Arsenal Have To Beat Newcastle Today

It’s been two long weeks since Arsenal played a game and the lack of anything resembling real football in that time made it drag. Thankfully they return today when they play at home to Newcastle United in what I can only describe as a must win game. It’s the first of three home Premier League games in a row which give us a chance to make up ground on the teams ahead of us in our quest to finish in the top five.

With the news of Manchester City’s two season ban from European football that top five place has become an awful lot more important. Despite Chelsea struggling for quite a while now they still look odds on to finish fourth, but City’s problems should mean the team who finish fifth take their place in the Champions League next season. City will of course appeal the decision and fifth place might fade into insignificance again, but for the moment at least our hopes can be raised.

As it stands we have eight points to make up on Sheffield United who currently hold fifth spot, but we have a game in hand. Our next three fixtures provide us with that opportunity to take nine points and the table will look an awful lot better if we can do just that. Considering our current run of results it’s far from an easy task, but considering the opponents it’s certainly not one that’s beyond us either.

After Newcastle today it’s Everton and West Ham at home in our next two league games and neither of them are much to be afraid of either. Everton have improved under their new manager, but West Ham are in real trouble and could find themselves in the Championship next season. First things first though and the need to beat Newcastle cannot be understated.

We have made plenty of progress since Mikel Arteta took the reins, but too many of our games have ended in draws and it’s time to turn those draws into wins. We have only won four of our 12 home games so far this season and even more worryingly only one of our last eight. There was a time not so long ago when teams feared coming to the Emirates and we beat the majority of Premier League teams without having to even perform at our best.

The defensive improvement under Arteta has been absolutely great, but it has been partly at the expense of our attack. It will take a while for him to find the right balance between them in the team, but from what he has said recently it looks like he’s more than well aware of the situation. I expect him to give the players a little more attacking leeway today and hopefully it will be enough to unlock a very defensive Newcastle team. Despite their defensive set up they have only kept one clean sheet away from home and only Villa have conceded more goals on the road.

Arteta has a few decisions to make in his team selection today and the first of them surely has to be whether to persist with Alexandre Lacazette or not. He hasn’t scored in his last eight league games, but all of his goals have come at home and the manager has stated how he sees him as a vital part of the way he wants the team to play. Like quite a few other fans I would like to see an attacking trio of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Nicolas Pepe on one side of him and Gabriel Martinelli on the other side.

That trio offers us the pace and goal threat which I think we need so badly, but I’m not so sure we’ll see it. Who supplies the ammunition for them is another thing and as much as I like Mesut Ozil it’s hard to argue with the stats which show he just isn’t the player he used to be. Maybe a home game against Newcastle might be the perfect game for him to perform, but there’s a very real prospect of him warming the bench yet again today.

We have missed Aaron Ramsey’s ability to arrive late in the box and score the goals this team is so badly missing and we didn’t manage to replace him when he went on his merry way last summer. Joe Willock has shown glimpses of a player who might be able to fill that role, but he’s certainly far from the finished article. We don’t have the midfielders to add to our goals tally that we had in previous seasons and it’s really hurting our results.

In our seven league games under Arteta we have only scored eight goals and while we have only conceded seven goals in those games it’s still a pretty poor return. Arteta has addressed the defensive issues to a certain degree and now it’s time to address the attacking issues. With the right team today we can at least start to bring some joy back to a season that has been almost bereft of it since the opening day.

As poor as our results have been we have been no worse than any of the other teams chasing fifth place and an improvement from us could be enough to make fifth place ours. To have drawn more than half of our 25 league games is quite incredible and surely we’re due a few wins starting with Newcastle today and followed by a run of six games where the three points are ours for the taking.

That’s it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal’s Trip To Chelsea Previewed

Life is still pretty miserable for us Arsenal fans despite the arrival of Mikel Arteta last month. The hoped for change in results still hasn’t appeared, but at least the performances are more promising. As it stands we have only won twice in our last 15 games and despite the promising performances it’s difficult to be optimistic going into any game.

We played Chelsea a few weeks ago and it was definitely one of those promising performances, but ultimately we couldn’t hold on to our lead and two goals in the last 10 minutes saw us beaten. That was the only defeat so far under Arteta, but we have only won once in the league too. The draws against Bournemouth, Palace and Sheffield United were all very costly to us and particularly when you consider that we took the lead in two of those games.

In fact we have dropped seven points from winning positions in the five games under Arteta already and it’s a very worrying trend. We don’t seem to have the legs to last the full 90 minutes which has to be a throwback to our fitness levels before he arrived. I think it has a bit to do with lack of confidence too as we become obviously more nervous as the games progress.

The other reason we’re not winning enough games is our inability to stick the ball in the back of the net. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suspended again tonight the onus to get those goals should fall on Alexandre Lacazette, but Gabriel Martinelli is far more likely to do so despite his tender age. When Aubameyang is back I think Arteta has to seriously consider keeping Martinelli in the team because he’s our only other consistent goal scorer.

I expect a fairly similar team tonight to the one which drew with Sheffield United on Saturday as Arteta’s options are limited at the moment due to injuries and that Aubameyang suspension. We have struggled badly to control games and it’s still too easy to play against us under Arteta so far, but we can’t expect miracles overnight. I am much happier with the attitude and commitment of the players under him though and hopefully the results will start to follow soon.

I would imagine Chelsea won’t make too many changes either despite losing 1-0 away to Newcastle on Saturday evening. That was a game they really should have won, but they paid the price for missing too many chances when Newcastle got a last gasp winner. I really don’t think we have a hope of finishing in the top four, but a win tonight would put us only seven points behind Chelsea with 14 games still to go.

While that’s a gap that could of course be bridged we would have to win tonight to have any hope and that’s a huge ask for this team. I had hoped the win against United would bring the confidence needed to improve our game and dictate the play, but it hasn’t happened. Maybe a win away to Chelsea will be the catalyst we need to finally kick start our season and deliver the football the fans crave.

That’s it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Get Their Man As Arsene Wenger’s Successor Is Announced

With the season finished less than two weeks ago and the cushion on Arsene Wenger’s office chair still warm Arsenal moved quickly to appoint his successor. Social media was buzzing with the supposed imminent arrival of Mikael Arteta, but the club seemed to surprise almost everybody when Unai Emery got the job. On the face of it he has to be the more sensible and the better appointment.

Arteta is of course a former club captain at Arsenal and he’s very well thought of, but there is no comparison between the managerial experience of both men. Arteta is one of the coaches under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and he seems to be doing a very good job, but he has never managed one single game of football. It would have been a huge risk to appoint him, but his inexperience probably would have bought him more time with the fans at least.

On the other hand Emery has a fine track record and is a proven winner in club management. No other manager has won more trophies in the top five leagues in Europe in the last five seasons than him and he will be expected to deliver silverware at Arsenal too. He has won eight trophies in that time with five of them coming over the last two seasons at PSG as well as three consecutive Europa League titles with Sevilla in the previous three seasons.

Interestingly Wenger won three trophies in that time too and five if you count the Community Shield (which I don’t). They were all FA Cup victories though and we need a manager who can challenge for Premier League and European titles. He won a league which he was expected to win with PSG after failing to win it in his first season there and his achievement with Sevilla was fairly spectacular no matter how poorly you might rate the Europa League.

He didn’t challenge for league titles with Sevilla though, but the Barcelona and Real Madrid stranglehold is very difficult to break in Spain. He’ll have a bigger budget and better players at Arsenal and he will be expected to get us back to title challengers over the next few seasons. His first task has to be to get us back into the top four and Champions League qualification.

We’re facing into our second season in a row in the Europa League and that has to have hurt our finances. There just isn’t as much TV money in the Europa League and that can be seen in the reported transfer kitty of £50 million for this summer. Emery can add to that kitty by selling some of the players he has and you would imagine he will look to offload a few players.

He was announced as the “Head Coach” though and that would suggest all of the transfer dealings won’t be entirely down to him. Wenger was most definitely the manager and he was in charge of almost every aspect of the club, but there are others at the club to take over many of the responsibilities Arsene either didn’t want to let go of or for which there was no one in place. That should leave Emery with more time to concentrate on coaching and tactics which will hopefully be of some advantage to the team.

By all accounts he’s quite meticulous in his coaching and preparation and that seemed to be something we were lacking in recent seasons. Maybe that’s just a perception and we’ve got it all wrong, but if he is that thorough you would expect to see an improvement in both of those departments. He has plenty of very good players to work with and even a few of the very best players in the Premier League.

Trying to challenge City won’t be easy when you see what they achieved last season and consider the amount of money they have spent and will continue to spend. There isn’t too much between the rest of the top six though and we can certainly hope to overtake at least two of them next season if he can get things right. It’s something I hope he can do and his appointment has certainly filled me with hope for the future.

It’s going to be an interesting summer for us Arsenal fans as we wait to see what players come and go and how our team will come together for next season. I hope he has the affect we all hope for and we can get back to being genuine challengers again. I’m genuinely looking forward to the return of the Premier League in August and getting to see us prosper in the post Wenger years.

That’s not taking anything from Wenger though and he will always be remembered as our greatest manager ever. As happy as I am to look forward to Emery sitting in the dugout (or patrolling the sideline) I’ll still miss Wenger. It’s going to be very strange watching Arsenal play under anyone other than him for the first time in almost 22 years.

That’s it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Lose After A Horror Show In Zagreb

What can you say about that defeat for Arsenal last night. It was such a familiar performance from the team yet it happened again. If you go into any football game with the wrong attitude you are likely to get beaten and it's hard to think Arsenal had anything but the wrong attitude.

I said before the game that Arsenal had to treat their opponents with respect as you must do against any team in the Champions League. Right from the start Arsenal looked vulnerable with bad decisions and bad passes being made all over the pitch. Dinamo Zagreb set out to frustrate Arsenal and try to hit them on the break, but it didn't take them long to realise they had every chance of getting something from the game.

Arsene Wenger made six changes from the team which beat Stoke on Saturday and on the face of it the team looked very strong. I had said beforehand that I was worried about Mikel Arteta possibly coming in for Francis Coquelin and so it proved as Arteta had a shocker. He wasn't the only one though and it was a game where it was hard to find any positives.

I was surprised to see David Ospina in goal as Petr Cech was given a rest, but to be fair to Ospina I wouldn't blame him for either goal and he made some good saves to keep Dinamo from increasing their lead at times. I have no doubt that Cech will be back for the trip to Chelsea on Saturday where Arsenal will need their strongest team to be at it's very best. Chelsea have had an awful start to the season but they won in the Champions League last night and will want to transfer that to the Premier League.

Both full backs were changed last night too with Hector Bellerin not making the trip as he was rested and Nacho Monreal on the bench. Gibbs gave the ball away too often for me and I thought he made a poor attempt to head the corner from which Dinamo got their second goal. Debuchey just doesn't offer the attacking options of Bellerin and I thought he had tucked in too far for the first Dinamo goal.

That first goal was more down to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain though as he completely lost his man and then was unfortunate to deflect the rebound into the net after Ospina had saved the original shot. I thought Chamberlain had looked good before then but he faded after his mistake. He still has a lot to learn about the defensive side of his game and he needs to start learning quickly.

For the second goal Gibbs may not have jumped as the corner came in, but I don't think he would have got the ball anyway while Arteta failed to get off the ground and the man he was on powered a header home. They were two very bad goals to give away and spoke a lot about a general malaise through almost all of the team. One player who should be excluded from the criticism for me is Gabriel Paulista who did more than his fair share to keep Dinamo out.

Despite all of those poor performances the real culprit on the night was Olivier Giroud who got himself sent off due to his own stupidity. A free was wrongly given against him and his reaction earned him a yellow card for dissent. As if that wasn't enough he was called for another foul and then made a poor defensive tackle which earned him his second yellow. 

The boss may have complained about the refereeing after the game, but there could be no excuse for Giroud's stupidity. He is so concerned with his gesticulating after every incident that he forgot about his commitment to the team. He had already had two good chances to score himself before Dinamo scored, but he spurned them both.

The first chance was free header from eight yards out which was very well saved, but Giroud would surely have scored if he had headed the ball down. He was set up by Chamberlain for the second chance and hit the post, but he probabLy could have done better with the rebound. I have no doubt Giroud is a good player and he has his admirers among Arsenal fans, but I just don't think he's good enough for the level Arsenal want to play at.

His goalscoring record for Arsenal is good but I think he takes too many chances to score and his lack of pace is a real hindrance. What's the point of having Mesut Ozil in the team to play passes to a player who hasn't got the pace to get on the end of them. When Ozil was signed over two years ago I was sure Arsenal would sign a striker to suit his game, but I'm still waiting for it to happen.

Theo Walcott, Joel Campbell and Coquelin came on for Chamberlain, Gibbs and Arteta and Walcott did at least pull a goal back after being played in by Alexis Sanchez. Campbell looked out of his depth again to me and was probably lucky not to get a second yellow card late in the game. Coquelin tried to shore up the midfield, but it wasn't possible with Arsenal trying to chase the game.

The defeat certainly doesn't end Arsenal's chances in the Champions League, but it doesn't make them any easier. They have lost away to the lowest ranked team in the group and they will probably have to win away to Olympiacos as well as at home to both Olympiacos and Dinamo to guarantee a last 16 spot. If they play like they did last night they can expect Bayern Munich to give them a real pasting.

It's depressing to write about a performance like last night and particularly with such a big game coming up early on Saturday. I think the boss took a gamble with his team selection ahead of the Chelsea game and it backfired in a big way. The sending off only compounded the situation and made it even harder to get a result.

I just hope the players can turn things around between now and Saturday and that last night has no effect on them. I expect to see the players who were rested last night come in against Chelsea and those who weren't rested need to do an awful lot better. There is a real chance to pile more pressure on Chelsea and it's one Arsenal have to do all they can to take.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Game With Cardiff City Previewed

Arsenal had a bad run in the middle of December with only two points from games against Everton, City and Chelsea. They managed to bounce back in their last two games by winning away to West Ham and Newcastle and need to keep winning at home to Cardiff tomorrow. It's a game a team leading the Premier League should win, but no team can be taken lightly in this league.

In the reverse fixture only a few weeks ago Arsenal won 3-0, but they were a little flattered by that scoreline with two late goals putting a polish on their performance. Cardiff have been a tough team to beat at home, but they have struggled on their travels. They have only won once in nine away games and only scored five goals in those games.

A full strength Arsenal team should be more than capable of blowing Cardiff away, but Arsenal have a few problems with injuries at the moment. They have a very tough FA Cup game at home to Spurs on Saturday and Arsene Wenger might well have that in mind when he chooses his team for tomorrow. He has treated the FA Cup as almost a second class trophy at times in recent years, but he won't want to lose at home Arsenal's local rivals.

Besides that upcoming game Arsenal have lost a few players to injuries and illness recently and the team will probably see a few changes to the one which beat Newcastle. Kieran Gibbs went off in that game and I would imagine he will be replaced by Nacho Monreal if he has recovered from the illness which kept him out of that game. I don't think there will be any other defensive changes as defenders tend not to suffer from fatigue as much as the players who play further forward and usually have to do a lot more running in a game.

In midfield I think Mikael Arteta will return to the team but there is a chance he will be rested again with Mathieu Flamini continuing in the defensive midfield role. With Aaron Ramsey definitely injured and Mesut Ozil more than likely out as well Arsenal will be missing their most influential midfielders so far this season. Both Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott will have to have fitness tests before it's decided if they are up to playing or not.

I don't think Rosicky will play even if he passes his fitness test as he has had so many injury problems it would be too much of a risk to play him. That would leave Jack Wilshere to play alongside either Flamini or Arteta with Santi Cazorla probably taking the attacking role just behind the striker. It's still a very strong midfield and it has to be remembered how good Cazorla was last season and how important he was to the team. He's looked like that form is returning in recent weeks and hopefully he will show against Cardiff that he has an awful lot to offer for the rest of the season.

I hope Walcott is passed fit and that he plays because I think his pace could be very important to the team if Arsenal can get a lead. He has scored four goals in the last four games since his return from injury and hopefully he will get the chances to add to that tally. On the other side I think it's time Lukas Podolski got a start and a chance to show how deadly he can be in front of goal. He has three goals and one assist in the 108 Premier League minutes he has managed in his injury ravaged season so far.

The big choice for the boss could be who leads the line with the hectic schedule looking like it's having an effect on Olivier Giroud. Podolski or Walcott could possibly do it but I think he might opt for Nicklas Bendtner despite his desire to leave the club. He's a similar player to Giroud and would offer the same assets in defensive set pieces and holding the ball up and laying it off to ease pressure on the rest of the team. I'm not saying he's the answer to Arsenal's striking problems but he did well in the Champions League game he started against Marseille and he's more than capable of playing very well at this level. 

As I said earlier it's never easy to beat any team in the Premier League, but even an injury ravaged and fatigued Arsenal have more than enough to take the three points. Cardiff have to be just as tired themselves and they have struggled to take points in recent weeks in particular. They're only two points above the relegation zone and have to fight tooth and nail for any points they get.

If Arsenal can start off on the front foot and attack Cardiff from the first minute I think the game is there for the taking by a few goals at least. Teams have to work very hard to stop Arsenal playing at home in particular and the more they work the Cardiff team the more chances they will get. I think they will put a few of them away and should be able to keep Cardiff out at the other end once they keep their defensive discipline.

Arsenal have taken more points in the Premier League in 2013 than any other team and have finished the year on top of the league. They are half way through the league campaign and have taken 42 points so far. If they can continue to play as they are doing they have a chance to do something really special this season. 

City are favourites to win the league and that's perfectly understandable but they will have to improve an awful lot away from home to win it. They still have to play away to Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, United, Spurs and Newcastle and that's no easy task. They have only played away to two of the top nine teams so far with a defeat to Chelsea and a somewhat fortunate draw at Southampton to show in those games. 

Of course Arsenal have some tough games to play themselves and both City and Chelsea have much bigger and stronger squads thanks to the bottomless pockets of their owners. I have lost count of the amount of fans of other teams who have told me they would love to see Arsenal win the title if their team can't win it. It would be great for football in my opinion if Arsenal were to win the title and it might prove money isn't everything in the game. I for one would be thrilled if City don't manage to buy the title or if Chelsea don't manage to buy it and kick their way to it.

Finally for today I'd like to wish all my readers a Happy New Year.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Trip To Newcastle Previewed

Arsenal came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 on Thursday and retake top spot in the Premier League. After yesterday's games City are two points ahead of them and they will need to win at Newcastle today to retake pole position again. Newcastle are in seventh place, but would move to three points behind Arsenal if they were to win. 

The games are coming thick and fast at the moment and there's a likelyhood of Arsene Wenger resting a few players today. Aaron Ramsey picked up an injury against West Ham and will definitely miss out and I can only imagine a few others must be feeling the effects of the heavy schedule. There is a chance Laurent Koscielny will return from injury to bolster the defence which has looked shaky in his absence.

I think Mathieu Flamini will probably start in place of Mikael Arteta in midfield and I imagine Tomas Rosicky will come in for Ramsey. Jack Wilshere will be available again after his suspension and he will almost certainly be in the starting team. There's a possibility of Lukas Podolski making his first start since August after he impressed so well as a substitute against West Ham. If he does play it will either be in a wide left role or in place of Olivier Giroud who looks like he needs a rest.

Giroud can't buy a goal at the moment and there's also the possibility of Nicklas Bendtner replacing him but I would be surprised if he did so. Bendtner has made no secret of his desire to leave the club and the club must surely be actively seeking a replacement for him when the transfer window opens in a few days. Despite his current inability to put the ball in the net Giroud is still an important member of the team and his hold up and defensive attributes can't be easily dismissed. I'm not so sure Bendtner would be able to contribute so much to the team in these areas if he was chosen.

There are other options for the boss too such as Nacho Monreal, Serge Gnabry and Carl Jenkinson and they could all get a chance depending on how others in the team have recovered from the West Ham and Chelsea games. With another game to come at home to Cardiff on Wednesday and then Spurs in the FA Cup on Saturday the fatigue levels have to be closely monitored. The last thing Arsenal need is players needlessly picking up injuries because they are asked to do too much. 

The needs of the team have to be well balanced against the needs of the players and the overall long term good of the team. With that in mind I have to wonder if Mesut Ozil will play as he has played every single game since he arrived at the club and must be feeling the effects at the moment. He has taken criticism in some quarters for his performances but it has to be remembered that he had no pre season with the other players and they rarely get any length of time to work together in training with so many games to play for club and country.

Newcastle will be no pushover and they are on a fine run themselves with seven wins in their last nine league games. During that run they have won at home to Chelsea and away to both Spurs and United while keeping clean sheets against all three of those teams. They will fancy themselves to turn Arsenal over too and it's going to be a very tough game for both teams.

I think Arsenal have the desire and the ability to win the game, but they will have to defend better than they did against West Ham. When Arsenal went behind early in the second half they threw caution to the wind and left themselves very vulnerable at the back. They were lucky not to go two goals behind before getting the goals they needed to win and they have to be better in defence against Newcastle.

In Arsenal's last three games there should have been red cards for opponents, but the officials either failed to notice very bad challenges or bottled out of issuing second yellow cards to opponents. Added to that both Chelsea and City got away with what I considered blatant penalties against Arsenal and there's a feeling of decisions going against the club at the moment. If these things are meant to balance out over a season I'd like to think Arsenal might get a call or two in their favour today for a change.

I'm trying to remember instances this season where Arsenal have avoided red cards which should have been issued and I can't think of any or where opponents should have got penalties and didn't. Maybe I'm wrong but it could just be that Arsennal will get their fair share of correct calls in the second half of the season. The wrong calls probably wouldn't have changed the result of the City game and didn't matter in the West Ham game, but they certainly had a huge influence on the draw with Chelsea. 

I'm not asking for referees to favour Arsenal, but it would be nice to see them do their jobs properly and not bottle out of big decisions which they have a clear view of. Joey O'Brien and Jon Obi Mikel should both have been sent off with the referees having perfect views of their indiscretions and Yaya Toure should have walked too although I'm not sure how much the referee saw of his dreadful challenge. It's so frustrating to know your team has suffered because the officials just aren't doing their jobs properly.

As for today's game hopefully there will be no such controversy and Arsenal can get on with the job of playing football. Santi Cazorla looked like he was coming back to his best against West Ham and I think he could have a big influence on today's game. I'm predicting a narrow win for Arsenal and for them to take over at the top of the table yet again. The festive period has been very challenging for the team and it would be great if they can win today and follow that with a win against Cardiff to finish it where they started in first position despite the setbacks.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Trip To West Ham Previewed

Arsenal make the trip to a West Ham today knowing that a victory will take them back to the top of the Premier League unless Liverpool can win at City in the late kick off. Arsenal haven't won in three league games and four in all competitions and they need to put an end to that run with a victory at West Ham. The points dropped to Everton, City and Chelsea could be crucial at the end of the season, but Arsenal's ability to put away the teams in the lower half of the table has seen them continue to challenge at the top of the table.

While City have being losing to Sunderland, Cardiff and Villa, Chelsea lost at Stoke recently and Liverpool were beaten at Hull, Arsenal have managed to beat the teams they should beat with the exception of the opening day defeat to Villa and the draw with West Brom. At the end of the season the team with the most points will win the league and it doesn't matter who those points are gained against. West Ham fit into the category of a team Arsenal should beat and the team have to make sure they do just that.

West Ham have only won once in their last 10 league games and they have lost six of those games. They're only one point and one place above the relegation zone and have had a lot of injury problems so far this season. They spent a lot of money to bring injury prone Andy Carroll in last summer and he has lived up to his reputation and not played a minute for them because of injury.

They have only won two of their eight home games and have lost four of them with only eight goals scored in those games. Their defence stood them in good stead earlier in the season, but they have let 17 goals in during their run of one win in 10 and only scored seven. They are there for the taking and so is top spot in the league and Arsenal have to take them both while they can.

With so many games over the festive period there will probably be some rotation in the Arsenal team and I wouldn't be surprised to see Mathieu Flamini and Santi Cazorla come into the team. If he's recovered from his bad knee gash I think Laurent Koscielny might also return and there's a chance Serge Gnabry will get a run out too. I think Lukas Podolski will make his return after four months of injury too, but only as a sub at some stage late in the game.

Flamini will probably come in for Mikael Arteta who was lucky it was only his shin guard which was snapped in two by Chelsea on Monday night. The other player to miss out will most likely be Tomas Rosicky, but there is a chance of either Mesut Ozil or Aaron Ramsey being given a rest ahead of a tough trip to Newcastle on Sunday. Arsenal have so much quality in midfield that they should be able to make those changes without affecting their ability to win the game.

The games against Everton, City and Chelsea were all very important and while City was the only one Arsenal lost they didn't win any of them. They need to get back on track and that makes this game against West Ham just as important as any of those games. If Arsenal don't win the confidence of the players may take an even bigger dent and that's something they cannot allow to happen.

Arsenal have a very good away record with only Spurs winning more away games so far and Arsenal are the joint highest scorers away from home. Their defence has been very good away from home with the exception of the six goals City put past them in their last away game. That game came at the end of a gruelling week for the team and West Ham are not the team City are.

The games are coming thick and fast at the moment and squad rotation is very important for every team. It's important for Arsenal to have a strong team available for the trip to a Newcastle team in very good form on Sunday, but it's equally important to make sure the team go into that game on the back of a victory against West Ham. The players had a break of over a week before the Chelsea game and I think that will have been of benefit to them.

West Ham played a Capital One Cup game away to Spurs during that break for Arsenal and won through to the semi finals. That game was followed by a tough trip to United on Saturday and they might well be feeling the effects of those two games. They did very well to beat Spurs but were never really in the game in losing 3-1 to United.

The Arsenal players have had very few setbacks this season and it was important they didn't lose to Chelsea after the defeats at City and Napoli. I think the game with Chelsea was enough to stabilise the team after those games and the draw may not have been ideal, but it was important they didn't lose. They need to show they have put those defeats behind them by taking all three points at West Ham and I believe they will do so. 

It's not really about the personell on the day as the team need to get back to winning ways and playing the way they can play. If they can do that they should be good enough to win against a team who are struggling to score and letting in too many goals. Of course West Ham will be up for a London derby against one of the big boys and will try to get at Arsenal and disrupt their game, but Arsenal are used to that and should be able to cope with it.

I'm predicting an Arsenal win but I think it will be a very close game with the first goal being very important. Arsenal have been very good at getting that first goal this season and hopefully they can do so again as it would be very difficult to come from behind. I think they will win and by the end of today's games they will be back at the top of the table.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea: Much Ado About Nothing

Arsenal played at home to Chelsea last night in a game which could have seen them retake top spot in the Premier League with a win. With the top of the league so tight a defeat would have seen them drop to fourth and a draw would have seen them second behind Liverpool on goal difference. As it turned out the game ended all square at 0-0, but it didn't pass without incident. 

Arsene Wenger brought Kieran Gibbs back into the team at left back for Nacho Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen replaced the injured Laurent Koscielny in the centre of the defence. In midfield Mikael Arteta replaced Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky came in for the suspended Jack Wilshere. It was a strong Arsenal team and I thought they had every chance of getting the three points they needed.

Wenger had never beaten a Jose Mourinho team before and Mourinho picked a team to make sure he kept that record. Chelsea were set up to keep a clean sheet and maybe even try for a goal themselves on the break or from a set piece. They had set themselves up in a similar fashion away to United earlier in the season and that game ended scoreless too.

Arsenal were very disjointed in the first half and had nothing to show for their efforts for almost it's entirety. Chelsea didn't show too much in attack either except for a Frank Lampard effort which came back off the underside of the bar and stayed out. It was a lucky escape for Arsenal and they nearly took advantage of their stroke of fortune just before the break.

Jon Obi Mikel put in a studs up challenge on Arteta in midfield but the referee didn't blow for it and within a few seconds the ball was at the feet of Theo Walcott in the Chelsea penalty area. He was tackled by Willian but the Chelsea player made no contact with the ball and caught Walcott's ankle instead. Walcott made a bit of a meal of it but it was a definite penalty and Mike Dean chose to ignore it despite having a good view. 

He had an even better view of the Mikel challenge and the replays showed that it was a studs up one which caught Arteta and not the ball. The rules of the game state that it was a red card offence but Dean decided in his infinite wisdom not to even issue a yellow card. Every time Arsenal have this man in charge of one of their games they are on the end of at least one game changing decision which he gets wrong. He got two of them wrong in 10 seconds last night and they were very costly for Arsenal.

If he had done his job properly Arsenal would have had a penalty and probably been 1-0 up against a team who would have only 10 players for the entire second half. It was very frustrating as an Arsenal fan to see the team denied the obvious decisions which would have set them up to win the game. They may not have deserved to have been ahead at half time, but they most certainly should have been.

Arsenal weren't much better in the second half and huffed and puffed their way through the game without ever looking like scoring until the final 10 minutes. When the chances came they fell to Olivier Giroud, but he was unable to put away two very good chances. He was played in on the left by Aaron Ramsey for the first one but shot wide of the near post when he really had to shoot back across the keeper. Only a few minutes later he got on the end of a Gibbs ball into the goalmouth, but a combination of a John Terry and Peter Cech managed to deflect the ball over the bar.

They were chances a better finisher might well have put away and Arsenal really have to look at bringing one in during the January transfer window to boost their title challenge. I don't want to criticise Giroud too much but he doesn't inspire confidence in front of goal and there can't be too many fans who think he is a player who can go out and win a game on his own. He started the season very well but has only scored three goals in his last 12 league games.

It was a game neither team wanted to lose and that probably led to the stalemate in the end. Chances were few and far between for both teams and a draw was probably a fair result on the night. Arsenal may not be top of the league any more but they're only off it on goal difference with three games in quick succession for all of those team so tightly packed at the top of the table. 

The remarks from Mourinho after the game show his lack of class and his team set out to kick Arsenal at every chance they got. Besides the red card Mikel should have got there was a very bad challenge on Bacary Sagna from Lampard who took the chance to take man and ball in a studs up challenge. There was also a face high kick from Branislav Ivanovic on Mesut Ozil which the Arsenal player took exception to and which the officials failed to see yet again.

When it comes to the crunch Mourinho doesn't send his teams out to play football and if he had to courage to do so they probably would have beaten a pretty poor Arsenal team on the night. He's an odious man who will stoop to any level to get what he wants while the mainstream media await his every uttering with bated breath.

The result means Arsenal haven't won in three league games and four games overall but a draw was infinitely superior to a defeat last night. The damage a defeat could have done can only be guessed at and I think it could have dented the players confidence an awful lot. There are three league games in quick succession coming up and they're all winnable for Arsenal. 

It won't be easy going to West Ham on Thursday and the trip to Newcastle will be even tougher on Sunday, but surely a home game against Cardiff the following Wednesday is one which Arsenal should triumph in. I think they are capable of winning all three but they are going to have to rediscover some form to do so. The squad is also going to have to be rotated quite a bit in those games and thankfully the injury situation is pretty good at the moment. 

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Desperate Defending Sees Arsenal Beaten 6-3 By Manchester City

Arsenal went to Manchester City knowing it was a tough task against a team with such a good record at home and that they would have to be at their best to get a result. Arsenal had the best away record in the league, but they were coming up against a City team who had won all seven of their home games and scored 29 goals in the process. There was always going to be a few goals in the game but nobody would have predicted seeing nine goals scored.

Arsene Wenger made five changes from the team which lost 2-0 away to Napoli on Wednesday night as he tried to rotate his team to battle the fatigue from their gruelling schedule. Bacary Sagna, Nacho Monreal, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott came in for Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs, Mikael Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla. It was good to see Sagna return from injury and I can only assume Gibbs was injured or unwell as he didn't even make the bench.

It was also very good to see Walcott get a start after spending over two months out injured and making a few brief appearances from the bench. I thought he might be the player to make the difference for Arsenal with his pace possibly creating problems for City's defence. City had only conceded two goals in their seven home games, but I thought they could have conceded a lot more as they give teams plenty of chances.

I could go through each of the goals and where they came from but it would take half an hour or more just to read never mind how long it would take my one fingered keyboard skills to write it. Suffice it to say Arsenal handed City five of their six goals on a plate with a defensive performance which was reminiscent of the bad old days. As a team Arsenal have defended really well for roughly a year now, but all of that went out the window yesterday.

I thought both Mathieu Flamini and Mikael Arteta should have played as a screen to protect the defence but only Flamini played and City had far too many chances to run at the Arsenal defence. When Flamini was taken off with just under 20 minutes to go the team fell to pieces in midfield. The last three City goals were a direct result of Arsenal handing the ball to them as they tried to play it in midfield.

I'm struggling to understand why the boss took Flamini off and I can only assume it was to get more attacking players on to try to get back in to the game with City 4-2 up. The last time I can remember him doing something similar was when Arsenal were 3-1 down away to United a few seasons ago and ended up losing 8-2. The team were creating chances with Flamini in it and I don't see the sense in over committing players forward at the expense of the defence.

Arsenal scored three goals and had plenty of other chances too but Olivier Giroud in particular had an off day in front of goal. He has been an important part of how the team are playing this season, but he is not a top class finisher and Arsenal need a centre forward of the very highest calibre. He was unlucky to be given offside when he eventually put the ball in the net, but City had stopped playing and the header he missed a little earlier just wasn't good enough. 

Wojciech Szczesny barely put a foot wrong all day and he still found himself picking the ball out of the net six times. His cause wasn't helped when Laurent Koscielny was taken off with an injury a few minutes before half time and hopefully it's nothing serious. His partnership with Per Mertesacker has been the rock the Arsenal defence has been built and the thought of him being out for a long spell is a worrying one.

I have no doubt fatigue played a part in the Arsenal performance and some of the players looked almost out on their feet towards the end. That tiredness leads to mistakes both mentally and physically and they were all too evident after the break in particular. At least their next game is over a week away and their is plenty of time for the rest the players so badly need.

When Arsenal went 3-1 down they controlled the game and missed plenty of chances before Walcott's second goal reduced the deficit to one goal. The removal of Flamini and the fourth City goal killed the game and at that stage Arsenal could have conceded an awful lot more. Arsenal kept trying to push forward and at 5-3 they weren't really on the end of a hiding. The sixth goal is probably the one which makes the scoreline so unpalatable and it was yet another case of Arsenal pressing the self destruct button.

I choose to believe that it was a bad day at the office for Arsenal and the game itself couldn't have come at a worse time for the team. Three really tough games from Sunday to Saturday were a big ask for the team and they hadn't enough left to go to their toughest away game of the season for the last of those three games. Maybe the boss got it tactically wrong on the day but Arsenal just gave the ball away too much and you cannot do that against a team with the attacking firepower of City.

It's Chelsea at home next and after yesterday's games they're only two points behind Arsenal and would overtake them with a win. A draw would see Arsenal on top of the league at Christmas and would be a pretty good outcome in my opinion. The players will have over a week to prepare for that game and hopefully get the chance to put right the mistakes of yesterday.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Face A Huge Test At Manchester City

It's been a tough week for Arsenal so far with a game last Sunday followed by the midweek trip to Napoli. Those games may not have gone quite as well as Arsenal would have liked but they're still five points clear at the top of the league and through to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Ideally they would have beat Everton and got the point they needed against Naloli to win their group, but it's a far from ideal world we live in.

It doesn't get any easier for Arsenal either with their next two games coming against the teams considered to be the most likely Premier League winners this season. First of all they face the daunting prospect of a trip to City in the early kick off on Saturday and then they play at home to Chelsea nine days later. That nine day break will be of great benefit to the players as some of them must be feeling the effects of the current hectic schedule despite Arsene Wenger rotating the team a little.

City have an incredible home record in the league this season with seven wins out of seven games and 29 goals scored in those games. They have thrown everything at the opposition in those games and despite being vulnerable at the back have only conceded two goals. I've watched them a number of times at home and was surprised at home many genuine chances their opponents got in those games and how easily City won in the end on almost every occasion.

They tried the same tactics at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and were shown that it isn't always going to work against a very good team. City showed how good they can be themselves though by coming from behind to win the reverse fixture on Tuesday last. If Arsenal are to have a chance they will have to be as ruthless with City as Bayern were in that win at the Etihad.

City have some fantastic players and can sign almost any player they want with a bottomless pit of oil money to support them while financial fair play is still only paid lip service. On the other hand Arsenal have to be run like any other business and work within their actual resources while trying to progress and build for the future. Despite the vast wealth of the two main shareholders in Arsenal there has never been any question of them putting a red cent of their own money into the club.

To be honest I prefer it that way and I wouldn't like to see the club spend money they don't actually have chasing short term glory. Added to that I can't say I would like the profits from the suffering of others ploughed into the club for the benefit of the multi rich. The Arsenal model may be frustrating for us fans at times but it's infinitely superior to City's or Chelsea's in my opinion.

Back to actual football matters anyway and the task Arsenal face. I can only assume the boss will play the strongest team possible and ask for one more big effort from the players before they have a chance of some recovery time. The scheduling of the Everton game and this game have been a joke by the Premier League and it's quite obvious the TV companies call the shots. 

I hope Bacary Sagna is fit to return because his experience and superior defensive qualities will be needed ahead of those of Carl Jenkinson. I'm not trying to knock Jenkinson as Sagna is a top quality full back and Jenkinson still had an awful lot to learn. Hopefully the club can come to some sort of agreement with Sagna to get him to stay for another year or two and maybe pass whatever he can about the art of defending on to Jenkinson. The rest of the defence picks itself with Kieran Gibbs still preferred to Nacho Monreal on the left and Wojciech Szczesny, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny nailed on certainties unless they are injured. 

In midfield I expect Mesut Ozil will be asked to play once again and he needs the rest more than anyone else at the moment. At least Aaron Ramsey spent most of Wednesday night on the bench and hopefully his batteries will be a little recharged as a result. I also expect to see the Mikael Arteta and Mathieu Flamini defensive partnership deployed to help to protect the back four and hold City at bay. The most interesting choice for me will be the other player to be picked in the starting team besides Olivier Giroud who will of course lead the line.

It's a choice between Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott and personally I'd like to see Walcott get the nod if he's fit enough to start. He hasn't started a game since returning from injury and his pace could be very important for Arsenal if they hope to hit City on the break. The other two players might be more capable of keeping possession and playing the passing football are so good at, but Walcott offers a different route go goal which could be important.

If Arsenal are going to have a chance of getting a result they will have to be at their very best and take the chances which come their way. City have some fantastic attacking players but they are vulnerable at the back and Arsenal are good enough to take advantage of it. Ramsey has been in fantastic form this season and Ozil is a player who makes things happen and I think those two players could be the ones to make the difference for Arsenal. 

I would be happy to see Arsenal become the first team to take a point off City at home this season and I think they might just do so. A win would be fantastic for the players and the club too, but I would be more than happy with a draw. Whatever happens they will still be on top of the league after this weekend, but avoiding defeat is infinitely superior to the alternative. 

While Arsenal are enjoying the nine day break after the City game some of the other challengers will be playing Capital One Cup quarter finals. I really hope Chelsea, City, United and Spurs win their games and set themselves up with two legged semi finals among those four teams in January. That would surely work to the advantage of an Arsenal team who will have no such distractions just after the turn of the year when the FA Cup games kick in.

There's a lot of people looking forward to the game between City and Arsenal and thinking it's going to be a very good game between two excellent footballing teams. Sometimes these games can be a big disappointment after all the build up and end being a bit of a damp squib. I'm not too concerned about how good or bad the game is as the result is all important to Arsenal and hopefully they can get something out of the game. 

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Almost Make My Christmas Wish Come True

Arsenal faced Everton at home yesterday afternoon knowing that a win would put them seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and guarantee top spot on Christmas Day. If I still believed in Santa Claus my wish would have been for Arsenal to be on top of the pile for Christmas and they still have every chance to do so. Their next two games are against the two teams considered to be the most likely to win the league and it won't be easy for Arsenal to get points from them.

To be fair to Everton they deserved to take something from the game yesterday and I thought a draw was a fair result for both teams. It's never nice to concede a late goal to let the opposition back into a game, but the goal Everton scored was an absolute cracker. Gerard Deulofeu looks like he could become a very good player and he took his goal exceptionally well.

I was a little bit surprised with Arsene Wenger's team selection as a I thought he would have played both Mikael Arteta and Mathieu Flamini in defensive midfield roles to prevent Everton breaking forward. As it was only Arteta started of the two of them, but Everton actually got their equaliser when both players were on the pitch. Everton drive forward very quickly with the ball and it was easy to see why they have only lost one league game this season.

Everton completely dominated the first half and Arsenal struggled to get a foothold in the game until the final moments of the half when both Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud missed glorious chances to put them ahead. For all of Everton's dominance and possession they never actually opened the Arsenal defence up in the first half with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker playing starring roles in particular. Arsenal worked very hard to prevent Everton making chances, but a few of the players looked like the amount of games they have had to play is taking it's toll.

I thought Everton were very clever in how they stopped Arsenal playing in that first half and they made sure Arsenal didn't get a chance to break quickly themselves. It seemed as if every time Arsenal won the ball in the Everton half an Everton player was prepared to give a foul away rather than let a problem develop. It may be viewed as cynical but it worked very well for them and I wished for Flamini to be in the Arsenal team as a I knew he would have no hesitation to do likewise.

The second half was a much more even affair and there were chances at both ends before Arsenal for the breakthrough goal with 10 minutes remaining. Theo Walcott had come on as a sub and it was his header across the goal which Mesut Ozil finished into the roof of the net at the far post. I thought Giroud was going to score before Ozil got to the ball, but an Everton defender fouled him to stop him and the referee missed it.

Everton had played so well that I didn't expect them to lie down after Arsenal scored and they gave their all to get the equaliser. After the equalising goal they came close to scoring again, but it was Arsenal who came closest right at the very end. Giroud blasted a 25 yard shot which swerved viciously and came back off the woodwork with seconds remaining in the game and it would have won the game if it went in.

It would have been a fitting winner to any game but as I said already Everton thoroughly deserved a point from the game. It was a little disappointing not to win the game but considering how well Everton played it was a good point for Arsenal. There's two huge league games coming up as well as a Champions League game at Napoli and it promises to be a fascinating run up to Christmas for Arsenal.

My wish will come true if they beat either City or Chelsea or even if they avoid defeat against both of them. Of course I'd love Arsenal to win both games and show the rest of the league that they should be the favourites to win the title. The chances of them taking six points from those two games aren't very high, but as a fan I always believe they will win every game they play and always will continue to believe that.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal v Marseille Preview

It's back to Champions League action tomorrow night for Arsenal with Marseille coming to the Emirates for the fifth of six games in their qualifying group. At the moment Arsenal are on top of the group with three wins from four games and Marseille bring up the rear with no points. Arsenal won their first game in the group 2-1 away to Marseille and another win tomorrow night would leave them with one foot in the door of the knockout stages.

Usually any team on 12 points would be through to the last 16, but because Marseille have no points Arsenal cannot be sure a win will put them through. If Dortmund win at home to Napoli the group will go down to the last game for each team with Arsenal travelling to Napoli and Dortmund travelling to Marseille. It's a situation that would be very tense to say the least and not one I would look forward to.

Of course Arsenal are in great form away from home and more than capable of getting a result in Napoli if it comes to it. They would win the group with a draw or win at Napoli as long as they beat Marseille and even a defeat by one goal would probably be enough to see them through. There's a possibility of the game being played behind closed doors too because of the previous behaviour of the Napoli fans.

That's all very complicated and depends on a lot of other things, but one thing is sure and that is Arsenal have to beat Marseille. In an ideal world Arsenal would win and Dortmund wouldn't and the last game would just be to decide the group winner. Arsenal may have won at Dortmund in their last game but I can't see Napoli doing it too. 

In team news there are no injury worries after the weekend game and Mathieu Flamini will return to the squad after being suspended for that game. His availability gives Arsene Wenger a bit of a selection headache, but I'm sure it's one he would prefer to have than not. If he plays both Flamini and Mikael Arteta in the team he might lose some of the team's attacking flair and that's a department where they have struggled a little in recent games.

Theo Walcott made his comeback off the bench for the final 20 minutes on Saturday and he could be available to play from the start too. If Walcott and Flamini are both to be included the big question is which players would miss out. Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil surely have to play while Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky will all feel they should be included too. Add in Arteta, Flamini and Walcott and there's nine players for six places without even considering Serge Gnabry.

I don't expect to see any changes in the defence or goalkeeper of course after another impressive display at the weekend. There will be a few players disappointed not to make it to the bench even as Arsenal's squad strength starts to show with their injury problems receding at last. There are only six outfield places available on the bench and eight players will be hoping to make that bench.

All of this gives the manager plenty of options and that's got to be a good thing for the team. There are still a few more players to return from injury with Lukas Podolski due back in a few weeks, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the new year and Abou Diaby in March (for a few weeks anyway). If Arsenal are to continue to challenge in the Premier League and progress in the Champions League they will need all of those players.

Marseille may have nothing left to play for in the group, but that doesn't mean they will be a pushover for Arsenal. They showed how well they could play when Arsenal won 2-1 away to them and the only difference on the night was Arsenal's finishing. They came out in that game and attacked Arsenal and played some good football too, but paid the price for some poor finishing.

Arsenal have improved an awful lot since that game and sit on top of the Premier League as well as their Champions League group. They have got a midfield other clubs can only dream of having and goal scoring potential from so many positions. Arsenal haven't really clicked in attack in their last two games but I'm hoping the importance of the game will bring the best out of them.

They showed how they can dig in and get a result away to Dortmund in the last group game, but I'm hoping for a performance like the one at home to Napoli tomorrow night. The team came out in that game and attacked Napoli from the first minute with the type of attacking football that we all know they can produce. If they can do the same against Marseille I have no doubt they will get the win they need and by a couple of goals at least.

Marseille could well end up with no points at all from this group and they must be cursing their luck at the group they were drawn in. If they been drawn in some of the other groups they would have had a genuine chance of qualifying or at least making it through to the Europa League. Anything other than a win against Arsenal will confine them to bottom place in the group and rule out any progression into the lesser  European competition.

I think Walcott will probably start on the bench again, but I wouldn't be surprised to see both Flamini and Rosicky come in from the start. Wilshere might be one of the players to lose out, but it's impossible to predict who the other one might be. Maybe the manager will decide to play only one holding midfielder and Arteta will get a rest as he did come off with what looked like a knock on Saturday.

I'll be curious to see if Nicklas Bendtner makes it to the bench with places at a premium as he is still the most realistic replacement for Giroud if the big Frenchman were to get injured. I have a feeling he will miss out though and we will see less and less of him as the other players come back from injury. The manager has said both Walcott and Podolski can play in the strikers role and the transfer window reopens in five weeks.

Despite the manager saying he probably won't be signing a striker in January I still think he will do all he can to bring one in. There has been some talk of Thierry Henry returning yet again on loan as he is currently training with the team. I really can't see it happening but I have no doubt his presence on the training ground will be a real boost to some of the other players. He can do an awful lot to help some of those players and just having a true legend like him on the training ground must be great for team spirit.

Football is a simple game and doing the simple things the right way usually leads to a good result. If Arsenal can go out tomorrow night and play their own game I have no doubt they will get the win they want and put themselves in a prime position to make it through to the knockout stages.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow. 

Arsenal Retain Top Spot By Beating Southampton

Arsenal faced a potentially tricky game at home to Southampton yesterday afternoon and came through it with their lead at the top of the Premier League increased. After Liverpool had only drawn at Everton earlier there was a chance for Southampton to go to the summit themselves if they could win by two goals. They had started the season very well and only lost once in their opening 11 games with only five goals conceded in those games.

The Arsenal team was as expected with Per Mertesacker and Jack Wilshere returning for Thomas Vermaelen and the suspended Mathieu Flamini. The bench looked a little stronger too with Theo Walcott returning after missing over two months through injury. It was a strong looking Arsenal team and I felt confident they could get the win.

Southampton started in their usual fashion by putting the Arsenal players under intense pressure on the ball in their own half. It's a tactic which has worked very well for them this season and they hoped to pressurise Arsenal into mistakes. Arsenal gradually took control though as they passed their way into the Southampton half and began to put their defence under pressure. 

Both Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey hit the same post with sublime pieces of skill as the Southampton goal led a charmed life before Arsenal eventually took the lead. When the goal came it was a complete and utter gift from their keeper Artur Boruc who handed it on a plate to Olivier Giroud. Instead of clearing a back pass first time he switched from right to left a couple of times until Giroud disposed him and rolled the ball into an empty net.

It was the type of gift a player can only dream of and Arsenal had the breakthrough they needed. Southampton came into the game a little more after that and had a couple of decent efforts well saved by Wojciech Szczesny after mistakes by Mikael Arteta on both occasions. The game was far from over at half time but Arsenal were on top and needed a second goal to make their lead more secure.

The second half followed a similar pattern and the longer Arsenal went without getting the second goal the more I worried. As the half progressed Walcott made his comeback with 20 minutes to go in place of Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky came on for Arteta who appeared to have taken a knock. With 10 minutes left Nacho Monreal came on for Mesut Ozil as Arsenal looked to hold on to the lead they had .

It looked like the game would finish 1-0 until Southampton decided to hand Arsenal a second goal on a plate with only four minutes left. Arsenal had a corner on the right and when it came in one of the Southampton defenders pulled Mertesacker's shirt as he went for the ball in full view of the referee. The referee had no choice and pointed to the spot with very little protest from the Southampton players.

With Arteta off the pitch it was Giroud who stepped up to take the penalty and he despatched it in fine style. The game was effectively over and Arsenal had another precious three points along with their fifth consecutive league win at home. 

I can rarely remember seeing an Arsenal goalkeeper kick so many back passes clear as Szczesny did yesterday, but that was a direct result of Southampton's closing down tactics. Szczesny again played his part with good saves at important times in the game. He is still developing as a goalkeeper but he showed the importance of a good goalkeeper yesterday and I'm delighted he's signed a new long term contract.

Arsenal may not have been at their very best yesterday but they came back from an international break with a solid performance and took the three points off a team who have had an excellent start to the season. That Southampton team had already won away to Liverpool and drawn away to United and made things as hard as they could for Arsenal. It was the perfect reaction from Arsenal after losing their last match away to a United.

That goal United scored is the only one Arsenal have conceded in four league games now as their defence continues to grow as a unit. They might not be hitting the heights in an attacking sense at the moment but the solidity at the back is making it much easier to win games. Their next two league games are against two of the newly promoted teams and they're games that need to be won with Everton, City and Chelsea to come after that.

Next up it's back to the Champions League though and the home game with Marseille on Tuesday night. It's another game Arsenal have to win and if they do they will be very close to qualification for the knockout stages. They will be through to the last 16 if they win as long as Dortmund don't win at home to Napoli, but you have to feel Dortmund will win that game. It would be very strange for Arsenal to have to go to Napoli in their last game on 12 points without being already through to the last 16.

First of all they have to beat Marseille though and it will be no walkover despite Marseille having lost all four of their games already. They only lost 3-2 away to Napoli and showed enough in their home defeat to Arsenal to suggest that they might still have some say in how the group finally looks. As long as Arsenal can keep their defensive solidity I think they can beat them and hope for Napoli to take something off Dortmund. 

Arsenal can sit back today and watch the chasing pack attempt to keep pace with them. United face a tricky game away to Cardiff but will be expected to win while City are at home to Spurs. Despite wanting Spurs to lose every game they ever play it wouldn't be a bad result for Arsenal if they took something off City today. 

For the moment though Arsenal are still on top of the table like they have been for two months now. They will still be on top of the table after next week's game no matter what the outcome and a place in the last 16 of the Champions League is within their grasp. Things are pretty good and hopefully they will continue in that vein.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow,

Arsenal v Southampton Preview

Thankfully it's back to Premier League football for Arsenal after the latest international break. With all the teams for next year's World Cup sorted there won't be any more international football for months to come. That means Arsenal can concentrate on the important job of playing football and attempting to fill their bare cupboard with a trophy for the first time in nine years.

They have some big games coming up between now and Christmas with both Chelsea and City in the league and their final two Champions League group games. It will be two games a week for the next four weeks and it will test the strength of the and the depth of the squad. If Arsenal are still on top of the league at Christmas and through to the knock out stages of the Champions League then they will have to be considered as serious contenders. At the moment most of the so called experts are still dismissing their chances and saying they will fade.

The first of their games is at home to Southampton in the league tomorrow afternoon and it's by no means an easy game for them. Southampton are third in the table on merit and have been very impressive so far this season. They have an excellent defensive record and have already won away to Liverpool and drawn at United.

If Arsenal are going to continue in their current form they cannot take Southampton lightly and will have to be at their very best to win the game. Southampton put a lot of pressure on their opponents when in possession and can be expected to hassle the Arsenal defence when they have the ball. Arsenal are used to passing the ball across the back as teams usually drop off to defend deeper and Arsenal will have to be wary of this tactic.

Of course they're not the first team to do this and Arsenal have come up against better teams who employ this tactic. It's crucial that they don't get caught in possession and give Southampton a foot hold in the game because they have shown how well they can defend. Players like Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez have got plaudits and recognition for their performances in attack too and rightly so.

When it comes to the crunch Arsenal have got better players than Southampton and those players should be good enough to win Arsenal the game. If they can go out and express themselves while putting in the required work rate I think they will do just that. Any sort of win would be welcome and put pressure on the other contenders who are playing after them.

In team news Theo Walcott is finally fit to return to action after a two month spell on the sidelines and he will be a welcome addition to the squad. Obviously Per Mertesacker is over the illness which made him miss the defeat at United and the other players who were under the weather on the day should be fine too. It's not a fully fit squad for Arsene Wenger to choose from but he has got a few decisions to make.

I can only assume he will go back to his favoured back four in front of Wojciech Szczesny and Thomas Vermaelen will drop back to the bench. He played well against United and it's a little unfair on him, but it's hard to argue with the combination of Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny. The full backs will be the usual two as well of course and it's a defence which is working well as a unit.

The tough choices come in midfield where there is so much quality and choice. One decision has been made for him as Mathieu Flamini is suspended which will see Mikael Artera play the holding midfield role and make the team probably a little more attacking minded too. With Flamini out Aaron Ramsey will probably play a central role which should leave Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla in the wide positions.

The attack will of course be led by Olivier Giroud and I imagine Mesut Ozil will play just behind him. The Arsenal players are so interchangeable that their positions don't really count for too much with the exception of Arteta and Giroud. Wilshere and Ramsey could easily switch positions as could Cazorla and Ozil but the team shouldn't lose it's flow as a result. 

That team is missing a little pace in the wide areas in particular, but with Walcott and Serge Gnabry on the bench there is definitely an option to bring pacy players on. As long as he has recovered from his illness Tomas Rosicky should be on the bench too along with Vermaelen, Nacho Monreal and probably Nicklas Bendtner too. The bench will certainly be looking stronger than it has done in a while and hopefully the players can stay fit for the upcoming games.

It's been two weeks since the defeat against United and I don't think it will have had an effect on the players. It's not as if United outplayed them or showed them up in any way and the game could really have gone either way in my opinion. They have the opportunity tomorrow to show that the defeat hasn't affected them and hopefully they will take it.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

How Far Can Arsenal Go In The Champions League ?

 

The dreaded international break is upon us and it's time to have a look at how things have gone so far for Arsenal and how they might go for the rest of the season in the Champions League in particular.

Arsenal were drawn in a very tough group with last season's runners up Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Marseille. As it stands both Dortmund and Napoli are challenging very near the top of their domestic leagues and Marseille are fifth in theirs. In a group where all four teams would have felt they had a genuine chance of progressing Marseille have been left behind with no points from their four games so far.

Arsenal are in a prime position to qualify for the knockout stages and a win in their next match at home to pointless Marseille could be enough to put them through. It's a very tight group though and the chances are it will come down to their last game away to Napoli before the final group places are decided. The advantage is certainly with Arsenal at the moment because of their 2-0 win in their home game with Napoli.

They were at their very best that night and completely outplayed a Napoli team who were billed as being their first real challenge of the season. The attacking flair Arsenal showed in the first half of that game was matched by the defensive solidity they showed in the second half and it was an ideal European performance. Despite losing their next game at home to Dortmund they bounced back to win away to the German team in their most recent group game.

Qualification for the last 16 is by no means certain yet, but coming through such a tough group would surely be a great boost for Arsenal.  

There are no doubt lots of fans who are travelling to all these games in a bid to try help boost the Gunners, many of whom are hard-core Arsenal fans. Some by plane, others by driving through to get to the country hosting the match, let’s hope they have their driving insurance sorted out! For those still looking to get their insurance sorted you can look at Gocompare, motor insurance with Express Insurance or even Moneysupermarket to name a few.

It's always ideal to win your Champions League group to ensure a slightly easier draw in the first knockout round and it would certainly be for Arsenal this season. As it stands they would avoid Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG and Atletico Madrid in the last 16 if they were to win their group. Of course most if not all of those teams would probably win and be potential opponents in the last eight and you can't win the competition without beating some of the best teams in Europe. 

The big question is whether the current Arsenal team/squad is good enough to actually win the Champions League and it's not an easy one to answer. Chelsea managed to win it in 2012 and they certainly weren't the best team in Europe, but they defended well and rode their luck at times. Last season's winners Bayern Munich more or less swept all before them and were definitely the best team in Europe last season. 

Bayern did come close to going out in the last 16 though and it was Arsenal who almost beat them when they lost on away goals after winning the second leg 2-0 in Munich.

That game seems to have been the catalyst for Arsenal's current form and they have been on a great run of results ever since that night. That game seemed to bring a confidence the team was lacking in and they have won 16 of their 21 league games since it.

If Arsenal are going to progress in the Champions League it won't make their chances in the Premier League any easier. Their squad has been severely stretched already this season with injuries depriving them of key players far too often. Some of their players have been asked to play too often already and they will need their injured players to return to continue challenging on both fronts. In the new year they will also be faced with FA Cup games to further clog up their schedule.

The current Arsenal squad does look more capable of dealing with the rigours of challenging on three fronts though with the average age now a little higher than it has been for quite a few years. There is plenty of experience in the squad with players such as Bacary Sagna, PerMertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Mikael Arteta and even some of the younger players have a lot of games under their belts. When it comes to the business end of the season that experience could count for an awful lot.

The form of players such as Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Kieran Gibbs and Laurent Koscielny so far this season has been a plus for Arsenal too. They have shown real progression since last season even and have helped to make the team much stronger overall. Those four players have made themselves invaluable to the team and the team has progressed along with them. Of course the addition of Mesut Ozil on deadline day was a fantastic addition to the team and showed the club has genuine ambition.

If Arsenal are going to have a real chance in the Champions League their away form could have a crucial bearing on their chances. That win away to Bayern showed that they have a genuine chance against Europe's best clubs and the win against Dortmund endorsed that opinion. They would certainly need a little luck on their side if they are to have a chance but sometimes these things have a way of working themselves out.

It's still very hard to be sure Arsenal will continue to challenge right up until the end of the season but they seem to have all the right ingredients at the moment. The players are all working very hard and playing for each other and the team and maybe Arsene Wenger's patience has finally paid off. If they can get another striker to supplement Giroud in the January transfer window it could be the final piece in the jigsaw for them. 

I'm not sure Arsenal are quite there yet when it comes to winning the Champions League, but they're not far away. Dortmund’s boss Jurgen Klopp said that Arsenal can win the Champions League, as long as they don’t face Bayern Munich, but they showed last season that Bayern are vulnerable. Arsenal are a better team than they were last season and I'm sure they would give Bayern or any other team a run for their money.

If I had to choose I would say Arsenal have a better chance of winning the Premier League but continued progression in Europe would be no bad thing either. Besides the additional money the club would make from progressing it would also help to raise their profile and make them a better prospect for potential transfer targets. I don't think that progression could reach all the way to lifting the Champions League trophy but it will be interesting to see how far it can go.

What are your opinions?

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

 

Arsenal's Champions League Trip To Dortmund Previewed

Arsenal are sitting pretty five points clear at the top of the Premier League after their 2-0 win at home to Liverpool on Saturday. It's back to Champions League action for them tomorrow night though with a trip to last season's runners up Borussia Dortmund. As the group stands Arsenal are level on six points with both Dortmund and Napoili after three games and Marseille are cut adrift with no points.

On the face of it the group is very even and it's all to play for but the advantage is firmly with Dortmund after winning away to Arsenal two weeks ago. Napoli will be expected to win at home to Marseille tomorrow night and move on to nine points before playing at home to Arsenal in their next game. If Arsenal don't want to be going to Napoli needing a victory they have to take at least a point from Dortmund and that's not an easy task.

Dortmund went at Arsenal from the start two weeks ago and dominated the game, but they faded in each half which let Arsenal back in. Unfortunately Arsenal over committed players forward in search of a win when a draw wouldn't have been a disaster and were caught by a sucker punch late on. The Dortmund players covered an awful lot of ground in that game and can be expected to do so again.

Ideally Arsenal would be able to bring in a few fresh faces for this game but their injury situation is actually getting worse rather than improving. With no players scheduled to come back quite yet Jack Wilshere is out and it looks like Kieran Gibbs is too. At least Nacho Monreal is a direct replacement for Gibbs, but he should be the only change from Saturday.

The bench will have a decidedly inexperienced look about it with Carl Jenkinson being considered one of the more senior players on it. Both Thomas Vermaelen and Nicklas Bendtner will be there too and they should be joined by Isaac Hayden, Chuba Akpom and one more. It means Arsenal's options from the bench will be severely limited and most of those on the pitch will have to play for the full 90 minutes.

I can't see Arsenal going all out for a win and I can only imagine they will adopt a defensive outlook and hope to get something on the break or from a set piece. A draw would be a very good result for Arsenal and would mean they won't have to win at Napoli next time out which is crucial in my opinion. This Arsenal team is more than capable of getting that draw and even going one better.

It has to be remembered Arsenal have not lost a competitive game away from home since last March and include the current champions of Europe in the list of teams they have won away to since then. In their last 27 games Arsenal have only lost three times and those defeats were all at home. Dortmund might have been one of those teams who beat them but it will be far from easy for them to repeat the feat tomorrow night.

Ideally I'd love to see Mathieu Flamini in a holding role alongside Mikael Arteta and Theo Walcott at the ready to use his pace on the break, but injuries have robbed Arsenal of their services. It could well be a night of backs against the wall for Arsenal but any team with Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey in it is going to cause the opposition problems at some stage. Hopefully Arsenal can take any chances which present themselves while doing all that is required of them at the other end.

I think Arsenal can get something from this game and they have done well away to German teams in recent years. While I'm not going to boldly claim Arsenal will roll Dortmund over I think they can get a draw from the game and maybe better if things go their way. If the worst happens and they lose their task of getting out of the group will become very difficult but it will be far from over for the moment at least.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

"We Are Top Of The League" - Arsenal Beat Liverpool

Arsenal played their first game of three in a week which could have a huge influence on their season at home to Liverpool yesterday evening and emerged with a 2-0 victory. It was a well deserved win and takes them five points clear at the top of the Premier League with 10 games played. They have taken 25 points from their last nine games but still can't win the title if the so called experts are to be believed.

Before the game Jamie Rednapp told us Mikael Arteta would be the weak link in the Arsenal team as he couldn't do the defensive work of the injured Mathieu Flamini. On Match of the Day afterwards both Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy told us Arsenal couldn't win the title as they hadn't played any of the other contenders yet. Apparently the victories over Liverpool and Spurs counted for nothing but I suppose neither of those teams are actually real contenders.

Never mind that Chelsea were abject in their 2-0 defeat at Newcastle yesterday or that they have only won once in five away games so far. City were magnificent in their 7-0 victory at home to Norwich yesterday but they have performed even worse than Chelsea away from home with three defeats already. United managed to win two league games in a row for the first time this season, but were far from potential champions in the second half after racing into an early three goal lead.

Arsenal are the form team in the league and are consistently playing the best football despite their continuing injury problems. After losing their first game against Villa they have consistently risen to every challenge which has confronted them and shown that they have the attacking flair to beat any team. Liverpool may have created a few good chances yesterday but even Brendan Rogers admitted afterwards that the better team had won.

The Arsenal team was as expected as the only really tough decision for Arsene Wenger was taken out of his hands when Jack Wilshere was declared injured. The lack of attacking options on the bench was a little worrying but the attacking options on the pitch were more than a match for Liverpool. Any team which can boast a midfield containing Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky is going to be a handful for any opponent.

The goals came from Cazorla after 19 minutes and Ramsey after 59 minutes and there were other chances to add to the lead. Liverpool looked impressive early in both halves but once they lost their head of steam it became a "football" match and Arsenal are the better football team. Their speed of passing and ability to make things happen was too much for a Liverpool defence which hasn't kept a clean sheet in seven league games now.

Wojciech Szczesny had a fantastic game yet again in goal and his anticipation prevented Liverpool from opening up the Arsenal defence on quite a few occasions. He was a candidate for man of the match until his casualness almost handed a goal to Daniel Sturridge late on. It was a reminder that he is still far from the finished article, but then again what goalkeeper is at his age.

In midfield Arteta was simply magnificent and was by far the best player on the pitch with Ramsey putting in a great shift too. Cazorla continues his journey towards full match fitness after his injury lay off but his goal showed what a class act he is. Rosicky was like the Duracell bunny yet again and his desire to run at the opposition with the ball is a joy to watch at times. Olivier Giroud put in another great shift up front and probably should have had a couple of goals but his finishing let him down. 

The defence held firm in the main although Liverpool did hit the post late on through Luis Suarez and found it a little too easy to get behind Arsenal on occasions. I thought Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna were the outstanding performers in the defence but Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs did very well too. Sagna did what others have failed to do in the past and took a yellow card for the team when he dragged Suarez down to stop him when he was in a very dangerous position.

The biggest worry for me was the changes Arsenal had to make and the players who came on. They brought three defenders on for a defender and the two wide players and it handed the initiative to Liverpool towards the end of the game, but they had no real choice. The sooner the better Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Serge Gnabry return from injury to give Arsenal the extra options which are missing at the moment.

I don't think Liverpool will be in the mix at the end of the season but they were in fine form going into yesterday's game and had scored 12 goals in their previous four games. There will be tougher challenges for Arsenal and next week's trip to United will probably be one of them. It will be a tough task for an Arsenal team who have to travel to Dortmund in midweek but they have the ability and desire to rise to it.

That result of that trip to Dortmund could well determine Arsenal's Champions League fate and a defeat would leave them probably needing to win at Napoli in their next game. Hopefully they can take something from Dortmund and then go to United next week looking to maintain their gap at the top of the table. It's been a long time since Arsenal were five points clear at the top of the table and it's a great feeling for us fans.

It was great to hear the fans singing "We are top of the league" yesterday and hopefully they will get to sing it an awful lot more this season. The trophies aren't handed out until May but on current form Arsenal look like they have a genuine chance of being right up there when that happens. They have passed their first big test of this week with flying colours and hopefully they can come through the next two in similar style.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.