Arsenal Players Display Pride And Passion As They Beat Spurs 5-2

Arsenal went into yesterday's north London derby with Tottenham Hotspur knowing that they quite simply had to win the game. They were 10 points behind Spurs with 13 games left, and three points off fourth placed Chelsea too. A three goal victory was necessary to go back into fourth place, and stay ahead in the race for the final Champions League place for next season.

When the team was announced I was delighted to see both Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs had been passed fit, and Arsenal had a relatively strong defence as a result. I was also a little surprised to see Yossi Benayoun start on the right side of the Arsenal attack, as both Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were on the substitutes bench. Aaron Ramsey missed out with an ankle injury which meant Tomas Rosicky was in the midfield again.

Spurs dominated the possession in the first few minutes, and took the lead after they broke up Arsenal's first real attack. Emmanuel Adebayor played a ball through the centre of a non-existent Arsenal defence for Louis Saha. Thomas Vermaelen managed to get back, but unfortunately his block on Saha's shot looped up and over Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.

It was a disastrous start for Arsenal, and they immediately tried to put things right by pouring forward. They dominated possession, but Spurs looked likely to add to their lead on the break at any time. Arsenal had chances to equalise, but Robin van Persie missed the best of them before the game became even harder for them.

After just over 30 minutes Gareth Bale raced right through the centre of the Arsenal defence onto a through ball, and he went down to earn them a penalty. The replays showed there was no contact, but he managed to fool both the referee and his assistant. The referee decided to take no action against Szczesny, but surely he should have given him a red card if he felt he had taken Bale down.

It was a very curious decision by the referee, and it suggested to me that he was unsure whether a foul had been committed or not. He can only give a free kick or penalty if he is sure an offence has been committed, and I would very much like to hear his version of events. Arsenal had failed to win any of their previous 10 games which Mike Dean had refereed, and that run looked like stretching to 11.

Adebayor stepped up and put the penalty away despite the best efforts of Szczesny, and Arsenal were two down with 10 minutes of the first half left. The Arsenal players continued to pour forward and Spurs looked vulnerable to me, as Arsenal had a distinct advantage in midfield. They looked capable of getting something out of the game if they could just pull a goal back before half-time.

As it turned out Arsenal went in level at the break after a dramatic final five minutes of the first half. They looked like they had pulled one back when Theo Walcott set up RVP, but his shot hit the post. Mikael Arteta immediately crossed the ball back into the penalty area, and Bacary Sagna was on hand to head it into the net past Brad Friedel.

It was just the boost Arsenal needed, and they continued to pour forward in search of an equaliser. That goal came only three minutes later when RVP got on the end of a poor clearance by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and swiveled on the edge of the area before curling the ball into the top corner. It was a fantastic goal, and few players besides RVP would have been capable of it.

Spurs made two changes at half time to try to be more competitive, but it took only five minutes for Arsenal to score again. They broke quickly through Rosicky, and he played the ball to Sagna who was overlapping on the right side. Sagna put the ball into the goalmouth and Rosicky had continued his run to stab it home at the near post.

Arsenal continued to dominate the game as the players displayed the pride and passion which they have been accused of lacking in recent times. They missed a few good chances in the next 15 minutes, but they got their just rewards after 65 minutes. Arsenal broke again and RVP held the ball up for Walcott before playing him in on the right hand side. Walcott advanced on Friedel, and clipped the ball over him as he advanced to make it 4-2.

It looked like Arsenal had the victory sewn up, and only three minutes later they added to their lead again. Alex Song played a ball over the top for Walcott, and he advanced before finishing it excellently into the far corner. It was quite incredible that Arsenal had managed to turn a two goal deficit into a three goal lead in 28 minutes of game time.

Arsenal saw the rest of the game out with relative ease, and they looked more likely to add to their lead rather than concede a third. The victory meant a lot to the players, and it was obvious through their delight at the final whistle. It meant just as much to the fans, and the manner of the victory was something for them to cherish.

I haven't been Rosicky's greatest fan, but he had an excellent game and he looked like the player Arsenal signed six years ago. His had had an awful time with injuries, but his performance yesterday suggested he has finally found the form that made such an excellent signing in 2006. His goal was his first one in over two years, and he fully deserved to be named man of the match in my opinion.

Arsenal's defending was still far from perfect, but that was the first time those four defenders had played together since the first game of the season. Gibbs went off with 15 minutes left, and I hope it was only as a precaution as he has played so little football in the past four months. The defenders got stuck in and did all that could be asked of them, but positionally they were found wanting on too many occasions.

Both full-backs attacked very well, and it was great to see the impact of Arsenal having real full-backs playing in those positions. There's a lot to be said for a properly balanced side, and Arsenal look a lot better going forward with two players who know how to overlap. The next step is for the defenders to get the defensive part of their game right.

Arsenal have rightly been accused of playing the game far too slowly at times this season, but they played with real pace yesterday. Their tempo caused Spurs some real problems at times yesterday, and if they can continue to play with that urgency they can still make something of this season.

The fight for fourth place is still very much alive, but the gap to third place suddenly looks like it's no longer insurmountable. Next weekend could be a huge one for Arsenal, as they face a trip to Liverpool early on Saturday. The next day Spurs are at home to second placed Manchester United, and if the results go Arsenal's way they could find themselves breathing down Spurs' necks with 11 games to go.

The three goal win was enough to move Arsenal ahead of Chelsea into fourth place, and to restore some pride in the club. Liverpool won't be an easy task next week, but another performance like yesterday will give the team a real chance of getting a result. The players need to find performances like that in every single game between now and the end of the season.

The north London bragging rights belong firmly to Arsenal yet again, and the next step is for them to close the gap between them and Spurs. It won't be an easy task for Arsenal, but Spurs have a lot of questions to answer too. I'm hoping that the real Spurs were the team that Arsenal took apart yesterday. 


That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Tottenham Hotspur Previewed

After their exit from the FA Cup and their almost certain exit from the Champions League in the space of four days Arsenal are back to Premier League action. As far as Premier League games go for Arsenal they don't get much bigger than a north London derby against bitter rivals Spurs. To add more spice to the game Spurs are currently 10 points ahead of Arsenal with 13 games left to play.

Since Arsene Wenger took the reins at Arsenal in 1996 they have finished ahead of Spurs in the Premier League on every single occasion. The Arsenal fans famously sing "You won the league in black and white" to the Spurs fans in reference to Spurs wait of over 50 years to add to their two league titles. Since Spurs won their "famous" double in 1961 Arsenal have managed that feat three times, and won six league titles.

Even if Spurs were to win against Arsenal they will still not win the Premier League this season. The fact that they are ahead of Arsenal in the league is more a measure of how badly Arsenal's season has gone than how well it has gone for Spurs. If the sum total of their ambition is to finish above Arsenal it doesn't really show them in a great light.

There is no doubt that this season has been a very testing one for Arsenal fans after the sales of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer. Arsenal banked an awful lot of money from their transfer dealings in the summer, and the players they brought in have not improved the squad from last season. It has to be remembered that Arsenal weren't good enough last season, but they have only weakened their squad instead of strengthening it.

There was an opportunity for Wenger to bring in some players in the January transfer window, but only Thierry Henry arrived on loan. His loan was quite successful all things considered, but he has now departed to play in America again. To make matters worse Arsenal decided to loan Andrey Arshavin to Zenit St. Petersburg yesterday, and he won't play again this season for Arsenal.

I can only assume Arsenal will sell Arshavin in the summer, and his time at the club is over. When he arrived in the transfer window in 2009 he was a revelation and he saved Arsenal's season, but he has failed to live up to the expectations he set in that magnificent spell. As the seasons went by he has become less and less effective, and his chances have been very limited this season.

I'm sure he wanted to play first team football with Euro 2012 coming up, as he is the captain and playmaker in the Russian national team. It's a role he wanted to play for Arsenal, but he never got the chance to do so. I thought the chance might come his way when Cesc was sold last summer, but it wasn't to be.

Arsenal have their injury worries ahead of the Spurs game, but hopefully both Kieran Gibbs and Laurent Koscielny will be passed fit to play. Without both of them the Arsenal defence will look very unbalanced, as Alex Song Will probably have to play in it. I know Gibbs is a long way from proving himself in the Arsenal team, but he has been at the club long enough to know what this game means.

Besides the injury concerns Wenger has a few decisions to make in his team selection, and he needs to get them right. As long as Gibbs and Koscielny play I think he will opt for Aaron Ramsey in midfield with Song and Mikael Arteta. That will mean Tomas Rosicky will miss out, but I don't think he has enough to offer in terms of actual impact despite how hard he tries.

The other decision he has to make is which two players will play in the wide roles on either side of Robin van Persie. I think Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are the most likely candidates to get the nod, as they might also have a better idea of the significance of the game. I thought Gervinho was simply not up to the physical challenge Sunderland put up to Arsenal last week, but he wasn't the only one.

Spurs are winning plaudits for the way they are playing this season, but I can't say I actually watch them play too often. I can think of a lot of better things I could do with my days than watching Spurs play such as having a nap or watching paint dry. I have seen enough of them to know Arsenal will have to be at their very best to get a result from the game.
 
Thankfully Arsenal managed to halt the league slump from January and win their last two league games, but this game will be a different proposition. The players have been found wanting far too often over the last few seasons, and they cannot afford to give anything less than their all in this game. There can be no excuses after the game if Arsenal lose, and Spurs beat them for the second time this season.

Arsenal's home record has been pretty good so far this season with eight wins in 12 games, but they lost the two biggest games they played at home in the league. Both Liverpool and Manchester United came to Arsenal and left with all three points, but Spurs cannot be allowed to do the same. If the Arsenal players want to get the fans behind them there is no better way than giving their all against Spurs.

Wenger said fourth place would be Arsenal's trophy for this season when they went out of the FA Cup, but personally I find that a little insulting. I'm not a fan who demands a trophy every season, but equally I'm not happy with my club foregoing a whole season because they got their planning so wrong last summer. The Arsenal squad need a lot of strengthening last summer, but instead it was weakened even further.

Top quality players were sold and replaced with players who were not as good as them, and when Arsenal's usual injuries kicked in the team struggled. Those struggles are still continuing, and besides the 7-1 victory over Blackburn Arsenal have rarely looked convincing this season. The team is hurting, and the fans feel that pain more than anyone else.

Arsenal were set up to play with Cesc as their creative midfielder, but since he left that have nobody to play that role. Possibly Jack Wilshire might have stepped up to play there, but he hasn't played at all this season because of injury. The failure to even attempt to replace Cesc while the club made a huge profit from transfers is a sin the fans are finding it hard to forgive.

Maybe Arsenal should switch their formation to suit their personnel a little better, but the current style is hard to keep to without a playmaker. They also need to get their tempo back into their game, and stop passing at a snail's pace. When Arsenal play the game at a high tempo they are capable of putting any team under real pressure.

It would be great to see Arsenal go at Spurs from the first minute, and put their players under pressure every time they are in possession. Whether the players have the belief and the desire to do that or not is another matter altogether. In former days the team had enough character to overcome almost any obstacle, but that character seems to be missing all too often this season.

Despite my negativity about the team I still believe they can and will beat Spurs, but I think it will be a very tight game. Spurs have some very good players who can cause Arsenal real problems, but they don't have the best player in the Premier League. RVP has scored 22 league goals already this season, and hopefully he can add to his tally against Spurs.

The game will also see the return of Emmanuel Adebayor to Arsenal in a Spurs shirt, and he's a player the Arsenal fans love to hate. They have had their run-ins with him in the past, but hopefully the abuse will stick to acceptable levels this time. He's on loan at Spurs from Manchester City this season, but he won't be joining them next season as they can't afford to pay his wages.

He left Arsenal under a cloud when his performances slipped and his greed got the better of him. There is no way he will be taking a pay cut to join Spurs or any other club, and it doesn't leave him with many options for next season. I'm sure he would love to score against Arsenal, but I'm equally sure the Arsenal fans would love to see him on a losing side.

My prediction for the game is for Arsenal to win 3-2, and if they do so they will be level in fourth place at worst. They have games against two of the teams just behind them coming up in the next few weeks, and it's a real testing time for the team. Hopefully the players can find the character that seems to be missing at times, and come through those games with all guns blazing.

Fourth place may not sound like a trophy, but with the season Arsenal have had I would settle for it right now.


That's it for today.

Here's a goal from a man who always loved scoring against Spurs.

See you tomorrow.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 26

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games.I managed to get two perfect scorelines last week, three correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes. It meant I stayed in sixth place in my predictions league, and I still hold out some hope of a top four finish just like Arsenal.


There are only nine games this weekend instead of the usual 10, as Liverpool take on Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final which means their Premier League game with Everton has to be rescheduled. No date has been decided for that game yet, but fantasy managers should be aware that their Liverpool and Everton players will not play this week. With the FA Cup reaching it's later stages there will be a few teams having to play twice in a gameweek before too long, and it's very useful for fantasy managers to have a player playing twice in a week.

Here's a look at how my predictions league strands.

Pos	Player	Week	Total
1	ahujag	15	1260
2	b_red_devils	10	1200
3	GGooner	120	1060
4	nitin004	90	990
5	gooner2194	-20	965
6	JamrockRover	75	935
7	Rutland Gooner	85	860
8	Gooner2194	0	855
9	sanziano	5	830
10	Smashit_Tuckit	55	805

Chelsea Vs. Bolton Wanderers

Saturday February 25, 3p.m., BST

Chelsea have only won two of their last 10 Premier League games, and none of their last four. The rumours of player unrest grow by the day, and it can only be a matter of time before Andre Villas-Boas loses his job as manager. They have slipped to fifth in the table, but a win in this game could see them climb back into the top four.

Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge would seem to be the current best fantasy bets among the Chelsea players.  

Bolton have slipped back into the relegation zone, but they have won four away games so far this season. Only Blackburn have conceded more goals than them, but they have also scored as many goals as Liverpool.They will have to be at their very best to get anything out of this game.

Bolton players aren't exactly setting the world alight, but Arsenal loanee Ryo Miyaichi might be a good outside  bet.

I think Chelsea will get the win they need to get them back on their defeat until the next crisis.

Prediction 3-1
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Newcastle United Vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday February 25, 3p.m., BST

Newcastle are only a point off the Champions League places despite losing 5-0 to Spurs in their last Premier League game. They have only lost two of their 12 home games so far, and a win against a struggling Wolves team would keep them right in the melting pot.

Tim Krul, Ryan Taylor and Demba Ba are the best fantasy choices among the Newcastle players, and they're all available at fairly good prices too.

Wolves have taken only seven points from their last 11 Premier League games, and they have slipped into the relegation zone. Mick McCarthy lost his job as a result, and they're having problems finding a replacement for him. They have only won twice away from home so far this season, and things don't look good for them at the moment.

Steven Fletcher would seem to be the only Wolves player performing well at the moment.

I think Wolves problems will be added to, as they are beaten by Newcastle.

Prediction 2-0
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Queens Park Rangers Vs. Fulham

Saturday February 25, 3p.m., BST

QPR have only taken six points in their last 13Premier League games, and they are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. They have only won twice at home so far this season, and Mark Hughes looks to have his work cut out to keep them up. He spent a lot of money in January, but his defence still isn't up to scratch.

Bobby Zamora is probably the QPR player most likely to perform for fantasy managers.

Fulham have only one Premier League win away from home so far this season, but they will see this game as a game they can get something from. They have only lost two of their last eight games, and they are sitting comfortably in mid-table as a result.

Clint Dempsey is far and away the best fantasy player among the Fulham players.

I think Fulham will manage to take a point, and keep the pressure on QPR.

Prediction 1-1
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West Bromwich Albion Vs. Sunderland

Saturday February 25, 3p.m., BST

West Brom have only taken eight points at home so far this season, and no other Premier League team has less points at home. They're the lowest scorers at home too, but thankfully for them they have a great away record.

West Brom still don't have any outstanding fantasy performers, but they operate very well as a team.

Sunderland have taken 22 points in their 11 Premier League games since Martin O'Neill became their manager. It has seen them move into the top half of the table, and through to the quarter finals of the FA Cup too.

Simon Mignolet, Stephane Sessegnon and James McLean are probably the best fantasy bets among the Sunderland players.

I think Sunderland will continue their impressive form with another win.

Prediction 1-2
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Wigan Athletic Vs. Aston Villa

Saturday February 25, 3p.m., BST

Wigan managed a great win away to Bolton in their last game, but they are still bottom of the table. A win in this game could see them move out of the relegation zone, but it won't be easy for them. They have only won at home once so far this season, and no other team has won less games at home.

Ali Al-Habsi is still Wigan's best fantasy performer thanks to his four penalty saves so far.

Villa have only won twice in their last 10 Premier League games, and they have drawn more games than any other team in the league. They're still seven points clear of the relegation zone, but they need to start winning a few games before they join in the fight to avoid the drop.

Robbie Keane is probably the best fantasy bet among the Villa players until he returns to America to play his football.

I think this game has a draw written all over it.

Prediction 2-2
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Manchester City Vs. Blackburn Rovers

Saturday February 25, 5.30p.m., BST

City have won all 12 of their home games so far this season, and only conceded six goals in the process. They're two points clear at the top of the table, and a home game against a struggling team is an ideal opportunity for them to keep their lead. They have the firepower to cause Blackburn an awful lot of problems.

Joe Hart, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are probably the best fantasy bets among the City players, but there are so many to choose from.

Blackburn have eventually managed to climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference despite conceding more goals than any other team so far. Only the top five have scored more goals than them, and they have scored in all of their away games so far. They will have their work cut out to get a result from City, but they will give it a go.

Yakubu is the best fantasy performer among the Blackburn players, and he's available at a very good price too.

Blackburn might manage to score, but I can't see them taking any points with their dodgy defence.

Prediction 4-1
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Arsenal Vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday February 26, 1.30p.m., BST

Arsenal are a club in crisis at the moment, as their season looks like it could be about to implode. They went out of the FA Cup last week, and they are as good as out of the Champions League too. All they have left is their battle for fourth place, and they need a win over their fiercest rivals to remain in fourth place.

Robin van Persie is an absolute must for any fantasy manager.


Spurs are having an excellent season so far, and they are in third place in the Premier League. They are10 points clear of Arsenal with 13 games left, and they look likely to finish ahead of them for the first time since Arsene Wenger became Arsenal's manager in 1996. They seem to have the upper hand on Arsenal at the moment, and they will do all they can to get a win in this game.

From a fantasy perspective Brad Friedel, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor are all great buys.

Arsenal need to get a result from this game, and I think they will come out on top in a very tight game.

Prediction 3-2

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Norwich City Vs. Manchester United

Sunday February 26, 1.30p.m., BST

Norwich are sitting comfortably in mid-table, and they are almost certain to avoid relegation. That was their aim at the start of the season, and they have almost achieved it while playing attractive football too. They will give their all in an effort to beat United, but it won't be easy for them.

Anthony Pilkington, Grant Holt and Steve Morison are all doing pretty well, and available at a good a good price too.

United are only two points behind City at the top of the Premier League despite having a very tough schedule recently. They have the best away record in the league with eight wins and only one defeat in 12 games so far. Despite a few injury problems they are still clear favourites to win this game.

Patrice Evra, Nani and Wayne Rooney are the current best fantasy bets among the United players.

I think Norwich will give it a go, but United will have too much for them.

Prediction 1-3

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Stoke City Vs. Swansea City

Sunday February 26, 3.00p.m., BST

Stoke have lost their last four Premier League games, and only scored two goals in the process. Only Wigan have scored less goals than them, but they're still in a relatively safe position in the table. They have only managed four home wins so far this season which is very unlike Stoke.

Jonathan Walters has been Stoke's best fantasy performer this season, but he hasn't scored in six Premier League games.


Swansea have played some excellent football since their promotion, and they are a very good team to watch. They have lost seven of their 12 away games though, and they will find Stoke a very tough opponent.

Michel Vorm, Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham are the best fantasy performers among the Swansea players.

This game will be a real contrast of styles, and I think Stoke's more robust approach might just triumph.

Prediction 2-1 
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That's it for this week, but feel free to tell me where you think I might have gone wrong or right as the case may be.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Exit The FA Cup As Their Chances Of A Trophy End For Another Season

Arsenal made the long trip to Sunderland yesterday afternoon for the second Saturday afternoon in a row. They had managed a last gasp victory at the same venue in the Premier League last Saturday, thanks to a Thierry Henry goal. Since then Arsenal had been well beaten by AC Milan in the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League, and Henry had departed with his loan spell over.

The team news had suggested that only Laurent Koscielny would be unavailable from the defeat to Milan, but when the team was announced Kieran Gibbs was nowhere to be seen. I'm not sure if he picked up a knock or if he needed a rest after his exertions, but it was strange that he didn't even make the match day squad. It meant Francis Coquelin played at left-back, and Johan Djourou started in the centre of defence.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also returned to the team in a wide right role with Gervinho playing on the left after his return from international duty. The players to miss out were Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, as Arsenal went in search of a place in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. With their chances of winning any other trophy this season all but over this was their one and only chance of silverware.

Arsenal started well and looked the most likely to get the first goal until Coquelin went down with a hamstring injury just before the 10 minute mark. He had to be replaced by the only defender on the bench, and Sebastien Squillaci came on to play in central defence. It meant that Thomas Vermaelen had to revert to a left-back role yet again, and Arsenal fans got to see Squillaci play alongside Djourou.

The injury to Coquelin seemed to affect the Arsenal team, and Sunderland saw the chance to put some pressure on them. They temporarily abandoned their ultra-defensive tactics, as they saw the chance to take advantage of Arsenal's uncertainty. For the next 15 minutes Sunderland had the upper hand, but they failed to take advantage of it.

Arsenal slowly played their way back into contention, and Gervinho had a good shot well saved after Aaron Ramsey played him in. There was also a very decent penalty shout for Arsenal when Robin van Persie was felled in the penalty from a John O'Shea challenge. O'Shea got a slight touch on the ball, but I thought he made contact with RVP first and Arsenal should have had a penalty.

Arsenal were well on top at that stage, but typically that was when they conceded the first goal. Djourou and Squillaci do not look comfortable in possession, and when Djourou was closed down he lost the ball and pulled back his man to give Sunderland a free kick. When the ball was swung in to the Arsenal penalty area it was headed clear to some extent by Vermaelen, but it only reached Kieran Richardson.

His first time shot from just inside the penalty area went into the far corner of the net after a slight deflection from Squillaci. It was the lead that Sunderland wanted, and they knew that they just had to sit deep and defend, and try to hit Arsenal on the break. It was an uphill task for Arsenal, but they had managed to do the exact same thing only seven days earlier against the same opposition.

Djourou was the first player to receive a yellow card in the game for the free kick which led to the goal despite the constant fouling by almost every single Sunderland player. They had obviously been sent out to put the boot in on the Arsenal players, but they took turns to do so and the referee allowed it to happen. The Sunderland pitch was in a worse state than it was in last week, and it was only a matter of time before Arsenal picked up more injuries.

There was still only one goal between the teams at half time, and Arsenal needed a good start to the second half to get back in the game. With less than 10 minutes of the second half gone both Ramsey and Squillaci had to go off injured, and they were replaced by Rosicky and Walcott. Alex Song dropped back into defence, and Walcott moved up front, as Arsenal reverted to almost a 4-4-2 formation.

It meant Arsenal had used all of their substitutes and there were still 35 minutes to go. Despite Arsenal trying all they could to open up the Sunderland defence they rarely looked like doing so. There was another good penalty shout when RVP was dragged to the ground as he waited on a cross to come into the box. On another day Arsenal might have got a penalty, but Howard Webb is a lot more likely to hand out penalties to the current Premier League champions.

With only 15 minutes left Sunderland got their second goal, and with that Arsenal's chances of a trophy for this season ended. Chamberlain lost the ball in attack, and Sunderland broke forward at pace. Mikael Arteta fell over as hew chased back and the ball ended up hitting the post and rebounding off Chamberlain into the net.

He had chased back to make up for losing the ball, and he was very unlucky to turn the ball in for an own goal. He didn't have the best game, but he kept trying his hardest no matter how difficult it was for him. A few other Arsenal players could learn a little from the amount of effort Chamberlain put in.

Try as they might for the final 15 minutes Arsenal couldn't even get one goal back, and their chances of equaling Manchester United's haul of 11 FA Cup wins was over for another season. It leaves them in fourth in the table with 13 league games to go, and some really tough fixtures coming up.

It's no surprise that Arsenal's injury problems have returned yet again, and the return of the injured players has been met with other injuries. It's anyone's guess where Gibbs was yesterday, and whether he will be available to play against Spurs next Sunday. Hopefully Koscielny will be able to play in that game, and Arsenal can regroup over the next week before they play.

I won't knock the players too much for their performance, but the simple fact of the matter is the current squad isn't anywhere near as good as previous teams under Wenger. The opportunity to add to the squad was not taken in January, as the manager felt the returning injured players would be available very soon. What he failed to address was a squad which wasn't good enough before those players got injured, and is even worse without them.

Arsenal still have every chance to finish in the top four, but this season could also go the way of last season when Arsenal imploded after losing the Carling Cup final. If Wenger again fails to get his players to react to the challenges ahead of them he will lose the faith of even more fans. There is already growing unrest among Arsenal fans, as the club seem unwilling to invest the profits they make from transfers in new players.

When Cesc Fabregas was sold last summer Arsenal were unable to replace him, and they have no creative spark in midfield. I know Wenger did not want to sell both Cesc and Samir Nasri, but ultimately they left, and Arsenal reacted with panic buys on deadline day. I'm sure Arteta could be a vital cog in Arsenal's midfield, but he is not a direct replacement for Fabregas.

If Arsenal are to continue with their current formation they need a creative player to take the role that Cesc played. The team changed it's style of play to suit Cesc, but now that he has left they are still trying to play the same way with inferior players. It's not easy to replace a player like Cesc, but it's crazy that Arsenal didn't buy anyone to play that role.

I can only presume that Wenger thought Jack Wilshere would be able to play there, and become the player that the team needs. His injury has been a big blow, but that's where the overall strength of the squad has been found wanting. It's very difficult for fans to watch a sub-standard team when they know the club made a huge profit from transfers yet again last summer.

Those same fans were asked to pay more for their tickets last summer while they watched the club losing their best player yet again. If RVP refuses to sign a new contract this summer the club will have to sell him too, and  the cycle will continue. It's not easy for fans to take after the success of the first nine years of Wenger's reign.

I know football isn't all about winning trophies and not every team can win a trophy every season, but Arsenal are not even genuinely competing for them any more. I've seen far worse Arsenal teams in the past and lived through longer trophy droughts too, but Arsenal were not one of the biggest clubs in the world then. If you look at the trophies won by the rest of the world's richest clubs there is clearly something missing at Arsenal.

If Sunderland were capable of playing a tight defensive game and hitting Arsenal on the break then why can't Arsenal do that on occasions too. They went to Milan on Wednesday night and tried to play an open game when they needed to defend with 10 men behind the ball at all times. Wenger's faith in his players is unerring, but I think it's unwarranted in far too many cases.

If the players cannot do the job they are sent out to do then others have to be found who will do so. It seems like failure is tolerated and almost rewarded at Arsenal and that simply cannot be allowed to continue. I want Wenger to remain in charge at Arsenal, but I want him to be a lot more ruthless with his players.

It's obvious that quite a few of them are just not good enough, and they need to be replaced. If he cannot see that then the axe will fall in his direction before too long. It's not something I want to see, but he has to see the failings of his players and act upon them.

Arsenal have a really tough game against an in-form Spurs team next Sunday, and a defeat could see real unrest among the fans. Wenger has a week to work with his players, and get them to perform to a level that will get a result in that game. Even a draw would do, but a defeat would be an absolute disaster in my opinion.

I really hope the team can pull together and put on a display to show the fans how much it means to them to play for Arsenal. The traveling Arsenal fans deserved better than they got against both Milan and Sunderland, but it didn't stop them making themselves heard loud and proud as always. Those traveling fans are an absolute credit to the club, and deserve to see an awful lot more from the millionaires out on the pitch for Arsenal.


That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's FA Cup Fifth Round Trip To Sunderland Previewed

It seems like Arsenal are lurching from one crisis to another this season. If it isn't their worst defeat in top flight football in almost 100 years then it's their worst defeat in Champions League football. Never mind the injury crisis which has enveloped the club for at least the third season in a row.

I usually have a very positive outlook on Arsenal, but I didn't believe everything would be great once the injured players returned. There was always the possibility that others would get injured and take their places, and so it has proved to be. The latest player to join the catalogue of injured players at the club is Per Mertesacker, and it looks like his ankle surgery has ended his season.

Kieran Gibbs returned from injury on Wednesday night, and he was duly thrown to the lions in a really tough game for any player to make a comeback in. His defensive abilities have always been suspect, but it was more than a little unfair to bring him back in that game. It looks like the left-back berth is his now, as the defensive injuries pile up again.

With Gibbs' injury record I'm not sure how long he will last in the role, but hopefully he can develop his defensive abilities in the team. Laurent Koscielny picked up an injury on Wednesday night too, but hopefully he will be back for next week's Premier League game against Spurs. It's a game which means an awful lot to Arsenal fans, and they cannot be allowed to beat Arsenal at home for the second season in a row.

For today's game against Sunderland the defence almost picks itself because of those injuries to Mertesacker and Koscielny. Johan Djourou should come in for Koscielny in the only defensive change from Wednesday night, and hopefully he can find some of the form he had last season prior to his injury. He has had a bad time when he has played this season, but he was mostly asked to play as a right back.

In midfield I can't see too many changes, but Arsene Wenger has to decide whether to play Aaron Ramsey or Tomas Rosicky. I can't see him leaving Alex Song or Mikael Arteta out of the team, but I wouldn't be averse to seeing Francis Coquelin get a chance in midfield. Surely he can't do any worse than some of those who underperformed so much on Wednesday night, and he might add some urgency to the team.

The attacking trio will again be led by Robin van Persie, and the big decision for Wenger is who to play with him. Theo Walcott seems to start regardless of how he plays, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the one who missed out against Milan. With Gervinho available again after losing the African Cup of Nations final on penalties there are certainly plenty of options.

If I was choosing the team I think I would go for Chamberlain and Gervinho, but that job is currently under the care of Wenger. I hope he stays in the job, but the discontent among Arsenal fans is growing, and the profits made from transfers is weakening the squad annually. If it is allowed to continue Arsenal will not be able to even consider competing seriously for any of the major trophies.

Robin van Persie has just over one yer remaining on his contract, and if he wants to win silverware he must know there are must better options elsewhere. If the club cannot convince him to stay it will show that they really do lack ambition, and those calling for a change could become the majority. It's a worst case scenario of course, and hopefully Arsenal can still win the FA Cup and finish in the top four too.

The injury suffered by Mertesacker looked like it was caused by Sunderland's pitch last Saturday, and Arsenal have to play on the same pitch again today. Even the Sunderland players have admitted that their pitch is in a bad state, and it won't make it easy for either team to play football on today. Arsenal were the better team last week, but the circumstances are very different this week.

Last week Sunderland came into the game on the back of a FA Cup replay the previous Wednesday night which went to extra time. It's Arsenal who had the tough midweek game this week, as they spent 90 minutes chasing shadows in Italy. Sunderland are the team who had the luxury of a week off this time, and it might see a change of tactics for them.

They kept their whole team behind the ball last week almost all of the time, and tried to hit Arsenal on the break. Sunderland had been in very good form prior to that game, and they might have fared better if they tried to take Arsenal on. Arsenal are more vulnerable in defence this season than they have been for many years, and Sunderland may feel they missed their chance.

After watching Milan dismantle Arsenal on Wednesday night Sunderland could possibly decide to have a go themselves. Of course Sunderland are not Milan, and if Arsenal can raise themselves enough they could profit from playing an attack minded Sunderland. I think Sunderland will go with the same tactics as last week, and I hope Arsenal can break them down a bit sooner this time.

Thierry Henry won Arsenal the three points last week with his injury winner, but he won't be around to do it for them this time. It's a pity he had to return to his club after his loan spell, but at least he made a genuine impression when he was at the club. I doubt if he will ever wear an Arsenal shirt competitively again, and it's a pity his last appearance ended in such a heavy defeat.

If the newspapers are to be believed Wenger was very disappointed with Wednesday night's performance, and he let the players know. They quite simply have to respond against Sunderland, and they have to avoid defeat. A win would be the ideal result, but once they remain in the competition there will still be hope for this season.

The FA Cup is Arsenal's only hope of a trophy now this season, and it would be an awful blow if their only aim from the third week in February was to try to finish in the top four. Only Manchester United have won more FA Cups than Arsenal, but a win for Arsenal this season would equal United's total of 11 wins. If Arsenal can win the FA Cup it would ease the pain of probably finishing behind Spurs for the first time since Wenger became Arsenal's manager.

I'm hoping for the reaction from the players that Wenger is demanding, and if they can react properly I think Arsenal will win. I don't think Martin O'Neill has the bottle to take Arsenal on, and it could be their undoing in my opinion. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and a safe passage through to the last eight of the FA Cup.

After the return leg against Milan Arsenal can have a week off between almost every game they play unless they have any FA Cup replays. It will be a welcome break for the players, but also a sign that the club is not living up to it's previous successes under Wenger. Never before has Arsenal's season been as good as over so early in the season, and it will hurt the fans if things do end so early.

The game is live on TV which means I won't have to search frantically for a stream, but it also means there will be no escape if things go wrong. I sincerely hope they don't go wrong, but this season I am by no means certain of it. The sale of star players added to the injury problems has seen Arsenal have too few options when things need to be changed, and it has cost the team dearly.

Hopefully it won't cost them today, and they can keep their season alive with a  win or even a draw.


That's it for today.

Here's the goals from Arsenal's FA Cup final victory over United in 1979.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Are Taught A Lesson As AC Milan Beat Them 4-0

When the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League was made it was obvious that Arsenal had got the toughest tie of any of the group winners. AC Milan are current champions of Italy, and they are sitting on top of the league in Italy yet again. They only finished second in their group because they had the might of Barcelona to contend with.

Arsenal have managed a mini revival recently with back to back Premier League wins, as well as progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup. Their football may not be as thrilling as it has been in at times in the past under Arsene Wenger, but at least they were still competitive. The embarrassment of the 8-2 defeat at Manchester United seemed to have been put firmly in the past, or so I thought.

Wenger opted for Kieran Gibbs at left-back, as Thomas Vermaelen moved to a central defensive role with Per Mertesacker injured. Gibbs has never looked too solid defensively, but he has a lot to offer as an attacking full-back. The other change in the Arsenal team that beat Sunderland on Saturday was the inclusion of Aaron Ramsey for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ramsey's inclusion meant that Tomas Rosicky played in a wide role instead of Chamberlain. I've never been fond of Rosicky in that wide role, and I found it hard to understand how Chamberlain had been left out of the team. He may not have set the world alight against Sunderland on Saturday, but surely he had to be a better option than Rosicky.

Rosicky never stops trying, but he hasn't scored in something like two years, and his final ball leaves an awful lot to be desired too. If Rosicky was to have started it should have been in place of Ramsey in a central role to give the team more balance. Wenger has decided to stick with his favoured 4-3-3 formation, and that requires attacking players in the wide roles.

Arsenal were under pressure from the start despite having more possession than Milan. To say that Arsenal were vulnerable on the break is an understatement, as Milan looked like scoring on almost every occasion that they attacked. It looked like only a matter of time before they scored, and I worried about the final outcome unless Arsenal could change things quickly.

Wenger decided the best plan of action on the night was to attack Milan, but that left gaping holes at the back for Milan to expose. It's a very dangerous game for any team to play a high defensive line, and not put any pressure on the opponents when they are in possession. It gave Milan time to pick their passes from midfield, and the runners in behind the Arsenal defence had a field day.

The first goal came after only 15 minutes when Kevin-Prince Boateng was found in acres of space just outside the Arsenal penalty area. He chested the ball down and ran onto it before crashing a volley in off the underside of the crossbar. It was just the start Milan wanted, and the Arsenal players looked like they weren't up for the fight to me.

I cannot understand how Arsenal didn't deploy the age-old tactic of keeping things tight for the first 20 minutes away from home in such a big game. They looked like they had been told to slug it out with Milan, and let the best team win. The current Arsenal team simply isn't good enough to play such an open game against a team with the attacking threat of Milan.

Milan missed some good chances as the first half wore on, and I hoped for Arsenal to reach the break only one goal down. With seven minutes remaining in the first half Milan got a slice of luck when an offside Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up Robinho to head in their second goal. It was a blow for Arsenal, but it was no more than Milan deserved at that stage.

When half-time arrived I hoped that Wenger would be able to change things around and tighten thins up at the back and in midfield too.  He did make one change with the introduction of Thierry Henry for the ineffectual Theo Walcott. Walcott may have been poor in that first half, but he got absolutely no service at all.

It meant that Arsenal were playing a more traditional 4-4-2 formation with Henry playing up front alongside Robin van Persie. It also meant that the two wide players were Rosicky and Ramsey, and Chamberlain was left to sit on the bench. If Arsenal were going to play that formation they needed a creative player in central midfield, but sadly the club no longer possesses such a player.

Laurent Koscielny had already departed injured just before half time, and he had been replaced by Johan Djourou. Arsenal had used two of their three subs, but the team certainly didn't look any stronger in my opinion. Djourou has being having a bad time this season, and his introduction didn't fill me with any hope.

When Arsenal had all of their full-backs injured there was hope that they would improve defensively when they returned. I said at the time that there was no guarantee of other players not getting injured, and now it appears the centre-backs are lining up to be knocked down. Mertesacker and Koscielny have picked up injuries in consecutive games, and suddenly the centre of defence looks very vulnerable too.

Only four minutes into the second half Milan added their third goal, and Robinho got his second of the night. He cut across the edge of the Arsenal box with the ball, and saw his chance to shoot when Vermaelen slipped and fell over. His shot was excellently hit, and it went right into the corner to make Arsenal's task even harder.

Arsenal eventually came into the game, and RVP had a shot excellently saved by Christian Abbiati in the Mian goal after Henry had set him up. There were one or two other attempts from Arsenal, but Milan always looked more likely to add to their lead on the break. With just over 10 minutes left that proved to be just the case.

Ibrahimovic found himself in a one-on-one in the Arsenal penalty area with Djourou, and he knew exactly what to do. He knocked the ball past the Arsenal defender, and then both players tussled a little before Ibrahimovic fell over. The replays seemed to indicate that Ibrahimovic made a meal of the incident, and even went looking fo Djourou's leg rather than actually being tripped.

The referee had no hesitation in giving the penalty, and Ibrahimovic stepped up himself to dispatch it into the corner of the net. Even if he had missed I think the penalty would have to have been retaken, as Wojciech Szczesny seemed to move off his line too soon. There were only 10 minutes left, and there was nowhere for Arsenal to go at that stage.

Chamberlain had come on for Gibbs midway through the second half, and at least he looked like he was trying to make something happen. Milan shadowed him very closely when he had the ball, but at least he tried to take players on and put them under some pressure. Thankfully for Arsenal Milan didn't add any more goals, and they ended up only losing 4-0.

Despite my misgivings about two of Milan's goals I have no doubt that they deserved to win by at least four goals. It was an awful performance by Arsenal, as the team simply didn't look good enough to compete on the night. They weren't helped by the tactics employed either, and Wenger has to take the blame for that.

I find it hard to believe that he really thought Arsenal could go away to Milan, and stand up to them blow-for-blow. They were not strong enough defensively, and they didn't close the ball down quickly enough all over the pitch. They got what they deserved on the night, and I can see no way that they can turn around such a huge deficit in the return leg.


It means that Arsenal's only hope of a trophy this season is in the FA Cup, and the trip to Sunderland on Saturday takes on huge importance. I never believed the current squad was capable of winning any trophy other than the FA Cup or the Carling Cup this season, and so it has proved. If they lose to Sunderland their chances of winning anything this season will have ended in February.

I sincerely hope that Arsenal manage to beat Sunderland, and I know they are good enough to do it. I hope the players can get over their poor performance, and raise their game enough to get a result. It will be Arsenal who are tired this week after playing last night, and traveling home from Italy.

Sunderland will have had a week off, and they should be the ones full of running towards the end of the game on Saturday. The Arsenal players need to take a long hard look at themselves, and give everything they have to ensure that their season stays alive. Otherwise they will have three months in which their only task will be to try to finish fourth in the Premier League.

What sort of message would that send to RVP as he considers whether he should sign a new contract or not. Arsenal didn't invest properly last summer, and they have paid a price for it, but hopefully they will also learn a lesson from it. Nights like last night cannot be allowed to become normal for Arsenal, and only real investment in the team/squad will prevent that.

I can honestly sat that the current team/squad is the worst one that Wenger has produced for Arsenal, and it has to be remedied. Some real class has to be added to the squad, or Arsenal could be facing into a bleak future. It won't change how I feel for my club, but it certainly will hurt to see the team struggle.  

Finally for today it was a shame for Henry's brief loan spell to come to an end with that result last night. He tried his best when he came on, but it would have taken a miracle for Arsenal to have got anything from that game. He really helped the cause during his time at the club, and two of the three goals he scored proved to be game winners.

If Arsenal do somehow manage to finish fourth this season he will have played his part. He also added to his fantastic tally as Arsenal's record goalscorer, and helped to increase his standing as a legend for Arsenal fans. I don't think he will ever play competitively for Arsenal again, but he will always remain a fan.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from last night's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Champions League Trip To AC Milan Previewed

It seems like such a short time ago that Arsenal topped their Champions League group to qualify for the last 16. It was a pretty good achievement for Arsenal considering that they had the champions of Germany and Greece in their group, as well as the runners-up from the French league. Other Premier League teams fell at that stage of the competition, and now face the prospect of Thursday night football in the Europa League.

Arsenal probably got the toughest draw possible for them in the last 16 with a trip to Italian league leaders AC Milan. Milan came through a group with current champions Barcelona, and they performed very well in their games against the best team in the world.  It won't be an easy task for Arsenal to triumph over the current Italian champions over two legs, and they need to get a good result from the first leg to have a good chance.

The only injury Arsenal picked up on Saturday against Sunderland wax the one Per Mertesacker got, and he looks certain to miss this game. Arsene Wenger has a choice to make in his defence with Mertesacker injured, and it could be a very important one for the team. Thomas Vermaelen has been deployed at left-back recently, but it looks like he might move to a central defensive role.

If Vermaelen moves into a central role Wenger has to pick either Kieran Gibbs or Francis Coquelin as the other full-back to play with Bacary Sagna. Gibbs hasn't played since his injury a couple of months ago, and it would be a surprise if he made his comeback in such a big game. Coquelin is not a full-back though, and it would be a risk to play him too.

There is always the option of switching Sagna to left-back, and playing Coquelin at right-back I suppose. It's a decision that could have a profound effect on the game, and it's very hard to know which way the manager will go. Whoever he chooses will need a lot of help from the rest of the team, and I'm sure he will get it too.

In midfield I would expect to see Aaron Ramsey return in place of Tomas Rosicky who has played quite well in the last two games. I thought Ramsey needed a rest, and the time he spent on the bench recently will hopefully have done him some good. He came on for the last 20 minutes on Saturday, and scored the crucial equalising goal for Arsenal before they went on to win.

The other big decisions for Wenger will be who he chooses to play in the two wide roles on either side of Robin van Persie. Both Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain struggled against a very tight Sunderland defence on Saturday, but surely Milan will show more ambition than Sunderland did. I suspect that he will play the two of them from the start again, but if he decides not to then Andrey Arshavin will step up.

Arshavin has not been at his best for a long time for Arsenal, but his assist for Thierry Henry's winning goal on Saturday was a glimpse of the class he still possesses. I wish that would produce that magic a lot more often for Arsenal, but it just doesn't seem to happen. The other option for Wenger is to start Henry, but I would imagine he will be limited to another cameo role from the bench.

The last time Arsenal went to Milan they had a fantastic 2-0 win, and a similar result would be absolutely fantastic for them. They played Milan off the pitch that night, but they won't have it all their own way this time. Arsenal are not as strong now as they were then, but they do have a togetherness that could stand to them.

I'm sure they will have to withstand a lot of Milan pressure from Milan at certain times in the game, but the further they push forward the more vulnerable they might be. Walcott is at his best when there is space for him to run into, and if Milan push too far forward he might just get a little joy. On the other side Oxlade-Chamberlain is a relative unknown player to them, and it's a chance for him to shine on a really big stage.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain is going to do enough to make it into the England squad for Euro 2012 then this is the type of game where he could get noticed. He has bags of talent and he would be a great addition to the England squad in my opinion.

Even if Arsenal's wide players don't get a lot of joy they still have RVP to lead their attack, and he is having his best season ever for them. He has 28 goals in all competitions this season for Arsenal, and four of them came in four Champions League starts. I'm sure Milan will be watching him very closely, but I'm equally sure that he's capable of scoring against any team.

Mikael Arteta has been an excellent signing for Arsenal this season, and he's the player that keeps the midfield ticking. He's finally getting a chance to play at the top level in football, and he is doing all he can to make sure he is a success. I would imagine that he will be the Arsenal player who completes most passes by the time the game is over as usual.

It's a tough task for the team, but the wins they got in their last two Premier League games will be a real boost for them. The 7-1 win over Blackburn was great for morale, but the win over Sunderland might have been even more important. The team were facing down the barrel of a gun with 20 minutes left against the most in-form team in the league, and they dug deep to pull out a well deserved victory.

They will need that fighting spirit against a Milan team that have only conceded five goals at home in the Italian league in 11 games so far this season. I think Arsenal have the ability and the courage to get a result from the game, as long as they believe in themselves. I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal, and I'm hoping for a performance to silence all the doubters.

Even if Arsenal don't get a win I hope they can do enough to keep themselves in the tie for the return game in three weeks time. They have some tough games in between the games against Milan, but they will also be fascinating games to watch for all Arsenal fans.

I would imagine Gervinho will return to the squad in the next few days after his trials and tribulations at the African Cup of Nations. He missed the crucial penalty in the shootout which handed the trophy to Zambia, and it was clear that he didn't want to take the penalty either. Hopefully it won't effect his game when he returns, and maybe the return to his club will be what he needs to take his mind off it. 

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights of that 2-0 win for Arsenal away to AC Milan in March 2008.

 See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Player Ratings Against Sunderlnd

This is the first time I've attempted to rate the performances of the Arsenal players in a game, and I'll do my best to be as fair as possible. It's always that bit easier to rate players when they have won a game, and thankfully Arsenal managed to get a last gasp winner. The man to score that goal was the legendary Thierry Henry, and it was fitting for him to do so in his last game for them in the Premier League.

The average score out of 10 for a player is six in my rating, and I'll try to be as fair as possible in my assessment.

Wojciech Szczesny:

Wojciech Szczesny had very little to do in the first half of the game, but when he was called upon in the second half he wasn't found wanting. He made two excellent saves from Craig Gardner at a time when Sunderland were on top, and they proved to be crucial. Despite playing so well there was absolutely nothing he could do about James McLean's superb finish for Sunderland's goal.

Overall I was impressed with Szczesny's performance, and the score I have given him reflects that.

Szczesny 8/10
 
Thomas Vermaelen:

Thomas Vermaelen has been asked to play at left-back for Arsenal for a while now, and he has performed admirably. He does play in that position for Belgium, but normally he would prefer to play as a central defender. Defensively Vermaelen was as strong as he always is, and he tried as much as he could to join in with the attack too.

He's not a natural wide player, but he did as much as he could to support Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Arsenal tried to get behind a resolute Sunderland team. When Sunderland looked dangerous in attack it was never on Vermaelen's side, and he can be happy with his performance on the day.

Vermaelen 7/10
 
Bacary Sagna:

Bacary Sagna has been missed by Arsenal for the last few months as he recovered from a broken leg. This was his first full game back in the Premier League, and his contribution was one of the factors in Arsenal's strong defensive display. Sunderland never looked like opening up either of Arsenal's full-backs, and it was great to see Sagna back in the team doing what he does best.

He tried as much as he could to support Theo Walcott when Arsenal attacked, but it wasn't easy to penetrate a packed Sunderland defence. I'm sure his attacking instincts will return over the next few weeks, but it was most important that he got his defending right.

Sagna 7/10
 
Laurent Koscielny:

Laurent Koscielny seems to get better week by week in the Arsenal team. He is rarely troubled by the opposition, and he was at his best again against Sunderland. Fraizer Campbell has looked very good since his return from injury, but Koscielny marshaled him so well that he never got a chance to score.


Koscielny also tried to support the team as they went forward, but again his defending was the most important part of his game.

When he resumes a central defensive partnership with Vermaelen, Arsenal will have a formidable pairing to match any team in the Premier League.

7/10
 
Per Mertesacker:
 

Per Mertesacker was having a good game when disaster struck for him with 20 minutes to go. He tried to take the ball under control when there was absolutely no danger, but he went down in agony with an ankle injury.

Unfortunately for Mertesacker and Arsenal, McLean took advantage of his injury to put Sunderland ahead.
The goal was by no means Mertesacker's fault, and he will probably be out for quite a while with his injury. Besides that goal, Mertesacker was solid on the day and rarely troubled by a Sunderland team that showed very little adventure.

6/10
 
Alex Song:

Alex Song played the defensive role in front of Arsenal's back four as he usually does. He rarely looked troubled by a Sunderland team that was intent on stopping Arsenal from scoring, and trying to hit them on the break.

Song's passing was a little sloppy at times, as his concentration seemed to wane a little.
He is the first-choice player for Arsenal in his role and he might just need to feel some pressure on his place for him to perform a little better. He dropped back to a central defensive role when Mertesacker went off injured, and he looked comfortable in the role. 

6/10
 
Mikael Arteta:

Mikael Arteta is Mr. Dependable for Arsenal, as he keeps the whole team ticking over. He plays the pivotal role in midfield, and he is always looking to get on the ball. His passing range is excellent and he never gave up trying to drive Arsenal forward against Sunderland.

It was his deflected shot which led to Aaron Ramsey equalising for Arsenal, and from there on, they were favourites to win. Even with time running out, Arteta never stopped doing the right things and Arsenal got their reward in the end.

7/10
 
Tomas Rosicky:

Tomas Rosicky has had to wait for his chance in the Arsenal team this season, but he has started their last two games in place of Aaron Ramsey. He was always looking to get on the ball and drive the team forward, but his passing was a little wayward at times.

Despite getting into good positions, he was unable to pick out any killer passes and he hasn't scored in so long that he seems to have forgotten how to do so.

He still played very well in a game in which Arsenal struggled to create chances against a defensively minded team. I'm sure he will see plenty of game time between now and the end of the season.

6/10
 
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has eventually gotten his chance in the Arsenal team over the last few weeks, and he has looked up to the task. He found it hard to get any space against a defensively minded Sunderland team, but at least he never stopped trying.

I'm sure he will play an awful lot better in plenty of other games for Arsenal this season and in the future too.
The game will have been a good lesson for him in how difficult life in the Premier League can be no matter how good a player is. Chamberlain got very little space to operate in, and he has to learn how to deal with tight marking in the future.

5/10
 
Theo Walcott:

Like Oxlade-Chamberlain on the other side, Walcott found it hard to get into a match where he was denied space. He is at his best when opponents push up and he can use his incredible speed to run behind their defences.

With Sunderland sitting deep, there was very little opportunity for him to make a break.
He did have one good shooting opportunity in the first half, but his effort was wide of the far post from an acute angle. I was a little surprised that he was kept on for so long, but his replacement was the man who managed to make the winning goal for Arsenal.

5/10
 
Robin van Persie:

Robin van Persie is the leading scorer in the Premier League so far this season and he's in superb form at the moment. He found it hard to find space against a packed Sunderland defence, and his attempts on goal were very limited. He did have one header late on, but it was straight at Simon Mignolet and the keeper wasn't troubled by it.

As always, RVP gave all he had for the Arsenal cause, but it wasn't one of his better games. I'm sure he will score plenty of goals before the season ends, but he never looked like doing so yesterday.

He scores so many of his goals from cutbacks, but the Arsenal wide players never managed to penetrate the Sunderland defence to make those chances for him.

6/10
 
Thierry Henry:

I was a little unsure about Thierry Henry returning to Arsenal on loan from the New York Red Bulls. I didn't know if he would have anything to offer the team, but I am delighted to say that he really proved his worth.
In just over 90 minutes of action for Arsenal, he scored three goals—and two of them were game-winning goals.

He came on for Oxlade-Chamberlain against Sunderland to play in a wide role, but he moved to a central role as Arsenal looked to find a winning goal. When Andrey Arshavin played a fantastic cross in injury time, Henry was where any good striker should be to poke the ball home. He celebrated with the Arsenal fans after the goal and at the full-time whistle too.

It's difficult to judge what influence he had in the dressing room during his few weeks on loan at Arsenal, but his influence on their season could be immense.

The victory over Sunderland was a very important one for Arsenal, and it was Henry who got the crucial goal. The rating I have given him reflects every single goal he scored for the team.

229/10
 
Aaron Ramsey:

Aaron Ramsey had looked tired in recent games and he was left out of the team last week against Blackburn. I was a little surprised that he didn't return to the starting 11 against Sunderland, but when he came on, he had an immediate impact. He latched on a blocked shot from Arteta to score from the edge of the box for Arsenal's equaliser.

He may have only been on the pitch for 20 minutes, but he had a huge impact, and I think he will start against AC Milan on Wednesday night. As Arsenal tried to grind Sunderland down in the closing minutes, Ramsey showed plenty of enthusiasm and energy, and the break looks to have helped him.

7/10
 
Andrey Arshavin:

Andrey Arshavin has had a poor season by his standards so far this season for Arsenal, and when he came on with three minutes lef,t I didn't expect too much from him.

However, his contribution was telling in the few minutes he played and his cross for the winning goal was quite superb. He had two Sunderland players on him, but he managed to get in a cross that went over the defender's head and straight on to the boot of Henry.

Hopefully, that assist will be the boost Arshavin needs and he can return to the form he showed in his first season at Arsenal. He was one of three substitutes who turned the game around for Arsenal, and showed the advantage of having a strong bench.

It's not easy to rate a player on a few minutes of play, but his contribution in that time helped.

7/10
 
That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Beat Sunderland To Move Into Fourth Place In The Premier League

Arsenal made the tough trip to an in form Sunderland yesterday knowing that they needed all three points to help them in their battle for fourth place. Earlier in the day Liverpool had lost to Manchester United, and that gave Arsenal an opportunity to open a four point gap on them. Both Chelsea and Newcastle had tough away games too, and a win for Arsenal would have been a huge boost for them.

Arsene Wenger made only one change from the team that beat Blackburn 7-1 last week, as Bacary Sagna returned at right-back in place of Francis Coquelin. The Arsenal bench looked stronger than it had done in a while, and Wenger had some really good options available to him in case of emergency.

From the start it was obvious that Sunderland were going to get as many men as possible behind the ball at all times. They tried their best to deny Arsenal space, and prevent them from attacking from the wings too. It meant that Arsenal had a lot of possession in front of the Sunderland penalty area, but they created very little.

There were very few goalscoring opportunities in the first half, and neither goalkeeper was really extended too much. Arsenal had the better of that first half, but Sunderland did look dangerous on the break a couple of times. Arsenal needed to up the tempo of their game in the second half if they were going to take the three points.

I had hoped Sunderland would tire in the second half after their midweek FA Cup exertions, and Arsenal might be able to take advantage of it. Arsenal seemed to be on top at the start of the second half, but slowly Sunderland made their way into the game. Wojciech Szczesny had to make two very good saves from Craig Gardner in quick succession to keep Arsenal in the game.

Arsenal brought Thierry Henry on for the ineffectual Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain midway through the second half, but they found themselves trailing soon afterwards. Laurent Koscielny played an innocuous pass to Per Mertescaker just outside the Arsenal box, but Mertesacker fell over as he attempted to control the ball. James McLean raced on to the slip, and finished excellently into the far corner past the despairing Szczesny.

The pitch at Sunderland was in poor condition, and it looked like Mertesacker caught his studs in the turf before going down. He was stretchered off, and it looks like he might have some ligament damage in his ankle. I would imagine he will be out for a while which could see a return to a central defensive role for Thomas Vermaelen.

Wenger brought Aaron Ramsey on for the injured Mertesacker, and Alex Song dropped back to play in the centre of defence. It wasn't long before Ramsey had an impact on the game, as he scored Arsenal's equaliser. Mikael Arteta's shot was deflected his way, and he scored from just outside the penalty area via both posts.

There were 15 minutes left to play, and Arsenal now looked the most likely team to win. Sunderland dropped deeper and deeper as they began to tire, and Arsenal went in search of a precious winner. Robin van Persie had a chance from a header towards the end, but it was straight at Simon Mignolet in the Sunderland goal.

With only three minutes left Andrey Arshavin came on for Theo Walcott, and he was to make a telling contribution. The game went into the four minutes of added time, and Arshavin swung in a magnificent cross from the Arsenal right. Henry was in the six-yard box where any good striker should be, and he prodded the ball home.

Sunderland tried to respond, but Arsenal managed to see out the last few minutes, and take all three points. It was a very hard fought victory, but it could prove to be very beneficial by the end of the season. When the other results came in Arsenal found themselves sitting in the coveted fourth place that they desire so much.

Both Walcott and Chamberlain were very well marshaled by the Sunderland defence, but thankfully Arsenal were able to utilise the skill and experience on their bench.  The value of having a strong bench was never more evident for Arsenal than in this game, and the players who came on changed the game for them. Both Ramsey and Henry scored, and the much maligned Arshavin made the winning goal.

Arsenal's next three Premier League games will all be crucial in their attempts to hold on to that coveted fourth spot. They play against AC Milan and Sunderland again in the Champions League and FA Cup respectively in the next week before returning to league action. They then play at home to Spurs, away to Liverpool, and at home to Newcastle with the return leg against Milan thrown in too.

It's a really tough schedule for the team, and they will need to show the determination that they showed against Sunderland to progress in all competitions. They have now won two league games in a row, and the three defeats of January seem like a distant memory. If they can come through the next three league games unbeaten then they will probably be favourites to finish fourth.

One player who won't be able to help them do so any more is Henry, as he will be returning to the New York Red Bulls after Wednesday night's game in Milan. His contribution may not have been much in terms of minutes played, but he scored two vitally important goals. He got them through the third round of the FA Cup with the only goal of the game against Leeds before getting that dramatic winner against Sunderland as well.

He did manage to score the seventh goal against Blackburn last week, but there was a little less importance attached to that goal. I don't know if he will get the chance to play against Milan on Wednesday night, but I'm sure he will again take the opportunity to say farewell to the traveling Arsenal fans after the game. He extended his record as Arsenal's highest scorer of all time during his few weeks on loan, and lived up to his reputation as a living legend.

I wasn't so sure how things would work out for him on loan at Arsenal for those few weeks, but they were a resounding success. Let's just hope the team can keep a hold of the momentum he has helped them to build, and finish this season on a high for a change. The FA Cup is a real target in terms of trophies, and Champions League qualification is within their grasp too.

If the team hold on to fourth place and win the FA Cup I will be a very happy fan considering how the season started. I still can't see the Champions League as a genuine target for them to win, but hopefully they can at least turn over Milan and reach the last eight. I'll preview that game in the next couple of days, but for the moment it's time to wallow in the sweet smell of a Thierry Henry inspired win.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Sunderland Previewed

Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Premier League last week with an emphatic 7-1 victory at home to Blackburn. After three defeats in a row in the league it was a welcome victory, and it kept Arsenal firmly in the race for fourth place. They now need to kick on and put a few good performances and victories together to show that they are capable of finishing fourth.

They face a very tough trip to Sunderland later today, and a win in that game would be a real sign that things are looking up for Arsenal. Since Martin O'Neill took over the reins at Sunderland they have taken more Premier League points than any other team. In 10 games they have taken 22 points, and progressed to the last 16 of the FA Cup too.

They have won their last three league games without conceding a goal, and they look like they are capable of making a late run to challenge for a top four spot. There are already four teams in the hunt for fourth place, but if Sunderland continue at their current pace they might just have a say in that battle. Their defence has been their strongest point so far with only Manchester City and Liverpool conceding less goals than them.

It sounds like a daunting task for an Arsenal team that has already lost six of their 12 away league games this season. There are a few factors counting in Arsenal's favour though, and they need to take advantage of them.

For a start Arsenal are the third highest scorers away from home in the Premier League this season, and they have the top scorer in the league in their team too. Robin van Persie is a class above any other striker in the league, and Sunderland will have to be at their very best to stop him scoring. His hat trick against Blackburn last week was fantastic, and he is a threat every single time he gets the ball.

Arsenal have had a week off since their victory over Blackburn, but Sunderland have had to play an FA Cup replay against local rivals Middlesbrough. That game went to extra time before Sunderland eventually emerged victorious, and funnily enough they will face Arsenal in the next round. That game will be played next weekend, but Arsenal have a midweek to trip to AC Milan to contend with first.

Hopefully the Sunderland players will be just a little bit tired after their exertions on Wednesday night, and Arsenal can take advantage of that. Sunderland's defence has been very good, but if Arsenal can put them under enough pressure early on they might just crack. Arsenal came out of the blocks very quickly against Blackburn last week, and more of the same is needed today.

I can't see Arsene Wenger making too many changes from the team that beat Blackburn last week, but I think Aaron Ramsey might come back in instead of Tomas Rosicky. Rosicky played well last week, but Ramsey is the first choice in the attacking role in midfield, and I expect him to play. I would also expect Bacary Sagna to play from the start after he sat out most of last week's game on his road to recovery.

Other than that I don't see any other changes, but I think Kieran Gibbs might make the bench and maybe even get a few minutes towards the end. He has had plenty of injury problems throughout his short Arsenal career, but hopefully he has put them all behind him now. Wouldn't it be strange to see Arsenal play with two actual full-backs in their team at some stage.

Arsenal are good enough to beat any team, and if they turn on the style Sunderland will struggle to cope with them. I'm sure Sunderland will work really hard to close Arsenal down, as all Martin O'Neill teams do and Arsenal will need to do the same to them. It could make for a very tight game, but good players come to the fore in tight situations.

The form shown by RVP, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and even Theo Walcott was excellent last week, and more of the same from them is a must for Arsenal. I always feel RVP is at his best when the ball is cut back to him by the wide players, and Arsenal will do well if they can get both of them in behind the Sunderland defence. Arsenal's attack can be formidable when it's on song, and it needs to be today.

The real problems this season for Arsenal have been the amount of goals they have conceded, and they need to defend better as a team. It's not just the back four and the goalkeeper who have to defend, but the whole team have to play their part. If they can all stick to their tasks and concentrate for the entire 90 minutes it won't be easy for Sunderland to score.

Sunderland have some very dangerous players in their team, and James McLean and Stephane Sessegnon are in great form at the moment. The return of Fraizer Campbell from his long injury has also been a boost for them, and he will have to be closely watched too. The easiest way for Arsenal to keep those players quiet is to keep the ball, and score a few goals too.

It's the start of a very busy week for Arsenal with the Champions League trip to Milan on Wednesday night, and then Sunderland again in the FA Cup next week. A victory today with be the perfect start to that week, and hopefully wins against Milan and Sunderland again will follow. It's never dull as an Arsenal fan, but the coming week is going to be even more interesting than usual.

With Liverpool facing a trip to United, Newcastle traveling to Spurs, and Chelsea playing at Everton there is a chance for Arsenal to end the day in fourth place. I would be delighted with a win over Sunderland, and Arsenal closing in on the teams above them, but it won't be easy. A draw would not be a disaster, but it could be a bad week if Arsenal start it with a defeat.

The team has been short of confidence recently, and a defeat could be really bad for that brittle confidence.  I'm staying positive though, and predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal with RVP again being the star performer.

I'm sure it will be a very close game, and the ability to take chances will be crucial. I was at the reverse fixture in October and a brace from RVP won the game for Arsenal, after Seb Larsson had scored a superb free kick for Sunderland to equalise. Blackburn scored a similar free kick last week, and Arsenal need to be aware of Larsson's ability from dead balls. It's imperative that they don't give away free kicks within 30 yards of their own goal.

That's it for today.

Here's a look at Arsenal's 3-0 win over Sunderland in 2001-02.

See You nTomorrow.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 25

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I managed to get two correct scorelines last week along with two correct outcomes and six incorrect. It may not sound too impressive, but it still helped me to improve my position in my predictions league.

This season has thrown up an awful lot of strange results, and it's not easy to predict the outcome of any game. However, I'll try my best to keep predicting every the outcome of every single Premier League game this season.

Here's a look at how my predictions league stands.

Pos	Player	Week	Total
1	ahujag	35	1245
2	b_red_devils	10	1190
3	Gooner2194	110	985
4	GGooner	50	940
5	nitin004	50	900
6	JamrockRover	45	860
7	DK1247	0	855
8	nitin004	40	825
9	Rutland Gooner	60	775
10	Smashit_Tuckit	145	750

Manchester United Vs. Liverpool

Saturday February 11, 12.45p.m., BST

United did really well to come back from three goals down to get a  draw at Chelsea last week. They were helped by getting two penalties for the second game in a row though, and they have now got more penalties than any other Premier League team this season. They're two points behind City in the league, and they need a win to keep the pressure on City before they play.

Wayne Rooney looks like he might be back in form, and Antonio Valencia is doing pretty well for fantasy managers at the moment too.

Liverpool have only won two of their last eight league games, but they have won more games away from home than at home. They're still in the battle for fourth place, and a win in this game would see them move ahead of both Arsenal and Newcastle before they play. Their inability to score goals is their biggest problem with only one of the bottom three scoring less than them so far.

Liverpool defenders are still the most likely of their players to perform well for fantasy managers.

I think this is a game United really need to win, but Liverpool might just take a point off them.

Prediction 1-1
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Blackburn Rovers Vs. Queens Park Rangers

 Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Blackburn have lost more home games than any other team in the Premier League so far this season. They were beaten 7-1 by Arsenal last week, and they now have the worst defence in the league. They have only been outscored by the top six though, and that must give them some hope.

Steer clear of Blackburn's defenders, but Yakubu might be a good bet now that he's back from his suspension.

QPR have only won once in their last 12 Premier League games, but Mark Hughes will be hoping his new signings will help to change that. He will have to manage without Djibril Csse for the next month because of suspension, and the pressure will be on Bobby Zamora to perform. The real test for QPR could be how good their defence is though.

Zamora could be the man to get a few fantasy points in the QPR team while Djibril Cisse is suspended.

Blackburn usually need to score a few goals to win and QPR's defence might just help them to do that.

Prediction 3-2
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Bolton Wanerers Vs. Wigan Athletic

Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Bolton have taken 11 points in their last eight league games, and that's good enough form to help them avoid relegation. They are still in that relegation zone though, but a win in this game would probably see them move outside of it. They have to be favourites to beat one of the two teams below them.

There's still no Bolton players setting the fantasy world alight.

Wigan are in desperate need of some points, and a few goals too. They have only taken four points in their last nine league games, and they haven't won any of them. This could be the season when they eventually lose their annual fight against relegation.

Ali Al-Habsi is still the best of the Wigan players for any fantasy manager.

This is a real relegation six-pointer, and I think Bolton will have too much for Wigan.

Prediction 2-1
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Everton Vs. Chelsea

Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Everton are never an easy team to beat at home, as they showed against Manchester City a few weeks ago. Their problem is their lack of goals with only Wigan and Stoke scoring less than them so far. If Nikica Jelavic can find the net on a regular basis they could finish the season very well.

Tim Howard and Leighton Baines are doing pretty well at the moment, and Jelavic might be the man to finally score a few goals for Everton.

Chelsea have only won twice in their last nine Premier League games, and they threw away a three goal lead against United last week. Unusually for Chelsea they have dropped a fair few points at home this season, but they have only lost twice on their travels.

Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata are probably the Chelsea players most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

Everton are never easy to beat at home, and I think Chelsea will struggle to do so but they will take a point.

Prediction 1-1
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Fulham Vs. Stoke City

Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Fulham usually do very well at home in the Premier League, and in recent weeks that home form has returned. They have only lost one of their last seven home games, and they will be looking to get another win under their belts.

Clint Dempsey is by far the best of the Fulham players for any fantasy manager.

Stoke  have slipped back to 12th in the Premier League with only six points in their last eight games. They have to face Spanish side Valencia in the Europa League next Thursday, and it won't be easy for them to cope with so many games. They have found it tough to score goals this season with only bottom club Wigan scoring less than them.

Jonathan Walters had been doing very well for Stoke, but he has stopped scoring well recently.

Fulham are not easy to beat at home, and they should be able to see off Stoke.

Prediction 2-0
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Sunderland Vs. Arsenal

Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Sunderland are in great form at the moment, and it all started when Martin O'Neill became their manager. They have taken more points since he became their manager than any other Premier League team. It has seen them rise to eighth in the table, and only Manchester City and Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than them.

Simon Mignolet, James McLean and Stephane Sessegnon are all in great form for any fantasy manager at the moment.

Arsenal ended their run of three league defeats in a  row with an emphatic 7-1 win over Blackburn last week. On their day they can beat any team, but they need to find more consistency. If they are to have a chance of finishing fourth they will need points here before they travel to play AC Milan in the Champions League.

It's tough to look beyond Robin van Persie as captain for any fantasy team at the moment, and Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are doing too badly either.

This is a big game for both teams before they meet again in the FA Cup next week, and I think Arsenal might just have the upper hand.

Prediction 1-2
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Swansea City Vs. Norwich City

Saturday February 11, 3p.m., BST

Swansea have only lost once at home, and only Manchester City have conceded less goals at home than them. Three wins in their last five games have seen them rise to the top half of the table, and a win in this game will move them closer to the magical 40 point mark.

When it comes to Swansea players for fantasy managers it's hard to look beyond Scott Sinclair and Michel Vorm, but they are ably supported by Ashley Williams and Danny Graham.

Norwich are in the top half of the table too, and they look likely to avoid relegation as well. They have kept two clean sheets in their last three games after keeping none in their first 21 games. They are more familiar with Swansea than most teams, as they played together in the Championship last season.

Norwich are certain of playing their top fantasy players in every game, but when they do both Anthony Pilkington and Steve Morison perform quite well.

Swansea have a great home record this season, and I think they will take another three points against Norwich.

Prediction 2-1
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Tottenham Hotspur Vs. Newcastle United

Saturday February 11, 5.30p.m., BST

Spurs have the second best home record in the Premier League so far this season with nine wins so far. They are looking increasingly likely to finish in the top three and qualify for next season's Champions League. They might have to do it with a new manager though, if Harry Redknapp takes up the vacant England post which he is favourite to land.

Gareth Bale, Brad Friedel and Benoit Assou-Ekotto are really scoring loads of fantasy points, but Emmanuel Adebayor hasn't scored in Spurs last eight games.

Newcastle have done really well to climb back into fifth place, and they have won four of their last five league games. The return of Demba Ba was a huge boost for them, and his goals have been a major factor in their league standing. The big question is whether they can continue to compete with the big boys.

Tim Krul and Ryan Taylor are scoring plenty of fantasy points this season, but now that he's back from international duty Demba Ba is their star performer.

I think Spurs attack will have too much for Newcastle, and they will take all three points.

Prediction 3-1
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Wolverhampton Wanderers Vs. West Bromwich Albion

Sunday February 12, 1.30p.m., BST

Wolves eventually managed to win a game last week, and it moved them out of the bottom three. It was their first win in 10 games, and they will need a few more to avoid relegation. They have lost seven of their 12 home games so far, and they need to take points at home to survive.

Wayne Hennessey and Steven Fletcher are probably the best fantasy bets out of the Wolves players.

West Brom have taken 18 points away from home, and only eight at home so far. Only the top four and Liverpool can beat their away record, and it's the reason they are six points clear of the drop zone. They have only won once in their last seven games, and only Wigan and Stoke have scored less goals than them.

There are no West Brom players setting the fantasy world alight at the moment.

Local derbies are never easy to predict, but I think West Brom's away form might be the key factor in this game.

Prediction 1-2
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Aston Villa Vs. Manchester City

Sunday February 12, 4.p.m., BST

Villa have only won three home league games so far this season, and the last of them was three months ago. They have being playing well recently, but they have being giving away goals too easily. It won't be easy for them against the league leaders, but every team seems to raise their game at home to City.

Villa players aren't exactly doing really well at the moment, but Robbie Keane is bucking that trend during his brief stay.

City have only won once in their last six away league games, and that was at bottom club Wigan. Their away form has become a real worry recently, and now they have to play midweek Europa League games too. They have the opportunity to stretch their lead with United having tougher fixtures for the next few weeks, but can they take it?

It's hard to look beyond David Silva and Sergio Aguero for any fantasy manager, and Joe Hart is a pretty good buy too.

Villa are playing well at the moment but not getting the results, and I think they might just have enough to take a point off City.

Prediction 1-1
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That's it for this week but as usual feel free to tell me where I might have gone right or wrong as the case may be.

It's not too late to join the over 1,000 other teams in my fantasy league. There are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.

To join the predictions league, just go to the site and set up your predictions. Then use the code F688F-JCO to join my league. I'll update the league table in my predictions every week.

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook too.

I'm also a member of a very good and very active Arsenal group on Facebook, which you can join here.

See you tomorrow.