Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it - Part 3

Vito Mannone - Hull City
Apps: 5 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 18 Loan due to end: January 31
Last match: Hull City 2-0 Bristol City
League position: 18th in Championship
Verdict: Don Vito will be the third choice keeper once Manuel Almunia leaves the club. I don't think he will overtake Wojciech but he has to stay patience and overtake Fabianski when the latter inevitably makes a mess of things.

Aaron Ramsey - Nottingham Forest
Apps: 0+2 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 25 Loan due to end: January 3
Last match: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Crystal Palace
League position: 8th in Championship 
Verdict: Rambo's loan spell was really to get him back to fitness after his broken leg. Ideally he would be back with the Gunners in January, but maybe continuing his rehabilitation with Forest will eventually be better for him.

Mark Randall - Rotherham United
Apps: 1 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 27 Loan due to end: January 25
Last match: Southend 1-0 Rotherham United
League position: 4th in League Two
Verdict: Former reserves's team captain Mark has not been able to make the leap to the senior sqaud. It would be best to leave the club and seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Armand Traore - Juventus
Apps: 2+2 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 31 Loan due to end: End of the season
Last match: Chievo 1-1 Juventus
League Position: 4th in Serie A
Verdict: Armand has had his opportunities to cement his place in the squad but his perfromances end of last season showed that he won't cut it with the Gunners.


This is my last post for the year. Wishing all of you

"Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year"

Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it - Part 2

Thomas Cruise - Carlisle United
Apps: 6 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 3 Loan due to end: January 8
Last match: Carlisle United 0-2 Dagenham and Redbridge
League position: 11th in League One
Verdict: How Thomas does at the club depends a lot of Gael Clichy. He is the heir apparent for the left back position after Kieran Gibbs. If Clichy moves on then Thomas would have a much better chance of making it to the first team. Otherwise, he might end up like another Armand Traore, although Thomas is a much better player.


Cedric Evina - Oldham Athletic
Apps: 8 Goals: 1
Loan started: October 5 Loan due to end: January 4
Last match: Rochdale 1-1 Oldham
League Position: 6th in League One
Verdict: Very much an utility player which Arsene likes to keep. Have seen him in attack and defense so he is quite comfortable in both areas. His adaptability will be an asset and keep him at the club


Samuel Galindo - Salamanca
Apps: 0+4 Goals: 0
Loan started: September 3 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Salamanca 4-2 Las Palmas
League position: 4th in Spanish Second Division
Verdict: Another one following the footsteps of Carlos Vela. He will be given chances, again just like Vela so whether he makes it or not is entirely up to him.


Gavin Hoyte - Lincoln City
Apps: 7 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 29 Loan due to end: January 29
Last match: Hereford 2-2 Lincoln City
League position: 19th in League Two
Verdict: Although I like him when I saw him play, unfortunately I don't think he will be ever good enough for the Gunners. Will be following his brother's way out of the squad.

Henri Lansbury - Norwich City
Apps: 4 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 22 Loan due to end: January 16
Last match: Coventry 1-2 Norwich City
League position: 5th in Championship
Verdict: Already featured in the first team this season, Henri is definitely going to stay at the club. His loan spell has been a success and I see him emulating Jack Wilshere and being injected into the senior team once he is back from his loan spell. He will be a mainstay in the Arsenal team for a long time.

Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it back - Part 1

Since there is absoutely no action whatsoever on the field, i thought i would take a look at the Young Gunnners who are currently out on loan. According to the Arsenal website,  we have 15 players out on loan at the moment, with loan contracts running ending anytime in January till end of the season. Obviously there is no way that all these players will ever make it to the first team. some of team have been in reserves and loaned out every single year so maybe it's time for team to move on and provide some cash to fund the club. so here's a look at those i think will make it and those who are unlikely to be around the Emirates much longer.

Benik Afobe - Huddersfield Town
Apps: 7+2 Goals: 3
Loan started: November 2 Loan due to end: January 8
Last match: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Brighton
League position: 3rd in League One
Verdict:This guy is very much a keeper. He is an outstanding talent and is already a star with the England U17 team. He is only 17 but is already knocking on the first team's door. Arsene rates this guy highly so he should be a success with the club in the near future.


Nacer Barazite- Vitesse Arnhem
Apps: 5+4 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 31 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Groningen 4-1 Vitesse Arnhem
League position: 15th in Dutch Eredivisie
Verdict: Unfortunately, the Dutchman doesn't seem to be able to make it to the main squad. Every year he is loaned out after the pre-season and nothing much has changed. He should be looking at other options. Maybe a drop down to a Championship team will be good for him. Apparently a couple of Bundesliga clubs are interested


Kyle Bartley - Sheffield United
Apps: 16+1 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 10 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Sheffield United 1-0 Swansea
League position: 20th in Championship
Verdict: Bartley is a promising centreback and I predict will be in the first team come next season. He is gaining valuable experience with Sheffield United at the moment. A throwback to the Tony Adams of old and much needed for Arsenal in the near future.


Pedro Botelho - Cartagena
Apps: 17 Goals: 2
Loan started: August 13 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Cartagena 5-2 Las Palmas
League Position: 4th in Spanish Second Division
Verdict:Was not very outstanding during his time with the reserves and neither has his loan term with Cartagena set anything alight. One to let go


Francis Coquelin - Lorient
Apps: 5+5 Goals: 0
Loan started: Start of season Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Toulouse 3-0 Lorient
League Position: 12th in Ligue 1
Verdict: He went to Lorient as part of the Koscielny deal. Although his is a good player, there is too many players already in the defensive midfield position that I think Arsene will let him go. Under the young guns pecking order, he is already behind Craig Eastmond and Emmanuel Frimpong so his chances will be limited.

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Let Denilson go and get Ramsey back

Today's news headlines were all about the prospective £10 million bid for Denilson by our favourite Spanish side, Barcelona. I don't see this really happening because they just signed Mascherano in the summer. Nonetheless, I would welcome such a move for the Brazilian.

Denilson has been with the first team for 3 years now. When he initially came in, I was really excited about the his play. He has exquisite movement and passing but he seemed to have regressed. The boy does not seem to give his 100 percent in every match and sometimes just saunters around. Last year's F.A Cup defeat at Stoke was a prime example of the lackadaisical attitude that the boy has at times. He was at fault for the second goal, not bothered to track the midfield run of the opposition player.

He started a lot of games last year but this time around Arsene seems to have put more faith in Jack Wilshere than the Brazilian. Even Diaby was starting more games than the Brazilian until he got injured. Therefore he wouldn't be a lost if we can get some decent money for him. Barcelona may not be the destination but I am hearing that a couple of German clubs are interested in him as well.

Another thing about letting Denilson go is we would free up a midfield role for Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman's loan period at Nottingham Forest is coming to an end so he can be integrated back into the squad slowly. Without Denilson, Rambo's chances would be better and I would definitely rate him over the Brazilian anytime.

So let's thank Denilson for his services to the club and bid him farewell this January!

Miyachi's signing a little strange for me

It's been a real boring weekend so far. I thought I would have the double pleasure of watching the Gunners trample all over Stoke City and return to the top of the Premiership. Both events did not happened due to the big freeze currently sweeping over England and most of Europe now.

Past few days have been dominated by the signing of young Japanese starlet Ryo Miyachi. I have not personally watch this guy play but isn't being 18 years of age a little too old to join the academy. When we have players are like Wishere, Ramsey and Walcott all starting their first team careers at that age, why is it that we are bringing an untested player in at that age. Don't get me wrong but I love that Arsene has signed an Asian player but I do hope it is not for commercial reasons. Anyone remember Junichi Inamoto?

If I am not wrong, there are another  players coming in during the January window who is about that age, Welling Silva. This guy though is a proven player in the Brazilian league so the situation is a little different. I am just a little perplexed with the Miyachi signing. Anyways, I wish him all the best in his Arsenal career.

Shawcross just rubs me the wrong way

Much has been said about the response that Ryan Shawcross will receive when he steps onto the pitch this afternoon. Even Arsene has come out and ask the fans not to give the guy a hard time. Personally, if I am at the stadium, I would be jeering until my throat is hoarse each time the player touches the ball. I just cannot stand the way the guys is made to look like a saint even after causing injury to two Arsenal players.

I would have respected him more if he had to admit that he was wrong in making the rash challenge which broke Rambo's leg. He didn't. All he said was that he didn't meant it and it was not malicious. Of course, every player does not go into a challenge aiming to break a players's leg (unless you'are Roy Keane) but whether the tackle needs to be made have to be examine. I still haven't forgiven the guy and I don't think I will no matter what Arsene says.

I don't like to be vindictive but maybe he just rubs me the wrong way. Anyway,  I would be happy if the Gunners can just thump Stoke and climb back up to the top of the Premiership.

Barca must be cursing their luck for drawing the Gunners

As Arsene predicted, we were drawn to meet Barcelona in the first knock-out stage of the Champions League. Many may consider that this is the worst possible draw for us but with a 25% chance of meeting the favorites, it was hard to avoid to inevitable. We shall not dwell on the two defeats that brought us to this state after starting so brightly with the thrashing of Braga.

Personally, I am happy to draw Barcelona. You might think I am mad but it is the best possible draw for us. Let me tell you why? First, I genuine believe that we have what it takes to beat Barcelona if we performed to our best. We gave them a great fright and rattled them with the performance at the Emirates when we played with an almost full team (just missing Robin Van Persie). I am convinced we would have beaten them at the Camp Nou had we showed up with the same team. Unfortunately, injuries started to take its toll on the first team and we went there without 5 first team regulars and ended up losing. However, we took the lead and it was only because of Messi that we lost the match. He is nowhere near the form he was last year while we have improved the squad. In Nasri, we have currently the hottest player in Europe.

Second, even if we lose, there is no harm to it. It is better to lose early in the knockout stages then going forward into the latter stages only to lose then. Last year was a classic example. Chelsea went out early and could concentrate on the domestic challenge. Ourselves and Man United went forward into the quarterfinals and semifinals but failed to match Chelsea domestically. Therefore, a lost could be the best thing for us since our title competitors would surely go through given their easy match-ups against weak opponents.

Having said that, I don't think Josep Guardiola will be pleased with the draw. The pressure will be all on him and I think he will be having sleepless nights thinking about this match-up. For us, if we win it would be a big boost to our European credentials and elimination of the favorites from the competition. As said, even if we lose there is no big downside to it. So getting Barcelona is the ideal situation for the Gunners.

Arsenal vs Stoke City: Match Preview

This Saturday, we welcome Tony Pulis’s team to the Emirates. Now that Big Sam is out of a job, Pulis must be the manager most hated by Arsenal fans among the current crop of Premiership gaffers. His reaction and comments after the Shawcross incident and subsequent jibes regarding our beloved team has made him a favorite target for the loyal fans at the Emirates.

The Potters are in quite good form coming into this match having gone four matches unbeaten before bad home defeat to Blackpool last weekend, whereas we are still suffering from the morale-crushing defeat to Man United on Monday night.

We know have our full complement of first choice players back bar for Vermaelen so we should see how the team gel after some lackluster performances. I have said previously that our success this year would be conditioned on getting the offensive players to work together in the same team Arsene must somehow fit Van Persie and Chamakh upfront and accommodate both Cesc and Nasri in field. This issue will be a major determinant of our success this season. It has been proven time and again that went we score early then our chances of winning are much better.  In fact we almost always win when we go ahead in a match.

Surprisingly our attack has been stuttering for the past couple of games. Somehow we are not getting in gear. Against Man United, we were hardly an attacking force and barely forcing Van der Sar to make a save. This is unacceptable given the quality of offensive players at the manager’s disposal. If the player is not playing up to his form, then make the brave decision and bench him. Arshavin would be a classic case.  He is blowing hot and cold this season (mainly cold) so let’s give others a chance. There are others waiting in the wings like Theo and Vela. Although both have not impressed of late, they can provide more variation to that Arsenal attack. Theo especially has been disappointing since he came back, but I feel he deserves his chance in the starting line-up.

This match will not be won by our defense. We know how Stoke will play and given recent history, they will probably score a goal from one of Delap’s missiles. This is inevitable so in order to win this Saturday we need to score more goal that them. With Chelsea and Man United going against each other, it will be an opportunity for us to climb back to the top of the Premiership for Christmas.

Nasri wins French Award and Mertesacker coming to the Emirates

It's a pretty slow news days for Arsenal fans as we try to keep up the spirits in the wake of the Man United defeat. Nothing new has been mentioned from that match anymore so we'll just chalk that as another defeat which will probably mean nothing if we lift the championship trophy come May.

So with much to comment on, I just focus on some of the news making the headlines in the local dailies. Samir Nasri, our best player of the season so far, has won the French Player of the Year award, beating out the competition from Florent Malouda, Yoaan Gourcuff, Franck Ribery and Hugo Lloris. Nasri is extremely deserving of the award given his performances for the Gunners in 2010, from the superb solo goal he scored against Porto to playing his best football ever since he stepped foot in England. The Arsenal Kid congratulates you, Samir Nasri, you deserved it.

Another interesting headline making the rounds is the possible availability of Per Mertersacker after he turned down a new contract offer from his club Werder Bremen. Arsene tried desperately to sign this guy before the summer transfer window closed but the player was reluctant to leave his present club. However, reports coming out from Germany mentioned that the player is now looking at a possible move to a bigger club and Arsenal are the frontrunners for his signature. Mertersacker who has almost 70 caps for Germany is a big and composed defender. He will be ideal as the long term partner for TV5. Unfortunately, I think it is highly unlikely for Le Professor to splash out cash to bring in another defender, given that he has already spent close to £15 million pounds for Squillaci and Koscielny in the summer.

Till Tomorrow!

Positives amid all the doom and gloom

If you were to believe most of the news reports today, you would have thought that following Arsenal’s defeat yesterday, we are now lying bottom of the Premiership table  and likely to be relegated. It does seem funny how with each match the sentiment among pundits can change just at a whim.

No doubt it was a defeat but no unexpected given our recent history. Are we out of the title race...definitely not. Although many pundits would like to brush off our chances, they simply can’t do that. We are still in second place and I won’t be surprise that the conclusion of next weekend’s round of matches, we would be again sitting on top of the league.

I tend to be optimistic and look at the positives from the match yesterday. First, it was a credible performance by the young keeper Szechny. He couldn’t do anything about the goal and made a great save in a one-on-one situation with Anderson. Again I wouldn’t be suprise to see him between the sticks in the next game against Stoke. He has a presence in the box which Fabianski doesn’t and this will continue in handy against the aerial bombardment expected from Pulis’s guys.

Second, I thought the defence held up better than expected. We did concede a goal and a penalty but other than that I don’t think Man United had many chances. I count probably two; Nani’s volley and Anderson’s miss but that’s it. The central partnership of Koscielny and Squillaci kept Rooney pretty quiet for most parts of the game.

Upfront, we couldn’t get going with Arshavin and Rosicky both disappointing but Walcott was not too bad when he came on. He was lively and had a couple of shots. I also see better things once we can get Fabregas, Van Persie and Chamakh to work in tandem. This is probably the first time they played together and I see positive things in the future.

All in all, we shouldn’t be too hard on the boys following the defeat. It’s over and let’s move on.

After all the talk, Gunners don't show any “WALK”

After all the pre-match gung-ho talk from the players, I was really optimistic about our chances this time. It was probably naivety that brought me to believe that the boys were finally out to prove their doubters wrong and end the losing streak against the Red Devils.

Unfortunately, we were treated to the same lackluster performance that we have seen from the team over the past weeks. Whereas, we could just scrapped pass Fulham and Partizan with such performances, it was always going to be hard against Manchester United at their own den. It was not so much that the home team was outstanding, just that our boys did not show up for the match.

United was played pretty much like how they do this season, not really impressing but able to grind out the matches. Earlier in the season, their matches ended in draws but they have since turned the corner and convert such insipid performances to wins. As for the Gunners, we are still stuck during games where the opposition has a strong defensive unit. We hardly had a shout at goal. Throughout the match, I only remembered Chamakh’s header in the first half as forcing Van de Sar to make a save. Other than that, NOTHING. Even the introduction of Cesc and Robin failed to make anything worthwhile offensively.

This was the weekend where we could take a big step in the race for the title. However, yet again we failed to capitalize on this opportunity

Final thoughts before the match: Efficiency in attack key to winning the match

As they say, the best form of defence is attack. This will be especially true for the match tonight. If we are to stand any chance of winning the match tonight, we need to attack the Red Devils will all the efficiency we've got.

To rely on our defence to hold out for 90 minutes will be a tall order. That's why we need to take our chances at the other end and put the home team under pressure from the get go.

Similar to the game against Chelsea which we would have won if team was efficient in attack, this game will boil down to the team taking their chances. If we were to go and grab a couple of early goals then they would commit more men forward. Please note that I mentioned goals because a one goal lead will not be enough with our defense looking a porous as it is. We would have opportunities to score definitely and we need to take them. It is a simple as that.

Not sure if Fabianski can recover in time but if he doesn’t and Wojciech starts, I hope the young Pole can take his chance and put in the game of his life (ala Mannone against Fulham last season). He has been crying for his chance so here is the best opportunity. Go and prove it to us fans!

We need to win tonight!

With Chelsea and Spurs cancelling out each other yesterday, we have the opportunity to pull away from three of our championship competitors with a good result from a single match. A win tomorrow and we will be 4 clear or Man U and 5 ahead of Chelsea.

As this year's premiership becomes tighter and tighter such an advantage will be priceless. Yes, we know that any team can drop points during any weekend but as the season progresses, the likelihood of upsets become less and less, and the perennial title challenger go on long unbeaten run.

Surprise defeats usually come early in the season as mid and low table teams  still have the full fitness of a squad. This is unlikely to continue and by christmas you would see teams like Blackpool, wolves, Wigan and west ham unable to win another match in a long time.

Therefore to be champions we need to maintain the consistency and the advantage gap that we have built. We have gone on long unbeaten runs before as the Gunners are traditional strong during the turn of the year.

However everything starts with a victory tonight. We need to win this one!

Jack will have to be sacrifice when Cesc returns

Many have wondered how we can accommodate all our first team players when they return from their respective injuries. Although given our team's luck, we would not be concern by this issue, nonetheless we have to consider playing Cesc, Nasri and Van Persie all in the same team.

Have read a lot of comments recently stating that Chamakh should continue as our main striker and Van Persie to start from the bench. Personally, I don't think we should leave a fit Van Persie anywhere but on the field. Although he has not shown his usual form as yet, I put it down to lack of match fitness rather than anything else.

So with Cesc having the possibility of returning for the big game on Monday, how would you play the team. For me, the person to be sacrifice in our usual midfield would be young Jack Wilshere. No doubt, he has come a long way this season but he is still a work in progress and we would need our best players for this match. The only way we are going to win the match against the Red Devils is to be brave and attack them so I am advocating a return to the more traditional 4-4-2 system with Cesc and Song as the midfielders. With this system, Van Persie can continue in his “Bergkamp role” leaving Chamakh to lead the line upfront. Against Partizan on Wednesday, we already saw Van Persie in this role, sometime dropping as deep as the center circle to receive the ball.

With Cesc in midfield, we can also be assured of this defensive capabilities, Although he doesn't have the speed, his reading of the play is excellent, which makes his defensive qualities much needed in front of the back four. I think we have suffered a little because our captain has concentrated his effort upfront while leaving the defensive duties only to Song and Wilshere at times. As for Nasri, he can continue in his right side position. Although he does play better through the middle, he has shown his abilities down the right so there no worry there.

The good thing about Arsenal's squad currently is the depth that we have allows Arsene to change this around if things don't go our way. I believe a return to the 4-4-2 system will bring benefits to the squad of Monday but let's see what the Professor thinks on Monday.

Manchester United vs Arsenal: An Early Preview

Last year we suffered at the hands of the Red Devils losing both matches against them. The match at Old Trafford was a travesty as we really should have won the match. We dominated for long periods and took the lead only to be undone by two individual mistakes from Almunia and Diaby. I still cannot forget the Diaby own goal and often wondered how he did that. Nonetheless, let's look forward to Monday.

We are top of the table but our performances are far from convincing. The same goes for Manchester United. Yes they are still unbeaten and coming off a convincing victory over Blackburn but that result is very much like Diaby's own goal. It is a fluke. I have watched Manchester United this year and I personally think we have great chance this year.

Although their attack can be devastating with the likes of Nani, Berbatov and Rooney, their defence like us, is still suspect. This is especially true for the fullbacks. Patrice Evra has not been the same since he came back from the World Cup debacle and on the other side, there is no recognized right back in the team since Gary Neville. I don't think Gary will play but if he does, it is good news for us. He moves like a truck these days. So with our play very much attacking the flanks we do stand a great chance of opening their defence.

As for our team, we are almost back to full strength. Cesc might be back for the match but I don't think he would start given our hectic fixture over the coming weeks. We are blessed with choices up front and if one player is not performing we can switched this around, like what Le Professor did with Arshavin and Walcott.

It is the defence that we are a bit short and weak at the moment. This is the worst kept secret currently and I am sure the opposition will attack us down the middle. Not sure who should partner Squillaci, now that Djourou is back on track. I am inching towards the Swiss given his performance against Wigan and Fulham but whoever it is, the midfield screen should be prepared to put in a hard day's work.

Let's savor the victory and be proud of our record

It was again nor a vintage performance by the Gunners yesterday but in the end, all that matters were the three points and progress to the next round in the champions league.

This marks our 11thh successive season in the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition so it is something which we should savor. Not even the likes of Manchester united can boast such a record. And we did it without any sugar daddies to reinforce or coffers or local government to bail us out of out debts.

Whether we progress further this year will be down to our luck in he draw and our performances come February. We should not he too pessimistic about our chances because our performances in February is typically better than the ones in November/December. We just have to go back to the 2006 season when in the run to the final, we took out both Real Madrid and Juventus.

Although we did not play out best last night, I am happy that Le Boss is thinking about accommodating both Chamakh and Van Persie in the same line-up. It didn't work so well last night but that is down to a rusty Van Persie still finding his feet after being out so so long. One thing tha pleased me was the goal by Walcott. The young man still cannot do much right on the flanks but his finishing this season has certainly improved by leaps and bounds

And finally, a word of encouragement to Kieran Gibbs. You'll be back in no time mate. Keep the faith.

Spurs topping the group is making me sick

Seeing Spurs top their Champions League Group is making me extremely nauseus. The fact that they did in a group which is much tougher as compared to ours makes me even more sick. Further to that, we have probably a very very slim chance of finishing top of the group. That's a triple whammy for me today.

Yes we will probably go out there tonight and hammer the daylights out of Partizan but we still cannot change the fact that if Shakhtar avoids defeat to Braga, they will be top of the group. This is an important development because with the other three English teams taking top spot in their groups, it leaves us with only 5 other teams that we can possibly meet in the second stage. Therefore it leaves us with the possibility of meeting anyone of the following: Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Lyon. 

I don't know about you guys but looking at the list makes me tremble at our champions league progress this season. Not that I am looking down on our players but it's doesn't look good from where I sit and watch.

Arsenal vs FK Partizan: Match Preview

So, after starting out so well in this year’s Champions League campaign, we are down to winning our last group match to secure a place in the knockout stages. The stumbling away defeats to Shakhtar and Braga have really put a damper into our campaign this season. Even winning this match might not be enough for us to win this relatively easy group, if Shakhtar as expected beats Braga at home in the Ukraine.

We all know the consequences of finishing second in the group. The likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Milan all await us in the second round. Although on our day, we can defeat any of the above mentioned “big guns”, it would definitely make the progress harder. Although Inter did finish second in their group last season and went on to win the title, I would rather not have such “heart attacks European nights” next year.

However become we can even contemplate who we are meeting in the next stage, we have to get there first. On paper, it looks like foregone conclusion but our home form is still keeping me awake at night. Yes, we did really well to beat Fulham on Saturday, but the performance was not a vintage one. The defence is particular is still suspect so it’s going to be a tense night tomorrow.

History is however on our side. Partizan have ever won away from home in their Champions League history and looks unlikely to threaten the Gunners unbeaten home form in the Champions League. Nonetheless, we should really go out and trample all over the visitors to boost our confidence for the match-up against Manchester United next Monday. Furthermore, an eight goal performance will bring our total to 23 goals in the group stage, beating the old record of 22 currently held by Real Madrid.

Van Persie can be a major difference in the Arsenal attack

Loads of people have been questioning the effectiveness of Robin Van Persie as an Arsenal player since he is forever on the sidelines. Also, with the successful introduction of Chamakh into the Arsenal ranks, many would like to dispense with the services of the Dutchman given his limited playing time due to injuries. The other big question is how Arsene Wenger can integrate the two players into the current line-up.

The answers to all those questions were an emphatic yes, going by the performance against Fulham. We saw for almost 30 minutes that both Van Persie and Chamakh can play together. During the match, Van Persie was playing in the “Bergkamp role” and not his usual main striking position, which was left to Chamakh. I think the change suited him fine as he was dropping deep and finding the spaces with his vision. It also makes him harder for defenders to mark him.

Although he did not score, his contribution to Nasri’s second goal was a reflection of how big a difference he can be to the Arsenal attack. As Arshavin pass the ball to Van Persie, you could see how he drag two Fulham players into his sphere as he lined up a shot with his majestic left foot. This created space for Nasri to run into his layoff and the end result was for all to see.

That is why Van Persie is such an important player to Arsenal. He has missed almost half a season with the team (as he usually does) so based on past records, we can expect to see him throughout the rest of the season. With his contribution, I have no doubts we are going to be challenging for more honours this time around.

A good start to an important week

So we are on top of the Premiership going into the most important week of our season so far. On Wednesday we take on FK Partizan at home in a tie which will determine our further progress in this year’s Champions League campaign, then on Monday night we travel to Old Trafford for a top of the table clash with Manchester United.

Yesterday’s laboured victory over Fulham was anything but convincing, with the strikers showing the usual profligacy in front of goal and the defenders still looking as shaky as ever. However, Djourou seems to be coming into his own as a key member of the central defence with a more solid performance than before. With Koscielny out for three weeks and Vermaelen still nowhere to be seen, the young Swiss with have the chance of his life against the likes of Man United and Chelsea in the coming weeks.

With our home form still stuttering, we should not take the mid-week game for granted. FK Partizan is the weakest team in the Group but that what we said of West Brom and Newcastle who ended up leaving the Emirates with maximum points. It still remains to be seen if we can continue our goal-scoring home form for European games by hitting six past Partizan.

The match I am more looking forward to is next Monday’s match at Old Trafford. Last year, we dominated the match only to lose again courtesy of two individual mistakes. This year the mistakes have not abated but we seem to perform better on the road so there is reason to be optimistic. Win that match and we would be four points clear of the Red Devils and possibly more from Chelsea (as the Blues take on Spurs).

All in all the victory yesterday was much needed not least to start the month on a high note but also to show that we are capable to going to the top and staying there until the end of the season.

The cold weather suits our little Russian

It was a much needed league win over Aston Villa last weekend. However the most significant aspect on that win was not the three points but the performance of Andrey Arshavin.

The little Russian has so far this season, not shown the form that we know he is capable of. He work rate is also way below the others. Indeed I even called for him to be benches given how ineffective he was in previous games.

However, I was heartened to see what a good performance hr out in at Villa Park. Not only did he scored the opening goal, there was more pace and creativity to his play. Many a time he just zipped past the fullback to create opportunities for the cross. He was orchestrating  the attack in the absence of Fabregas and laid several chances for likes of Nasri, Chamakh and Wilshere.

 Being Russian I suppose he does not take warm weather all that well and the current cold spell is bringing out the best in him. Whatever it is, we need Arshavin in this kind of form as we maintain the push for trophies on four fronts.

Arsenal vs Fulham: Match Preview and Probable Line-Up

This has been a good week for us, with two successive victories in the past seven days. However, we need to be in the best of form to avoid a third straight home defeat this Saturday against Fulham. This has never ever happened before in the club’s history so let’s pray that the lads will not under-perform as they did at home in the month of November. Last month, we played five league matches at home, winning three away from home but losing the other two that were played at the Emirates.

Now that we have put the month of November behind us, I am a little bit more optimistic about the result of this tie. Fulham has only one victory this season and a whole lot of draws (a characteristic of team managed by Mark Hughes). The Cottagers are also coming into this match with an Arsenal-like injury situation, missing at least 4 keys players in Dembele, Salcido, Senderos and Zamora. They have also not beaten Arsenal away from home for the past 30 odd years so it’s even more reason to be optimistic.

As for the Gunners, we are not missing any players other than the ones we already know in Fabregas, Diaby, Vermaelen and Almunia. Nasri and Squillaci who were rated doubtful for the match has been pronounced fit by the Boss and will likely take their place in the starting eleven. Chamakh will continue up-front as Van Persie is unlikely to start two matches in a row at the present moment.

With the cold front sweeping over England, there is a worry that the match will not go on. If it does, we would again have the opportunity to go to the top of the table if we can better whatever Chelsea does against Everton, as the Blackpool vs Manchester United’s game has been called of.

Probable Line-Up: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Chamakh.

This has got to be Arsenal's year in the Carling Cup

Everywhere you look the signs are there. This has got to be our year in the Carling Cup.From the first game when the gaffer was forced to played a much stronger side than he wanted against Spurs to the semi-final draw against Ipswich, the sole non Premiership side left in the tournament, this is our best chance to end our title drought and get the critics off our back for a bit.

We have always maintained that the team needs a trophy to break away from the losing mentality and now we have the chance. The semifinal is played home and away so there is less  opportunity for a one-off upset. I know Roy Keane would love to pull a fast one against us so let's beware of that.(There's no guarantee that he will be managing the Tractor Boys come January given their disappointing League form)




Btw, anybody know why the semi-final is played over two legs wen every other round is contested only once?

Russia wins 2018 World Cup host competition, 2022 World Cup goes to Qatar

Russia was announced as the host for the 2018 World Cup competition, as announce by FIFA President Sepp Blatter today. The Russian bid prevailed over bids from three other European challengers, England, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

It was a big blow to the England bid which was one of the pre-announcement favourites. The England delegation to the FIFA headquarters in Zurich was also accompanied by its major leaders including Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham while the Russian delegation didn't even include Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The job of the host of the 2022 World Cup was also announced at the same time, with the privilege going to Qatar. Both Russia and Qatar will be hosting the prestigious event for the first time.

The voting process took place against a highly charged background after British media outlets made allegations of corruption against a number of FIFA’s executive committee members.

The executive committee, reduced to 22 after two were suspended over the allegations, voted in secret. No details of the counts were made available by FIFA but bid member Gary Lineker told Reuters England had gone out in the first round of voting for 2018.018.

No signings in January, is Arsene right?

Arsene has come out to say that his will not be adding to the squad in January. Since then there has been a chorus of criticism and disbelieve at his statement. However, I tend to agree with the Professor this time around.

The only positioning we had previously was in the goalkeeping department, and how we crave for a solid goalkeeper to shore up our defence. But since Fabianski came into his own, I don't believe we need an addition in that department. Also I don't think there is a keeper that is worth the money and would be willing to come to the Emirates.

All the goalkeepers we have been linked with previously like Schwarzer, Green, Lloris etc have all not been impressive so far. Each has made blunders and if we were to pay anything above the GBP2 million for Schwarzer, I would rather stick with Fabianski.

Elsewhere, I don't see that we have a problem. In defense, Arsene has already brought in 2 players in the summer and I am sure he will not add another one in January. We are also bless with an abundance of quality in midfield and attack so no additions needed there.

So when Arsene says he is not buying anyone this January, I am all for it. Better to save the dosh for the next transfer window if Cesc leaves

A sweet victory but let's not get complacent

We are well on track to achieve our much coveted first trophy after five long and barren years. Yesterday’s 2-0 home win over Wigan puts us into a record 14th semi-final appearance in the League Cup. Furthermore, with Manchester United losing to West Ham, we are undoubtedly the favourites to lift the trophy this year.

What’s more heartening to see was despite making 9 changes to the team that perform so well against Aston Villa at the weekend, our team still had enough quality to steamrolled past a resilient Wigan. There was no doubt that the Latics were going all out to win the match as well but there was just too much quality flowing through the team. If our forwards hadn’t been so wasteful in front of goal, the winning margin would have been much more.

Our finishing this year has been poor and it showed again in this match. I have always said that we need to improve on killing of the opponent. Vela’s miss when clean through on goal is almost unforgivable. If you look at his body language when striking the ball, it was as if he was over-confident in putting the ball into the net.

Well that is what we need to guard against: complacency. Arsene has come out to acknowledge our status as favourites in this competition but he warned that favourites don’t mean anything until you win the trophy.

Although none of the team still in the competition poses a challenge to the Gunners on paper, we have to work just as hard because all the other teams will be gunning to bring us down.

That is for January when the semi-finals roll along. As for now, we just savour the victory and move on to concentrate on the task at hand in the title race and Champions League.