WIMBLEDON'S season continues to carry the promise of a silver lining, but after two home defeats in five days Arsenal's outlook has become as leaden as the skies under which they lost to a goal from Vinnie Jones at Highbury yesterday.
After the game, Arsene Wenger conceded that this latest set back had finished Arsenal's championship hopes. Yes, for the title of course," he replied when asked if the result had ended the team's interest in the Premiership, "but for Europe, no."
Wenger also complained about fixture scheduling which had brought forward last Wednesday's match against Manchester United from March 4th, when United will be preparing for their Champions' League quarter final against Porto. Wimbledon, he observed, had met Leicester City in the League Cup semi final a day earlier.
Wenger's comments rather surprised Joe Kinnear, the Wimbledon manager, who pointed out that recently his team had played Manchester United three times in 11 days in the league and the FA Cup. In fact, Wimbledon have played roughly once every four days since the New Year.
Then again, Kinnear was speaking from a position of strength. His side have now been beaten only three times in 33 matches. They are in the semi finals of the League Cup, the quarter finals of the FA Cup, and are now lying sixth in the Premiership with three games in hand of most of those above.
Yesterday's match reflected the teams contrasting moods.
Arsenal, having lost their unbeaten home Premiership record to Manchester United amid much snapping and snarling between Ian Wright and Peter Schmeichel, appeared subdued and reflective. Wimbledon, who last lost a league match at Highbury nine seasons ago, were buoyantly confident.
Once Jones had given them the lead midway through the first half with only his third goal of the season (but his second against Arsenal), Wimbledon defended soundly and counter attacked with speed and incisiveness and always looked likely winners.
The match shared the windy conditions of the previous game at Highbury, but little else. Arsenal's encounter with Manchester United may be remembered for the wrong reasons, but it saw more distinguished football than, either side managed yesterday.
Paradoxically, yesterday's match saw no ugly fouls to compare with Wright's unpunished, two footed lunge at Schmeichel. In fact, the game was studiously well mannered.
"We're in the top six rather than the bottom six," Jones explained afterwards, "and desperate men do desperate things. In this game you get more recognition making four passes than four tackles."
It was hard to remember Arsenal ever putting as many passes together yesterday. Dennis Bergkamp's skills were glimpsed briefly, like gold in a mud slide, but once Wright, sent through by Bould in the 13th minute, had seen a shot rebound from a post the Premiership's leading scorer became a peripheral figure.
With Tony Adams still not recovered from the ankle injury which had kept him out of England's defence against Italy, Wenger took the unusual step of employing the diminutive Remi Garde as a third centre back. Against Wimbledon's lofty attack, and especially in a high wind, this seemed a perverse choice.
In fact the goal involved a more experienced Arsenal defender, Lee Dixon, who headed Neil Ardley's mis hit attempt at a centre back to him. This time Ardley drifted the ball over the defence to Jones, who beat John Lukic with a firm, low drive.
A combination of brave goal keeping by Lukic and wayward finishing denied Wimbledon the second goal which would have spared them later anxiety. Arsenal created fewer chances, but Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira still forced sharp saves from Neil Sullivan during the last 20 minutes.
