IT HAS not been a good week for Arsenal's Gunners.
Once again, I saw a lead squandered and three solid points chalked off. To add insult to injury, a poor refereeing decision and two late goals now see the Gunners needing to win their last match against Partizan Belgrade to advance to the next round of the Champions League.
The woeful week started last weekend with the comeback win by Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.
Fortunately for my television and my remote, I did not catch the matches in the comfort of my own home, and therefore did not having another remote-flinging incident, which could have made those two defeats costlier than they already are.
The results got me thinking, however, as I looked back on my conversations with my fellow Arsenal fans. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the game Football Manager, a simulation on the PC and Mac that allows you to take charge of your favourite football club and run it the way you think it should be run.
It has been hailed as quite realistic, to the point where your Board of Directors actually stabs you in the back by accepting a huge bid from Real Madrid for your star player.
One of the first things I do, whenever I start a game as Arsenal manager in the game's 2009, 2010 and 2011 edition, is to buy a new goalkeeper. My most recent pick has been Hugo Lloris from Lyon, who, quite handily, has aided my fantasy Arsenal side in maintaining a form last seen in the real world, in 2004.
And I'm not the only one. Many Arsenal fans who play Football Manager would do the same thing, albeit with different 'keepers.
So at times, I wonder why Monsieur Wenger continues to keep faith with our two keepers. Clearly, both Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski are not maintaining the form needed in a team challenging for top honours. And it's not a recent issue - fans and pundits alike have been begging Arsene Wenger to acquire a new 'keeper for several years now.
It's all fine and good when the Arsenal are scoring - letting in three goals isn't going to hurt when your strikers are banging in six - but without a trusted man between the posts, it's only a matter of time before one bad game turns into a string of bad results.
And with Robert Pires staring back at the Gunners in a Villa shirt, it may be another case of a familiar face coming back to haunt us.
The only consolation last weekend, perhaps, was Chelsea's slip-up against Birmingham, keeping them within touching distance at the top of the table (Arsenal now trail leaders Chelsea by two points after 14 games so far in the EPL).
So come on Arsenal, get back to your winning ways at Villa Park, and please, please, please, either buy a new 'keeper come January, or use a real life FMRTE (Football Manager Real-Time Editor) to edit Fabianski's stats.
And while we're at it, Happy Thanksgiving. To Liverpool's American owners, I believe there's one more turkey that needs to be roasted.
The resurgent Reds should have no excuse, too, having not played a midweek game, unlike those Tottenham turkeys.
Game previews:
Arsenal gunning for top spot
Wenger surprised at Houllier's return