Thomas Vermaelen succinctly summed up how most of us felt about the result last night when he said,

We were in control, there were no big chances for AZ but in the last minute they scored. It feels like a defeat.

It is disappointing but here 5 reasons why it’s not the end of the world.

Vela goes down for what looks like a stonewall penalty.

1.) Even if it feels like a defeat — it wasn’t

So we didn’t win, so it feels like a loss, but it isn’t. We’re still top of the group, a win at home in the return game will see us needing at most a point from the last 2 games inn order to qualify for the next stage.

2.) We won’t be complacent at The Boleyn Ground.

So we were complacent last night, not even bothering to move out of 2nd gear, and it bit us in the as with a last minute equaliser. If anything it reminded the team that there is no place for complacency in sport.

An easy win last night might have meant a little less focus at West Ham, the equaliser should have the team looking to bounce back and show a bit more than what was on display yesterday.

3.) Alex Song

Is Song the league's most improved player?

Although he was at fault for the equaliser, Song put in another man of the match display.

I thought the turning point came for Song in the 2008 ACN, at this point he became a mainstay for Cameroon, putting in consecutive man of the match performances, and being named in the tournament’s best XI was a marker for the young man.
Despite having an indifferent 2008/2009 season he has now become on of our most important players, the problem now is who’s going to replace Song in January.

4.) Competition for places

A lot of us was of the view that the was a lack of competition for places in the squad, some player could afford to be complacent as their place in the starting 11 is secure.
It may have been an accurate assessment, but now were are seeing a genuine battle for starting spots all over the pitch which bodes well for the future.

Arsene choosing to start Manonne instead of Almunia is a clear indication to everyone that they have to work hard to keep their pick. Of course there are a few who will obviously start when fit, but the realisation that no one is immune to a “chest infection”.

5.) …and finally Arsenal could do a Spain

Here is Fabregas’ theory on how Spain went from a team that plays lovely football to European Champions.

I don`t know.  I think it was in one game we played against Sweden and we lost 2-0.  Everyone was saying they wanted to sack the manager; everyone was saying that we were the worst team in Spanish history, stuff like that.  And, from that game, I don`t know, something happened.  We came all together, we wanted to win more than ever.  We did it for ourselves and, from then on, just clicked like that.  We started playing well, confidence came back, the fans started realising we were playing well and they came next to us, next to us, following us everywhere and, at the end, we were all so together that you could see, even when I was on the bench or when I was playing, even if we were losing 1-0, you were relaxed because you knew you would come back always, and the way we played football, it was amazing.  And I think the togetherness in that team was something special.

Sound familiar?