Are we in any anger of losing third?

I guess not many of us would imagine in early March that we would be in a position to lose third place to Manchester City. In the last nine games since the beginning of March, we have only gotten 11 points from a possible 27.  I thought last season's collapse was bad, but this year it is worse. Although we got a morale boosting victory over Man United, it came to nothing because we lost to Stoke the week after.

In previous years, we always falter when we were up against the likes of Man United and Chelsea. This year we managed to split the series with both of the teams but failed to beat the likes of Newcastle, Blackburn, Sunderland. In fact we only got 4 points from a possible 12 against the Northeast sides of Newcastle and Sunderland. It is no wonder that we lost all the title initiative and now might even lose third place to the Citizens.

What's most disappointing for me really is the attitude of some players. I chose not to write for a while because I was totally frustrated with some players in the Arsenal team. The manager has come under a lot of flak but I would also question the heart of the players. You can see that Arsene is extremely passionate about the club but that cannot be said of some players. I would be glad to see these players packing their bags in the summer because obviously their hearts are not with the team.

Let's see if the bollocking that Arsene gave to the team after the Stoke defeat will bring any chance in attitude of the players come Sunday. 

Bolton vs Arsenal: Match Preview

So this Sunday we travel to the Reebok with our title challenge hanging by a thread. Unlike many who have absolutely given up on the title, I am still very optimistic about the title race. Now it seems like it is going to be a three horse race for the title. Man United may be six points in front but a loss would put them back into the clutches of both Arsenal and Chelsea considering that the Red Devils still have to play both team. I am sure the end of the this season is gonna be more thrilling than the one we had last year

The Gunners have not lost to Bolton in their last five meetings in the Premiership. Last September, we thrashed them 4-1 at the Emirates but I don't think it is gonna be that easy this time around. Owen Coyle's team has been doing well this season although they seem to have gone off the boil in the last couple of games culminating in the humiliation last Sunday at Wembley in the FA Cup semifinals. They must be still smarting from the defeat and will definitely go all out to erase that memory by claiming the Gunner's scalp.

However, I have seen enough in the team last Wednesday to be optimistic about this match. After several pretty lacklustre matches, the attack seems to have gotten its swing back so we should see some goals for us. The key to getting a victory is again keeping the opposition out With Kevin Davies prowling the penalty box, our backline will come under pressure in the match but now with Wojciech Szechny between the post I am more confident. We just need to stump out those individual mistakes that have cost us dearly. All in all I expect the Gunners to claim three points this weekend. Who knows if the other results go our way, we would be right behind Man United before the May 1st showdown.

Another morning, another disappointing result

I was really hoping that we could get a win over the Spuds yesterday to get back to within 4 points of the title race but as expected we couldn't and now we are down to third place. Although we are still unbeaten in 2011, the many draws that we have suffered( I think it is 5 draws in the last 5 matches), have taken its toll on our premiership challenge.

Again it was not a match where the couldn't win. In fact, we had a two goal cushion at one point, just like the game at the Emirates but we failed to hold on to the lead. At least this time we didn't lose the match. I think the boys gave it their all but the lack of concentration among some of the players is evident. We just don't seem to be able to defend a lead well enough to secure the points. It was not as bad as the Eboue incident on Sunday but Szechny's penalty giveaway was a needless one. Other than that mistake, the young Pole actually did quite well and I think he will be the answer to our goalkeeping woes. 

Generally both teams played well but could not maintain the level of play for the whole 90 minutes. It was not only the Gunners but Harry's men as well. I guess that is why both the teams are struggling at the moment. It was an open and free-flowing game, a testament to all things good about the English game but if you were a fan of both teams, it would't have done your blood pressure any good. I know I went through a big rollercoaster of a time.( Not as bad as the Liverpool match though because at least this one was over 90 minutes rather than only 3)

All in all, the title challenge is still on but games are fast running out.  

Revenge over the Spuds needed badly

The loss at the Emirates earlier in the season was truly heartbreaking. To lead 2-0 going into the half and lose 3-2 in the end was the low point in our season. Since then we have gone to deeper depths of humiliations at St James's Park and Wembley but that will all be forgotten if we can get all three points tonight. 

The Spuds are not playing particularly well at this moment. After a bright start to their season, the team has sputtered over the last couple of months, much like the way our team is playing as well. So with both teams needing the points, I think this match is going to be a classic encounter which I hope we will come out on top.

The Spuds need the points because they are still chasing Man City for the final Championship spot while it is obvious why we need the points. Arsenal can close the gap to Man United to 4 points with a win tonight while a loss might see us drop to third place depending on Chelsea's result against Birmingham. So it is a game of epic proportions which neither side can afford to lose or draw.

Actually I am glad that we are not playing at the Emirates. As we saw last Sunday, teams come to the Emirates hoping to snatch a draw and if we can't break them down early (as it frequently happens) then we are in trouble. When we play away, teams tend to be more adventurous thus allowing players like Cesc and Nasri more space to create opportunities. I am sure the Spuds will come at us and it will be an open match with free-flowing football. This will suit us fine as we are more than capable of containing the Spuds attack. What we mustn't do is to lose our head and concentration like we did at the Emirates.

Getting a result and the points are important but what's more critical is the need to revenge for the humiliation at the Emirates. Come on you Gunners, do us proud!

We still have a chance but can we take it?

The answer is YES! The draw last night actually did not change anything in terms of the title race. If we had gotten all three points, we would have been 4 points back from Man United. As it stand now we are 6 points back. How a points perspective there is little difference between being 4 or 6 points back. We still need Man United to drop point in two matches out of their remaining six. The key statistic is 2 matches back. While at 4 points we need the leaders to at least lose one and draw the other, now we need them to lose two matches. Again there is hope in that because the leaders still need to come to the Emirates and travel to Chelsea. I am almost certain that Man United will drop the six points needed in the last six matches. This is their schedule for the end of the month

•  April 27 Schalke
•  May 1 Arsenal
• May 3 Schalke
• May 6 Chelsea

I see them losing to both Arsenal and Chelsea during this stretch. Their other games are not easy fixtures as well because of the relegation battle brewing down the bottom half of the league.

Unfortunately, I do not have much confidence in the team to get all the points from their remaining matches. If they can throw away three points from a winning position at the Emirates, how can they be counted on to deliver the maximum at places like White Hart Lane, The Reebok or The Britannia.

So we are definitely in with a shout for the title but unfortunately this team is not mentally strong enough to win the title.

What's wrong with this team? Lack of believe is the answer

Seriously, how can anything team score a goal in the 98th minute of a match to lead and end up with a draw. I really do not understand how we can just throw away the points like that. While we used to have a fragile mindset in previous seasons, this year what we have done really takes the cake. We were leading Spurs 2-0 at home yet end up losing 3-2. We lost to WBA and Newcastle at the Emirates. We were leading 4-0 at St James Park only to throw away the points again. Seriously something must be very wrong with the team. This can't be fragile minds anymore. The excuse that this is a bunch of kids also does not hold up anymore because the lads are all grown up now. The Liverpool team had even more kids in the eleven that ended the match.

No doubt it was an unfamiliar Liverpool that was on display last night. I can entertain teams like WBA or Wigan coming to Arsenal and set up to park the bus but not Liverpool. Here is a team with wins over Chelsea and Manchester United but Daglish chose not to come at us. Maybe it was a sign of respect for our attacking prowess but if Liverpool had a more positive mindset, they could have possibly won the match. Nonetheless, they defended well and got the point they wanted. It was our responsibility to break them down and we failed rather badly.

The team didn't play well at all. Arsene said the last 7 games were going to be like Cup Finals to the team. Well the team will certainly not be winning anything if they played like that in Cup Finals. There were no passion in the players at all. Arsene said the players looked jaded but they haven't played a match in a week. How jaded could they be? Plus they are in a position to fight for the title. Surely there must be some impetus in that. It really looked like the players do not have the believe that they can catch Man United for the title. It is this lack of believe that will ultimately see us not winning anything this year.

Arsenal's second place under threat?

From a position where we were really the only true challengers to Manchester United for the league title last month, we now face a battle on two fronts. The challenge for the title is still on but if we were to slip up, then we have to be wary about a resurgent Chelsea who is fast closing up on our second position. Their 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion tonight means that the Blues are only 1 point behind us. Our game in hand is against the Scums at White Hart Lane so it is far from a guaranteed three points. Any slip up in the remaining games will see them overtaking us.

I watched the just completed game and it was a comfortable win for Chelsea. Unlike our visit to the Hawthorns where we had to battle from two goals back, the game was literally sealed in the first half where all the goals were scored. The West Brom defense were severely lacking in this match. It just goes to show our attack failed to put them under pressure in the draw late last month. It felt to me that the Baggies were intimated or even afraid of playing Chelsea.It was this factor that caused the players to play under the strain of not conceding and the believe that they WILL NOT win the game. I guess that is why team like Chelsea and Manchester United always have it with the lower ranked teams. It was the same when us when we had that aura of the Invincibles. Now when teams like WBA or Newcastle play us, we give them hope with our woeful defending and lack of clinical finishing so they come at us and play better, hoping to create an upset which they often do. We need to get back this intimidation factor if we are going to be successful as the early Wenger years.

Do the Gunners still have a chance for the Premiership title

I guess all our remaining matches are must win ones if we were to harbor any hope of winning the premiership title this year. The match against Liverpool at the Emirates this Sunday will begin a sequence of 5 matches which I believe will be critical to our championship hopes. If we do not lose or draw in any of these matches, I can safely say that we will be champions come the end of May. After Liverpool, we will visit White Hart Lane and The Reebok in subsequent matches before the big game against Manchester United. After the May 1 encounter, we travel to the Britannia to take on Stoke. All these matches are winnable but it will be tough. The question is do the Gunners have the passion and heart to make a last gasp drive to the title.

From the evidence in the last four matches, sadly the answer is a resounding no. The points we dropped at Sunderland, West Bromwich and Blackburn were a result of the lack of heart from the players. If we fail in our quest for the title this year, we will have to look back at our performances in these three games. I seldom criticize our players but it pains me to see some of the lads not putting their heart into the game.

So what can we expect this Sunday? In the first game of the season, we were really lucky to escape with a point from Anfield. We were totally outplayed by the Reds even though they were down to 10 men. This time around, I hope it will be different. They will not have Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres is gone but I am pretty impressed with Suarez and Carroll. I fear our defense will have a hard time containing these two. The good news for our defense is the possible return of Wojciech Szcsesny to the line-up. I feel much better with him between the sticks than either Lehmann or Almunia. That is why I am quite bullish about our chances in this game. No doubt they have a good offence but I think our midfielders will have control of the space and provide more chances to the forwards. The possible return of Song will be timely while Walcott will surely add something different when he takes his place in the starting line-up.

No matter how we do it, all that matters on Sunday is the three points. Come on, Gunners

Not pretty but a win finally

Yesterday's win was a much needed one for the Gunners. It was not pretty and we could have easily lost to Blackpool but finally we managed to have Lady Luck shine on us yesterday. The Seasiders showed much more passion than out lads especially in the second half and should have at least scored an equalizer when they were only 2-1 down. I have to admit that Jens should have been sent off but the referee obviously thought giving the goal was enough. If he had send Jens off, then the goal would not have stood. In the end, the three points is all that matters for the title chase.

 

No matter what everyone says, every team needs to have some luck to win a championship. Man United certainly has their fair share of luck during this run-in while we have had certainly the worse share of Lady Luck so far. I am not trying to blame our troubles on luck but when you have your first choice goalkeeper breaking a finger when picking up a slow ball, you realize that this is going to be a long and frustrating run-in. But when Almunia hurt himself during the warm up, I realize that Lady Luck might be turning our way.

 

Not many people will agree with me but I think Jens at 41 is still a much better goalkeeper than Almunia currently. Yes he looks a little rusty but the German obviously has a better command of the penalty box and gives more confidence to his defenders. Even his usual madness seems to have disappeared with age. I know this is just his first game back but I hope he will continue to do well especially with the game against Liverpool at the weekend. I just hope Arsene does not bring back Almunia for the next game because if he does, you can kiss our title hopes goodbye.

Match Preview: Blackpool vs Arsenal

So this Sunday is another one of those must win matches we have been hearing for the past month or so. Every time we have a must win match, we ultimately fail to do so. The last three matches were particularly disappointing as they were very winnable matches especially the two home games. Now from a comfortable run in to challenge Man United, we have literally handed them the initiative and they are taking it by the horns. On the other, we seem to be stumbling yet again, as in previous years.

Somehow, I do not feel very confident about the match against the Seasiders. They are a tough team to beat at home and given our form at the moment, a draw could even be a stretch. Unless of course, the lads decide to turn on the power for the last 7 games and really give the title challenge a go. It is still not impossible to win, as Man United will surely drop points in their last six matches. The only thing we need to do keep pace with them until the end of the month when they visit the Emirates. I still think that match will be title decider.

I am not sure what has happened to the Gunners in the past few games but the lads have just not shown that they want the title. Arsene was totally right when he said he couldn't see the strength in the last match against Blackburn. In fact, there was no passion in the play at all. That is the most saddening part for me, not the drop points but the lack of desire from the players. I just hope the boss can do something this weekend and turn the whole morale of the team around for the sake of the club and supporters.

Arsenal vs Blackburn: Match Preview

The game tomorrow is another one which we cannot lose. Actually we have said this phrase so often that it has lost much of its meaning. Yes, we need to win the match tomorrow but I am not sure if it is that critical anymore. If anything, the Premier League this year is as unpredictable as ever. I am sure that even if we do not get full points against Blackburn we will still be in the title race because I do foresee Man United losing to West Ham.

It is not to say that I don’t want the full points from tomorrow’s match. We have not won for some time now so we need to win tomorrow to boost the team’s morale. With the return of the four key players I know we can do it. Plus we are at home tomorrow so by right we should be for all three points.

Beating Blackburn used to be some much more joyful when the Big Walrus was there. There are still a tough side to beat although I think they are struggling at the moment. Steven Kean has until the end of the season to make sure he remains in the job so his boys will really be up for it. All in all, it should be an entertaining match. I am sure the Gunners will do us proud and win all their remaining matches starting with this one

Welcome back lads, now it's time to concentrate for the title

So the international break is finally over and we can get back to the familiar grind of the Premiership title race. It has been a while since we last saw our beloved Gunners in action. March was a totally disappointing month for us, with elimination in all the Cup competitions leaving only the Premiership title available as our sole remaining challenge.

It is not going to be easy to win the title this time around with 6 of our last 10 matches are away from home. It is never going to be easy travelling to the White Hart Lane, Britannia or the Reebok but we absolutely have to gain maximum points from these matches if we harbour any hope of winning the title. Man United is 5 points in front of us but have a slightly easy run in barring the consecutive matches against us and Chelsea. However they do have the advantage of playing 5 out of their last 9 matches at home. Nonetheless, if we win all our matches from now until the end of the season, I am sure we will be crowned champions.

A lot of our hopes will depend on the injury situation with the players. I don’t think we lost any players during the international break although there was a scare when Van Persie hobbled of in the Netherlands vs Hungary match. Luckily it was not a major injury and the striker should be available for us against Blackburn. We should also welcome back the trio of Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Alex Song to the team for the home match this Saturday. We badly need the trio back in the squad as we are short of able replacements in their positions.

Wishere and Ramsey will be great for Arsenal's future

I just finished watching the England vs Wales match and there is no doubt that both Wilshere and Ramsey will be great for Arsenal in the near future. While the match was a bore especially in the first half where England just steam-rolled their way past a very listless and nervous Welsh side. It was not any better in the second half but at least Wales did try to make a match out of it.

I only watch the match because I wanted to see how Wilshere and Ramsey performed basically against each other. Of course, Jack was brilliant and his potetial is practically boundless. I am sure from this match forward he will be a first team regular in Capello's side. It is amazing how he has just seamless moved into the English first team this season. I think Capello will have a hard time to decide if he is going to drop Lampard or Gerrard in the next match because there is no dislodging young Jack.

As for Ramsey, I still think he is not back to his full potential yet, although he played quite well in the match. You could see that he tried to do his best to galvanise the squad but there were glimpses of rustiness in his play. His first touch was poor at times and he faded towards the end of the match as his stamina gave way.

As I see it, both Wilshere and Ramsey will carry Arsenal's fortunes moving forward. Forget about the Diaby's and Denilson's, we have two British players who are miles ahead of the rest. When Frimpong comes back, I am sure we will have a midfield trio that will dominated the Premiership midfield battles for years to come. Don't forget, Jack and Frimpong are only 19 and Ramsey only 20.

In the midst of all the gloom and doom of Arsenal's form going into the international break, let's share in the dream of this exciting trio conquering everything that is in front of them.

There is a reason why Almunia went from No 1 to No 3

It is unbelievable how little faith some fans have in the Arsenal team after the match yesterday. Yes we dropped two valuable points and is now 5 points from leaders Man United. This match was always going to be difficult as the Baggies are quite a resilient side at the Hawthorns. Since Roy Hodgson took over, they have tighten up their ship and is on a good run, being unbeaten in their last four matches. So it is quite commendable that we managed to return with a point. The lads did not play their best but the way they fought back shows that we still have what it takes to become league champions.

There are still nine more matches to go and it is this month that the leaders will face their most demanding schedule. If they successful navigate the month without dropping any points, they deserve to win the title. Personally I am sure they will drop some more points before they arrive at the Emirates in the beginning of May. It is the job of Arsene and the Gunners to make sure that we still within touching distance by the end of April.

We have many difficult games as well so it will be interesting to see how we are going to take advantage of the situation. This next international break is welcomed for the club as it gives the injured players a long time to recuperate. Ideally when we play our next match against Blackburn, we will welcome the return of Cesc, Theo and Song to the first team. Without the trio, we have loss a little spark and it is not a coincidence that we have not managed get full points from the last two league matches.

The only thing that worries me is Almunia. He is really a disaster and there is a reason why he went from No 1 choice at the start of the season to No 3 by the turn of the New Year. Our goalkeeping situation was very much in control with Wojciech between the sticks. Now we only hope a 41 year old keeper can take over from this walking time bomb.

Three players we MUST sell this summer

In my last post, I mentioned the youth players I would like to see in the first team next season. To accommodate them, we need to get rid of certain first team players. There have been many players who have underperformed this year but these three on my list have been given ample opportunities to impress but they have not done anything to stake their claim to continue wearing the arsenal jersey

Abou Diaby

Of all the players I dislike in the Arsenal team, this guy takes the top prize. No doubt he is talented and has shown that he is a pretty decent player but he just doesn't come through for the team often enough. The times when we trusted him to do the job he fails. He is also the reason why we fail go score many goals if he is in the team. He just slows down the attack. Just watch him play and you will know what I mean

Denilson

Well he came with so much promise but after the FA Cup defeat, I think it is time for him to leave. There is no passion or commitment at all from this guy. How can you explain him being bossed out by the da silva twins. Also him allowing the opponents to move faster than him like what Valencia did for the second Man United goal was unforgivable. It's not the first time as well. Remember how Rooney scored in the defeat at the Emirates last year.

Nicklas Bendtner

Earlier this season the Dane was making all sort of noises about how he is the best striker in the club. Well nothing of that quality has come from this guy from what I see. He first touch is atrocious. If he is a good striker and possess a decent first touch, we would have been in the champions league quarterfinals this year. If as the report says that he is worth 15 million pounds, please do the deal immediately

Three youth players I want to see in the first team next year

As we approach the last 10 games of the season, talks have begun to surface on the new arrivals that are needed for next season. Even though the season has not ended, we already can assume that there are some who will not be around for next season. I will touch of the few whom I seriously do not want to see in an Arsenal jersey after May but for now, let's see who we can expect to be in the first team next season.

Besides Jack Wilshere and to a certain extent Kieran Gibbs, we have not had many players coming out for the academy and having a prolonged run in the first team. Of course we might see Miquel get his chance in the later part of this season but there are three others currently out on loan or injured which I feel must be included into the first team consideration for next year. These three players are:

Jay Emmanuel Thomas



Henri Lansbury



Emmanuel Frimpong




All three players have been on the fringes of the first team and out on loan for the past two seasons. Looking at the depth of the team and the players we have currently like Diaby, Denilson and Bendtner, I am sure the three players above have more desire and talent to play and make it big with the Arsenal first team

Injuries derailing our season yet again

It seems like a sense of deja vu how this season and the last has panned out so far. Last year we were well into a three team chase for the Premiership title when injuries to key personnel struck us down. Out of nowhere we lost Cesc, Gallas, Vermaelen,Arshavin, Clichy, Song to join the long term absentees RVP, Rosicky, and Walcott as we entered the critical phase of the season. No prizes for remembering what happened next as the team could not compensate for the missing players.

This year, once again we are approaching the final stretch with a chance of regaining the Premiership title and the injury curse seems to be rearing its head again. In recent weeks, we have lost Walcott, Wojciech, Song and now Djourou. Bearing in mind we are already missing Vermaelen and Fabianski, taking the total of key players out to 6. We have seen this year that any team missing its key players will not be able to survive without dropping points. Chelsea's slump towards the end of 2010 was attributed to the loss of players like Lampard, Drogba and Alex while we have seen the Man United is certainly vulnerable without Ferdinand and Vidic as proven by the Liverpool defeat. The same goes for the Gunners, if we cannot get some of the players back for the final stretch, we might be in serious trouble.

The only positive thing about this season is that we are getting the players back faster than they normally would. RVP was supposed to be out for 6 weeks but he came back in 2, while Cesc's hamstring should not keep him out for more than 2 weeks. We don't know when Song and Walcott can be back but let's hope we can take advantage of the international break and see them back in action for April. That's the other positive thing this year. We have an international break coming up so that will give the players another week to get well and be ready for the final run in. This year we face a straight fight with Man United for the title so we need all hands on deck to see us through.

Where is the heart?

I know I said that I didn't mind us losing this match but certainly not in the manner that we did. We put out a strong squad whereas the opposition played with 7 defenders on their line-up. Looking at the line-up, I seriously expected for the team to go on and beat the Mancs. It was a line-up with next week's Champions League encounter in mind and yet we couldn't beat them.

However, what irked me most about this defeat is the lack of heart among the Arsenal players in the game. The lads were playing at pedestrian pace and not showing any passion for the match at all. It was like they were being forced at gunpoint to participate in the game. Of all the players, the only one who really tried was Jack Wilshere and this is a boy of 18 years. The rest of the seniors players especially Denilson, Diaby and Arshavin were not even trying. Both goals came as a result of the lackidaisical attitude of the holding midfielders. For the first, we saw Fabio having lost of space to receive the ball when Diaby was still strolling back to the penalty box while for the second, Denilson allowed Valencia to carry the ball over 60 metres up till the penalty box without even getting close to the player. He was again just strolling along with Valencia. The other guy who dissapointed was Kieran Gibbs. Here is a the England left back of the future but he was so poor as Rafael just breeze past him to set up the second goal.

Seriously, where is the heart in playing for Arsenal? This is the FA Cu, for god sake. If the match doesn't excite the players, I am not sure if they are in the right profession. The opposition was certainly no better the us in terms of talent but they just showed more passion. Wayne Rooney for all his criticism as always at the back holding his court in front of the left back and bouncing forward whenever they had a break. That is what we need.PASSION!

I am too sick to the stomach to write anymore about the team. Its best to just leave the dissapointment to rest for the week. I am afraid we will also be losing Djourou for some time with a dislocated shoulder. On the other hand, it's great to see Rambo back in the first team. Pity it didn't come with better circumstances

FA CUP: Manchester United vs Arsenal

I am in two minds for this match tomorrow. While it would be good to beat Man United in their own den and continue to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, I wonder if it would not be better to lose this match and concentrate fully on the Premier League. We obviously do not have the depth to handle so many challenges.

The Premiership is the number target of us this season so any other challenges can be regarded as a distraction. If we were to lose this game, it means adding another game to Man United's already congested fixture. With the Champions League and FA Cup, Man United will have to play a minimum of 8 games in the month of April compared to our 6. You can see how big tomorrow match will be, not because it is the FA Cup quarterfinals but because of the repercussions on the Premiership title chase.

However, we are in now in the quarter-finals and have two matches to go before we reach another Wembley final. I think it would be good for the team to redeem themselves in Wembley after the Carling Cup debacle. Arsene has come out to say that he will be putting up a strong team tomorrow. Whether this is the right decision for the league title chase, it still remains to be seen.

Champions League over, let's concentrate on the Premiership

I can't say that the result was not expected but the way that we lost yesterday's match was so disappointing. True, we would probably have lost the match but we would never know what could have happened had RVP stayed on. We have just equalized and the Barca defense was a bit shaken. We could have easily gone on to score another goal just like how we manage to with Bendtner's last minute opportunity. In the end, it was another bad judgement call by a referee which we are paying dearly for it. How in the hell RVP got the second yellow card is beyond me. The only possible explanation is that UEFA wants to have Barcelona in the semifinals for commercial reasons and the stooge in the middle of the park has to deliver what his paymasters want. Other than that, I can't think of any other reason. Sometimes, I wonder if the footballing powers in England and Europe should ever want to see Arsenal being successful. The number of refereeing decisions that has gone against us this season is mind boggling. Newcastle, Sunderland and now Barcelona have had the good fortune of playing the Gunners with a biased referee in the middle. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this weekend's FA Cup quarterfinal clash with Man United is settled not by the players but by the referee again.

Nonetheless, I am quite happy that we are out of the Champions League. I think it is a distraction to our main aim this season which is the Premiership. Remember last year, Chelsea was knocked out at the same stage and they went on to win the league title. The same thing can happen to the Gunners. We do not need the Champions League matches in midweek to cloud our already congested fixture list. Let Man United, Chelsea and Tottenham to fight it out. If I am not mistaken all these teams have to play at least 8 matches in April should they continue to move on in the Champions League compared to us with only 6 or 7 matches depending on the FA Cup.

So being out of the Champions League is probably the best news for our Premiership title hopes. Well, that's how I see it.

Two points dropped but a precious one gained

While many Arsenal fans are still moaning about the two points dropped on Saturday, it may not have come to our minds that the one point gained is extremely precious especially in the light of Man United's defeat yesterday.

The pundits have all mentioned how nothing has changed after the weekend's result but I beg to differ. There is a major difference and it all comes to the one point gained at the Emirates.

Before the weekend's round of matches, we were four points back from the Red Devils. That is a 2 match result meaning we need 2 matches to go our way before we can overtake Man United. For example, it would mean beating Man United at home AND getting at least a draw in the game in hand versus Spurs at White Hart Lane.

Now that we are only 3 points back, we do not need a result in the extra match. So even if we did lose to Spurs (pray not), we will still be able to overhaul Man United if we beat them at the Emirates.

Therefore, we are just so much better off. Not winning the match against Sunderland turned out to be insignificant because one point behind or three points, it is still the same: a one match chase.

Arsenal three points behind United with a game in hand

All the gloom from yesterday turned much better as Liverpool beat Manchester United 3-1 today at Anfield. A hattrick by Dirk Kuyt condomned United to their third loss in five Premiership games. Surely this is the chance that we have been waiting for.

As it stands now, the title is still in our hands. We do not need United to lose or draw their matches if we can match their points until the end of the season. It will all boil down to May 1 when the Red Devils visit the Emirates. Win that games and I am sure we will lift the title. However getting all the points from now until then might be a problem if we keep getting players injured. The latest one to take a knock is Jack Wilshere, although he has come out say that he will definitely be ready for the Barcelona match.

We have failed to take our chances when the league leaders falter throughout the season. It was the same when Chelsea was leading and it is now happening again. The road till the end of the season is worst for us then it is for Man United with away games to Stoke and Spurs to come, while we will need to entertain Liverpool as well. It would not criticised the boys for yesterday's performance except for that of Diaby and Denilson. These two player are seriously not good enough and should be discarded next season, for they will impede the progress of the young players coming through like Frimpong, Lansbury and Ramsey.

The next two games will also have a major bearing on our league aspirations this year. Although I would definitely like to be challenging for all honours, I don't think we have the depth to do it and a defeat in the Cup or Champions League may actually be a blessing in disguise

A Collectors' item: Bendner's hattrick and Clichy's goal

So all the hype about Leyton Orient coming to the Emirates and creating an upset ended with a leisurely win for the Gunners last night. Truth be told, I don't think the lads we out of second gear throughout the match. From their movements and morale, it seems like the defeat on Sunday was still very much in the minds. This is something we need to watch out for this Saturday because Sunderland is definitely no Leyton Orient.

The 5-0 scoreline flattered us a little bit because I don't think we were that good. Leyton tried to play us at our game and lost. Kudos goes to Russell Slade and his men for not taking the all defensive, all robust route to compete with the Gunners. Anyway which way, they would have still lost but in this manner at least they gained some respect from Arsene and the boys.

It was good to see Arsene give both Ignasi Miguel and Connor Henderson their home debuts for the senior team. I thought both of them played well, in particular Miquel. He needs to work on his bulk for next season and should be a great defender in the mould of Gerard Pique. Henderson show some nice touches but he was a bit passive and not willing to take the risk.Probably it was because this being his senior debut, he didn't want to commit any mistakes. I am sure we will see more of him in the future.

As for the goals, it is really a night for the collectors. When will you ever see a game again when Bendtner scores a hattrick and Clichy gets a goal as well. This being only the Frenchman's second goal in all his time with the club, it would probably never happen again ever.

Beating Sunderland on Saturday is a more immediate concern than Barcelona

I don't understand why all the reports on the injured players have focuses on whether they will be back to face Barcelona next week. There is a more important match at the weekend which is of a more immediate concern that next week's match. The result at Stamford Bridge yesterday meant that the Gunners are well within reach of the League title and we need to take every opportunity that the Red Devils present to us.

There have been too many times in the past that we failed to take advantage of the situation when the league leaders stumble at the top. Our home defeats to WBA and Newcastle came at a time when Chelsea dropped some points but we failed to close in on them. Now we have the perfect opportunity to close the gap to only one point. With United having to go to Anfield with only one recognized center back, there will be more opportunities for drop points. However, all this is immaterial unless we are able to take advantage of the situation.

Today's FA Cup replay is a bit of a distraction and I think the boss will field a second string side against the minnows. We should have enough in reserve to beat Leyton Orient but even if we don't I won't be crying over it. The FA Cup is now the least priority and with our injury list growing again, it would be a competition i would sacrifice for the chance of winning the other two.

Are we waiting to end the drought with the League Title

A positive thought crossed my mind after we lost the League Cup on Sunday. Yes it was a great opportunity to end the title drought after six years but may be is it a title worthy of that honour. Of course I am disappointed and this might sound like the ramblings of a sore loser but isn’t it better if we were to win the Premiership title as the first trophy of the Wenger youth project. It will certainly be the crowning glory to his many achievements here at Arsenal. Maybe that’s why it is fated we didn’t win the League Cup.

One thing’s for sure, the League Cup is not the end all for the Gunners. Earlier I wrote that we may suffer major psychological setbacks from a defeat at Wembley. We still could but I am hoping the lads can rise above their misery and carry on to continue the good work they have done so far. There is still much to play for especially in the Premiership and FA Cup. It would do nobody any good for the lads to be brooding over the defeat. The sentiments coming the dressing room is that they have gotten over the defeat so we shall see tomorrow if it is true. A win over Leyton Orient is a must, not only for progress to the FA Cup quarter finals but more so for the improving morale in the team.

Ooops! We did it again

Why is it we always shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to the tail-end of the season or in cup final matches. The Koscielny-Wojciech debacle is not the first time we have literally presented an important match to the opposition. Cue back to the League Cup Final in 2007 when we self-combusted and lost Toure and Adebayor and finally the chance of winning. Again in the semi-final of the FA Cup against Chelsea, Champions League final v Barcelona, Champions League semi-final v Man United, we have always thrown away good positions where we could have won a trophy.

Many pundits have questioned the boys' temperament in the big matches and how we seem to freeze. I personally don't think we played all that badly against Birmingham. We have always struggled to break down teams who defend well in numbers. Although not many neutral fans agree with me but I am positive that we would have won the match in extra time. The Blues were hardly getting out of their half and we were creating chance after chance.

No doubt the boys' will be utterly dissapointed after the match. I can't blame them for lack of trying. It just seem that there is a mental block that is preventing some of them from crossing the barrier. I guess this is something which the boss should be looking into with three other competitions still alive. Maybe a psychologist would help. Certainly Koscielny and Wojciech would benefit from one after this episode.

Arsenal vs Birmingham: Carling Cup Final Preview

There is only 2 days left to the Carling Cup Final and I am just counting down the hours to arguably the most important match for the new generation Gunners. The last generation of the Gunners were undoubtedly very successful with the "Invincible" season to crown their glory days. Now we stand on the threshold of a new era where the Gunners dominate the trophies. It all rest on the result of this sunday's match against Birmingham in our first new Wembley final.

Normally I would be very confident about a victory for the Gunners against Birmingham. We have not lost to the Blues in the last six games, winning three and drawing the rest. We have done the double over Alex McLeish's side, with the last match going to 3-0 victory for us at the Emirates.

However, this is a Cup Final and many of the players out there have never been to one. I believe other than Cesc,Clichy, Van Persie and Arshavin none of the Arsenal players have even participated in such an environment. That is why I am a little worried for the boys and how they will hold up this Sunday.

The injuries to Cesc and Walcott certainly did not help our cause. Of course we have Nasri to take over from Cesc but we do have a hole to fill on the right side of midfield. He may be frustrating at times but Walcott does give us penetration and wide to the attack.I am pretty sure Bendtner will take his place on the right so let's see if the Dane can make good his promise of giving his best to the Arsenal cause.

I don't even want to think about the consequences should we fail to win this match. It is going to be such a big blow that I don't think we can recover from it. All I am doing now is think positive and hope it carries over to the boys on the field come Sunday.

A bittersweet victory at the Emirates

It was a good win yesterday for the Gunners at the Emirates but we could be counting the cost of the victory with both Fabregas and Walcott limping out of the match. Any game with Stoke is going to be a physical one but this is getting out of hand. I think Peter Walton is a decent referee but he certainly did not do justice to the Arsenal lads yesterday. It was not a dirty match but some of the tackles by the Stoke players were more than robust. How can you explain that there were only 4 yellow cards shown throughout the match with 2 of them going to Arsenal players. I counted the number of tackles Dean Whitehead had on the Arsenal players. In any other match or on the continent, he would have long been sent off.

Now that we are only 1 point from the leaders, there is genuine belief that we can challenge Manchester United for the title. I have always been confident of the lads. I feel the key to the success of our final run-in is so dependent on us winning the Carling Cup.

This is our chance of winning something for the first time since the FA Cup in 2005 and we have to take it. We are the overwhelming favorites and if we do not take this opportunity, I fear that the psychological damage will derail our challenge for not only the league but all the other competitions that we are still in.

I think we can manage without Walcott but it is going to be extra difficult to be without RVP, Koscielny and Cesc. We can only wait till tomorrow for the latest updates from the manager. till then, I am just keeping my fingers crossed

I am worried about tomorrow's match

We are to the grind of the English Premier League, with a match against Stoke City tomorrow night at the Britannia Stadium. This match was postponed from December when the country was covered in snow.

With Arsene Wenger news that both Van Persie and Koscielny will miss tomorrow match, I am a little worried about the consequences for the team. Van Persie is the league's top scorer in 2011 and we will certainly miss his goals up front. However it is the loss of Koscielny that is making me very worries. Djourou and Kos has formed a good partnership and in the absence of Vermaelen remains the two best centre-backs that we have. Koscielny will definitely be partnered with Squillaci and this partnership untested will come under extreme examination by the bully boys from Stoke City.

The game plan of the Potters is very traditional but successful against teams like us. We have always been subceptible to the high ball and tall centerforwards. In Stoke City's line-up, they have two giants in Jones and Carew. There is no doubt that both will feature in the match to take advantage of the long bombs from Rory Delap. I just am not confident with Squillaci's role in defense. Although he started well at the beginning of the season, he seems to have deteriorated at the turn of the year after returning from injury. The only saving grace for me is having Wojciech in goal because he is definitely more commanding than Almunia.

If we are going to keep our title hopes alive, these two games against Stoke will be critical. Don't forget Spurs are not far behind and anything less than a win will make it really uncomfortable for the Gunners at the tail end of the season when we have to visit White Hart Lane

What's with Arsenal and replays

Another cup tie, another replay. Why is it that this year we seem to be having problems clearing the cup ties the first time around. For the third time this season, we have met a lower division side and always needing a replay to get the job done. Leeds, Ipswich and now Leyton Orient. Yesterday's game was in the back until the lads decided to be generous to Leyton and give them the financial boost of a replay. Arsene has said earlier that these replays are important for the lower league sides and he does not support the abolishment of the replay system. I wonder if he is thinking twice now.

Luckily for us, we have a big squad to go around. I don't mind the replay because it would give some of the second stringers a chance to play. I though Miquel played well in his debut. The same cannot be said about some of the other senior players though. Bendtner was nowhere, his only contribution was his assist for the Rosicky goal. The Czech was not any better. He was a big dissapointment apart from scoring the goal. He constantly gave away the ball and was not influential at all. The other cog in the attacking system, Chamakh was hardly a treat. He certainly looks off the colour after a bright start to his first season with the Gunners. The only offensive player I thought gave a good account of himself was Arshavin. The Russian looks like coming back to his old form.

What this replays is another match in our very congested fixture. We will be playing twice a week till mid march now instead of having a rest the week before going to Barcelona. There's still the postponed match against Spurs which has yet to be rescheduled. That's the price for challenging in all four competitions.

The night we beat the best in the world

Oh boy, what a match it was yesterday. Although it is only the first leg and we still have 90 minutes to go at the Nou Camp, let's savour this moment and hope that this result will give us belief that the team is capable of much more. We were not given any chance at all by anyone going into the match.
I must admit that when the opposition when one up, I was fearing the worst. I should have known better. We two nil down last year and we fought back. It wasn't any different this year just that we won the game and we really took the game to them.

Right from the start we attacked and pressure them much like how Barcelona plays. We were really two teams alike in the style of play. Where we used to be dominate by them, this game showed that we have grown up and is able to compete with the best team in the world and win.

I was totally impressed with the way we took the game to Barcelona. Even in the first half, when they were leading, we had good chance which we failed to convert. But the second half performance was as just as any I have seen this year. The Spaniards hardly had a look at goal. The fact that Guardiola sacrificed his main attacker to bring in a midfielder showed that they were afraid of what we could do. Maybe last year's fight back was still playing in this mind. However, fortune favours the brave and the tactical changes made by Arsene were braves one and he absolutely deserved credit for it.

There are so many good performances but i like to single Wilshere and Szechny. Wilshere was instrumental in midfield and not overawed by the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. not sure if anybody saw the little contribution young Jack made to the second goal. It was his first time pass which allowed Cesc to spin away from his marker and set the wheels in motion. As for the young keeper, he did not have such a busy time but his presence in goal contributed to a whole deal of confidence for the defenders. I don't see that confidence in Koscielny and Djourou when they are in front of Almunia or Fabianski.

QUESTION: Now that we have beaten the best club side in the world, does it mean we are the best?

The twins go against each other tonight

The way we play have often be compared to how Barcelona plays. In fact, many pundits out there have remarked that we are similar in how we approach and play the game. Controlling gameplay with short, intricate passes are the common factors that have made both teams among the most popular in the world. Our style of play is so similar that I have heard many people calling Barcelona and Arsenal as twin terrors. Nobody in world football would like to meet Arsenal or Barcelona.

That is why there was so much joy in the European footballing world when the twins drew each other. to them, at least one of the terrible twins will be eliminated from the competition. Last year, Barcelona got the better of us, so this year it's time to return the favour.

last year's edition was disappointing not only because we lost but it was not a fair reflection of the team's strength. Both were missing their most important player with Iniesta missing for Barcelona and RVP not available for us. This time around both teams are almost at full strength with one absentee each from the defence. Puyol and Vermaelen canceling each other advantage out.

So whoever wins tomorrow's match can really be crowned the better of the twins. Let's hope it is going to be the Gunners

We will shut Barcelona out tomorrow

Although many people are expecting us to lose the Champions League match-up with Barcelona, I am optimistic that we will prevail over the two legs. Definitely I am expecting a win tomorrow and a draw over at the Nou Camp.

You may say I am nuts given our recent defensive performance at St James’s Park but do hear me out. Other than performance we have actually performed quite credibly in defence since the start of the year and the partnership between Koscielny and Djourou became more stable. It was a blessing the Squillaci got injured so that Kos and Johann had several games to get their partnership together.

Everyone who plays Arsenal knows that our weakness link in defence is defending against the high ball. That’s why we have so much trouble with Premiership teams with big, stalking centre-forwards. Three of the four goals conceded at St James’s Park were due to the inability to deal with high balls into the box. When the ball is on the ground, we are much more comfortable in dealing with the threat. Wilshere and Song provided good cover for the centre-backs when the opposition is attacking on the ground. That’s why we seldom go down to teams who play us on the ground.

That is also why I feel we can take on Barcelona. The Spanish team is very similar to us, with little creative guys with not much height. Messi,Villa, Iniesta, Xavi, Krjic and Pedro are all not Andy Carroll or Didier Drogba type forwards. We can deal with the intricate passing and little one twos because it would just be like a practise session for the defenders. That’s how they train every day.

When we drew Barcelona back in December, I was actually happy because we would not have to deal with aerial threats from the opposition. While they used to have Ibrahimovic and Yaya Toure to trouble us from set-pieces, I think we will be very comfortable dealing with their much vaunted attack tomorrow.

Champions League glory beckons

After being occupied with the Premier League for the past two weeks, we will now have two consecutive Cup matches to look forward to this week. Of course the big one is this Wednesday when we entertain the “best club team in the world” Barcelona before travelling to Leyton Orient for the FA Cup clash this Saturday.

Just similar to last year, no one is giving us a host of a chance to progress beyond the first knock-out round after we were paired with Barcelona way back in December. After seeing how Barcelona almost lost last weekend, I am fairly confident we would hold our own on Wednesday. In fact I am quite certain we would get a win at the Emirates.

Last year we had the team from Catalonia reeling in the first leg. We could have even beaten them had we taken our chances well. This time around, we are firing on all cylinders and if we have Nasri back, and then I think the Spaniards will be in for a surprise.

As I have said many times this season, the key to winning the match like this will be efficiency in front of goal. If we were to play like we did over the weekend and squander clear cut chances, then we would be in trouble. It is a good thing that we will have RVP for this match. We missed him dearly last year and we could only imagine what would happen if we had him on the pitch. This year, I am sure the team wants revenge for that loss. We just need to be brave and show the world that Barcelona as only as good as their reputation and it counts for nothing on the pitch.

It's a two horse race now

From the result from last weekend, we can now confirmed that Manchester City is no longer in the running for the title. Despite all the millions spent, the Citizens have failed to mount a credible challenge for the second year running.

Realistically the tile race is now a two horse race. Ancelloti has given up hope while I don't think Harry Redknapp was serious when he said his Spurs was up there challenging for Premiership honours. Many people might write off our chances as well but I have a strong feeling about us this season.

Our duel with Man United at the Emirates on 30th April is going to be huge. It will be the do or die match for our premiership chances. If we can sustain our challenge from now till then, we might have a chance of beating them and going on to claim the title. We have already beaten Chelsea at home this year, there's no saying we cannot do the same to Man United after losing to them for the past fixtures.

Arsenal vs Wolves: Match Preview

If I were a neutral fan, I would fancy my chances of a putting some money on Wolves to create an upset at the Emirates. After all, the team did beat Manchester United last week against an Arsenal team which allowed four goals in 20 plus minutes. Moreover the Gunners have shown their weakness at the Emirates which losses to WBA and Newcastle earlier in the season.

However, I am a die-hard Arsenal fan and I am sure that a losing scenario for Arsenal will not happen tomorrow. Yes, we may have been damaged physcologically with the events of last week but this Arsenal team is strong enough to overcome that. Last weekend was actually a positive weekend for us since we have clawed back one point from Man United"s Lead. I am sure it will be a stalemate in the Manchester derby together with a win for us. So by end of day tomorrow, the lead will be down to 2 points.

My only concern for the team is in the midfield department. While we used to have an abundance of talent here, we are down to bare bones at the moment. Basically all the players who can play the midfield enforcer role is out: Song and Denilson through injury and Diaby who is suspended. It would be interesting to see who the Professor picks to join Fabregas and Wilshere in the centre of the park. It would have been ideal to bring Ramsey back into the team now but unfortunately he is out on loan in Cardiff.

Nonetheless, I am confident that the lack of midfield personnel will not affect the team that much and by the end of the match, we would have closed the gap to Man United.

Arsenal players return safely after international break

The international friendlies are now offer and thank god that we have not heard any injuries to the many players who were on international duty.

I didn't manage to catch many of the matches but the one game I watched was the England vs Denmark match. I was impressed with the Arsenal players turning out for England e.g. Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott. Jack was absolutely brilliant running the midfield although he was playing in a different position to the one he always does for Arsenal. In the Gunners team, young Jack has roving role and does both offensive and defensive duties while for England he was more like the midfield enforcer. I don't think this is is most useful position but credit goes to him because he performed well. Theo was good as well in the match. His jinking runs gave the Danish leftback a torrid time. He also set up the equalizer.

On the other side, Bendtner was very much himself, playing the lone striker role. I still don't think he has what is takes to be the main striker, certainly not in Arsenal's first eleven but he does show a lot of commitment and willing to work hard for the team.

The player who was most impressive on the night was the Danish sensation Cristian Eriksen. I know Dennis Bergkamp alerted the Arsenal management about this boy last summer. I am sure it will not be long before a major club snaps up the 18 year old. He just ran the show for this Denmark side and was just unlucky not to get on the score sheet himself. His crosses were pinpoint accurate and his dribbling skills second to none on the night. There was one occasion where he just nutmegs Walcott so easily that the England winger was just stunned.

Now it is back to business on Saturday with the match against Wolves. We need to win this one and banish the disappointment of last weekend altogether.

Thanks for the international break!

I have never liked international breaks but I think this coming one is much needed for the lads. We have been playing so many matches in the past six weeks that the lads must be physically and mentally tired. It would also be good for the press to focus on other things other than our collapse at St James's Park.

This international break is also much welcomed because of all the accumulated injuries to the players. Just when we thought we have gone through the worst of injury crises, we have a new bunch players checking into sick bay. Nasri, Song, Denilson, Djourou have now joined Vermaelen on the injury list. It is a good thing that most of our first team players have withdrawn from their international duties. Given our luck I am sure had they not done that, they would be injured as well.

As it stands we have Walcott and Wilshere in the English squad. Let's just hope that Walcott can remain injury free cause the last time he was in the England squad, he came back injured. We just cannot afford any more injuries as bug games are coming thick and fast in the coming weeks, none bigger than then visit of Barcelona next week.

Let's hope Arsene takes this break to motivate the squad and break the cloud of doom that is currently hanging over the squad.

Not the first time referees have cost us the game!

No matter what people say, I will not accept that Phil Dowd did not cost us the game on Saturday. The two phantom penalties and not sending Kevin Nolan off for the same stunt that got Diaby the red card shows very clearly that Phil Dowd is not a professional. I would say Mr Dowd has it in him to see any team but Arsenal win.

It is not the first time he has cost us points. The last time we gave up a 2 or more goal lead (it was against Spurs at the Emirates), guess who was in charge. None other than Tubby Dowd himself. The goal that lead to Spurs winner that day was a freekick which was given only because he wanted to give Spurs a chance of victory. If they have not scored I am sure he would have given them a penalty, like he did on Saturday.

Another one of his many tricks to see Arsenal lose points is to prolong the match, like when he decided to let game go on until Sunderland scored to grab a point at the stadium of light. Clearly time was over but Tubby chose not to blow the whistle just because we were leading.

There are a couple of excellent referees in the Premiership but with guys like Mason and Dowd, you would think that it could be better to get neutral referees from the continent so that we can actually get some fair play going on. It is difficult to see how the "Respect the Referee" campaign can be successful when the referee's do not respect the game enough to do a good and professional job.

So the fat lady did not finish singing yesterday?

After the collapse last nite at St James's Park, all the pundits, from Asia to Europe to America confidently pronounce the end of Arsenal's Premiership title challenge. Everybody was saying how Arsenal would be 7 points of Manchester United by the weekend and have no chance of catching the Red Devils. Well, as they say it ain't over till the fat lady sings, and the lady was missing yesterday.

It was of course very poor to drop two points after leading 4-0 in the first. It was sickening to see how the lads played yesterday. Of course it is difficult to be facing 12 men on the pitch with only 10 (there is no doubt Phil Dowd plays for Newcastle) but our own performance was poor. We didn't string an attack for long periods in the half, choosing to sit back and let the opposition attack. Van Persie was sitting too deep and the withdrawal of Walcott and Arshavin was detrimental to the team formation. The most important loss was that of Djourou, as his replacement was ill-suited for the match. Squillaci has lost his way since the turn of the new year and every time he plays, we look shaky at the back.

Having said all that, we gained one point at the end of Saturday and are now just 4 points of the lead. Just like nobody expected the collapse in the second half, I am sure not even the most positive Wolves fan expected victory yesterday at the Molinouex. Next week we have the Manchester derby and a possible loss of points again for the Red Devils. We need to put the disappointment behind and get maximum points from our meeting with Wolves at the Emirates and add more pressure to the Red Devils. I am tired of hearing that the title is all sewn up by United. Let's give the pundits some else to take about now

A great result, An excellent team performance

At the end of the day, it is all about the three points. As usual we did it the hard way but this time we did not cave it after going behind. Earlier in the season, we lost both matches to WBA and Newcastle at home after going down. Yesterday, we showed true resilience with a superb second half performance.

We did not play badly in the first half. If it wasn't for the linesman's self-interpretation of the offside rule, I doubt that we would be behind. The Toffees played hard but did not pose much of a threat. The only time they seriously threatened was when Bilyaletinov forced a great save from Scezcny. I am starting to like our young Polish goalkeeper alot. From what I see, he has the air of confidence in his command of the box that both Fabianski and Almunia lack. He is going to be great for Arsenal in the future.

I think we have to thank David Moyes for his cowardice in the second half. It has a big part to play in our comeback. The Everton manager was contended to try and soak up the pressure from the Gunner hoping to hold out for the win. They played passive football and was trying all way out to gain extra minutes with every stoppage. On the other hand, Arsene played his cards courageously by deploying both Arshavin and Bendtner for Rosicky and Wilshere. This was the turning point in the match as Arsenal quickly scored the equalizer and subsequently the winner.

What pleased me most about the match was the team effort by all the players involved. We had a bit to defend after we scored the second goal and you could see that all the players were enthusiastic about helping out in defence. Bendtner, Arshavin and Walcott was all tracking back and added extra manpower to the defence. This type of performances were lacking in the first half of the season which is why I am very optimistic about Arsenal future this season.

Again, at the end of the day, we got the three points we needed to keep pace with United. We need to do the same this weekend as United could potential drop points in the Manchester derby.

Andy Carroll for £35 million pounds. Is it worth it?

Well, this is a departure from the usual comments on the Gunners as I was reading through the transfer news this morning, I realized that Liverpool just paid £35 million pounds for Andy Carroll. Seriously, £35 million for Andy Carroll? Just imagine this amount is higher than what Barcelona paid Valencia for David Villa, and close to double the amount Liverpool is paying for a seasoned and experienced World Cup star, Luiz Suarez. Is the transfer market going crazy or Liverpool just being plain desperate. I am wondering if I am the only one who is befuddled by this development. Please let me know if you think this transfer is worth it, from a neutral's point of view (since I do not think there are any non-Arsenal fans reading this blog)

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Will we regret not spending this transfer window?

The January transfer window has now come and passed with no new additions to the squad. While this has been expected given the boss's statements over the past week or so, I was still hoping that he would change his mind and add to the squad, especially in the defensive area. I am still very confident that he knows what he is doing and will no question his wisdom. However, there is a little tingle sensation at the back on my head that says we might regret this decision.

As I said previously, this situation is very similar to what we had last year. Arsene was burnt badly when he did not add to the squad which ultimately cost us the season. We are a team well know to have injury frailties so by not adding to the squad, he is basically gambling that we do not suffer the same injury curse as we did last year.I am not a gambling man but if I were, I am sure I will be able to get good odds for us not to have the same meltdown again due to injuries.

I am happy that he is not the kind of manager to go and spend £35million pounds for a player like Andy Carroll but Arsene has to loosen the purse strings once in a while for a established player. Everybody is saying that this month is a big month for us but that's wrong. Every month till the end of the season is big now. It is no point we do well this month and win all our matches only to suffered injuries and have a major blip next month, similar to the 2008 season. We need to ensure that we have enough personnel to last the gruelling challenge for all the honours that we are chasing.Currently, we have strength in depth, but with Nasri, Vermaelen, Squillaci and Denilson out, we cannot afford any more injuries to the team as we move further into the second part of the season

Man of the Match: Andrey Arshavin

Yes, you would think I am nuts. Clearly the man is suffering from a loss of form in front of goal. Together with his strike partner yesterday, Bendtner, they very nearly cost us the game with some very poor finishing. Both of them were guilty of squandering chances after chances in a match which we should have won easily. In the end, it took the intervention of the skipper yet again to come in and safe a FA Cup tie for Arsenal.

However, I saw a much different Arshavin compared to his woeful displays this season. No doubt he missed opportunities, but he was much more energetic and creative. His running and dribbling looked much sharper yesterday. But his most worthy contribution yesteday and deserving earning him the man of the match yesterday was when he made a last minute intervention to stop the Huddersfield striker from scoring. Had he not tracked back and made the last ditched tackle, Hunt would have scored and we would be trailing 2-1. Seriously this is the first time I have seen Arshavin so deep in our own penalty box and making the defensive save. Looking at this performance yesterday, I am optimistic that we will soon get back the real Arshavin and not the pathetic looking imposter that we have had to endure all these while. Really, with the big blow of losing Samir Nasri for at least 3 weeks, we need the Russian to go back to his best and carry the team as he did when he first joined two years ago.

Although it was much harder than expected, we made it through to the next round and will be facing another League One side in Leyton Orient. I expect more the same from the Gunners: making hard work for themselves but prevailing in the end. However, what's important now is to concentrate on the Premiership with the home game against Everton come up tomorrow.

Arsenal vs Huddersfield: Match Preview

After the hiccup at the Emirates in the last round, we certainly do not want a repeat of the lacklustre performance from the boys when they take on Huddersfield in the FA Cup fourth round tie on Sunday. We were lucky to get out of the third round and have a great chance of reaching the next round after being paired with League One side Huddersfield Town.

Managed by Lee Clark, the former Newcastle star, Huddersfield have been playing attractive football in the league and it would shock no one should they go all the way and win promotion to the Championship. Actually they would be better show concentrating their efforts on winning promotion so the FA Cup may be a distraction for them. On paper, the Gunners should roll over the Terriers especially at the Emirates and with the team playing so well a the moment. However, the lads should be mindful of that complacency should take rear its head on Sunday.

The good news for the Gunners is that we have most of our players back with Almunia, Diaby and Squillaci all scheduled to be part of the squad. It is a certainly that this side will be a much changed on from the team which beat Wigan in the League or Ipswich in the League Cup semifinals. You would expect to see Almunia back between the sticks after being losing his place to both Fabianski and Scezchny. Van Persie is another certainty not to make the squad as Arsene would definitely keep his prized attacker for the league matches. All in all, the Gunners should have more than enough firepower to blast opposition away and score another 3 goals in the match to keep the 3 goals a game record intact for the moment. A clean sheet would help as well.

It is a pity that we will not be able to see young Gunner Benik Afobe in action. Although Arsenal were happy to let him play against his parent club, FA Cup rules forbid youth players on loan to participate in a match versus the parent club under any circumstances.

Most of the players coming back but we will still miss Vermaelen

Ahead of the FA Cup 4th Round tie with Huddersfield, Arsene Wenger had some good injury news to share with the fans. Speaking in his interview for Arsenal TV, the boss said that Diaby, Squillaci and Almunia will all be returning to the squad as they have recovered from their injuries. It would be no suprised if the Boss started with the three of them given the other players had hardly gotten a rest this month. Moreover, we have a tough home match on Tuesday against Everton to contend with.

I guess this marks the first time in a long while that our first team injury list is a short as now. Correct me if I am wrong but the only players missing now are Fabianski, Rosicky and Vermaelen. Personally, I didn't even know that Rosicky was injured, just thought that he was dropped after the performance at home against Leeds. Nonetheless we wished him a quick recovery.

The one that worries me most is Vermaelen. He will be out until at least March, this after a seemingly small injury which was supposed to be just a couple of days. I remembered this happened to Rosicky as well, and we didn't see him for a year and a half. Although the defense looks quite solid at the moment, I have a strong feeling that we are going to be really missing the presence of Vermaelen soon. More so if Arsene does not bring in another centerback in the January transfer window (which looks very much the case as it stand now)

I am not going to go on about transfers. Much have been written about it so I am just leaving it all in the hands of the manager. In Arsene we trust!

Finally a trip to new Wembley

This trip has been a long time come. The Gunners have never been to new Wembley but we changed history yesterday with an emphatic victory over a resilient Ipswich. Although we were odds on to beat the Championship side, credit must be given to Paul Jewell and the Tractor Boys as they gave us a good fright for over an hour.

It is as if Arsene saw the light at the end of the tunnel and answered many a fan's prayer when he decided to start with Fabregas and Van Persie for the match. Both players dictate the play and was in control for much of the first half. Van Persie almost opened the scoring for us but he could only divert a Bendtner cross into the bar. At this time we were in full control of the match, and true to their word, Ipswich literally parked their tractor in front of Martin Fulop. It didn't help that the lads were let down by some poor finishing. Even Fabregas was at fault when he failed to hit the net after being put through by Wilshere.

As the match wore on, you could see that Arsene and the fans were getting a little anxious. However, the brilliance of two young players who made their debuts in this competition put paid to Ipswich's hopes of an upset. A long crossfielf pass from the excellent Wilshere was controlled brilliantly bu the much maligned Bendtner. The Dane who was also impressive in his last start against Leeds, turned two defenders before curling a shot beyond the grasp of Fulop. You could see the relief etched on everyone after the goal has gone in. After that it was less of a resistance as quick goals from Koscielny and Fabregas gave us the chance to end our title drought that everyone seems to harp on.

If we were to win the League Cup, it would really be fitting testament to Arsene's grand youth project. No doubt he fielded a stronger side this year in the competition but yesterday starting eleven consisted of 7 players who came up through the academy and made their first team debuts in this competition:
Scezny, Clichy, Djourou, Denilson, Fabregas, Wilshere, Bendtner.

As we are still in the hunt for all the cup competitions, a win in Wembley could be the catalyst we need to achieve greater success this season including clinching the Premier title again.

It doesn't look like we will have anyone coming in this January!

Since the January transfer window opened, we have been talking about the need for new additions especially in the middle of our defense. Now there is just about a week left before the transfer period closes for the season and it doesn't look like we will be signing anyone. Although we have been linked with a multitude of names, there just isn't any concrete movement from Arsene and his team.

As we welcome back Squillaci and the team producing a slate of clean sheets in the Premiership, the Professor's tune has changed from "We will need to sign a defender" to "Our defense in more stable, and we will only sign if we can get the right quality at the right price." As this is usually his stance before not signing anybody, I would have my breath for any new additions. Furthermore, in his interview for Arsenal TV, he mentioned that he has the option of Song and Miquel as back-up should the central defenders become unavailable.

All this points to just one thing, we would be with the same group of players for the season, no new faces. Again, I am not one to argue with the boss, and he could still be right. If we do not sign any new players and the defenders stay fit, and we will the league, it would be a masterstroke that have saved the club millions of pounds. However, should his gamble backfire and the defenders become injured or suspended just like last season, then he really has to take full responsibility for it.It happened last season and I don't discount that it will not happen again this year. Given the fragile nature of our players it is likely that we will miss a couple of the central defenders at some point in the near future. Let's just hope it will not be more than two.

Should we rotate the squad for the Cup matches?

As we approach tomorrow match against Ipswich, the question on most supporters' mind is whether the Boss is going to extensive rotate the squad for the match. In his interviews, Arsene has stated the need for first team players to take a break after being involved in so many matches. Tomorrow's match at the Emirates will be our 8th match this January and there's still another to come in the FA Cup 4th round this Sunday. We have been playing two games a week for most of the month  so there is much logic in what Arsene says.

However, much as I would like to believe that the squad players are just as good as the first team players, I just cannot put my confidence in the likes of Arshavin, Rosicky and Bendtner such an important match. On paper our squad of internationals looked to be the best in the Premier League but in reality, the woeful displays of Arshavin, Rosicky, Eboue et al have really put a dent into our hopes of challenging for all honours this season. Steve MacMahon, now a pundit here in Asia, keeps going on about the need to play your best side in every game. While I don't often agree with him, there is absolutely truth in what he has.

One very important thing that rotating the squad would disrupt is momentum. Since the defeat at Portman Road, we have got back into groove, with three wins on the trot, scoring three goals in each while only conceding 1. We really looked like a team that can go on to win something this year. I am afraid we might lose our "mojo" if Arsene tries to tinker with the squad going into Cup matches.

There is no doubt that some players will need to rest but let's keep the core intact. Players such as Fabregas, Nasri and Van Persie should always start and hopefully kill off the match by the 60-70th minute. Then we can bring them off for much needed rest. Anyway, most of them have been missing matches through injury so it is not like they have been playing the whole season.

The League Cup is there for the taking. Let's not screw this up.

Cesc's a cheat. Are you kidding, Roberto?

In his post match interview, Wigan manager called our skipper Cesc Fabregas a "cheat" for going down to easily when challenged by Gary Caldwell which resulted in the defender's dismissal. This was what he said,

"I know Cesc very well. He is a wonderful player and very clever, and he knows how to buy decisions from referees. He tried it once in the first half," he said. "There is contact, but you do not know how much of that comes from Cesc looking for it, or from Gary's leg. I don't think that contact is intentional to bring Cesc down. Cesc comes from different culture -- if you take a decision from the referee it is because you are clever and you are getting something for your team. In England, to do that is cheating, but in South America, Spain, even Italy, to try to get a decision from the referee is just being clever and getting that advantage."

Hey Roberto, do you even remember the rules of the game. Just to remind you, if an attacker is brought down in the penalty box through intentional contact by the defender, then it's a penalty. And if the defender has prevented a goal scoring opportunity, then it's a red-card. Caldwell was guilty on both counts yesterday. Even he himself admitted that there was contact, so how is that diving or cheating? Just because we literally outclassed his side, he turns into a sour grape. I have always like him for his positive attitude to games but I may have to rethink my position on him now.

Roberto, if you are interest in learning what is "diving", please have a look at how David Vaughn won the penalty for Blackpool in yesterday match against Sunderland.

This one's for keeps, a Van Persie hattrick!

I am not sure but I believe this is his first hattrick for the Gunners. It should have really been four but for the awful penalty miss. Nonetheless, Van Persie looks to be in hitting form just at the right time for us as we prepare to challenge for The Quad. The hattrick bring his tally to 6 goals in his last three games. Usually he would break by this time of the season but since he has had his injury rest earlier in the season this time round, let's hope he can stay fit to lead the attack.

However, my Man of the Match is not Van Persie but rather our skipper Cesc. He was instrumental today in his vision and pin-point crosses. It may be because the Wigan defense gave him loads of space and time to run the game but he has really come back to form as well. Together with Van Persie, his performances over the last two games give me hope that we can finally win something this year. I don't think you will see many more accurate passes than the one he delivered to set up  Van Persie's first timer to seal the second goal. It was just exquisite. His contribution for the second was not bad either. Just a turn and immediately he could tell that Walcott was off running and promptly delivered a precise pass into the winger's path. Really great vision

It is clear that this year, the outcome of the season will depend of the Fabregas-Nasri-Van Persie. If they stay healthy and in-form, then we will potentially have a great season. Of course the other players need to put in their share but when the three of them play together, we just perform so much better.

Now that the league match is over, we can focus on the big match next Tuesday against Ipswich. If Arsene can put out the same team again, I am pretty sure that we will have not problem overturning the 1-0 deficit and book a place in the final.

Let's make it six in a row

Since the setback at Old Trafford in mid December, we have won five Premiership games on the trot. Last week's 3-0 win at West Ham was a commanding as the ones we saw earlier in the season. Whether that was really due to our superiority or West Ham's utter surrender is another matter. What's important is that we seem to have gotten our confidence and in Nasri, Van Persie and Fabregas, we have three of the in-forms players in the league.

Although we have a rather important match coming up in mid week, I am sure Arsene will put out his best side for the match at the Emirates. This means we will be seeing the like of the triumvirate above, with Wilshere, Walcott and Clichy back after being rested for the game against Leeds. In his press conference, Arsene mentioned that Chamakh and Denilson are carrying knocks from the Leeds game and will probably not make it to the subs bench.

Tomorrow's match is an important home match which we must win and win comprehensively. This is because tomorrow we start a sequence of 4 home matches, in League and Cup competitions. We have been beaten 3 times already this season at home so we need to build the momentum for the coming matches at the Emirates with a good solid win tomorrow. More important a win will give the team the right mindset to tackle the small issue of the Carling Cup semi-final where we trail Ipswich by 1-0. A loss or draw tomorrow will send shivers down the spine of any Arsenal supporter hoping to see the team end its title drought with the League Cup and put a dent in team morale ahead of that match.

A whole world of difference in just one week!

Has it been just over 10 days that we were struggling to beat Championship sides in the Cup competitions. After watching yesterday's win over Leeds, it is good to say we got our groove back. Goals from Nasri, Sagna and Van Persie guided us safely through to a meeting with another Championship side Huddersfield come January 30th.

As Simon Grayson himself admitted, his side was truly outclassed last night by a energetic Arsenal side. If you have caught last week's match at the Emirates and the one against Ipswich, you would probably wonder if it is the same club that we playing. Yesterday, our lads showed much more passion, drive and above all, hunger to win the match that was so sorely lacking in the past week. True we made it harder for ourselves that we should when we missed chance after chance in the first half but at the end, our class and determination made it comfortable.

Personally, the victory yesterday was very down to the two players, Nasri and Sagna. Without Nasri at the Emirates last week, there was no creativity in the engine room at all and we struggled to create chances. It was only when the Fabregas came on that we got going and eventually found the equalizer. So we must learn our lesson here. Nasri or Fabregas must be present in the team for the lads to gel. If both are available then it is so much better but in any case, we need at least one of them to be on the field.

The other player that caught my eye was Bacary Sagna. He has been our most consistent defender this year and without him, we were sixes and sevens in defense. Although he was caught out of position on a few occasions, his speed and determination was enough for him to be back in his position to prevent the opposition attackers taking advantage. His goal was just the icing on the cake for a superb performance last night.

Another player worth mentioning is Nicklas Bendtner. I know I have been saying he is not good enough for Arsenal (I stand by everything I said) but last night he played reasonably well. At times he look lost on the right and his first touch is still dreadful but he showed determination to run and help out in defense whenever needed.

Now that we are safely passed one Championship opposition, we just need to get through Ipswich in next week's Carling Cup semi-final return leg at the Emirates to complete an excellent start to 2011.

Give youth a chance in the FA Cup

It is quite clear from his team selection that Arsene considers the FA Cup the lowest of his priorities this season. Whereas in previous years, he has taken much pride in this competition, he has forsaken this Cup for the sake of a lesser competition but one which we have a better chance of winning at this stage. Even with the defeat at Portman Road last week, you would reckon that the Gunner have what it takes to turn the tie around next week at the Emirates.


Although I understand the rationale, I don't think I agree with his stance. I believe we are capable of competing for all four competitions  and putting up a good fight at it. Of course, we would need to rotate some of the players but Arsene needs to motivate the back-up players for them to show that they have what it takes to carry the team in the absence the star players. It is not as if the back-up players are full of young, starry eyed teenagers. Most of the players on the bench are full international who just have not been performing to their capabilities. I am very dissapointed with Rosicky, Arshavin, Bendtner and Vela. These players especially Bendtner have been moaning about lack of playing time but when they are given the opportunity, they fluff it. I say, let's give the reserves a chance if these senior back-up players do not have the stomach for the fight.

We have an abundance of players just waiting in the wings. Normally we would blood these players in the Carling Cup but this year we have a real chance of winning so Arsene has taken less risk in that. So the FA Cup remains the only competition this season where we can show off the youth pipeline. If it were me, I would play Lansbury instead of Rosicky, Jay Emmanual Thomas instead of Bendtner and Craig Eastmond instead of Denilson.

Another thing that Arsene needs to beware of is making too many chances to the team. It was clear that having 7 or changes to the regular team affect the performance so let's keep the core of the team and rotate only the necessary. We have an equal chance with anybody in the FA Cup and I would not sacrifice it at this stage for any competition.

£10 million for another youth player. Is it worth it?

If you were to believe the word coming from the British Press, Arsene Wenger is about to spent another £10 million pounds on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Daily Star wrote that the deal consist of an initial £5million upfront with another £5 million on apperances and performances. Although I have no doubt that Alex is a talented individual and much coveted by many of the Permiership top clubs, I wonder if we need another speedy youngster at all, and at that price.

Overe the past year or so, we have plunked down million of pounds on similar type players with Galindo, Silva and Miyachi all yet to make their debut for the Gunners. It reallt begs the questions, is Alex Chamberlain the player we need in the near future. I would have no problem if Arsene buys another talented youth player to bolster the ranks of the defense or midfield, but I believe we have enough attacking talent in our ranks. Invitably some of the players currently in the Young Gunners will not make it to the first team so why are we getting another one that may prove to be not good enough for the senior team.

This piece of news is unconfirmed but it is no secret that the boss is looking at the Southampton player. It would not be the worst piece of business that he has done over the years but I wouldn't agree with him on this buy. I would rather keep the dough and be on the lookout for real talents in other departments. Even if he is serious about buying another youth striker, I would rather go for Connor Wickham.At 1.91 meters and still growing, he will add another dimension to the attack, now that we know Bendtner is never gonna be good enough for the senior team.

Arsene needs to make his defensive buy sooner

News that Thomas Vermaelen will be undergoing surgery this wednesday and should be out for at least another 6 weeks does not bode well for the Gunners. If yesterday's performance is any indication, the defense still needs a lot of improvement before it can face the likes of Barcelona or Manchester United in our quest for the League and European titles. Ironically, yesterday's clean sheet was our third in a row in the premiership but the performance of Djourou and Eboue leaves a lot to be desire. We can be comforted that Sagna will be back for the next match but with Vermaelen and Squillaci now out, there are no senior players to rotate in central defense.

Djourou has improved quite a bit over the last couple of matches but yesterday he still needs to have that consistency in his game. Yesterday was not one of his better ones and if the opposition was anything more than a woeful West Ham, we would have been in for a rude shock.

Arsene has talked about his intention to bring out the cheque books but we have yet to see any indication of it. Many names have been linked to us, the latest being Philippe Mexes but there are still no concrete news as yet. I fear that our title aspirations and cup dreams may be in tatters if the Professor is up to his old negotiation tricks and wait until the window is almost over. The month of Jauary is extremely hectic with games coming thick and fast so any injuries or to Djourou or Koscielny will be a major blow. Of course we can move Song back to the defense but it will definitely weaken the established midfield partnership. I wouldn't want to change the winning formula.

So Arsene, please get out your cheque book and sign us a central defender please.