Morning all: I’ve only just emerged from a pleasant Christmas hibernation. I didn’t make the Liverpool game (very ill – man illness) and I didn’t make the Portsmouth game (very deep in East Anglia) but it doesn’t take a genius to work out we’re still struggling.

Surprising? Not especially – our first-choice midfield of 12 months ago, when we were top, has been entirely decimated. Fabregas, Rosicky and Walcott are injured, Hleb and Flamini were sold. All the midfielders we now rely on were either new in the summer or merely backups last season. How many other top sides have a 100% different midfield to the one they had last Christmas?

But as has been pointed out elsewhere, despite playing fairly averagely we are now unbeaten in six league games, the longest we have gone unbeaten all season. Something to raise a glass to, surely? I mean, come on – small gains and all that.

The only certainty is that between now and 2nd February, the papers will be linking Arsenal with Uncle Tom Cobley and all. It has of course already started – look one way and it’s Arshavin, look the other and it’s Shay Given. There have been strong rumours about both and yet we all know there’s no point in getting excited until something actually occurs.

One final point before I clock off: what is with this Gallas love-fest? Almunia has come out all gooey over our former captain and he’s not been the only one. The only way I’ll be going all gooey over Gallas is if he stops giving away ludicrous goals and penalties. That goes for the whole defence – 23 goals conceded is not something to tell your grandkids about.

Anyway, laters.