Arsenal Have A Mountain To Climb In Monaco

First things first and Arsenal found out last night that they will face Reading in their FA Cup semi final after the Championship side beat Bradford 3-0 last night in their replay. The game is to be played at Wembley on the weekend of April 18/19 with the winners playing the winners of the other semi final between Villa and either Blackburn or Liverpool. It's a clear path to the final for Arsenal and they have to be favourites to retain the trophy as it stands.

Before they can even think about that game there's plenty to fight for in the league with second place up for grabs and the bare minimum of qualifying for next season's Champions League to be settled too. At the moment Arsenal are the form side in the Premier League, but Liverpool are looking pretty good too with nine games left to play. It looks like it could be a hard fought tussle from second to fifth place with the two Manchester clubs involved also.

Of course there's the little matter of this season's Champions League to contend with first and that brings us to tonight's game in Monaco. After the first leg Arsenal face an enormous task to make it through to the quarter finals, but they still have a chance no matter how slight it is. If they're going to overcome Monaco they have to score a minimum of three goals tonight and that is no easy task against a side with Monaco's defensive record.

Monaco won their group with a fantastic defensive effort when they conceded only one goal in their six games. They might have only scored four goals in those games, but allied with their defensive record it was enough to take top spot in the group. When they came to the Emirates last month we expected a solid defensive performance from them, but nobody expected them to score three goals on the night.

They were of course helped by a woeful Arsenal performance and some terrible defending by the home team, but they also showed they have an eye for goal when they get the chance. The first goal they got might have taken a deflection to beat David Ospina, but they hit Arsenal perfectly with swift counter attacks to score the other two goals. They will look to defend in numbers again tonight and are bound to look for the exact same opportunities on the break.

As good as Monaco's defence is they still gave up plenty of chances to Arsenal and on another night Arsenal might have got a draw with a little luck and some better finishing. Olivier Giroud has been in excellent form since returning from injury, but he had a nightmare in the first leg. He could have had four goals and most definitely should have had one when he put a fairly simple rebound over the bar.

To be fair to Giroud he has come back from that game and scored the opening goal in each of Arsenal's three league games since then. He will more than likely lead the line tonight and hopefully he can go some way towards making amends for that first leg performance. He has shown some real courage to come back so strong from that performance and hopefully that strength will be to the fore tonight.

I don't expect too many changes from the team that beat West Ham on Saturday and the only change to the squad will be the return of the fit again Gabriel Paulista for Chuba Akpom. I would imagine Santi Cazorla will return to the starting line up and it's a matter of either Aaron Ramsey or Theo Walcott missing out I suppose. Ramsey would give the team more strength alongside Francis Coquelin in the centre of midfield, but Walcott offers more width and is more than capable of getting in behind the Monaco defence. He showed that on Saturday against West Ham, but unfortunately he missed three very good chances. 

In defence I think there's a real case for including either Calum Chambers or Gabriel in the centre alongside Laurent Koscielny to utilise their pace. Monaco are going to get chances to take Arsenal on the break and both of them have a lot more pace than Per Mertesacker. I'm not saying Mertesacker needs to be dropped permanently, but he might not be suited to the game Arsenal will have to play tonight. I would be surprised if Mertesacker didn't start though and I think Hector Bellerin will come in for Chambers, but otherwise the defence will be the same as it was on Saturday.

The personell on the night won't be the most important factor for Arsenal. If they're going to win the game by the scoreline they need it will be down to the performance those chosen for the game can put in. As good as Monaco were in the first leg they are not Invincible and Arsenal will make chances on the night. If they are going to progress they will have to be an awful lot better at putting those chances away than they were in the first leg and they will have to ride their luck defensively as they push forward in search of goals.

It's certainly not an impossible task, but it is highly unlikely that Arsenal will come out on top. That third goal Monaco scored in added time could be the one which makes the difference, but I at least want to see Arsenal give it a real go on the night. If they give their all don't go through then there's not too much more that can be asked of the players. The damage was done in that first leg and hopefully some if not all of that damage will be undone tonight. I'm not writing Arsenal off at all, but I'm not exactly getting my hopes up either.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Another Fine Arsenal Mess

In the last sentence of my preview yesterday I said you never know what you will get with this Arsenal team and that was never more evident than in last night's game. I'm still struggling to understand how the team managed to come up with one of the most inept performances in memory on such an important night. It's hard to give credit to any player, but I suppose David Ospina didn't do too much wrong in goal.

Arsene Wenger set the stage by telling us it was time for his team to step and show they really were challengers at last. He struggled to explain what went on after the game, but he has to take his share of the blame for failing to influence matters from the bench. That was his team out there with almost all of his star performers available and they let him and the fans down yet again.

It didn't start too badly as Arsenal had the right tempo for the night in the first five minutes and looked like they had the will to get the job done. The tempo changed very quickly though as Arsenal struggled to make any inroads into a tight and well disciplined Monaco defence. Monaco didn't show too much ambition either and looked content to play in safe areas without over committing players in attack.

The game changed a little while before half time when a shot from outside the box took a deflection and wrong footed Ospina to crash into the Arsenal net. Monaco had a precious away goal and Arsenal knew they were in a game and I sat back and waited for their reaction.

Arsenal tried to up the tempo after the break and certainly offered a lot more going forward, but it was at the expense of anything resembling defensive stability. It didn't take Monaco too long to take advantage as they broke quickly after Alexis Sanchez lost possession in their box. As four Arsenal players descended on the player in possession he played a pass which left Monaco with a two on one from the halfway line. The ball was played to ex Spurs player Dimitar Berbatov and he made no mistake to increase their lead.

The decision by Per Mertesacker to step forward and challenge for the ball leaving a two on one behind him was astounding for a player of his experience. If I was the manager of a schoolboy player who did that he would be on the sidelines for the next game at least for such a stupid decision and for a player with over 100 caps for the world champions to do so was inexcusable. When things go wrong for Arsenal in defence Mertesacker always seems to suffer the most.

As somebody said on Twitter last night the signs were there against Palace and Leicester when Arsenal were more than a little lucky to win both games and found themselves under severe pressure against teams they should have dominated. The balance between defence and attack just doesn't seem to be right and Arsenal just aren't placing enough emphasis on protecting their defence. Francis Coquelin was brought into the midfield to do the work others don't do and he has been very good since winning his place in the team. I thought he played too far forward last night and wasn't there to screen the defence as he has been so often recently.

Arsenal tried to throw everything they had at Monaco and they created some good chances, but those chances fell to Olivier Giroud who had a most forgettable night. He has done well since he came back from his injury and was in fine form before last night, but the last of the chances he missed was the easiest and the final straw as the boss replaced him with Theo Walcott on the hour mark. I've said it before and I'll say it again I just don't think Giroud is good enough to play at the level Arsenal aspire to play. 

Walcott had an immediate impact and almost scored, but unfortunately he then got in the way of Welbeck's follow up to stop it going into the net. Arsenal soon lost their momentum and again gave the initiative to Monaco who created some good chances of their own. Both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky made their way off the bench too with Coquelin and Santi Cazorla coming off. Rosicky's impact was minimal, but Chamberlain had a big impact on the game and both ends.

With the game seemingly petering out he produced a moment of magic just on the 90 minute mark to give Arsenal some hope for the second leg. Up to that point he had lost the ball on more or less every occasion and he did so again in the final added minute with terrible consequences for Arsenal. With the whole team again too far forward Monaco broke when Chamberlain was dispossessed and added a third and probably killer goal. Where the defence were again is anybody's guess, but it was no surprise after such an inept performance.

The third goal means Arsenal have to score three times away from home to a team who only conceded one goal in their six group games. Monaco only scored four goals in that group too and I don't think they set out to score as many as they did last night. I think they saw how the game was going and how bad Arsenal were in defence and realised the chance was too good to pass up. I don't give Arsenal any hope in the second leg and I think they will go out at this stage of the competition for the fifth season in a row.

I wish I could figure out where the team went so wrong last night, but it's impossible not to think it was in their heads. Maybe they underestimated Monaco and thought they only had to show up to win through, but there are no easy ties at this stage in the toughest club competition in the world. It was yet another horror show from Arsenal and we all saw it happening, but yet again neither the players nor the manager could do anything to change it.

For me Arsenal were far too narrow with Welbeck coming in from the right and playing too close to Giroud while Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez kept trying to play through the middle. To break Monaco down Arsenal needed to use every inch of the pitch and stretch them time and again, but they kept playing the same slow laboured game right through the middle. I lost count of how many times Arsenal lost possession in front of the centre of Monaco's defence, but it didn't stop from trying the same thing time after time. 

Arsenal created enough good chances to have won the game if they had kept their defensive house in order, but once Monaco got their first goal all thoughts of proper defending went out the window. With the tie played over two games it was quite incredible to see Arsenal over commit players forward with 140 minutes still to play and time most definitely on their side. They paid the price with the second and third goals coming on the break and Monaco as good as putting the tie to bed before the second leg. 

With the players Arsenal have you would think they would be able to cope with the opposition closing them down, but it appears that's just not the case. I don't know if it's a lack of movement by team mates or players just taking too much out of the ball or maybe it's a combination of both. I do know the Arsenal players are capable of playing the ball a lot quicker and getting past any team that closes them down quickly, but they're just not doing it right now. Other teams have realised it's the way to get at Arsenal and Arsenal now have to find a way to counter them.

The wins over Leicester and Palace were more than a little lucky and the team really isn't playing well right now. If they're going to finish in the top four and progress in the FA Cup they need to find some balance to the team and that has to mean playing another player alongside Coquelin and sacrificing one of the more attacking players. I know Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta are injured and Jack Wilshere is just back from his latest injury, but the time has come for decisions to be made on which attacking players are first choice. With the attacking options Arsenal have those players might have to take turns on the bench, but the needs of the team outweigh the needs of the individual.

There's a few days before the team play again at home to Everton in the league on Sunday and the players and manager need to take some of that time to reflect on what went wrong. I expect to see some changes in that game because heads have to roll after a performance like last night. Those who do play need to understand that if something isn't working then it's not a good idea to just keep trying it again and again.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Move Up To Third After A Good Weekend

Champions League qualification is nothing new to Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and with their hopes of winning the league gone it's their target yet again this season. They've been gradually getting closer and closer to the top four and the results from this weekend have finally seen them climb to third. Arsenal did their bit by beating Crystal Palace on Saturday and the two teams directly above them were beaten to see them move up two places.

The battle for third and fourth places has five teams involved in it and Arsenal managed to steal a march on three of the other four this weekend. While they were beating Palace on Saturday United were losing away to Swansea and Arsenal moved above them. Things got even better on Sunday when Spurs could only draw at home to West Ham and Southampton lost at home to Liverpool to enable Arsenal to hold on to that third spot.

In the greater scheme of things I think it might have been far better for Arsenal if Southampton had managed to take a point off Liverpool. Arsenal are only three points ahead of Liverpool and Liverpool are on a very good run at the moment and closing quickly on the top four. They're unbeaten in 10 league games and seem to have found some real defensive strength to spur them on.

The points dropped by Spurs sees them fall back to seventh and Arsenal are now four points ahead of their local rivals. When they lost to Spurs a couple of weeks ago they fell behind them and back to sixth and things weren't looking too good. Since then Arsenal have just about managed a couple of 2-1 wins against teams at the wrong end of the table and those six points were very welcome as those around them slipped up. 

Getting back to that game against Palace it was a real nerve jangling finish to the game with Palace scoring in added time and then hitting the post right at the death. Arsenal had looked comfortable in the first half as they scored twice and Palace didn't manage an attempt on target. After the break Palace picked things up and put Arsenal under some real pressure, but Alexis Sanchez missed a great chance to finish them off on the break.

Palace put both of Arsenal's full backs under some real pressure and Calum Chambers found it very hard to cope with Yannick Bolasie when he came on for Palace just before the hour mark. The state of the pitch didn't help and Palace's work rate never dropped from first minute to last either. The important thing for Arsenal was the result though and the three precious points they won proved to be very important by Sunday night.

Arsenal!'s away form hadn't been good in the last couple of months despite the win at City and Palace looked to put them under the kind of pressure Spurs did a couple of weeks ago. To be fair to Palace they were more than a little unlucky to get nothing from the game and they will stay well clear of the relegation zone if they continue to play like that. Arsenal's defensive record away from home isn't good and they again invited too much pressure on their defence against Palace.

They have only five away league games left this season of the 12 games left to play and they will have to defend an awful lot better in those five games to make sure they finish in the top four. The tactic which worked so well against City just isn't working well enough against teams who play with the tempo Palace had and who are prepared to get plenty of crosses into the Arsenal box. Arsenal have to get hold of the ball more often away from home and not depend only on hitting teams on the break.

At the same time their home form has dramatically improved and they have won their last nine home games in a row in all competitions. That's a very nice statistic to have with the home leg of their Champions League round of 16 game against Monaco coming up on Wednesday night. Monaco have an excellent defensive record this season, but they won't have faced too many teams with the attacking options Arsenal possess.

After a slow start to their season Monaco are in the top four in the French league and have the best defensive record in that league. They only conceded one goal in their six Champions League group games and look like they will be very hard to break down. On a positive note for Arsenal though Monaco only scored four goals in their group games and have only managed 26 goals in their 25 league games. 

Arsenal could have had a tougher draw though and they have a real chance of getting into the quarter finals. There's still plenty to play for this season and the next few weeks will decide if Arsenal continue to have trophies to play for. They face six games in three weeks with that FA Cup quarter final at United in there as well as the two legs against Monaco and three league games. It's going to be a hectic three weeks for Arsenal and their fate for the season will be a lot clearer after the last of those six games in Monaco on March 17th.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Champions League And FA Cup Latest

After a weekend to forget there isn't much breathing space for Arsenal as they travel to Galatasaray in their final Champions League group game. With a place in the last 16 already guaranteed there isn't too much to play for and the Arsenal team will show a lot of changes as a result. They have an outside chance of winning their group if Dortmund slip up at home to Anderlecht and Arsenal win, but it's a pretty unlikely scenario. 

Arsene Wenger took the unusual step of naming his team the day before the game and he has given a chance to some of his fringe players. With so many changes in the team it won't be easy for Arsenal to get a result, but at least some of the more important players will get a rest before the upcoming busy schedule. Arsenal haven't done too well in the past when they have fielded a weakened team in Champions League games and Galatasaray will see this as a chance to claim a big scalp. 

Both Mathieu Debuchey and Wojciech Szczesny make their returns from injury and the rest of the defence will be made up of Per Mertesacker, Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin. The combination of Mertesacker and Chambers in central defence was very poor against Stoke on Saturday, but needs must and there's nobody else to play there. Yet again the folly of not addressing the defensive shortages in the summer is proving costly for the team and there can't be a single fan who thought it wouldn't. 

Both Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini will continue in midfield with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in front of them. After doing such a good job to protect the back four in recent games Flamini and Ramsey were found badly wanting in their defensive duties against Stoke. The whole team seemed to forget to do everything they had done right in the previous three games from the kick off on Saturday and questions have to be asked about their motivation and preparation for the game. They may have tried to turn things around in the second half, but that first half performance was one of the worst I have ever seen from Arsenal.

The attacking trio is the most interesting of all with forgotten man Joel Campbell playing with the injury prone Yaya Sanogo and the mistrusted by the manager Lukas Podolski. All three will hopefully be anxious to make an impression on a rare occasion they get to play and they're all well capable of it too. Sanogo scored when he started at home to Dortmund in the last group game, but Campbell and Podolski have had even less opportunities to show what they can do.

While I think the team might have a fair deal in attack the defence looks very ropey at best and I am worried about how they will hold up. The game might not be of much significance but the team cannot afford another defeat on the back of Saturday's loss. It seems each time the team appears to be turning the corner they come up with another horror show to go right back to square one.

On the bright side at least Alexis Sanchez will get a break from almost single handedly carrying the team. It's impossible to overestimate how important his contribution has been this season and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for him at times to see the lack of contribution of others. He has been so much better than everyone else so far that I worry he will want to move on this summer to a team where his efforts might lead to more success.

In other news the draw for the FA Cup third round was made yesterday and Arsenal got a home game against Hull. The cup seems to pull out these strange coincidences so often and the game in early January will be a repeat of last May's final. Of course Arsenal won that game after going 2-0 down early on and will want to do all they can to defend the only trophy they have won in the last nine seasons.

Realistically the FA Cup is Arsenal's only hope of silverware this season and a home draw in the third round is a good start. They won the cup without ever leaving London last season and will start their defence in the city again. No other team have won the FA Cup more times than Arsenal and one more victory would see them out on their own on 12 victories.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Advance In Europe As More Injuries Strike

Last night was a good night for Arsenal for the first time in a while as they beat Dortmund to guarantee their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. After throwing away a three goal lead at home to Anderlecht in their last group game Dortmund looked like a frightening prospect as they brought their 100% record to the Emirates. A draw was all Arsenal needed to guarantee the runners up spot in the group, but their win still gives them an outside chance of topping the group.

To win the group they will have to win away to Galatasaray by at least six goals if Dortmund draw at home to Anderlecht or just win if Anderlecht win that game. The chances of either scenario are highly unlikely as Arsene Wenger is sure to give his fringe players a run out in that game and Anderlect have already secured third place in the group and a spot in the last 32 of the Europa League.

The boss made three changes from the team which somehow managed to lose at home to United on Saturday. Emiliano Martinez replaced the injured Wojciech Szczesny in goal, Santi Cazorla came in for the injured Jack Wilshere in midfield and Yaya Sanogo started in attack with Danny Welbeck injured or not risked. It meant Cazorla assumed the playmakers role and he took the chance to show how he likes that role with a very good display. Sanogo hadn't managed a goal for Arsenal since he joined at the start of last season and I didn't hold out much hope of him breaking that duck to be honest.

I'm delighted to admit I was wrong as it took him only 75 seconds to get his name on the scoresheet. He controlled a throw in and laid it off to Cazorla before taking the return ball and slotting it through the advancing keeper's legs and into the net. It was just the start Arsenal needed and luck went their way for a change recently as Sanogo was marginally offside, but the offside wasn't given.

After that it became scrappy for a while with both teams closing each down quickly and very little time on the ball for anybody. Dortmund only made one decent chance in the first half, but Martinez was up to the challenge and made a fine save at his near post just before the break. At the other end a little more composure from Sanogo would have seen him increase the lead as Arsenal looked the most likely to score the next goal.

Dortmund came out of the traps flying in the second half and Arsenal seemed content to hit them on the break. It was just short of the hour mark when they increased their lead and it just had to be Alexis Sanchez who got the goal. He has been quite magnificent since he joined Arsenal and it looked like his high tempo game had been adopted by his team mates last night too.

He took a pass from that man Cazorla again on the left side just outside the area before cutting inside the defender and unleashing a curler into the far corner. I can't remember seeing an Arsenal player score a goal like that since the days of Thierry Henry and Denis Bergkamp. That goal gave Arsenal a two goal advantage and they didn't look like surrendering it for a change.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came closest to adding his name to the scoresheet when he teed the ball up and placed a great shot which left the keeper flat footed, but it came back off the bar. He was another player who put in a great performance and he looks to be really finding his feet now that he's a more permanent fixture in the team. Both he and Calum Chambers gave the left side of the Dortmund defence a rough ride all night.

I thought Mikel Arteta had an excellent game in midfield too and it was worrying to see him limp off yet again. Hopefully he won't be out for too long although Mathieu Flamini played well when he replaced him. Overall the midfield defended as a unit in the second half in particular and didn't over commit going forward and the team reaped the benefits.

It's almost as if they and the boss learned a lesson and decided it's easier to win games if you don't throw goals away. Hopefully that lesson will be remembered over the next few weeks and the team can put a run together to strengthen their position in the league. There's still 26 league games to play and there's no reason why a properly focused Arsenal can't win almost 20 of those games.

I thought Martinez did all that could be asked of him and made another very good save late on to keep the score at 2-0 and stop Arsenal getting any late jitters. On last night's display he should be challenging Szczesny for his place in the team considering how Szczesny has played this season. Hopefully the realisation he has an actual challenger will get Szczesny to improve his game too.

Nacho Monreal has had plenty of criticism lately as he has been asked to play a role he's not accustomed to and has struggled there. He looked a lot better last night and maybe he is beginning to adjust to life as a central defender. I did read one fan on Twitter suggest he will be Laurent Koscielny's partner in central defence when Koscielny returns at the expense of Per Mertesacker, but I doubt that very much. Mertesacker has been far from his best recently, but I think he will benefit from Koscielny's return as will all of the defence.

I know Dortmund are struggling badly in their domestic league and had already assured their qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League before last night, but I was still impressed with Arsenal. They went about what they had to do in a professional manner and got the win they needed to make sure they don't need to get something from the trip to Galatasaray next month. Hopefully that win will help to rebuild some of the confidence the team has been so badly missing.

Arsenal are still far from their best, but the only way to get through a spell like the one they are going through is with hard work and commitment. They showed both of them in abundance last night as well as playing with a fair deal of intelligence too. A few more performances like that and the confidence will come flooding back and hopefully the good football Arsenal are known for too.

Unfortunately the injury position at the club didn't improve last night with both Arteta and Sanogo going off after picking up knocks. Then there was the news that Jack Wilshere will be out for three months after undergoing surgery on the ankle he injured against United on Saturday. Just as it looked like the squad was getting close to full strength the players have started dropping like flies yet again.

There were so many positives from the game after the recent run of negative performances and results. There are three league games coming up in quick succession before the trip to Galatasaray and an opportunity for the team to make a move up the table. If they can take all nine points from those three games they will be in a much healthier position, but it will be a far from easy task. It's one that's not beyond the team and hopefully they can do just that.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal v Dortmund Preview

Arsenal have had a very poor start to their season and the wheels have really come off in the last few weeks in particular. They hadn't been playing well, but had won three games in a row and were 3-0 up at home to Anderlecht with half an hour to play when they just fell apart. Anderlecht came back to draw that game at the Emirates 3-3 and Arsenal have followed it with defeats to Swansea and United when they really should have won both games.

If they had beaten Anderlecht they would have been through to the last 16 of the Champions League and looking to beat Dortmund tonight to try to win their group. Dortmund are through already after winning their first four games despite an horrendous start to their domestic campaign which sees them in the bottom three in the league with seven defeats in their first 12 games. They won 2-0 at home to Arsenal in the opening group game though and probably should have won that game by even more.

Dortmund are going to win the group regardless of tonight's result with Anderlecht at home in their last game and a five point gap over second placed Arsenal. What Arsenal need from this game is a point to make sure they don't have to go to Galatasaray in their last game looking to avoid defeat to qualify. That's a scenario I would not like to see this Arsenal team facing considering the lack of bottle they have displayed all too often.

A second place finish in their group is hardly ideal, but they would have a chance in the last 16 depending on the draw. If they do come second they can't play Chelsea or Dortmund, but both Leverkusen and Porto should win their groups and Arsenal would have a real chance against either of them. Of course the other four group winners would be daunting prospects in the last 16, but who knows Arsenal might even be playing well by then.

The injury situation at Arsenal just doesn't seem to get any better with Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny both absent from Saturday's team through injury. Theo Walcott isn't fit to return after coming back from international duty injured while there is still some doubt over Danny Welbeck's participation. Of course Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Debuchey and David Ospina are all still unavailable and players are currently being added to the injury list quicker than they are coming off it.

The recent early return of Olivier Giroud has been tempered by the news he's not in Arsenal's 25 man Champions League squad. He wasn't expected to be ready to return before the group stages were over and as a result he was left out of the squad. If Welbeck isn't fit to play it will mean Yaya Sanogo could possibly lead the line although I suspect Alexis Sanchez would play the central strikers role. 

The only good news on the injury front is the return of Laurent Koscielny to the squad, but I'm not sure if he will be match fit. He has been sorely missed for the past month or so and his return to the defence can't come quickly enough for me. Nacho Monreal is no centre back for me or anyone else for that matter and the team has suffered with him drafted into that position.

Of course it's not Monreal's fault he has had to play in an unfamiliar position due to Koscielny's injury. If the club had gone about their recruitments correctly in the summer there would be viable alternatives in the cente of defence instead of having to play a left back who is clearly uncomfortable in the position. The defensive unit has struggled this season and even more so since the best defender at the club picked up his injury.

With Szczesny injured it means Emiliano Martinez will play in goal again as he did in the away win against Anderlecht and when Szczesny went off injured on Saturday. It also means the substitute goalkeeper will again be 17 year old Ryan Huddart and we can only hope he won't be called upon. I'm not saying I don't think he might one day make it, but who would want to make their competitive debut behind the current Arsenal defence.

The team is more than likely going to be similar to the one which contrived to somehow lose to United on Saturday and they will find themselves going the same way if they don't put Dortmund away if they are on top like they were against United. Of course Wilshere is out which will probably see the return of Mathieu Flamini to the team in midfield. Hopefully his inclusion will offer some defensive solidity if he plays, but he has been very error prone at times this season. 

If Arsenal are going to get the point they need or even more from the game then Alexis is going to be crucial to their chances as usual. He has been the one bright point in this season so far for Arsenal and his purchase last summer was a magnificent piece of business. He has settled into the team and the league so well that you wouldn't know it was his first season in English football and he's one of the few players in the league who can win a game all on his own.

Dortmund haven't carried their league form into the Champions League as they have strolled to four wins in the group, but surely they can be got at if they have been so poor domestically. They play a high tempo game and put their opponents under pressure on the ball and Arsenal have struggled against teams who play like that. If Arsenal can pass the ball quickly enough they can get in behind Dortmund and then it's a matter of taking any chances they might get.

I'd be more than happy with a draw to guarantee a place in the last 16 with a game to spare so the players can concentrate on Saturday's early kick off at West Brom. Arsenal need to stop the rot somewhere and a point against Dortmund might just be enough to do that. I don't think they can win by the margin they need to give themselves a chance of winning the group and it would probably be foolish to try to go all out for that win and possibly get picked off by Dortmund.

If Arsenal do fall behind they have to keep their shape and keep playing the right way and they cannot lose all shape like they did on Saturday. The manager also has to send the right team out there with the right instructions to get the result they need from the game and he has to be able to change things on the field if they aren't working. He doesn't seem to be able to do so at the moment and it's something he has to be able to do as the manager.

I have no doubt Arsenal are capable of winning and the draw they need is well within their abilities too. I just hope they play to their potential and don't go to pieces if they do go behind or even concede a goal like they have done far too often recently. 

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal: What Next

I haven't written anything about Arsenal since the defeat to United on Saturday as I was celebrating my 25th Wedding Anniversary and probably because I am finding it harder and harder to comprehend what is happening at the moment. The United game was so predictable it's scary with Arsenal dominating a poor team from the start, failing to take their chances and going behind to a shot that wasn't even on target. After that the immediate transition to abandoning any structure was all too predictable as the players pushed forward looking for an equaliser and gave up all defensive duties.

I'm not sure how it took United so long to add to their lead or how Angel di Maria didn't make it 3-0 either, but Arsenal got some late hope through Olivier Giroud's goal. With three minutes to try to get an equaliser all they did was pump high balls down the middle as they gave up on playing football. They never came close to that equaliser and there can't have been too many who thought they would get it.

The game should have been won in the first half hour when United came out devoid of confidence and with no real shape to their team. I can't remember seeing a United team who were so poorly prepared for a game against Arsenal since before the days of Old Whiskey Nose. Louis van Gaal may have a reputation for being a master tactician, but he didn't win the game by setting his team up the right way as United were given the points gift wrapped by Arsenal.

The miss from Jack Wilshere is one of the worst ones we will see all season and he was a lucky man not to be sent off after his run in with Marouane Fellaini. It was Fellaini who played a huge part in the opening United goal as he was offside when the cross came in and then pushed Kieran Gibbs into Wojciech Szczesny to create the chance. The resulting collision saw Szczsny go off and the hapless Gibbs put the ball into his own net as he swung at the ball from his position on the ground.

There's no point in going into what happened afterwards too much as we've seen it far too often with a team devoid of confidence doing all the wrong things all over the pitch. I use the term "team" loosely as they look more like a group of players who take the field together, but have very little semblance of an actual team and what that stands for. I can't understand how the manager allowed the players to abandon their defensive duties as they chased an equaliser and apparently neither could he after the game.

For Arsene Wenger to say he didn't know what they were doing is a joke as he is the man who is supposed to send them out there to play. He has to be able to affect the game from the sideline or he might as well stay at home and phone the subs in. If he cannot figure out where the players are going wrong game after game then somebody has to be found who can fathom it out and do something about it.

When push came to shove and the chips were down Arsenal were found wanting again and the manager was unable to change that again. The time for excuses is gone as the fans are fed up with collapse after collapse and performances not worthy of the players we have or the money that they are paid. If this team is going to go anywhere it has to change and change now or it's time for the boss to seriously consider his position at the club. 

Arsenal now have their lowest points total at this stage of the season since the formation of the Premier League. All of this is from one of the six wealthiest clubs in the world and it appears to be getting worse and not better. This isn't an old team in transition it's a team who won the FA Cup last season and led the league for longer than any other team. They should have built on that, but the failure to address the defensive frailties in the summer is now being shown up for the unforgivable mistake it was.

Arsenal have only won four of their 12 league games this season and the teams they have beaten are all currently in the bottom seven of the league. They have only played well once so far this season when they won 4-1 at home to Galatasaray and Galatasaray made it very easy for them that night. The players are there to perform far better than results suggest and those results have to improve or changes have to be made.

They're still strong favourites to progress from their Champions League group and are more than capable of making up the two point difference to fourth place. The thing is they have had the chance to put some real distance between themselves and United, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton as those clubs have struggled, but they have failed miserably to do so. They should be sitting comfortably in fourth place at worst right now with a five or six point gap to most of those teams, but they aren't due to their own inadequacies.

As Arsenal fans we have laughed at United this season and they are now two points ahead of us, we have laughed at Spurs and they are now level on points with us and we have laughed at Liverpool but they are only three points behind us no matter how bad they have been. We are becoming the laughing stock and soft touch of the Premier League and it has to stop now.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal FC - Mid Term Report

With another dreaded international break already dragging on it's time to look back at how Arsenal's season has gone so far. The team have played 18 games already and that's probably just about a third of the games they will play this season. 

It hasn't been the best season so far with only seven wins in those 18 games and the performances haven't been up to scratch either. Since the very start of the season Arsenal have struggled to overcome opponents and impose themselves upon games. They have been very vulnerable at the back and look likely to concede at almost any time in any game.

It all started off pretty well last summer with the arrivals of Alexis Sanchez, Mathieu Debuchey and Calum Chambers and it looked like Arsenal we're going to bring in the players they needed to build on their FA Cup victory of last season. As the summer progressed and players left or were allowed to leave it became increasingly obvious that Arsenal needed to strengthen at the back and in the defensive part of their midfield too. On transfer deadline day those players did not arrive and the squad faced into the season without enough class or cover in those positions. It was a failure to prepare correctly and the price is being paid for that failure at the moment.

It seems Arsenal are going out game after game and making the same mistakes and it's hard to believe they are putting in the work needed on the training ground. I have no doubt the players are working hard but I find it difficult to believe they are working on the tactics needed to make the team a better defensive unit with and without the ball. If the coaching staff aren't drilling the players in what they should be doing then that's most certainly a failure to do their homework correctly.

The Arsenal team is full of quality players who play for their countries though and each one of them must surely know what is expected of them when they play for club or country. The simple mistakes which occur time again are hard to fathom from players of their ability and it's hard to believe it's anything other than a lack of application and concentration at times. 

There are still so called experts who bellieve Arsenal should not have signed Alexis and should have saved their money for defensive signings. The club made plenty of money from the sale of players though as well as the knock on deals from Cesc Fabregas and Carlos Vela and there had to be enough money there to bring those players in too. It's hard to imagine where the team would be right now without Alexis as he has been truly magnificent for Arsenal. He is the best player in the Premier League at the moment and his application should be an example to every other Arsenal player.

There's still an awful lot to play for this season for Arsenal though and there's still the possibility of a trophy too. That trophy isn't going to come in the league unless Arsenal turn their form around immediately and go on a run to close the 12 point advantage Chelsea have over them after only 11 games. A top four place is still well within their grasp though, but surely that can't be the height of their ambitions yet again.

It still looks more than likely that they will progress from their Champions League group but it will be in second place which will of course mean a tougher draw in the last 16. Even with a good draw the team as it is surely can't progress past the quarter finals unless there is a huge change in how they play and some serious investment in January. There's plenty of money to be made from the Champions League, but I just can't see Arsenal being good enough to lift the trophy next May.

That would leave the FA Cup as the only route to silverware and it's a little worrying to admit that two months before Arsenal enter the competition at the third round stage. It would be great to see Arsenal retain the trophy they won last May, but it's hard to take that as their only route to success so early in the season. In truth though it was their only route once the transfer window closed and the squad didn't have the strength and balance needed to challenge with the best.

Of course there are plenty of players who can make a real difference to return from injury, but surely that has been the norm for too many seasons now. When Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Debuchy return it's hard to believe they won't be replaced by others in the treatment room. There's still the January transfer window to come too and just maybe the squad will get the strength it needs nice and early in that window. I won't be holding my breath though and the chances are any signings made will be just before the window closes. 

Overall it's been a very disappointing season so far with all of the old failings raising their ugly heads again for a host of reasons. A failure to prepare properly, do their homework properly and apply themselves properly has led to a very disappointing mid term report for the team. With the exception of star player Alexis that report has to read "can do better" for the entire squad up to this point. Hopefully when they come back from the international break the players can raise their game and get the team on track to a much better season.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Shambolic Arsenal Draw With Anderlecht

Arsenal played Anderlecht last night in their fourth group game of this season's Champions League. After a dramatic and lucky late win at Anderlecht two weeks ago Arsenal needed a win to put themselves through to the knockout stages with two games to spare. After winning their last three games in a row they looked well set to do just that and continue their recent progress.

Arsene Wenger made only one change from the team which beat Burnley at the weekend with Aaron Ramsey coming in for Mathieu Flamini. It signalled a change in approach from the last two games with Mikel Arteta as the sole player sitting in front of the defence. Ramsey increased Arsenal's attacking options though and they set out to get the win they needed.

The first half went well with Arteta scoring a penalty 25 minutes in after Danny Welbeck had been taken down and Alexis Sanchez doubling that lead four minutes later by volleying home the rebound from his own free kick. Anderlecht looked dangerous on the break but Arsenal's defence held firm and things were looking very good. When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain increased that lead 13 minutes into the second half it should have been game over as Arsenal were 3-0 up at home to a young and inexperienced team.

Up to that point the Arsenal players had followed the example of Alexis and closed Anderlecht down high up the pitch and cause them problems. When the third goal went in their was a visible fall off in the effort the players were putting in and I can only imagine they thought the job was done. They were able to find the energy to continue pushing forward, but not to chase back hard enough or close down opponents in the Arsenal defensive third.

The real turning point was the first goal as it gave Anderlecht the foothold in the game they wanted and it also saw Arteta limp off with a hamstring injury. The goal itself was so obviously offside that it was hard to believe the officials didn't spot it. Flamini came on for Arteta and Arsenal had 30 minutes left to see the game out. 

They couldn't find their feet again though and it was Anderlecht who were looking the more dangerous. With just under 20 minutes left Nacho Monreal needlessly gave away a penalty and suddenly the Arsenal lead was down to a single goal after the penalty was despatched. Arsenal managed to find a little more and went close to scoring a fourth a couple of times, but they didn't do what any professional team should do as the clock ticked down.

Players were still pushing forward with no worries about their defensive duties and they continued to look for a fourth goal rather than sit tight and run the clock down. When Anderlecht attacked the Arsenal players stood off them and allowed them to get their passes to each other or their crosses into the Arsenal box. It was a cross from the Arsenal left which led to the equaliser and the player who crossed the ball had all the time in the world to pick out a player with his cross.

You could argue that the first Anderlecht goal was offside and their penalty was a little generous, but that would be unfair to an Anderlecht team who deserved their point. They took the game to Arsenal and never gave up and took full advantage when Arsenal took their feet off the gas. As an Arsenal fan I have seen the team do just that far too often, but yet again it happened right in front of me.

It's hard to figure out what was going through the players heads as they eased off in the last half hour in particular, but I have no doubt they thought their job was already done. Maybe things would not have gone so badly awry if the defence had been stronger or there had been a better player to play in front of them when Arteta went off. Those players weren't available due to injuries and crucially because of the lack of investment in the defensive part of the squad last summer.

That's only part of the reason though because all of the Arsenal defence are international players and they should have been able to do a lot better even if the likes of Monreal was asked to play out of position. I find it hard to believe the manager couldn't have instructed his players from the sideline to show some caution as the clock ticked down, but it didn't appear to happen to me. 

As an Arsenal fan in one match you can go through the whole range of emotions most fans go through in a whole season or so it appears at least. When Anderlecht were coming back into the game we all knew it could go either way and the manner in which this team has capitulated in recent times meant it was more likely to go wrong. I was disgusted and annoyed when it did happen, but I really can't say I was overly surprised.

I'm sure Arsenal will still qualify from their group but it will be as runners up with the hopes of winning the group as good as gone. It will lead to a tougher draw in the last 16 and the chances are an exit at that stage too. The thing is if Arsenal are good enough to win the Champions League it wouldn't matter who they draw in the last 16, but we all want a better draw to progress to the last eight because that's probably the height of our Champions League ambitions this season.

I have to say I feel sorry for Alexis today as he continues his one man crusade to make Arsenal a better team in spite of the efforts of some of those around him. He must be wondering why he joined a club where the players are rarely prepared to put in the effort he puts in for every minute of every game. 

From here it's a tough trip to a good Swansea team on Sunday for a very tricky game before the next international break kicks in. The momentum of winning their last three games was well and truly lost last night and there aren't too many changes that can be made for that game. The chances are most of the same players will be asked to play again and it's very hard to put your trust in players who have let you down so badly.

I'll be watching that game in the Dublin branch of the Arsenal supporters club along with many others at the Irish launch of Dave Seager's book on Arsenal legend Geordie Armstrong. It promises to be a great day and you can see all the details in the poster below. Let's hope the team can do their part and get get us the win we want to make it even better.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal v Anderlecht Preview

On the back of three consecutive victories where the performances have improved with each game Arsenal play Anderlecht tonight. The first of those three games was the away game with Anderlecht and I can rarely remember seeing Arsenal play so poorly, but they came back from 1-0 down to win with two goals at the death against the run of play. They weren't much better in winning away to Sunderland a few days better and had to thank the Sunderland defence for two gifts to take the points.

Last Saturday they beat the Premier League's bottom club 3-0, but it could and probably should have been more. They had more goal attempts in that game than in any game since April 2007 and that was the most pleasing aspect for me. I know Burnley are at the foot of the table but they don't lie down for any team.

While still being far from their best Arsenal have built some momentum and they have the chance to carry that on tonight. The victories might not have been against the best teams, but they can only beat what's in front if them and they are doing that right now. As Arsenal fans we should be happy enough with that and it has to be remembered the calibre of players who have been unavailable or unused in those games.

Players like Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott are first choices in the team and have been mostly unavailable for those games. Take the backbone out of any team and see how they perform week after week and it's no surprise to see Arsenal have struggled at times. Their saving grace has been Alexis Sanchez and he has to be the best player in the league on current form.

It has also been notable how Arsene Wenger has switched to a dual midfield defensive axis of Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini in the last two games and Arsenal kept clean sheets in both of them. I wouldn't quite say it's a 4-4-2 but it's not too far off it even if those two players are far from the Vieira/Petite axis we all adored. It has given more protection to the back four even if it has meant there has been a little less going forward.

I'm hoping Danny Welbeck can grab a goal or two tonight because I'm a little worried about how he is fitting into the Arsenal style. I'd like to see him in the penalty area a lot more often, but I think he is best suited to playing against a high line and there are few teams who play like that against Arsenal. Usually opponents drop off and defend in depth and I think he has struggled a little as part of an Arsenal team trying to prise defences open. 

I think Arsenal will win by a couple of goals at least tonight and the chances are Dortmund will do the same which will seal a last 16 spot for both teams. It will be tough to overtake Dortmund after losing 2-0 away to them and I think Arsenal will probably finish second in the group. That will mean a tougher draw in the last 16 but it's an awful lot better than not getting there at all.

The squad should be the same as the one from Saturday and I wouldn't be surprised to see the same starting 11. As long as Alexis is in the team I'll be happy as I just love to see him play for Arsenal, it was so good of Barcelona to sell him to us considering how many duds we have sent in the other direction over the last few years.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Champions League Trip To Anderlecht Previewed

It's hard to figure out where Arsenal's season is going, but already it looks like the FA Cup is their only realistic hope of a trophy. With Chelsea already 11 points ahead of them after only eight games it seems like the Premier League is already beyond them. They're back in Champions League action tonight away to Anderlecht and it's very hard to see them having enough to win the competition.

Qualification from their group should be well within their grasp though and they can almost assure themselves of that with back to back wins over Anderlecht. Arsenal lost their opening game away to Borussia Dortmund, but came back in fine style to win their last game 4-1 at home to Galatasary. That win leaves them in a strong position going into these two games against Anderlect with Galatasary having to play Dortmund twice.

Ideally for Arsenal Galatasary will take a point off Dortmund in those two games and Arsenal will hopefully take all six points off Anderlecht. That would leave Arsenal guaranteed a place in the knock out stages and fighting for top spot in the group with Dortmund. A home win over Dortmund would leave Arsenal needing to win their last game away to Galatasary to win the group, but all of that could be just pie in the sky.

If the performance against Hull on Saturday is anything to go by the two games against Anderlecht are going to be a real struggle. I didn't see the game on Saturday due to other commitments and didn't feel qualified to write about it after only seeing the Match of the Day highlights. I try to be as positive as I can about Arsenal as regular readers will know, but it seems the only positives from the game were the point we managed to salvage and the fact that we have Alexis Sanchez. 

When the transfer window closed it was obvious to one and all that Arsenal had not brought in the defensive midfielder and central defender (or two) which the squad needed to try to compete at the very top. Quite how Thomas Vermaelen was allowed to leave without being replaced is almost beyond me and it's a damning indictment of the club's inability to identify their targets and follow through on them. I know there was some real hope early in the window when Alexis arrived along with Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers, but that early impetus was not built open until Danny Welbeck arrived in the dying minutes of the window and he was only brought in because of the injury to Olivier Giroud.

For me the defence is really missing Bacary Sagna and his ability to play in any defensive position as well as his defensive abilities. I know there was little they could do about Sagna leaving and the injury to Debuchy was unfortunate, but players like Sagna are very difficult to replace. The defence was short of a centre back last season and instead of buying another one Arsenal actually sold one and brought in Chambers who is a young right back with the potential to play in the centre of defence. He has made huge strides already and looks like he will be a stalwart for years to come, but they're asking an awful lot of a young and inexperienced player. Chambers' inexperience has caught him out a few times which led to his five yellow cards so early in the season and his suspension for the Hull game.

At the same time Carl Jenkinson has made his way into the West Ham team on his loan spell from Arsenal and I find it a little hard to fathom out why he was loaned out with such a shortage of defenders at the club. He could certainly have been used against Hull although Hector Bellerin did quite well in his Premier League debut at right back. With only six defenders listed on the club site surely the current situation could have been foreseen and Jenkinson kept at the club for the good of Arsenal.

The latest casualty for Arsenal is David Ospina and his injury couldn't have come at a worse time with Wojciech Szczesny suspended for tonight. Szczesny's red card was incredibly foolish considering Arsenal were 4-0 up at the time and his decision making is still not all it should be. It looks like he will have no competition for the next few months with Ospina's injury and complacency has been his biggest enemy in the past. Young Emiliano Martinez will wear the gloves tonight with even younger Ryan Huddart as the reserve goalkeeper.

At least Chambers will be available to boost the defence, but it doesn't look like Laurent Koscielny will return from his injury. It will be a straight choice between Chambers and Nacho Monreal to play in central defence alongside Per Mertesacker with Chambers to replace Bellerin if he doesn't replace Monreal. With so much change so often in the defence it's very hard to have any cohesion which has been a real hindrance. Let's hope that whatever combination is chosen tonight can find some cohesion and put in a resolute performance.

In midfield it looks like Jack Wilshere will recover from the knock he took on Saturday and will take his place in the team. He has to learn to control his frustration and his temper too and he could well have been sent off for the foul which led to his injury against Hull. He only got a yellow card for that foul, but the way he has been reacting at times this season could well lead to a red card very soon.

I would be surprised if both Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta didn't come back into the team and they will hopefully help Arsenal to control the game. There's plenty of goals in this Arsenal team and they need to start punishing teams more when they are on top. Alexis got the team out of a hole on Saturday and I expect more of the same from him tonight.

There are many fans who doubt Arteta and I do think Arsenal should have signed a top class player to play in his position in the summer. He is still their best option in that position though with Mathieu Flamini making costly mistakes game after game at the moment when he plays. I know he was fouled in the build up to Hull's first goal in Saturday, but he could still have prevented the goal if he kept playing instead of appealing to the referee. He wasn't the only Arsenal player to stop playing and it's something you don't expect to see professional footballers doing. From a very young age players are told to play the whistle, but some Arsenal players certainly didn't do so for that goal. 

We're 13 games into the season and we're still waiting for Arsenal to click into gear. They've only won four of those 13 games in all competitions and it's getting to the stage where the fans are losing belief and it looks like some of the players are too. It's time for them to go out and dominate the opposition and show exactly what they have to offer to Arsenal.

From what I've seen of Anderlecht so far they're not a bad side, but an Arsenal team firing on all cylinders should be able to beat them even with their current injury problems. If they go out with the right attitude and commitment I expect them to do so, but the question is will they manage to show that attitude and commitment. They faded awfully after Hull equalised on Saturday and even more so when Hull went ahead and could only muster any real fight in the dying minutes. That fight has to be evident from first to last minute tonight and if it is I fully expect Arsenal to win.

Hopefully they can come through the game without more injuries and with three points ahead of their trip to Sunderland on Saturday. They have to start playing well and winning games in the league and a trip to a team who lost 8-0 last weekend must surely give them the chance to do so. I'll preview that game closer to it, but for the moment the Anderlecht game is the crucial one and it's one Arsenal must win. I would normally say I'm not too concerned about how they win, but I think they have to put in a really good performance to kick start the rest of the season and I'm hoping they do so along with taking the three points.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Danny Welbeck Stars As Arsenal Stroll Against Galatasary

Arsenal played at home to Galatasaray last night in the second of their Champions League group games. After losing their first game away to Borussia Dortmund a win was crucial if they were going to have a chance of winning the group or even qualifying from it. Arsenal had only won once in their previous six games in all competitions and needed a win to boost their confidence ahead of a tough league trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger made three changes from the team which drew 1-1 at home to Spurs on Saturday evening. The three changes were forced on him really with both Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey out injured and Jack Wilshere nursing a knock on the bench. The players to benefit were Mathieu Flamini, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez in a team which looked good enough to win the game.

Arsenal made all the early running as Galatasary failed to offer much in attack, but the final pass just seemed to elude them. That changed after 22 minutes when a lovely pass by Alexis put Danny Welbeck through on goal and he finished through the keepers legs to put them 1-0 up. It was just what Arsenal needed and a just reward for their domination up to that point.

Arsenal continued to dominate and it took only another eight minutes for that man Welbeck to double the lead. This time he made the chance all on his own after picking up on a defensive error and racing through on the left to finish past the keeper into the far corner of the net. It was a lovely finish and very much in the style of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

With half time approaching Arsenal added to their lead and this time it was Alexis who applied the finish after he was played in by Mesut Ozil. His finish was similar to Welbeck's second goal although he did cut back inside his marker before finishing and the keeper probably should have saved his effort. Arsenal led 3-0 at half time through there goals which all came from players racing through in the exact same position on the left of their attack.

Galatasaray should have been down to 10 men in that first half too after an awful two footed lunge by Felipe Melo brought Alexis down, but the referee only gave him a yellow card. The only thing worse than the Melo tackle was the behaviour of the Galatasary fans who threw flares and a bottle on to the pitch after the second Arsenal goal. Arsenal had completely dominated the game in those first 45 minutes and looked likely to go on and win by a very comfortable margin. 

The second half started with Galatasary on the front foot as they changed their formation and looked to get back into the game. As they pressed forward it left room for Arsenal to counter attack and they took advantage of the space they had after 52 minutes through Welbeck yet again. This time it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who played him in with a neat pass through a defender's legs and he coolly clipped the ball over the keeper as he advanced to make it 4-0 to Arsenal.

It looked like Arsenal could go on to add even more goals to their tally until the game took a turn in Galatasaray's favour after 60 minutes. Alexis lost the ball in midfield and suddenly a Galatasary player was played in on Wojciech Szczesny who raced off his line to stop him. Unfortunately he wasn't quick enough and the attacker nicked the ball away with Szczesny flying into him and knocking him over. The referee had no choice but to give a penalty to Galatasaray and give Szczesny a red card. 

David Ospina was brought on to play in goal with Alexis making way and half an hour still left to play. Galatasaray scored from the penalty to give them a glimmer of hope with 30 minutes still left and Arsenal down to 10 men. Not too long later Chamberlain made way for Rosicky as Arsenal looked to shore things up. I was a little surprised to see Alexis and Chamberlain as the first two players to be taken off, as I thought their pace and stamina would be a real asset with 10 against 11.

Ospina made a few good saves in the half hour he played and Galatasaray never really got the chances to get them back into the game. Just before the end Cazorla had a great chane to add a fifth goal for Arsenal but he took a heavy touch which gave a defender a chance to clear his effort off the line after he had clipped it over the keeper. The final whistle went soon afterwards and Arsenal ran out fairly comfortable 4-1 winners all things considered.

Welbeck took all three goals in his hat trick very well and it was his first hat trick in senior football too. He showed great pace and strength and an eye for goal which suggests he might well have been the bargain buy of the summer. With Olivier Giroud out until the new year at least it looks like Wekbeck will get plenty of opportunities to endear himself further to the Arsenal fans.

It was a great night for the boss too as he celebrated 18 years in the hot seat at Arsenal. Who would have thought when he got the job back in 1996 that he would still be in charge now and the club would have been through the journey it has been with him. There have been highs and lows of course, but it has been a great time to be an Arsenal fan with trophies, a new stadium and a style of football to delight at. Those trophies may have dried up quite a bit in the second half of those 18 years, but he has kept the team competitive while building a new stadium and setting us up for the future.

Arsenal's next group game is away to Anderlecht in three weeks followed by the reverse fixture two weeks later and they're games Arsenal need to target as victories. If they can take the six points from those two games they will set themselves up perfectly to qualify from the group and maybe even have a chance of winning the group too if they can turn Dortmund over at the Emirates. 

Maybe the win last night will be the impetus the team needs to really get going this season and put a run of wins together to get among the challengers in the league. Next up it's a trip to Chelsea on Sunday for a really tough game against the current league leaders. We all know what happened in this fixture last season and that the boss has to find a way to ensure that doesn't happen again this season. It won't be easy to pick the perfect team to do the job needed with Arsenal's current injury list, but if the team go out with the right tactics and approach it can happen.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Lucky To Lose By Only Two Goals in Dortmund

Arsenal went to Borussia Dortmund last night for their first game in the group stages of this season's Champions League. It's been a happy hunting ground for them in recent seasons with a win there last season and a draw two seasons before that. Anything other than a defeat would have been a good result in what was surely going to be the toughest game in the group for them.

Arsene Wenger made three changes from the team which drew 2-2 at home to City on Saturday with Mikel Arteta, Kieran Gibbs and Hector Bellerin all coming into the team. Arteta was a straight replacement for Mathieu Flamini in the defensive role in midfield while Gibbs came in at left back for the injured Nacho Monreal. With Mathieu Debuchy out for an extended period his obvious replacement at right back was Calum Chambers, but a bout of tonsillitis kept him out of the starting team and handed a first team debut to Bellerin. 

If you check the stats on the official Arsenal site Bellerin is not a first team squad member and is no more than a promising 19 year old player. For the lack of defensive squad depth to be shown up already so early in the season is a scary thought, but it was something which almost every Arsenal fan could have seen coming. The defenders which the squad needed were not brought in during the transfer window and the team is now paying the price. 

To be honest though it probably wouldn't have made any difference as a defence is only as good as the cover in front of it and there was precious little help offered to the back four by the rest of the team. It seems every single fan wanted the boss to sign a defensive/holding midfielder during the window, but again nothing happened and the team is suffering as a result.

I'm not going to over analyse every moment of the game, but Dortmund dominated from start to finish and were unlucky to only win by two goals. They had more than enough chances to add more goals to their tally while Arsenal very rarely threatened at the other end. When Arsenal did make chances they all fell to Danny Welbeck and he was unable to put them away. He could do with a goal to get his Arsenal career up and running and hopefully that goal will come very soon.

Dortmund pushed forward from the start and their players closed the Arsenal players down all over the pitch. Arsenal were unable to cope with the pressure they were put under and were constantly caught in possession or passed to the opposition. They somehow rode their luck in the first half and looked to have made it to the break scoreless until Dortmund struck on the stroke of half time.

The team needed to be reorganised and sent out with a new message in the second half, but we were treated to more of the same. It took Dortmund only three minutes to add to their tally in the second half and the game was as good as over as a contest. Arsenal still continued to play in the same way as if there was some belief that their style of play would win through in the end.

On the hour mark the boss made a couple of changes and the players to be withdrawn were Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla coming on. I thought Chamberlain did quite well in comparison to the rest of the team and tried enough in that last half hour to deserve a start against Villa on Saturday. Cazorla on the other hand was invisible and it was almost impossible to tell he was out there.

Jack Wilshere was the only other midfielder to come out of the game with any credit, but even he was guilty of overplaying the ball and was caught in possession far too often. Both Ozil and Ramsey were far from their best yet again and they need to find some form very quickly for the sake of the team. If Arsenal are going to compete this season they need those two players to have far more influence when they play.

Despite the players playing so poorly a lot of the blame has to go to the tactics used on the night. Dortmund came out and played like they always play at home, but Arsenal didn't seem to have any solution to the problems posed to them. It's hard to come up with excuses for the tactics and they will only add more fuel to the fire of the "Wenger out" brigade. 

There are still five games left in the group for Arsenal and qualification is well within their grasp. The draw between Galatasary and Anderlecht last night was a good result for us and Arsenal need to win at home to Galatasary in their next game before the back to back games against Anderlecht. It's not going to be easy to win the group now, but a place in the last 16 has to be the first priority.

The most worrying aspect for me was the game was so much like the heavy defeats Arsenal suffered against Liverpool, Chelsea and City last season in the league. Arsenal got it all wrong in those games and last night's performance leaves me thinking they are going to suffer a similar fate a few times this season. How do you explain the complete ineptitude of the team four or five times in a season and the inability to learn anything from it. 

It's a worrying time to be an Arsenal fan and the season has started far too slowly for my liking. The team have only won two of their seven competitive games and have only scored eight goals in those games while conceding the same amount of goals. They need to find some form and very quickly too or their chances in the league will be gone before they ever even existed. 

Before last night there was a feeling among some fans that at least the team had not lost a game. That unbeaten record is gone now and the team face a tough trip to Villa on Saturday knowing a win is a must. They cannot afford to draw yet again, but this Villa team have found some ressielence and have only conceded one goal in their four league games so far. 

Things have to improve and they have to improve straight away. It's up to the manager to pick a team and the tactics which will get the team back on course and it's up to the players to give their all for the cause. Let's hope last night was the bad result they needed to spur them on to do their best and give their all from here on in.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

 

Arsenal's Champions League Trip To Borussia Dortmund Previewed

Arsenal take the stage in the group stages of the Champions League for the 17th season in a row tonight when they travel to Germany to play Borussia Dortmund. It's the third time in four seasons that the teams have been drawn together at this stage in the competition. So far Arsenal have had the better of those meetings despite the defeat at home to Dortmund last season.

That game was the only one of the four recent games between the clubs which Dortmund have won and Arsenal didn't lose either of their trips to their German opponents. They badly needed a result away to them last season and came away with a 1-0 to get back into contention to qualify from the group. Ultimately they finished second in that group after losing their last game away to Naoli and went out to Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Despite failing to progress past the last 16 for a few years Arsenal are still one of the top eight seeds and are the top seed in their group. It's a group which also contains Galatasary and Anderlecht which won't be easy for Arsenal, but they have to be favourites to make it through to the knockout stages. It would be a pleasant change to see them top the group and get a more favourable draw in the last 16. The group won't be decided on this game though, but a positive result from it would certainly give Arsenal a great start to their campaign. 

Arsenal looked an awful lot better against City on Saturday than they did in any of their games in August, but their defensive issues were there for all to see. In their four league games so far this season the opposition have scored with their first shot on target in each game. Besides that three of the six goals they have conceded have come from set pieces and it's something the squad have to work on an awful lot harder than they appear to be at the moment. The funny thing is Arsenal did manage to keep clean sheets in both legs of their qualifying round victory over Fenerbache.

It's not going to be easy to solve the defensive issues the team has with two of the six defenders in the first team squad injured for this game and another one doubtful. Mathieu Debuchy sprained his ankle very badly against City and it looks like he'll be out for a couple of months at least. Nacho Monreal has picked up a back injury and hasn't travelled to Dortmund while Calum Chambers has tonsillitis and might not be available to play.

It could be said the defence picks itself as a result, but there might only be three defenders available to play. If Chambers does miss out the chances are Hector Bellerin will come in at right back and he certainly looks like a prospect for the future, but it's throwing in him at the deep indeed without a doubt. I suppose Francis Coquelin could play there too as he has done in the past, but there can't be many who believe he has a future at the club in his favoured midfield role, never mind at right back.

It's not such an easy task to pick the rest of the team though with so many options in midfield in particular. After his display at the weekend Jack Wilshere looks a shoe in, but it might not be a bad idea to give him a rest considering his past problems with injuries. There's a case for leaving both Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey out of the team too after they were less than impressive on Saturday. Ramsey hasn't quite got going yet this season despite scoring three goals so far and Arsene Wenger continues to play Ozil out of position.

There are plenty of players who didn't start on Saturday who could come into the team and do a very good job. Santi Cazorla in particular is a player with a lot to offer and I wouldn't be surprised to see him play. I can't see Tomas Rosicky getting into the team tonight though with so much talent ahead of him.

The defensive midfield role is a bit of a poser for the boss with Mikel Arteta back from injury and Mathieu Flamini holding sway at the moment. Like in most away European games there is a case for playing both of them to protect the defence, but the boss stated on Saturday that Arsenal are an attacking team and I can't see him changing that tonight. I think Arteta will get the nod, but I'm not the only one who worries about his lack of pace. He is very good when he's on the ball, but the defensive role he has been asked to play in recent seasons doesn't come naturally to him and he has struggled against the better teams.

With Yaya Sanogo injured yet again it looks like Danny Welbeck will continue in the centre forward's role with Alexis Sanchez and Ozil probably on either side of him. I would love to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain get a chance from the start to utilise the attacking speed of him, Sanchez and Welbeck with Ozil pulling the strings in midfield, but it appears Ozil has yet to convince the manager he is the best option in that role. I'd like somebody to explain to me why the club paid so much money for Ozil if he's not going to be played in his best position when the team finally has the players with the pace it needs to get on to his fantastic range of passing.

It could be a very open game tonight with two teams who like to attack and tend to leave spaces behind their defence. I expect to see plenty of players pouring forward at pace from both teams once possession has been turned over and it could be a matter of which team makes the most of the chances they create. Dortmund lost their first league game of the season last month, but they have come back to win their two games since then.

Arsenal and Dortmund are considered to be the clear favourites to progress from the group with Galatasary having a chance and Anderlect as rank outsiders. It's crucial for Arsenal to take all six points off Anderlecht and try to make sure they have qualification tied up before they travel to Galatasary for their final group game. It's not exactly an ideal place to go for any team needing a result and I wouldn't want to see Arsenal going there needing something.

Back to tonight's game though and Arsenal's defensive frailty could be the biggest obstacle for them to overcome. I have no doubt they will make chances at the other end, but I would be very surprised to see them keep a clean sheet. I'm still hopeful of a good result for Arsenal and that would be anything other than a defeat. 

It would be great to Welbeck get his first goal for the club and to see Wilshere and Sanchez put on another show like they did on Saturday. Most of all I'd like to see Ozil play in his best position and pull the strings to get the attacking players in behind the Dortmund defence. It's far more likely that he'll play on the left though and continue to frustrate quite a lot of Arsenal fans. I'm prepared to give him time to get going this season, but it seems there are many fans who have no patience at all.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Face Six Games To a Make Or Break Their Season

Arsenal played at home to the reigning Premier League champions on Saturday and came out with a point from a game which could easily have gone either way. After going 1-0 down they came back to lead 2-1 before conceding a late goal to share the spoils. There were chances aplenty with the woodwork saving both sides and plenty of controversy too.

City manager Manuel Pellagrini wasn't happy with either Arsenal goal as he felt there were fouls on City players in the build up to both of them and he also thought Jack Wilshere should have had a penalty given against for handball. For me all three were marginal calls and could have gone either way, but like any manager Pellagrini is always going to see it from his team's perspective.

Arsene Wenger wasn't exactly ecstatic with City's rotational fouling and the referee taking so long to issue yellow cards to the City players. If he had been stricter Arsenal might well have profited more on some of their many breaks through central midfield after winning the ball. 

A point at home to the reigning champions is not the worst result for Arsenal, but it didn't feel so good after Arsenal had led 2-1 with less than 10 minutes to play. Their inability to defend set pieces was their undoing again as City scored their equaliser from a corner despite Arsenal having every single player in the box to defend it. After that goal City went on to hit the woodwork twice more and Arsenal were more than a little fortunate to escape with a point.

Of course Arsenal new boy Danny Welbeck had also hit the post in the first half after racing on to a mishit back pass and chipping Joe Harte in the City goal. If Welbeck had taken his chance it would have put Arsenal ahead when they were well in the ascendancy and it might have been a very different game. As it was City went ahead soon afterwards when they caught Arsenal with a sucker punch on a very fast break. The defending for that goal left a lot to be desired but it was oh so typical of Arsenal.

I read a startling fact today that Arsenal have conceded with the first shot on target against them in each of their four league games so far. If I'm not mistaken they have also conceded half of their goals from set pieces and it's something which has to be addressed. For the boss to say afterwards that Arsenal are an attacking team is just glossing over the genuine defensive problems the team has as a whole. They have conceded six goals in their four league games and only scored seven while Chelsea have conceded six in the same time and scored 15.

The performances of both Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez were excellent against City, but both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil were far from their best. Ramsey did at least have a hand in the Wilshere goal and could have put Arsenal 3-1 up just before City equalised, but Ozil's contribution was far from that expected from a player of his class. I cannot understand why he is still being played out of position to accommodate others in the team when he should be played in his favoured and best position. He has a proven record of making chances at the highest level when he is played there and Arsenal need to utilise him in that position.

There's little time to reflect on the result though as the games are coming thick and fast for the next few weeks. First up is a trip to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night followed by a trip to Aston Villa next Saturday in the league. Those games are quickly followed by games against Southampton, Spurs, Galatasaray and Chelsea before the next dreaded international break rears it's ugly head.

Dortmund lost their first league game of the season but have bounced back to win their two games since then and are a force to be reckoned with. Arsenal have been drawn in their group in two of the previous three seasons so the venue and the opposition shouldn't hold too many surprises for them at least. It won't be easy for Arsenal though with the speed Dortmund possess on the break and Arsenal's defensive vulnerability.

On paper the trip to Villa looks a little easier but Villa have had a great start to the season and have taken 10 points from their opening four games. They won 1-0 away to Liverpool at the weekend and have only conceded one goal in those opening four games. Arsenal are certainly good enough to beat them but Villa will sit back and look to hit them on the break too.

The Capital One Cup game with Southampton will be no easier with Arsenal playing their fringe players and an in form Southampton probably putting out a strong team in the hope of progressing in a cup competition. After the Southampton game there are two home games for Arsenal which will be absolutely must win games with the local derby against Spurs followed by their first home game in the Champions League against Galatasary. No matter how the previous games have gone these games will have to be won for more reasons than I can go into until closer to the date.

The final game before the players head off with their countries again is a trip to a Chelsea team who have been very impressive so far. Arsenal were humiliated there last season and need to show they have learned a lesson from that game and can get something from their trips to the other top teams in the Premier League. Chelsea have brought in some real quality this summer and are a free scoring machine at the moment, but that could have changed before we play them in a few weeks.

What's certain for me is that Arsenal need to turn some of their draws into wins or they will find themselves too far behind the pacesetters in the league. They're already six points behind Chelsea after only four games, but all of the other contenders are within a point of Arsenal one way or another at the moment. If they're going to have a chance in the league and qualify for next season's Champions League then they have to find a killer instinct.

At least the team played well against City going forward in particular and that's got to be encouraging ahead of those six upcoming games. I think Welbeck will fit in well once he gets a chance to gel with the rest of the team although the chances to do so in training are limited with the team playing twice a week. Both Ozil and Ramsey need to offer some more because they are the players who can really make a difference for Arsenal.

I hope to be sitting here writing a report on the Chelsea game in three weeks talking about how the performance against City was the game which kick started the season for Arsenal. If the team can come through those games in good shape in the league and the Champions League then I think they can kick on from there, but it's by no means certain at the moment. 

The failure to add any more defenders in the transfer window is looking riskier by the day after Mathieu Debuchy picked up an ankle injury on Saturday and the squad now has only five fit defenders. An injury or suspension to any defender will leave the defensive options stretched to the limit and the January transfer window a long way away. Let's hope the team can be lucky though, but wishing for good luck with injuries is hardly a sign of proper planning from the club. I'll be back with my preview of the Dortmund game tomorrow, as games come thick and fast.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Season Preview

With the comings and goings of the transfer window it's almost impossible to write a season preview at the start of the season. For the last few seasons I've waited until early December to give my opinions on how Arsenal might perform because of all of the uncertainty. Now that the window has closed until January I thinks it's time for me to do just that no matter how painful it might be.

On the face of it the summer started really well for Arsenal with the arrivals of Alexis Sanchez, Mathieu Debuchey, Calum Chambers and David Ospina while some dead wood was cut adrift. In reality Sanchez was the only addition to the squad with the others all replacing departing players. Of course Sanchez is an exceptional player and can make a huge difference to Arsenal's attacking options this season.

However the obvious need for defensive reinforcements was not being dealt with and I got more and more anxious as the window slowly closed. Despite the hilarity of seeing Sky reporters having dildos and blow up dolls waved at them live on air there wasn't too much entertainment in the closing hours of the window for Arsenal fans. As the night wore on it was obvious that the club were going to nab the signature of Danny Welbeck from under the noses of Spurs, but the last time I checked he was a centre forward.

His arrival has to be welcomed with Olivier Giroud picking up an injury against Everton and likely to be out until early in the new year at least. Welbeck should get a long run in the team which is something he rarely got at United and maybe, just maybe it could be the making of him. How funny it would be to see him banging in goals for Arsenal while a certain Dutch forward suffered in the shadow of Radamel Falcao at United. Of course that could only happen in an ideal world and we all know the one we live in is far from that, but we can at least hope.

With players like Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott along with Welbeck to provide the flair and goals there should be no shortage of attacking options for Arsenal this season. Their problems could come at the other end though with only six defenders listed on the club site in the first team squad. One of those defenders is Kieran Gibbs who cannot seem to put a run of games together without succumbing to yet another injury despite being a very good player. 

If the team are to attempt to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League as well as trying to retain the FA Cup it's going to be very hard to do so with only six defenders. I have no doubt injuries and occasional suspensions will come into play and the Arsenal defence could take on a very unfamiliar look at times. When Thomas Vermaelen was sold we were told he would be replaced but it didn't happen and that was just not good enough given the time left to do so.

Studying the Arsenal squad I find it hard to see how they can put up a real challenge for the league against a Chelsea squad with so much strength in depth. City have a squad to match Chelsea's and will probably be right up there with them challenging for the title. Liverpool could find things a bit difficult without Luis Suarez while it's impossible to know how the all new United will perform after their poor start and star signings.

I think it's going to be another season of a top four finish being "like a trophy" for Arsenal and maybe a run to the last eight of the Champions League if they get out of their group and get a favourable draw. There's every chance of the team having another good FA Cup run too and maybe retaining the trophy while some of the fringe players will again get a run in the fairly meaningless Capital One Cup. I would love to see the team storm the league and win it, but they're already four points off the pace after a very average August.

The start of the season came too soon for Arsenal while the end of the transfer window seemed to arrive in a similar fashion. The team has some magnificent midfield talent even if a lot of the players are somewhat similar and the issue of a top class holding midfielder wasn't addressed before the window closed either. There can be no more excuses though and it's time for the players to step up and make sure they are fully prepared for the rest of the season.

In the next few weeks Arsenal have games against City, Dortmund, Spurs, Galatasary and Chelsea as well as Villa and Southampton. If the team are going to do something this season those games are going to give a real pointer to what is possible. If they can get through to the next international break in good shape in both the league and the Champions League then my perceptions might change a little and I hope that is the case. Until then though I have to stick with my pessimism and predict another season of what might have been for Arsenal.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.