday. They were ponderous in attack and indecisive at the back.

Mesut Ozil might feel aggrieved at being shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year only to miss out on their team of the season. But on the evidence of this disinterested display, he was doing well to keep company with the likes of winner Riyad Mahrez and Dimitri Payet in the first place.

Hands played a key part here — be it the palms of goalkeepers Vito Mannone and Petr Cech or the penalty-area blocks from defenders DeAndre Yedlin and Per Mertesacker.

‘The referee should have given us a penalty, it’s blatant,’ said Allardyce, reflecting on the first-half moment when Jermain Defoe’s shot struck Mertesacker’s arm.

Within moments, Arsenal were appealing at the other end as Alex Iwobi’s effort deflected on to the hand of a sliding Yedlin.

But Wenger said: ‘I would not have given any of them. The referee (Mike Dean) did well on that.’