Chickens coming home to roost? Free-range, organic ones then.

The pessimism and negativity had been overwhelming. The doomsayers had ruled the roost to continue the chicken analogy.

And then the season actually started. Horror of horrors, Arsenal can actually play football. Of course, one swallow doesn't make a summer and on isolated occasions we were brilliant last year but results that were achieved at Goodison and Parkhead can only be good for momentum.