As it stands Arsenal are on top of the Premier League with 22 points from nine games. They have taken those 22 points in their last eight games and at the moment the season promises an awful lot. They face Chelsea at home in the last 16 of the Capital One Cup tonight and it's a fixture they could really do without.
Due to a combination of injuries, squad size and a hectic schedule there has been virtually no chance for Arsene Wenger to rest most of his players so far. The only chance he got to do so was in the last round of this competition when the team managed to win on penalties away to West Brom after a 1-1 draw. The team that night was a mixture of players from the bench in the previous league game added to a few younger players.
I can only imagine it will be a similar team tonight with many of he same players getting a chance to play. Lukasz Fabanski, Nacho Monreal, Carl Jenkinson, Thomas Vermaelen, Nicklas Bendtner, Tomas Rosicky and maybe Jack Wilshere all look likely to play from the start as they weren't in the starting 11 on Saturday with Serge Gnabry a possibility too if he's passed fit to play. The other players will probably be Isaac Hayden and Ryo Miyaichi with one of the central defenders from Saturday's game playing too. There is also a possibility of Santi Cazorla playing from the start as he looks to regain form and match fitness after his injury.
It's not exactly the strongest Arsenal team and the injury to Mathieu Flamini added to the suspension of Mikael Arteta will leave the team without an experienced player to hold in midfield. It looks like that job will come down to 18 year old Hayden in only his second game for the club after making his debut in the last round. Their task will be a very tough one against a Chelsea team which should have plenty of class and experience in it.
If Chelsea operate under the same criteria as Arsenal they will still be able to field a very strong team thanks to their squad size and the overall strength of that squad. Of course it's a lot easier for them to fill their squad with very expensive players when their owner puts vast amounts of his money into the club and the game's ruling bodies care not a jot. I will be amazed if financial fair play ever actually happens and if clubs actually have to operate within the limits of the money they actually have.
As I've said previously I'm not too bothered about Arsenal continuing in this competition but I certainly don't want them to lose. I certainly don't want them to lose at home to Chelsea either but it won't be easy for them to get any sort of a result from this game. It will be hard for Arsenal to get the upper hand and the players who play will have to put in an awful lot of hard work.
If all of the injured Arsenal players were available the team would look a lot stronger but unfortunately both Flamini and Arteta can't play along with Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Even Emmanuel Frimpong might have had a good chance of plying his trade tonight but he too is not fully recovered from his injury. He's never really had much of a chance in the Arsenal team but he hasn't done too badly out on loan and would have been the ideal type of player to get a run in this competition.
As for the game itself hopefully Arsenal can play well enough to get a result and who knows maybe Bendtner will be the player to shine for them. His star has fallen an awful lot over the last few years but he showed what he is still capable of when he got both goals for Denmark in a 2-2 draw with Italy a few weeks ago. I really hope Arsenal win but it will be far from the end of the world if they don't.
Arsenal have far bigger fish to fry in the next week with three huge games and the Capital One Cup fades into insignificance in comparison to those games. Good results against Liverpool and United in the league might just make people sit up and take notice and maybe even think Arsenal have a chance of going the distance in the league. Sandwiched between those games is a Champions League trip to Dortmund from which Arsenal probably need to take at least a point to have a realistic chance of getting out of their group.
Most of the players who played on Saturday will have to play in all three of those games and that means tonight is a definite no no for them. If tonight ends in failure but the week following it doesn't then I'll be a happy man and resting those players is the best way to make that happen.
Arsenal played QPR yesterday at home in the Premier League knowing that they needed a win to keep up the pressure on the teams above them. They had missed a great chance to close that gap when they only managed to draw 1-1 at home to Wolves on Tuesday. Arsenal had been struggling to score goals at home recently, but QPR had failed to win any of their previous six games.
The day started well for Arsenal when Manchester United lost 3-2 at home to Blackburn Rovers, but Liverpool had gone ahead of them by beating Newcastle the previous night. Chelsea and Spurs both had games which they were expected to lose, and Arsenal needed three points to maintain their fifth place at least.
Arsene Wenger picked what was almost his strongest team with the exception of Andrey Arshavin playing instead of Gervinho. Arsenal have to go to Fulham tomorrow evening, and there will be very little time for players to recover from their exertions against QPR. It was certainly a team which was more than capable of beating their opponents who were struggling near the wrong end of the table.
Arsenal started a little slowly which seems to be the norm for them at the moment, but they picked their game up once QPR had given them a slight scare. Robin van Persie needed three goals to beat Alan Shearer's record for the most Premier League goals in a calender year, and three chances came his way in the first half. Unfortunately for RVP and the team he failed to take any of them, and the teams were tied 0-0 at half time.
The news filtered through that Spurs were winning at Swansea, and Chelsea were drawing at home to Villa after being ahead early on. Arsenal needed to up the pace and find a goal from somewhere before their festive campaign became a flop.
Things weren't helped early in the second half when Thomas Vermaelen limped off to be replaced by Francis Coquelin. Arsenal's lack of fit full backs has been a real trouble for them in recent weeks, and even the players filling in for them are picking up injuries. Vermaelen will be out for a few weeks, and Wenger will have to decide who takes his place against Fulham tomorrow.
Arsenal were struggling to open QPR up, but Theo Walcott had a great chance when he was played in on the keeper. His finish was very poor, and he's usually a lot better in those situations coming in from the left in particular. The breakthrough didn't take much longer though, thanks to a lot of help from QPR.
Shaun Wright-Phillips played an awful pass from midfield straight to Arshavin, who slipped a perfect ball through for RVP. He finished first time into the corner, and the pressure was off the Arsenal players at last. Soon afterwards Gervinho missed a great chance when RVP set him up, and it didn't look like another goal was coming.
QPR tried to get back into the game and they caused Arsenal a few problems, but they never really looked like scoring. The biggest worry was that they would get something from a set piece, but thankfully Arsenal stayed strong to run out 1-0 winners.
The full time scores from elsewhere came through, and Chelsea's defeat to Villa meant Arsenal were in the top four at last. The season is now halfway over and Arsenal are in the Champions League qualifying places, which would have been unthinkable only 12 games ago. The good results continued on Sunday when Manchester City fell to a last minute Sunderland goal.
Arsenal are now only nine points off the leaders, and a victory at Fulham would close that gap to six points before the teams above them play on Tuesday and Wednesday. That game against Fulham won't be easy, but hopefully the result against QPR and their opponents' results will give the team a lift.
The poor standard of refereeing continued in the game, as Arsenal were denied what I thought should have been a penalty in the first half. A Laurent Koscielny shot was blocked by a QPR defender with his arms above his head, and I thought Arsenal should have got the penalty.
The games are coming thick and fast at the moment, and obviously Arsenal aren't the only team suffering from the hectic schedule. The extra days rest for Spurs and United will do them some good, but there's no sense in complaining about it. Arsenal need to put everything they have into beating Fulham, and then take advantage of the week long break until their next game.
That will be a home game in the FA Cup against Leeds United, and it could mark the return of Thierry Henry to the team. The deal to bring him on loan to Arsenal should be through by then, and it would be great to see him in the red and white in just over a week's time. Arsenal may be without both Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh for that game, as they are scheduled to go on international duty two days earlier.
The club are hoping to be allowed to keep them until after the Leeds game, but they will then be playing for their countries in the African Cup of Nations. Henry will fill in while they are away, but it will still leave the squad a little short. The most important thing is for the team to keep taking points in the Premier League so that they can keep their precious fourth place.
The FA Cup might be Arsenal's best hope of a trophy this season, but league points are far more important in my opinion. It will be very interesting to see what team Wenger plays in the FA Cup. One player who won't be playing is Emmanuel Frimpong, as he has gone on loan to Wolves for the rest of the season.
That's it for today except to wish a happy new year to all my readers.
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Arsenal took on Manchester City at home last night in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup. Arsene Wenger made 10 changes from the team that draw 1-1 at home to Fulham in the Premier League last Saturday. The only player to keep his place was Johan Djourou, as plenty of fringe players got a chance to make an impression.
The Arsenal defence had a very strange look to it, as there were no recognised full backs available for selection. It meant the players in front of Lukasz Fabianski consisted of four central defenders. Ignasi Miquel filled in at left back with Djourou on the right, and Laurent Kiscielny and Sebastien Squillaci in the middle.
In midfield both Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin played central roles with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yossi Benayoun in the wider positions. It meant Arsenal played a front two of Marouane Chamakh and Park Ju-Young who both had a chance to show they should be next in line to Robin van Persie. It was a little strange to see Arsenal playing in a 4-4-2 formation, but it's not a bad thing that they have that option available to them.
The fans got their chance to pay tribute to Gary Speed before the game, and his name rang out around the stadium.
City included Arsenal old boys Samir Nasri and Kolo Toure in their team, and the Arsenal fans let Nasri know exactly how they felt about him. Wile Toure got the respect an Arsenal legend deserves, Nasri was roundly booed every time he touched the ball. The Arsenal fans were not going to forget the manner of Nasri's exit, or how they felt about his comments about them afterwards.
City played some of their more expensive signings in a team which also showed 10changes from the one that started against Liverpool in their 1-1 draw on Sunday. Samir Nasri was the only exception for them, but he did very little to justify his large transfer fee.
Arsenal were the better team in the first half, and Park had the best chance to score in the 10th minute. Unfortunately his contact from a Coquelin cross was not quite good enough, and the giant Costel Pantilimon in goal for City managed to keep it out. Arsenal came close on one other occasion in the first half when an excellent drive from Chamberlain was pushed away from the top corner by Pantilimon.
City had shown very little in front of goal except for an Adam Johnson shot which clipped the top of the net. They had looked good in possession on occasions, but they showed very little creativity. I thought they would have shown more in attack and taken the game to Arsenal, but they were content to try to play on the break.
The second half didn't contain as much goalmouth action as the first half, but when Arsenal introduced Thomas Vermaelen and Gervinho into the side I hoped they would have enough to get the victory. They gradually seemed to be getting the upper hand, but the game looked to be heading into extra time with no goals scored.
Arsenal won a corner and when the ball was quickly cleared City managed to get their first chance on target in the game. The chance fell to the lethal Sergio Aguero and he made no mistake from just inside the Arsenal box after good work by Eden Dzeko and Johnson. Perhaps one of the Arsenal players should have taken one for the team and stopped the move by earning himself a yellow card before City punished them.
Arsenal brought Andrey Arshavin of for Chamberlain, but he looked well off the pace. They tried in vain to grab an equaliser that would bring the game into extra time, and when Chamakh and Squillaci failed to connect with a Gervinho cross their last chance went.
In the great scheme of things the result counts for very little, and I'm not overly concerned about Arsenal being knocked out of the Carling Cup. It's a competition that cost them dearly last season when their season collapsed after their final defeat to Birmingham City. They are through to the last 16 of the Champions League, fighting to finish in the top four in the Premier League, and the FA Cup starts in five weeks time.
There were quite a few positives on the night with Koscielny showing that he is the best defender at actually defending at the club. In midfield both Coquelin and Frimpong put in excellent displays to show the potential they have, and to show that they are capable of playing right now. Chamberlain was the man of the match in my opinion, and he showed that he too can play a role right now.
The performances of both Park and Chamakh were not what I had hoped for, and they probably won't get another chance until the third round FA Cup game in early January.
Park saw very little of the ball and he will probably be hoping that he scored the early chance that came his way. Besides that chance he didn't contribute an awful lot else, but at least he kept trying.
Chamakh again looked lost at times, and he also seemed to be caught unawares when the ball came to him occasionally. He was coughing a lot and he never stopped clearing his nose which made me think he may not have been well. It's hard to see how he could take over if Robin van Persie was injured, but he is the first choice replacement.
Plenty of Arsenal fans are of the opinion Wenger should buy a striker to act as cover for RVP in the January transfer window, and it's hard to argue with that. With the money Arsenal have available they should be able to get somebody who can come into the team and make an impact.
It's hard to understand how little impact both strikers made last night when they had a chance to stake a place in the team. Other younger and less experienced players took their chance, and showed the manager they are capable of being a part of the team. Maybe both players are resigned to warming the bench as long as RVP is fit, and they don't see the need to try too hard until that changes.
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Arsenal's league campaign hasn't got off to the best of starts this season, but they have played four cup games so far without losing any of them. Three of those games have been in the Champions League where they have managed two wins and a draw against tough opposition. They will be looking to add another win to that statistic to put them in a strong position in their Champions League group.
Olympiacos lost their first game in the group at home to a Marseille team that are struggling to make an impact in their domestic league. Olympiacos have won their first two league games in Greece so far, but it's a big step up for them to Champions League level. Their record on the road in the Champions League isn't very good, but they did manage to beat Arsenal at home in the group stages two seasons ago.
On that night Arsenal played a weakened team, as they had already won their group and the trip to Greece can be quite grueling. When Olympiacos came to the Emirates in late September 2009 they managed to keep Arsenal scoreless until just over 10 minutes to go. Arsenal managed two goals in the last 12 minutes through Robin Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin to win the game, but they really should have won by more.
The latest injury news from Arsenal isn't very encouraging, as their casualties continue to mount. Jack Wilshere won't play again until February at the earliest, but there are real concerns that his season could be over. Abu Diaby hasn't been seen at all so far this season, but the club have said he should return after the next international break along with Thomas Vermaelen.
The latest players to be added to the injury list are Theo Walcott, Laurent Koscielny and Gervinho. They join Johan Djourou, Sebastien Squillaci and Yossi Benayoun who all have short term injuries and will not be available to play tonight.
It means Arsene Wenger will have to switch things around a little against Olympiacos, and there is always a possibility he will change the formation slightly. The biggest problem will be who plays alongside Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence with only Ignasi Miquel and possibly Alex Song being the candidates. If Song plays it means Arsenal will lose some of their defensive strength in midfield, and I'm not overly confident of his ability and concentration in defence.
It would be asking an awful lot of Miquel to step up to this level, but I think he is capable of playing in this game at least as long as he is fit. I have a feeling Song will get the nod though which should mean Emmanuel Frimpong gets to play the defensive role in midfield. If Wenger goes with a different formation it could see Francis Coquelin play alongside Frimpong in a four-four-two, but I think he will stick with his favoured four-three-three.
The other two midfielders are bound to be both Mikael Arteta and Aaron Ramsey with Robin Van Persie filling the centre forward role. That leaves Andrey Arshavin as one of the wide players, and then Wenger has to decide who plays on the other side. I wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain play, as there are so few other options but I have a feeling Ju Young Park might get to play.
He hasn't played much since his arrival at the club, but Wenger stated that he can play in any of the three attacking roles in the team when he signed him. It's a chance for him to show the Arsenal fans what he can do alongside the strongest team Arsenal have available on the night, unlike his previous appearance against Shrewsbury Town.
The Arsenal bench might have a very young look to it with so many players out injured, and hopefully those injuries won't be added to. I think Chamberlain will be seen at some stage during the game, and I hope to see him running at Olympiacos with the ball and causing them problems. He's a player with real potential and ability, and I'm sure he has a great future at the club.
Despite the glut of injuries Arsenal have more than enough about them to make things very tough for Olympiacos, and they need to put them away when the chance arises. Olympiacos do not travel well in European football, and as long as Arsenal put them under pressure they will create the chances they need. A win should set Arsenal up nicely going into the international break with the Marseille double-header to come afterwards.
I think Arsenal will win 2-0 with RVP adding to the 100 goals he has scored for the club already. He has been absolutely fantastic since he returned from injury at the start of January, and without him at the moment Arsenal would have a real struggle on their hands. It is vital for them that he stays fit and able to play the north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Wenger will again be in the stands tonight, as he sits out the rest of his UEFA ban imposed upon him for making contact with the bench while serving a ban for his reaction to Arsenal's defeat to Barcelona last season. The ban is a joke, as others have done the same thing before and escaped censure and he was told by the UEFA official on the night that he was working within the rules. Hopefully Pat Rice can do as well as he did in charge of the team away to Borussia Dortmund in Arsenal's previous Champions League game.
That's it for today.
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Arsenal host League Two side Shrewsbury Town tonight in the third round of the Carling Cup. It's an opportunity for Arsene Wenger to showcase some of his fringe players, as well as some of the young talent available to him. In this article I will attempt to assess the relative strengths of some of those players who might get a chance.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Arsenal signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer from Southampton for a fee believed to be somewhere between £10 and £15 million. He has been compared to Theo Walcott, who was a little younger than him when Arsenal signed him from the same club for a similar fee.
I can see why the comparisons have been made, but I think Chamberlain is a very different player. He seems to have more awareness of what's going on around him on the pitch and where his teammates are. His ability to take players on and beat them is also superior to that of Walcott, and he has a very bright future in the game.
Arsenal might play him in a central role tonight, but he was very impressive playing in a wide role for the English under-21 team recently. He assisted in four goals in just two games, and his crossing was quite superb.
He has plenty of skill, pace and intelligence, and hopefully he will get the chance to show it tonight.
Ju-Young Park
Ju-Young Park is another player signed by Arsenal in the last transfer window, and they got him for a very reasonable price. He's the current captain of South Korea, and he can play in any of the three attacking roles deployed by Arsenal.
He's 26 years old and will return to his homeland for military service when his Arsenal contract is up, which is why they got him for such a good price. He has plenty of skill and pace, as well as an eye for a goal, and his hard-working attitude will hopefully rub off on some of the other Arsenal players.
He should get his chance to make his Arsenal debut tonight, and hopefully he will flourish against a team three leagues below Arsenal.
I think he will play in a wide role, but his flexibility will allow him to interchange with the other attacking players. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him score a goal on his debut.
Ignasi Miquel
Ignasi Miquel is a Spanish central defender who will turn 19 next week. He joined Arsenal in 2008 and has gradually worked his way through the Arsenal underage teams and reserves.
He is probably considered to be the sixth-choice central defender at the club, but only because of his age and relative inexperience.
Along with being Arsenal's reserve team captain, he was a member of the Spanish under-19 team that were the European champions this summer.
His formative years were spent at Barcelona, and he is a defender who is well capable of playing along with his defending duties. He played twice in the FA Cup for Arsenal last season and came on as a substitute for his Premier League debut against Liverpool last month.
I expect to see him organising the defence despite his youth, and taking the opportunity to bring the ball out and use it when the chance arises. He has all the assets required to be a top-class defender in years to come, and hopefully he can display them tonight.
Emmanuel Frimpong
Emmanuel Frimpong looked likely to make the breakthrough to the Arsenal first team last season, but he suffered a bad injury and missed almost the entire season. His career has been put back by a whole year as a result, but he seems to be determined to make up for lost time this season.
He featured in Arsenal's preseason as a defensive midfielder, and he made his debut as a substitute in their first game of the season against Newcastle United.
He is seen as almost a direct replacement for Alex Song, and it's a position for which Arsenal have needed some reserve strength for a while. His chances will be a little limited this season, as Song is the first choice, but he should get quite a few opportunities to shine.
He is a very strong player with a great engine, and a tough tackler, too. He has already shown this season that he is by no means overawed by playing in the Arsenal first team, and I expect more of the same from him tonight.
As well as doing all the hard work required in the centre of midfield, he has shown an ability to drive forward and threaten the opposition goal when the chance occurs. If he can get a firm grip on the midfield tonight, he could be the player that helps Arsenal to dominate the game.
Carl Jenkinson
Carl Jenkinson was signed from Charlton Athletic in the last transfer window, and he has taken the role of understudy to Bacary Sagna.
He was thrown into action sooner than expected, as Arsenal suffered an early season injury crisis. Despite looking a little raw at times, he has also shown loads of potential, and he should have a much better chance to shine tonight.
His defensive basics look sound, and he likes to get forward from the right back role, too. His height will be an advantage to Arsenal as well, as their full-backs have been quite short for the last number of years.
If Arsenal can progress in the Carling Cup, Jenkinson will get the game time he needs to progress, and hopefully that progress can see him put pressure on Sagna for a place in the team.
Yossi Benayoun
Yossi Benayoun seemed to be a strange deadline-day loan to arrive at Arsenal, but if he can stay fit he could have an awful lot to offer the club.
He is 31 years old, but he has always managed to score and make goals for whichever club he played for.
He has added some much-needed experience to the Arsenal squad, and he will be their most experienced player on the field if he plays against Shrewsbury tonight.
He looked very good in the away draw withBorussia Dortmund in Arsenal's Champions League group, and he showed how hard he can work. He also showed his creative side, and given the chance tonight he could cause Shrewsbury some real problems.
The Shrewsbury players will rarely have come up against a player with his skill and intelligence on the ball, and his eye for a goal could be rewarded against them tonight.
That's it for today.
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Arsenal play Udinese tonight in the second leg of the final Champions League qualifying round. The prize for the winners is a place in the group stages of this season's Champions League, and a minimum payout of roughly €30 million. Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 at home last week, but since then they have had problems with injuries and they have lost Samir Nasri to Manchester City.
It was hardly a surprise that Nasri left, as he had refused to sign a contract since last summer. However, added to the departure of Cesc Fabregas last week his sale has left Arsenal fans feeling their team is short of top class players. There are only seven days left in the transfer window for Arsene Wenger to secure some much needed additions for his squad.
That squad also has problems with suspensions for their domestic games, but thank fully Alex Song, Gervinho and Emmanuel Frimpong are all available tonight. I would imagine that all three of them have to start, as none of them can play against Manchester United on Sunday. Arsenal will be without Kieran Gibbs, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere and possibly Johan Djourou, Armand Traore, Sebastien Squillaci and Tomas Rosicky too.
I'm hoping that Djourou will be fit, as he can slot in beside Thomas Vermaelen at the centre of the Arsenal defence with the same two full backs that played against Liverpool. It's a big ask of Carl Jenkinson again, but I think he has a better chance of coping on the right at least. I would prefer not to see Song in the defence, as I would like to see him form a defensive midfield barrier with Emmanuel Frimpong.
If Rosicky is fit I think he should play in front of those two, as the creative midfield player. I thought Aaron Ramsey looked very tired in the last two games and he still has a long way to go to reach the level he was at before his leg break. Rosicky doesn't have the pace to last 90 minutes any more in my opinion, so I think Ramsey should replace him with 30 minutes left if needed.
I don't think Arsenal can afford to play both Rosicky and Ramsey together, as I can't see either of them lasting the entire 90 minutes at full pace. If Song and Frimpong both play it will leave Frimpong free to venture forward occasionally from his holding role. He showed on Saturday that he has the power, pace and ability to do so, and with Wilshere missing he could be very important in my opinion.
He is only 19 years old and he missed all of last season through injury, but he showed that he is a real star of the future against Liverpool. Other players fail to impress when they get their big chance, but Frimpong was not afraid to play football and put himself about too. Unfortunately his desire to impress ended up with him getting a red card, but he will soon learn to control that.
Robin Van Persie will play the central strikers role and I'm sure Gervinho will play on one of the flanks. The big question is who will accompany him in the other wide role, as both Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin were very poor against Liverpool on Saturday. I have a feeling Arshavin might get the nod with Walcott introduced as an impact substitute at some stage.
Udinese showed how good they can be in the first game at the Emirates, and Arsenal were lucky to come out of it with a clean sheet. If Arsenal can play a little deeper tonight and attempt to hit Udinese on the break I think it could be of more benefit to them than playing their usual game. Arsenal do not need to over commit players when they are attacking, and they cannot afford to be hit on the break.
I think the inclusion of both Song and Frimpong would help Arsenal to play a deeper game, but it is a game which is a little alien to them. The most important thing for Arsenal tonight is the result, and they have to do anything it takes to achieve that result. The monetary rewards and prestige of Champions League group qualification are something Arsenal have never missed out on under Arsene Wenger, and it would be a huge blow for the club if it happened now.
Not only would an exit see Arsenal miss out on the Champions League group stages, but it would also mean they had to play on Thursday nights in the Europa League. That's not an attractive prospect in my opinion, as they would find themselves playing so many Premier League games on Sundays instead of Saturdays. It's a competition they would be well able to win, but it's not one I would like to see them compete in.
I think Arsenal might just about have enough to get the result they need tonight despite the injured players and those who have left too. I think RVP is due a goal and I hope he can be the man to inspire those around him. He's the new captain since Cesc Fabregas left, andhe needs to play a captain's role tonight. Personally I would have preferred to have seen the captaincy go to Vermaelen, but I do not doubt RVP's desire or love for the club for a moment.
I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal, but even if that scoreline is reversed Arsenal will go through on away goals. I think Arsenal have to score tonight, or they will be in for a very tough time defensively knowing one goal will even the tie up. I'm confident that this Arsenal team has goals in it, and tonight is the night for them to show it.
Wenger will be on the touchline tonight despite his impending two game ban, as Arsenal have lodged an appeal with UEFA. I think his presence on the line could be very important for the players, and hopefully he can help them to achieve the right result. The ban from UEFA was an absolute joke, but I expect no more than incompetence at best from them.
I'm hoping to see each and every Arsenal player fight for each other and the team too tonight, and show the fans how much it means to them to play for Arsenal. Some very good players may have left the club, but others will take their place, and Arsenal will continue to play some of the best football of any team in the world. Hopefully the new additions to the squad will be the impetus the players need to challenge at the very top in all competitions yet again this season.
For those Arsenal fans lucky enough to be at the game tonight I hope they see another memorable night in Italy. Arsenal have had great victories in Italy in past against Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan, and hopefully Udinese will become another victim of theirs tonight. Despite any reservations I have about how the transfer window has been handled I will always support Arsenal no matter what.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights of Arsenal's last win in Italy against AC Milan.
Arsenal played their first home game in the Premier League this season against Liverpool yesterday, and they lost 2-0 after yet again being reduced to 10 men. The Arsenal team on the day was a weakened one due to injuries and suspensions, as well as the sale of star player Cesc Fabregas. The result leaves them with only one point from their opening two league games, and the prospect of a visit to champions Manchester United next Sunday.
Before that trip to United next week Arsenal have to travel to Udinese on Wednesday night for the second leg of their vital Champions League qualifier. It's a game Arsenal need to get a result from to ensure qualification for the group stages, and if they fail the pressure on Arsene Wenger will be huge. This summer has been a very difficult one for Arsenal fans, and he needs to strengthen the squad or the growing feelings of unrest could possibly tilt the balance against him.
The team selected against Liverpool was as expected with the exception of Samir Nasri getting his first start of the season in midfield. His expected transfer to Manchester City still hasn't gone through, and Arsenal's need on the day meant he had to be played. He was part of a midfield trio with Emmanuel Frimpong and Aaron Ramsey, and on the day he gave all he had in my opinion.
The Arsenal fans are far from happy with Nasri's refusal to sign a new contract, and the long drawn out saga of his move to City has made him a villain in their eyes. They understood Cesc's desire to return to his hometown club after eight years at Arsenal, but Nasri is perceived as being greedy. If Arsenal can get over €20 million for him from City they have to take it, as they cannot afford to let him leave on a free transfer next summer.
However, he is a quality player and if he is sold it will only weaken the Arsenal team further. If he is still at the club next weekend he has to be included in the team to play United. Arsenal's midfield options on the day will be so limited that they cannot afford to leave him out of the team.
Arsenal were far from impressive going forward yesterday, as Liverpool had the majority of possession and dealt effectively with any threat from Arsenal. Robin Van Persie had very little influence on the game, but it's not his fault those around him failed to bring him into the game often enough. Both Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin were almost non-existent for the entire duration of the time on the pitch, but neither Ryo Miyaichi or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin were given a chance to show what they can do.
The early injury injury to Laurent Koscielny meant that Ignasi Miquel had to come on in the 16th minute to make his Premier League debut. He was impressive alongside Thomas Vermarlen who had a great game yet again. If Vermaelen picks up an injury I dread to think how the Arsenal defence will perform without him.
It meant the Arsenal defence had a very young look to it with Carl Jenkinson and Wojciech Szczesny also playing. They were fairly solid until the dismissal of Frimpong meant Liverpool simply had too much for them, and eventually got the goals they wanted. I was a little surprised to see Miquel on the bench instead of Sebastien Squillaci, but it was a pleasant surprise.
In midfield Nasri showed he is prepared to play if he is called upon, and Frimpong did very well on his Premier League debut. Unfortunately for Frimpong his youthful enthusiasm got the better of him, and he ended up seeing two yellow cards which meant he was sent off. Ramsey had very little influence on the game compared to the other two, and he already looks like he needs a rest to me.
The young players thrown in at the back and in midfield did well, but it's hard to understand why both Miyaichi and Oxlade-Chamberlain weren't given the same opportunity. With Arsenal's wide players showing so little on the day they surely could have done no worse, but it appears youth only gets it's chance when there is no choice at all. If they have the quality that's needed to perform at this level then they have to be given a chance when others aren't performing.
I thought Arsenal were finally starting to get a foothold in the game just before Frimpong went off, but his departure signalled a change of tactics for Liverpool which Arsenal's 10 men could not cope with. The first Liverpool goal was marginally offside, but it was so close it was hard for the assistant to see. The second Liverpool was virtually walked into the goal, as Arsenal attempted to push forward for an equaliser.
Frimpong's first yellow card was very harsh, as he did very little to deserve it in my opinion. However, the second yellow card should probably have been a straight red card, as his challenge on Lucas was a very dangerous one in my opinion. Frimpong had knocked the ball too far ahead of himself and he tried to chase it down, but his challenge on Lucas could easily have caused the Liverpool player a serious injury.
It means Arsenal will not have a defensive midfielder available to play against United next week, but at least there is a possibility of Jack Wilshere being fit. The Premier League suspensions won't effect Arsenal on Wednesday night against Udinese, and I think both Frimpong and Alex Song should play in midfield with Nasri. If City are going to buy Nasri they will not want him cup tied for the Champions League, but the needs of Arsenal outweigh their needs.
If Arsenal have to play Nasri to ensure qualification it should lead to a €30 million windfall, and that is more than City are offering for Nasri. If it means Nasri stays until the end of the season it will cost Arsenal around €20 million, but maybe it's a risk worth taking. Wenger has to do what is best for Arsenal, and Nasri's potential inclusion might eventually bring the whole sad mess to a conclusion.
Arsenal have now played two Premier League games without scoring in either of them, and they have also created precious few chances in those games. The free flowing attacking football they are noted for is not happening, and it needs to return before their title chances disappear all too early. The return of some of the injured and suspended players will help Arsenal to play better, but the team is crying out for reinforcements.
There are only 10 days remaining in the transfer window, and Arsenal's fate depends upon their ability to use those days wisely. There have to be players available to strengthen both Arsenal's team and their squad, and Wenger needs to move quickly to buy those players. The current glut of injuries and suspensions has shown up the lack of depth available to Arsenal, and if previous seasons are anything to go by they will continue throughout the season.
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See You Tomorrow.
Arsenal play their first home Premier League game of the new season against Liverpool tomorrow, and it's going to be a very tough assignment for them. The list of players Arsenal have unavailable through injury or suspension is bad enough, but added to that they have sold too many players without replacing them. Arsene Wenger is going to have some real problems putting together a competitive midfield against Liverpool, and Arsenal's chances could depend on his ability to do so.
When last season ended he said there would be changes in the Arsenal squad, and the club would be busy in the transfer market. He was absolutely right as Arsenal have sold Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Eboue and Jay Emmanuel Thomas and brought in Gervinho, Ryo Miyaichi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Campbell. On top of the players being sold Arsenal have also loaned Denilson and Carlos Vela to other clubs for the season, and Samir Nasri, Nicklas Bendtner and Manuel Almunia look destined to be sold too.
I'm no mathematician but even I can see that the numbers don't add up and Arsenal are in dire need of at least four players to give their squad enough strength to compete in the Premier League. Of the four players signed only Gervinho can be considered ready to play in the Premier League, and the other three are teenage prospects and no more in my opinion. The question on the lips of so many Arsenal fans is how their club have arrived at this stage with less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window.
Wenger has maintained all along that he will only bring in players of "super quality" that will improve his team. He says Arsenal have that quality already and he wants to bring in players who will improve the team. The team Arsenal field tomorrow will be a long way short of the quality needed to compete at the very top in the Premier League and the Champions League.
I know there are problems with injuries and suspensions, but problems like those occur in every team throughout every season. Arsenal's current squad does not have the depth to deal with those problems, and only Wenger can resolve the problem. He has less than two weeks to bring in the players needed, or he may find the minority of fans who want him out growing very quickly.
The drawn out transfer of Cesc to Barcelona didn't help matters, and neither does the possible exit of Nasri to Manchester City. However, Arsenal had money available to spend at the start of the summer, and they have added to that with the sales so far. If he is willing to pay approximately €15 million for Chamberlain, why will he not pay similar figures for defenders who the squad so desperately need.
The midfield has been stripped of it's playmaker, and without a suitable replacement for Cesc the team will be a pale shadow of what it once was. Robin Van Persie is an excellent striker, but he is also very injury prone and Marouane Chamakh looks like he will be his only deputy. The performances of Chamakh since last January fill me with dread at the thought of a RVP injury.
I know there are still two weeks to go before the transfer window closes, but the football season has actually started and Arsenal have some very tough games before the month ends. So far the defence has held tight with two clean sheets against Newcastle United and Udinese, but tougher tests lie ahead in the next week. After tomorrow's game at home to Liverpool there are trips to Udinese and Manchester United before the dreaded international break returns.
Hopefully Arsenal will emerge from the other side of the international break with all of their players fit again, and some new additions settling into the squad. If the players are brought in and Arsenal fail to deliver the goods then at least they will have tried, but if no players are added and Arsenal fail I cannot see where Wenger has to go. If he does not add the necessary quality it looks like he is writing the season off as yet another trophyless one, and it's a situation that cannot be allowed to develop.
As for the game against Liverpool it's not too difficult to predict Arsenal's starting 11 with so few players to choose from. Alex Song and Gervinho are suspended for three domestic games each after their stupidity against Newcastle last week. Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Abu Diaby are all injured, and Johan Djourou, Tomas Rosicky and Armand Traore are all doubtful too.
It could see Sebastien Squillaci recalled to the first team, and that's a sight which scares me. I don't think he is good enough to play at this level any more, and Arsenal look defensively very suspect when he plays. If he doesn't play it will probably mean that Carl Jenkinson starts as one of the full backs and makes his Premier League debut.
Jenkinson looks to be a very good prospect to me, but he was playing non-league football last season. That's hardly the "super quality" that has been promised by the manager, but I hope all goes well for him if he plays. I think he should be deployed at right back if selected, and Bacary Sagna should switch to the left.
The central defensive pairing of Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny is progressing well together, and hopefully they can continue that partnership. With Wojciech Szczesny in goal the defence will be relatively strong compared to some of the options elsewhere on the field. Andy Carroll caused Arsenal some problems with his height when he played at the Emirates for Newcastle last season, and I expect him to do so again.
In midfield the options are limited and it looks like Emmanuel Frimpong will have to start. He has virtually no experience at this level after he missed all of last season injured, but I can't see any other player being able to play the defensive role unless Djourou is considered for it. Aaron Ramsey will have to take on the creative duties for the day, but I still think he has a way to go before he reaches the form he displayed prior to his leg break almost 18 months ago.
The third midfielder will depend on the fitness of Rosicky, and if he's not fit I think Henri Lansbury has to be the man for the job. There are very few other options available to the manager and if Lansbury is to be a member of the first team squad he has to be able to play when needed. There is a good arguement for Arsenal playing four in midfield, but I cannot see Wenger changing his tactics.
Thankfully RVP will return from his Champions League suspension to lead the attack, and Arsenal have a real goal threat with him in the team. On either side of him I expect to see Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin, and both of those players are capable of finding the back of the net too. I was critical of Walcott after Tuesday's game against Udinese, but I still think he is a good finisher even if he is limited elsewhere.
There has been some suggestion that Arsenal will rest some players ahead of the return leg against Udinese in the Champions League next Wednesday night. I cannot imagine that the team could take any of the better players being omitted considering all of those missing already. Both Song and Gervinho should be well rested because of their suspensions, and that is more than enough in my opinion.
If Arsenal are holding off on buying new players until they have secured qualification for the group stages of the Champions League it's a dangerous game to play. I know qualification means roughly €20 million added to the clubs TV revenue, as well as at least three big pay days in home group games. However, the later the purchases are left the less likely the hances of them being completed.
Arsenal's confidence is so brittle at the moment that a collapse away to Udinese is far from unbelievable, and what players of true quality would want to join then. If the club have the players needed lined up then they must buy them immediately, or suffer the consequences on and off the pitch.
Liverpool have spent a fair deal of money this summer bringing in players who are good, but not exceptional. Despite all of Arsenal's current problems I still think they have a good chance of getting something out of this game, and if they can keep tight at the back I think they will. Call me a blind optimist, despite what I've written, but I think Arsenal will emerge with a 2-1 victory, and RVP will get his name on the scoresheet.
This has been an incredibly hard summer for all Arsenal fans, and it looks like it will continue right up until the final moments of the transfer window. On a personal level I will only be able to see the first half of tomorrow's game, as I have a wedding to attend. I hate missing Arsenal games, but family duties come first occasionally.
UPDATE:
The latest squad news is that Gibbs, Djourou, Rosicky and Armand Traore are all definitely out which means there will be a makeshift left back. Ryo and Samir Nasri are both in the squad though, and Ryo might get a chance at some stage. I would be shocked to see Nasri included in the team, as he didn't play on Tuesday night.
He is surely on the verge of a move away from Arsenal and the reaction of the fans to him could be quite nasty. Even if he is on the bench I think he might get an adverse reaction, and I cannot see how playing him could improve team morale. The sooner he is sold and new players come in , the better for all concerned.
That's it for today.
Here's the highlights from last season's 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool.
