Middlesbrough 1 Arsenal 1

The Riverside is usually a tough fixture. We lost there last season, so that may have more to do with the combined absence of Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb, two members of the team who had been integral to our magnificent start prior to that defeat. 1-1 then isn’t terribly disappointing, though of course missing out on what could have been an additional two points at a time when we are desparate to make up ground isn’t ideal and it truly feels like an opportunity missed what with the rest of the ‘top four’ also recording stale mates.

Though the game was on Sky Sports I didn’t see it, a rare blip on my part. I woke up late round a mate’s house after a heavy night of alcohol consumption and couldn’t secure a lift back home to see the game until it was too late. So as with the Porto game, I’m going by the accounts of others with what I write about the game and haven’t much to say.

We didn’t look great, lacking sharpness, creativity and looking unbalanced and lacking width owed to the injuries of our natural wingers.

So yeah, truly not a lot to say but that’s partly because of laziness and me being seriously hungover. Sorry.

Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool all drew (with Tottenham, West Ham and Hull, consecutively) so at least we’ve not lost ground but on the other hand it was an opportunity to make up ground. Villa won though, which moves us to 5th and we should probably be just as concerned with our title chances right now as losing our Champion’s League spot to Villa.