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Arsenal’s soft underbelly cost them yet again on Saturday as,
not for the first time in the past year, precious points leaked away after a
second-half collapse.

Four-up after 26 minutes at Newcastle United with two goals from
Robin van Persie and one each for Theo Walcott and Johan Djourou, Arsenal’s
title challenge was gathering speed.

But what followed stunned the Gunners and left manager Arsene
Wenger worried about the psychological damage it could inflict.

Five minutes after the break Abou Diaby was sent off for shoving
Newcastle’s Joey Barton to the ground.

With their Momentum gone, Arsenal then completely fell apart as
the home side scored four times in 22 minutes to grab an unlikely 4-4 draw.

Barton netted twice from the penalty spot.

Psychological damage

“Mathematically (we lost) two points, but psychologically the
damage is bigger tonight because everyone is very disappointed in the dressing
room,” Wenger said. “Only the future will tell.” It would have been a long
journey back to London for Wenger’s side, particularly Diaby whose loss of
composure was the catalyst for his side’s implosion.

“Certainly, more psychologically than on the footballing side,”
Wenger said when asked if Diaby’s rush of blood to the head had been crucial.
“We were worried too much on protecting our lead after that because we were
down to 10 men.

“Instead of continuing to play, we invited pressure.

Afterwards we were very unlucky with some decisions as well. I
cannot do anything about that.” Manchester United’s later defeat by
Wolverhampton Wanderers allowed Arsenal to close to within four points of the
leaders but that would have been scant consolation for Wenger who also lost
Djourou to a knee injury.

“It’s very frustrating because we played a good game and we had
an opportunity to take three points in the title race,” Wenger added.
“Newcastle kept fighting, I knew at 4-0 the game was not over because it was
important to keep our nerves and continue to play.”

Diaby’s rush of blood to the head Wenger said Diaby’s red card
was “completely unnecessary” but said Barton should not even have been on the
pitch to tuck away the two penalties in Newcastle’s epic fightback.

“It was a completely unnecessary sending off and I believe
Barton was very lucky to stay on the pitch because of his tackle on Diaby,”
Wenger said.

“(Diaby) is very disappointed at the moment, it’s better not to
talk to him. He has to try to get over that. It’s a shame because he had a
great first half.

“(His reaction could be) explained by the fact that he has been
injured so many times from bad tackles that he lost a little bit quickly his
nerves. This boy has been out for a long time and many times.

Certainly the tackler provoked his reaction.”

While Wenger’s immediate reaction to his side’s capitulation was
fairly restrained, he will be concerned that another certain win was frittered
away.

Before Christmas they blew a two-goal lead against bitter rivals
Tottenham Hotspur to lose 3-2 and at the end of last season, with their title
hopes still alive, they conceded three times in the final 10 minutes to lose
3-2 at Wigan Athletic.

They also surrendered a two-goal lead against West Ham United
last season, giving further ammunition to the critics who accuse Arsenal of
lacking the steel they used to demonstrate in the days when Patrick Vieira
bossed the midfield.

Tiote’s first goal

While Arsenal were left deflated, Cheik Tiote’s late screamer
for Newcastle meant the club ended a difficult week on a high. Striker Andy
Carroll’s 35 million pounds deadline day sale to Liverpool was followed by
Shola Ameobi cracking his cheekbone in the midweek defeat by Fulham, sparking
fears of a slide towards the relegation zone.

Manager Alan Pardew, however, praised the fighting spirit shown
after a dreadful first half.

“When you’re 4-0 down after 26 minutes and you haven’t made a
challenge or got close to anyone you fear the worst, and I did fear the worst,”
Pardew told the club’s website.

“We were a disgrace in some things we did in the first half but
we more than made up for it. We went out there and played like lions in the
second half.”