Arsenal v Marseille Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow. 

Do Arsenal Need To Change Their Tactics and Formation

When Arsene Wenger took the reins at Arsenal 16 years ago he continued to play a traditional English 4-4-2 system. He had inherited some very good players, and he added to them with some excellent purchases of his own. The core of the team was the defence which had been at Arsenal for so many years.

Just in front of that defence he has two strong and athletic players in Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit. They could do everything that was required of them defensively, and allow other flair players to do most of the attacking. It meant Arsenal relied on their strikers and two wide players for most of their attacking threat and their goals.

Over the next nine years that system never really changed, and it brought Arsenal plenty of success too. The Invincibles were built on a very similar formation, and the central duo of Vieira and Gilberto Silva did the hard work for the team. The two wide players terrorised defences, and Thirrry Henry scored goals for fun.

With the emergence of Cesc Fabregas Arsenal changed their formation, and their style of play too. They depended more on possession football, and prying defences open with intricate passing. The trophies dried up for many reasons, but with the departure of Fabregas last summer it could be time for them to consider changing their tactics and formation again.

The problems with a change would be vast of course, as Wenger has brought in players to suit his system. There are no midfield powerhouses any more, and the wide players don't possess the goalscoring ability of Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires. With the almost inevitable departure of Robin van Persie they need to find someone as prolific to replace him if possible too.

It would be an enormous task for Wenger to undertake, and he is still in the middle of his current project too. Since the emergence of Chelsea and their owner's vast fortunes Arsenal have tried to find a different way to compete at the top in English football. Their model of sustainability along with their large new stadium has made it difficult for them to compete in the transfer market, but Wenger rarely went out to buy ready-made players.

The hopes are that they will reap the rewards of their policies in years to come when financial fair play brings a halt to the vast sums of money being spent by Chelsea, and now Manchester City too. It's a tough route to follow for Arsenal fans, but it's clearly the one that makes sense in the long run. Arsenal fans had become used to winning trophies, and their current trophy drought is not easy to take for many.

Perhaps a return to the formation which won them so many trophies would see them regain some of their former glories, but I doubt it. With the players currently available to Arsenal I can't see any other way they can attempt to play. It's impossible to tell what stature a player will reach when he is signed at a young age, and ready made midfield giants who can actually play the game are hard to come by.

There are a few changes Wenger could make to his tactics which would be easy to integrate into the current system though. A favourite tactic of mine which Arsenal utilised so well in the past was "third man running", and I would love to see it used again. For Arsenal to do so all they would have to change is the way they defend corners and free kicks into their own penalty area.

I can't understand why every single Arsenal player defends when the opposition have a free kick, corner or a throw in. It means the ball comes straight back at them if they clear it, and I'm all for leaving one man up front when Arsenal are defending set pieces. For Arsenal to start using the "third man running" tactic again it is essential for one player to remain in a threatening position to the opposition.

It's a tactic which is very simple, and it proved to be very effective in the past. The lone player up front takes possession of the ball from an Arsenal clearance, and plays it back to another player advancing from the penalty area. His first time pass is then played behind the opposing defence to the third man who is running in behind them on either side.

With the passing ability of some of the current Arsenal team, and the speed of both Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain it is surely something which should be considered. It won't work every time of course, but if applied correctly it could lead to a few goals and worry opposing defences too. At the very worst it gives Arsenal an out ball when defending a set piece, and gives their defence some time to regroup.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Alternatives If Robin van Persie Leaves

Robin van Persie has had a fantastic 18 months for Arsenal after finally seeming to have overcome an injury ravaged career. There was never any doubt that he had the talent required to be a top class player, but the frequencies of his injuries prevented him from displaying his skills on a permanent basis.

When he was given the Arsenal csptain's armband last summer I feared he would go the way of the previous three holders of that honour. With only two years left on his contract he chose not to sign another one, but he also chose to accept the honour of becoming captain. His contract now has only one year left to run, and still there is no real news on whether he will extend his contract or ply his trade elsewhere.

There were talks between RVP and the club at the end of the season, but both sides have agreed to keep the outcome of those talks a secret. There are a few ways to look at the secrecy, but nobody knows for sure what has been agreed or not.

For my part I think RVP has decided to see if Arsenal can strengthen the squad enough during the summer to make them competitive at the top again. He has a desire to win trophies and he would love to win them with Arsenal, but if the club don't match his ambition he may choose to chase his dreams elsewhere.

If such a scenario were to come about Arsenal would surely have to go out and buy a striker to try to fill RVP's boots. Lukasz Podoldki has already arrived at the club, but Arsenal's striking options were too limited last season and Podolski is needed in addition to RVP. If the worst does happen and RVP packs his bags I've tried to come up with a few alternatives for Arsenal to consider.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is currently playing second fiddle to RVP in the Dutch national team at Euro 2012. He was the top scorer in the German league last season with Schalke, and there is no doubting the fact he has a real eye for goal. He's of a similar age to RVP, but he is a very different style of player in my opinion.

Huntelaar is more of a poacher than RVP, and he wouldn't have the same range of skills on the ball. If the worst was to happen and RVP left Arsenal I think Huntelaar could score quite a few goals in the Premier League as part of an Arsenal team who have no problem making chances for their strikers. Schalke have qualified for next season's Champions League, but surely Huntelaar would still be very tempted to move if Arsenal came calling.

Demba Ba joined Newcastle United last summer after West Ham were relegated from the Premier League despite his excellent goalscoring record for them. He set the Premier League alight with his goalscoring exploits prior to the African Cup of Nations last season, but he struggled to find form when he returned. There is no doubting his ability, or his eye for goal and habit of knowing how to score in the Premier League.

Serious questions have to be asked about his fitness though, as other clubs have declined the opportunity to sign him after seeing the results of his medical tests. Arsenal already have what seems to be the most injury prone squad in the Premier League, and the last thing they need is another injury prone player. Without the injury concerns I think Ba would be a success at Arsenal, but I can't see them taking a risk on a player with major concerns over his future.

Papiss Cisse joined Newcastle United in the January transfer window, and he proceeded to score 13 goals in 14 Premier League games for them. Some of his goals were quite magnificent, and the one he got away to Chelsea is a real contender for goal of the season. He seemed to fit perfectly into the Premier League from the very start, and unlike his club mate and international colleague Ba he had no problems finding his form after the ACN.

Before joining Newcastle Cisse had hardly set the world on fire, but his adjustment to the Premier League was instant and spectacular too. It would be a gamble for Arsenal to sign Cisse if RVP leaves, but if he can reproduce the form of last season it could be a very worthwhile gamble. I can't see Arsenal moving for Cisse if RVP leaves, but then again who knows the innermost thoughts of Arsene Wenger.

Djibril Cisse has had a few clubs in his career, and his goalscoring record has always been quite reasonable. He joined Queens Park Rangers in the January transfer window, and he showed he still has the ability to score goals in the Premier League. He managed six goals in eight appearances for QPR, but he also managed two red cards and suspensions with them.

There is no denying his ability to put the ball in the net, and he just might enjoy the challenge of playing at a higher level towards the end of his career if he was to join Arsenal. Wenger rarely shows any interest in players over 30 years old, but he could possibly make an exception for Cisse if he felt he could do a job for Arsenal. The biggest stumbling block could be the series of injuries he has had in the past with two very serious leg breaks, and I doubt if Arsenal would be prepared to risk their money on another injury prone player.

Edinson Cavani is at the perfect age for a striker to join Arsenal in my opinion, as he is just coming into his prime. He has had an exceptional season for Napoli in Italy, and the current turmoil in Italian football could possibly make it a little easier for other clubs to pry him from their grasp. He most certainly has an eye for goal, and there is no doubting his footballing ability.

The stumbling block for Arsenal could be the possible transfer fee, and the other clubs who appear to be showing an interest in Cavani too. I don't think he would have a problem with the physical element of the game in the Premier League, and he could be a real success in England. Unfortunately I think the transfer fees and wages offered by the clubs backed by oil money simply cannot be matched by Arsenal, and his future lies elsewhere.

I really hope RVP stays at Arsenal and goes on to beat the all time goalscoring record set by Thierry Henry for the club, but if he leaves life will go on for Arsenal and their fans too. They have got used to players leaving and being replaced, and I have no doubt they will get over it if RVP goes the same way too.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Season Review Part 2

I started my season review of Arsenal a few days ago, and I went through all the major events up until the end of December 2011. At the turn of the year Arsenal were on 36 points, and they were still in contention for a top four finish. They had also qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, and they had an upcoming FA Cup third round game at home to Leeds United.

Despite beating both Leeds and Aston Villa to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup January was a very bad month for Arsenal in the Premier League. They took the lead away to both Fulham and Swansea, but ended up losing both games. They also lost at home to Manchester United, and their chances of a top four finish were fading rapidly.

Thankfully some of the other teams fighting for that top four finish were having troubles of their own, and Arsenal didn't completely lose touch. They did start to slip very far behind Spurs though, and it looked like they would have a very tough task trying to finish in their usual place ahead of their local rivals.

Things went in reverse in February when Arsenal got their league form back on track, but their cup results were far less impressive. They went out of the FA Cup away to Sunderland only a week after taking all three Premier League points on the same ground. Only a few days before that defeat to Sunderland they were beaten 4-0 away to AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League tie.

The bleak days of January and February were of course brightened up by the temporary return of Thierry Henry on loan from the New York Red Bulls. The three goals he got increased his lead at the top of the all-tike goalscoring records for Arsenal, and it was great to see him in action for Arsenal again. He may not be the player he was a few years ago, but his last minute winner against Sunderland was absolutely priceless.

Those back to back defeats against Milan and Sunderland were followed by a home game against Spurs, and it was a game Arsenal had to win. They went into the game 10 points behind Spurs, and any other result would have been nothing short of a disaster. The game didn't start well for Arsenal, but they managed to come from 2-0 down to win 5-2.

Arsenal's comeback on that day was quite incredible, and it shifted the momentum in the race for Champions League places in their direction. They went on to win their next four Premier League games, and stretch their run to seven wins in a row. Arsenal's fantastic sequence of results coincided with a collapse from Spurs, and suddenly they were third in the table and looking good.

In the middle of that run they played their return leg with Milan, and very nearly managed to overturn the four goal deficit. They led 3-0 at half time, but they ran out of steam as well as fit players on the night. They may have gone out of the competition, but they had managed to regain some of their pride at least.

Things were looking very good for Arsenal when they went to struggling QPR at the very end of March. The other face of Arsenal was on display in that game, and they were beaten 2-1 by a team that just wanted it more. The usual questions about the desire and commitment of the players were being asked again.

Title chasing Manchester City were Arsenal's next opponents, and they were outplayed by an Arsenal team which had found everything they were missing against QPR. A late Mikael Arteta goal gave Arsenal all three points, and a win away to Wolves a few days later looked likely to see them tie up third place with a few games to spare.

With five games to go Arsenal were clear favourites for that third spot, and it was theirs to win or lose. Three of their next four games were at home, and surely Arsenal could get the points they needed in those games to end the season on a high. However, Arsenal fans know that their team rarely do things the easy way, and Arsenal failed to win any of their next four games.

It was no coincidence that the very influential Arteta hobbled off after only eight minutes in the first of those games, and didn't play again for the rest of the season. Robin van Persie's goals were crucial to Arsenal all season long, but the influence of Arteta was another factor in their recovery after their disastrous start to the season. No matter what players Arsenal sign this summer Arteta should be the first choice player in their midfield next season.

In their final home game of the season Arsenal needed a win over Norwich City to stay ahead in the race for third place with Spurs playing away to struggling Aston Villa the next day. The game against Norwich seemed to sum up Arsenal's whole season, as they took an early lead before falling 2-1 behind. They fought back in the second half to go 3-2 up, but in true Arsenal style they allowed Norwich to score a late equaliser.

A win for Spurs away to Villa would have seen Arsenal fall back to fourth place with just one game left to play. Arsenal fans were biting on their fingernails on that Sunday afternoon, but thankfully Villa managed to get a draw and keep Arsenal in pole position with one game to play.

Arsenal's final game was away to West Brom, and a win would have guaranteed them third place, and a spot in the group stages of next season's Champions League. Any other result would have left Arsenal in fourth place, and their hopes resting on Bayern Munich beating Chelsea in the Champions League final. Thankfully Arsenal managed to beat West Brom, and it was Spurs who were demoted to a Europa League place next season when Chelsea beat Bayern last Saturday night.

Of course Arsenal didn't do things the easy way against West Brom when they threw away an early lead before coming from behind to win 3-2. The winning goal came from Laurent Koscielny, but he had a lot of help from the West Brom keeper.

I had felt Arsenal had been unlucky on a few occasions throughout the season with refereeing decisions in particular.Swansea, Spurs and Liverpool all got penalties against Arsenal when their players had clearly dived, and Arsenal didn't get a single penalty at home all season long in the league. However, the performance of Martin Fulop in goal for West Brom in that final game made up for any perceived bad luck during the season.

Arsenal were far from their best in that game, and stumbled over the finishing line with some huge slices of help from Fulop. He handed Arsenal's first and third goals to them on a plate, and he deserves a place in the Arsenal hall of fame.

It meant St. Totteringham's Day arrived yet again, as it has in every single season under Arsene Wenger. That's 16 years in a row that Wenger has led Arsenal to finish above Spurs, and not many of them were as close as this season's finish.

The signs of Arsenal taking their transfer dealings seriously this summer are there already with the arrival of Lukas Podolski. Hopefully he will get to play alongside RVP rather than instead of him, but only time will tell whether RVP chooses to stay or not. I hope he does stay, but I also hope Wenger has other players in mind if the worst does happen and RVP leaves.

Overall a third placed finish was not a bad one for a team which seemed to lurch from one crisis to another at times during the season. I would have liked a better run in the FA Cup, but it wasn't to be and unless the team is considerably strengthened it remains Arsenal's best chance of a trophy for next season.

There are 17 other teams in the Premier League who would gladly have swapped places with Arsenal despite the turmoils of their season. Qualification for next season's Champions League is not everything, but it certainly beats not qualifying when no trophies have been won. There are only four trophies on offer to Arsenal every season, and Arsenal managed to win as many of them as most other teams.

The biggest failure of the season was their inability to genuinely challenge for any of those four trophies. They were never in the running in the Premier League, and all of their cup campaigns finished relatively early. It would be great to see the team right up there with a chance of winning something next season, and that's what the fans really want to see.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Premier League Game With Tottenham Hotspur Previewed

After their exit from the FA Cup and their almost certain exit from the Champions League in the space of four days Arsenal are back to Premier League action. As far as Premier League games go for Arsenal they don't get much bigger than a north London derby against bitter rivals Spurs. To add more spice to the game Spurs are currently 10 points ahead of Arsenal with 13 games left to play.

Since Arsene Wenger took the reins at Arsenal in 1996 they have finished ahead of Spurs in the Premier League on every single occasion. The Arsenal fans famously sing "You won the league in black and white" to the Spurs fans in reference to Spurs wait of over 50 years to add to their two league titles. Since Spurs won their "famous" double in 1961 Arsenal have managed that feat three times, and won six league titles.

Even if Spurs were to win against Arsenal they will still not win the Premier League this season. The fact that they are ahead of Arsenal in the league is more a measure of how badly Arsenal's season has gone than how well it has gone for Spurs. If the sum total of their ambition is to finish above Arsenal it doesn't really show them in a great light.

There is no doubt that this season has been a very testing one for Arsenal fans after the sales of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer. Arsenal banked an awful lot of money from their transfer dealings in the summer, and the players they brought in have not improved the squad from last season. It has to be remembered that Arsenal weren't good enough last season, but they have only weakened their squad instead of strengthening it.

There was an opportunity for Wenger to bring in some players in the January transfer window, but only Thierry Henry arrived on loan. His loan was quite successful all things considered, but he has now departed to play in America again. To make matters worse Arsenal decided to loan Andrey Arshavin to Zenit St. Petersburg yesterday, and he won't play again this season for Arsenal.

I can only assume Arsenal will sell Arshavin in the summer, and his time at the club is over. When he arrived in the transfer window in 2009 he was a revelation and he saved Arsenal's season, but he has failed to live up to the expectations he set in that magnificent spell. As the seasons went by he has become less and less effective, and his chances have been very limited this season.

I'm sure he wanted to play first team football with Euro 2012 coming up, as he is the captain and playmaker in the Russian national team. It's a role he wanted to play for Arsenal, but he never got the chance to do so. I thought the chance might come his way when Cesc was sold last summer, but it wasn't to be.

Arsenal have their injury worries ahead of the Spurs game, but hopefully both Kieran Gibbs and Laurent Koscielny will be passed fit to play. Without both of them the Arsenal defence will look very unbalanced, as Alex Song Will probably have to play in it. I know Gibbs is a long way from proving himself in the Arsenal team, but he has been at the club long enough to know what this game means.

Besides the injury concerns Wenger has a few decisions to make in his team selection, and he needs to get them right. As long as Gibbs and Koscielny play I think he will opt for Aaron Ramsey in midfield with Song and Mikael Arteta. That will mean Tomas Rosicky will miss out, but I don't think he has enough to offer in terms of actual impact despite how hard he tries.

The other decision he has to make is which two players will play in the wide roles on either side of Robin van Persie. I think Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are the most likely candidates to get the nod, as they might also have a better idea of the significance of the game. I thought Gervinho was simply not up to the physical challenge Sunderland put up to Arsenal last week, but he wasn't the only one.

Spurs are winning plaudits for the way they are playing this season, but I can't say I actually watch them play too often. I can think of a lot of better things I could do with my days than watching Spurs play such as having a nap or watching paint dry. I have seen enough of them to know Arsenal will have to be at their very best to get a result from the game.
 
Thankfully Arsenal managed to halt the league slump from January and win their last two league games, but this game will be a different proposition. The players have been found wanting far too often over the last few seasons, and they cannot afford to give anything less than their all in this game. There can be no excuses after the game if Arsenal lose, and Spurs beat them for the second time this season.

Arsenal's home record has been pretty good so far this season with eight wins in 12 games, but they lost the two biggest games they played at home in the league. Both Liverpool and Manchester United came to Arsenal and left with all three points, but Spurs cannot be allowed to do the same. If the Arsenal players want to get the fans behind them there is no better way than giving their all against Spurs.

Wenger said fourth place would be Arsenal's trophy for this season when they went out of the FA Cup, but personally I find that a little insulting. I'm not a fan who demands a trophy every season, but equally I'm not happy with my club foregoing a whole season because they got their planning so wrong last summer. The Arsenal squad need a lot of strengthening last summer, but instead it was weakened even further.

Top quality players were sold and replaced with players who were not as good as them, and when Arsenal's usual injuries kicked in the team struggled. Those struggles are still continuing, and besides the 7-1 victory over Blackburn Arsenal have rarely looked convincing this season. The team is hurting, and the fans feel that pain more than anyone else.

Arsenal were set up to play with Cesc as their creative midfielder, but since he left that have nobody to play that role. Possibly Jack Wilshire might have stepped up to play there, but he hasn't played at all this season because of injury. The failure to even attempt to replace Cesc while the club made a huge profit from transfers is a sin the fans are finding it hard to forgive.

Maybe Arsenal should switch their formation to suit their personnel a little better, but the current style is hard to keep to without a playmaker. They also need to get their tempo back into their game, and stop passing at a snail's pace. When Arsenal play the game at a high tempo they are capable of putting any team under real pressure.

It would be great to see Arsenal go at Spurs from the first minute, and put their players under pressure every time they are in possession. Whether the players have the belief and the desire to do that or not is another matter altogether. In former days the team had enough character to overcome almost any obstacle, but that character seems to be missing all too often this season.

Despite my negativity about the team I still believe they can and will beat Spurs, but I think it will be a very tight game. Spurs have some very good players who can cause Arsenal real problems, but they don't have the best player in the Premier League. RVP has scored 22 league goals already this season, and hopefully he can add to his tally against Spurs.

The game will also see the return of Emmanuel Adebayor to Arsenal in a Spurs shirt, and he's a player the Arsenal fans love to hate. They have had their run-ins with him in the past, but hopefully the abuse will stick to acceptable levels this time. He's on loan at Spurs from Manchester City this season, but he won't be joining them next season as they can't afford to pay his wages.

He left Arsenal under a cloud when his performances slipped and his greed got the better of him. There is no way he will be taking a pay cut to join Spurs or any other club, and it doesn't leave him with many options for next season. I'm sure he would love to score against Arsenal, but I'm equally sure the Arsenal fans would love to see him on a losing side.

My prediction for the game is for Arsenal to win 3-2, and if they do so they will be level in fourth place at worst. They have games against two of the teams just behind them coming up in the next few weeks, and it's a real testing time for the team. Hopefully the players can find the character that seems to be missing at times, and come through those games with all guns blazing.

Fourth place may not sound like a trophy, but with the season Arsenal have had I would settle for it right now.


That's it for today.

Here's a goal from a man who always loved scoring against Spurs.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's FA Cup Fifth Round Trip To Sunderland Previewed

It seems like Arsenal are lurching from one crisis to another this season. If it isn't their worst defeat in top flight football in almost 100 years then it's their worst defeat in Champions League football. Never mind the injury crisis which has enveloped the club for at least the third season in a row.

I usually have a very positive outlook on Arsenal, but I didn't believe everything would be great once the injured players returned. There was always the possibility that others would get injured and take their places, and so it has proved to be. The latest player to join the catalogue of injured players at the club is Per Mertesacker, and it looks like his ankle surgery has ended his season.

Kieran Gibbs returned from injury on Wednesday night, and he was duly thrown to the lions in a really tough game for any player to make a comeback in. His defensive abilities have always been suspect, but it was more than a little unfair to bring him back in that game. It looks like the left-back berth is his now, as the defensive injuries pile up again.

With Gibbs' injury record I'm not sure how long he will last in the role, but hopefully he can develop his defensive abilities in the team. Laurent Koscielny picked up an injury on Wednesday night too, but hopefully he will be back for next week's Premier League game against Spurs. It's a game which means an awful lot to Arsenal fans, and they cannot be allowed to beat Arsenal at home for the second season in a row.

For today's game against Sunderland the defence almost picks itself because of those injuries to Mertesacker and Koscielny. Johan Djourou should come in for Koscielny in the only defensive change from Wednesday night, and hopefully he can find some of the form he had last season prior to his injury. He has had a bad time when he has played this season, but he was mostly asked to play as a right back.

In midfield I can't see too many changes, but Arsene Wenger has to decide whether to play Aaron Ramsey or Tomas Rosicky. I can't see him leaving Alex Song or Mikael Arteta out of the team, but I wouldn't be averse to seeing Francis Coquelin get a chance in midfield. Surely he can't do any worse than some of those who underperformed so much on Wednesday night, and he might add some urgency to the team.

The attacking trio will again be led by Robin van Persie, and the big decision for Wenger is who to play with him. Theo Walcott seems to start regardless of how he plays, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the one who missed out against Milan. With Gervinho available again after losing the African Cup of Nations final on penalties there are certainly plenty of options.

If I was choosing the team I think I would go for Chamberlain and Gervinho, but that job is currently under the care of Wenger. I hope he stays in the job, but the discontent among Arsenal fans is growing, and the profits made from transfers is weakening the squad annually. If it is allowed to continue Arsenal will not be able to even consider competing seriously for any of the major trophies.

Robin van Persie has just over one yer remaining on his contract, and if he wants to win silverware he must know there are must better options elsewhere. If the club cannot convince him to stay it will show that they really do lack ambition, and those calling for a change could become the majority. It's a worst case scenario of course, and hopefully Arsenal can still win the FA Cup and finish in the top four too.

The injury suffered by Mertesacker looked like it was caused by Sunderland's pitch last Saturday, and Arsenal have to play on the same pitch again today. Even the Sunderland players have admitted that their pitch is in a bad state, and it won't make it easy for either team to play football on today. Arsenal were the better team last week, but the circumstances are very different this week.

Last week Sunderland came into the game on the back of a FA Cup replay the previous Wednesday night which went to extra time. It's Arsenal who had the tough midweek game this week, as they spent 90 minutes chasing shadows in Italy. Sunderland are the team who had the luxury of a week off this time, and it might see a change of tactics for them.

They kept their whole team behind the ball last week almost all of the time, and tried to hit Arsenal on the break. Sunderland had been in very good form prior to that game, and they might have fared better if they tried to take Arsenal on. Arsenal are more vulnerable in defence this season than they have been for many years, and Sunderland may feel they missed their chance.

After watching Milan dismantle Arsenal on Wednesday night Sunderland could possibly decide to have a go themselves. Of course Sunderland are not Milan, and if Arsenal can raise themselves enough they could profit from playing an attack minded Sunderland. I think Sunderland will go with the same tactics as last week, and I hope Arsenal can break them down a bit sooner this time.

Thierry Henry won Arsenal the three points last week with his injury winner, but he won't be around to do it for them this time. It's a pity he had to return to his club after his loan spell, but at least he made a genuine impression when he was at the club. I doubt if he will ever wear an Arsenal shirt competitively again, and it's a pity his last appearance ended in such a heavy defeat.

If the newspapers are to be believed Wenger was very disappointed with Wednesday night's performance, and he let the players know. They quite simply have to respond against Sunderland, and they have to avoid defeat. A win would be the ideal result, but once they remain in the competition there will still be hope for this season.

The FA Cup is Arsenal's only hope of a trophy now this season, and it would be an awful blow if their only aim from the third week in February was to try to finish in the top four. Only Manchester United have won more FA Cups than Arsenal, but a win for Arsenal this season would equal United's total of 11 wins. If Arsenal can win the FA Cup it would ease the pain of probably finishing behind Spurs for the first time since Wenger became Arsenal's manager.

I'm hoping for the reaction from the players that Wenger is demanding, and if they can react properly I think Arsenal will win. I don't think Martin O'Neill has the bottle to take Arsenal on, and it could be their undoing in my opinion. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal, and a safe passage through to the last eight of the FA Cup.

After the return leg against Milan Arsenal can have a week off between almost every game they play unless they have any FA Cup replays. It will be a welcome break for the players, but also a sign that the club is not living up to it's previous successes under Wenger. Never before has Arsenal's season been as good as over so early in the season, and it will hurt the fans if things do end so early.

The game is live on TV which means I won't have to search frantically for a stream, but it also means there will be no escape if things go wrong. I sincerely hope they don't go wrong, but this season I am by no means certain of it. The sale of star players added to the injury problems has seen Arsenal have too few options when things need to be changed, and it has cost the team dearly.

Hopefully it won't cost them today, and they can keep their season alive with a  win or even a draw.


That's it for today.

Here's the goals from Arsenal's FA Cup final victory over United in 1979.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Are Taught A Lesson As AC Milan Beat Them 4-0

When the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League was made it was obvious that Arsenal had got the toughest tie of any of the group winners. AC Milan are current champions of Italy, and they are sitting on top of the league in Italy yet again. They only finished second in their group because they had the might of Barcelona to contend with.

Arsenal have managed a mini revival recently with back to back Premier League wins, as well as progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup. Their football may not be as thrilling as it has been in at times in the past under Arsene Wenger, but at least they were still competitive. The embarrassment of the 8-2 defeat at Manchester United seemed to have been put firmly in the past, or so I thought.

Wenger opted for Kieran Gibbs at left-back, as Thomas Vermaelen moved to a central defensive role with Per Mertesacker injured. Gibbs has never looked too solid defensively, but he has a lot to offer as an attacking full-back. The other change in the Arsenal team that beat Sunderland on Saturday was the inclusion of Aaron Ramsey for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ramsey's inclusion meant that Tomas Rosicky played in a wide role instead of Chamberlain. I've never been fond of Rosicky in that wide role, and I found it hard to understand how Chamberlain had been left out of the team. He may not have set the world alight against Sunderland on Saturday, but surely he had to be a better option than Rosicky.

Rosicky never stops trying, but he hasn't scored in something like two years, and his final ball leaves an awful lot to be desired too. If Rosicky was to have started it should have been in place of Ramsey in a central role to give the team more balance. Wenger has decided to stick with his favoured 4-3-3 formation, and that requires attacking players in the wide roles.

Arsenal were under pressure from the start despite having more possession than Milan. To say that Arsenal were vulnerable on the break is an understatement, as Milan looked like scoring on almost every occasion that they attacked. It looked like only a matter of time before they scored, and I worried about the final outcome unless Arsenal could change things quickly.

Wenger decided the best plan of action on the night was to attack Milan, but that left gaping holes at the back for Milan to expose. It's a very dangerous game for any team to play a high defensive line, and not put any pressure on the opponents when they are in possession. It gave Milan time to pick their passes from midfield, and the runners in behind the Arsenal defence had a field day.

The first goal came after only 15 minutes when Kevin-Prince Boateng was found in acres of space just outside the Arsenal penalty area. He chested the ball down and ran onto it before crashing a volley in off the underside of the crossbar. It was just the start Milan wanted, and the Arsenal players looked like they weren't up for the fight to me.

I cannot understand how Arsenal didn't deploy the age-old tactic of keeping things tight for the first 20 minutes away from home in such a big game. They looked like they had been told to slug it out with Milan, and let the best team win. The current Arsenal team simply isn't good enough to play such an open game against a team with the attacking threat of Milan.

Milan missed some good chances as the first half wore on, and I hoped for Arsenal to reach the break only one goal down. With seven minutes remaining in the first half Milan got a slice of luck when an offside Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up Robinho to head in their second goal. It was a blow for Arsenal, but it was no more than Milan deserved at that stage.

When half-time arrived I hoped that Wenger would be able to change things around and tighten thins up at the back and in midfield too.  He did make one change with the introduction of Thierry Henry for the ineffectual Theo Walcott. Walcott may have been poor in that first half, but he got absolutely no service at all.

It meant that Arsenal were playing a more traditional 4-4-2 formation with Henry playing up front alongside Robin van Persie. It also meant that the two wide players were Rosicky and Ramsey, and Chamberlain was left to sit on the bench. If Arsenal were going to play that formation they needed a creative player in central midfield, but sadly the club no longer possesses such a player.

Laurent Koscielny had already departed injured just before half time, and he had been replaced by Johan Djourou. Arsenal had used two of their three subs, but the team certainly didn't look any stronger in my opinion. Djourou has being having a bad time this season, and his introduction didn't fill me with any hope.

When Arsenal had all of their full-backs injured there was hope that they would improve defensively when they returned. I said at the time that there was no guarantee of other players not getting injured, and now it appears the centre-backs are lining up to be knocked down. Mertesacker and Koscielny have picked up injuries in consecutive games, and suddenly the centre of defence looks very vulnerable too.

Only four minutes into the second half Milan added their third goal, and Robinho got his second of the night. He cut across the edge of the Arsenal box with the ball, and saw his chance to shoot when Vermaelen slipped and fell over. His shot was excellently hit, and it went right into the corner to make Arsenal's task even harder.

Arsenal eventually came into the game, and RVP had a shot excellently saved by Christian Abbiati in the Mian goal after Henry had set him up. There were one or two other attempts from Arsenal, but Milan always looked more likely to add to their lead on the break. With just over 10 minutes left that proved to be just the case.

Ibrahimovic found himself in a one-on-one in the Arsenal penalty area with Djourou, and he knew exactly what to do. He knocked the ball past the Arsenal defender, and then both players tussled a little before Ibrahimovic fell over. The replays seemed to indicate that Ibrahimovic made a meal of the incident, and even went looking fo Djourou's leg rather than actually being tripped.

The referee had no hesitation in giving the penalty, and Ibrahimovic stepped up himself to dispatch it into the corner of the net. Even if he had missed I think the penalty would have to have been retaken, as Wojciech Szczesny seemed to move off his line too soon. There were only 10 minutes left, and there was nowhere for Arsenal to go at that stage.

Chamberlain had come on for Gibbs midway through the second half, and at least he looked like he was trying to make something happen. Milan shadowed him very closely when he had the ball, but at least he tried to take players on and put them under some pressure. Thankfully for Arsenal Milan didn't add any more goals, and they ended up only losing 4-0.

Despite my misgivings about two of Milan's goals I have no doubt that they deserved to win by at least four goals. It was an awful performance by Arsenal, as the team simply didn't look good enough to compete on the night. They weren't helped by the tactics employed either, and Wenger has to take the blame for that.

I find it hard to believe that he really thought Arsenal could go away to Milan, and stand up to them blow-for-blow. They were not strong enough defensively, and they didn't close the ball down quickly enough all over the pitch. They got what they deserved on the night, and I can see no way that they can turn around such a huge deficit in the return leg.


It means that Arsenal's only hope of a trophy this season is in the FA Cup, and the trip to Sunderland on Saturday takes on huge importance. I never believed the current squad was capable of winning any trophy other than the FA Cup or the Carling Cup this season, and so it has proved. If they lose to Sunderland their chances of winning anything this season will have ended in February.

I sincerely hope that Arsenal manage to beat Sunderland, and I know they are good enough to do it. I hope the players can get over their poor performance, and raise their game enough to get a result. It will be Arsenal who are tired this week after playing last night, and traveling home from Italy.

Sunderland will have had a week off, and they should be the ones full of running towards the end of the game on Saturday. The Arsenal players need to take a long hard look at themselves, and give everything they have to ensure that their season stays alive. Otherwise they will have three months in which their only task will be to try to finish fourth in the Premier League.

What sort of message would that send to RVP as he considers whether he should sign a new contract or not. Arsenal didn't invest properly last summer, and they have paid a price for it, but hopefully they will also learn a lesson from it. Nights like last night cannot be allowed to become normal for Arsenal, and only real investment in the team/squad will prevent that.

I can honestly sat that the current team/squad is the worst one that Wenger has produced for Arsenal, and it has to be remedied. Some real class has to be added to the squad, or Arsenal could be facing into a bleak future. It won't change how I feel for my club, but it certainly will hurt to see the team struggle.  

Finally for today it was a shame for Henry's brief loan spell to come to an end with that result last night. He tried his best when he came on, but it would have taken a miracle for Arsenal to have got anything from that game. He really helped the cause during his time at the club, and two of the three goals he scored proved to be game winners.

If Arsenal do somehow manage to finish fourth this season he will have played his part. He also added to his fantastic tally as Arsenal's record goalscorer, and helped to increase his standing as a legend for Arsenal fans. I don't think he will ever play competitively for Arsenal again, but he will always remain a fan.

That's it for today.

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

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Player Ratings Against Sunderlnd

This is the first time I've attempted to rate the performances of the Arsenal players in a game, and I'll do my best to be as fair as possible. It's always that bit easier to rate players when they have won a game, and thankfully Arsenal managed to get a last gasp winner. The man to score that goal was the legendary Thierry Henry, and it was fitting for him to do so in his last game for them in the Premier League.

The average score out of 10 for a player is six in my rating, and I'll try to be as fair as possible in my assessment.

Wojciech Szczesny:

Wojciech Szczesny had very little to do in the first half of the game, but when he was called upon in the second half he wasn't found wanting. He made two excellent saves from Craig Gardner at a time when Sunderland were on top, and they proved to be crucial. Despite playing so well there was absolutely nothing he could do about James McLean's superb finish for Sunderland's goal.

Overall I was impressed with Szczesny's performance, and the score I have given him reflects that.

Szczesny 8/10
 
Thomas Vermaelen:

Thomas Vermaelen has been asked to play at left-back for Arsenal for a while now, and he has performed admirably. He does play in that position for Belgium, but normally he would prefer to play as a central defender. Defensively Vermaelen was as strong as he always is, and he tried as much as he could to join in with the attack too.

He's not a natural wide player, but he did as much as he could to support Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Arsenal tried to get behind a resolute Sunderland team. When Sunderland looked dangerous in attack it was never on Vermaelen's side, and he can be happy with his performance on the day.

Vermaelen 7/10
 
Bacary Sagna:

Bacary Sagna has been missed by Arsenal for the last few months as he recovered from a broken leg. This was his first full game back in the Premier League, and his contribution was one of the factors in Arsenal's strong defensive display. Sunderland never looked like opening up either of Arsenal's full-backs, and it was great to see Sagna back in the team doing what he does best.

He tried as much as he could to support Theo Walcott when Arsenal attacked, but it wasn't easy to penetrate a packed Sunderland defence. I'm sure his attacking instincts will return over the next few weeks, but it was most important that he got his defending right.

Sagna 7/10
 
Laurent Koscielny:

Laurent Koscielny seems to get better week by week in the Arsenal team. He is rarely troubled by the opposition, and he was at his best again against Sunderland. Fraizer Campbell has looked very good since his return from injury, but Koscielny marshaled him so well that he never got a chance to score.


Koscielny also tried to support the team as they went forward, but again his defending was the most important part of his game.

When he resumes a central defensive partnership with Vermaelen, Arsenal will have a formidable pairing to match any team in the Premier League.

7/10
 
Per Mertesacker:
 

Per Mertesacker was having a good game when disaster struck for him with 20 minutes to go. He tried to take the ball under control when there was absolutely no danger, but he went down in agony with an ankle injury.

Unfortunately for Mertesacker and Arsenal, McLean took advantage of his injury to put Sunderland ahead.
The goal was by no means Mertesacker's fault, and he will probably be out for quite a while with his injury. Besides that goal, Mertesacker was solid on the day and rarely troubled by a Sunderland team that showed very little adventure.

6/10
 
Alex Song:

Alex Song played the defensive role in front of Arsenal's back four as he usually does. He rarely looked troubled by a Sunderland team that was intent on stopping Arsenal from scoring, and trying to hit them on the break.

Song's passing was a little sloppy at times, as his concentration seemed to wane a little.
He is the first-choice player for Arsenal in his role and he might just need to feel some pressure on his place for him to perform a little better. He dropped back to a central defensive role when Mertesacker went off injured, and he looked comfortable in the role. 

6/10
 
Mikael Arteta:

Mikael Arteta is Mr. Dependable for Arsenal, as he keeps the whole team ticking over. He plays the pivotal role in midfield, and he is always looking to get on the ball. His passing range is excellent and he never gave up trying to drive Arsenal forward against Sunderland.

It was his deflected shot which led to Aaron Ramsey equalising for Arsenal, and from there on, they were favourites to win. Even with time running out, Arteta never stopped doing the right things and Arsenal got their reward in the end.

7/10
 
Tomas Rosicky:

Tomas Rosicky has had to wait for his chance in the Arsenal team this season, but he has started their last two games in place of Aaron Ramsey. He was always looking to get on the ball and drive the team forward, but his passing was a little wayward at times.

Despite getting into good positions, he was unable to pick out any killer passes and he hasn't scored in so long that he seems to have forgotten how to do so.

He still played very well in a game in which Arsenal struggled to create chances against a defensively minded team. I'm sure he will see plenty of game time between now and the end of the season.

6/10
 
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has eventually gotten his chance in the Arsenal team over the last few weeks, and he has looked up to the task. He found it hard to get any space against a defensively minded Sunderland team, but at least he never stopped trying.

I'm sure he will play an awful lot better in plenty of other games for Arsenal this season and in the future too.
The game will have been a good lesson for him in how difficult life in the Premier League can be no matter how good a player is. Chamberlain got very little space to operate in, and he has to learn how to deal with tight marking in the future.

5/10
 
Theo Walcott:

Like Oxlade-Chamberlain on the other side, Walcott found it hard to get into a match where he was denied space. He is at his best when opponents push up and he can use his incredible speed to run behind their defences.

With Sunderland sitting deep, there was very little opportunity for him to make a break.
He did have one good shooting opportunity in the first half, but his effort was wide of the far post from an acute angle. I was a little surprised that he was kept on for so long, but his replacement was the man who managed to make the winning goal for Arsenal.

5/10
 
Robin van Persie:

Robin van Persie is the leading scorer in the Premier League so far this season and he's in superb form at the moment. He found it hard to find space against a packed Sunderland defence, and his attempts on goal were very limited. He did have one header late on, but it was straight at Simon Mignolet and the keeper wasn't troubled by it.

As always, RVP gave all he had for the Arsenal cause, but it wasn't one of his better games. I'm sure he will score plenty of goals before the season ends, but he never looked like doing so yesterday.

He scores so many of his goals from cutbacks, but the Arsenal wide players never managed to penetrate the Sunderland defence to make those chances for him.

6/10
 
Thierry Henry:

I was a little unsure about Thierry Henry returning to Arsenal on loan from the New York Red Bulls. I didn't know if he would have anything to offer the team, but I am delighted to say that he really proved his worth.
In just over 90 minutes of action for Arsenal, he scored three goals—and two of them were game-winning goals.

He came on for Oxlade-Chamberlain against Sunderland to play in a wide role, but he moved to a central role as Arsenal looked to find a winning goal. When Andrey Arshavin played a fantastic cross in injury time, Henry was where any good striker should be to poke the ball home. He celebrated with the Arsenal fans after the goal and at the full-time whistle too.

It's difficult to judge what influence he had in the dressing room during his few weeks on loan at Arsenal, but his influence on their season could be immense.

The victory over Sunderland was a very important one for Arsenal, and it was Henry who got the crucial goal. The rating I have given him reflects every single goal he scored for the team.

229/10
 
Aaron Ramsey:

Aaron Ramsey had looked tired in recent games and he was left out of the team last week against Blackburn. I was a little surprised that he didn't return to the starting 11 against Sunderland, but when he came on, he had an immediate impact. He latched on a blocked shot from Arteta to score from the edge of the box for Arsenal's equaliser.

He may have only been on the pitch for 20 minutes, but he had a huge impact, and I think he will start against AC Milan on Wednesday night. As Arsenal tried to grind Sunderland down in the closing minutes, Ramsey showed plenty of enthusiasm and energy, and the break looks to have helped him.

7/10
 
Andrey Arshavin:

Andrey Arshavin has had a poor season by his standards so far this season for Arsenal, and when he came on with three minutes lef,t I didn't expect too much from him.

However, his contribution was telling in the few minutes he played and his cross for the winning goal was quite superb. He had two Sunderland players on him, but he managed to get in a cross that went over the defender's head and straight on to the boot of Henry.

Hopefully, that assist will be the boost Arshavin needs and he can return to the form he showed in his first season at Arsenal. He was one of three substitutes who turned the game around for Arsenal, and showed the advantage of having a strong bench.

It's not easy to rate a player on a few minutes of play, but his contribution in that time helped.

7/10
 
That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Beat Sunderland To Move Into Fourth Place In The Premier League

Arsenal made the tough trip to an in form Sunderland yesterday knowing that they needed all three points to help them in their battle for fourth place. Earlier in the day Liverpool had lost to Manchester United, and that gave Arsenal an opportunity to open a four point gap on them. Both Chelsea and Newcastle had tough away games too, and a win for Arsenal would have been a huge boost for them.

Arsene Wenger made only one change from the team that beat Blackburn 7-1 last week, as Bacary Sagna returned at right-back in place of Francis Coquelin. The Arsenal bench looked stronger than it had done in a while, and Wenger had some really good options available to him in case of emergency.

From the start it was obvious that Sunderland were going to get as many men as possible behind the ball at all times. They tried their best to deny Arsenal space, and prevent them from attacking from the wings too. It meant that Arsenal had a lot of possession in front of the Sunderland penalty area, but they created very little.

There were very few goalscoring opportunities in the first half, and neither goalkeeper was really extended too much. Arsenal had the better of that first half, but Sunderland did look dangerous on the break a couple of times. Arsenal needed to up the tempo of their game in the second half if they were going to take the three points.

I had hoped Sunderland would tire in the second half after their midweek FA Cup exertions, and Arsenal might be able to take advantage of it. Arsenal seemed to be on top at the start of the second half, but slowly Sunderland made their way into the game. Wojciech Szczesny had to make two very good saves from Craig Gardner in quick succession to keep Arsenal in the game.

Arsenal brought Thierry Henry on for the ineffectual Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain midway through the second half, but they found themselves trailing soon afterwards. Laurent Koscielny played an innocuous pass to Per Mertescaker just outside the Arsenal box, but Mertesacker fell over as he attempted to control the ball. James McLean raced on to the slip, and finished excellently into the far corner past the despairing Szczesny.

The pitch at Sunderland was in poor condition, and it looked like Mertesacker caught his studs in the turf before going down. He was stretchered off, and it looks like he might have some ligament damage in his ankle. I would imagine he will be out for a while which could see a return to a central defensive role for Thomas Vermaelen.

Wenger brought Aaron Ramsey on for the injured Mertesacker, and Alex Song dropped back to play in the centre of defence. It wasn't long before Ramsey had an impact on the game, as he scored Arsenal's equaliser. Mikael Arteta's shot was deflected his way, and he scored from just outside the penalty area via both posts.

There were 15 minutes left to play, and Arsenal now looked the most likely team to win. Sunderland dropped deeper and deeper as they began to tire, and Arsenal went in search of a precious winner. Robin van Persie had a chance from a header towards the end, but it was straight at Simon Mignolet in the Sunderland goal.

With only three minutes left Andrey Arshavin came on for Theo Walcott, and he was to make a telling contribution. The game went into the four minutes of added time, and Arshavin swung in a magnificent cross from the Arsenal right. Henry was in the six-yard box where any good striker should be, and he prodded the ball home.

Sunderland tried to respond, but Arsenal managed to see out the last few minutes, and take all three points. It was a very hard fought victory, but it could prove to be very beneficial by the end of the season. When the other results came in Arsenal found themselves sitting in the coveted fourth place that they desire so much.

Both Walcott and Chamberlain were very well marshaled by the Sunderland defence, but thankfully Arsenal were able to utilise the skill and experience on their bench.  The value of having a strong bench was never more evident for Arsenal than in this game, and the players who came on changed the game for them. Both Ramsey and Henry scored, and the much maligned Arshavin made the winning goal.

Arsenal's next three Premier League games will all be crucial in their attempts to hold on to that coveted fourth spot. They play against AC Milan and Sunderland again in the Champions League and FA Cup respectively in the next week before returning to league action. They then play at home to Spurs, away to Liverpool, and at home to Newcastle with the return leg against Milan thrown in too.

It's a really tough schedule for the team, and they will need to show the determination that they showed against Sunderland to progress in all competitions. They have now won two league games in a row, and the three defeats of January seem like a distant memory. If they can come through the next three league games unbeaten then they will probably be favourites to finish fourth.

One player who won't be able to help them do so any more is Henry, as he will be returning to the New York Red Bulls after Wednesday night's game in Milan. His contribution may not have been much in terms of minutes played, but he scored two vitally important goals. He got them through the third round of the FA Cup with the only goal of the game against Leeds before getting that dramatic winner against Sunderland as well.

He did manage to score the seventh goal against Blackburn last week, but there was a little less importance attached to that goal. I don't know if he will get the chance to play against Milan on Wednesday night, but I'm sure he will again take the opportunity to say farewell to the traveling Arsenal fans after the game. He extended his record as Arsenal's highest scorer of all time during his few weeks on loan, and lived up to his reputation as a living legend.

I wasn't so sure how things would work out for him on loan at Arsenal for those few weeks, but they were a resounding success. Let's just hope the team can keep a hold of the momentum he has helped them to build, and finish this season on a high for a change. The FA Cup is a real target in terms of trophies, and Champions League qualification is within their grasp too.

If the team hold on to fourth place and win the FA Cup I will be a very happy fan considering how the season started. I still can't see the Champions League as a genuine target for them to win, but hopefully they can at least turn over Milan and reach the last eight. I'll preview that game in the next couple of days, but for the moment it's time to wallow in the sweet smell of a Thierry Henry inspired win.

That's it for today.

Here's the highlights from yesterday's game.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's FA Cup Game With Aston Villa Previewed

Arsenal have a long and glorious history in the FA Cup, and only Manchester United have won the competition more often than them. It's been almost seven years since Arsenal last won the FA Cup, and it was also the last trophy they won. The way Arsenal's season is panning out I think the FA Cup has to be seen as their best chance of glory this season.

The draw has been fairly kind to Arsenal so far with two home games against teams they would be expected to beat. In the last round they beat Championship side Leeds United thanks to a goal from the returning Thierry Henry. It was a night that will be remembered for a long time by the Arsenal faithful, but only because of that Henry goal.

Besides that goal Arsenal struggled to beat a team which they should have easily beaten. Since the turn of the year Arsenal have being really struggling, and they followed up that victory over Leeds with three successive Premier League defeats. Their chances of having a say in the title race may be gone, but there is still hope that they can finish in the top four and qualify for next season's Champions League.


For them to do that they need to start getting some of their injured players back into the squad. It looks like those players are finally starting to return, and Bacary Sagna, Mikael Arteta, Thierry Henry and Francis Coquelin are all possibilities for the Villa game. However, Arsenal also play away to Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League three days later, and that may mean Arsene Wenger will be a little cautious in his choices.

With Johan Djourou still carrying a slight knock I think Nico Yennaris might well get a start at right back, but otherwise the defence will be the same as it was against Manchester United last week. In midfield it would be great to see Arteta return and bring some shape to the team, but I don't think he will be risked until Wednesday. I would like to see Tomas Rosicky start again too, and maybe Aaron Ramsey should be the player to make way for him.

Ramsey has looked very tired in recent games, and I think he needs a little break. It has been almost two years since his horrific leg break against Stoke City, and he has done remarkably well  to have come so far considering the injury. Only three Arsenal players have started more games than him this season, and it looks to be taking it's toll.
If Arsenal had the use of the services of both Jack Wilshere and Abu Diaby I'm sure Ramsey wouldn't have played quite so often. The injuries to both of those players have made the workload on Ramsey a little too much, and his recent performances have shown that. Of course he's not the only Arsenal player to be performing below his best at the moment.

In attack I would imagine Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will play from the start again, and it's a straight choice between Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin to play on the other side. Both of them are going through very poor runs at the moment, but I think Arshavin is more of a liability than Walcott. The central role is a different matter with Wenger having the option of playing either Henry or Ju Young Park in place of Robin van Persie.

If RVP plays it will show that Arsenal really are taking the FA Cup seriously this season. I would like to see them do so, but Premier League points are very precious at the moment too. The Champions League will be back in a few weeks, and Arsenal have a really tough schedule coming up.

All of the players due to return from injury will be needed if Arsenal are to have any hope of reaching their two main goals. If they finish the season in the top four, reach the last eight of the Champions League and win the FA Cup I think it will be a very successful season. The players have to find a way to put their recent form behind them, and very quickly too.

The workload on the midfield players has been immense so far this season without Wilshere and Diaby. There was bad news about Wilshere, as he suffered a setback in his recovery from his injury and Arsenal might have to do without his services for a while yet. Diaby is a different matter, and it seems nobody knows when or if he will ever return.

Arsenal have had a pretty impressive record at home this season, and their defence has been strong in those games. They may not have played with their old style and strength, but they have continued to get results most of the time.

Villa will see Arsenal as vulnerable at the moment and who can blame them. Robbie Keane scored two quite magnificent goals for them last week, and his loan move from the MLS looks to have been a smart move for them. I hope that Arsenal's loanee can make a similar impact over the next few weeks to help the team he supports.

Villa are the draw specialists of the Premier League so far this season, and I'm sure they would be happy with a draw in this game. Their best chance probably lies in going for a win, but hopefully they won't do so. Their wide players aren't of the same calibre as United's were last week, and Arsenal will hopefully be a little stronger at the back as a result.

The outcome of the game could well rest on how strong a team Arsenal play and what part RVP plays in proceedings too. He's the best striker in the Premier League by a mile this season, and if he plays at some stage Villa will be nervous of him. I hope he gets a 30 minute cameo at the end of the game and does enough to earn Arsenal a trip to the fifth round.

The draw for the fifth round will take place before Arsenal play which means the route to the last eight will be laid out for the players. A win over Villa and a favourable draw could be just the boost the players and fans alike need, and I'm predicting that they will get it. It will be a close game, but I hope the class of a few of the Arsenal players will shine through and get them the victory they so badly need.

I'm looking forward to Chamberlain growing in confidence and influence, as he gets more chances in the team. A goal for him against Villa which wins the game for Arsenal could be just what he needs to show Wenger that he has to be given more game time. He is a player that can make things happen, and Arsenal need more of them in my opinion.

That's it for today.

Here's the penalty shootout from the last time Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2005.

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Arsenal's Premier League Game With Manchester United Previewed

Arsenal face a home game against Manchester United this Sunday in the Premier League. The reverse fixture at the end of last August was a very painful game for Arsenal fans, as the club was in crisis going into the game. The fans feared wht might happen in that game, and those fears were realised when they were beaten 8-2.

It was a game that will live long in the memories of Arsenal fans for all the wrong reasons. Arsenal were missing an awful lot of players on the day, but the team that played should have been good enough to perform a lot better. Besides the performance of the team Arsene Wenger made some bad tactical decisions on the day too.

Francis Coquelin started in the defensive midfield role, but he was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with 30 minutes left and the score at 3-1. I found it impossible to fathom how Wenger took off a defensive midfielder, and replaced him with a player who is listed as a striker on the club site. The collapse arrived soon afterwards, and the memories are still painful.

Despite the obvious talent Chamberlain has he was overlooked in every single Premier League game after that until last Sunday. He got to play the last 15 minutes against Swansea last Sunday, as Arsenal desperately tried to claw back a 3-2 deficit. His efforts were in vain, and Arsenal were beaten for the second league game in a row.

Going into Sunday's game Arsenal have even more absent players this time, as their squad is ravaged by injuries. It was hoped that both Mikael Arteta and Thomas Vermaelen would be available, but Arteta is definitely out and Vermaelen is highly doubtful. Added to that Thierry Henry has picked up a knock, and he might not be available either.

I find myself wondering if Arsenal have built their new stadium on an ancient burial ground, as they suffer a series of devastating injuries season after season. Besides the current list of injuries Arsenal are also missing both Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh who are both on international duty. By my estimation Arsenal are missing six of their strongest team, and the team has no balance as a result.

Of course the defensive injuries are worst of all, and the injuries to all of the club's full-backs are almost unbelievable. Even the players who have attempted to fill in for the full-backs are falling like flies at the moment. All of those injuries will probably mean Arsenal have to play a very similar team to the one that lost to Swansea last week.

I can't see the defence being any different unless Vermaelen makes a miraculous recovery, and the chances are the front three will be the same again too. That means the only change in personell might come in midfield where Tomas Rosicky looks likely to start for Yossi Benayoun who seemed unable to get into the game last week.

Aaron Ramsey got quite a lot of stick from some Arsenal fans after last week's game, but I thought he tried harder than most of the other Arsenal players. It was not his fault that the referee gave a penalty against him when he was actually the player fouled. He may have done very little right in the game, but he cannot be blamed for that penalty.

Arsenal have had a bad run of very debatable decisions go against them recently, but surely these things are meant to even out over a season. If that's the case I think Arsenal can expect to get half a dozen penalties in their favour very soon, as well as getting away with a few blatant ones against them. I won't be holding my breath for that scenario though.  

United have a few injury worries of their own, but they can put out an almost full strength team. Their biggest loss is Nemanja Vidic, and I always feel their defence is weaker without him. Hopefully Arsenal will be able to take advantage of United missing their best defender.

United have the best away record in the Premier League with seven victories and only one defeat in 10 games so far. They have only conceded six goals in those games too, but their last away game was a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle United. Another performance like that one from United would be ideal for Arsenal.

On the other hand Arsenal have a pretty good home record so far this season, and their only defeat came against Liverpool when they were down to 10 men. Only Manchester City have conceded less goals than Arsenal at home too, and it's a record for the team to be proud of. That record will be put to a severe test by United I would imagine.

On the face of it the team Arsenal will play is very weak at the back, and the game is there for United to go out and win. When teams have attacked Arsenal this season they have opened up their defence too easily, and that should be United's best tactic in this game. Whether they decide to do that or not is another matter altogether.

Added to that Arsenal are missing too many very good goalscoring chances in almost every game, and they will need to be clinical against United. Their chances to score could be few and far between, but if they take the good ones they can get a result in my opinion. If Robin van Persie is at his best he can cause United some real problems.

Unite have Nani and Antonio Valencia in their wide roles, and they can both cause real problems to the fill in full-backs for Arsenal. Both Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin will have to help their full-backs as much as possible, and I hope the two of them can work as hard as they are needed to.

In my opinion Arsenal need to keep the game as tight as possible, and look to frustrate United. Every single Arsenal player has to work as hard as they can, and fight for the cause. A draw would be a good result for Arsenal, but it probably wouldn't be for United considering the team Arsenal have to play.

If United play two players up front they will be leaving themselves short in midfield, and that could play into Arsenal's hands. I would like to see Paul Scholes start for them, as I think he is well past his best and could struggle if Arsenal put him under pressure. He has a nasty side to him, and it would be nice to see him punished by the referee if that side is put on show.  


I think Arsenal have a chance of getting a result if they can keep to their game plan, and every player does all that is asked of them. That certainly hasn't been the case in recent games, but surely the players will know how important it is in this game. I'm predicting a 2-1 win for Arsenal, but then again regular readers will know I always predict an Arsenal win.

That's it for today.

Here's the goal from Aaron Ramsey that won this game for Arsenal last season.

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Arsenal's Premier League Trip To Swansea City Previewed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


That's it for today.

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

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

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

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

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

See you tomorrow.