From Despair To Where.

Wednesday, 10 February 10

It's time to get down to the business of winning our last 13 league games and putting pressure on the 2 teams ahead of us in the league tonight. Liverpool pay a visit to the emirates tonight and they have somehow managed to creep up to 5 points behind us in the table. This has led to a few of their players assuming that they have a chance of catching us and that is something that we have to put a stop to tonight. A sound thrashing should see them on their way and knock the little bit of confidence they have regained right back out of them. It should also leave them struggling for 4th place in the league again but at least they will have the consolation of getting their Europa league campaign up and running fairly soon. I hope they do well in it as it would be nice to see if they can win the inaugural Europa league and then retain it next season after finishing outside the top 4.

We know what to expect when Liverpool come calling as they will pack their defence for the 90 minutes and hope to get a goal from a set piece or a breakaway as both Manure and Chelsea were so successful in recently. However, detest both of those teams as I do there is no doubt that they are far better than a very average Liverpool team especially without their very own version of RVP - Torres(all the injuries). So we can expect Arsenal to have plenty of possession and to be kicked ad nausem by Mascherano and Carragher in particular. The first yellow card will of course be given to an Arsenal player for daring to foul poor little Stevie G as he falls over a blade of grass or is knocked down by a gust of wind. I would imagine that we will see a fairly similar team to the one that took the field on Sunday against Chelsea but I do hope that Bendtner finally gets a chance to start. I also hope to see our players going at Carragher with the ball as there is nothing surer than the fact that he will foul them as his inability to tackle fairly grows by the week. Every time we play I say the players have to concentrate for every single minute of the game and time after time they make the stupidest mistakes that cost us goals. I can only hope that they can finally put a stop to it tonight and defend as if their lives depended on it when it's needed. If they can somehow manage to master the tactical foul that other teams employ to great effect against us as well I would be thrilled but I won't be holding my breath.

Even if we're not at our very best we're too good for this Liverpool team and I expect Arsenal to win but I have a funny feeling it won't be as convincingly as I would like. I'm going for a 2-1 win for us with Arshavin being the scourge of Liverpool yet again and giving the fans something to cheer about again. I'll be in the supporters club in Bray watching the game as I have to return the application forms for myself and my wife to go to the Man City game in April and for no other reason at all. I certainly won't be drinking after working 12 hours yesterday and having to do it again tomorrow. Can somebody please explain to me why I have to work longrer hours in a bloody recession?

At his press conference the boss had a lot to say although he did threaten to say nothing at all at some stage if the press keep taking portions of what he says and taking them out of context as he says they did after both the Villa and Chelsea games. He did say that he was never in for the Stoke goalkeeper Sorensen in the transfer window and he said he knew nothing of Chamakh's plans although there are reports he has signed a pre contract agreement with us. He said he didn't want to bring in players on loan in January and he felt our recent problems have been caused by defensive problems and not offensive ones although with 1 goal in 3 games after our free scoring start to the season some may choose to disagree with him. It would appear that Eduardo will be back from his most recent injury to be available to face Porto next Wednesday and Kyle Bartley has gone on a 3 month loan to Sheffield United. I will be very interested to see how he gets on as he looks to be a genuine prospect for the future. I'll leave it there as I'm busy, busy, busy.

Here's the highlights from the 8 goal thriller at Anfield last season but try to concentrate on Arshavin's 4 goals and not our defending.

And to finish today's title track from the Manic Street Preachers. After the despair of the defeats in our last 2 games where to nex? Joy I hope after tonight.

See You Tomorrow.

ps Did you notice I didn't mention Almunia once? Damn I just did.