English FA Premiership/ Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 1: On various television stations yesterday it was possible to chart a course through the day watching live football from beginning to end. Arsene Wenger said that was his intention. This is the sort of fixture congestion he likes.
The Arsenal manager even invited the press to his house to watch with him but warned reporters they would leave "dizzy". To watch matches from England, Holland, Scotland, Spain and France, plus, no doubt, the LDV Vans Trophy final between Southend United and Wrexham in Cardiff, a man needs endurance. A manager needs to be obsessed.
Wenger clearly is the latter and appreciates the former. Obsession can be unhealthy, of course, and Wenger's argument about the Premiership fixture list smacked of a man who watches satellite TV constantly to ensure Arsenal do not become a satellite of the big blue cash till that is Chelsea.
His team cut Chelsea's lead at the top by two points on Saturday and the reigning champions are now three points ahead of Manchester United in the race to finish second, with its guarantee of automatic qualification for next season's Champions League.
Arsenal's next league game is at Chelsea on Wednesday week and were they to win it they would be eight points behind the leaders. Wenger's gripe was that if the "integrity" of the fixture list had been "respected" that theoretical gap could have been down to five points.
"I have said for many years now that once the Premiership fixtures are set, they should be not changed because of the FA Cup," he said.
When the fixtures were published last summer Chelsea were due to play at Old Trafford this coming weekend. Hosting Arsenal three or four days later, it was possible the leaders would drop six points. But because United have reached the FA Cup semi-final their game with Chelsea has been moved to the last midweek of the season.
"With six games to go it could have been the turning point in the championship," Wenger said of the original fixture dates, "or it would seem more likely to be a turning point if they (Chelsea) had to play those two games in quick succession after Bayern Munich.
"They could play Manchester United in the last week and already be champions. I do not think they will slip up at all; they have had a fantastic season. But it could have become interesting again."
You have to admire the determination that prompts such theorising. Wenger conceded the title was "80 per cent" Chelsea's but the 20 per cent that isn't still drives him on. His players had just been obdurate rather than driven in beating Middlesbrough for the eighth consecutive time in the league. Aside from Robert Pires's 73rd-minute shot, Steve McClaren was correct when he said Arsenal did not have an attempt on target.
That was Boro's ambition, to restrain Arsenal. Thierry Henry voiced the opinion Boro might have been expected to "have a go". But no, Middlesbrough played as though they were the away side. The tactic should have brought them at least one breakaway goal from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the second half.
The home fans will anticipate McClaren showing more attacking verve when Fulham and West Brom arrive next week. Needing eight points to break the club's Premiership record, Boro have to display the tunnel vision of a man sitting in his armchair all day watching games on the telly.
"We did not create many chances," said Wenger afterwards. "It was a question of patience and not to get frustrated. I must say Middlesbrough were grouped in their half and tried to catch us on the break and we did not find the openings because they defended well. Maybe we lacked a little bit of imagination in our build-up and therefore we had a lot of possession, but not many goal situations."
McClaren said: "You go into every game and obviously you want to win it, you set out to win it," he said. "But you look for a performance and I could not fault the performance."
Guardian Service
