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.

West Ham vs Arsenal: Match Preview

So after two successive disappointment in cup competitions, we go back to the business of the premiership this weekend with a trip to East London against West Ham.. On paper, this match looks pretty straight forward given the disparity in league positions among the two team.s However, we are still not sure which Arsenal team will turn up for the match. The one that performed so beautifully to beat champions Chelsea or the sub par babies who couldn't even take out lowly Ipswich.

Once thing's for sure, it would be a much change side to the one which competed in the cup competitions. I do not expect to see players like Bendtner, Gibbs and Denilson on the subs bench let alone start the match. Instead, we will see the return of Nasri, Van Persie and Clichy to add some bite especially in the attack.

The team's offence has been very poor for the past two games. This has got to be down to the players forming the attacking unit in those games. We know Bendtner is not go enough to lead the line (Arsene is probably putting out in the shop window for both matches) while the two wide players, Walcott and Arshavin are suffering from low self confidence. I am sad to see both of them perform so badly because I think we need both of them to be firing if we are to challenge for honours in all four competitions. Walcott really needs to regain his form he showed earlier in the season. It seems like he is trying too hard and not getting the results. On the other hand, Arshavin needs to try harder. He seems to give up most of the time when his tricks or passes does not go through. It's definitely a mental issue so if we can't straighten him out may be it's time to ship him out.

The Gunners are also facing some injuries concerns especially to our skipper and goalkeeper. Wojciech has proven to be a capable replacement for Fabianski but the loss of Fabregas would be a concern. Thankfully we have Nasri and Van Persie back to run things in midfield.

We have quite a good recent record against the Hammers, having beaten them in our last three meetings. They are another inconsistent side who had performed badly in the premiership but continue their good run in the cup competitions. Avram Grant's job is on the line so it looks like a game he cannot afford to lose.

Arsenal loves to see its fans suffer!

How else can you explain last night's performance. Here we are facing a side languishing in the lower regions of the Championship, have just been thrashed at the weekend and not having the new manager with the team, yet we contrive to lose this match and make it harder for ourselves to qualify for our first final in 4 years.

If our continue to give such a performance then I seriously don't think we will end our title drought this year. Our much vaunted attack was nowhere to be seen. It was not as if we were a team of youth talents as the case in previous years. Our attack last night was lead by three full internationals, yet I don't think they managed a shot a goal.

I was very disappointed with the defeat. It would have made the work so much easier if we had beaten Ipswich last night. Now we have to break down a dogged defense at the Emirates and hope we do not fall prey to the counter attack again. It will not be easy at the Emirates as Ipswich proved last night that they can defend very well.

The other problem with the defeat last night was that it adds further pressure to the team in a period where fixture congestion may become an issue. Basically all out matches from now until the middle of February are must win matches. We cannot afford to slip up on anymore League matches while the cup matches are now do or die.The lads will be playing 2 games a week for the near future. I am afraid if the fringe players do not buck up then we will be in a lot of trouble. Twice in a week, players like Bendtner and Arshavin have failed to impress. It's not wonder that these two are linked with moves away from the Emirates.

Although disappointed, I am still optimistic that we will conquer all before us starting with West Ham this Saturday and Leeds the following week. The team always make us suffer but I am hoping for a big surprise to end all suffering come February.

Arsene, please don't underestimate Ipswich

Tonight we will take a step closer to winning our first title in 5 years. First we have to get through Championship side Ipswich to reach the final. Although it may seem like a forgone conclusion on paper, I would say we should be wary of the Tractor Boys tonight. Since Ipswich got hammered 7-0 last weekend by Chelsea, you may not be impressed by my lack of optimism but here are two reason why I am a little concerned.

Firstly, the new manager effect may be a factor in the opposition's performance. Last weekend, they were managerless after Roy Keane was sacked but they have installed Paul Jewell as manager and it will be his first game in charge. As we have seen countless times, whenever a new manager comes in, the performance typically goes up. The players want to impress the new manager and would be playing out of their skin to keep their place in the squad.

Secondly, the League Cup is all there is for the opposition. Ipswich are currently lying down at the bottom of the Championship so this is their only chance for glory. Moreover they have prove to be resilient in this competition, having beaten another Premiership team, West Bromwich Albion in the previous round. I am sure they will be up for it.

Having said all that, our boys will also be wanting to end the wait for a title this year. It is there for the taking and there is no reason why we can not win this one. With the fixture congestion coming up in the next few weeks, we need to win this game by a healthy margin so that the return leg is where the manager can afford to rest some of the key players. Unlike the match against Leeds where we started without some of the stars, I hope the manager will not make the same mistake again and start with his best team from the get go.

Young Gunners' thrashing a worry for the academy

Arsenal's much vaunted pipeline of talented players got a bitter shock last night with a 10-1 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa Reserves. It was a most unexpected defeat for Neil Banfield's boys as the coach field a relatively strong reserve side with the likes of Emmanual Thomas, Eastmond, Sunu, Aneke all playing while Freeman was on the bench. However, Banfield was forced to field a makeshift defence as Ignasi Miguel was training with the senior squad. Elton Monteiro played his first game for the reserves and partnered Eastmond in the heart of the defence.

Villa's reserves was peppered with players currently making their mark in Gerard Houllier's senior squad with Jonathan Hogg and Nathan Delfounesco showing their quality in midfield.
Nonetheless, you would expect the boys to give a good showing of themselves in their first reserve league match of the year.

Unfortunately the boys capitulated after the sending off for George Brislen Hall in the first half. At this time, Villa was already up 1-0 courtesy of of a stunner by Gary Gardner.  After that, we maintained our attacking play but was always going to be caught when the opposition broke. Playing a rookie at centerback really put paid any hopes of stemming the tide and by half time we were down 5-0 and game over.

A couple of changes during the break saw Freeman and Deacon coming in. Although we improved a little, the goals kept going in as the boys pushed forward in searching for a consolation. We managed that when Deacon headed in a JET freekick.

We have always thought we have a very good pipeline of players coming through the ranks and way ahead of the rest in youth development. This thrashing comes in as a stark reminder that the other teams have caught up in youth development.

No doubt we have talented players in the attacking department but it is our lack of quality in defense that is plaguing our first team and now the young guns as well. Yes Banfield was missing the bulk of his first choice defense but the lack of command and calm defending for the defenders on the field should be a worry for Liam Brady and his academy coaches.

Squillaci's injury might be for the best

News that Arsene Wenger might be force into making a foray into the transfer market this season after the injury suffered by Sebastian Squillaci is certainly music to my ears. Our defence has been weak all season long even after adding Koscielny and Squillaci in the summer. We have lost our best defender in Vermaelen for much of the season and he is not looking close to making a comeback. With Squillaci out basically we are back to where we were last season with only 2 fit centerbacks in the team. Koscielny and Djourou have done tremendously, especially the Swiss but it is inevitable that Arsene will now sign a centerback in this January transfer window. The questions is who will he sign? Will he plum for a quality centerback to shore up the defence for this season and moving forward OR will he just get a cut-rate defender as cover for the regular first team players.

If it is the latter, there are already reports linking us back to Sol Campbell. I don't think this is anything near plausible since the Englishman spurned our contract offer to sign for Newcastle. There are also reports linking us to David Wheater over at Middleborough. Taking this option and going for Campbell or Wheater would certainly be cheaper but I fear it will affect our chances this season. It is very similar to the situation last season when Arsene had the chance to buy a center back in January but he didn't and we ended up looking woefully short when both Gallas and Vermaelen were out. Arsene is a quick learned man so I don't think he will make the same mistake again.

So it  is likely that he will choose the first option and signal his intent to win all competitions with a major signing. Over the last day or so, all the names we have been linked to in the past have surfaced. Cahill, Jagielka, Mertersacker, Saphic, Tasci and Samba looks to be the likely target, if you read and believe the British press.

Of all the players, I am rooting that we sign Gary Cahill. This guy ticks all the boxes as far as what Arsene is looking for. He's young, tough, fast and have a calm head for one so young. The only problem is he will not come cheap and may not want to leave the North-West for London. The other player I like is Per Mertersacker. He was one of the best defenders at the World Cup and have continued his good form for Werder Bremen. getting him over the channel and into England may be a problem though, as German players are always reluctant to leave the Bundesliga.

Lastly and possibly the cheapest alternative is Christopher Samba from Blackburn. Here is a behemoth of a defender, with all the Premiership experience you want. He will bring steel and height to a fragile defence. Moreover, he is looking to leave Blackburn at the double after Big Sam was sacked. Plus point, he speaks French. Minus point - he adores the Big Walrus.

Personally, any of the three is good enough for me. The most important thing is Arsene must signing someone within these 3 weeks.

Really! Bendtner needs to go!

As I said in my game preview earlier, Nicklas Bendtner will probably play in the FA Cup tie and must use the opportunity to prove to the fans that he has what it takes to make it permanently in the Arsenal set-up. He was in the starting eleven but did he perform? I don't think so. I was thoroughly criticized in my earlier post for saying Bendtner was not good enough for the Gunners. By the way the game went and the Dane's performance, I feel totally vindicated.

Seriously we need quality back-up players so that the manager can rotate his squad around. Too long have we been saddled with mediocre players like Bendtner who is taking up a slot which could have been used to purchase another player or further the development of a younger generation of players.

No doubt Bendtner was a highly talented youngster in the academy but like so many before him, he just does not seem to be able to make the grade. It would be better for his development if he moves to another club in England of elsewhere in Europe where he might get a game more regularly. He has had his chances and it's time for Arsene to look at other talented youngsters in the frame that may potentially make the grade to be first choice players. We have no lack of depth in that area with JET, Afobe, Watt and Freeman all waiting in the wings.

The FA Cup Odyssey Begins

Last year's defeat at Stoke was a bitter pill to digest. Arsene got it totally wrong last year playing a somewhat weakened side against the Potters. I wouldn't fault him though as the squad was not deep enough and we were in a good place to challenge for the title.

This time around, he has indicated that he will be making wholesale changes for the upcoming clash against Leeds but I am confident that this time around, we have the players to step up even when the regulars are rested. I am talking about players like Denilson, Gibbs Rosicky, Bendtner and Arshavin who have not been featuring regularly in recent weeks. This is the time for them to show the boss that they are good enough to be part of the team. I was criticized for saying Bendtner is not good enough for the team. Well, let's hope he can show me what he is all about against a team playing in League One.

There are also talks that Arsene might give young Japanese sensation Ryo Miyachi a run-out in this game. I am very excited to see this guy play. Being Asian, I love to see him succeed at the club. I haven't seen him play before but everybody has been singing praises of him. Plus I believe the Professor will not sign a 18 year old unless he is exceptional.

As everyone keep reminding us, our last trophy was the 2005 FA Cup. I think it is about time the Cup came home to the Emirates. It only takes 6 wins to claim the Cup and it all begins on Saturday.

Two points dropped again at the Emirates

It was disheartening to see this match end in a stalemate given the many opportunities that we had especially in the first half. You could say that luck was not on our side today as both Van Persie and Fabregas rocked the frame of the goal in a match where we truly dominated. If we had converted those early chances, I am sure we would have won the game today. At the end of the season, we might have to look at these games: the one last night and the match against Chelsea at the Bridge as the ones when we lost the title.  We dominated and created chances after chances but failed to bring home the points.

It's not point dwelling on the match yesterday anymore so let's move on from here. The next two matches are equally important(if not more) in our quest to fill our trophy cabinets. We have always performed well in the FA Cup and there should not be any reason why we cannot win the League Cup this year. In fact, it will be a travesty if we do not end our title drought this time around.

Going by last night's match, I am pretty optimistic with the team. Last night's performance was sharp and lively with the players seeming hungry for the win. The defense held up well to give us a second consecutive clean sheet, somewhat a rarity these days. The loss of Sagna to the red card might be a problem for us, as he is by far the most dependable defender this season.

Last night also showed us that Manchester City will not win the title if Mancini is at the helm. It seems they have not learned their lesson from last year. Last season, I would say they lost the champions league place because they were not ambitious enough. Remember how they came to the Emirates just to play out a draw against a Gunners team missing 8 first team players. This year again, they could have taken the game to us but chose to be happy with a point rather than grab all three. As the saying goes, fortune favours the brave. I am sure the Citizens will not win anything this year or the next.

January Transfer Window: Arrivals at the Emirates

As we expected , Le Boss has come out and squashed any hopes of a major signing during this transfer window. According to Arsene, he would only be looking at another centerback should TV5 failed to recover from his injury.

Although I expected this from the gaffer, I had hope that GE would be looking to bring in another centerback even if Vermaelen returns in a couple of weeks. The defense has been our Achilles heel throughout last season and this year with no sign that the two players he brought in the summer can be the permanent solution to the problem.

We are on the cusp of something great with this team. If we can plug the holes in defense then we will really go places. Firstly, just go and get Gary Cahill. Owen Coyle is resigned to losing him so what are we waiting for. Sure he would cost about £15 - £18 million pounds but didn't we pay about £10 million for Koscielny and Cahill is definitely better than the Frenchman.

Secondly, get Marcus Sketelenburg over from Ajax. Fabianski has improved over the last few months but  can he really be the answer to our goalkeeping woes? I don't think so. Wigan's equalizer proved that we need a more commanding goalkeeper in that position. Of course there are other candidates in this department but I fancy the Dutchman and he would not cost a bomb.

Other than the possibility of these two additions, the team is very well equipped to handle the rigours of challenging on four fronts. First up, let's whack the millionaires from the north and show them money doesn't alway guarantee success.

January Transfer Window: The goings from Arsenal

So the transfer window is open, and yet again all the wheeling and dealing will begin once more. For our beloved Gunners, I don’t think we would be doing much buying this time around. Traditionally Arsene does not buy in the January transfer window, with the exception of Reyes and Arshavin. What the Professor does during this time is to let some players go out on loan or even for sale.

This time around, there are several candidates who would be possibly leaving the club for good at this time. It looks like Manual Almunia is almost sure of leaving the club with a trip back to his native Spain the most likely destination. Although not many would agree with me but he has served us well in his time with the Gunners. I remembered he was kept us in a few games especially in the 2008/09 season. However after his calamitous game against Manchester United at the start of last season, he never did seem like the same player. More often than once, his goalkeeping errors have cost us the game so thank you Manual, hope you have a good future away from the Emirates.
Another one who looks likely to be leaving is Nicklas Bendtner. I know Arsene rates the young Dane very highly but lack of playing time will dictate his move away. For me, he is never good enough to be the main attacker for the Gunners, which he thinks he deserves to be. His last game against Wigan, which may proved to be his last for us, again showed he lacked the performance needed to be the top striker for us. No doubt he has scored a couple of important goals for us but unfortunately he is just not consistent enough. So Nicklas, good luck and we wish you all the best.

Lastly, there are reports Bolton wants to loan Carlos Vela for the rest of the season. I think it would be best it we were to sell him outright but a loan deal would be good as well. We may even get Gary Cahill as part of the deal. That would be ideal. Carlos has had his opportunity at the club and like Bendtner, it doesn’t seem like he is going to cut it. He may do well in some other clubs but with the glut of attacking talent at Arsene’s disposal, he is just the fat that needs to be cut away. Again, good luck to you Carlos.

Tomorrow, we look at some possible additions to the squad should Arsene decides to bring out the cheque book.

Arsenal vs Manchester City: Match Preview

Happy New Year everybody, the Kid is finally back after much needed break over the holiday season. Didn’t catch the matches over the holiday season but it is a good feeling knowing that we managed to get 7 points from the 3 matches played over the last week. It would have been better if we had beaten Wigan but I suppose the wins over Chelsea and Birmingham made up for much of the disappointment.

We have quite often faltered when coming up against out title competitors so I hope the Chelsea results will mean that we have turned the corner with regards to playing the big teams. Tomorrow’s match against the Citizens is no doubt a big match. We certainly need a win to keep up with United at the top of the table. As Arsene said, the title is there for us to take and we need to grasp this opportunity by its horns.

After tomorrow’s match, we would have completed half of the fixtures against our main title rivals with only a visit to White Hart Lane and epic clash with United at the Emirates still to come. I know it is still too early to talk about title run-ins but if you look at United and Chelsea, they still have to play each other home and away which will mean either one or both will drop points.

Therefore, it is supremely important that we win tomorrow’s match against the Citizens. We have shown that we can beat them with the 3-0 thrashing we gave Roberto Mancini’s side in October. The opposition is on a winning streak but I don’t think they have been playing all that well. Their victory over Blackpool was labored and they still have not found a way to play Tevez and Balotelli in the same line-up.

As for us, the win over Birmingham was impressive and I believe Arsene will stick to almost the same line-up with a few changes notably Arshavin for Walcott and Squillaci for Djourou or Koscielny. Other than that I think the team pretty much picks itself. We may have lost a couple of games at the Emirates earlier in the campaign but the victory over the Blues last time around shows we are back to the good old days at the Emirates.