This pack of Wolves will get nothing……….

Morning All…

Not too much going on in the world of gossip, but according to Carlo Ancelotti, we have a good chance of finishing first. About time to I think, so many managers have dismissed us as a team that can challenge for trophies this year, its good to hear a ‘half decent’ one finally recognise just how well this team is coming together. Personally though I didn’t need Carlo to tell me that to have belief in Arsenal, after all you don’t score for fun the way we do if there isn’t something pretty special going on!

I am sure his comments are genuine though, he doesnt strike me as the kind of man to join the Fergie Mind Games before their little tussle takes place tomorrow.

Tonight we will be in Brummy Land, looking to get three points off Wolverhampton Wanderers and pinch that second spot from Manchester United. After the game we head off into boring old International week – so three points and a good display is vital. Not only for the obvious reasons but that break would be awful for all of us if any other result occurs. I don’t even want to think about the glee it would give the Manchester United Television Channel, aka Sky Sports to show our ‘low lights’ during that time!!

This weekend’s fixtures are as so:-

Saturday, 7 November 2009
Barclays Premier League
Aston Villa v Bolton, 15:00
Blackburn v Portsmouth, 15:00
Man City v Burnley, 15:00
Tottenham v Sunderland, 15:00
Wolverhampton v Arsenal, 17:30

Sunday, 8 November 2009
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Man Utd, 16:00
Hull v Stoke, 13:30
West Ham v Everton, 15:00
Wigan v Fulham, 15:00

Monday, 9 November 2009
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Birmingham, 20:00

To be honest, I don’t care about most of the fixtures other than Tottenham, Both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool, all of whom I want to lose. Only trouble is Man Utd and Chelsea play each other so something has to give!

Part of me wants Utd to win and put a dent into Chelsea’s run, (and Drogba’s leg on the way) but I know the best result for us would be a draw.

By the time they kick off on Sunday afternoon, we could be second in the league, level on points with Manchester Utd, a game in hand and a superior goal difference. My head tells me that’s how it will remain as well, I think Chelsea will be too strong for Utd, if the Dippers can beat them 2-0, then they are doomed on Sunday.

All we have to do then, is keep on winning until the end of the season and the Premier League title is ours – Simples isn’t it

This weekend is not only about continuing our winning form, but proving we can travel and secure points. We need to stop leaking the silly needless goals away from home and get this game put to bed early and convincingly – Wolves are a championship side who sit fourth from bottom in the league and twelve points behind us. If we can’t boss this game and win, then we really don’t deserve anything, do we??

Wolves have managed only two wins so far this season, one at home and one away so there cannot be any other result than an away win. Saying that, our mighty side need to be all the ball from the off, treat the game as if they are playing Real Madrid or Barcelona, play football, don’t silly passes or free kicks away – in fact, just play like they did against AZ or the Spuds and all will be mighty fine.

My selection would be

Almunia
Sagna Gallas TV Gibbs
Cesc Song Rosicky
Nasri van Persie Arshavin

But hey, we know Diaby will be in there and as long as he plays as good as or better than he did against AZ, against Wolves, that should be ok. Me though, I would rather play the strongest eleven we have fit and get the game done and dusted by half time

Finally, Well Done Robin van Persie, he has scooped the Premiership player of the month for October!

Who say’s size matters…………

Friday has arrived, only one day to get through until we play again.

I am just glad November 5th is now over for another year – I don’t like Fireworks!!

Sadly though, nowadays November 5th seems to go on for about a week, so I anticipate more tonight and over the weekend
Few odd bits of gossip around late yesterday evening and early today……..

Juventus are reportedly after Sagna and Eboue, how greedy! They can have one, but it isn’t going to be Sagna!!!

Fran the Man has verbally agreed to sign a new deal but has yet to put pen to paper according to Arsene. Well, what is stopping him signing? Is Diaz trying to get him more money? I don’t know, I just hope it’s sorted out over the next few days and we can stop worrying. Arsene also says that Merida is now ready to be a regular – good, that means you now have Ramsey and Merida ‘ready’, so no Eboue on the right wing tomorrow please!

Back in the summer, each day there would be rumours about Chamakh, I was so desperate for our club to sign him as I just couldn’t see where our goals were going to come from. He has said that right now he is not going to sign a new contact at Bordeaux – however he does add that this does not necessarily mean he will leave next year. Well that says nothing really does it, but should it get to July 1st and he walks away on a free, well I hope he heads our way, the player is on fire right now and scoring goals for fun and I would hate him to end up ‘down the lane’!

But then I think to myself, where would he fit in? We have Arshavin, Van Persie, Eduardo, Vela, Walcott, Simpson and.. I know I have missed someone…. Oh, Nikki B!

I have a cunning plan on how he could fit in, but no-one else would like it, so I will keep quiet!

Chamakh wouldn’t be prepared a sit on the bench and surely his arrival would spell the end for someone else and add to that, Arsene reckons we have a better strike force now than during the Henry years, so I cant see us getting Chamakh, or any striker unless injuries hit us hard – or should I say harder!!!!

I am not sure I agree with the statement about our current strike force, are we stronger now than when we had Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Freddie, and Vieira?? Surely not!?

I love this story in the Daily Mail about Thomas Vermaelen – I have picked out bits of the article..

Scout -Steve Rowley had drawn a blank after searching for a new CH to replace Toure. Nobody fitted the bill. Then Wenger told him to go watch Vermaelen.

The Ajax defender had so far failed to tick all the required boxes.

Arsenal’s scouts were not alone in their view. Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill twice checked on Vermaelen while Manchester City made many a visit.

Harry Redknapp said recently that Vermaelen had been recommended to him, but mediocre displays at left back and worries about his height had so far put off all concerned. Good, our gain then!

Some feared Vermaelen would be too small for the Premier League -but Wenger had a hunch and his interest had been awakened not by Vermaelen’s spat with Robin van Persie in the Amsterdam tournament two years ago, but by his display in the centre of defence under the Highbury floodlights in 2005.

Vermaelen kept Thierry Henry quiet on that rain-lashed evening, prompting Wenger to store the name of the Belgian, then 20, in his memory bank. Vermaelen remembers it well.

‘My best match against Arsenal was when Thierry Henry was playing here,’ he recalled.
‘The atmosphere at Highbury was not really normal. The crowd was so close. If you made a sliding challenge you almost flew into the spectators.’
On a bumpy pitch, playing in a three-versus-four training match, Vermaelen made Rowley realise just what Wenger had spotted.

Vermaelen gave his all: focused, aggressive and with a leap that defied his lack of height.

‘The scout told me afterwards that he had been hiding in the forest watching me, they know a lot more about me than you think’

The thought of a footie scout hiding in bushes to watch a player makes me smile!!

I just hope they warned his club !!!

I was going to add something about Stan buying Peter Hill-Woods shares taking him to very very near a takeover figure, but the writing seems to be on the wall, and I don’t understand why all the long, drawn out process. Sadly though, what we all can clearly see, is that one day very soon our prestige club will be owned by an American!! At least his name is not Tom Hicks !!

Have a nice day you all ……….

Petrus 1988 – Highbury 2004: A Vintage Year for Wine And A Vintage Year for Football

Arsenal verses Alkmaar 2009: this was not a beery, blood and guts affair of Tottenham in the League or a high energy, alcoho pop fuelled Carling Cup encounter with Liverpool, this Champions League game was a fine red wine for the football connoisseur.

An excellent selection by Wenger: a blend of player that complemented each other with the depth of Gallas and Vermaelen and the much anticipated combination of Fabregas, Arshavin and Nasri. No sooner had the bottle been opened we knew we were in for some smooth, sophisticated, controlled football, nothing was done in a rush, all was measured. But, like all good wines they need some time to breath and the same was true to this game; for twenty five minutes we sat back savouring the aromatic football until in the twenty sixth minute it burst into life with a goal of precision, twenty five yards out from our noble Captain.

This broke the ice and gave the signal for the soiree to loosen up a bit, we didn’t have to wait long for the waiter to come around to top up our glasses again when a delightful pass from the Russian maestro found the returning Nasri who swivelled then poured forward before opening a low drive, with the power of a cork being released from a Champagne bottle, into the corner past the helpless goalkeeper.

The party began in earnest with the conversation largely made up of excited speculation of just how good a year this could turn out to be. The interval took nothing away from the tonight’s tasting — this game had depth.  More bottles were opened and more goals were scored; Fabregas being put through by Arshavin fired the ball home with aplomb.

The forth gave me the most satisfaction. This goal took me right back to Highbury: the back heel from Eduardo was pure Bergkamp, the run and the cross from Arshavin was Pires and the control and finish from Diaby was Henry – yes Henry.

The ball did not arrive in front of Diaby, it was slightly behind him, giving him a lot more work to do than should have been necessary but he did it superbly well, at speed; gathering it with his left foot before moving it to his right foot and then finishing in style, vintage 2004. This French phenomenon is not to everyone’s taste, many people argue it is too early, he is not ready. But, despite having been subject to a larger range of criticisms than there are wines in France, when he gets in front of the goal he rarely disappoints.

A special mention to Big Raddy, I wish you both happiness for the future.

High time he got the sack…………….

Last week after the fantastic win in the Carling Cup, Fran Merida told afc.com that he wanted to stay at Arsenal and that he hoped his contract would be sorted out very soon. Sadly for Fran, his agent Joseba Diaz hasn’t seen the interview or possibly not even bothered to speak to Merida. Diaz has said he has an illness, well a love for Atletico Madrid which all started when he slept on red and white sheets when he was young!!

Firstly, what a load of b***x, secondly, the boy was born in Barcelona so I doubt if he would have adopted a love for any Madrid side, and finally maybe the love is for us, we play in red and white!! So Diaz, you muppet, I think it’s time that Fran Merida followed in Cesc’s footsteps again, this time though by giving you the sack!!

Diaby has decided to speak to the newspapers; he has suggested we can win the Champions League and the Premiership this season. I agree with you Diaby, we can, sadly though with you playing the way you are right now that chance is slimmer!! May I suggest he goes and tells the boss he needs a rest, we get to see Nasri, Ramsey, Rosicky, Merida or Wilshere instead and our chances to win those titles increase!

Another player who has spoken out AGAIN, is Arshavin, this time though the word ‘tax’ and ‘money’ are nowhere to be seen! No, he has finally seen sense and started to talk about Arsenal and football, he also has belief that this season will be our season. He even says he is really happy at Arsenal, good man! Every season I think that, but this season I really believe we are going to win something, as well as the Carling Cup.

We are right up there in the premiership heading towards the crucial stage of the season. Arsene says December is the month where we can push on towards winning things or can absolutely destroy any chance we have. Well, that kind of makes sense really, the good thing is that many of our sickies will be back or very near to be coming back, I just hope we don’t keep adding to the list.

Clichy is now out for a stretch as he has a stress fracture to his lower back, but Rosicky and Nasri were training yesterday so that’s good news.
The Clichy injury is bad news, but also spooky; remember the last season we lost our previous left back for a long period??
Me too, so maybe the same will happen, this time though, no sendings off in the final, and we come away with the trophy in our cabinet.

Talking of which, tonight we play AZ Alkmaar at home. Win this game and we secured qualification so I hope Arsene selects the strongest eleven to start the game, get the game put to bed early on and give a few subs a good run out!

The Mancs and The Russians both secured their places in the next round last night, let’s now make sure we do the same, only by winning and not by having to scramble back for a 3-3 draw having been 3-1 down, and what a lucky goal the third was!

Tonight could and should be a night for celebration in my house, not only because we are going to win, and win well, but instead of Coronation Street on ITV, a different soap, well I rather hope a drama will be shown – yep it will be Liverpool in France being knocked out of the Champions League, eeee’ and I can’t wait!! Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like Liverpool?

AZ will be confident; we will need to be focused. The goal they scored two weeks ago will give them belief, belief that they can come to us and attack from the start. That will be good for us, the game will open and we will able to play ‘our way’.

Almunia needs to be on form, they have said he is our weakness, but I don’t think so tonight. He did pretty well against the Spuds, especially after a long break and having suffered what he has. Tonight Almunia will show us all what he can do, why he is our No1 keeper.

Almunia
Sagna TV Gallas Gibbs
Nasri Cesc Song Rosicky
Van Persie Arshavin
Subs – Merida, Eboue, Senderos, Vela, Eduardo, Wilshere, Mannone

That’s mine, but I know Arsene will have Diaby in there

Have a great footie day, I can’t wait!!

Ar5sena1: 3 T0tt3nham: 0

Remember when the Spuds beat our Carling Cup team 5-1 and every blog we went on all we saw was this new way of writing Ar5ena1?  Well I have just thought of a new way of spelling T0tt3nham ..
I hope it sticks for a while..

All I have heard on the radio since Saturday is Arsenal only beat the Spuds because they had a load of injuries…. Hold up!!!! Before Saturday’s game Robbie (gypsy) Keane opened his giant trap and said that the Spurs had a stronger bench than us.. er so why didn’t they win then?

They said that Lennon, Defoe and Modric would have made all the difference.. Hold up again!!!! What about Walcott? Didn’t he replace the headless chicken in the English team… “Yeah but Modric”…. Rosicky is at least has good has him and finally they never had Defoe. Well who’s fault is that? And we could argue we never had Nasri to counter act that player.
Woodgate? Try Djourou ..
We also have Gibbs who would walk into their team, Wilsere, Ramsey, Denilson, Eduardo. The list goes on.. Stronger bench Keane, hahahaha. delusion is a wonderful thing. As our fans were singing “Champions League you are having a laugh.”

My biggest disappointment on Saturday though was Mr Wenger OBE’s perseverance with Diaby when we had Nasri on the bench and he is chomping at the bit to play.
I have honestly never seen a player in a Arsenal shirt play so badly when the rest of the team are playing so well, every pass he makes is too close to the opposition and our receiving players first touch has to be to skip out of a tackle. When we are attacking he either passes directly to our player or slightly behind, he never passes into the space for our players to run into, this loses the momentum of the attack.

Why doesn’t RvP trust that right foot of his more? I don’t know how many goals he has scored now, but I would bet more have come from the chocolate one.

He wants to play in the Carling Cup aganst Citeh as well to get revenge on Ade. All the media are bigging it up. Well don’t waste your breath on it Mr Wenger won’t risk him in a mickey mouse Cup that even if we win,  the winnings would only pay RvP’s wages for ten weeks.. So forget it..

Anyway just a quick post as I am a tad busy you all have a great day and we don’t have long to wait for our next game…

Top four ‘Arry, you’re having a laugh…….

Morning All – I did a little bit of multi-tasking yesterday, using my vast experience and skill around the keyboard; I typed while watching our wonderful team put in a lunchtime shift at the Emirates!
Ok, I am fibbing, I just typed as I watched and corrected a huge amount of spelling mistakes afterwards, it took an age!!

I have missed chunks out, but mainly that is because I got bored with listing Diaby’s mistakes!

I raced home yesterday lunchtime in time for KO just! Not long into the game and Bentley handballs. The ref does nothing and I couldn’t believe it. Then not too many minutes later the same player thinks it’s a good idea to tackle Vermaelen late, and with his studs up!! Still no yellow card!!

So, how the heck does a deliberate handball and a crunching tackle down the chins of TV not result in a sending off?? Bentley got lucky, very lucky and any half decent referee other than Battenberg would have sent him off!

Thirty minutes in and we have had most of the game controlled and a few good chances, but for a good save by Gomes we would be 1-0 up. Saying that though, but for a crucial last ditch tackle made by Song, Robbie Keane could have been through on goal to test Almunia, but on his comeback match he wouldn’t have conceded, would he?

Spurs get a good cross in, but TV has made a super interception. Also though, Almunia had for once come out to meet the cross and would have got it.

Nikki gets an injury; I smile as he goes off – no, not because Nikki is off, but because Eduardo is on, not an Eboue in sight!

At this stage I am worrying; we are making chances again, but not scoring. Another chance missed by Cesc at the near post, swiftly followed by a shocking pass by Diaby straight to a Spud in the middle of the park.
41. 55 Robin has just slotted home for 1-0, great near post cross from Sagna

43.09 Cesc, our man, our captain has just made that score 2-0 with a super strike.
Wow, what a couple of minutes that was! Did I say I had been worrying?

We have stepped up a gear after the goals – come back out in the second half with the same attitude I think to myself, we need another goal.

Second half under away, Diaby is still very poor, time for Ramsey or Nasri please Arsene…
Diaby has just missed a golden chance, but to be fair the angle was tight, a better player may have looked up and seen Eduardo free in the middle..

Eduardo has had a chance saved; I would have put my house on him finishing that one

2-0 up and that chopper Gray on Sky says up until 85 minutes there is always a chance against Arsenal! I pray he eats those words in 25 minutes time.

Vermaelen is on fire again today, he obviously knows what this game is all about, shame he didn’t tell Arshavin and Diaby!!

Well done Big Al, you kept Bentley out, you did make it look good though!!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha – I am laughing my socks off, play to the whistle Spuddies
Great refereeing to allow us the advantage.

What a great pass from Sagna, ‘eye of the needle’ and Robin tucks away a second for him and 3-0 to us. Nice celebration, no doubt for his little girl.

Song has been good today so far, a wild pass back to Almunia which landed nearer to the corner flag than it did to our keeper early on, but since then he has been strong.

I can’t believe Eduardo has missed a one on one like that, nor can Arsene, he is in a strop now! A simple lob over the keeper – we should/could be five up by now…

Diaby has stepped his game up a bit –just a little bit, I won’t hold my hopes up too high!

Sagna, another player today who has played his heart out, the best game he has had for a while, great tackling and his crossing has been better.

77 minutes, TV has just made a good tackle and got booked and that just about sums up the performance by Clattenberg!

77 minutes and a substitution, Arshavin taken off which is good, Eboue on, why oh why Eboue when Ramsey is on the bench???????

Huggy needs lessons on how to head a ball that SHOULD have been number 4, shame TV wasn’t on the end of that cross.

Robin off and Ramsey on, good sub in my opinion, although I would have like Robin to get his third..
The game is nearly over, the win in the bag now and I can see all the spuds fans creeping out early.
The rings of ‘Only one Arsene Wenger’ are loud and clear as are a few other mutterings around the crowd – a very happy crowd.

Eboue has just passed a wonderful ball to Ramsey, I think he looked up a tad early and didn’t see the defender pull up – but at 3-0, and against Tottenham Hotspur I don’t care today

I reflect back on the game following the final whistle and for the first time I am going to rate the players, ready to be shot down!!

Almunia – Kept a clean sheet, came out a bit better and his kicking was good. Still dodgy in the air and can’t catch a ball to save his life – 6

Sagna – Best game in a while 8

Gallas – Mr reliable again – 7

Vermaelen – Top performance yet again 9

Clichy – Back to the Clichy we know in this game – 7

Diaby – Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggg – 6

Cesc – Great goal, did enough – 8

Song – after the dreadful back pass, grew stronger and stronger as the game went on – 8

Arshavin – passing off, couldn’t stay on his feet – 6

Robin – two great goals, one great foot!! Should have had more goals, but great – 9

Nik – Ok, but nothing special and injured early so not fair to rate

Subs
Ramsey – on too late to rate

Eduardo – great trickery, great passing, dreadful finishing today – 6

Eboue – great ball to Ramsey at the end, but that’s it – 6

Arsene Wenger – Had you have left Diaby out you would have got a 10; you didn’t so you get a 9!!

Well ‘Arry, how stupid do you feel now after the comment you made about Arsenal and their kids?

Well, our ‘kids’ just played your ‘men’ off the park! We won 3-0 and it could, maybe even should have been 7-0.
Like most, you need to keep your mouth shut and worry about your own team, leave Arsene and his crew to worry about ours!!

So Tottenham Hotspur, in the words of Anne Robinson, ‘You were the weakest link, Goodbye’

For us, it’s off to the CL on Wednesday

Its Raining Men…

Well it will have to if the big city of London has had the rainfall we have had here in Berkshire!!

The Daily Telegraph, well the Belfast version reports Cesc has signed a pre-contract agreement with Barca! Worried for a second, but then I saw the word ‘Adeybayor’ in the same sentence – you know him, the one who feels he has the right to an opinion about us! Well I soon dismissed it from my mind! I wish he would just mind his own……!!

There are a couple of other snippets around, but today is about the biggest game yet in our season, we HAVE to beat Spurs today otherwise my week and yours will be just dreadful, in fact until we were able to get revenge I would feel dreadful. But it’s not going to happen, we are going to win!

Good old ‘Arry has added his pennies worth to the rubbish that Robbie Keane has spouted this week.
He reckons, not that his opinion is worth anything, that we won’t win the premiership with a team of kids – Arry, this is not a CC game, the kids won’t be on the park! You will see Cesc, Arshavin, Rosicky, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Van Persie, Eduardo, Song and a few others !

Where are the kids in there ‘Arry? Go and worry about your own team, but thanks for giving our side an extra bit of fuel to fire them up for today’s game, just what the doctored ordered!

Arsene says he has already chosen his goal keeper – “I’ve decided who will start but I won’t tell you,” he said at Friday’s press conference.
The manager also confessed that while Mannone has got the nod recently, Almunia has given him a persistent dilemma.

“I’m always tempted to start with Almunia,” said the Frenchman. “But he was sick for a long time and it takes some time to come back. That says to me that it will be Mannone

The back five kind of picks itself, I don’t think he will play Eboue because of his last game against the spuds and I don’t think he will ‘risk’ Gibbs at left back – I would though personally as Lennon is out.

Mannone
Sagna Gallas TV Clichy

On to the midfield – as long as the names Eboue and Diaby are not in there, I will be happy. We have so much talent available, start playing them instead of persisting with the two mentioned, please Arsene!!

If he plays 4-3-3 – I hope he plays

Cesc Song Rosicky/Merida

And then the front three

Van Persie Eduardo Arshavin

Or front two in a 4-4-2

Nasri Cesc Song Rosicky/Merida

Van Persie Arshavin

The Spuds are going to play Bentley, he will up for this in a big way, just because it’s us, and because he will soon be sold and will be putting himself on the market for a big club – maybe Bolton or Blackburn, I’m sure fat Sam would have you David! Song needs to put him in his place early!

Arshavin needs to show a bit more interest, if he doesn’t will we have a strong bench and I hope he is substituted early enough for the oncoming player to have a chance to get involved. In fact the same goes for any of our team today.
It’s a Derby and a big one, we fans are ready for this, let’s hope the players are! TV and Gallas need to be on fine form and keep Crouch at bay, he is their big threat in the air but if we as a team stop him being provided with the ball we will win.
If Robbie Keane gets in the penalty area, no dodgy tackles please and no sneezing, he will go down for a penalty at the slightest touch or breeze he feels

So that’s it, just over five hours to go until kick off, it’s live on Sky Sports so that is good news for those of us who can’t go to the game, those who are lucky enough, I hope it’s a fantastic game of football with many a goal scored by us.

I hope we get to see Gomes picking the ball out of his net many many times.

In my heart I am going for a win, maybe even a convincing win too.

But my head tells me….. It will abandoned due to the dreadful weather..

I reckon we will see a few tricks for them to deal with, but a few treats for us fans….

Have a great day Roadsters, let’s hope today gives us three very big points..

Rain in Spain – Who cares, Merida is going to Reign at Arsenal ….

I am still smiling after the wonderful result we ‘fought’ for the other night. Many ‘paps’ said we were lucky as Liverpool should have had a penalty in the last few seconds when Big Phil thought he was playing netball, and maybe they are right, but I think we should have been awarded one too when Watt was held back in the penalty area – so justice done..!

Moving on to a few snippets of gossip this morning, that boy called Merida has been interviewed and he has made it clear he wants to sort out his contact and stay with Arsenal so for me that is wonderful news. Its even on Arsenal.com so it holds a little bit of truth.

On the flip to tat, The ever reliable Sun Newspaper report that Athletico Madrid are going to offer us £10M for the same player – I know we don’t trust The Sun, but I hope this might just push Ivan into sorting his contract extension out sooner rather than later, we cannot afford to let such a talented player leave.

Staying with the same newspaper, they have an article which suggests we are poised to swoop for Torino’s highly-rated defender Angelo Ogbonna. The boss is said to be a big admirer of the Italy Under-21 star and wants to strengthen his defence when the transfer window reopens in January.

Ogbonna, 21, has been earning rave reviews in Serie B this season and is regarded as one of the best young talents in Italy. I have never heard of the guy, but if it is in anyway true, then I am just glad to hear/read something which suggests that Arsene is looking for a defender. About time too boss!!

Crouch and Keane are making noises before the little game tomorrow – in fact Keane has suggested that the Spuds bench is stronger than ours – I posted somewhere that it would have to be, Tom Huddlestone sits on it!! But seriously, strong bench or not Robbie, our first team is better than yours and that’s what counts!

I have a feeling Almunia could be back for the game tomorrow, I think it would have been Fabianski but he has now been ruled out for three weeks with a thigh problem. More on all that tomorrow

That’s about it I think for the early morning gossip – other than Jay Simpson is doing really well at QPR, you never know he may just surprise a few and earn his place alongside Robin next season .. Ok, I know no-one will agree, but he is the nearest thing to Wrighty we will ever get to see!!

Ramsey ready, Nasri back, Fabianski fit to …..

Yesterday The Boss stated in the press that the player we are all desperate to see be given a chance is ready to play. Yep, he says Ramsey has grown into a man and expects him to play 15 -20 games for the first team this season?? Well Arsene, he won’t reach the target you have set him if you don’t play him will he?? You have said now though and publicly, so can we please leave Diaby on the bench at best, and leave Eboue to play in his natural position at RB when you need him to and start to play the lad! After all, Ramsey is a natural midfielder isn’t he??

Nasri makes his first start tonight, so its ‘only the CC’ but I don’t care, the man is back and he could just be the other half of what has been missing the last two games. I honestly think with him and Tomas back fit we will return to winning ways in the league, starting with Tottenham on Saturday. Of course, the best thing about Nasri being back and Tomas being fit means that AW won’t have to play Diaby and won’t have to play Eboue on the left of midfield – Cripes, I hope he sees it that way too. Then of course we have Theo to come back too. That all sounds a little bit better….

Another player making his comeback is Fabianski – our No2 keeper – well he was, but now Arsene has said that the fight for the gloves is between Almunia, Mannone and Fabianski. He says ‘Mannone stays in goal at the moment as we are winning – yes, its as straight forward as that – simples’

‘Arry’ has confirmed Lennon is out for the little derby at the weekend which is good news as he is their biggest threat in my opinion, Defoe too as the lad is banned.

On to tonight, the funny accents are back in London as the kids take on Liverpool in the CC. The only news on the opposition front is that Stevie ‘woe is me me’ is out, Mascerano is out but their new £20M midfield man will be on the bench ready to make his mark.. Yeah right, he is unfit, has played for ages and he shouldn’t cause too much trouble, should he??

As London said last night, this result won’t make a lot of difference to the first team, but I for sure would start to feel a whole lot better if we can will this game tonight, and win it well. You never know, win, and the big boys sitting in the crowd watching may just learn something from them – I have always believed it’s never too late to learn, and you cant rule out footballers in that belief..

The difference we will see tonight in the team I think will be a crop of players who want to show how good they are, want to prove they are worth playing amoung the big boys, want to play for eachother and ultimately want to win at all costs. I don’t expect them to be strolling about tonight wondering what to spend their big salaries on, no, we will see a team that will be focused until the end, and I honestly believe they will beat The Dippers and go through to the next round.

My team would be

Fab/Almunia
Eboue Senderos Silvestre Gibbs
Ramsey Coquelin Merida
Nasri Eduardo Vela

Just read that Wilshere is out for the match

3-1 winners

Hammers!!! (That Was a Real Ball Pein).

Last year when we was going through our barren (pre Arshavin) spell if someone had said would you be happy with a 2-2 draw away against the Whammers I would have taken that all day long. But this year we have progressed as a team, a team that can pass forwards and create chances with ease. We still lack the mental capacity to finish games off.

A little niggle but I don’t like us playing in the white shirts as much as I hate us playing in the blue ones we did on Tuesday.. I cannot clearly identify us in them, it was like us playing Fulham in our Highbury farewell redcurrant ones.  I’d like to see all new kits next year,

The commentators yesterday were just dying for West Ham to get back into the game… (yes you Alan “Smudger” Smith) I was thinking haha shut up, but in the back of my mind was the AZ result. A two goal advantage for us is clearly not enough, as soon as the opposition get a goal they grow 3  inches in stature and we instead of tightening the game up we go for the jugular and try to revenge the goal. Mannone distributes the ball like we are losing by a goal with five minutes to go in the Champions League final.. Chill out man!!
We was in total control of the game, and deservedly so, West Ham although they are writhing at the bottom of League at the moment were playing like a team  far above the position they are in.

I really don’t know what is worse, playing like we did and grinding out draws like we did last January, or playing super football and just chucking it all away in the last 15 mins.
The latter is certainly more frustrating.

I don’t think it is tactics, I believe it is a mental problem. We need some anger or desire in there somewhere.

Mannone.. 5 .. Sorry mate but you should have punched that ball away that led to the goal away with two hands and your distribution was too fast when we were well in control of the game. On top of that turning into George Best when you are given a back pass isn’t too good either, you need to hoof it, there are some quick players out there who will punish you big time.

Sagna.. 7.. Played pretty well and took advantage of West Hams left back on numerous occasions, it may be me but I find him a bit predictable now and I wonder if the opposition do too.

Gallas.. 7.5.. Pretty solid performance, and a TA6 type goal he did his bit.

Vermaelen.. 8.. Probably the best Arsenal player on the pitch yesterday oozes class. Every time he passes the ball it always looked to have been well thought out, That give and go was where he ended up on the left wing was very Vieira like and I would love to see him given a chance in the midfield alongside Cesc.

Clichy 7. I have read other reports and I have to disagree with them, I thought he played quite well, very sharp. He just gets a bit lost in the final third of the pitch.

Song. 7. Played pretty well, broke up the attacks well as usual. I just wish he wasn’t as clumsy, some refs feel sorry for him I suspect but others will be more ruthless.

Diaby.. 4 He was very Diaby like.

Fabregas.. 7.. He played okay, but he was missing his partner in crime Rosicky. His confidence is high at the moment as he is trying some audacious long passes. unfortunately the receivers are little AA and Mr “don’t jump” RvP..

Eboue. 4.  This bloke is winding me up again with the theatrical diving and putting his hand in the air like Ljungberg used to do when his speed had gone.
The referee didn’t help by encouraging him, it was as if the yellow card was connected to Eboue’s arse by magicians string and every time Eboue went down out popped the card.

Arshavin.. 7 He could have been the man of the match if his chance had of gone in, but they didn’t and he wasn’t.

Van Persie.. 7 Started out very dangerously scored a easy goal when England’s No1 flapped, then just disappeared, I popped out for a bit and thought he must have been subbed.

Subs.

Bendtner. Should have been brought on earlier, he couldn’t pick the team up after the heads dropped.

Eduardo. As above, never got a sniff.

We are still up there with Man U and Chelsea though. and the Spuds lost things could be worse.

At least we have the kids in the pissy beer cup coming up on Wednesday to cheer us up. A bit of a sweetener after a taste of bad medicine.