By Andy Strouthous
October 26 2004

I am getting jaded about Europe already, every other article is about Arsenal's poor performance in Europe. And now the team hasn't "got enough confidence" in Europe and that is according to Arsene. How about getting this into perspective, firstly we have in the majority of instances managed to qualify from the group stage, and we are seeded 7th in Europe. So if we are Shite why are we seeded above Chelsea? Secondly we already have 3 points when we had none this time last year, and there are still 5 games to go. Anyone would think we are off to Real Madrid, not Rosenborg. Yes they have to be taken seriously but it shouldn't be built up the way it is. We are only at game two, lets calm it down a bit.

Why no confidence? We beat Inter Milan 5 - 1, you do not have to be a genius in man management to build confidence on that. Nor should we get cocky about it, but my feeling was that if we had drawn anyone but Chelsea in the quarters we would have gone on to the final. Normally we can beat Chelsea 3 times a season, for once they caught us tired and on the back foot. We could have buried them in the first half, and ran out of steam in the second. Of course their jubilation was short lived, does the fact they knocked us out really make them a better team than us?

Of course its the press trying to set the agenda, last year we were out of it by game 3 according to them. Then we were going to win it 2 games later. I am a bit worried about this confidence line from Wenger, is it meant to shift the pressure? I suppose that must be his aim, but it could go too far, and we will be presented as feeble.

Why not just point out that its far too early to discuss if we will win it or not.
I know its heresy these days but just give me 3 premiership titles in a row, and if we do well in Europe fine, but at the end of the day its a cup, not a proof of who the best team is. Clough when asked said he rated his unbeaten league record more than the Back to Back European Cups. Success in Europe cannot be guaranteed its a lottery, and down to one good or bad performance in one game.