Arsenal's Champions League Nightmare Continues

After losing their opening Champions League group game away to Dinamo Zagreb a few weeks ago Arsenal had to win at home to Olympiacos last night. There was no room for error with back to back games against Bayern Munich, but somebody forget to tell Arsene Wenger and his players. The night ended with a shambolic defeat against a team who had never won a game in England in their previous 12 attempts.

The team named before the game left us fans feeling a little anxious as Petr Cech was on the bench with David Ospina playing in goal. The boss chose a team which wasn't his strongest one for the defeat in Zagreb and the inclusion of Ospina showed he still wasn't treating the competition or the opposition with the required respect. We were told Cech had a knock, but he was able to sit on the bench which surely meant he had to be able to play.

Francis Coquelin returned just in time from injury in midfield at least with both Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini injured. Aaron Ramsey dropped to the bench as he was the only player to have played in each of the last three games and he possibly needed a break with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming in. There were a couple of changes in defence too with Gabriel Paulista and Kieran Gibbs coming in for Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal.

Whatever about Gabriel coming in I was surprised to see Monreal on the bench. You would be hard pressed to find an Arsenal fan who doesn't think Monreal has been Arsenal's best defender for quite a while now. I was more than surprised to see Monreal on the bench, but I still thought Arsenal had a strong enough team to get the win.

Olympiacos came into the game on the back of five wins out of five in their domestic league, but they were well beaten at home by Bayern in their first group game. They were underdogs on the night and it would take an exceptional performance from them to get anything from the game once Arsenal got into their stride. After the 5-2 win at Leicester on Saturday I fully expected to see Arsenal do just that to make amends for the opening defeat. 

Arsenal started reasonably well, but before long it was obvious they were very short of ideas. Gradually Olympiacos grew in confidence and their opening goal may have been a surprise, but not a shock knowing Arsenal. The fact that they played a large part in handing the goal to their opponents was hardly a surprise either.

Both Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny went for the same ball and managed to recover enough to block the ensuing shot for a corner. When the corner came in Arsenal were completely asleep and nobody marked the man on the edge of the box. His first time shot from the corner was deflected off Chamberlain past the helpless Ospina and Arsenal were behind.

They immediately upped their game with Alexis Sanchez getting stuck in and he quickly set up a chance for Theo Walcott. His finish wasn't great but the Olympiacos keeper made a mess of his attempted save and the scores were level. I hoped Arsenal had learned their lesson from the fright of going behind and would approach the game in a much more positive manner.

Almost immediately they were behind again when Ospina as good as threw the ball into his own net from a corner. He came too soon for the corner with the taker putting right it under the bar and tried to catch it as he back pedalled. All he could do was push the ball away and the official behind the goal confirmed the ball had crossed the line.

I couldn't understand why Ospina didn't just push the ball over the bar, but he took the difficult option and Arsenal trailed again. It was hard to know if the ball had crossed the line or not, but the insistence on using an official behind the goal rather than goal line technology means we'll never really know for sure. None of that can hide from the horrendous mistake Ospina made and the decision to play him ahead of Cech just had to be the wrong one.

Half time came and went and still Arsenal couldn't muster a head of steam to put Olympiacos under pressure. Koscielny went off with what looked like a hamstring injury which limited Arsenal's attacking options from the bench, but a look at the bench revealed how limited those options were anyway. The introduction of Ramsey a little later did the trick though and Arsenal turned the heat up almost instantly.

It didn't take long for the second equaliser to come and it was no surprise when Alexis got it. He headed in a lovely cross from Walcott and I thought surely Arsenal would now go on to take the three points. I couldn't have been more wrong though as they immediately pressed the incredibly huge self destruct button which they are so fond of.

Olympiacos broke forward and Arsenal panicked in defence. With Coquelin off the pitch the midfield neglected their defensive duties and Olympiacos had time and space to score their third goal. If it didn't hurt so badly it would almost have been funny, but there was still time for Arsenal to at least try to get back into the game.

The boss threw on his last sub with Joel Campbell replacing Hector Bellerin, but that move showed the lack of options we have. They huffed and puffed for the rest of the game, but never really put the pressure on the Olympiacos goal that was required. The only time I thought the team played with the tempo needed was when Ramsey came on and they were chasing their second equaliser.

The defeat leaves Arsenal in a precarious position in their group and needing to take points off Bayern or facing missing out on the knock out stages. Their chances of getting any points off Bayern were always going to be slim, but the two performances so far will only make it more difficult. They will have to win at home to Dinamo and away to Olympiacos too to have any chance, but I honestly think they're out of it already.

For me the team selection was wrong again as it was in Zagreb and those decisions stand squarely at the feet of the boss. He didn't put out his strongest team in either game and the lack of respect shown to the competition and the opposition backfired. I don't know if the players let that lack of respect get to them and thought they just had to show up in both games to win.

The excuse of Olivier Giroud's red card in the first game couldn't be used last night, but the consequences had an affect on the game as Giroud would surely have been a welcome option from the bench. Not having Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere or Tomas Rosicky available through injuries wasn't ideal either, but the squad has to be strong enough to deal with injuries. The failure to add quality in the summer transfer window besides Cech is surely the biggest failing of all considering the money Arsenal have available.

From the debacle of last night Arsenal have to play at home to the league leaders Manchester United on Sunday and they have to do an awful lot better in that game. United have had the better of Arsenal in the league for more years than I care to remember and that has to stop. The players owe the fans a performance after last night's debacle and nothing short of beating United should do on Sunday.

Of course the players have to take a huge amount of the blame for last night, but for me the manager has to bear even more. The team continue to suffer from the same failings season after season and yet those failings just do not seem to be addressed. The manager has to be able to get his players to defend better, but it just doesn't seem to be working.

I've always thought he was still the man for the job, but I'm increasingly beginning to think I could be wrong. I'm not going to be one of those constantly calling for his removal, but I can't say I'd be adverse to him calling it a day either. The team might still challenge for the league this season, but it's difficult to see how if they're capable of performances like last night.

Despite the vast amount of money in the English game English teams are performing worse each season in the Champions League. Something has to change at Arsenal and other clubs too if they're going to challenge again. I don't know if a change of manager is what's needed, but I think I'd be willing to give it a try.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Possible Strikers For Arsenal In The Transfer Window

With the January transfer window quickly approaching Arsenal will surely have to consider bringing in another striker to boost their chances of winning a trophy. At the moment Olivier Giroud is their only real option and it's asking an awful lot of him to stay fit and stay in form up until next May. 

On the face of it Nicklas Bendtner is a ready made replacement but his recent mutterings and lack of form mean he is little more than dead weight. Bendtner has made it clear he wanted to leave Arsenal on deadline day but the club stopped him when their plans to bring in back up for Giroud failed. I can only imagine he will be looking to move again come January 1st although he did have the whole summer to find a new club and would have been allowed to leave if he hadn't left it so late.

He hasn't had much of a look in since his return to the first team squad even though Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski have both been injured. It has to be better for the club and the player too for him to leave as soon as possible. On the face of it he's an ideal back up for Giroud but things are never that simple with Bendtner.

Both Walcott and Podolski should be available to return very soon but neither of them are similar players to Giroud. Arsenal have adapted their game to suit Giroud and his ability to hold the ball and bring others into the game has worked very well. If he was to get injured either Walcott or Podolski couldn't play that way and the team would have to change the way it plays.

Of course Arsenal have some magnificent players who are by no means one dimensionl in how they play the game and they can play in a variety of styles. Even at that though I don't think Walcott or Podolski are the finished articles as far as out and out strikers go, but both have a lot to offer the team in their wide roles. There are plenty of players out there who could offer a real alternative to Giroud or who could replace or supplement him when the occasion required it. I'll try to analyse a few of them here and gauge Arsenal's realistic chances of signing them in the transfer window.

Javier Hernandez 

Hernandez isn't exactly the same type of player as Giroud, but he is an excellent finisher. He has never been a first choice at United and is believed to be anxious to get more playing time. He has had his problems with injury but there are few better natural finishers when he is fit.

Whether United would be prepared to sell him to a rival or not is another question. When Arsenal sold Robin van Persie to United I thought they should have insisted on Hernandez being a make weight in the deal, but it didn't happen obviously. Maybe it's time for "Little Pea" to find an escape pod and if so I would be more than happy to see him sign for Arsenal.

Karim Benzema

Benzema has been linked with Arsenal for quite a while now and he's another player who would definitely improve the team/squad. He's a striker who's very good on the ball and probably better facing goal than with his back to it unlike Giroud. He has a very good scoring record at Real Madrid and would fit right in with the skillful attacking players Arsenal have.

Madrid might not be so keen to sell him particularly after the criticism they got for selling Ozil to Arsenal. If he's out of the picture at Madrid or they sign another striker he's a real possibility for Arsenal in January.

Eden Dzeko

Dzeko has never really made himself a first choice at City. At the moment he is behind Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo in the pecking order and it's hard to see him getting too many chances. He would be more similar to Giroud than some of the other options and looks like he could easily fit into the Arsenal team at the moment. 

It's a question of whether City want to sell him or not and whether they would sell him to Arsenal. Like Madrid they could well be in the market for a striker in January which could make Dzeko surplus to requirements. If that's the case I wouldn't be surprised to see Arsenal make a move for him although they might not be prepared to pay what City are looking for.

Christian Benteke

Benteke had a fantastic season with Villa last season and started this season in excellent form too. He has suffered a slight setback with an injury but now that he's back the goals will surely flow again. He's another player who would fit right in at the moment at Arsenal as his style is very similar to that of Giroud.

His power and pace are probably better than those of Giroud and I was surprised Arsenal weren't interested in him in the summer. He did sign a new contract with Villa after initially looking for a move and I can't imagine Villa would be too keen to sell him. If Arsenal were to make a bid who knows what might happen and I would be more than happy to see him in an Arsenal shirt. 

Luis Suarez

Suarez wanted to join Arsenal in the summer as he desperately looked to leave Liverpool. Neither him nor Arsenal were successful in the end and Liverpool have started the season very well. Suarez has been on fire since returning from his 10 game ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic and surely his goal scoring ability would be a great asset to Arsenal.

I can't imagine Licerpool wanting to part with Suarez though and they showed in the summer that they have the will to keep him. Even if they could be tempted with a huge offer I think Arsenal would have to smash their transfer record again to get him and I can't see that happening so soon. For me he would probably be the ideal choice for Arsenal to sign, but it's highly unlikely that they will sign him.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

10 Man Arsenal Win 2-0 At Palace

Arsenal went to Crystal Palace in the early kick off today knowing a win would put them five points clear at the top of the table before any of the chasing pack played their games. Arsenal had taken 19 points in their last seven league games while Palace had lost their previous five and only Sunderland were below them in the table. Arsenal were very strong favourites to win and their biggest enemy was going to be complacency more than likely. 

Arsene Wenger made two changes from the team which was beaten 2-1 at home in the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night. Santi Cazorla came in for Tomas Rosicky on the left of the attacking trio and Mathieu Flamini returned to his midfield anchor role in place of Jack Wilshere who wasn't risked after hurting his ankle against Dortmund. It was a very strong looking Arsenal team and they surely just needed to play at full pace to get a win.

Arsenal were on top from the start but the pace they were playing at wasn't what it might have been as they looked a little fatigued and possibly a little complacent too. The best chances early on came to Arsenal but they suffered a blow after only eight minutes when Flamini limped off with what looked like a groin injury. He was replaced by Serge Gnabry who went out to the right hand side of the attacking trio.

When Arsenal didn't score early on Palace gradually came into the game and had a few chances of their own before the half was over. Luckily Wojciech Szczesny was in fine form in the Arsenal goal and Palace weren't at their best in front of goal. Arsenal probably should have had a penalty in that first half but the referee ruled that a foul on Gnabry was outside the box when it was actually in it.

There was no score at half time and Arsenal needed to pick up the pace and the effort after the break if they were going to win. Thankfully they were given a helping hand by Palace after less than a minute of the second half when a foolish challenge in the box brought Gnabry down for a certain penalty. Mikael Arteta stepped up to put the penalty away and give Arsenal the lead they wanted.

I hoped to see Arsenal build on that lead but they didn't reall create an awful lot and Palace gradually started to push forward in search of an equaliser. They didn't really seem to carry much of a threat until just before the mid point in the half when Arteta was judged to have impeded Marouane Chamakh in a goal scoring position and was shown a straight red card. There are a few questions to be asked of the referee about the card but also about the Arsenal defence.

First of all I would like to know how Chamakh was given so much space to run into and secondly where were the Arsenal central defenders at the time to leave Arteta marking him. Also how did the referee judge that a player has an obvious goal scoring chance when he was only a few yards inside the Arsenal half and did Arteta actually take Chamakh down or did they just collide. It was harsh on Arteta and it was just what Palace needed to try to get back into the game.

With the man advantage Palace started to push forward and Arsenal quickly brought Wilshere on to replace Gnabry. For the next 10 minutes Palace built up a head of steam and Arsenal only kept their lead thanks to the brilliance of Szczesny. He showed exactly how good he can be and made one fantastic save in particular which probably won Arsenal the three points.

As the game wore on Arsenal were getting more chances on the break as Palace pushed further forward but couldn't get the final ball right to put the game to bed. Nacho Monreal came on for Santi Cazorla to tighten things up at the back and he was the one who looked most likely to make something happen as he pushed forward. The second goal eventually came with three minutes left and with it the game was finally over.

Aaron Ramsey broke into the Palace box and held the ball up before floating it into the path of the on rushing Olivier Giroud to power a header home from five yards out. There was nothing the Palace keeper could do about it and Arsenal saw the rest of the game out with relative ease. When the final whistle went Arsenal had the three points they needed and could sit back to see how all of their rivals fared.

It might not have been a vintage performance from Arsenal but most importantly of all they got the win they needed. They have 22 points from their first 9 league games and are top of the table going into two really tough league games. It's been a hectic season with games coming twice a week every week and Arsenal have managed to keep winning in the league.

Most of the players who played today will now have a bit of a rest in midweek as the boss will look to play the fringe players in the Capital One Cup against Chelsea. As I've said before I don't really mind too much how that game goes as long as Arsenal can have their best team possible ready to play Liverpool next Saturday. With Dortmund and United to follow that game before another international break it would be too much of a gamble to risk players against Chelsea.

For the moment though Arsenal are top of the table and have won 15, drawn three and lost one of their last 18 league games. That's one defeat in almost half of a season and they have taken more points in the current calendar year than any other team. As the schedule gets really tough in the next few weeks hopefully they can keep that record going.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Aaron Ramsey Shines Again As Arsenal Beat Sunderland

It was back to Premier League football for Arsenal on Saturday after a couple of weeks of international football. The team had responded impressively to their opening day defeat to Villa by winning four games in a row and I was a little worried the two week break might affect their momentum. It's never easy to get a result at Sunderland but hopes were high for Arsenal with their new €50 million player set to make his debut.

The team news was a little worrying with Santi Cazorla out through injury and Per Mertesacker unavailable through illness. They were added to a long list of players who were already unavailable with the return of Thomas Vermaelen to the bench as the only positive injury news. Even new boy Mesut Ozil wasn't a certainty before the game as he had the same illness as Mertesacker but managed to recover in time.

I thought Ozil would have started on the bench but he was called into action from the start as the injury crisis and lack of squad depth meant there was no other choice. The Arsenal bench looked a little short of experience for the same reasons with only Vermaelen and Nacho Monreal having real experience at the highest level. Despite those problems the Arsenal team still had plenty of strength in it and looked more than capable of taking all three points.

Arsenal took control of the game from a very early stage and played some beautiful flowing football which caused Sunderland some real problems. The first goal came after only 11 minutes and Ozil's part in it showed why Arsene Wenger was prepared to smash the club's transfer record to get him. He took down a long pass with one touch and played it into the path of Olivier Giroud to sweep it home at the near post.

Sunderland rallied for a few minutes and came close when they hit the bar with a header from a set piece, but Arsenal were soon on the front foot again. With Ozil pulling the strings in midfield they cut Sunderland open at will and should have added another three or four goals before the break. Theo Walcott was the main culprit as he found space to run on to Ozil's through balls but couldn't beat Westwood in the Sunderland goal.

I was a little worried at half time because Arsenal have paid a price in the past for failing to finish off teams they were completely dominating. My worst fears were soon realised when Sunderland were awarded a penalty soon after the restart. Laurent Koscielny was adjudged to have taken Adam Johnson down when there was no need for him to even make the tackle.

It was similar to the penalty he gave away against Villa on the opening day and again he didn't have to make that challenge. I'm not sure it was a penalty but if Koscielny had stayed on his feet and shepherded the player there was every chance nothing would have come from it in either game. Craig Gardner stepped up to put the penalty away and the game had a completely different complexion to it.

Sunderland sensed they had a chance of getting a win and went at Arsenal. I was very worried at that stage and it looked like the next goal was going to be decisive. Sunderland came close on a couple of occasions but thankfully Arsenal managed to take control of the game again and got on top.

Midway through the half they retook the lead and it was a fantastic goal from Aaron Ramsey. Carl Jenkinson picked him out with a great ball from the right and Ramsey's first time volley was lashed home. It was a goal he richly deserved as he looked like the best player on the field even with Ozil playing.

After the first goal Sunderland came back into the game briefly and so it was again, but thankfully fortune favoured Arsenal on this occasion. Jozy Altidore tussled on the edge of the Arsenal box with Bacary Sagna and the referee blew for a free just as Altidore shook off Sagna's attention. He continued on and eventually put the ball in the net, but the play had to be called back. 

I think Koscielny would have cleared the ball before it crossed the line but he stopped briefly when the whistle blew. Sunderland weren't happy with the referee and they had every right to feel aggrieved as he should have given Altidore the advantage and then blown if nothing came of it. They weren't too happy either when Sagna only got a yellow card and it could quite easily have been a red for him.

After their narrow escape Arsenal soon finished the game off as a contest when Ramsey got his second goal of the game on 76 minutes. He finished off a flowing move involving himself, Ozil and Giroud by slipping the ball through the legs of the keeper to make it 3-1. From there on the game was as good as over and it was Arsenal who came closest to scoring again. 

Ozil departed with 10 minutes left to be replaced by Vermaelen who made his first appearance of the season after his most recent injury. Both Monreal and Chuba Akpom came on in the dying moments to replace Walcott and Giroud who had gone down with a knock as he tried to make it 4-1. Thankfully Giroud will be alright to face Marseille on Wednesday night, but it shows how the lack of depth could have a severely adverse effect on the team's chances.

It was fantastic to see exactly how good Ozil is and he fitted in with the team very well for a player who had only trained with his team mates for a couple of days. The alternatives in Arsenal's midfield are almost frightening and they managed to play some brilliant football despite missing Cazorla, Mikael Arteta and Tomas Rosicky. The performance of Ramsey was outstanding yet again and he has to be the first name on the team sheet for every game.

Of course Ramsey is bound to be rested occasionally but he has shown towards the end of last season and at the start of this season that he has eventually put the horrific injury of three and a half years ago behind him. That injury probably set him back a minimum of two years in his progress but he is still only 22 years old and will get even better over the next few years. He has discovered his scoring touch as well and has already scored five goals in his six games this season.

I'm still not sure if Arsenal can truly challenge for the league because of the lack of depth in some positions, but they have some incredible quality in midfield. Their fate could be decided by their games against the best clubs and they need to do a lot better in those games this season. They have already beaten Spurs and if they can continue to keep pace near the top of the table we might get an idea of their chances in November when they play both Liverpool and United back to back. 

There's a lot of football to play before then though and hopefully a lot of players to come back from injury and strengthen the team too. The life of an Arsenal fan can be tough sometimes but the team are playing some very good football at the moment and helping the fans to believe the good times might just be on the way back. There are certainly some issues with the defence at the moment but as an attacking force Arsenal look to be in commanding form.

Koscielny needs to find the form he showed when he commanded the defence towards the end of last season and to stop making stupid tackles in the box. His decision making isn't great at the moment but hopefully it's something that can be worked on in training and corrected. The return from injury of Vermaelen might just be what he needs to help him concentrate on his game just a little better.

I'm feeling very positive about the season at the moment, but previous experience has taught me how quickly that can change. If the team can continue their current momentum it could make for a very good season.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Sunderland Previewed

The international football is over for another month and it's back to what's important for football fans with the return of the Premier League. When the break came Arsenal had just beaten Spurs to move up to fourth in the league and secured their place in the group stages of this season's Champions League yet again. The opening day defeat to Villa seems a distant memory now and things certainly are looking up for Arsenal.

There's no doubt the squad is a little thin and there are plenty of players out injured at the moment too. Thankfully Arsene Wenger managed to get some business done before the transfer window closed and he brought some real class into the Arsenal squad. In my opinion Arsenal now have the best player in the Premier League and they had to smash their transfer record to land that man - Mesut Ozil.

Of course he wasn't the only player to arrive and the signing of Mathieu Flamini on a free transfer could prove to be a very good move too. They both come in to challenge for a place in an Arsenal midfield which is laden with talent. When all of his players are fit the boss will have a huge task trying to pick his best starting midfield.

After spending €50 million (say it again) on Ozil it's hard to see him being left out, but he will probably start on the bench in his first game at least. If Fernando Torres wasn't so hopeless Ozil would be the most expensive substitute in the Premier League this weekend. Whether his signing can make Arsenal title challengers this season is another matter and the lack of depth in their defence and attack could have a bearing on that.

It's not a tough job to pick most of the team against Sunderland with Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny all more or less guaranteed to start at the back. Of course there's a case for Carl Jenkinson or Nacho Monreal to play with one or two players possibly rested for the trip to Marseille on Wednesday night. I can't see that happening myself but it's always a possibility.

In midfield it's not so easy to predict who will play, but it's a little easier with Mikael Arteta and Tomas Rosicky both ruled out. I think Aaron Ramsey has to start considering his form so far this season and it's a straight choice between Flamini and Jack Wilshere to play alongside him. The attacking player of the three in midfield is a tough one but it will go to Ozil if he starts. If he's on the bench I expect Wilshere to play there, but he may need a rest after playing twice for England.

There's always the possibility of Santi Cazorla playing there but I suspect he will get a wide left role with both Lukas Podolki and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain injured. That should leave Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud to make up the rest of the attack. Those players have plenty of goals between them and should give the Sunderland defence a tough test.

If Ozil starts he will hopefully fit in quickly and pick out the runs of Walcott behind the Sunderland defence. His presence should help Arsenal to create plenty of chances and he's a player who's more than capable of putting the ball in the net too. There could be some very exciting times ahead for Arsenal fans as Ozil gradually learns to play with his new team mates.

Sunderland have had a poor start to the season and have only one point from their first three games. There has been a lot of change in their squad over the summer and the new players will probably need some more time to fit in. It's not an easy task for them to do so when they're sitting so close to the bottom of the table.

If Arsenal can continue to play the attacking football they were playing before the internationals I think they will be more than good enough for Sunderland. I'm sure Sunderland will do all they can to stop Arsenal and Ozil will get an old fashioned English welcome to the game at some stage. The best way to put a stop to Sunderland is for Arsenal to take them on from the first minute and finish them off as early as possible.

I can't wait to see Ozil work his magic and for Arsenal to reap the benefits of having such a good player in the team. Along with Cazorla he will be the creative source in the team and his stats over the last few years are second to none in that role. For those who play fantasy football it might not be a bad idea to bring him into the team as soon as possible.

I think Arsenal will take all three points and will win by a couple of goals too. That would set them up very nicely with Marseille and Stoke coming up in the next week. The longer they can stay at the right end of the table the better it will be for team going forward.

The future is looking very bright and the club haven't spent all of their transfer kitty by quite a way. There's the possibility of new players arriving in January and it would be great if it was another high profile player who arrived. The signing of Ozil is hopefully an indication of more quality to come in the future and it has Arsenal fans the world over very excited. 

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Win 3-1 in Japan

Arsenal played the third match of their Asian tour earlier today when they took on Nagoya Grampus in Japan. After putting seven goals past both an Indonesian Dream Team and the Vietnamese national team in their first two games this looked like it would be a tougher test for Arsenal. Nagoya are in the middle of their domestic season at the moment in what is a fairly strong league in Japan.

Arsene Wenger picked a pretty strong team for his return to the last club he managed before taking the reins at Arsenal almost 17 years ago. What was noticeable was that Arsenal started with three full backs in their defence after Laurent Koscielny picked up an ankle knock in training. With Thomas Vermaelen out for a few months with a back injury Arsenal's central defensive options already look quite limited and the boss is surely going to have to seriously consider bringing in a new central defender very soon. 

Arsenal started quite well and Olivier Giroud got his sixth pre season goal with a header from a Tomas Rosicky cross after three minutes. Arsenal continued to attack and it looked like only a matter of time before they added to their lead. The second goal came shortly after the mid point in the first half when Giroud was felled in the area and Ryo Miyaichi stepped up to score the penalty in his hometown. 

Arsenal were 2-0 up at half time and as per usual on this tour the boss made plenty of changes to the team. One of those changes was the introduction of 16 year old Gedion Zelalem who had already impressed when coming on for the second half of the previous two tour games. He took only 10 minutes to have an impact on the game when his excellent pass paved the way for Theo Walcott to score Arsenal's third goal.

A three goal lead seemed to be more than enough for Arsenal and so it proved to be despite their opponents scoring themselves with 20 minutes to go. All of the attacking players were changed during the game but only Kieran Gibbs was substituted in the defence as Ignasi Miquel was the only defender on the bench. When the full time whistle went it was all smiles and cheers as Arsene made a speech which went down very well.

Next up it's a game against Urawa Red Diamonds on Friday to finish the tour off before the team heads back to England for the Emirates Cup. I've said before that I'm less than happy with the club's opponents in the Emirates Cup and I can only imagine how many fans feel about Galatasaray being invited to play. Some of those Arsenal fans would have been in Copenhagen for the UEFA Cup Final in 2000 when Galatasaray fans started what turned out to be some very serious violence.

I have no doubt that there was retaliation from Arsenal fans, but it was the Galatasaray fans who went looking for trouble in the first place. Maybe the club will feel they are building bridges with Galatasaray, but there is the potential for trouble at the game and that's something nobody wants to see. I hope it all passes off peacefully but I can't help feeling the club have made an error.

Away from actually playing games there is little else happening at the club as there is still no positive news on the transfer front. Personally I'd love to see Gonzalo Higuain arrive as soon as possible and Bernard looks like he's a pretty good player too. I'd be happy to see either Marouane Fellaini or Lars Bender arrive also and a centre back must be on the bosses mind too. 

I have no desire to see Luis Suarez in an Arsenal shirt and I can't imagine too many Arsenal fans would choose him over Higuain. They're both top class players in my opinion and would add an awful lot to the team, but Higuain doesn't bring the baggage that Suarez does. The squad needs a top class striker though and the sooner one arrives the better.

Any top class striker needs players to make goals for him and there are few players in the game better than Cesc Fabregas at doing so. Manchester United have made their pursuit of him public knowledge and apparently have had two bids rejected by Barcelona. My understanding is that Arsenal have first refusal on Cesc if Barcelona decide to sell and if they do I really hope Arsenal exercise that option.

It's been only two years since Cesc left Arsenal and things haven't gone quite as he might have hoped at his hometown club, but I would be surprised if the new Barcelona manager decides to sell him when he is appointed. Players like Cesc are few and far between and I can't imagine too many Arsenal fans will hold a grudge against him for leaving. He has always said he would have finished his career at Arsenal if Barcelona didn't come in for him and it would be a huge blow to see him sign for another English club.

His departure was one which really hurt and the last time an Arsenal player's departure hurt like that was when Liam Brady left in 1980. Brady ended up back at the club in a coaching capacity and it would be great to see Cesc come back as a player. I won't be holding my breath but I can always hope for it to happen.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal 6-1 Southampton

Arsenal played at home to Southampton yesterday in the Premier League. It was only their second home game of the season and the other one had ended 0-0 with a very defensive Sunderland team. Southampton hadn't tried to be defensive in their opening three games and the signs were Arsenal would get more goal scoring chances in this game.

Arsene Wenger made three changes from the team which beat Liverpool 2-0 in their last game. Wojceich Szczesny returned from injury to play in goal and Francis Coquelin filled in for the injured Abou Diaby in midfield. Up front Gervinho came into the team in a wide role which meant Olivier Giroud missed out and Lukas Podolski played in a central role.

When the team lined up it actually looked like Gervinho was the central player and both him and Podolski exchanged roles at times. Southampton did try to play defensively at first but once the goals started to flow there was no point. It took only 11 minutes for the first goal to come and Southampton generously put it into their own net for Arsenal.

Podolski did very well to win the ball in midfield and he gave it to Cazorla. The diminutive Spaniard then played the ball between two defenders for Kieran Gibbs to run on to. Gibbs cut the ball across the goalmouth and the keeper could only parry it onto a defender who deflected into his own goal from close range.

Arsenal then played some very good football and it seemed like only a matter of time before they added to the tally. The second goal came just after the half hour mark and unusually for Arsenal it came directly from a free kick.

Coquelin was taken down after he had played the ball 25 yards out from the Southampton goal. Both Podolski and Cazorla stood over the ball but it was Podolski who struck it. The ball went over the wall and came back down again to beat the keeper.

It was a very well struck free kick and a pleasant surprise to see Arsenal score directly from one. The ball wasn't right in the corner and maybe the keeper could have done better. With a two goal lead Arsenal looked very comfortable and it didn't look good for Southampton.

Within six minutes Arsenal had added two more goals and Southampton were four down with the break approachimg. The first one came from Gervinho when he spun away from his marker to run on to a ball over the top from Mikael Arteta. The ball was so well weighted that he was able to run on to it and blast it past the keeper at his near post with his first touch.

The final goal of the first half was another own goal after some more excellent football from Arsenal. The ball got played wide to the advancing Gibbs and his first time ball across the area was deflected into the net by a defender from 10 yards out. Half time couldn't come quickly enough for Southampton but they did manage some consolation just before the break.

With Arsenal 4-0 up they looked like they could come out and do the same thing in the second half. However, just before the break Szczesny made a very bad error and handed Southampton a simple goal. He came to catch a fairly routine cross but he dropped the ball on to the head of one of his defenders and it popped up for Daniel Fox to stab home from close range.

Arsenal certainly had their fair share of luck in the first half, but they played well enough to deserve their three goal advantage. The pace of the game dropped off a little in the second half from an Arsenal perspective. The players had worked hard to gain their lead and the prospect of a trip to Montpellier on Tuesday night might well have been on their minds. Southampton came into the game a little more but Arsenal still looked very dangerous on the break.

Midway through the half Aaron Ramsey came on for Coquelin and he had an immediate impact. He played further forward than Coquelin did and within a few minutes he had made the third goal for Gervinho. He made a great run into the box and his shot came back off the post for Gervinho to bundle it into the net.

Gervinho hadn't scored a goal for Arsenal in 2012 but like buses these things usually come along in twos. I thought he had suffered badly after being made to take a penalty in a shoot out for his country in the ACN final. He missed that penalty of course and the rest of his season with Arsenal went badly after that.

Hopefully the two goals yesterday will be the boost he needs to get back on track and become an integral part of the Arsenal team. He's a bit like Theo Walcott at times in so far as you're never quite sure what he is going to do next and neither is he it seems. There is no doubting his talent but his decision making at times leaves a lot to be desired.

With 15 minutes to go Arsenal brought Walcott and Giroud on for Gervinho and Podolski. I hoped Giroud would get the chance to open his Arsenal account but he never really got a sight of goal. Walcott did manage to get his name on the scoresheet though when he added Arsenal's sixth just before the end.

Thomas Vermaelen was very much involved in the last Arsenal goal when he got forward only to have a good shot well saved. Cazorla shifted the ball quickly to Walcott from the rebound and he side footed it into the net with his left foot. He didn't really celebrate apparently "out of respect" for his old club.

A little bit of that respect directed towards the team he currently plays for would go a long way in my opinion. His refusal to sign a new contract was a real slap in the face for Arsenal and I cannot see him being an Arsenal player next season. I would be shocked if he didn't leave the club on a free transfer next season without ever really fulfilling his potential.

In the end it was a fairly routine win for Arsenal and not too bad a game to have three days before a trip to France. I'm sure Montpellier will offer a much sterner test on Tuesday night but a similar performance from Arsenal will give them a great chance of getting a result.

Arsenal now find themselves up to third in the league table with only Chelsea and Manchester United ahead if them. For a team going through some real transition that's not a bad start to the season. Their next two league games will be much sterner tests though and real tests of how far the team has come.

For the moment it's great to bask in the glory of a five goal win, but the season really gets going now.

Here's the highlights of yesterday's game.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Season Preview

It may seem a little strange to be writing a season preview three games into the season, but it was impossible to do so before the transfer window closed. Arsenal got their transfer dealings done early on with the arrivals of Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla, but I had hoped they would do some more business in the closing days. There was money there to spend, but it would appear Arsene Wenger couldn't find the right players to spend it on.

Arsenal bought all three of those players before any others left, and I would have been very happy with the squad as it was after Cazorla arrived. Of course Robin van Persie was never going to stay, but the departure of Alex Song was unexpected to say the least. Theo Walcott didn't follow him out the door, but few Arsenal fans can believe he won't now see his contract out and leave for free next summer.

As it stands it's very hard to see the current Arsenal squad genuinely challenging for the league this season. That's not to say there isn't genuine quality in the squad, but the arrivals only really replaced the players who left over the last two years. The squad just doesn't seem to have the depth required to go the full distance in the Premier League.

Don't get me wrong I would love to see Arsenal challenge the two Manchester clubs and probably Chelsea too right up until next May. To do so they are going to have to call on all of their resources, and that's where the problem lies. Both Chelsea and Manchester City have owners with bottomless pockets, and United are the biggest sports team in the world.

It would seem Chelsea in particular have spent a fortune this summer despite the impending arrival of "financial fair play". How they can justify the money they have spent on fees and will spend on wages is anybody's guess. The losses both Chelsea and City make are outrageous but there is little that can be done to stop it.

It means Arsenal must look to sign players both of those clubs are not interested in, or players who are willing to play for lower wages. Arsene Wenger has signed three very good players and all three of them are capable of making the team a much better one. It would be hard to see any of them get into the other teams that are favourites to win the league though with the possible exception of Santi Cazorla.

Since Cesc Fabregas left the club last summer Arsenal have needed a playmaker, and Cazorla certainly seems to fit the bill. He has great vision, control, passing and an eye for a goal too. It is imperative that he stats fit for the whole season if Arsenal are going to progress.

Of course Jack Wilshere has to return from injury before too long hopefully. He is seen as a possible contender for the role played by Cazorla, but he has little experience in that role. Besides trying to recover from his injury he will surely have to get a couple of years experience behind him before he can play that role.

The team has looked very secure in defence in those first three games with Steve Bould's influence on the defence there for all to see. Despite the absence of Bacary Sagna the defence have played as a unit, and they have been helped by the players in front of them. With the sale of Song Arsenal looked like they might be weaker in midfield, but Mikael Arteta has stepped in the defensive midfield role and excelled so far.

The goalscoring duties will have to be shared among the team now that van Persie is gone and there is a lot of pressure on Giroud to get his share. He has missed a couple of very good chances so far but I think the goals just might flow once the first one goes in. It has been a while since Arsenal have had a wide player contribute a lot of goals but Podolski is sure to get quite a few this season.

The Arsenal team has gone through an awful lot of changes in just over a year, but their style of play has not been affected too much. If they can continue to improve throughout the season the Premier League title is not beyond them, but I think a top three finish is probably a more realistic target. Their best chance of a trophy might well be in one of the cup competitions.

Arsenal have a pretty good Champions League group and there is no reason why they cannot progress to the last 16. After that it's really a matter of how much the team has progressed and what teams they draw in the knockout stages. It's not beyond the realms of possibility for Arsenal to reach the last eight or even the semi finals if the draw is good to them.

The Capital One Cup will probably be a chance for Wenger to play his fringe players and a few reserves too. A run to the later stages of the competition is not unusual for that mix of players, but it is on the bottom of the club's list of priorities. I don't think it's worth risking first team players for a competition which has lost a lot of it's sparkle over the years.

The last trophy Arsenal won was the FA Cup in 2005 and that competition is probably their best chance of a trophy again this season. A trip to Wembley is always a great occasion and it's about time Arsenal equalled Manchester United's record of 11 wins. When the FA Cup starts in the new year there are usually an awful lot of games for Arsenal to play.

Wenger quite often has to make decisions on which players to play in which games for the good of the team. The FA Cup side has quite often lost out to these decisions and I would like to see it targeted this season. It only takes six games to win it and a victory would stop those who count the years since Arsenal last won a trophy.

My thoughts on Arsenal's inability to win the league may seem a little gloomy, but I am trying to be as pragmatic as possible. I would love nothing more than to see Arsenal mount a sustained title challenge and I will be happy to say I was wrong at the end of the season if they do. The signs are very encouraging at the moment but the team is still in transition and the season is very long.

It's back to Premier League action for Arsenal with a home game against Southampton on Saturday afternoon. After that their next two league games are against Manchester City and Chelsea, and the level the team has reached might be a bit more obvious when those games are played. Confidence is a major factor in any sport and the right results in those games could be exactly what the team needs to take things to the next level.

My dream is to again see Arsenal sweep all before them aside as they stride majestically towards the Premier League title. If it happens I'll be a very happy man but if it doesn't it won't change my love for Arsenal.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.    

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Southampton Previewed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Liverpool Previewed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow. 

Arsenal draw 0-0 Away To Stoke

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Trip To Stoke City Previewed

Arsenal make the tough trip to play Stoke in the early kick off on Sunday. They only managed to take one point from their first game at home to Sunderland, and they have to get something from this game. Arsenal have never had it easy when traveling to play Stoke in recent years, and this game will be no different.

There is a marked contrast between the footballing styles and philosophies of both clubs. While Arsenal do their best to play a possession based game which can be appealing to the eye, Stoke prefer a more old fashioned "up and at them approach." There is also more than a little needle between the two clubs after Aaron Ramsey's horrific injury against Stoke two years ago.

Both teams started their campaigns with draws last week, and both of them would have been unhappy with those results. Arsenal could only manage a 0-0 draw at home to Sunderland while Stoke conceded a last minute goal to draw away to Reading. A win for either team would mean a good start to the season, but a defeat would see them struggling at the wrong end of the table.

Arsenal have played away to Stoke four times since Stoke were promoted to the Premier League, and they have only won once. That victory came in the game where Ramsey had his leg so badly broken, and it's about time victory number two arrived. The chances are Ramsey will be on the bench tomorrow, but his appearance at any stage will draw howls of derision from the Stoke fans.

They haven't quite managed to forgive him yet for being a little ungracious in accepting Ryan Shawcross's apology for the horrific tackle which broke his leg. To be fair to Shawcross he was very upset afterwards, and his mother had to bring him home in tears. They are hardly the actions of a thug or hard man, but then again bullies and thugs will hide behind anyone who will shelter them.

In team news Arsenal should have more or less the same players available as last week, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might return and Wojciech Szczesny is a doubt after picking up an injury. I can only hope Szczesny plays because I don't fancy the thought of watching Lukasz Fabianski play against Stoke. He has struggled with their style of football in the past, and if he is to get his chance I would hope for it to be against a less physical team. 

The defence and midfield will probably be the exact same as they were last week against Sunderland, but Chamberlain and Ramsey will be hoping to be included. The most important player for Arsenal in their midfield could be Santi Carzola, and he proved his worth last week by creating more goalscoring chances than any other Premier League player. Hopefully Arsenal can put away a few of those chances this time to help them on the road to a victory.

Arsene Wenger has to decide whether new boy Oliver Giroud will play from the start or not in a central attacking role. If Giroud does start I would expect either Theo Walcott or Gervinho to miss out, as I expect Lukas Podolski to keep his place but play on the left more than likely. Walcott struggled against a defensive team last week. and I suspect he could be the player to lose out.

The inclusion of Per Mertesacker at the heart of the Arsenal defence while Laurent Koscielny is injured is seen as a big positive in this game by many Arsenal fans. Despite his height I don't think Mertesacker is a very physical player, and he depends more on anticipation for defensive interceptions. I hope he can stand firm against the onslaught from set pieces which is inevitable, and hopefully his stature will be an advantage for Arsenal.

Stoke only know one way to play and they will look to pressurise the Arsenal defence at every opportunity. They may have been the lowest scorers in the Premier League last season, but their home record is still pretty good. Arsenal have conceded the first goal on all previous Premier League trips to Stoke, and it would be a pleasant change for them to reverse that trend.

Of course Arsenal only really know the one way to play as well, and if they can get their passing game going at the right pace they will cause Stoke problems. The wide players need to become more involved than they were against Sunderland, and they need to take the good chances that come their way. Hopefully Giroud will get his name on the scoresheet if he gets a chance as good as the one he missed last week.

It takes time for players to settle into a new club, but the best way for a striker to settle is to find the back of the net. Carzola doesn't seem like he will need time to settle in ,and his quick feet and football brain will cause Stoke real problems, as long as the referee doesn't allow them to kick him out of the game. I am genuinely excited by the prospect of Carzola, and what he can do for Arsenal this season.

I think it's going to be a very tight game, but Arsenal have the ability to take all three points if they can work hard enough to win them. I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal with Carzola again being the star of the show. It would be nice for Arsenal to head to Liverpool next weekend with four points in the bag already.

That's it for today.

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.