Last weekend Arsenal beat the soon-to-be Champions Man United. They worked hard, played well, raised their game and deserved the three points from that game.

Yesterday, Arsenal lost 3-1 to Stoke City. They were careless, complacent, slipshod and deserved absolutely nothing from the game.

And it sums this Arsenal team in a nutshell.

Morning all, the world does seem a nicer place this morning, eh? Amazing what a win will do.

The only surprise yesterday was the inclusion of Aaron Ramsey in place of the injured Cesc Fabregas and it would be correct to say he had a pharaoh game. Sorry. It might have been a big blow but the young Welshman put in the kind of performance that reminded people why he is so highly rated and why we've missed out on so much since he was Shawcrossed.

There is something wrong with this Arsenal team. Very wrong.

Only this Arsenal team could be 2-0 up at home against Sp*rs and lose. Only this Arsenal team could be 4-0 up at half-time and ship four goals in the second half to draw the game. Only this Arsenal side could contrive to lose a cup final in the ludicrous way that we lost the Carling Cup.

Good morning from Belfast where they doused me in Bushmills and beer. And gin. And more Bushmills. And gin. I have 90 minutes of internet access and I can assuredly say:

*boilk*

Anyway, more of that later. The main issue this morning is yesterday. I know we should quit living the past but there you go.

Before kick off it was hard not to look at United's line-up and think we had a real chance. Injuries meant they started with seven defenders, and with all proper respect, it was hardly as fearsome a United line up as we've faced down the years.

Come the end of the game though you realise that what I alluded to yesterday about their character and team ethic is absolutely true.

Ok, let me get this bit out of the way. Barcelona are a great team, they played 11-a-side 5-a-side better than anyone, they have some of the best players in the world, and I understand why many people see great beauty in their football.

In the first half last night they schooled us. We could barely get near the ball and when we did we pretty much gave it straight back to them.

There's no doubt this Arsenal team can frustrate and exhilarate (not always in equal measure) and when faced with a 'big' game we have a tendency to let it slip.

For every Barcelona or Chelsea there's a Sunderland or a Birmingham cup final or Newcastle away. Yesterday was one of those frustrating days in terms of the performance.

Football is a funny old game. One minute you're beating Barcelona and in the throes of joy, the next you concede a late equaliser to a lower league team in the cup and back comes the despair and misery.

Ok, maybe not despair and misery, not here at least. There are those that like to have a good wallow and that's how considerate this Arsenal team are.

I said in yesterday's blog that we've had the promise of a great European night at the Grove without actually ever experiencing it. I think it's fair to say that last night we did. The roar at Arshavin's goal was visceral, borne out of the pain of Paris and Wembley and the Camp Nou, and while it's only half-time in the grand scheme of things the win last night was hugely significant, in my opinion.

We wanted a response to last weekend and we got it. A 2-0 win, which really would have been more but for the Wolves keeper, and a controlled, disciplined, creative performance.

The team was as expected, the manager prioritising the league above all else, and rightly so. The players knew that United had won so nothing less than three points would do.

Even now, well after the fact, it's difficult to try and make sense of what we saw yesterday. Never before in Premier League history has any team let a 4-0 lead slip. I don't think too many Arsenal fans are that surprised that it was us. I'm going to try and do this in sections to make it easier for me think about it as I write, so:

What can you say?

You know, we could be sitting here this morning in the midst of a massive, massive argument. Was Saha offside? Does the fact Koscielny take a touch play him onside? Do any of us know the offside rule? What precisely makes anyone think Lee Mason is a referee?

The fact is Arsenal made Saha's goal an irrelevance.

You know, I speak about consistency a lot on the blog, and if there's one thing this Arsenal team are consistent at it's making life more difficult for themselves than it should be.

Yesterday was the same. Partly by accident, partly by design, but everything was going great until the half hour mark.

I missed the first half an hour of last night's game, scurrying back from football of my own to catch up via Tom's live blogging. At half-time and 0-0, with things not quite clicking I have to admit I was a bit nervy. When we'd got to the hour mark with scoring I was doing my utmost to quash my inner DoomLord.

At the end of 45 minutes I knew the way I should feel. Arsenal have just battered their opponents, created chance after chance, seen the keeper pull off a string of saves, yet go in just one goal up.

The way I'm supposed to think is 'Oh shit. Now what's going to happen is they're going to get a scabby goal from a corner or free kick, we'll dominate again but won't be able to score, we'll bring on Bendtner and Arshavin who will clash heads causing each other a massive subdural hematoma, then we'll miss a penalty, hit the post a few times and drop two points".

Well that was much more like it. A convincing 3-0 win over a fairly disinterested West Ham made sure we kept pace with Man City and put a litle bit of pressure on United as they face their bi-annual win over Sp*rs later on.

"Om nom nom ..."

The line-up was as expected and the performance from the lads a far cry from that against Ipswich.

Well that wasn't very good, was it?

Before I start let me credit Ipswich for their performance. After a 7-0 thrashing at the weekend they could easily have gone to pieces again last night but when it became obvious, fairly early on, they were facing an Arsenal side at less than half-throttle they not only continued to defend well but they had more of a go at us than Man City did.

If yesterday was a chance for some of our fringe players to show what they're made of it, I'm not sure I particularly like what they're made of.

That said I'm cognisant of the fact that they've been bench sitting for quite some time and it's hard to expect guys who don't play regularly to come in and be in top form.

Man City playing the way they did last night must be the equivalent of buying a McLaren F1 and driving everywhere in second gear.

As expected Arsenal played the same team that started against Birmingham and we started very brightly. Before City had a chance to get themselves properly organised defensively we cut them open.

I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping that the first game of 2011 is a sign of things to come for this year. A good win, three goals, a clean sheet and the best response against a team who went over the edge a little bit physically.

Apart from one Fabianski save from a first half Seb Larsson free kick I don't remember the Arsenal goalkeeper having to do much at all beyond come for a few crosses and corners which he did solidly.