First of all - can I say that I'm still buzzing from Saturday's result. I just think that its now time for a little analysis.
Much as the spirit and togetherness that our team showed was wonderful to see - I think its fair to say that we always knew that Wenger's teams can perform going forwards when they are allowed space to play in. Chelsea defended like we do with an incredibly high back line - so I suppose that the game was much more like we train to play, and it showed.
Recently, we have enjoyed 'surprising' results against teams who have had the balls to play football against us - The Chavs in December last year; Barca at home in February; Manure in May, and now the Chavs away. In our nightmare period from March to the beginning of September the teams we founfd it difficult to score against were rather less cavalier.
Having been spanked by Citeh, Manure shored it right up last weekend with a defensive display and shut out Wolves until their penalty. Setting aside our result up there as a freak - how would we cope against the more defensive-minded Champions? If our team's and Newcastle's current incarnations were to play at St James' Park, how would we cope against the best defence in the EPL?
Ironically, last weekend will have done us no favours in terms of teams wanting to limit themselves to playing counter-attacking football against us - and we haven't exactly done much to dispell the accepted wisdom that we are there for the taking with free kicks.
So do people think that Saturday might turn out to be a bit of an attacking one-off in optimal conditions, or do we think that with the Gervinho's talent, and an improving Walcott and inspired captain we can continue to wreak havoc? Do we think that our new found confidence will inspire the team to go out and get results in trickier circumstances or will it dissolve if we have another stinker? And do you think we will realistically see a more effective defence, or is this bound to remain an Achilles heel?