The pies have it at Wigan

Posted by Jon Champion on 17/12/2009

I would venture to suggest that this Barclays Premier League season is setting new standards for unpredictability. The sides that apparently want to win the title are making a good fist of appearing ambivalent about it.

Aston Villa's first win at Old Trafford in 26 years and Chelsea's aversion to defending set-pieces transferred the spotlight onto Arsenal at the start of the week. Arsene Wenger was quick to declare that his charges were back in the picture after coming from behind to heap more misery on Liverpool. Three days later, a performance of baffling mediocrity at Turf Moor made his assertion ring hollow.

Worse still, his leading scorer Cesc Fabregas succumbedto a hamstring injury, so the Spaniard – who with 12 assists has created more Premier League goals than any other player this season – will be sorely missed when ESPN broadcasts Saturday's visit of Hull City to the Emirates.

Just as damaging is the absence of Robin Van Persie. The rapier that is Arsenal's attacking play has become a blunt instrument without the Dutchman. However incisive their passing, however inspired their movement, the Gunners appear to have no-one capable of adding a finishing touch to their art work.

Andrei Arshavin may be a terrific footballer, but at 5'6" he's hardly going to be the focal point that all teams need. Eduardo offers slightly more physical presence, yet he appears a shadow of the rampant goalscorer that terrorised defenders prior to his horrible injury. The leg may have mended but I'm not convinced the mind is back to what it once was.

Of course, Hull created one of the shocks of last season by winning at the Emirates. Geovanni's swerving 25 yard drive remains indelibly etched in the memory, so too the disbelief an Arsenal faces in the wake of Daniel Cousin's winning header.

Yet the meeting that created the biggest headlines was the stormy FA Cup quarter-final in March. Arsenal came from behind to win with an offside goal from William Gallas. Arsene Wenger went AWOL when there was a risk of having to shake Phil Brown's hand, whilst Fabregas – not involved as a player that evening – marched onto the pitch in hoodie and sneakers at the final whistle to add fuel to the fire of Hull's frustration. Allegations of a spitting incident involving the Spaniard in the tunnel were unedifying and unproven. No-one emerged from an unsavoury occasion with much credit.

So it's to be hoped that both camps decide a fresh start is their best course. Arsenal have played twice since Hull last took to the field. That should offer the Tigers some hope, but the bookies are offering odds of 18-1 against an away win.

ESPN's other live Premier League offering this weekend is Monday night's Lancashire derby between Wigan and Bolton. Mere mention of the Latics brings us back to the theme of unpredictability, whilst Bolton do seem to have rediscovered some semblance of form. A difficult one to call, this. The only certainty is that the pies will be outstanding – in that category, Wigan has no peer!

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Posted by Gaz on 17/12/2009

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