Arsenal's Trip To Watford Previewed

With only one point from their first two games Arsenal are in need of a win before the players head off on the first of the dreaded international breaks this season. The point away to Leicester last week was better than the defeat at home to Liverpool the previous week, but it still leaves the team winless and five points behind the early pacesetters. It's far too early to be worried about gaps at the top of the table, but every point can be precious at the end of the season and Arsenal need to start putting some on the board.

In team news nothing much has changed which probably means we will see a pretty similar team to last week. There are bound to be a few changes and hopefully they will make the difference from last week. There needs to be a balance struck between defence and attack and we're just not finding that balance at the moment.

If any player can give Arsenal the attacking impetus they were missing last week then Mesut Ozil is the man to do it. In the short while he was on the pitch he looked like he would turn the game in Arsenal's favour, but he ran out of time. He needs the right players in the right positions on the end of his passes if he's going to make chances and that's a problem at the moment too.

Alexis Sanchez has played as the central striker for the first two games and it just doesn't work for me. I think he is far more dangerous in a wide role and I would ideally like to see him wide on the right. If he plays there it would mean we need someone else to play in the central role and that creates a problem of it's own at the moment.

Olivier Giroud would be the ideal choice of the players we have, but he is apparently still a little short of full fitness and will probably be on the bench again. Theo Walcott just isn't up to the role for me and Lucas Perez is still only a potential signing. The only other option would be Chuba Akpom who is the only actual striker we have in the squad besides Giroud.

I'm still trying to figure out why he's in the squad if he's not going to get a chance and surely this would be the ideal time to play him. Arsene Wenger is willing to give youth it's chance elsewhere in the team, but it seems Akpom won't benefit from this policy. I think his inclusion would give us a much more balanced attack and just maybe he might take the chance if it came his way.

I would be surprised to see Alexis in any other position than the central role though and we can only hope he can improve on his last two performances there. This is a game we really need to win and I'm not sure the team choices give us the best chance of doing so. I would prefer to see players playing in the positions they are best suited to rather than trying to accommodate players out of position.

Besides the inclusion of Ozil I'm not sure what other changes there might be, but I would like to the Mohamed Elbeny and Granit Xhaka partnership given a chance in midfield. I think they are the best combination going forward and we need to see them playing together from the start. I think their drive and enthusiasm in midfield could help to provide the impetus the team needs. 

Whatever team plays they need to show more than they did last week and a win has to be a necessity. We might not have beaten Liverpool or Leicester, but Watford are not in the class of either of those teams. They are no pushovers, but three points are there for the taking and we need to take them.

Besides the need for the three points we also owe them one after they put us out of the FA Cup last season. I'm still not quite sure how we lost that game and it was a low point for us in a disappointing season.

They have only one point from their first two games too after they let a lead slip to draw at Southampton in their first game and Chelsea came from behind to beat them last week. They looked good against Chelsea and probably should have been further ahead before Chelsea mugged them. They have two good strikers, but Etienne Capoue has been the player to catch the eye for them in their first two games with two goals.

Given the chance I'm sure Watford can cause us real problems, but equally we can cause them problems. If we can get a little bit of our mojo with Ozil in the team then I think the three points are there for us. Anything other than three points going into the break would be a huge blow considering what has happened in the first two games.

Finally for today it's still not too late to join my Fantasy League and my Predictions League for the new season. There's a €50 prize for the fantasy league and it's open to anyone to join.

To join my fantasy league go to the official site and set up your team after entering your details. Once you've set up your team go to the league's option and join a private league. The code for my league (Ever Arsenal league) is 64693-22498 and there's already well over 1,000 teams in it.

For my predictions league go to the official site and make your forecasts and then go to the mini leagues option. Go to the join a mini league option (invitation code) and use the code for my league FD6F8-HYH to sign up. After that you can join in the fun of predicting every single game left to play this season.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Trip To Leicester Previewed

A week has passed since I wrote my preview on Arsenal's first league game of the season against Liverpool last week. A week is a long time in the life of an Arsenal fan and an awful lot can change in a week, but obviously not for Arsenal. Well maybe I am a little wrong there because two players who played last week will be unavailable through injury, but that's hardly something new for Arsenal.

The much needed central defender is still a thing of our dreams and our striking options are as limited as they were last week. It seems like as a club we have decided to try to muddle through August as best we can and then concentrate on the season after the transfer window has closed. At this stage I'm not sure we will sign anyone despite having more actual cash available than almost any other club in the world. Arsene Wenger just doesn't seem to understand the frustration of the fans because we are so near and spending some of that money could be what we need to make us genuine contenders.

Of course nothing is guaranteed in football and we could still finish fourth if we spent the money, but we won't know if we don't do it. The sentiments against the manager are growing week by week and he is the only one who can do anything to stop them. There are some fans who want him out no matter what, but the more moderate ones like me can still be won over.

I have noticed a decided increase in anti Wenger sentiment since the season started and quite a of those who are in favour of his exit were previously on the fence. From my perspective the first time I ever thought he should consider his position was after the 8-2 loss against United five years ago, but he held firm and I will always support our manager whoever it might be. His contract is up at the end of this season though and I genuinely believe the club needs to be looking at very real alternatives, but I don't believe for one second that they are.

Anyway, on to Leicester and the team we might see playing away from home to last season's champions. Like Arsenal they lost their opening game and the manner of their defeat would hardly inspire confidence for the new season for them either. A defeat away to a newly promoted team with a temporary manager and only 13 senior players fit is hardly the stuff of champions.

The Arsenal team that shipped four goals at home to Liverpool will probably be very close to the one we see against Leicester. Of course both Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey will miss out because of the injuries they picked up last week. The chances of Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud returning are slim as they all continue to build their fitness after their late returns to pre season. 

If any of them are to play the chances are Koscielny will come in, but he hasn't got even one competitive minute under his belt yet and it would be a risk to play him from the start. Needs must though and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in from the start with the other two possibly coming off the bench with a view to starting against Watford next week. The threat posed to our defence by Jamie Vardy's pace is a very real one and Koscielny is far more likely to be able to deal with it than Calum Chambers or Rob Holding even if he isn't fully match fit.

I think we will see Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain come in for Ramsey and Iwobi as they both did well when they came off the bench against Liverpool. That would mean Alexis Sanchez would start as the central striker again and I can't say I'm overly happy with that. I just don't see him as a central striker and I think he's a lot better in a wide role.

If he doesn't play as a striker he has to play in a wide role which would mean either Theo Walcott or Chuba Akpom would play in the centre. For me it has to be Akpom despite his lack of experience at this level because he is the only actual striker we have available. I would be shocked to see Akpom play though and I expect as few changes as possible from last week despite the concession of four goals at home.

Maybe we will see the full debut of Granit Xhaka after he started on the bench last week despite the club shelling out something like £35 million for him. It's a lot of money to pay for a sub and you have to think he will get his chance to start very soon. For me the team would be more balanced with him in midfield alongside Mohamed Elneny which would see Francis Coquelin missing out.

Leicester are no pushovers and they will want to do all they can to defend the title they won so well last season. They have done well to tie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez down to new contracts and they have added to their squad in the summer too. Arsenal inflicted two of their three league defeats on them last season and I have no doubt Leicester will want to take the chance to put that right.

The loss to Liverpool has made the outcome of this game all the more important for Arsenal and three points are almost a must. They can't afford to get too far behind the other teams looking to win the league and they need to get their campaign up and running as soon as possible. It's certainly not too much to imagine the team can win the game, but they have to control the game an awful lot more than they managed to do last week.

I can only imagine the reaction if Arsenal lose again and it's something I would really prefer not to deal with. It's up to the players to make sure that doesn't happen by winning the game or at the very least getting a point from it. 

Finally for today there's still time to join my Fantasy League and my Predictions League for the new season. There's a €50 prize for the fantasy league and it's open to anyone to join.

To join my fantasy league go to the official site and set up your team after entering your details. Once you've set up your team go to the league's option and join a private league. The code for my league (Ever Arsenal league) is 64693-22498 and there's already well over 1,000 teams in it.

For my predictions league go to the official site and make your forecasts and then go to the mini leagues option. Go to the join a mini league option (invitation code) and use the code for my league FD6F8-HYH to sign up. After that you can join in the fun of predicting every single game in the upcoming season.

That's it for this today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Lay The Vikings To Waste With 8 Goals

The new season draws ever closer and this time next week we'll be preparing for the big kick off. Arsenal had their last two pre season games to play this weekend and they got the first one out of the way last night when they played Viking FK. The quality of the opposition may not have been top drawer, but Arsenal were still impressive in putting eight goals past them with no reply.

Arsene Wenger picked a fairly strong team from those he has available at the moment, but he also possibly held a few players back for Sunday's game against Manchester City. Noteable absentees were Petr Cech, Calum Chambers and Granit Xhaka who might have played and didn't while Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez should probably see some action against City. Cech apparently has an eye infection but he should be fit to play Liverpool next week while Chambers and Xhaka don't appear to be in any doubt.

Arsenal were in control from the start and would have taken an early lead, but Santi Cazorla had his penalty saved. Cazorla was captain for this game with Per Mertesacker on the long term injured list and must be considered to keep the post in Mertesacker's absence. We were told he was a bit short of fitness for the Liverpool game, but he played the full 90 minutes and was the star performer for me.

The Viking goalkeeper continued his heroics in the first half, but Joel Campbell eventually made the breakthrough when he slid in to finish off a header from Mohamed Elneny which looked like it might have gone in anyway. There was still some hope for Viking at half time with only Campbell's goal separating the teams, but that soon changed after the break. Arsenal made three changes at the break and their early pressure paid off with four more goals before the hour mark. 

Those goals came from Cazorla, Theo Walcott, an own goal and Campbell again and the game was over as a contest at that point. Three more goals were added in the last 20 minutes with Alex Iwobi grabbing a brace and Chuba Akpom adding the final goal right at the end. There were some good goals among those eight goals and they made the game very enjoyable to watch. 

City will present a much tougher test on Sunday, but you can only beat the team you play and Arsenal certainly did that in style last night. I think the team we see against City will be something close to the one which starts the season against Liverpool next week. We already know Mesut Ozil, Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud won't play against Liverpool and I imagine Ramsey and Alexis are unlikely to play from the start too.

That's five players from the probable starting lineup who won't be on from the start due to international commitments in the summer and it's going to make the opening fixture particularly difficult. Liverpool will be expected to do a lot better this season as Klopp's first full season in charge and a win away to Arsenal would be a great way for them to start. We're short of our strongest lineup in defence, midfield and attack and it's going to be a struggle to get something from the game.

Even with all of our attacking players available we are goal shy, but the removal of last season's top two scorers only makes matters worse. As bad as the need for a new striker is we need Giroud available as soon as possible despite his shortcomings. He's the only fit proven striker in the squad and the only other options as a central striker at the moment are Walcott, Akpom or maybe even Campbell.

Walcott wanted to be considered as a striker, but he has now decided he's a wide right pkayer again and he has done nothing to convince me he is the man to start up front against Liverpool. Akpom has managed a few goals so far in his limited opportunities in the pre season games and probably has more of a striker's instinct than any of the other choices, but he's very much unproven. The last option might be Campbell and I think he could be the best option despite not really being an out and out striker. I've been impressed with him in pre season and I think he's the most likely of the three to get on the scoresheet in that game.

While Cazorla was the man of the match for me I was also impressed with Campbell and Iwobi did well when he came on too. I had hoped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would continue his good form of the last few games, but he didn't do much in the 45 minutes he played. Maybe he might have done better if he had stayed on for the second half when Arsenal scored seven goals, but I had hoped to see him continue on his recent vein.

The chances are Chamberlain will be in the starting team against Liverpool and he has a chance to disprove the doubters early this season. If it doesn't go well for him in those early games he could find himself taking a back seat when the rest of the squad are fully available again. It's a big season for him and his performances could make or break him as a player at the highest level.

We might get a better idea of where the team are before the season starts in the City game on Sunday, but these games count for little in reality. The real football doesn't begin until next week and the pace of the games before then just isn't the same. I can't say I'm overly confident ahead of that Liverpool game, but hopefully that will change as the game approaches.

Finally for today there's still time to join my Fantasy League and my Predictions Leagur for the new season. There's a €50 prize for the fantasy league and it's open to anyone to join.

To join my fantasy league go to the official site and set up your team after entering your details. Once you've set up your team go to the league's option and join a private league. The code for my league (Ever Arsenal league) is 64693-22498 and there's already well over 500 teams in it.

For my predictions league go to the official site and make your forecasts for the first set of games (you can change them later if you want) and then go to the mini leagues option. Go to the join a mini league option (invitation code) and use the code for my league 64693-215432 to sign up. After that you can join in the fun of predicting every single game in the upcoming season.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Huge Arsenal Setback As Welbeck Undergoes Surgery

The transfer door could still be heard slamming shut yesterday when Arsenal announced Danny Welbeck had suffered a setback and would have to undergo surgery on his knee injury. We had been told he will be out for months, but it's anyone's guess exactly how many months that will be. He's taken over four months to get to the point where surgery has been required and it's hard to believe he'll be out for a shorter term than that.

The news came only a year and a day after Welbeck joined the club on last season's deadline day as a replacement for the then injured Olivier Giroud. He was actually only a last minute purchase for Arsenal after Giroud picked up an injury against Everton which would keep him out for four months. It smelled of desperation at the time, but United were prepared to sell him as Luis van Gaal rang the changes and Arsenal needed a striker.

He had his own problems with injuries in that first season, but he was the first choice striker until Giroud returned with Theo Walcott also injured and Arsene Wenger unwilling to use Lukas Podolski. During that time Alexis Sanchez even played for a few games as the central striker as the team struggled to keep pace with the league leaders. Welbeck only managed four league goals last season, but he did get a Champions League hat trick against Galatasaray and the all important winner in the FA Cup quarter final at United.

There can't be many Arsenal fans who thought the team had adequate striking options before Welbeck underwent his surgery and surely even those who thought they had enough options can no longer believe it. Joel Campbell wasn't loaned out this summer and he might well find himself in with a few first team chances despite his failure to impress with previous opportunities. We might well wonder whether Chuba Akpom might be recalled from his loan spell at Hull if it's possible to do so.

For me it comes back to the failure to add a striker this summer despite the glaring need for one and a top class one too. If the season goes pear shaped (and I sincerely hope it doesn't) it will come back to inaction this summer when others have strengthened. The squad has to keep moving forward if it's going to progress and there has been no sense of that this summer.

We have been told so often that the club are building for the future, but there has to be a time when that future becomes the present and the team delivers. The FA Cup wins of the last two seasons have been great, but the team has to put in a genuine challenge for the title sooner rather than later. The exodus of the best players has stopped and quality players are moving in the opposite direction now.

To retain players like Alexis and Mesut Ozil the team has to be right up there in the league and the Champions League too and I can't imagine those players can be too happy about the transfer inaction this summer. It wasn't down to a lack of funds and it appears the players the boss wanted weren't available so he chose not to buy alternatives. It's a decision which could come to haunt him with only a couple of injuries and we can only hope it doesn't.

I know there are some fans out there who would see the team suffer just to see the boss leave, but I can't say I belong to that group. I have been baffled by the lack of players signed this summer just like so many others, but I still want the team to win every single game they play and I always will. My confidence and belief have certainly take a dent this summer and I can only hope the same can't be said for the players.

The feel good factor from the second half of last season has gone and the hopes of winning the league now seem very faint with only four games played. The players must be looking at the players other clubs have signed and wondering why Arsenal haven't signed anyone besides Petr Cech. Those players are going to have to put in a long hard stint to have any chance of winning a trophy for the third season in a row.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Face Everton In Singapore And Sanogo Joins The Master

After easing to a 4-0 victory against a Singapore Select team on Wednesday Arsenal will play Everton later today in the Asia Trophy final. It's only their second pre season game and the result means very little, but the pressures of the modern game means every game is pored over and judged by one and all. For me the most important thing is for the players to continue on the path to match fitness and come through the game unscathed.

With that in mind it's probably just as well that Everton managed to dispose of Stoke on penalties on Wednesday as Stoke have a nasty habit of injuring Arsenal players. Without even going into Aaron Ramsey and Ryan Shawcross there was Charlie Adam getting away with a wrestling hold on Alexis Sanchez in the game in Stoke last season. If I'm not mistaken Mathieu Debuchy picked up his second bad injury of last season at home to Stoke and the Stoke players went unpunished on both occasions.

The game on Wednesday was a personal triumph for Chuba Akpom who bagged himself a hat trick. These games count for very little, but scoring three goals can only be positive for him and it looks like he will stick around for the rest of the pre season and maybe even the start of the season too. He still has a lot to learn, but the signs are positive at the moment and hopefully he will continue to progress.

Speaking of progression Yaya Sanogo has joined Ajax on a season long loan and he could certainly do with getting some game time. Since he joined Arsenal a couple of seasons ago he has spent far too long on the treatment table and he needs to log some serious game time if he is going to progress. A real positive for Sanogo will be the opportunity for him to work with Arsenal legend Denis Bergkamp during his time at Ajax. Hopefully the master can teach Sanogo a thing or two and help him to become the player we all hope he can be.

The transfer rumours still abound and most of them involve Arsenal signing a striker or a defensive midfielder. While Arsenal may have good players in those positions already there is still a gap in the squad and Arsene Wenger had said he will bring a player or players in if the right ones become available. I would be surprised if Arsenal started the season without any more signings and even more surprised if the transfer window closed without any arrivals.

Today's game kicks off at 1.30pm BST and it's live on sky Sports 1. In fact all of the pre season games are on the TV, but I won't get to see any of them after today as the other three games are on BT and my subscription doesn't include BT. A trip to the pub to watch the Coomunity Shield against Chelsea in two weeks time might be called for and the fact that it's a Bank Holiday weekend makes it an even more attractive prospect.

As usual this season my fantasy league is up and running again and it's open to all comers with a €50 prize (out of my pocket) to the winner. You can join up by using the league code 48497-14043 after you have set your team up here and good luck to all who play. There were over 1,000 teams in my league last season and I'm hoping for even more this season.

I'm also running my Predictions League again this season and it's very enjoyable even if there's no cash prize for the winner. The code for my league is FD757-ARR after you have signed up here and of course both games are completely free to play. 

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal v Hull City: FA Cup Third Round Preview

The FA Cup usually throws up a few strange or quirky draws in the third round every season and so it is with Arsenal's game against Hull. The clubs last met in the cup when they contested the final last May in what was a very memorable encounter. That final went Arsenal's way after extra time despite Hull racing into an early two goal lead.

That victory over Hull was Arsenal's first trophy in nine years and we hoped it was the start of something good for the club with the financial shackles also removed. Things started well in the summer transfer market, but some crucial areas of the squad were neglected and it's same old, same old for Arsenal this season. They are currently fifth in the league with a top three or four finish as their only realistic target and all hopes of a league title gone. 

The title challenge lasted a lot longer last season but ultimately ended up with a fourth placed finish and the FA Cup as the only realistic chance of a trophy. This season seems to be heading down that oh so familiar track although there is a very good chance of the team reaching the last eight of the Champions League this time. It would be their best performance in that competition in a few years if they were to beat Monaco, but realistically that's about as far as they can hope to go in the Champions League.

With all of that in mind today's game against Hull becomes a very important one for the players and the fans. Not only is it the only realistic chance of a trophy, but it's also Arsenal's trophy to defend and they need to do so for as long as possible. No other team has won the FA Cup more often than Arsenal and a win this season would see them hold the record on their own as the team who have won the most FA Cup finals.

In team news it looks like Arsene Wenger will have the same squad available to him as the one which were beaten 2-0 by Southampton on Sunday with a slight possibility of Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil returning from their respective injuries. The perceived first choice defence was played against Southampton and they most certainly didn't cover themselves in glory. It was all going very well until Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny combined to hand Southampton their first goal and after that they just went to pieces. 

Szczesny in particular had a game to forget when he inexplicably handed the second goal to Southampton with a clearance right out of a "Keystone Cops" sketch. The lack of composure he showed was unbelievable for a player with over 150 first team appearances behind him and he can't continue to be considered a goalkeeper with "loads of potential". He needs to live up to that potential on a consistent basis and it seems the only way he will do that is if he is put under pressure for his place.

David Ospina was bought to do just that, but his injury has made it too easy for Szczesny and his standards have dropped as a result. Emiliano Martinez got a chance when Szczesny was suspended and injured and did well, but was immediately dropped to the bench on Szczesny's return. I thought Ospina was fit again but he wasn't in the squad on Sunday so I can't see him playing today.

The boss has traditionally rotated his team and given fringe players a run in the cup, but the lack of available players doesn't give him too many options today. I would expect him to go with a very similar team to Sunday with Theo Walcott possibly coming in to make his full return to the team after getting injured at this stage of the FA Cup last season. When he's back to match fitness Walcott will be a real asset to the team, but it will take a while for him to get there.

In midfield I don't think it was fair on Calum Chambers to throw him in for his first start as a midfielder against a team as good as Southampton and with such a makeshift Arsenal team. Francis Coquelin was again very good in his defensive midfield role, but I wouldn't be surprised if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dropped back to play alongside him. Chamberlain's natural instinct is to attack and he wasn't at his best against Southampton, but he can play that defensive role and has done reasonably well there in the past. The majority of the defensive work will be done by Coquelin and Hull are no Southampton, but Chamberlain is capable of putting a shift in too.

The players have to be feeling an awful lot of fatigue after such a busy festive schedule and even more so as the injury situation has limited the manager's options in every single game. There's a real case to be made for giving both Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla a much needed rest and pushing players too hard has led to too many injuries for the team in the past. I doubt if either player will be rested though as they are so important to the team and there are so few options at the moment. At least there's no midweek game this week and the players will have a chance to recover between today and next Sunday's game at home to Stoke.

Chuba Akpom could well make a start even if both Alexis and Cazorla play and he is a player who has the potential to become a very good player. With Lukas Podolski departed on loan to Inter Milan there aren't too many other options available to the boss. Podolski's chances were very limited this season and I can understand his desire to play, but it's hard to see why Arsenal let him go with all of their current injury worries. They could have at least waited another week or two until some of the injured players returned and put the team's needs ahead of the player's.

Hull will be just as tired from their recent games as Arsenal, but they have managed to win a couple of games to move away from the relegation zone. They have struggled to win games and score goals this season, but they are not an easy team to beat as they proved when they came to Arsenal and got a 2-2 draw earlier in the season. They will surely be very anxious to make amends for that cup final defeat and maybe go on another cup run of their own.

For me Arsenal are at their worst when they concede and Southampton showed that up on Sunday. I worry every time they concede a goal that they will go to pieces and sometimes it takes them an eternity to regain any sort of confidence once the opposition score. That seems to be the case when they concede first in a game or even when they are already 3-0 up like they were against Anderlecht. 

Despite the shortage of options and the obvious fatigue I still think whatever team Arsenal put out today will be more than good enough to beat Hull. I want to see them play with verve and confidence and dominate the game from first minute to last while winning well, but I will take any sort of victory. The feeling of elation after nine years of waiting last May was magnificent and I don't want all hopes of a trophy to have disappeared in the first week in January.

Hopefully the team can win and do so without the need for a replay and give themselves a month with no midweek football. It looks like the injury problems are sorting themselves out although that's probably tempting fate knowing how quickly Arsenal players pick up new injuries. A lack of midweek games would surely give the players who have been overplayed a chance to get a much needed rest and bring the injured players slowly back into the fold.

With the games stretched out from Friday to Monday and the fourth round draw not until Monday it's very hard to get a real feel for the FA Cup. I know it's to maximise the amount of games on TV, but I can't help feeling the competition is suffering as a result. A repeat of last season's final might be just the spectacle the competition needs and the holders going out always gets plenty of press. Hopefully that won't happen today and we will be treated to the holders showing their intent to keep a firm hold on their trophy.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.