The inferiority complex developed within the camp is frightening. The lack of self belief on display at the Emirates was frightening as Ali Al-Habsi singlehandedly kept the score to single figures.
There was no will to attack, there was no will to impose any form of possession on the game, and perhaps most frightening of all, there was almost a belief from the Latics players that they couldn't compete with Arsenal.
Hugo Rodallega and Charles N'Zogbia were left forward with little to do other than talk to their markers, whilst the defence was led a merry dance as their looked to defend so deep, at times they seemed to be behind the goal line.
Perhaps most worrying of all is that this is not an isolated performance of such inferiority. A 3-0 defeat and poor performance at the Emirates is not beyond belief. What is annoying the Latics supporters at present is that in the recent games at home against Newcastle United and Fulham, the same white flag was evident.
There may well have been one eye on Tuesday's game with Aston Villa as Franco Di Santo was given 45 minutes to improve his fitness.
The game with Aston Villa is now a pivotal game as this proceeds fixtures with Blackburn and West Bromwich Albion. An optimistic nine points would be a serious shot in the arm.
Six points is a more realistic target, but on view of hte last three Premier League games, another three defeats are on the cards. More content with trying to play fancy football than focussing on performances, players such as Momo Diame, Maynor Figueroa, and Ben Watson are looking distinctly off the pace.
A side showing more steel is needed for Tuesday as the Latics must compete, and that is the key word, with Aston Villa. There is no problem with playing flowing, attacking football, but the team must compete without the ball or we will end up defending our own area again.
Emmerson Boyce must come back in at centre back alongside Alcaraz if his if fit. The pace of Boyce would give Agbonlahor and Bent more than a match. Ronnie Stam would surely appreciate being played in his natural full back position and give a licence to go forwards. When was the last time you saw an attacking run from on of our full backs?
Gohouri can fill in for Figueroa at left back. The Honduran needs a lengthly spell outside the first eleven to get his attitutde corrected.
Thomas and McArthur to deputise in the centre of midfield. The combative duo will add the steel needed to the centre of the park, whilst both Watson and Diame can still happily ball watch, only this time from the sidelines.
Dare it be said, but then Franco Di Santo and Hugo Rodallega as a front two, with Charles N'Zogbia on one wing, and any one of Cleverley, McCarthy, Moses, or even De Ridder on the other.
Four-four-two. It suits the players available at our disposal and given the fact that our possession football has not been working due to a lack of purpose to commit playes forward, the two strikers aligned with Charlie on the flank should give us chance to play in the opposition half for a change.
With Mauro Boselli now departed his £6 million hole is going to take some filling as the Latics squad is desperately short of a player deserving of that price bracket up front.
Ambitious loan bids for players such as Eljero Elia show the desperation of Martinez to add this sort of player to the front line, until that day dawns, commitment and desire must be the order of the day against Villa.
Those of two qualities that have helped keep us in the league for six years and the two qualities that are distinctly lacking from the performances since that victory at Wolves.
Anyway, enough of my rant, here is what the two managers made of the game at the Emirates.
Roberto Martinez
We were going to be dictated by the recoveries of Victor Moses, James McCarthy But we always try to improve the squad, we always try and help the players that we've got and we'll carry on doing that till the last day of the window.
and Franco Di Santo. It has been really positive - they have come back quicker than we expected.
We never started the first half with the tempo you need to have when you play a talented side like Arsenal. We showed a little bit of fear, sometimes the tempo was too low.
But I was pleased with how we started the second half. Obviously we had Ali (Al Habsi) to thank for keeping us in the game but we started a lot braver and we started to be stronger and cope with the tempo. The sending off was probably the final action that changed things. Overall it was a performance that I feel we need to learn a lot from because we can come down to places like this and be ourselves.
We're very fortunate in having the keepers we have at the football club. Ali, since he's arrived, he's been a really strong competitor. He's been developing really well and you can see he really enjoys his football playing with ourselves.
The margins in the Premier League are so small and that's why it's the best league.
Arsene Wenger
The players were a bit frustrated because we did not take our chances but I felt in the first half we played outstanding football. We feel stronger and stronger in every single game. It is interesting the chance we have in front of us because we have an interesting game, the way we play is for me fantastic to watch. Let's just keep going.
Of course it is important to have Robin at this level but we have plenty of offensive players. First of all let's hope we can keep him fit until the end of the season. It is down to us to use him in the right proportion of the games we play.
[Van Persie has] always [been the No 1 penalty taker]. What happened today will not change my mind. I find it's difficult to approve when the ball goes into the stand on the penalty, no matter how tolerant you are! I would have loved the ball to go in the net.
We look more and more stable and defensively we were questioned a lot on that front. Maybe the fact you [reporters] ask me in every press conference 'do I buy a defender?' it keeps our defenders on their toes.
I think he [Fabregas] was outstanding. At the end of the game he was frustrated because he didn't score but for me the ball he gave for the second goal was absolutely amazing. The second goal I could watch that and watch it and watch it again because it's just pure class from the pass to the finish.
The table
| Latest match Saturday, 22nd January 2011 |
Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Manchester United | 22 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 48 | 19 | 48 | +29 | ||||
| 2 | Arsenal | 23 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 11 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 48 | 22 | 46 | +26 | ||||
| 3 | Manchester City | 24 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 20 | 45 | +17 | ||||
| 4 | Chelsea | 22 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 38 | 19 | 38 | +19 | ||||
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 32 | 26 | 38 | +6 | ||||
| 6 | Sunderland | 24 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 28 | 24 | 37 | +4 | ||||
| 7 | Newcastle United | 23 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 36 | 33 | 30 | +3 | ||||
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 23 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 34 | 31 | 30 | +3 | ||||
| 9 | Stoke City | 23 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 10 | Liverpool | 23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 30 | 31 | 29 | -1 | ||||
| 11 | Blackpool | 22 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 38 | 28 | -6 | ||||
| 12 | Blackburn Rovers | 23 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 37 | 28 | -8 | ||||
| 13 | Everton | 23 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 27 | 29 | 27 | -2 | ||||
| 14 | Fulham | 23 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 0 | ||||
| 15 | West Bromwich Albion | 22 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 41 | 25 | -12 | ||||
| 16 | Aston Villa | 23 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 39 | 25 | -14 | ||||
| 17 | Birmingham City | 22 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 21 | 31 | 23 | -10 | ||||
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 23 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 37 | 22 | -18 | ||||
| 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 23 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 41 | 21 | -17 | ||||
| 20 | West Ham United | 24 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 43 | 21 | -19 | ||||
Next game
A critical visit of Aston Villa to the DW Stadium on Tuesday in a true relegation six pointer. A bad performance in this one could be the final straw.