Arsenal Draw 2-2 With Schalke

Arsenal went into last night's Champions League Group game away to Schalke needing some sort of result to halt their recent slide. Not only had results been bad but the performances just weren't up to scratch either. Only 10 games into their Premier League campaign their chances of challenging for the title seemed a forlorn hope already.

They had started their Champions League group very well with wins away to Montpellier and at home to Olympiacos. It all went wrong in their last game when they were outplayed and beaten 2-0 at home by last night's opponents. Arsenal needed to get something from the game to keep themselves in a good position for qualification for the knockout stages.

It seemed Arsene Wenger listened to the clamour from the fans as Theo Walcott started his first game since August besides the Capital One Cup. He had been ill not too long before the game but he was well enough to take his place in the starting 11. It's hard to know whether his exclusions have been due to his current contract situation but I certainly think it has been a major factor.

The other change from Saturday's defeat to United was the inclusion of Laurent Koscielny in the team at centre back. It meant Thomas Vermaelen moved to left back with Andre Santos dropping to the bench. Santos has been poor recently and his positional sense at left back just isn't good enough in my opinion.

However Vermaelen hasn't been much better and left back is hardly his favoured position. I still worried that Arsenal would be vulnerable on that side after Schalke exploited it so well in the reverse fixture.

Schalke took control from the start and it looked like Arsenal were going to be in for a very hard game. However, goals change games and the first one went to Arsenal.

Oliver Giroud seemed offside when a defensive deflection sent him through on the Schalke goalkeeper. He took too long over his shot and a desperate tackle took the ball from him, but it ran kindly for Walcott. He skipped past the keeper and a defender to tap the ball into an empty net and put Arsenal 1-0 up.

There was certainly a large slice of fortune in Arsenal getting the offside decision in their favour and probably in Walcott's finish too. It didn't matter though as Arsenal had finally managed to score the first goal in a game. With 18 minutes on the clock there was still a long way to go though.

It wasn't long before Arsenal added to their lead and that man Giroud was the scorer this time. He manage to find acres of room in the Schalke box and headed home from six yards out when Lukas Podolski found him with a cross. The defending from Schalke was right out of the Arsenal manual with players strolling casually around as Giroud scored.

Arsenal found their way a little after that with the confidence a two goal lead can bring. There was a long way to go still though and the worst thing they could do was concede before half time. Of course in true Arsenal fashion they did just that in first half stoppage time.

Santi Cazorla fell over when in possession in his own half and two passes later Klaas Jan Huntelaar was left with only Vito Mannone to beat. He made no mistake and Schalke had the foothold in the game that they needed. It was going to be a long second half for Arsenal.

Arsenal's confidence seemed to disappear with only a one goal lead to defend and it looked like only a matter of time before the sides were level. Mannone was having his second very good game in a row in goal, but the pressure was constantly building as Arsenal dropped deeper. Mid way through the half Schalke leveled the game and Arsenal's defending left a kit to be desired again.

Vermaelen has taken some stick for his part in the goal, but I think it's a little unfair. When the ball came in from the right he had to leave the man he was marking to cover an unmarked Schalke player in the goalmouth. The rule for a defender is to cover the player nearest the goal and whoever let that player get in there unmarked was responsible in my opinion.

The ball went right across to the other side where the player Vermaelen would have been marking was on hand to blast it goal wards. Unfortunately Jefferson Farfan's effort hit Vermaelen on the way into the net but I wouldn't consider it an own goal. The defensive players turned and looked shocked to see Farfan on his own at the back post.

The Arsenal defenders and midfielders were reacting to the situation rather than acting before it happened. It goes back to a lack of leadership on the pitch, as somebody has to be telling the players who to pick up. As captain maybe that is Vermaelen's job so maybe he was indirectly to blame.

It could have been a very difficult last quarter for Arsenal bit they managed to hold firm. In the very last minute of the game they had a great chance to claim an unlikely victory and all three points. Walcott managed to get through with only the keeper to beat and the stage was set for him to make himself the hero of the night.

Unfortunately it was on his left foot and by the time he adjusted himself to get it on his right he was very close to the keeper. His shot hit the keepers shin and the game was over moments later. I won't knock Walcott too much for his miss as better players have missed easier chances on many occasions for Arsenal.

Before the game a draw would have been a perfectly acceptable result but it felt so much worse after leading 2-0. The inability to get to half time with the two goal cushion was a huge factor in Arsenal's second half showing. At least Arsenal managed to make some good chances which was a welcome change from recent games.

Confidence is obviously still very brittle and the next two league games won't make things any easier. The game at home to Fulham on Saturday is followed by a home game against Spurs. It was the 5-2 win over Spurs last season which got Arsenal back on track and more of the same would be much appreciated after hopefully beating Fulham on Saturday of course.

Qualification for the Champions League knock out stages is still in Arsenal's hands, but they have to beat Montpellier at home in their next game. If they do so and Schalke win at home to Olympiacos at the same time Arsenal will come second in the group at worst. It would be far from an ideal scenario if Arsenal have to travel to Olympicos in their last game looking to avoid defeat to qualify.

Runners up in the group would more than likely bring a very tough draw in the last 16, but it's better than playing in the Europa League. Last night's result was a real look at life as an Arsenal fan as a good draw felt far from it due to blowing a two goal lead. Some times it feels like the team are trying to punish us but I'm sure fans of other clubs feel the same way about their teams too.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Toothless Arsenal Lose 2-1 To Manchester United

Arsenal went into yesterday's Premier League game away to Manchester United in pretty poor form. They had the best defence in the league but they had been struggling to create chances for the last few weeks. They needed to raise their game if they were going to have any chance of getting something from the game.

The team selected by Arsene Wenger was as I had expected with just one exception. Aaron Ramsey kept his place on the right side of the attacking trio despite Theo Walcott scoring a midweek hat trick in the Capital One Cup. Ramsey had played in that position against QPR last week and it is a position he is not suited to.

Arsenal needed to keep things tight from the start, but they were behind within three minutes. Lukas Podolski failed to track Rafael da Silva on a run forward and he crossed into the Arsenal box. Thomas Vermaelen's attempted clearance was very poor and it fell straight to the feet of Robin van Persie.

The ex-Arsenal captain hit it from 20 yards with his right foot and it went into the far corner of the net. I'm not so sure van Persie caught the ball properly, but there was nothing Vito Mannone could do in the Arsenal goal. It was the perfect start for United and exactly what Arsenal didn't need.

After that Arsenal just couldn't string two passes together for the rest of the first half. Wayne Rooney dropped back into midfield to stop Mikel Arteta getting on the ball and it stifled Arsenal. Luckily for Arsenal United didn't make the most of the chances they had and it was still 1-0 at half time.

The best of those chances came just before the break when the referee gave a penalty against Santi Cazorla for handball. It was a harsh decision in my opinion and it look like it would spell the end for Arsenal. Wayne Rooney stepped up to take the penalty and put it wide of the post much to the relief of Arsenal.

The second half started in much the same mode as the first half finished and it looked like only a matter of time before United increased their lead. Unusually the boss made a change less than 10 minutes in when Walcott came on to replace Ramsey. I had Walcott would get the chance to run at the United defence, but they had a lead to protect and didn't have to over commit players forward.

Gradually Arsenal started to get back into the game and they looked like they might be capable of getting something out of it. At the midway point things were looking promising but Arsenal conceded another goal to kill the game for them. The route was hardly unexpected with United scoring a header from a cross.

A United corner on Arsenal's right was cleared, but it was swung back into the Arsenal box from the same side. Patrice Evra rose unchallenged to head home and as good as end the game. It was a killer blow for Arsenal and the next blow came only two minutes later.

Jack Wilshere had picked up an early yellow card for a late challenge and was given a final warning by the referee for a foul on van Persie. United's Tom Cleverly was in the same boat but he was withdrawn to prevent him from getting a red card. Wilshere slightly overhit the ball and caught Evra late as he chased it.

The referee had no choice other than to send him off and he will miss next Saturday's game against Fulham as a result. At least he will be back for the game against Spurs a week later. It was obvious to just about anybody that Wilshere's red card was imminent and I thought he should have been substituted before it happened.

Arsenal had 20 minutes left to play with only 10 players and a two deficit. It could have got worse but the Arsenal players eventually began to find their feet towards the very end. They didn't have a single effort on target in normal time, but that changed in added time.

Olivier Giroud had hit the post earlier in the second half and his effort from a Walcott pass was well saved by David de Gea just after 90 minutes. Maybe Giroud should have done better and it could have been an interesting few minutes if Arsenal had pulled a goal back at that stage. As it was the consolation goal came with the very last kick of the game.

After some sustained pressure from Arsenal the ball came to Cazorla just inside the United box. He curled a fine effort into the corner and it put a slight shine on a very disappointing result for Arsenal. There wasn't even enough time left for United to restart the game as the referee blew up immediately.

If Arsenal went into the game with a game plan it was obviously ended early on with the goal and they looked devoid of ideas after that. The team looked lost and the lack of movement off the ball was very worrying. Since the players returned from the last international break the team has been in free fall.

League defeats against Chelsea and Norwich were followed by yesterday's toothless display. The Champions League defeat to Schalke was probably the worst display of all and they are Arsenal's next opponents. The league win over QPR was a real struggle and it was a second string team which had that remarkable win over Reading.

I could take a defeat to United a lot better if Arsenal had played well and made United work for it. Sadly United had to do very little to take the three points and were from impressive either. An Arsenal team with any confidence could surely have gotten a result from that game.

It's a sad day when Arsenal can lose away to United and they don't have to resort to cheating and diving to win. They didn't even need any help from the referee who did little wrong apart from giving them a slightly harsh penalty. United have been vulnerable in defence this season but Arsenal couldn't do enough to test that defence properly.

Last season's start may have been disastrous for Arsenal, but they managed to turn things around after the first seven league games. Arsenal actually had more points at this stage last season than they have now and this is the fewest points the team has at this stage of the season in 18 years. What's worse is there are very few players who can come into the team and make a difference to how the team are playing.

The team has no proper wide players and they have become too easy to defend against. There were plenty of chances to get good crosses into the head of Giroud yesterday but the quality of the crossing was pathetic. When teams close Arsenal down they just cannot find another way around them at the moment.

Besides the overall ineptitude of the team there were some particularly bad individual displays. Thomas Vermaelen is the club captain and as I see it that's the only thing keeping him in the team. He was at fault for United's first goal yesterday and he did his best to give away more goals too.

Laurent Koscielny may not have been overly impressive when he has played this season, but I think he should be given his chance to play. The partnership between him and Per Mertesacker is the best central defensive one for me and it needs to be given a chance. What is abundantly clear is that Mertesacker is head and shoulders above either of them at the moment in more ways than one.

Lukas Podolski settled into the team very quickly, but he has really gone off the boil. Surely he cannot be picked in every single game when there are others who should be given a chance. At least Andrey Arshavin can cross the ball which is something no one else in the team seems capable of doing.

I feared for Mannone before yesterday's game but he did very well to be fair to him. He made some good saves at crucial times to keep Arsenal in the game. I haven't been overly impressed with him in recent weeks but he deserves praise for yesterday's performance.

Arsenal still have the best defensive record in the league. If it wasn't for the bluntness of their attack they would be looking an awful lot better. It's very unusual to see Arsenal struggle to create anything under Arsene Wenger.

The club have sold their best players season after season and it looks like it may have finally caught up with them. I may have an intense dislike of van Persie but he did get Arsenal out of jail very often last season. There is nobody in the squad who has the individual brilliance to change the game when things aren't going wrong.

It seems too easy for teams to stop Arsenal playing at the moment. Obviously other teams are doing their homework and working out how to stop the Arsenal engine from working. I would love to know if Arsenal are doing the same thing to work out a plan to negate their opponents because it doesn't look that way to me.

The top three teams are streets ahead of Arsenal in terms of squad strength. Arsenal's only realistic target is fourth place and that's very difficult to take with 28 league games still to play. Their season will probably be decided in their battles with the other teams chasing fourth place.

I'm not sure how things can change between now and Tuesday but they have to. The general malaise in the squad has to be halted before the season is lost altogether.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Lacklustre Arsenal Lose 1-0 To Norwich

With the international break over it was back to the business of real football for the Arsenal players yesterday. An evening kick off away to a Norwich team which hadn't won any of their first seven games looked like an ideal way for them to keep up with the Premier League pacemakers. Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City had all won earlier in the day and three points were needed to put Arsenal into the top four.

The team was as expected with Per Mertesacker lining up in central defence alongside Thomas Vermaelen.
Andre Santos filled in for the injured Kieran Gibbs at left back, and Olivier Giroud led the attack after his impressive display against West Ham.

The opening exchanges were promising with Arsenal have the better of them and looking likely to cause Norwich some real problems. The team weren't at their best but I felt confident they would pick up the pace and take all three points.

In typical Arsenal style they conceded with Norwich's first decent attempt on goal after 19 minutes. Alex Tettley let fly with a long range effort which Vito Mannone could only parry back across the goal and Grant Holt was on hand to score from the rebound. Arsenal certainly didn't cover themselves in glory in their attempts to stop Norwich scoring.

In the first place Tettley was given far too much time to get his shot off as nobody bothered to close him down. It was a good shot from Tettley but Mannone should have done better with it. If he couldn't hold it he should have pushed it away from the goal.

A better goalkeeper would have managed to put the ball away from danger but Mannone couldn't. It has to be remembered he is Arsenal's third choice keeper and as such he hasn't performed too badly so far. The injuries to the two keepers ahead of him in the pecking order mean he has to play at the moment, but he isn't quite good enough at this level.

I had mentioned in my preview that Norwich make chances against any team they play and they would make them against Arsenal too. Arsenal had the players to outclass and out score them and the concession of a goal didn't change that. Even without Mannone's mistake Arsenal would have only taken a point and that wasn't what was required.

For the rest of the first half Arsenal struggled to find any real cohesion, as Norwich set themselves up to defend their lead. There was little movement off the ball and the wide players were unable to get behind the Norwich defence. Something needed to change at half time and I hoped to see Arsenal step up the pace in the second half.

Unfortunately all they had to show was more of the same and it didn't look good as the clock ticked relentlessly towards 90 minutes. A couple of chances were created towards the very end, but John Ruddy saved a Mikael Arteta drive and Gervinho waited too long before having his shot blocked after he was played in.

It's hard to single out individual players as the team as a whole didn't perform. Yet again they were unable to break down a massed defence similar to what happened in the first two league games of the season. When a team works so hard to prevent Arsenal making chances it seems Arsenal don't have that player who can make something happen on his own.

The wide roles were filled by Lukas Podolski and Gervinho, but neither of them are wingers in the true sense. I think Arsenal need to find a player who can take defenders on and make things happen on his own. There aren't too many players like that around, but one would certainly make a difference on a day like yesterday.

The Arsenal players seemed almost lethargic at times and it looked to me like they underestimated Norwich. There are no easy games in the Premier League and the first thing every team needs to do is win the battle to play their football. Arsenal just weren't up for that battle and it's something which has to be addressed.

Arsenal have the joint best defence in the league after eight games, but they have failed to score in three of those games. Both Chelsea and Liverpool were able to concede against Norwich and still win comfortably. Whether it was a matter of the wrong attitude or inability to break down a packed defence it simply wasn't good enough.

There's a very busy fixture list ahead of the Arsenal team and they cannot afford to play like that again. They play Schalke on Wednesday night in a game where three points are a necessity. They will have to perform an awful lot better than they did against Norwich to beat Schalke.

Next Saturday sees a home Premier League game against QPR and it's another must win game. I will be at that game as I make my first pilgrimage of the season and I hope to see an awful lot more from Arsenal.

They are now 10 points behind the leaders after eight games and if that gap gets any bigger the chances of challenging for the title will almost be gone. The fact that the players couldn't raise their game in the second half was worrying and the fact that the manager couldn't get them to do so was worrying also. This was the first performance of the season that I was utterly disappointed with and I can only hope it will be the last such performance. If there are too many more of them it could be a long hard season for the team and the fans too.

I was lucky enough to meet up with some other Arsenal fans I have met through Twitter to watch yesterday's match. We met in the Dublin branch of the Arsenal supporters club and we had a great time despite the result. Hopefully there will be a few more chances for us to meet up and the team can put on a better show for us on those occasions.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal 3-1 Olympiacos

Arsenal played Olympiacos last night in their second group game of this seasons Champions League. They had beaten Montpellier 2-1 away from home in their first game and another win would leave them in an ideal situation in their group.

With Arsene Wenger serving the second game of his ridiculous UEFA ban Steve Bould was again the man in charge on the night. There were two changes from the team which lost 2-1 at home to Chelsea in the Premier League last Saturday. With Abou Diaby injured Frances Coquelin came into the side and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Aaron Ramsey on the right side of the attacking trio.

The first half wasn't much to write home about, but Arsenal managed to take the lead as half time approached. Gervinho collected a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and struck it sweetly into the corner past the keeper's dive. Arsenal didn't really deserve to be ahead at that stage and their lead didn't last too long either.

In added time at the end of the first half Olympiacos leveled the game. A cross was swung in from the left and it was met with a glancing header into the corner of the net by Kostas Mistroglou. Nobody closed down the player who crossed the ball and Mistroglou found it far too easy to get his header in too.

It may not have been a goal from a set piece, but Arsenal conceded yet another goal from a ball crossed into their penalty area. So far every goal they have conceded this season has come from a set piece or a cross, but no team has really managed to play their way through the Arsenal defence. If they can sort out their defending on set pieces and crosses their defence will be a formidable one.

The scores were level at half time and Arsenal needed to find something extra in the second half. They tried to pick up the pace but their opponents were able to match them. It looked like it was going to take something special or a mistake to decide the game in either team's favour.

It was Arsenal who managed the all important next goal with 11 minutes gone in that second half. Gervinho cut the ball back for Lukas Podolski and his crisp shot made it's way into the net via the keeper's heel. The shot was going in anyway but the deflection off the keeper could have gone anywhere.

Thankfully for Arsenal it ended up in the net and their lead was restored. Olympiacos assumed control after that as they went in search of an equaliser. After losing their opening game at home to Schalke they knew they had to get something from this game.

Arsenal defended well and looked to hit Olympiacos on the break. There were a couple of chances for Arsenal, but Laurent Koscielny missed the best of them from a header six yards out when he really should have scored. As the clock ran down both teams made changes in personnel.

Theo Walcott came on for Chamberlain in the Arsenal team mid-way through the half. With 10 minutes remaining Olivier Giroud replaced Gervinho and Ramsey came on for Podolski. Arsenal had a lead to protect and they did all they could to eat up precious seconds and minutes.

As Olympiacos tired it was Arsenal who looked the more likely to score again, and they eventually did in the last minute of added time. Vito Mannone kicked long to the head of Giroud and his neat flick put Ramsey through with just one defender to beat. He skipped past his challenge and chipped the ball over the on rushing keeper in true Carlos Vela style.

The final whistle went as soon as Olympiacos scored and it was a little flattering to Arsenal. They had worked hard but never really found any rhythm throughout the game. It leaves Arsenal on top of the group with six points from two games after Schalke drew 2-2 at home to Montpellier.

Next up for Arsenal will be back to back games against Schalke and four points in those two games would surely be enough to see them through to the knockout stages. The first of those games is at home on October 24 with a couple of league games and an international break to come first.

Despite continuing to frustrate at times Gervinho scored his fifth goal of the season and justified his selection with an assist also. I'm far from convinced by him but he continues to produce despite looking like he doesn't know what he's doing far too often.

Mannone was far from convincing in goal again and the return of Wojciech Szczesny is eagerly anticipated by Arsenal fans. He could do nothing about the goal Arsenal conceded, but he looks increasingly uncertain and nervous. Hopefully Szczesny can return to first team duty after the international break.

Giroud only got 10 minutes to show what he can do but he almost scored a couple of goals. His flick on for Ramsey's goal was real route one football, but it's certainly a viable plan "B" for Arsenal if their usual style isn't working. Arsenal have often been criticised for only playing the one way, but Giroud offers an alternative if the wide players can run into good positions for his knock-ins or flicks.

One of the strangest things on the night was the continued charges forward by Thomas Vermaelen. With the game nearly over he was still looking to burst forward when defending should have been his first objective. As captain he should be the one reminding others of their responsibilities on the pitch, but maybe somebody needs to remind him.

It's back to Premier League action for Arsenal on Saturday with a trip to West Ham in the evening kick off. West Ham have started very well and are currently above Arsenal in the table. Three points before the players head off to play for their countries would be the ideal way for Arsenal to finish off the week.

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

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Champions League Game With Olympiacos Previewed

Arsenal take on Olympiacos tomorrow night in their second game of their Champions League group. They won their first game 2-1 away to Montpellier two weeks ago despite being far from their best on the night. At the same time Olympiacos were losing 2-1 at home to Germany's Schalke 04.

After the defeat to Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday Arsenal need to get back to winning ways immediately. They didn't play well against Chelsea, but it was poor defending from set pieces which let them down on the day. Despite Chelsea looking better in possession they created very little from open play.

The general concensus seems to be that Arsene Wenger got his team selection wrong with the omission of Per Mertesacker. The big German has been Arsenal's best defender so far this season and he should have played against Chelsea. There is no way of knowing if he would have made a difference, but it just doesn't make sense to leave a player in such good form out of the team.

Whether he returns to the team to play against Olympiacos is anybody's guess and I have a feeling he might be on the bench again. To be honest the performances of both Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen in that game were not up to scratch and either player could have no complaints if they were left out against Olympiacos. The chances of Vermaelen not playing are pretty slim though, as he is the club captain.

Arsenal have been drawn in the same group as Olympiacos twice before and the won their home games on each occasion. They did lose both return games in Greece but managed to qualify from their on each occasion. Olympiacos have a reputation for not traveling well in European competition and they will hardly relish a trip to Arsenal.

They have started their domestic campaign very well though with maximum points from their first five games. That's bound to give them some confidence but the home defeat to Schalke leaves them playing catch up in the group. They will feel they need to get something out of this game if they are to have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages.

I expect to see a fairly similar team for Arsenal to the one which lost on Saturday. Of Course I would like to see Mertesacker back in the team and I think Olivier Giroud should play from the start too. With Abou Diaby injured the chances are Aaron Ramsey will get the chance to play in a central midfield role.

Giroud has missed a few good chances when he had played for Arsenal this season. Most of his appearances have been 20 minute cameos though and if he's going to score goals he needs to start games. If Giroud does start it would probably mean Gervinho would drop to the bench despite scoring four goals in his last four games.

I'm not quite sure how Gervinho is Arsenal's current top scorer as he is such an inconsistent player. I have no doubt that his movement causes problems for opposing defences, but he just doesn't offer enough to the team in my opinion. Far too often Arsenal attacks break down when the ball arrives at his feet.

There's another big game for Arsenal next Saturday but Wenger has to play his strongest team possible against Olympiacos. The Premier League trip to West Ham can be worried about when the Olympiacos game is over.

With Diaby's injury Arsenal's midfield options are a little short at the moment but that should hopefully change after the upcoming international break. Diaby should be close to returning at that stage and both Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong made their comebacks in the Arsenal under 21 team yesterday.

It will be another few weeks before either of them will play for the first team, but it's good to see them on the road to recovery. Hopefully Tomas Rosicky won't be too far behind them in his recovery and Bacary Sagna is on the comeback trail too. The competition for places could be very tough quite soon, but that can only benefit the team.

I'm hoping to see Arsenal bounce back against Olympiacos and play with style and verve. A win would leave them in a great position in the group before their back to back games against Schalke.If Arsenal do best Olympiacis those games against Schalke will probably decide which team wins the group.

I can see Arsenal dominating possession but they might have to work hard to achieve a breakthrough. They will also need to be vigilant in defence at set pieces in particular after conceding three goals in two games from set pieces against City and Chelsea. I'm predicting a 2-0 win for Arsenal and I'd really love to see Giroud get among the goals.

Hopefully the likes of Santi Cazorla, Mikael Arteta and Lukas Podolski can have a big influence on the game for Arsenal. The midfield needs to get a strong hold of the game and impose their game on Olympiacos. If they're put under enough pressure they will make mistakes and hopefully Arsenal can capitalise on any errors.

They may not have been great against Chelsea but it was a combination of excellent Peter Cech saves and poor finishing which stopped Arsenal from getting a draw. Vito Mannone didn't have much to do in the Arsenal goal besides picking the ball out of the net twice. Wojciech Szczesny's return from injury can't come quick enough at the moment as Mannone has been found wanting in the last two games.

It's a very important game for the Arsenal players after suffering their first defeat of the season on Saturday. I think the current team has the strength needed to bounce back from their setback and that might set them apart from Arsenal teams of the last few seasons. A win against Olympiacos followed by a win against West Ham would be the perfect way to send the team into yet another international break next week.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Draw 1-1 Away To Manchester City

After Saturday's results Arsenal went into their game with Manchester City in sixth place in the Premier League. A win would have brought them back to third, but City had a very good home record. They had won 18 of their 19 home games last season and started this season with two more home wins too.

Arsene Wenger wasn't expected to make too many changes from the team which won 2-1 away to Montpellier in the Champions League on Tuesday night. One change was enforced upon him though as Thomas Vermaelen had to withdraw through illness and Laurent Koscielny replaced him. Koscielny was Arsenal's best defender last season and I wasn't too worried about his ability to cope with whatever City had to offer him.

The only other change to the team was the inclusion of Aaron Ramsey on the right hand side of Arsenal's attacking trio. The player to miss out was Olivier Giroud as Gervinho took up the central striking duties.

From the start Arsenal assumed control of possession and played some very good football. There were a couple of very good chances for Arsenal in the first half but unfortunately they failed to take them.

The first one fell to Gervinho when he was played in on Joe Hart, but his touch was too heavy and Hart collected the ball. Kirean Gibbs then got behind the City defence on the other side but his cut back couldn't find an Arsenal player. I thought he could have taken the ball down and shot himself but it wasn't to be.

City had a couple of chances of their own but none of them were as good as the one Gervinho spurned. With half time approaching City won a corner when Gibbs headed the ball out under no pressure. It appeared as if he didn't get a call to let him know just that and he wasn't happy.

When the corner came in it was met by Julien Lescott's head and it thundered into the net. Vito Mannone had come for the corner but he failed to make it and Lukas Podolski was on post duty but he couldn't keep it out either. It was a blow to Arsenal but it was important they got to half time with only a one goal deficit.

Only a short while later Mannone made up for his lapse by tipping over an excellent attempt by Eden Dzeko. Arsenal had played the better football in the first half but City had the advantage.

There were so many positives in the first half it's hard to list them all. Arsenal controlled the game in midfield and City knew they had to counter that somehow. Scott Sinclair was withdrawn at half time by City with Jack Rodwell taking his place.

It was clear in the second half that City weren't going to let Arsenal have so much possession in midfield. They closed Arsenal down quicker and Arsenal found it hard to assert themselves as much. There didn't seem to be a way back at that stage, as the game lost some momentum.

With 20 minutes left Wenger brought Giroud and Theo Walcott on for Abou Diaby and Podolski. Gradually Arsenal began to exert some control again and City dropped further back. They were still a real threat on the break, but they were happy to soak up whatever Arsenal had to throw at them.

With 10 minutes left Santi Cazorla found some space outside the area and unleashed a great right footed shot. Hart made an excellent save and Arsenal had to be content with a corner. It looked like their best chance of an equaliser might have been gone.

When the corner came it was only half cleared and it fell to Koscielny 12 yards out. He blasted the ball into the top corner to give Arsenal the goal they deserved. The players were thrilled and the fans who had made the long trip were overjoyed too.

Only a short while later City almost won the game, but they were kept out by a combination of good goalkeeping and a little bit of luck too. An overhead shot by Vincent Kompany was well saved by Mannone but the resulting clearance by Koscielny was miskewed straight to the feet of Sergio Aguero only a few yards out. Somehow or other he contrived to miss his effort, but possibly Koscielny's challenge was enough to put him off.

Suddenly Arsenal sensed that they could go one step further and take all three points. Some more good play ended with Gervinho excellently making room for a shot 20 yards out and then blazing it high and wide. It typified his afternoon as nothing really seemed to work for him.

In the end a draw was probably a fair result but Arsenal went to the champions and took the game to them. It was City who had to change things around to cope with Arsenal and not the other way around. Even when they were trailing the players didn't give up and they got their rewards in the end.

Some of the Arsenal players had great games and yet again Per Mertesacker showed he just has to be in the team. Both full backs were very good defensively and offered an awful lot going forward too. Koscielny looked good in his first game this season and Wenger has some tough choices to make very soon.

I thought Ramsey was excellent in the first half but he faded in a wide role in the second. His game improved again though when Diaby went off and he moved into the centre of midfield for the last 20 minutes. Mikael Arteta was so solid yet again and his discipline in the defensive midfield role is great to watch.

Carzola showed exactly why Arsenal were so anxious to sign him with yet another fantastic game. Looking at yesterday's game you would never think David Silva was the current member of the World and European champions ahead of Carzola. With him in the team Arsenal are a force to be reckoned with and hopefully they can get even more out of him.

The players will now get a well earned rest in midweek ahead of their game with Chelsea next weekend. Arsenal will of course play in the Capital One Cup but it will be a chance for reserves and fringe players to show what they can do. Coventry City haven't had the greatest start to life in League One but I'm sure they will give all they have against Arsenal.

Arsenal and City were the two teams who had completed most passes in the league before yesterday's game and next up Arsenal play the team who have the joint best defence along with them. It's a tough week for them with Premier League games against the current champions followed by the current European champions. It's a challenge the players are looking increasingly like they are relishing more game by game.

It's a long way from where Arsenal are now to winning a league title but the signs are very promising at the moment. This time last season Arsenal had four points in the league and had conceded 14 goals too. There are still a few issues to be sorted out in the team, but the prospect of the team getting even better is one I'm looking forward to.

The next home game for Arsenal in the Premier League after Chelsea this Saturday will be on the last Saturday in October against QPR. It's a game I'm hoping to go to as I haven't been to see them yet this season. I should know on Thursday morning for certain but I'm pretty sure there will be no problems getting tickets.

I can't wait to see this Arsenal team playing live and get the chance to cheer them on in person. Of course the customary before and after game refreshments will be required, but that's all part of the experience. It's an experience which will hopefully feel all the sweeter with a team genuinely challenging for trophies to watch.


Here's the highlights of yesterday's game.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Manchester City Previewed

Arsenal have had a good start to their Premier League campaign with eight points from their first four games. It leaves them in third place in the table with only Chelsea and Manchester United ahead of them.

To keep their good start going Arsenal will have to take their performances to the next level in this game. Manchester City are the current Premier League champions and the main reason they won that title was their 18 wins out of 19 home games. They have won their first two home games already this season despite the fact that they haven't played too well so far.

City prided themselves on having the best defence in the Premier League last season, but this time around they seem to be struggling just a little at the back. They have conceded six goals in their first four games, but they have managed to score nine goals. There is no doubting their ability to score goals but it's unusual to see their defence struggling.

Arsenal were the team with the dodgy defence last season but they have certainly turned that around this season. Southampton scored against them last week but they were the first team to do so this season. The Arsenal team didn't defend quite so well as a unit away to Montpellier in the Champions League on Tuesday night but at least they won.

While Arsenal were beating Montpellier City managed to snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory away to Real Madrid in the same competition. They were 2-1 up with only three minutes left but they ended up losing 3-2. Roberto Mancini will be looking for a reaction from his players against Arsenal.

In team news Arsenal have no new injury worries to talk about, but Wojciech Szczesny looks set to miss out again. It means Vito Mannone will get another chance to impress in goal and he has done just that with each of his previous three chances this season. Szczesny will have to recover from his injury quite soon if Mannone continues to play so well or he could find himself warming the bench for a while.

I'm a big fan of Szczesny but I also think Mannone will have to kept in the team if he continues his current form for another few games. He has done very well in the three games he has played and he has shown a lot of confidence and maturity too. The rest of the team seem to have confidence in him too which always helps from a defenders point of view.

I don't expect Arsene Wenger to make too many chnges from the team which beat Montpellier on Tuesday night. I would imagine the defence and midfield will stay the same unless any of the players are feeling some early season fatigue. The most likely changes will probably come in Arsenal's attacking trio if they are to come.

Olivier Giroud is still looking for his first Arsenal goal, but he has only started three games for the club. I think the goals will come for him but he just has to get that all important first goal to kick start him. He may not start against City though as Lukas Podolski is just as likely to play as the central striker.

I can't see Gervinho being left out either with three goals in his last two games as he looks like his second season in English football could be the one where he starts to shine. When he was bought from Lille just over a year ago he had more goals and assists than Eden Hazard in his final season. I'm not saying that makes him a better player than Hazard but it does show he has got some real potential for Arsenal.

Usually Arsenal come up against quite a few ex players when they play City but it won't be the case this time. The only ex player who might get a run out against them is Gael Clichy and he looks like Nicklas Anelka now with his new haircut. Samir Nasri is injured and I would be surprised to see Kolo Toure get a game.

It promises to be a very good game and from an Arsenal perspective it's vital that the midfield performs better than it did against Montpellier. They were hurried and hassled far too much in the second half of that game and they need to show more composure against City. It's vital that Arsenal have as much possession as possible to stop City building up a head of steam.

Wenger also needs a plan to combat Yaya Toure being thrown into an attacking midfield role with half an hour to go if City aren't winning. He can be difficult to cope with when he concentrates on the attacking side of his game only. Arsenal have shown enough discipline in defence and central midfield so far to make me think they have what it takes to stop him.

I wasn't so sure about how good Podolski was going to be but I have been very impressed with him so far. He has three goals in five games from playing mostly in a wide left role and he looks like he has an awful lot to contribute this season. His attitude and strength are exactly what the team needed and things other players were accused of lacking in recent years for Arsenal.

I think Arsenal have enough firepower of their own to put the shaky City defence under pressure. I can see Arsenal scoring in this game and the outcome will depend on their defensive strength in my opinion. As a team they have defended very well this season and more of the same will do nicely against City.

If Arsenal do have the lead towards the end of the game it would be ideal for Theo Walcott to come on and exploit any space behind their defence. He still hasn't signed a new contract at the club and his first team chances seem to be suffering as a result. It would be a shame to see him leave on a free transfer next summer, but the team have shown they are not suffering without him so far this season.

I'm sure Walcott will get a chance to start a game when Arsenal play Coventry City in a midweek Capital One Cup game. There are a few other players who need a run out too and I'm sure the fringe players will be happy to get an opportunity to show what they can do. A look at the Arsenal bench today should be a pointer towards the starting team against Coventry.

With Manchester United traveling to Liverpool there is an opportunity for Arsenal to possibly go second in the table by beating City. They then play Chelsea at home next week and in an ideal world they would beat them too to take over at the top of the table It's probably an unlikely scenario but the way the team have played so far it's certainly not an unbelieveable one.

Of course a defeat against City would be no disgrace for Arsenal, but I don't think they will lose. I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal and hoping a victory will lay down a marker for the rest of the season. There's a long way to go but a victory against City would make others sit up and take notice of what this Arsenal team could possibly do.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Win 2-1 Away To Montpellier

Arsenal played their first game of this season's Champions League away to Montpellier last night. It was Arsenal's fifteenth consecutive season in the competition but Montpellier's first.

Arsene Wenger made three changes from the team that beat Southampton 6-1 on Saturday. Olivier Giroud came in to play the central strikers role with Lukas Podolski moving to the left of the attacking trio. It meant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the man to miss out as he dropped to the bench.

Abou Diaby returned from injury to play in midfield with Frances Coquelin missing out. The other change was brought about through injury with Vito Mannone replacing Wojciech Szczesny in goal. It was a chance for Mannone to put his nightmare performance against Olympiacos last season behind him.

Arsenal started brightly and dominated the opening exchanges. The Montpellier fans created a great atmosphere as they welcomed the big time of the Champions League to their ground. It was crucial that Arsenal didn't give them too much to cheer about.

Just short of the 10 minute mark Montpellier got the break they were looking for when the referee awarded them a penalty. Thomas Vermaelen went in for a tackle when he really should have held off and he caught the Montpellier player. It may have looked a little harsh but it was definitely a penalty in my opinion.

Younes Belhanda stepped up to take the penalty and he did so in true Andre Pirlo style. As Mannone dived to his right Belhanda clipped the ball down the middle and it sailed into an empty net. The home team had the lead they wanted and their fans got even louder.

Arsenal didn't panic though as they kept playing their own game and the rewards soon came. In the 16th minute they drew level when Giroud played a neat ball to Podolski and left him with only the goalkeeper to beat. He made no mistake from just inside the penalty area with a tidy finish into the corner of the net.

Within two minutes Arsenal had taken the lead and this time it was Gervinho who got his name on the scoresheet. Carl Jenkinson played a great ball across the goal from the right and Gervinho was on hand to stab it home for his third goal of the week. He took the goal very well and it was good to see a wide player arriving in the box at exactly the right time.

The rest of the first half more or less belonged to Arsenal, but they failed to add to their lead. A one goal advantage is always very dangerous and a third goal would have been very welcome.

The second half started with Montpellier on the offensive as they looked to close Arsenal down all over the pitch. The Arsenal players were given no time on the ball and the mistakes soon followed. They rarely found any rhythm and the midfield in particular were found wanting at times.

Montpellier created a few reasonable chances and one very good one. Thankfully Mannone was up to the task on the night and did all that was required of him to stop them equalising. His save from an eight yard shot from Belhanda with 10 minutes left was the difference between a win and a draw for Arsenal.

Earlier in the half Montpellier had hit the Arsenal bar with a chip from outside the box. It was a far from solid defensive display from Arsenal in the second half but they just about held firm. On the dying minutes Diaby appeared to take down one of their players in the penalty area, but the referee didn't give the penalty this time.

Aaron Ramsey, Coquelin and Theo Walcott all came on towards the end of the game. The players to be withdrawn were Giroud, Podolski and Santi Cazorla. The little Spaniard showed he is not perfect last night with his fair share of misplaced passes.

He wasn't the only one though as the whole team struggled in that second half. The most important thing on the night was the three points for the win and Arsenal are now in a strong position in their group. Their next two group games are both at home and wins in those games would leave them in a great position at the halfway stage.

In the other game in Arsenal's group Schalke 04 won 2-1 away to Olympiacos to get off to a great start also. Arsenal face Olympiacos at home in two weeks time and they will be looking to get another three points on the board. Olympiacos don't tend to travel too well and it's a great opportunity for Arsenal to put some space between them and the Greek team.

I won't dwell on the Arsenal performance last night too much as it's never easy to play away from home in Europe. It was important for the team to keep winning with the big games they have coming up and they just about managed that. On Sunday afternoon they travel to Premier League champions Manchester City and they will need to defend better in that game.

City managed to snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory away to Real Madrid last night and they will be looking to bounce back against Arsenal. Their defence has looked a little shaky this season and hopefully Arsenal can take advantage of that on the day.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Champions League Trip To Montpellier Previewed

Arsenal have been through a lot of change over the last year or so. Thankfully their start to this season hasn't been affected like it was last season and they're currently third in the Premier League. The next few weeks will be very testing for them though starting with a game against the current French champions Montpellier.

Since Arsene Wenger's arrival at Arsenal they have routinely qualified for the Champions League, and made their way through the group stages to the knockout rounds. They went as far as reaching the final in 2006 only to be beaten 2-1 by Barcelona after playing almost all of the game with 10 players. In 2009 they made it to the semi finals but Manchester United were too good for them over two games.

This season they have been drawn to play Monpellier, Olympiacos of Greece and Schalke 04 of Germany. It's certainly not the toughest group they could have got, but their continued progress in the Champions League has made them one of first seeds for many years now. It's a group I think Arsenal are more than capable of qualifying from as long as they can win their home games.

It's never easy going away from home in Europe and Arsenal have had their fair share of setbacks over the years. There have also been some very memorable nights and there are few top European clubs who haven't suffered at home to Arsenal at some stage. Off the top of my head the wins away to Juventus, Real Madrid and both Milan clubs stick out.

Tonight's opponents don't exactly have a Champions League pedigree but it would be dangerous to underestimate them. A winning start is the ideal scenario for any team in the Champions League and Montpellier are there for the taking if Arsenal go about it the right way. They have had a poor start to their domestic campaign with only one win in five games so far.

Arsenal face a tough trip to Manchester City on Sunday, but they cannot allow that to affect the team selection tonight. Arsene Wenger has to pick the strongest lineup available to him to try to take all three points. The Premier League is probably Arsenal's priority but the rewards of the Champions League cannot be overlooked either.

Wojciech Szczesny didn't make the trip and it looks like he injured himself yet again on Saturday. He wasn't at his best in gifting Southampton their goal and his poor kicking afterwards may have been a direct result of the ankle injury he appeared to pick up. It gives Vito Mannone an opportunity to show what he can do yet again and hopefully he will grasp it with both arms.

He struggled badly when an under strength Arsenal team lost away to Olympiacos last season in a game which was of no real significance. Since then he has performed well on loan at Hull City and done likewise in keeping two clean sheets filling in for the injured Szczesny this season. The way Arsenal are defending at the moment has to make any goalkeepers job a lot easier.

I'm not sure if Abou Diaby will be fit to play tonight but if he isn't I would expect Francis Coquelin to retain his place for his defensive abilities. Up front Wenger has an interesting choice between Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud for the central striking role. I would like to see Giroud play against the club for whom he was the joint top scorer in France last season.

That doesn't mean Podolski should be left out of the team as his attitude and commitment are fantastic. I'm sure he can be accommodated on the left hand side of the Arsenal attack. Who misses out is a matter for the manager to decide.

Otherwise I don't think there should be too much change from the team Taft won so well against Southampton on Saturday. The way I see Arsenal have to be favourites to win tonight as long as they show up with the right attitude and play the way they have so far this season. I'm predicting a tight 2-1 for Arsenal with Giroud getting his first goal of the season too.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Southampton Previewed.

Arsenal's reasonable start to the season got a whole lot better with their 2-0 win away to Liverpool in their last game. Unfortunately the monster that is international football reared it's ugly head, and the majority of their players headed off to represent their countries just after that game. Almost two weeks later the players are back at the club, and back into Premier League action with a home game against Southampton.

It would seem that only Abu Diaby picked up a knock during those internationals, and Arsene Wenger has said he could be available for this game. I would be very surprised to see Diaby risked considering his continuous injury problems over the last six years. He has played very well so far this season, but Arsenal have to be sure he is fully fit before he plays.

His projected absence will probably give Aaron Ramsey a chance to get his first start of the season. Like Diaby he too has found life a bit difficult after a horrifying injury, and he has slipped down the pecking order at Arsenal. Prior to his injury against Stoke he was on the verge of being a first team regular, but now he looks to be more of a back up player despite all the departures from the club.

With another two weeks to recover under his belt I would imagine Wojciech Szczesny should be fit to resume in goal again. Vito Mannone has done very well in his absence, but Szczesny is the first choice and only injury will keep him out of the team. It was good to see Mannone step up and perform so admirably, and Szczesny must know he had to play well to remain first choice.

Otherwise I would expect to see the same team that beat Liverpool take to the pitch again. It will probably mean Laurent Koscielny will be on the bench again, as Per Mrertesacker has played too well to be dropped. It's a straight battle between them to partner Thomas Vermaelen in the centre of the defence, as he is going to play when fit seeming as he is captain.

The season starts to get really busy for Arsenal after this game with Champions League games on the horizon. Arsenal start their campaign away to French champions Montpellier on Tuesday night, and a return home for Olivier Giroud. Hopefully he can get his first goal for Arsenal against Southampton, but if not who would bet against him opening his account against his former club.

Southampton have looked pretty good going forward in their three Premier League games so far, but their defending leaves a lot to be desired. They have played an attacking style in those games, and it had left them vulnerable at the back. If they come to Arsenal and play an open attacking they could find themselves in for a very tough afternoon.

As long as the Arsenal players have their minds on the game they are playing they have more than enough to cope with whatever Southampton have to offer. The Arsenal players have been very disciplined in their defensive duties so far, but they have struggled to create chances against defensive opposition. Both Sunderland and Stoke set themselves up to stop Arsenal scoring, and succeeded in getting 0-0 draws.

Arsenal showed their attacking abilities against a more open Liverpool team, and took a deserved 2-0 win from Anfield. I don't think Southampton have the players to try to stop Arsenal playing so there should be plenty of chances for them to score. It's an ideal opportunity for Arsenal to move a little closer to the top of the table before some very tough games later in the month.

Arsenal have been guilty in the past of lacking concentration in games like this, but all the signs point to a team with a lot more mental strength this season. Far too often in previous seasons Arsenal have pressed forward from the start only for their opponents to score on their first attack. The team as a whole are defending a lot better, and the players seem to have a proper idea of what their defensive duties are.

Santi Cazorla has really taken to the role he has been given just behind the main striker. He seems to know exactly what to do when he gets the ball, and he takes up perfect positions to receive it. His goal and assist against Liverpool were hopefully just the start of a very productive season for him in an Arsenal shirt.

Giroud has looked like he has settled in well too in those first three games except when it comes to taking his chances. Strikers are always judged on their goals scored, and hopefully the first goal he gets will open the floodgates. Both Denis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry opened their account for Arsenal against Southampton, and it would be great for Giroud to join such exalted company.

The changes at the club have been quite remarkable in the last couple of years. The team that beat Liverpool started with seven players who were signed since June 2011, and it takes time for so many players to settle. The signs are very promising so far, and hopefully this can be a very productive season for Arsenal.

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, but it will be far from easy for them to get the win. Southampton have shown enough against the two Manchester teams so far to suggest they might be the first team to score against Arsenal this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the Arsenal defenders get their name on the scoresheet too.

Arsenal aren't exactly noted for scoring goals from set pieces, but I think that could change as the influence of Steve Bould grows. He was part of an Arsenal team which excelled at scoring headers from free kicks and corners, and hopefully he can depart some of his knowledge in that area to the current players.

It's unusual to see Arsenal play at the traditional kick off time of three o'clock on a Saturday afternoon. It's a great time for fans though, and I'm sure those at the game will appreciate the start time. It's never easy for fans to get to and from away games on a Sunday, and Arsenal have their fair share of Sunday games coming up.

It's great to have proper football back again, but unfortunately the next international break is only three weeks away. Arsenal have four Premier League games in that time, and they need to start them with three points against Southampton. I'm pretty confident they can do just that, and hopefully set themselves up nicely for the games ahead of them.

Here's a look at Bergkamp's first goal for Arsenal, and the rest of his highlights from that first season at the club.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Liverpool Previewed

Arsenal have started off the new Premier League season with two 0-0 draws against Sunderland and Stoke City. Both of those games were certainly winnable, and Arsenal dominated possession enough to have taken all three points on both occasions. Their defence looked very solid and was rarely troubled, but Arsenal have struggled in their attacking game.

With Robin van Persie packing his bags to join the "little boy" in him at Manchester United the goals will have to come from a different source this season. Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud were bought to score those goals, but they haven't quite settled into the team yet. With new boy Santi Cazorla pulling the strings in midfield they should get plenty of chances this season.

Both Sunderland and Stoke sat back and defended in depth against Arsenal, and Arsenal found it hard to break them down. I would be very surprised if Liverpool were to adopt such an approach, and an open game could be just what Arsenal need. It will of course mean Arsenal's new found defensive strength will get a much sterner test too.

Arsenal tend to dominate possession against most teams, but Liverpool will be looking to reverse that trend at home. In this fixture last season Arsenal had a very fortunate win thanks to a van Persie brace, and a similar result would be a welcome boost on Sunday. Hopefully the goals will come and the two new strikers can break their ducks too.

The squad should be very similar to the one against Stoke last week, but Laurent Koscielny will be available for selection after recovering from his injury. Wojciech Szczesny will have a fitness test the day before the game to see if he can return to play in goal. Vito Mannone did all that was required of him last week when he filled in for Szczesny, but I have no doubt a fit Szczesny will regain his spot in the team.

It's a very important game for Arsenal, as the result will determine how their season has started before entering yet another international break. A win will leave them unbeaten on five points, but a defeat without scoring would be a very bad result. It would leave Arsenal with only two points and no goals from their opening three games, and it's not a scenario I want to really consider.

Last season started very badly too, but the team eventually got things together and managed to finish third in the Premier League. The current squad can only hope to match that finish at best really unless there is some inward movement of players on transfer deadline day. I usually write a season preview before each new season, but I have decided to wait until the window closes and the Arsenal squad is complete.

Maybe I'm being a little over optimistic in hoping a couple of top quality players can be signed, but I really hope they are. It would be a real boost for the rest of the squad to see some new players arrive, and there has to be money available to purchase them. Arsenal are roughly €15 in profit so far in this transfer window, and they made a huge profit on transfers last summer besides the reserves they had put aside for transfers.

I expect to see a very similar team to the one which played against Stoke, but I have a feeling Theo Walcott might play now that he is staying at the club. He hasn't signed a new contract despite having less than 12 months left on his current one, but Arsene Wenger is hopeful that something will be worked out. It's a precarious position for the club, and they seem to have no other choice than trusting Walcott.

I've never been his biggest fan, but he can be good on his day and against a team who play in a style which suits him. His departure after both van Persie and Alex Song had left to earn more money elsewhere would have been a blow for the club. When Wenger stated Walcott was not obsessed by money I felt it was to let the fans know that the two other high profile departures were.

Despite Koscielny being ready to return against Liverpool I don't think he will play, as Per Mertesacker has been an integral part of a very steady defence so far. Koscielny was Arsenal's best central defender last season, but he might have to wait for Mertesacker to play poorly or pick up a knock. Thomas Vermaelen must surely be guaranteed his place, as the new captain for the current season.

Neither Jack Wilshere or Bacary Sagna will be involved just yet, but Wenger hopes to see them both return to full training soon after the international break. Their additions to the squad will be a really big boost, and hopefully there will be no setbacks for either of them. In the absence of Sagna young Carl Jenkinson has looked impressive at right back.

The Arsenal defence will have to be at their best against Liverpool on Sunday to build a solid base for the team to attack. The coaching influence of Steve Bould has been  there for all to see in the first two games of the season, and now it's time for the influence of some attacking coaches to show.

The Arsenal midfield trio will be very important on the day, and their ability to keep possession will be crucial. The best way to take pressure off the defence is for the team to hold on to the ball as much as possible. I'm sure the two wide players will be called upon to put in a shift helping the midfield and defence too.

I'm sure Giroud will play the central striking role again, and hopefully he can find his touch in front of goal this time. He has looked very good helping the team out in his defensive duties, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with the physical aspect of English football. I think he's a much better prospect than Marouane Chamakh was when signed, and I'm hoping his first goal will come against Liverpool.

Arsenal have struggled at Anfield at times, but they are unbeaten there in the Premier League in the last five seasons. There have been two victories in that time, as well as three draws. The most memorable game for me was the 4-4 draw when Andrey Arshavin bagged all four goals for Arsenal.

Regular readers will know that I always predict a win for Arsenal, and this week is no different. I'm predicting a 2-1 win, but it certainly won't be an easy task. It would be great for Arsenal to send their players off to play for their countries with their first win of the season under their belts.

When the players come back they will be straight back into Premier League and Champions League action. Arsenal drew Schalke, Olympiakos and Montpellier in the Champions League yesterday, and they will play at home to Coventry in the next round of the Capital One Cup. With the transfer window closed the players can concentrate on the important matter of playing football and winning matches for Arsenal.

Here's a reminder of Arshavin's four goals against Liverpool.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow. 

Arsenal draw 0-0 Away To Stoke

Arsenal went into their Premier League trip away to Stoke having taken one point from their opening game at home to Sunderland. They had failed to score in that game, but there were promising signs that the team was moving forward. With so many changes in the summer months the new players needed some time to gel.

Arsene Wenger picked the same team which started against Sunderland with two exceptions. Oliver Giroud came in to play as the central striker which meant Lukas Podilski moved to the left hand side of the attacking trio. It also meant Gervinho moved to the right, and Theo Walcott was the player to lose out.

Walcott finds it difficult against defensive teams, as he needs space to operate in. His exclusion may have given him something to think about, as his contract negotiations with the club continue. There are only a few days left before the transfer window closes, and Walcott's future needs to be sorted out very soon.

The other exception was the inclusion of Vito Mannone in goal, as Wojciech Szczesny was injured. It was a big game for Mannone, and he did everything that was required of him on the day. With Lukasz Fabianski also unavailable it meant Damien Martinez was Arsenal's substitute keeper on the day.

Arsenal looked very solid at the back yet again, and the influence of Steve Bould was there for all to see. His coaching influence has only been in effect since pre season began, but already the Arsenal defence looks a lot more solid. That solidity has been helped by the rest of the team also taking more defensive responsibility.

Arsenal had a few chances during the game, but never really looked like scoring. Giroud probably came closest with a scuffed shot in the second half, and an attempted long range chip late on. The later attempt was very close, but cleared the crossbar.

Arsenal dominated the possession yet again, but they lacked a real cutting edge. There wasn't enough pace to their attacking game, and the quality of the crossing just wasn't good enough. There is an awful lot of work to be done to get the players playing together at the right tempo.

It would seem that not enough work has been done in pre season for the second season in a row. The trip to Asia seems to really upset Wenger's usual routine, and the team are only starting to gel during the opening Premier League games. When the game in Nigeria was cancelled it meant the new players only had the game against Cologne to play with their new team mates.

The defence has benefitted from the influence of Bould, but Arsenal have an awful lot to do in their attacking game. They are far too slow in the final third, and far too many passes are going astray in that area. There is another week of training before the next game, but nothing beats playing real games.

There is a lot of work to be done from set pieces too, and that can be worked on in training. Arsenal had 11 corners yesterday, but very rarely threatened to do anything from them. They also had a few free kicks from very good positions, but failed to trouble the Stoke keeper from any of them. Arsenal scored the lowest percentage of their goals in the Premier League from set pieces last season, and it's something that has to be worked on.

Arsenal got exactly what they expected from Stoke yesterday with their style of play. Besides lumping the ball forward at every opportunity they also knew exactly when to put the boot in. It would seem their instructions were to step in and take their man out on any occasion they were beaten in a dangerous position.

Robert Huth took a yellow card for doing so to Podolski early on, and the foul on Santi Cazorla late in the first half deserved a yellow card too. The Stoke player responsible saw a slightly short ball to Cazorla as an ideal opportunity to put the boot in, and Cazorla's influence on the game faded after that moment.

The reaction of the Stoke fans to the free kicks awarded against their players is a stark reminder of their mentality. They jeer opponents who are kicked and accuse their opponents of cheating for having the cheek to be on the end of quite deliberate foul play from their own players. They pride themselves on being underdogs, and justify their style of football on their underdog status.

They constantly jeered Arsenal for playing what they see as boring football. It's their management who are fooling them with their style of football in my opinion. Teams like Swansea have shown what underdogs with a small budget can do if they have the nerve to play real football.

The Premier League would be a better and safer place without Stoke, and their relegation would be a real source of joy for any right minded football fan.

Arsenal also had a good shout for a penalty in the first half when Andy Wilkinson blocked Posolski's shot with his arm. He was falling to the ground at the time and it can't have been easy for the referee to spot. When things aren't going your way you seldom get those breaks in a game.

This time last season Arsenal had only one point and they hadn't scored any goals either. It's slightly better this time with one point more, but next weeks game is a tough task for the team. Liverpool won't sit back like both Sunderland and Stoke did, but they will put the Arsenal defence under a lot more pressure too.

It's a game Arsenal can go there and take all three points from, but they will have to find their ruthless streak to do so. Liverpool played quite well against City yesterday, but they showed some frailties too. A win in that game could be just the confidence boost the team need to kick start their season.

Between now and then there's the small matter of the transfer window closing. Wenger has said he might still bring in some players, but he will only bring in special players. A couple of real quality additions to the squad would also be a huge boost for the club.

There might be a few players leaving too, and not before their time. Hopefully Nicklas Bendtner, Andrey Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh and Park Ju Young can find a new home to display their varying levels of skill. It would seem none of them have anything much left to offer Arsenal, and a new challenge would suit them and the club.

As always the last days of the window will be awash with rumours, and promise to be very interesting. Last season Arsenal went mad as the window closed and signed five players. The biggest success of those players was Mikael Arteta, but Per Merresacjer, Andre Santos and Yossi Benayoun were not bad deals either. Let's hope another gem or two like Arteta can be found this week.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Everton Previewed.

Arsenal take on Everton at home this afternoon in the 15th Premier League game of the season. So far they have won eight, drawn two, and lost four of their games which isn't overly impressive on the face of it. However, they have recovered from an awful start to the season to win six and draw one of their last seven games.

Today's game is more than just a game for Arsenal though, as it will also make the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the club. The club have various activities planned for the hours building up to kick-off, and they have advised fans to arrive early at the ground. Those activities got underway yesterday with the unveiling of statues of three Arsenal legends outside the stadium.

It should be a great day for those Arsenal fans lucky enough to be there, and thankfully I will be among them. I'm traveling over to London before daybreak today along with a few fellow Irish Gooners, and we are looking forward to a great trip. All the celebrations will count for nothing though, if Arsenal don't get the result they need.

Arsene Wenger played a second string side away to Olympiacos on Wednesday night with the exception of both Thomas Vermaelen and Andre Santos. Arsenal had already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, and had won their group with a game to spare so he was able to rest most of the first team. His slight risk to play those two players has backfired though, as Santos picked up an ankle injury and will be out for a while.

It means that Arsenal have no recognised full backs available to them, and today's defence will consist of four central defenders. His options are very limited, but I ma sure Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker will all start. The way I see it he has to decide whether to play Johan Djourou at right back or Ignasi Miquel at left back, and the other three will fit in around whichever one of those plays.

Thankfully Wojciech Szczesny will return in goal after the nightmare performances of both Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone on Tuesday night. Fabianski went off injured and Mannone had to soldier on when he picked up a knock, but neither of them will be available to warm the bench today. That means Arsenal fans will be treated to the familiar sight of Manuel Almunia in the squad, and I'm sure they will all be hoping Szczesny doesn't pick up an injury.

The three midfielders and the three attacking players pick themselves at the moment, and the should be the same six that played against Wigan last Saturday. Yossi Benayoun, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin and Francis Coquelin are all playing well enough to deserve a chance, but they will have to be patient for the moment. It's good to see that Arsenal have some options in the team though.

Robin Van Persie has scored 14 of Arsenal's 30 Premier League goals so far, and it's a great achievement for him and the team too. Both Theo Walcott and Gervinho have helped out with plenty of assists, and RVP has quite a few assists to his name too.

When Arsenal are called a one man team it has to be remembered that the rest of the Arsenal team has scored only one league goal less than the whole Liverpool between them.  Since their early season woes they have become a lot more lethal in front of goal, and the other goals are being shared among the team.

The return of Vermaelen has been a great boost for Arsenal, as he has scored three goals already in his six Premier League starts this season. In his Premier League career for Arsenal so far he has managed 10 goals in 45 starts, and many strikers would be proud of those statistics. His ability to bring the ball out from defence and score goals too are a real bonus for the team.

As well as his attacking abilities he has also strengthened the defence since his return, and it's blatantly obvious how much he was missed last season. If he can stay injury free I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up with double figures in goals in all competitions this season.

I'm hoping the occasion doesn't get to the Arsenal players and they can settle down and play their own game. If they can impose themselves on Everton I think the goals will follow, and Everton are finding it hard to score themselves this season. Their whole team has only managed one more goal than RVP in the 13  Premier League games they have played so far this season.

Their defence has been good over the last few seasons, but they have only managed two clean sheets so far this season. With Arsenal's defence conceding so many goals at the start of the season it's easy to forget that only Swansea and Manchester City have a better defensive home record than Arsenal. They have only conceded five goals in seven games, and it's a record to be proud of.

The only teams who have scored more home goals than Arsenal are the four teams above them, and all the statistics point to an Arsenal win. It could take a while to break Everton down, but I think the goals will come eventually. Ideally I would hope for Arsenal to come out with all guns blazing and blow Everton away, bt they tend to start off gradually and grow into games this season.

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and it's hard to predict RVP not adding to his goals tally too. I'll be hoping to be out of my seat cheering those Arsenal goals, and celebrating with a few drinks after the game too.
The club have issued a special programme to commemorate the big occasion today, and I've been asked to buy six of them for some Arsenal supporting friends of mine here in Dublin. I'm sure it will be well worth the money with loads of interesting facts about the last 125 years.

That's it for today, but spare a thought for those of us who had to get up at 3.30a.m. this morning to catch a bus to the airport. It's not easy supporting Arsenal from afar, but I wouldn't change it for anything. However, if I ever win the lottery I will be buying an apartment in the Highbury complex.
 
It's not too late to join the over 1,000 other teams in my fantasy league, and there are prizes for the top three teams at the end of the season. Just go to the site and use the code 125540-42785 to join my league when your team is set up.

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

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

See You Tomorrow

Arsenal's Second String Lose 3-1 To Olympiacos

Arsenal made the trip to Olympiacos last night with a squad which only contained two of the players who started the 4-0 defeat of Wigan last Saturday. Those two players were Thomas Vermaelen and Andre Santos, but I didn't expect either of them to start the game. I was rather surprised to see their names on the team sheet, but I suppose Arsene Wenger wanted to make his defence as strong s possible.

The rest of the team was more or less as expected, and Andrey Arshavin got his chance to play in his favoured role just behind the main striker. It meant Arsenal were playing a mixture of youth and fringe players against a team that needed to win to have any chance of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League. Arsenal were in the enviable position of having won the group already, and the game was rather meaningless to them.

In an ideal world I'm sure Wenger would have preferred to have stayed at home and trained with the rest of the first team squad. Those players should be very well rested for next Saturday's Premier League home game against Everton. The most important thing on the night for Arsenal was to keep Vermaelen and Santos free of injury for the weekend.

Olympiacos knew they had to win to have any chance of making it through to the last 16, and they played like a team that wanted desperately to qualify. As long as Marseille didn't win away to Borussia Dortmund they would finish second in the group if they could take all three points.

Arsenal started off quite well and Marouane Chamakh played Arshavin in early on, but his effort was blocked by the keeper. Olympiacos were working very hard to close Arsenal down, and Arsenal found it hard to find time and space on the ball.  They looked far from secure at the back, but they also looked capable of making more chances themselves.

After only 16 minutes the first goal arrived, and it came from Olympiacos. Arshavin lost the ball as Arsenal broke forward, and it got played in behind the Arsenal defence via two deflections. Lukasz Fabianski advanced from his goal line, but he was easily rounded by Rafik Djebbour who slotted the ball into an empty net.
Arsenal
continued to look unstable at the back, and the old "flappy" Fabianski returned. He didn't last long though, as a collision with Vermaelen led to him being stretchered off and Vito Mannone coming on after 25 minutes. I hope the very vocal Mannone would give some solidity to the Arsenal defence, but it wasn't to be.

After 36 minutes David Fuster added to Olympiacos lead with a goal that was of true comic proportions. I have no doubt that their second goal will appear in a "what happened next" clip on
A Question of Sport" one day. It was hard to believe how Olympiacos managed to score the goal, but it will live with Mannone for quite a while I'm sure.

He advanced from the penalty area to head the ball clear as Olympiacos broke, and Fuster shot as he retreated into his area. Mannone obviously lost his bearings and decided to try to clear the ball with his feet despite being in his penalty area. He missed the ball and it bounced three times before rolling into an empty net.

Mannone was completely at fault for the goal, but he was helped by his defenders either. When he advanced to clear the ball one of them should have dropped back to cover the goal line just in case he was lobbed. Nobody did what every amateur central defender knows is a basic requirement when the goalkeeper leaves his penalty area.
 
It left Arsenal 2-0 down with halftime approaching, and Olympiacos looking highly likely to finish second in the group. There was some hope for Arsenal though, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was giving the left side of the Olympiacos defence a lot of trouble. Every time he got the ball he was shadowed by two or more players, but he still did all he could to inject some urgency into the Arsenal attack.
 
The second half started off with Olympiacos keeping up the pressure on Arsenal, and Arsenal looking highly unlikely to do anything to change the outcome. That changed after 57 minutes when Chamakh chested down a good ball into the box for Yossi Benayoun to volley home, and give Arsenal some hope. Olympiacos tried to get another goal to guarantee victory, but they gradually tired and I though Arsenal might just sneak a draw.
 
Arsenal continued to make mistakes at the back, but Olympiacos didn't take advantage of them, and they looked a little nervous. In the last minute they guaranteed the three points, and looked to have sealed a place in the last 16 too.
 
A free kick from the right was headed against the post by Olof Mellberg, and when the ball rebounded out Francois Modesto was on hand to put it into an empty net. Arsenal called for offside, but Benayoun among others had played at least three players onside, and the goal stood. The final whistle was quickly approaching, but the Greek fans soon stopped celebrating.
 
News came through from the other game in the group that Marseille had come back from 2-0 down to beat Dortmund 3-2 with two goals in the last five minutes. It put Marseille through to the last 16, and left Olympiacos to play in the Europa League knockout stages along with the other also-rans.
 
On the night Arsenal looked to suffer from their inexperience, and their inability to impose their own game on Olympiacos. I think a full strength Arsenal team would have had a lot of joy against a team that pressurised them so much, and would have scored plenty of goals on the break. The game was good experience for some of the younger players, as it was played in front of such a noisy and partisan crowd.
 
It's not often that younger players get an opportunity to play in the Champions League, and in such an intimidating venue too. I'm sure they will have learned something from the game, and hopefully it will stand to them in the future.
 
There were some negatives for Arsenal too, and the performances of their second and third choice goalkeepers weren't exactly inspiring. I can only hope that Wojciech Szczesny doesn't pick up an injury at any stage this season, because the thought of Fabianski or Mannone playing in the team fills me with dread. If neither of them were to play the next options Manuel Almunia, and tht doesn't bear thinking about in my opinion.
 
I was particularly unhappy with the performance of Arshavin who got the chance to show what he can do in his favoured role. He missed a great chance early on, and he did very little for the rest of the game. When he lost the ball he looked disinterested in regaining it, and his days at Arsenal look numbered to me.
 
I wouldn't be surprised to see him sold in January, as he looks like he has little interest in playing for the club any more. His career at Arsenal started off so well, but it's been a while now since he has made any real impact.
 
Chamakh had another night where very little went right for him, but at least he kept trying for the whole game. It can't be easy for him knowing he will always be second fiddle to Robin van Persie, but he needs to make a better impression when he does play. He did well in the build up to the goal, but he was far too slow to shoot when Emmanuel Frimpong played him in earlier in the game.
 
Squillaci looked out of his depth again, and he's another player who won't be around for too long I would imagine. He's the fifth choice central defender at the club at best, and the chances are he will see very little action as long as he stays at the club.
 
I wasn't happy with the risk Arsene Wenger took in playing both Vermaelen and Santos, and it looks like it may have backfired. Santos went off injured six minutes into the second half, and it looks like he might be out for a while. He is currently the only fit full back at the club, and if he is injured it means either Ignasi Miquel or Vermaelen will have to play at left back.
 
Hopefully he can recover quickly, and both Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs can return before too long too. When Bacary Sagna returns I think the defence will look an awful lot more stable, as he is the best right back in the Premier League and has been sorely missed.
 
Thankfully the Olympiacos game can now be forgotten about and consigned to the record books, as it had no significance on Arsenal's progress. The club can now concentrate on playing Everton on Saturday afternoon, and celebrating it's 125th anniversary. I'll be at the game along with a few fellow Irish Arsenal fans, and it promises to be a great day.
 
There will be more about that before the weekend from the club I'm sure, and I'll preview the game before my very early morning flight on Saturday.
That's it for today.

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

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

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

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

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

See you tomorrow.

The Karma Police Come Calling For "Manure" fans.

The club held their AGM yesterday and I managed to keep up with most of the highlights as I followed the Twitter posts from Le Grove. I'm sure there will be plenty of analysis of it on their blog today and it's well worth checking out. There were quite a few points of interest for us fans and I'll talk about a few of them here myself.
Firstly Arsene Wenger spoke about the reasons for our injury record and gave his own perspective on it. He said that overall our injuries are not much more than other teams but that we seem to have more long term injuries. He also said that we have a very competent and able medical staff who analyse and check every training method. The reasons for the amount of injuries, in his opinion, are bad luck. bad tackling or injuries picked up on international duty.
If they are indeed the only reasons for Arsenal's seemingly endless catalogue of injuries, then there is very little we can do but put up with them and get on with it. There is nothing we can do about our luck and there is absolutely the Premier League is going to do about the bad tackling that goes on in almost every game. I know in the last week that Arsenal were guilty of a few bad tackles themselves but in the overall scheme of things Arsenal are far more sinned against than they sin themselves.
That only leaves the injuries that are picked up on international duty and again I just can't see what can be done about them, short of refusing to let players play for their countries. It's a tactic that other teams have used successfully in the past but I can't see our manager stooping to the level of pretending that some of his players are injured to prevent them playing for their countries, in international friendlies in particular.
With those injuries in mind the boss spoke of the injury to Tomas Vermaelen and he said that it will be two or three weeks before we see him playing again. That was a story first run by Le Grove again as they mentioned on Tuesday that they had heard that he might not be back for the rest of this year. An achilles injury can be very troublesome as pointed out by Arseblog when Vermaelen first got injured and it would seem that he was absolutely spot on. The original diagnosis was that we would lose him for up to a week but at this stage he hasn't played a game for Arsenal since August 28th and it looks like we'll be lucky to see him play again before the end of November.
The boss also spoke about Ces Fabregas and he said that he can understand his attraction to the club where he grew up but he's confident that Arsenal will keep him for a few more years. He said that Cesc is a player who deeply loves the club and he wants to win something with the club. He said that Cesc is part of our potential to win but that he doesn't know how long for and I don't think that we can ask for too much more than that.
When you contrast the situation with Cesc to that of Wayne Rooney at "Manure" then you realise just how much Cesc does love Arsenal. Rooney has won it all with his club but he now wants to jump ship because they didn't win a trophy last season and he said he couldn't get the guarantees he wanted about future signings. No manager can assure his players of winning trophies but surely loyalty is a thing that works both ways and "Manure" have shown Rooney a lot more loyalty than he is prepared to show them.
I find it all very funny as I spent the summer listening to "Manure" fans telling me that Cesc was going to leave Arsenal as we couldn't match Barcelona financially or on footballing terms either. I argued that Cesc would only leave when the boss was prepared to let him leave, unless he handed in a transfer request and so it proved to be. There was one "Manure" fan in particular who ridiculed my opinion and I told him that only time would tell who was right. When the transfer window closed and Cesc was still an arsenal player, he would not admit he was wrong but instead he said that Cesc would leave next summer instead.
I hope he's happy now that "Manure's" star player is about to desert a sinking ship and the big question is whether they will reinvest the fee they get for him. With just over 18 months remaining on his contract that fee won't be as high as it might have been and the last time they sold their best player the manager ended up not seeing a penny of the  €90 million they received for Ronaldo. If that's the case it will only hasten their demise as they will have lost their star player for the second time in two years.
The boss also spoke of having money available for transfers if he so wishes in January but he also said that he has belief in his squad and he thinks they have the potential to win trophies. He said that he had the money available last summer too but that he was frustrated in his attempts to sign the players that he had set his sights on. If we can stay in the title race up until the new year, the right additions in January might just be what we need to push on and get the monkey, of not winning a trophy in six years, off our backs.
I forget to mention a couple of days ago that Vito Mannone had gone on loan to Hull City and he has now been followed to the Championship by Jay Emmanuel Thomas who has gone out on loan to QPR as far as I know. He's a player with a huge amount of potential and he has being banging in the goals for the reserves this season, as he has eight goals from five appearances. I hope things go well for him at QPR and he returns to Arsenal ready to challenge for a first team place.
Finally for today it appears that the only player that will be available again after injury for Sunday's trip to Man City will be Bakari Sagna and it means that there's a possibility that Emmanuel Eboue will be on the bench again. I think Eboue has done pretty well since he has being filling in for Sagna and he may will keep his place on Sunday. However, Sagna's defensive ability might just swing things in his favour. There is also a very slight possibility of Laurent Koscielny making the squad too but I think we are more likely to see him against Newcastle on Wednesday night.
For those of you who usually read my blog on Oleole, it's still there but I'm considering moving it to Blogger and I'll decide when I see what reaction I can fet on blogger. 
See You Tomorrow.