Arsenal's Trip To Dinamo Zagreb Previewed

The Champions League is back and Arsenal make the trip to Zahreb tonight to play Crotian champions Dinamo. In a group that also contains Bayern Munich and Olympiacos, Arsenal will be expected to qualify for the last 16 but winning the group won't be easy. To do so they will have to get the better of Bayern and that's no easy task.

Arsene Wenger should have more or less the same squad available as he had in the weekend victory over Stoke with the exception of Aaron Ramsey and Hector Belłerin who have been rested for the trip.  The need for rotation is pressing with a hard schedule ahead, but Dinamo cannot be taken lightly. There are very few easy games in the Champions League and both Manchester teams have already got their campaigns off to a bad start.

I would expect to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain come in as he has plenty to offer and there's every chance Olivier Giroud will play from the start too. I wouldn't be surprised if one of Mathieu Debuchey, Kieran Gibbs or Per Mertesacker was included also as all are capable of stepping straight into the team. There's the possibility of Mikel Arteta or Mathieu Flamini reacing Francis Coquelin, but it's not a decision I would be overly happy with if it did happen.

Whatever team is chosen from the start they will have to be up for the game in what promises to be an intimidating atmosphere. I would expect Dinamo to defend deep and try to hit Arsenal on the break as so many other teams attempt to do. Arsenal might need plenty of patience to try to break them down, but they certainly have the players to do so.

For me it's very important to get the Champions League off to a good start and three points would be the ideal one. If Arsenal can amass enough points to ensure qualification for the knockout stages before their final game that would be great as I can do without the final day nerves. In an ideal world Arsenal will win their group and get a relatively easier draw in the last 16, but it's been a long time since that last happened.

You never know what the draw will bring though and Arsnal were seen to have got a relatively easy last 16 opponent last season only to blow it in the home leg. That game was a lesson in treating your opponents with respect and making sure you are on your game in European games. Hopefully that lesson has been learned and Arsenal can grind out the win to get their campaign off to a good start.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Sell Alex Song To Barcelona

The news emerged yesterday that the sale of Alex Song from Arsenal to Barcelona had been finalised. He has joined Barcelona for a fee in the region of £15 million if the quoted figures are to be believed. His departure is hardly as high profile as that of Robin van Persie, but he was voted the second best player at the club by Arsenal fans last season.

I have never been overly impressed with Song, and I think he was over rated at times. I have no doubt that he will see this move as a huge boost for his career, but I can't see him making an impression at Barcelona. His style bordered on lethargic at times, and I was never impressed with his passing skills either.

He may have led the way with assists among Arsenal's midfielders last season, but that was only after the sale of Cesc Fabregas. Song was very fond of lofting the ball over opposition defences last season, and van Persie was on hand to finish off on quite a few occasions. Many times though he just aimlessly played those passes far too long, and they ended up harmless going out of play.

Song was meant to play the defensive role in the Arsenal midfield, but I felt he left the defence exposed far too often. Maybe his instructions were to get further forward, but I doubt it. He will have to work an awful lot harder if he is to be a success at his new club.

Arsenal have sold many players to Barcelona since Arsene Wenger became Arsenal manager, and very few of them have made the grade there. Cesc has fitted in nicely, but he grew up as part of the club and knows what is expected of him. Some might say Thierry Henry did well there, but there is no doubt that he played the best football of his career at Arsenal.

The list of players who failed to make a real impact when moving from Arsenal to Barcelona is a long one. Alex Hleb was probably the biggest flop of all, but Emmanuel Perit, Marc Overnars and Giovanni van Bronkhurst hardly covered themselves in glory either. I would be very surprised if Song is anything other than a failure at Barcelona.

I have read that Song had become disruptive at Arsenal, and he wanted to leave as soon as he knew Barcelona were interested. Arsenal can't afford to have players who aren't committed to the cause in their squad, and those who want to leave should be sold if the price is right. At least Song had the decency to keep his mouth shut before the move took place.

I suppose Song may have been searching for a new challenge, or maybe to live in a warmer climate. I can't help feeling that he will regret the decision to turn his back on the manager who made him the player he is today. I also can't help feeling he will be left searching for the remains of a once promising career in a year or two.

There is no doubt that the loss of van Persie was a blow to Arsenal, ad players of his quality are few and far between. The loss of Song is no such thing, and Arsenal should find it relative easy to replace him with a better player before too long. Whether they decide to replace him with a similar style of player or not is another question, and only Wenger knows the answer.

With the transfer window closing in only 10 days there isn't an awful lot of time to add to the squad available to Wenger. The three additions so far have been very welcome, but the players most fans wanted to see leave are still at the club. Arsenal have actually made a profit on their dealings so far this summer yet again, and it's something which has to be redressed.

There is no doubt that the return from injury of both Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere will strengthen the team. Sagna could be back by the time the Champions League groups kick off, but Wilshere will take longer. He will have to be eased slowly back into action, as he has suffered so many set backs in his recovery already.

It still looks highly likely that Nuri Sahin will arrive on loan from Real Madrid, and it's a move I hope to see happen. The team cannot depend on a midfield that contains Abu Diaby and Tomas Rosicky, as both of them are so injury prone. If both of them are out at the same time before Wilshere returns fully it will leave the manager with very few choices.

During my three trips to Arsenal last season the two most popular songs were probably in praise of both van Persie and Song. It looks like the choice of songs at the Emirates and on away trips will need a little bit of adjusting. I have no doubt new heroes will be found to sing about though.

Finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 600 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.

I'm also running my predictions league again, and it's open to anyone who wants to join too. It's an easy game to play with points awarded for predicting the outcomes of every Premier League game. To sign up just go to the site , http://predictor.talksport.co.uk/landing.htm and use the code FD047-YLG to join my league once you have registered.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland: An Opportunity Spurned

Arsenal played Sunderland yesterday afternoon in their first Premier League fixture of the new season. After the high profile departure of Robin van Persie it was an opportunity for the Arsenal players to show how good they can be without their former captain. Sunderland were always going to try to make things difficult for Arsenal, and it was up to Arsenal to open the game up.

I managed to find a pub on my holidays in Spain which was showing the game live, and I settled back with a few pints of Peroni to watch yet another new Arsenal era unfold. The other screens in the pub were showing West Ham against Aston Villa, and a botoxed looking Jeff Stelling on Sky Sports News.

Sunderland showed some adventure in the first 20 minutes, but their game plan soon became apparent. They were perfectly happy to settle for a 0-0 draw, and it was up to Arsenal to dictate the pace of the game. It was a hot afternoon in north London, and I hoped for Arsenal to stretch Sunderland and tire them out.

Fans of many different Premier League teams gathered in the pub to watch the afternoons proceedings, and there was even a Sunderland fan among them. He was wearing their away shirt with a number 40 and "Wozza" on the back, but he was in the minority. As the games progressed there were some fascinating scorelines emerging, but I was only interested in the Arsenal game.

I was impressed with the first half performances of Santi Carzola and Per Mertesacker in particular, but Arsenal needed to pick up the pace in the second half. Arsene Wenger chose to leave Oliver Giroud on the bench, as he played Lukas Podolski in the central striker's role. It meant there was a starting role for Gervinho, and he looked like he might be the Arsenal player to unlock the Sunderland defence.

There were a couple of half chances for Sunderland in the first 20 minutes, but Arsenal assumed complete control as the game wore on. When Giroud made his entrance in the second half I hoped he could get the opening goal which would probably have won the game for Arsenal.

He had a fantastic opportunity in the last 10 minutes when Carzola played him in, but unfortunately he put it wide. It was the ideal opportunity for Arsenal to show that they were still a force to be reckoned with after the departure of van Persie, but it wasn't to be. Better players have missed easier chances on numerous occasions, but I have no doubt the press focus will be on his miss.

There was no Alex Song in the Arsenal team, as it looks like he will be departing the club very soon. It meant Abu Diaby played in midfield, but he will have to do a lot more to convince me he is up to the task. Hopefully Arsenal can bring in Nuri Sahin on loan before Song leaves, as they will need his defensive abilities against better teams than Sunderland.

While a point from their first game is far from disastrous for Arsenal there is no doubt that three points were required on the day. The players were a little laboured in their approach at times, and the lack of proper pre season games showed in my opinion. Hopefully the coaching staff can get some good work in during the next week before they travel to Stoke.

Goals change games in football, and I have no doubt that an Arsenal goal at some stage yesterday would have opened the game up. Sunderland didn't have an awful lot to offer, but they stuck to their defensive duties very well. All too often last season Arsenal managed to win games like that through the brilliance of van Persie.

He is no more than a distant memory now of a player who could have been an Arsenal great. The team have to play more as a unit without him, and hope they can gel enough to get the results they need. There were some very encouraging signs against Sunderland, but only time will tell if they can do it.

There are still some very good players in the Arsenal team, and more to return from injury too. To write them off after a scoreless draw at home to Sunderland would be foolish, but I have no doubt the "so called" experts had them written off before the season started. It's up to the players and management to show they have what it takes to make a genuine challenge in the Premier League starting with next weeks daunting trip to Stoke's school of hard knocks.

I still have belief in the players, and I was encouraged by yesterday's game despite the result. There's a long way to go this season, and many twists and turns before the trophies are handed out. As long Arsenal stick to their principles they have a real chance of landing a trophy.

Finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.

I'm also running my predictions league again, and it's open to anyone who wants to join too. It's an easy game to play with points awarded for predicting the outcomes of every Premier League game. To sign up just go to the site , http://predictor.talksport.co.uk/landing.htm and use the code FD047-YLG to join my league once you have registered.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Sunderland Previewed

Arsenal kick off the new Premier League season with a home game against Sunderland. They go into the game right after the departure of their captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United. It was a real blow for Arsenal to lose him, but he had made his position quite clear, and he had to be sold.

The captaincy will now be handed to Thomas Vermaelen, and hopefully he can prove worthy of the honour. The disrespect the previous holder of that honour showed to his position and the club is something I will not quickly forget. He can make all the arguments he wants to about winning trophies elsewhere, but his claims of being a true Gunner were just a pile of rubbish.

If he genuinely felt the club could not deliver the success he wanted he should have resigned the captaincy and handed in a transfer request. By not doing so he probably received a nice chunk of the transfer for himself, and that was obviously of utmost importance to him. He has joined a club could well deliver the trophies he apparently craves, but if his past injury record is anything to go by they might have to do so without him on a regular basis.

Thankfully Arsenal were proactive in the transfer market, and they signed three players before the transfer of van Persie was announced. Lukasz Podolski, Oliver Giroud and Santi Carzola all have plenty to offer the team, and will more than make up his loss.

For me van Persie is just another ex Arsenal player now, and his exploits at the club are already a distant memory. Arsenal have lost better players in the past and survived, and they will in the future too I'm sure. I hope they have a large stock of horse placenta in the medical room at Old Trafford.

I did hear it suggested that van Persie had a change of heart when he saw the players Arsenal had signed. He supposedly approached Wenger and told him so, but the boss said he was no longer part of his plans and promptly sold him. I don't know if there is any truth in it, but I absolutely love the thought that there might be.

It's not easy to keep up with the build up to a new season from a beach in Spain, but such is my lot at the moment. On the occasions I manage to find some working Wi Fi I try to catch up, as the price of data on my phone plan is absolutely absurd while out of Ireland. As a result I have myself a little out of the loop with events surrounding Alex Song.

The last I heard he had three years left on his contract, and there was no need for Arsenal to consider selling him despite interest from Barcelona. Now it appears his departure is imminent after rumours of a training ground bust up with Arsene Wenger. A lot of Arsenal fans I know have never been over impressed with Song, but he needs to be replaced by a better player if he is allowed to leave.

His departure would see Arsenal breaking even in the transfer market this summer, and it must leave quite a bit of money available for new players. If Nuri Sahin can be tempted on loan from Real Madrid I think he might well make the team stronger.

It certainly promises to be an interesting start to the new season with so many players making their official Arsenal debuts, and more possible transfer activity. The most important thing for me is that the team is ready to hit the ground running this season, and not in the mess it was at this time last year. The performances against Sunderland this week and Stoke next week will hopefully show that the team is properly prepared.

There are a couple of first team certainties still injured, and the returns of Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere will be very welcome when they happen. For the moment the team must cope without them, as well as integrating the new boys. The midweek international friendliest didn't make Wenger's task any easier, but little can be done to counter the stupidity of those in charge of football.

The team nearly picks itself in my opinion, but Wenger has a few interesting choices to make. With Vermaelen as captain it's a matter of whether he picks Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker to play alongside him. I would opt for Koscielny, but he may have a slight knock and the choice is not mine.

At left back it's a straight fight between Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos, and both players will think they should be first choice. I think Gibbs offers a little more defensive stability, and that could just get him the nod.

I hope to see Carzola in an attacking midfield role, but he is the most likely to be fatigued from midweek international travel. Mikael Arteta should be in midfield too, and so should Song if all is well between him and the club. His omission would be a sign that his future lies in the graveyard of so many former Arsenal players at Barcelona.

Both Podolski and Giroud must be certain to start with Theo Walcott making up the other player in the from three. Where is future lies is still uncertain too, but I doubt if he will beefy out.

The bench should have some good options on it too, and hopefully their presence will help to I spire those on the pitch. Sometimes the best inspiration for a player can be the thought of losing his place.

Sunderland have picked up Louis Saha, and he could well feature against Arsenal at some stage. They haven't really gotten any stronger since last season, but Martin O'Neill's teams are never easy to beat. They will work very hard without the ball, and make life as difficult as possible for the Arsenal players.

It's set to be a very hot day in London if the weather forecasters are to believed, and that could make things difficult for Sunderland. If Arsenal can pass the ball around with real pace and purpose I expect Sunderland to tire in the second half. Hopefully it will open the way for Arsenal to bang in a few goals, and get their season off to an ideal start.

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and I have a feeling Podolski will score at least one of the goals. After the game there's a week before Arsenal play again, and the new players are introduced to football as seen through the eyes of Stoke City RFC. It will be a real challenge for the team, but a good result against Sunderland should hopefully set them up to meet that challenge head on.

Finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.

I'm also running my predictions league again, and it's open to anyone who wants to join too. It's an easy game to play with points awarded for predicting the outcomes of every Premier League game. To sign up just go to the site , http://predictor.talksport.co.uk/landing.htm and use the code FD047-YLG to join my league once you have registered.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Play Cologne in Last Pre Season Game

Arsenal play their last pre season game against Cologne today in a game which was part of the deal which brought Lukasz Podolski to the club. The game should see the first appearances in an Arsenal shirt for Podolski, Olover Giroud and Santi Carzola. After the proposed game in Nigeria last week was cancelled this will be Arsenal's first game in two weeks.

It's hardly ideal preparation for the new season, as those three new signings will obvious take some time to adjust to playing with their new team mates. They're all very good players though, and I'm sure they will manage to settle in pretty quickly.

With the first Premier League game of the season only six days away I wonder if Arsene Wenger will start with what he sees as his first choice team. There are a few decisions for him to make if that is what he chooses to do, but most of the first choice team picks itself in my opinion. The absence of a couple of first choice players will obviously give a chance for others to stake their claim and possibly shine.

Carl Jenkinson should get the chance to show what he can do at right back, as Bacary Sagna continues his recovery process from his broken leg towards the end of last season. Jenkinson is still a little raw, but he looks like he really wants to play for the team and continue to learn as he does so. Sagna is the best right back in the Premier League, and Jenkinson couldn't ask for a better model to learn his game from.

Despite the continued rumours linking Alex Song with a move to Barcelona I expect him to anchor the midfield trio. I have no idea whether Arsenal will even consider letting Song go, but surely it wouldn't be a good idea with the season just about to start. Song has become an important part of the team, and they can do without the turmoil of losing another player to Barcelona.

I think Mikael Arteta and new boy Carzola will make up the rest of the midfield trio. That should see Carzola playing in the most attacking role of the three, and he has a lot to offer in that position. Those three players will make up a very strong midfield combination which augers well for the new season.

With both Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky to return from injury Wenger will have a lot of midfield options. He also has Abu Diaby, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong to call upon if needed.

Some of his tougher choices might be in the defence where he has to pick a left back, as well as a central defensive partnership. It won't be easy to choose between Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos at left back, but they both have their strengths and weaknesses too. I'm not too sure that either of them have their defensive duties perfected, but they can certainly do a lot of damage to the opposition going forward.

In the centre of the defence the perceived wisdom is that Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny will get the nod, but Per Mertesacker must also have a claim to be included. It's a good thing that Wenger has some options available to him with Johan Djourou, Kyle Bartley and Ignasi Miquel all waiting in the background too. No matter which players are chose it's vital that the players play and defend as a unit.

The real big decision for Wenger could be who he chooses to lead the attack. Robin van Persie was the top scorer in the Premier League last season, but his current situation at the club is far from ideal. His choice not to renew his contract is old news now, and becoming more than a little boring too.

I'm sure the vast majority of Arsenal fans would prefer to see him move immediately, but transfer negotiations are never easy. Where he ends up is anybody's guess, but Manchester United seem to think they are favourites to land him. It would sicken me to see him in a United shirt, but as a fan there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm not too sure what the club can do about it either, as the club who offers the highest fee are the most likely team to sign him. It will hurt to see him in the colours of another team, but such is the lot of a fan. I just hope his injury problems return to haunt him and his new club when he does leave.

I have a sneaking suspicion new boy Giroud will play from the start in a central role. He looks to be a well rounded player with good skill on the ball, as well as a good target man and header of the ball if needed. His inclusion in the team will certainly give options to the players around him in the team.

The two wide roles in the team have an awful lot of players competing to play in them. Podolski will more than likely play on the left against his former team, but Andrey Arshavin, Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all want a chance to impress too. Chamberlain could play a central role too, and he is bound to see a lot more action this season in either role.

The situation with Walcott is far from ideal too, as he has yet to agree a new contract with less than a year to go. Surely he can't be allowed to remain at the club past transfer deadline day if he still hasn't made a decision on what he wants to do. I am sure that negotiations must be frantically going on in the background despite the outer appearance of calmness.

Hopefully Gervinho will have some more end product this season, as he certainly has the ability to be a very good player. Arshavin could also be on his way out, but if he stays he is still a very good player too. I would like to see Chamberlain play from the start, and stake his claim for a starting role in the team.

At this stage a couple of seasons ago Arsenal played a very entertaining game with Legia Warsaw which ended in a 6-5 victory. It was a lesson in how not to defend, and hopefully Steve Bould's influence on the defensive training will help to make the defence much tighter.

I expect to see a strong Arsenal side, but I would also expect to see all of the players get a chance at some stage. I won't be happy to see RVP with the captain's armband if he does get to wear it, and I can't imagine the reaction if he scores.

It's not easy for a club to lose their best player, but Arsenal fans have got used to it. Wenger has gone out and bought players to really improve the team and the squad, and managed to do it before van Persie leaves too. I don't imagine that deadline day will be quite so hectic for Arsenal this season thankfully.

They may not have finished all of their acquisitions for the summer, but they have done very well so far. The next step of course is to get rid of a few of the players who are surplus to requirements, and hopefully that can happen over the next couple of weeks. There's no need to list the players who are in need of a fresh challenge, but the club could do with cutting the wage bill by selling them.

I'll be watching today's game with real interest, as it's the one and only proper pre season game in my opinion. The tour of Asia was short of a lot of the best players, and the games were really only exercises in fitness. Hopefully a good performance will get the players and fans in the right mood for the new season.

Finally for today don't forget to join my Fantasy Premier league for the new season with prizes for the top three teams. To join up just go to the site and use the code 17031-6252 to join my league when your team is set up. If you were in my league last season you should automatically be given a choice to rejoin it once your team is set up. There are over 400 teams in my league at the moment, and I'm hoping to match last season's total of over 1,000 teams.

I'm also running my predictions league again, and it's open to anyone who wants to join too. It's an easy game to play with points awarded for predicting the outcomes of every Premier League game. To sign up just go to the site , http://predictor.talksport.co.uk/landing.htm and use the code FD047-YLG to join my league once you have registered.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Regain The Mastery Of Their Own Fate

It has been an up and down season for so many teams in the Premier League this season. Arsenal have had their own fair share of highs and lows, but Saturday's draw at home to Norwich seemed to be an almost fatal blow for them. They had to hope a struggling Aston Villa team would take something off Spurs on Sunday, and they managed to get a 1-1 draw.

With Newcastle losing at home to Manchester City it means Arsenal are in third place with only one game left to play. The simple fact is Arsenal will finish third if they can win away to West Brom next Sunday, and a draw will more than likely see them finish fourth at worst. Having seen the highlights of West Bron's draw away to Bolton yesterday I have no doubt that Arsenal will have their work cut out in that game.

West Brom have been better away from home this season, but they are not an easy team to beat. They may have nothing to play for at this stage in the season, but Norwich showed how dangerous a team in that position can be. It will take a much better defensive performance in particular for Arsenal to get the win they need.

Next Sunday afternoon at 3 pm Arsenal will get the chance to do what they have been unable to do in their last four Premier League games. With the finishing post in sight Arsenal have faltered very badly, but this weekend they have been greatly helped by the performances of those teams fighting for third place with them. As it stands there are still four teams who can finish third, and Arsenal are ahead of the other three.

Chelsea travel to Liverpool tomorrow night needing a win to keep their slight chances of a top three or four place alive. If they win that game they will be three points behind Arsenal with a home game against Blackburn next Sunday to come. I have no doubt that they will beat Blackburn which would mean an Arsenal loss to West Brom would drop them below Chelsea in that scenario.

However, a point at West Brom will guarantee fourth place for Arsenal, as Chelsea will not be able to catch them and neither will Newcastle unless they beat Everton by 17 goals. It would leave Spurs as the only team that can finish above Arsenal besides the top two teams that have run away with the title challenge. It would also leave Arsenal fans hoping for a Bayern Munich win over Chelsea in the Champions League final on May 19.

It seems incredible that Arsenal have allowed their season to develop in this way, as they had so many chances to take the points they needed at home. They played three of their last four games at home, and a win in any of those games would have Arsenal almost over the finishing line. Each of  those games should really have been won, but now it's their away form that will come under scrutiny.

Arsenal started the season really badly, and took only one point from their first four away games. Since then they have done quite well on their travels with 27 points from 14 games, and not too many teams can better that. In most of those games they had Mikael Arteta in their team, and his absence has been a real problem for them in recent weeks.

He went off injured after only eight minutes of the defeat at home to Wigan, and Arsenal have looked very unsteady in midfield since then. With Jack Wilshere and Abu Diaby both missing virtually the whole season injured it has left the club with very limited options in midfield. Both Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song had very bad games on Saturday, but they will probably have to play against West Brom.

The only other options besides both of them are Frances Coquelin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who are both young and relatively inexperienced. It would be a huge risk to throw either of them in at the deep end, and I cannot see Arsene Wenger taking that risk.

With Bacary Sagna having broken his leg on Saturday there is every chance that Coquelin will be needed in defence anyway. I suspect Carl Jenkinson will play at right back instead of Sagna, but Coquelin didn't do so badly there on Saturday when he replaced Sagna.

When I watched the game on Saturday I thought Kieran Gibbs had a bad game in defence, but when I watched it again I realised others had left him badly exposed at times. Thomas Vermaelen is  fantastic player, but some of his performances in the last couple of months have been very poor defensively. He needs to concentrate on his defending this Sunday, as a win for Arsenal will have to be built on defensive strength.

The first priority for any defender is his defending, but against Norwich Arsenal simply didn't do that. When they were 1-0 and 3-2 up they were still somehow outnumbered at the back at times by Norwich. The players need to be aware of their defensive responsibilities, and stick to them unless circumstances and the manager decide otherwise.

I can't say I am overly confident of the team getting the result they need, but I will be cheering them on with my heart and soul as always. I would dearly love to see them score early and build on that lead, but that has been far from the Arsenal way this season. I have no doubt there will be twists and turns as the games progress on Sunday afternoon, and I can only hope when the final whistle sounds Arsenal are looking forward to Champions League football next season.

Finally for today Arsenal have unveiled their new home shirt for next season, and I have to say I really don't care for it. I don't like the black(or is it navy stripe), and I can at least see it saving me €60 because I won't be buying it. That may change with time s it usually does, but I sincerely doubt it.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Blow It In Typical Style Against Norwich

Arsenal went into yesterday's game at home to Norwich City with their fate in their own hands. All they had to do was beat Norwich and then beat West Brom next week to finish third in the Premier League. It was a very simple scenario, but Arsenal rarely do things the simple way.

Arsene Wenger picked the same team that drew 1-1 away to Stoke last week, and it was a team with enough ability to get the job done. Unfortunately it would seem that yet again the Arsenal players felt the game was a foregone conclusion. The very same thing happened away to QPR and at home to Wigan when both of those games were lost.

The game couldn't have started better for Arsenal with Yossi Benayoun putting them 1-0 up after little more than a minute. He was found by a Tomas Rosicky pass just outside the box, and he curled home a lovely goal as the defenders backed off. It was the perfect start for Arsenal, but it soon became apparent they wouldn't have things all their own way.

Norwich showed the attitude and desire that the Arsenal players seemed to be missing and dominated the game. Arsenal were unable to shake off their lethargy, and Norwich took advantage with goals from Wes Hoolohan and Grant Holt. The manner in which Arsenal conceded those goals was nothing short of a shambles at best.

Hoolahan got the first of those goals with a first time shot from 10 yards that seemed to go right through Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal. Szczesny had the type of game yesterday that has seen other Arsenal goalkeepers get a very hard time from the fans. His distribution and kicking was very poor at best, but he wasn't the only Arsenal player who played badly.

The second goal from Holt had a huge slice of fortune about it, as it deflected over Kieran Gibbs and into the net. The fact that Gibbs was the man trying to stop Holt is another matter, as Norwich took Arsenal apart on the break time after time. Too many Arsenal players were simply unwilling to do what was expected of them, or unable to do so.

Holt was a huge problem for the Arsenal defence all day, as his ability to make any long pass stick to him frustrated them. Thomas Vermaelen had another awful game, and if Sebastien Squillaci played like that the fans would have given him a tough time too. The defence weren't helped by a midfield which went missing for the first hour of the game with Alex Song and Aaron Ramsey also having very bad games.

To make matters worse for Arsenal Bacary Sagna went off after just over 30 minutes with his second broken leg of the season. He won't be making the trip to Euro 2012 with France, and it was a sad day for him. With no direct replacement on the bench for Sagna it was left to Francis Coquelin to come on and play at right back.

I'm not sure how Sagna managed to break his leg, as he tried to take down a pass. There were no Norwich players anywhere near him at the time, and I don't know if it actually happened in a previous challenge.

The second half started in the very same manner with Arsenal struggling to find any cohesion, and Norwich looking very dangerous on the break. They could and should have had a penalty, and maybe both Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny could have had their marching orders too. The Arsenal team were going nowhere, and Wenger had to change something.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Ramsey, and Marouane Chamakh came on for Benayoun to try to change things around. Their impact seemed to change the pace of the Arsenal play, and Norwich started to tire a little too. All of a sudden Arsenal looked capable of getting the goals they needed, and the goals did come.

The equaliser was tucked home by Robin van Persie after a good ball over the defence from Song. Song had tried to play killer passes all through the game, and none of them were anywhere near their target until he made that goal. He may have made the goal, but the amount of possession he wasted by trying to play those passes too often was ridiculous.

The momentum was with Arsenal and the pushed forward looking for the all important third goal. With 10 minutes to go it was that man RVP who yet again got the goal after the ball deflected to him 10 yards out. The home fans were ecstatic, and the players only needed to be professional for the last 10 minutes.

It was obvious straight away that Arsenal were going to struggle, as Norwich set about them yet again. It was no surprise at all when the equaliser came for them with five minutes remaining. Steve Morison was played in behind the Arsenal defence, and he finished very well past Szczesny into the far corner.

The chance for Norwich came about after another poor pass from Song in midfield, and it left Arsenal with five minutes to save the game. RVP missed a great chance from six yards out with only the keeper to beat, and Song almost scored with a back-heeled attempt. Arsenal continued to pour forward, as the four added minutes counted down.

With very little time left the chance Arsenal wanted arrived when RVP closed in on a Chamberlain cross at the far post. It looked like he was certain to poke the ball home, but a push in the back from a Norwich defender saw him end up in the back of the net instead of the ball. It was an absolute stone wall penalty, but to be honest it should have been a free out first when a clearly offside Gervinho went for the ball.

At the final whistle the Arsenal players were clearly disappointed, but they had no one to blame other than themselves. The performances of a few of the players were absolutely awful, and some of those players need to take a long hard look at themselves in the mirror. The overall strength of the squad was shown up when players who have clearly being struggling recently had to be selected.

It looks like third place has been blown by Arsenal with Spurs in particular the most likely to take advantage. A win for them today away to struggling Aston Villa will see them having to win their final game at home to Fulhm to finish third, and there is nothing Arsenal can do about it. Even if Spurs don't win today there is every chance Arsenal will be just as bad against West Brom next week when they have to win again.

When the pressure was on the team far too many players were found wanting. It has to be asked whether there is a mindset at the club that is completely wrong. How can Arsenal fall apart in the run in yet again, as they have done for too many seasons in a row.

Where were the leaders on the pitch yesterday to take control of the team when they took a 3-2 lead with 10 minutes left. Where were the calm heads to settle others around them who were unsure of what to do. I don't think it's any surprise that Arsenal's collapse has coincided with the injury to Mikael Arteta.

He has been a huge influence in the team this season, but his purchase was hardly part of the long term plan for the club. Arsenal only looked to buy him with the summer transfer window a matter of hours away from closing, and it's probably just by chance that he has come to so influential. Maybe the Arsenal players are protected too much by the club, and when the going gets tough they are found wanting.

Arsenal might still finish third in the Premier League, but I doubt it. Even they do it will still not hide the problems the squad has, and they have to be addressed this summer. Besides players of real ability Arsenal need to bring in some players who have real mental strength, and can change the mindset of a team that crumble far too often in my opinion.

I'll be watching the games today in hope more than expectation that results go in Arsenal's favour. No matter what happens today Arsenal can still finish third, but after yesterday's game it's now out of their control. It's a scenario which never should have been allowed to happen, but it's a reality now.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Champions League Game With AC Milan Previewed

Arsenal face AC Milan tonight in the second leg of their last 16 Champions League clash. After their disastrous 4-0 defeat away to Milan three weeks ago the tie would seem to be a foregone conclusion. It has been described as mission impossible, and that's probably the most accurate assessment.

AC Milan are the current champions of Italy, and they are on top of their national league table yet again. They qualified in second place in their group behind Barcelona who are rightly considered to be the best team in the world. Teams of Milan's calibre simply do not give up four goal leads, and all Arsenal can realistically hope for is to rescue some pride and dignity after the first leg shambles.

Since that defeat Arsenal have also exited the FA Cup to Sunderland, and their season looked likely to fall apart and end in turmoil. The players have somehow found it within themselves to bounce back from those disappointments, and they have taken six points from their last two Premier League games. The manner of those victories was really impressive when you consider who the opposition were, and how the games panned out.

Just over a week ago Arsenal were 2-0 down at home to local rivals Spurs with only five minutes of the first half remaining, and lady luck had really deserted them. Spurs had got their goals through a lucky deflection and a dive for a penalty from Gareth Bale. It would have been all too easy for the Arsenal players to decide that this was going to be their day before rolling over and playing dead.

Instead the Arsenal players got stuck in and played some brilliant football to blow Spurs away. They emerged with a fantastic 5-2 victory to put themselves right back in the hunt for a top four finish, and maybe even catch third placed Spurs. It was a performance to warm the hearts of Arsenal fans, and bring some belief back to them as well as the players.

Their next challenge was a trip to Anfield to take on a Liverpool team who were unbeaten at home, and had won the Carling Cup the previous weekend. Arsenal were under the cosh for the entire first half, and Liverpool were clearly the better team on the day. However, Arsenal emerged with a 2-1 victory thanks to the heroics of their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, and the deadly finishing of Robin van Persie.

The team finally seems to have the belief and determination that they were so often found wanting for in the past. There is little or no chance of them progressing against Milan tonight, but I'm sure they will give their all in an attempt to rescue the tie. The biggest problem for Arsenal on the night could be their ever increasing injury list yet again.
The latest team news would suggest Mikael Arteta, Yossi Benayoun and Abu Diaby will all be unavailable, and Kieran Gibbs and Tomas Rosicky are major doubts for the game. It will mean Arsene Wenger has very few options available to him in midfield, and he will have to seriously consider his midfield options. He might just have to play Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in front of Alex Song and Rosicky if Rosicky is fit to play.

Hopefully Gibbs can play and the defence will be the same as it was on Saturday, but that is the same defence which crumbled away to Milan. If Gibbs is injured it would probably see the inclusion of Ignasi Miquel at either left-back or in a central role. Arsenal would have a tough job with a full strength team, but their injury problems only make things harder for them.

At least there are no worries over the attacking players, and Wenger says Robin van Persie will play from the start. I would imagine that he will be flanked by Theo Walcott and Gervinho, and Arsenal should hopefully have a genuine goal threat. Their chances of scoring a minimum of four goals are very limited though.

It's a double-edged sword for Arsenal because they could be very exposed if they throw everything at Milan. If they don't go for it from the start their chances of progressing are even less, but I honestly can't see them overturning a four goal deficit. I think a win on the night for Arsenal would at least be a morale booster, and hopefully their patched together team can achieve that.

I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal with just a little bit of pride restored for the players and fans alike. The most important thing in my opinion is for Arsenal to get through the game without any more injuries. Their next Premier League game is in six days time at home to Newcastle United.

By the time Arsenal play that game the teams around them will all have played, and they will know exactly what they have to do. As long as they keep winning games in the Premier League third place is a real possibility, and it has to be their goal rather than an almost impossible task against Milan. If Arsenal were to get a couple of early goals tonight anything is possible, but I won't be holding my breath waiting for a miracle.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Blackburn Rovers Previewed

Arsenal are on an awful run at the moment and they need to get some points on the board very quickly. They have taken only one point in their last four Premier League games, and that came on Wednesday night when they drew 0-0 away to Bolton. It was a match that could have gone either way, and Arsenal were a little unlucky to see Robin van Persie hit the woodwork twice.

The only consolation during that run for them has been their progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup. Realistically the FA Cup is Arsenal's best chance of a trophy this season despite the fact that they are also in the last 16 of the Champions League. In the next two weeks Arsenal will play in both of those competitions, as well as playing twice in the Premier League.

The first of those games is against Blackburn Rovers, and it's a game Arsenal quite simply have to win. Blackburn are in the relegation and they have only won once away from home so far this season in 11 Premier League games. They have managed to draw six of those games, and they have scored in every one of their away games too.

Blackburn lost at home to Newcastle on Wednesday night despite having 23 attempts at goal. They managed 12 attempts on target, and that included a missed penalty from David Dunn. They are more than capable of making chances, but thankfully Yakubu is suspended for them at the moment.

In the reverse fixture in September Arsenal lost 4-3 at Blackburn, and Yakubu got two of their goals. The other two goals were own goals from Alex Song and Laurent Koscielny, and it was an awful day for Arsenal. They had led 2-1 at half-time, but they were 4-2 down by the middle of the second half.

Arsenal did throw everything they had at Blackburn for the last 20 minutes, but they could only manage a goal from Marouane Chamakh. In that game Arsenal had 16 shots on target to Blackburn's five, but somehow they managed to lose the game. For a 20 minute spell in the second half Arsenal fell apart and lost all of their control on the pitch.

Things got a little better after that, as Arsenal put together a decent run and looked capable of taking a place in the top four. When the transfer dealings were over at the end of August I hoped Arsenal could manage a top four finish, as well as having a chance of winning the FA Cup. At the moment it seems that top four finish is disappearing very quickly despite the fact that they're only five points off fourth placed Chelsea.

It's very hard to stay positive about Arsenal at the moment, as they seemingly lurch from one crisis to another. Their defence is letting in far too many goals this season, but at the same time Arsenal are missing far too many excellent scoring chances. It's a combination which will hurt any team, and it is certainly hurting Arsenal at the moment.

The point against Bolton wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't have come after three successive defeats. The first two of those defeats were really bad from Arsenal's perspective, as they led both games and ended up losing to Fulham and Swansea. Wins in those games would have left Arsenal level with Chelsea and ahead of Liverpool and Newcastle, but they seventh in the league instead.

There's still plenty of time for them to turn things around and finish in the top four, but that turnaround has to start very soon. Chelsea aren't exactly setting the league alight either, but Liverpool seem to be improving thanks to their cup exploits. There are 15 games to go still, and enough points to be won for Arsenal to comfortably qualify for next season's Champions League.

There has been far too much talk from the players and management this season about how Arsenal are going to step up and perform at their best. I couldn't care less if I never heard another word from any of the Arsenal players this season, as long as they start doing the business on the pitch. It doesn't matter how good a game the players can talk if they can't back it up with performances.

Much has been made of the injury situation at Arsenal, and it has certainly affected the performances of the team at times over the last two months. It's great to see Bacary Sagna back in the team, and hopefully Kieran Gibbs will follow him very soon. Arsene Wenger has said he probably needs to give him a reserve outing before including him in the first team panel. 



Thomas Vermaelen hasn't done too badly at left back, but he's areal loss to the team when he isn't playing in the centre of defence. He is not only a very good defender in that role, but he also offers an awful lot going forward from the centre of defence. Neither Per Mertesacker or Koscielny get themselves involved in attacking as much as Vermaelen does, but Koscielny has tried to get involved recently.

Even when Gibbs is back the majority of Arsenal fans will feel it's only a matter of time before he gets injured again. He hasn't been around as long as Abu Diaby, but he seems to be just as injury prone. Hopefully he will put all of those problems behind him, and prove all the doubters wrong.

I expect Arsenal to open Blackburn up and make plenty of chances yet again. It would be magnificent if they could put away a decent percentage of those chances, and give Blackburn a little payback for that dreadful day in September. With Yakubu suspended and Christopher Samba out of favour Arsenal should be capable of winning well.

There is a chance Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may miss out on the game with a jarred knee, but hopefully he will be fit to play. He has looked Arsenal's most potent attacking force besides RVP over the last few weeks, and I'm sure the goals will start to flow for him soon. I'd love to see him paired with Gervinho on either side of RVP when the Ivorian returns from the African Cup of Nations.

Wenger has said there's a possibility he will rest RVP for this game, but I would be very surprised if he did. Arsenal don't play again until the trip to Sunderland next Saturday, and they need their star player and captain against Blackburn. There will be plenty of time for RVP to rest before things get really hectic next week.

If anybody is to be rested I think Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song look like they need a rest. That would probably mean Tomas Rosicky and Francis Coquelin get to play from the start, but there is always a possibility that Yossi Benayoun could play. I would be very surprised if Thierry Henry started, as he doesn't look particularly sharp despite his goal against Leeds in the FA Cup.


I'm predicting a win for Arsenal, and I think RVP will play from the start and get a couple of goals too. The Blackburn defence is weak, and if Arsenal take their chances they can run up a very good scare. I'm going for 4-1 to Arsenal, but I would settle for a 1-0 win as long as Arsenal get the three points.

Blackburn have only won four games in the league this season, and they have scored at least three goals in each of their wins. It seems they need to score a few to win a game, and they're more likely to concede a few against Arsenal.

In my preview of the Bolton game I wanted Arsenal to play with tempo and attitude, and they did that at times. They couldn't keep it up for the whole game though, and in the end Bolton nearly managed to sneak all three points. There can be no place for anything like that against Blackburn.

As long as Arsenal get the three points I'm not too concerned about how they play, as they simply need to get back to winning ways. Four of the teams above Arsenal are playing each other this weekend, and an Arsenal win will see them make up ground on at least two teams. It's too good an opportunity for Arsenal to turn down, and failure to take all three points will be nothing short of a disaster.

If they can take the three points it will help to boost the players' confidence, and help them to rediscover some good form. Despite the injuries and the players that were sold Arsenal still have a good enough team to finish in the top four. It's about time that they showed how good they can be.


That's it for today. 

It's not too late to join the over 1,000 other teams in my fantasy league. 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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See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Swansea City Previewed.

Arsenal lost their last league game away to Fulham after leading 1-0 at half time. It was a big defeat for the team because they would have moved into fourth place with a win. It would also have left them six points behind second placed Manchester United with almost half of the season to go.

Thankfully the players managed to regroup and beat Leeds in the FA Cup last Monday with a little bit of help from the returning Thierry Henry. It might not have been a great display from Arsenal on the night, but the win and the clean sheet were very important.

Their next task is a trip to Swansea City on Sunday afternoon and it's another game which will be far from easy for Arsenal. Swansea have performed very well since their promotion to the Premier League last summer and they are a very good team to watch. They have struggled away from home, but they have lost only one of their 10 home games so far.

That defeat came against reigning champions Manchester United and Swansea were a little unlucky on the day. They have only conceded four goals in those 10 home games and no team in the Premier League can better that record. They have shown that they can play attractive football at home without opening up too much to the opposition.

Arsenal started the season very poorly and they only took one point in their first four away games. Since then they have improved though and they have now won four out of 10 away games. In the process they have scored 20 goals and only league leaders Manchester City can better that.

However, Arsenal have conceded 22 goals away from home so far and no other team has conceded more on their travels than them. It's not exactly a record for them to be proud of, but it is slightly skewed by the 12 goals United and Blackburn put past them in two games when they were really struggling at the back. Since then Arsenal's defence has gelled a lot more and Fulham were the first team in 10 games to score more than one goal against them.

Arsenal have struggled in their last few games as their team has become far too imbalanced. The current injuries to all of their full-backs have meant they have had to play central defenders in those positions and it is affecting the way they play in my opinion. What's worse is that the players filling in for the full-backs are dropping like flies too.

Arsenal lost Francis Coquelin to a hamstring injury in that match against Leeds, but at least Johan Djourou will be available again after suspension. He's not the ideal candidate to play at right-back, but Arsenal's options are so limited that his return has to be welcomed. Ignasi Miquel will more than likely continue at left-back and he looks more than capable of playing there.

Miquel would probably have gone out on loan this month if he wasn't required to play as an emergency left-back. Coquelin is the only real cover for Alex Song in the squad with Emmanuel Frimpong loaned to Wolves, and it has to be hoped that he will return very soon. Both of them look like they are capable of having a very bright future at Arsenal, but it's still very early in their careers to know for sure.

The options in central defence are now quite limited too and Laurent Koscielny is sure to start, but Per Mertesacker is a doubt with illness. Both Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky missed that game because of illness, and Wenger has to make a decision on their condition before Sunday's game. That would leave Sebastien Squillaci as the only experienced defender available, and he is bound to start if Mertesacker doesn't.


In midfield I would imagine Song, Mikael Arteta and Aaron Ramsey will again play from the start. Those three players have been the first choice trio in Arsenal's midfield for most of the season now, and they will remain so until Jack Wilshere returns from injury next month. What happens then is anybody's guess, but it can't be bad for the team.

Robin van Persie will return from his break in Dubai to lead the attack, and hopefully add to his tally of 17 league goals so far this season. It's almost impossible to overestimate his contribution to the team this season, and hopefully the break will have done him some good. He had looked a little stale in his last few games, but hopefully Swansea will pay the price for him getting a chance to recharge his batteries.

I would be very surprised if Theo Walcott didn't play on the right side of the attack, and I think Andrey Arshavin will probably start on the left. Arshavin tried a lot harder than I have seen him try for a long time, and I think he will keep his place in the team as a result. That would mean Thierry Henry will be on the bench, but I would imagine he will play a part at some stage.

His return against Leeds is something Arsenal fans will remember for the rest of their lives, but he's probably still a little short on fitness to start. I can't wait to hear the traveling Arsenal fans singing his name, and to see their reaction when he does play. The traveling fans are always a credit to the club, and I have no doubt that they will be heard for the entire game yet again.  

I'm sure Swansea will approach the game as they always do, and look to play their own game right from the start. They are very good in possession, and they always look to play football the right way. They are actually quite similar to Arsenal in the way that they play, and it could be a good game for the purists.

Arsenal have being missing a lot of chances in recent games, but I'm hoping that the break for RVP will help to rectify that. To be honest Arsenal haven't played very well for an entire 90 minutes in a while now, but they will get the opportunity to do so against Swansea. I'm hoping the players can take that opportunity and put in a performance to show that they are right in there in the battle for fourth place.

The continued Premier League success for Spurs is becoming an annoyance for Arsenal fans, but the team has to be ready to pounce when Spurs falter. The vast majority of Arsenal fans are still sure that Spurs will falter, but they're not sure what the trigger for their demise will be. It's possible that the trial of their manager on charges of "tax evasion" will be the start of the downfall, or maybe his conviction on those charges will do it.

Spurs have four tough games in their next seven games, and they could be the real test for them. They have to travel to Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as playing at home to Manchester United. I don't believe they will be in the current lofy position by the time those games are finished in early March. 

I think the game with Swansea will be a very tight one, but Arsenal have that little bit of quality that will get them the three points. Whether that quality comes from RVP or off the bench is another matter, but I do believe they will win. I'm predicting a 1-0 win, but as long as it's a win I'm not too bothered how it happens or who scores the goals.

In other news Wenger has said Marouane Chamakh will not be sold in the January transfer window. His last year at Arsenal has been very disappointing, nd he's currently on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. He won't be back at the club until next month, and that would seem to curtail any chance of selling him.

Finally for today Arsenal's Premier League trip to Bolton Wanderers has been switched from Tuesday January 31st to Wednesday February 1st. It's to accommodate the Fa Cup fourth round tie with Aston Villa which has been switched to Sunday January 29th, and will be shown live on TV.


That's it for today.

Here's the highlights of Arsenal's Fa Cup win over Leeds and that Henry goal.

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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See you tomorrow.

Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United: The Return of the King

Arsenal faced Leeds United last night at home in the third round of the FA Cup, with a home tie against Aston Villa awaiting the winners in the next round. Arsenal couldn't have asked for a much better draw than a home game against a team from a lower league, and they were clear favourites to progress. The teams met at the same stage in this competition last season, and Arsenal needed a replay to dispatch Leeds on that occasion.

The biggest worry on the night for Arsenal was that a combination of injuries, suspension, and international duties had left 10 of their first team squad unavailable. The biggest problems were in defence with not a recognised full-back in sight for Arsene Wenger. Leeds had a few players of their own missing though, and Arsenal played a team which was more than capable of getting the job done.

Those injuries for Arsenal meant that Ignasi Miquel played at right-back, and Francis Coquelin played on the left. Unfortunately for Coquelin the full-back curse struck yet again, and he went off with what looked like a hamstring injury after 30 minutes. That meant Nico Yennaris got a chance to stake a place in the team for the last hour.

Wenger played the strongest possible midfield available to him, and Marouane Chamakh played at centre-forward after he delayed his trip to the African Cup of Nations. He was flanked by Andrey Arshavin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Arsenal went in search of the goals to win the tie. The really big team news for the night was of course the inclusion of the returning Thierry Henry as a substitute for Arsenal.

Henry has returned to the club he loves for the next six weeks to try to do whatever he can to help them. He may not have the pace he had when he left Arsenal almost five years ago, but he still has a lot to offer the team in my opinion. Besides his obvious talent I am sure he can also pass on some of his expertise to players like Chamberlain and Theo Walcott.

With Chamakh leading the line Arsenal rested Robin van Persie, and the player took a chance to have a break in Dubai. Arsenal have been called a one-man team at times this season, as the goals of RVP have inspired the majority of their victories. Chamakh had a chance to show that he can play a part, or failing that there was always Henry on the bench.

Arsenal had the best of the early proceedings, but despite their best attempts they failed to take any of their chances. The best of those chances seemed to fall to Arshavin, but he certainly hadn't got his shooting boots on. He did work very hard for the entire game though, and if he continues to work that hard the fans will have no problem with him.

The pace dropped as the first half progressed, and the game became a bit of a stalemate. Leeds had set their stall out to defend, and Arsenal were having trouble breaking them down. It was 0-0 at half-time and neither team had actually managed a shot on target in that first half. Try as he might Chamakh looked to have all the confidence of a player who knows his days at Arsenal are numbered.

Arsenal started brightly in the second half, but still the goals would not come for them. At least they were making the Leeds keeper work harder this time, as they managed to get a few good efforts on target. The crowd were growing a little restless though, as they knew the introduction of Henry could not be far away.

At the mid-point in the second half Arsenal introduced Henry and Walcott for Chamakh and Chamberlain, and the reception for the Frenchman was magnificent. I have to Admit that it brought a tear to my eye to see him running out in his beloved red and white again. The stage was set for him to steal all the headlines, and all he needed was one chance to do so.

Only 10 minutes after coming on Henry managed to lose his marker in the penalty area, and latch on to an excellent pass from Alex Song. He was through on the left hand side of the goal with only the keeper to beat, and it's the position from where he scored so many goals for Arsenal in the past. He looked up and calmly stroked the ball into the far corner, as if he had never left the club.

Henry celebrated with the fans, the manager, and the other Arsenal players too. Afterwards he said that it was his "first goal as an Arsenal fan", and hopefully it won't be his last one over the next few weeks.

Leeds came into the game a little more after that and they had a couple of decent half chances, but Arsenal emerged victorious. The script could not have been written any better for Arsenal fans, as their returning hero scored the goal to see them through. He will play a bigger part in the weeks to come I am sure, but last night was all about his glorious return.

There were plenty of problems there for all to see in the Arsenal performance, but I'll deal with them on another day. The man of the match award went to Henry which was a little unfair to Aaron Ramsey who had a fine game in my opinion.

The team needs some new blood to boost it, and hopefully Henry won't be the only player to arrive during the current transfer window. Some of Arsenal's injured players will be returning over the next few weeks, and hopefully their returns will be a boost to the team too.

Last night was all about Thierry Henry, and after his goal I'm sure the sale on number 12 shirts will be boosted greatly. It's the number he wanted when he first arrived at the club, and it's his for the next six weeks now. Hopefully during those six weeks he can relive a few more of his former glories, and help Arsenal towards some glory this season too.


That's it for today.

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

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.

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.

Arsenal Denied All Three Points By Wolves

Arsenal went into yesterday's home game with Wolves knowing that a win would put them into the top four for the first time this season. Wolves had lost their last six away games, and were sitting just one place above the relegation zone. Both Chelsea and Liverpool had dropped points at home to lowly opposition the previous day, and it opened the way for Arsenal to take advantage.

The team showed a few changes from the 2-1 win over Aston Villa. First of all Johan Djourou returned from injury to play at right back in place of Francis Coquelin, and Alex Song returned from suspension to replace Emmanuel Frimpong. Both Tomas Rosicky and Yossi Benayoun were included in the team too, as Aaron Ramsey was rested and Theo Walcott was ill. The lack of width was obvious yet again, as all four full backs were out injured.

Wolves started quite well, but Arsenal took the lead on the break after only eight minutes. Rosicky did well to break quickly forward, and he played a good pass to Benayoun who played Gervinho in on the keeper. For once Gervinho kept his head when faced with a one-on-one, and he worked the space to finish well.

Arsenal needed to build on that lead, but another goal didn't come quickly and there was a lull in the team's performance as half time approached. It's a problem that the team suffered from all too often last season, but they seemed to have eliminated it this season. Wolves took advantage and Steven Fletcher managed to score with a header after the ball fell to him six yards out.

I wasn't particularly happy with some of the defending that led to the goal, and neither Rosicky or Song covered themselves in glory. Rosicky was beaten all too easily on the edge of the box by Stephen Hunt, and Song played Fletcher onside as he strolled out. The lapses in concentration were worrying, and I'm sure Arsene Wenger will let them know before the next game against QPR on Saturday.

Arsenal came out looking for another goal in the second half, but they found Wayne Hennessey in inspired form in the Wolves goal. He made excellent saves from Robin van Persie, Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen as well as plenty of other saves too. Whenever Arsenal drop points at home to supposedly lesser teams it seems that their keepers are the man of the match.

The result felt even worse last night when Spurs won away to Norwich to open up a five point gap on Arsenal with a game in hand too. There's still a long way to go, but Arsenal cannot afford to drop points at home to teams when they have 17 attempts on target in a game. They need to keep the pressure on the teams above them, and that will be done by winning games that they dominate.

Wenger brought Ramsey, Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh on as the game progressed, but the goal the team needed just wouldn't come. It was a frustrating game for Arsenal players and fans alike, but it will be quickly forgotten if QPR can be dispatched on Saturday.

Wolves were reduced to ten men with 15 minutes left when Nenad Milijas was given a straight red card for a crude challenge on Mikael Arteta. He over-ran the ball and slid in as he chased it, with his leading foot connecting with Arteta. I'm not sure that there was any real intent in it, but he could have badly hurt Arteta. Wolves packed their defence as much as possible, and they were delighted with the result at the final whistle.

RVP will need a hat trick in that game against QPR to break the record he has come so close to, but in the greater scheme of things the record means nothing. The most important thing is for Arsenal to beat QPR and it doesn't matter who scores the goals.

Arsenal are struggling to score goals at home at the moment, and they need to start putting teams to the sword. They managed to beat Everton 1-0, but drew 1-1 at home to both Fulham and Wolves in games that really should have been won. They need to find their goalscoring touch at home very soon before it costs them too much.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See You Tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Fulham Previewed

Arsenal take on Fulham today in the Premier League's evening kick off. There are three teams on a great run at the moment in the Premier League, and Arsenal are one of those teams. Their run of five wins in a row might not be as impressive as the runs both Spurs and Machester City are on, but it's no less impressive in my opinion.

Arsenal's home form has been very good so far this season with five wins out of six games, and their only defeat came in their first home game when they went down to 10 men against Liverpool. Since then they have beaten Swansea, Bolton, Sunderland, Stoke and West Brom, and they have scored 12 goals in the process. Their much maligned defence only conceded two goals in those games too which is quite impressive.

They are playing against a team that have struggled away from home in the Premier League in recent seasons, and have failed to score in four of their six away games so far. They did manage one win on their travels, but that was against the bottom club Wigan Athletic. Fulham have rarely managed to get anything out of their trips to Arsenal in the past, and they will struggle to do so today too.

Arsenal beat Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night to win their Champions League group, and they can now rest some of their more regular players in their final group game away to Olympiacos on December 6th. Those players all played against Dortmund on Wednesday night and away to Norwich in the Premier League last Saturday too, and there is a suggestion that some of them will be rested for today's game. I think it's vital for Arsenal to win this game, and if it means they have to play the same strarting 11 again then so be it.

According to the latest team news there were no new injuries picked up on Wednesday night, and Laurent Koscielny was only withdrawn because of fatigue. The defence looked solid on Wednesday night and against Norwich last Saturday too, with the exception of Per Mertesacker's mistake for the Norwich goal. With so few defensive options available to Arsene Wenger because of injuries I think it's crucial that he keeps some consistency in his defence.


As long as Arsenal continue to approach their games in a professional manner they are good enough to keep winning for the next few games. The trip to Manchester City a week before Christmas will be a much tougher test, but that's for a different day. It is vital that Arsenal reach that game with as many points as possible though.

If Arsenal can make as many chances as they did against Norwich last week I think they will win easily, but I expect Fulham to be a lot tighter at the back. It could take a while for the first goal to arrive, but it's Fulham's reaction to going behind that will decide how many goals Arsenal score. That's assuming that Arsenal score first of course, but even if they don't score first I have faith in their ability to come from behind.

In their last two away games they managed to do so against Norwich and Chelsea, and this team are showing more determination and commitment than Arsenal have done for a few years. The last time Arsenal won six league games in a row was two seasons ago, and that run ended after six games. Arsenal have the capability to go into that game against City on the back of eight wins in a row, and if they do so they are bound to be in the top four.

It's hard to look beyond Robin Van Persie scoring for Arsenal today, but I think somebody else might jusy get a goal as well.It's bout time Theo Walcott got himself a goal, and surely Gervinho must put away one of the many chances that have being coming his way in recent games. I would also love to see Mikael Arteta get one of his free kicks just right, as it's a big part of his game.

Arsenal's two goals against Dortmund were from a cross and a corner, and both Walcott and Gervinho are capable of putting good balls in from wide areas. I know they didn't make the goals on Wednesday night, but it's one more worry for opposing teams if Arsenal are scoring from their crosses.
 

The form of Alex Song, Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikael Arteta has been excellent in recent weeks, as Arsenal have shown the strength and leadership which was missing too often in the past few seasons. So many players now seem able to step up and take responsibility, and it has to be a great thing for the team as a whole.

Vermaelen has taken to making fast breaks forward when Arsenal attack, and it's no surprise that he has a goal and an assist in Arsenal's last two home games. His goals were missed when he was out for most of last season, as well as his defensive capabilities of course.

With so much going for this Arsenal team I think they will win today's game 3-1, and RVP will continue his incredible scoring form.

Arsenal will know the results of four of the teams ahead of them before they play, and at least one of them will definitely have dropped points. If Newcastle lose against Manchester United, then Arsenal can go ahead of them as their relentless assault continues.


That's it for today.

 It's not too late to join the over 900 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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Here's a classic goal from Carlos Vela against Fulham a couple of years ago.

See You Tomorrow.

Arsenal Beat Borussia Dortmund To Win Their Champions League Group

Arsenal played the final home game in their Champions League group against Borussia Dortmund last night knowing that a win would qualify them for the knockout stages. If the result of the other game in the group between Marseille and Olympiacos went their way they could even have won the group too. As it turned out both Arsenal and Olympiacos won on the night, and Arsenal won the group with a game in hand.

It means that Arsenal will face a runner up from one of the other groups in the last 16, and they will play the second leg at home too. It won't be an easy task for Arsenal, but at least it gives them a good chance of making the quarter finals and earning some extra money too. I don't think the current Arsenal squad is good enough to win the Champions League, but a trip to the semi-finals isn't beyond them.

Both Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere should be back from injury by that stage, and possibly a new player or two might arrive in January too. Arsenal still have one game left in their group when they travel to Olympiacos in two weeks, but I would imagine Arsene Wenger will play a very different team in that game. The game might not have much meaning for Arsenal, but Olympiacos will need a result to qualify for the last 16 or the Europa League.

On the night Wenger picked the same team that started against Norwich last Saturday, and it's undoubtedly his strongest available team at the moment. Arsenal's next game is at home to Fulham on Saturday evening, and the chances are Wenger will make a few changes for that game. I would like to see Arsenal play their strongest available team in that game too, as the midweek game after that is against Manchester City in the Carling Cup.

The current first choice players will get the night off against City I would imagine, and against Olympiacos too. That should give them plenty of recovery time between games and hopefully help them to continue their current excellent run in the Premier League. The five wins in a row they have achieved have put them right back in the picture for a top four finish, and the Premier League has to be the first priority.

In the game itself Robin Van Persie showed again why is the best player in the Premier League at the moment. His two goals were those of an old fashioned centre forward, but he is anything but one. He drops short to get involved in the play, and he also drifts wide to both sides of the pitch when he feels like it.

He must be a real pain for defenders to mark, and his ability to find space in the opposing penalty area is quite exceptional. His header for his first goal last night was absolutely fantastic, as he hung in the air before getting great power behind the header to beat the keeper. His finish for the second goal was easy, but he had the intelligence to be in the right place at the right time.

Alex Song also had an excellent game, and his run and cross for the first goal was quite magnificent for a player who is more noted for his defensive duties. He held a very tight line in front of the Arsenal defence too, as they rarely looked threatened in the second half in particular.

The second goal came when Thomas Vermaelen headed on a Mikael Arteta corner to give RVP the task of stroking it home, and Vermaelen's ability to make things happen in the opponents penalty area has been missed for most of the last year. His influence on the rest of the defence is becoming more evident with each game since his return from injury.

I was still highly unimpressed by the defensive positioning of Andre Santos at times, as he often looked like he was playing in midfield instead of defence. Both Song and Arteta did a good job of covering for him, but a better team might have exposed his deficiencies more. I know it takes time to get used to the Premier League and the way English football is played, but last night's game was a European one.

While Kieran Gibbs is injured Santos is the only option at left back, but even when he returns his defensive qualities are less than impressive. I would like to see Arsenal sign a left back in the January transfer window who has mastered the art of defending. It can't be too much to ask for, but I just can't see it happening.

With Arsenal already qualified for the knockout stages it should be great to see the other three English teams fight for their place in the last 16. As it stands Manchester City look likely to end up in the Europa League despite their supposed position as the champions elect in the Premier League. Both Chelsea and Manchester United are probably still favourites to progress, but things could get a bit edgy for them and their fans in the last round of games.

Arsenal seem to have come so far from the team that lost 8-2 to United, and if their progress continues the teams above them will gradually fall by the wayside. I expect them to overtake Newcastle very soon and both Liverpool and Chelsea look like they are vulnerable too. After that the fall of Spurs cannot be far off, and United look like they might just have been found out too.

I may be painting a very rosy picture of what the rest of the season holds for Arsenal, but it's impossible not to feel good with how the team are doing at the moment. Hopefully a victory over Fulham will increase that feeling even more, but I suspect the second string will have their work cut out against City a few days later.

I'm traveling over to see Arsenal play Everton on December 10th, and it would be great to see the team going into that game on the back of seven straight Premier League wins. That game is designated for the celebrations of the club's 125th anniversary of it's formation, and it should be a great day.


That's it for today.

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

It's not too late to join the over 900 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.

Arsenal Beat Norwich 2-1 To Continue Their Revival

Arsenal went to Norwich in the early kick off on Saturday knowing that they needed a win to put pressure on the teams above them. I had said before the game that Arsenal needed to take their chances to ensure victory, and they just about managed to take enough chances to take all three points. During the first half Arsenal missed so many good chances that I was worried they would pay a price for it later.

When Per Mertesacker made a mess of clearing a long hopeful ball from Norwich in the 16th minute Norwich took their only real chance in the first half and went 1-0 up. Arsenal had played really well before that goal, and opened up the Norwich defence at will. It only took Arsenal 11 minutes to equalise when Robin Van Persie slotted home after some good work by Theo Walcott.

Before that goal Norwich's Russell Martin had cleared off the line to save them on three seperate occasions. The first of those clearances was from a Walcott effort which looked destined for the back of the net. I don't think Martin knew exactly how he managed to put the ball over the bar, and Walcott could have done no more to try to score.

Arsenal's intensity fell off a little after the equaliser, but they still missed a couple of good chances before the break. Arsenal took the lead 14 minutes into the second half when the Aaron Ramsey won the ball in midfield, and the referee played a good advantage after he was dragged down. Alex Song broke clear and played in RVP who chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper into the corner of the net.

Song had a choice of RVP or Gervinho to play in, but thankfully he chose RVP as Gervinho definitely didn't have his shooting boots on. Both Gervinho and Walcott had a lot of joy in the wide positions, but I'm not quite sure how they ended the game without a goal between them.

Arsenal's inability to finish Norwich off made things a little nervy towards the end, but they held out with relative ease to take all three points. The only real disappointment for me was that Arsenal didn't take the opportunity to increase their goal difference. A few more goals should have been scored, and they would have helped to close the game on the three other teams who are level on points with Arsenal.

Saturday's victory was Arsenal's fifth in a row in the Premier League, and they are right back in the race to finish in a Champions League place. Four of the teams above them played each other this weekend, and next weekend will see more of the same with Manchester United playing Newcastle and Liverpool playing Manchester City too. A win for Arsenal at home to Fulham next Saturday evening could possibly see them move into the top four for the first time this season.

Before that game there's the vital Champions League group game at home to Borussi Dortmund on Wednesday night. Arsenal top the group at the moment, but with Marseille at home to Olympiacos the chances are they will need a victory against Dortmund to stay there going into the last game. It won't be an easy task against a team which won away to Bayern Munich at the weekend to put themselves right back in contention in their defence of their German league title.

The goal was scored by Arsenal target Mario Gotze, and he will be the player to watch on Wednesday night in my opinion. If Arsenal were to directly replace Cesc Fabregas he would be one of the few players possibly capable of filling the role. Arsenal will be trying to sign him in January I'm sure, and his addition to the team could be the factor to push them on to greater things if he arrives.

His addition would give Arsenal some excellent options in midfield with Ramsey, Abu Diaby, Mikael Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere all competing for two places. It's a headache Arsene Wenger would be delighted to have I'm sure, and hopefully he will get the chance in January. If Arsenal can win on Wednesday night and ensure Dortmund cannot qualify for the last 16 it could just be the catalyst Gotze needs to move.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from Saturday's game(with thanks to 101greatgoals)


See You Tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Sunderland Previewed

At long last the dreaded international break is over, and it's back to real football tomorrow for Arsenal as they play at home to Sunderland in the Premier League. It's a game Arsenal are clear favourites to win, but given their troubled start to the season nothing is certain with them. They currently occupy 15th place in the table with seven games played, and it's a situation which is alien to a lot of Arsenal fans.

I've been around longer than quite a few other Arsenal fans, and I can remember a very close escape from relegation in the mid 1970s. I can't see Arsenal slipping so far as to actually get involved in a relegation dogfight, but they have to start climbing the table if they are going to have a realistic chance of finishing in a Champions League position. At the moment that's probably the best Arsenal can hope for, and possibly the hope of a cup win too.

Arsenal have played three games at home in the Premier League so far this season, and they haven't let in a goal when they have had all 11 players on the field. The only two goals they conceded were against Liverpool after Emmanuel Frimpong had been sent off. A clean sheet against Sunderland would be a great boost for the team, and maybe it would help to sort out their defensive woes on their travels.

Arsenal had the best away record in the Premier League last season, but this time around they have only one point in four games and they have conceded 14 goals in the process. Thankfully their cup form has held up so far and they are through to the last 16 in the Carling Cup as well as in a good position after two games in their Champions League group. There's still four games left in that group, but Arsenal look more than capable of making it through to the last 16.

That Champions League campaign will continue on Wednesday night when Arsenal make a trip to Marseille to play the only team ahead of them in the group. They then play Marseille again two weeks later, and I think a win and a defeat in those two games would be a very satisfactory outcome. It would mean a victory over Borussia Dortmund towards the end of November would probably guarantee a place in the last 16 for Arsenal.

Looking at the Sunderland game Arsenal will still be without Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen and Abu Diaby, but there are no new injured players to add to them at least. Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou will be available again after their recent injuries, and Sebastien Squillaci will be back too.

Arsenal's two best defenders are without doubt Vermaelen and Sagna, and their absence will be felt by the whole team. Vermaelen is at least said to be only two weeks away from returning according to the official Arsenal site, but Sagna's broken leg means he won't return until the new year at the earliest.

At least Koscielny should be fit enough to play alongside Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence, which should mean Alex Song can return to his usual defensive midfield role. It's not easy to know who will get the nod at left back, but I think Kieran Gibbs will continue to be first choice ahead of Adre Santos for the moment. The real problem for Arsenal comes when they try to cover for Sagna for the next few months.

Carl Jenkinson has shown plenty of promise in his few appearances so far, but he is desperately inexperienced at this level or any other level too. He's the logical replacement for Sagna, but he is being thrown in at the deep end, and I hope he has his water wings with him. I really hope the run he looks certain to get in the team will be the making of him as a player, but it could go the other way too.

Arsenal's defence looked far from stable last season, but the combination of players available to play against Sunderland is definitely not as strong as the defence was last season. They need to play together as a unit and concentrate for every minute of the game if they are to have any success.

The biggest threat from Sunderland will be the dead ball delivery from former Arsenal player Seb Larsson, but thankfully he won't have Nicklas Bendtner available to get on the end of them. Bendtner is currently on loan from Arsenal to Sunderland, and he cannot play against Arsenal under the terms of his loan agreement. The chances are they will give young summer purchase Connor Wickham a chance to show what he can do instead.

Arsenal's midfield should welcome Song back, and both Mikael Artets and Aaron Ramsey are almost certain to continue in front of him. Since the departure of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri and the injury to Wilshere Arsenal's midfield has been devoid of the drive it needs to play at a pace to really hurt the opposition. Both Arteta and Ramsey have looked good at time, but the ball isn't getting played in behind opposition defences often enough.

Even when Wilshere and Diaby return I think Arsenal need to invest heavily in a top class play-maker to make the team tick again. There simply aren't enough assists coming from the centre of the midfield at the moment.

Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie will continue in the central strikers role again of course, and the chances are Theo Walcott and Gervinho will be on either side of him. Both of those players can be very frustrating at times, and neither of them had any real impact in Arsenal's last game. There is a case for playing Andrey Arshavin of course, but he can be even more frustrating than both of them at times.

Personally I would love to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set loose on Sunderland, but Arsene Wenger has said he will not be rushed. He's a little worried that Chamberlain's defensive concentration might not be up to the standard required in the Premier League. I think Wenger should be more worried that the Arsenal defenders' concentration hasn't been at that level so far this season either. 

I would like to see Chamberlain on the bench at least so that he can get 30 minutes of Premier League action. If Arsenal need to change things around at that stage he could be the man to do that, and if they are already ahead he could punish the opposition even further. The decision obviously rests with Wenger, and I can only hope he makes the right one.

Arsenal may have conceded far too many goals already this season, but despite their bad start only four teams have scored more goals than them in the league. Robin Van Persie is the form goalscorer for Arsenal, and I expect him to add to that tally against Sunderland. He says he has never felt in better condition playing for Arsenal, and if he can at last remain injury free he could have a bumper season.

Arsenal's season has been stop-start so far and they need to string some results together as soon as possible. A win against Sunderland followed by a home win against Stoke City next week would certainly move them towards the right end of the table. I think the players available are capable of winning both of those games, and finally getting Arsenal's league campaign on the right track.

It has been a very turbulent time with all of the players that have come and gone from the squad, and it wasn't helped by the majority of the business being done on deadline day. The two international breaks since then have meant there has been very little time for the players to gel, and as the results continue to underwhelm the pressure is growing on the players.

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal with RVP getting on the scoreboard yet again, and I have a feeling Gervinho is due a goal too. I hope to see some better set pieces from Arteta who has been at the club for the last two weeks, as others have been playing for their countries.

I'll be at the game myself, as I'm making the trip over early on Sunday morning with some fellow Irish Gooners. We'll be meeting some other Arsenal fans in a local pub before and after the game, and it should be a great day hopefully.


That's it for today.

Here's a look at Oxlade-Chamberlain's hat-trick for England's under 21s last week.

 It's not too late to join over 900 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.