Tag Archives: arsene wenger

Massive victory in Wales

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Good morning from Hungoversville. Population: Me. But you know what? After a result like yesterday’s away to Swansea, there was no way I’d sack off blogging on a Sunday morning. Make no mistake about it, yesterday’s victory against the Welshmen was MASSIVE.

In the blog yesterday I spoke of my nerves. I spoke of the threat that Swansea provide, of how they will fancy their chances and how we will need to be back to our best in order to get a result. After all, most teams that go to the Liberty cross back over the Severn Bridge with very little to show for their work. So to go into an international break with a solid 2-0 away victory is most satisfying, I can tell thee.

As is customary from Le Boss from time-to-time, he threw a few curve balls with his starting line up selection, giving the nod to Monreal - which was expected, but also The Ox and Diaby - which was not. Rosicky and Rambo made way and Santi dropped back into midfield to assume the role that he has played more often than not this season of free roamer. Lukas and Laurent also retained their places, so the team had the look of a side that was big enough in squad depth to cope with the rigours of the English football season. As I said on Thursday in the wake of the Bayern game, one swallow doth not a summer make, but it was a really positive thing to see Arsene rotate his team and still manage to get a result. It’s something we’ve all wondered about this season when it comes to the ability of the whole squad to compete.

We knew what we would get from Swansea. They passed and passed and passed the ball and probed for their chance and of course it was inevitable Michu would get one or two, but to be honest Swansea didn’t spend that much of the first half banging down on the Arsenal defensive door. In fact, it was Arsenal that came closest through The Ox. Hit hit the post early on in the first half and right on the stroke of halftime.I thought the Ox had a good game yesterday and looked like more like the young and confident player that we saw at times last season.

I thought Diaby wasn’t at his best yesterday and his style leaves a lot to be frustrated about, so when he and the Ox were substituted for Ramsey and Gervhino, it was the right decision by Wenger. This was made all the more evident with the two substitutes combining to finish off the game on 90 minutes. It must have felt good for Ramsey, who gets roundly booed every time he comes to Swansea. The best way to silence home fans is by beating the home team and Rambo will have probably taken a little bit more pleasure from the result than anyone else.

The second half started off with The Arsenal in ascendency and for the first ten minutes or so and with Santi Cazorla skipping past players and looking like the fleet-footed player we saw at the start of the season, from this humble bloggers eyes it looked like we could get a result, despite having to listen to commentators purring over Swansea’s passing even when they don’t go anywhere. It’s funny, when Arsenal have lots of possession but no penetration, it is seen as ‘typical Arsenal’ and we’re chastised, but such is the love of an underdog in this country, that when Swansea had the same dilemma, they are seen as playing great football by the media.

It was good to see Monreal on the score sheet yesterday, albeit through a scruffy effort, and although Vorm probably should have saved the scuffed shot. Much like all of the back five, who managed a second clean sheet in a week, that I thought was also a really pleasing thing about the result. we’ve become so used to seeing Arsenal make rod for their own backs defensively, that it is just as good to see a ’0′ beside the opponents scoreline at the end of the game.

This was a dominating and thoroughly deserving result from a team that will take a lot of confidence going into the international break. It means we can enjoy the break without having to stew on the poor result for two weeks. I thought the intensity of the play was also a plus point. With the result won and time ticking away, you could be forgiven for thinking that the players would be happy to see the result off, but the attitude of the players from the first whistle to the last was epitomised with Aaron Ramsey forcing Vorm to kick the ball out for a thrown in despite being 2-0 up. This is the attitude that we want to see and this is the desire that will give us the best shot of finishing in the top four. I questioned Le Boss’ ability to motivate the players on a consistent basis between now and the end of the season, and after a result like that I am only happy to be proven wrong. All we need to do now is win the other nine and we’ll probably be fine!

Siege mentality needed to get fourth

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It’s Friday, it’s my last day at work before I skidaddle off to Singapore and Thailand for a bit of RnR for two weeks, and today is the day that Le Boss gets himself ready to face the baying media. The last time he was in this situation it all ended slightly with an unsavoury and un-Arsene like rounding on a journo. So I’m not sure whether the assembled coyotes will want to tear at the fresh wounds that were opened up from Bayern or simply sit back and let Arsene off for a week. I’d be surprised if it was the latter.

We already got our first snippet of information yesterday, as the official site announced that Arsene had confirmed the absence of Sagna for this weekend as well as Gibbs. Thankfully, the acquisition of Monreal is working so far and he’ll slot comfortably into left back, plus with the amount of games Jenkinson has played this season he’s become more acclimatised to first team football so I doubt there will be many of us that will be too nervous. Certainly not as nervous as a sight of Squillaci trotting out onto the field of play come Saturday 3pm. I thought Jenkinson did well against Sunderland when he played last and, two silly fouls aside, again looked the part. We know what we’re going to get with him and so I hope he puts on another stellar display against the Villains.

I find Jenkinson’s build quite interesting for a full back. He looks like a big unit that should be more adept at a central defensive position, but his ability to get down the by-line and get very good balls into the box is something that we should certainly be utilising more often than we do. It’s for his crossing ability that I hope Arsene opts for Giroud at the weekend. The Frenchman offers more of a physical presence than Walcott and is most certainly better in the air. But more on the match itself tomorrow methinks.

Right now, the biggest topic of debate is the future of Arsene, or lack of if you read some of the reports in the press. I’ve already said my piece about Arsene, and if you read my random thoughts around Arsenal regularly, you’ll know that I am a bit sad because I am coming to terms with the increasing likelihood that there could be a parting of ways. But Arsenal is Arsenal and whatever happens I’ll support the team and those representing it until the end. That is the case for this Saturday and every game that they play. And as fans I think that is the only way to be. Talk of wanting the team to lose is pathetic in my opinion. Support your team or go home. Or become a watcher of non-team sports, for this type of game is not for you.

I’ve found a lot of the recent interviews by players a little worrying as well. Last season, when there were similar mumblings from fans and the media trolls trying to dig up some content to sell their chip paper, I don’t remember seeing many of the players coming out in defence of Le Boss. I am beginning to wonder if that is because the players themselves just thought the noises about Arsene’s time being up last season were complete rubbish and so ignored it. It was a minor inconvenience from people that didn’t really see the bigger picture and so the players treated comments about Arsene ‘losing it’ were just treated with a shrug of the shoulders and a ‘what do they know?’. However, already since the Bayern game we have seen Jack, Theo and Thomas Vermaelen come out in defence of the manager. To me it is the clearest indication that the manager is under more pressure now than he’s ever been in his career. Otherwise, why would the players take so much time and give so much media profile by talking about backing the manager?

It’s up to him and his players to prove the doubters wrong, and I hope they do, but I hope that the players don’t start mentally planning for the next boss. I know it’s an extreme statement to make, but the last time I saw players coming out in defence of the manager so much was for Roberto Di Matteo and a host of other Chelski managers they’ve had down the years. I know it is pointless comparing us with the classless chavs, but I just can’t help but see these similarities – much as I don’t want to. The Chelski players are notorious for their ability to oust a manager, and with that comes the mentality of planning for a new one. I seriously doubt any of the Arsenal players want to oust Arsene, but who knows if some of them are wondering what life at Arsenal would be like without him?

Of course, all of these negative noises from various sections of the media, roared on by the bitterness of Stewart Robson and the king of the trollers Adrian Durham from TalkSport, could also serve a more beneficial purpose for the cause. It could create a siege mentality amongst the fans, players and other stakeholders at Arsenal. It could see us all collectively batten down the hatches, surround the king and mount a hell of an offensive before the end of the season. The next few Premier League games will tell that. We have Villa at home and the Spuds away. A proper siege mentality with success would see us get maximum points from those games, although to be fair, if you offered me a win on Saturday followed by a draw at Shite Hart Lane the week after I’d probably take it right now.

Theo, Jack and Thomas are right: it is the players that must now take the responsibility for delivering Champions League football next season. They have to stand up and be counted. They need to get angry. They need to show the fight we saw us get to reach third spot last season. Starting with Aston Villa this weekend.

And we need to give them all the help we can.

Bayern at home: Redemption can be swift

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Football is a wonderfully forgiving world. You can be at rock bottom one day, then within a day or two gone by you have the opportunity to wash away your sins by that sweetest of things: victory. Football is a fast paced world and that can sometimes work to your advantage. Redemption can be a swift and wonderful thing in football. All you have to do is win.

That is certainly the mantra that I would be saying to each and every one of the players that are elected to play tonight. Each player has to know that they must put all of their previous transgressions to one side and focus purely on the opponents for tonight: Bayern Munich.

Arsenal rarely make it easy for themselves and tonight is testimony to that. Instead of finishing top of the group we slipped up to Schalke which meant a more difficult tie earlier on in the competition. Aside from Barcelona, I don’t think you could get more difficult than last year’s finalists, Bayern Munich. They have a plethora of attacking players that can carve open defences at will and probably should be the reigning  Champions of Europe, but for Roberto Di Matteo and his selling of soul to the Devil to win the FA Cup and Champions League last year. Unfortunately for the Italian he paid the price of being at Chelski, but the way that Bayern played in that final against the Chavs should serve as both a stark reminder of their quality, but also of their weaknesses. Look, I’m not suggesting that because Chelski won on penalties, it will be an opportunity for us to do over the Germans. But I think that despite the media savaging that seems to be happening at the moment, we can win tonight and then get a result away from home. I have to believe that. Hope is the last bastion of the desperate man, and after our desperate performances in the cup competitions this year I have to hold on to hope that this Arsenal team will come out swinging tonight.

There’s no doubt that we have the ability to put on a show and prove the doubters wrong. There is no doubt that some of these players have something to prove to, well, just about everybody. but there is a doubt in their own confidence and their own belief right now. I haven’t met too many non-gooners that are giving us much chance over two legs. But we’ve seen the side grind out a result against Sunderland. We’ve seen them come back from the abyss against Liverpool after a shocking first half. So we have to believe that we can see them negate the attacking threat of Gomez, Ribery, Robben, Muller and Schweinsteiger.

I was told yesterday that Bayern have conceded just one goal away from home this year. well, I suspect we’ll have to double that tally if we want to take anything substantial to the Allianz Arena. That is a frightening statistic in its own right, but if it alleviates a little bit more pressure and provides an impetus for the players to play up to the ‘underdogs’ tag even more, then I won’t mind. We will need to see Podolski (rested on Saturday so you never know, he might actually make 90 minutes for us tonight!), Walcott and if playing, Giroud, to be on form tonight. We can ill afford profligacy in front of goal. We will need Jack to be his marauding self and Santi will need his vision and passing range to be at it’s best. I suspect we’ll see a back four of Sagna, Koscienly, Mertescaker and Vermaelen take to the field in defence, and it is my hope that the BFG can show his German international teammates a thing or two at the heart of our defence.

We will need to see an Arsenal that is quick off the blocks and up for this tonight. There are no opportunities in Champions League football for ‘second half Arsenal’ and if the same intensity is shown to Bayern as was shown to Blackburn, it will be a massacre. But here’s the thing; I don’t doubt for a second that the players won’t be infinitely better than the weekend. I think we’ll see a totally different Arsenal team that is pressing, chasing every ball and is giving the home fans something to scream about. Right now, that’s all I care about. Yes, we can assess why they can’t do that in every game should what I am predicting happen tonight, but that is a debate for another day. All we need to care about tonight is making the atmosphere amazing, the players are up for it, and we show the Germans what we’re made of.

A quick word on Arsene before I sign off for the day. I have to say I was a little embarrassed by his outburst in the presser yesterday. I’ve always admired Arsene for the dignity he has shown even in the face of some quite manipulative and spineless journalists. But yesterday had all of the hallmarks of a manager that is feeling the pressure and can potentially see the end in sight. It is a sad state of affairs. But I don’t really want to dwell on that too much right now, I want to make sure everyone with a stake in Arsenal Football Club, is behind the team and roaring them on to success tonight. I’ll leave my thoughts on Arsene for another day.

I’ll be there in all my Arsenal fineries cheering on the lads. If you are, or if you’re watching on TV, just make sure you’re screaming as much as me! Come on Arsenal!

Swansea: Tough, but we must have a reaction

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Sweep aside any pointless speculative thoughts or musings of incoming or outgoing players my friends, for today is match day, and today is the FA Cup.

I can’t tell you how pleasing it is to actually have a game to talk about, look forward to, and hope for victory. I tire easily of the transfer window: the longing for big names, the hope of players coming in that will change fortunes, the anguish as another day ticks by without any fresh blood. The whole reason we are here is because of football matches and today there is a tough challenge against Swansea that stands before us.

I don’t need to tell you how daunting a task this is today. Whilst Tottenham and Chelski made light work of their inferior opposition, sure to be playing against more shit teams in round four (I think it’s in the rules now – give the Spuds and chavs nice easy cup runs) we travel away from home against a Swansea’s side that knows how to beat us. In fact, they’ve won two out of three meetings since they’ve been in the Premier League and have done it whilst literally playing us at our own game, out passing and out fighting us. So it will come as no surprise to you my friends (for I am sure you feel it too) that I look at today’s game with a degree of trepidation. AWay from home against a team that will have no fear against us, plus the fact the match is ono ESPN, which I don’t think I’ve seen us win away from home (which I know because it’s the only matches where I have to go to the pub to watch as I’m at all of the games that are at home) since we beat Hull City with a late Nicklas Bendtner goal. Yes, I’m a superstitious man when it comes to football, so I’m going to try to recreate the environment of that win a few years back by going to the same pub, ordering the same drink and hoping for the same result. Although if we could not leave it until the last few minutes to get the win, that would be great Arsenal, thanks.

I’m not sure what sort of side MIchael Laudrup will be fielding today, or whether or not he’ll be rotating, purely and simply because they have a Capital One Cup Semi Final in midweek. Now If I was in Laudrup’s position I’d probably rotate a few, but not all, of the players. After all, you’re only two games away from Wembley if you beat Chelski in the Capital One Cup, so the chances of a cup final at this stage in the season lie with higher probabilities there. Having said that, he’ll know that a defeat might prove counter productive in terms of team morale, so I’d be surprised if he feels he could even make up to three or four changes. I think we’ll probably see Dyer, Michu, Britton, Williams, Monk and Vorm at the very least so he can maintain the spine of the team, but it’s then a decision whether or not he hands starts to people like Danny Graham up top.

Whoever starts, we know this won’t be any easy game. Swansea may have played us at a good time last season (no full backs) and then caught us cold in early December, but they’ve shown that they like playing Arsenal and they’ll be up for this today. It is on the players that take to the field at 1.30pm in red and white to show that they have the capabilities to get a result on a tough ground.

I think Arsene will do a bit of ‘mini-rotation’, making less risky changes to the side such as Jenkinson, Rosicky and probably Mertesacker into the side. I think both Mannone and Fabianski are unavailable, so I suspect Szczesny will maintain his position in between the sticks. I do wonder if our attacking three will be shuffled slightly, perhaps with Giroud starting at the top, possibly with a rest for either Theo or the Ox, with the other playing on the right and Podolski on the left. Gervhino is still available to play on the left, but I think we’ll all be hoping that Arsene doesn’t want to take that particular gamble. His form has been as wretched as his first touch this season and if he starts there will be more people just hoping he manages not to fall over his feet at crucial times, rather than what he could bring to the team in an attacking sense.

Now is the time that this Arsenal team has to start showing what they are made of. I don’t want to hear about ‘mental strength’, I don’t want to see interviews with players post game saying ‘we have to stay together’ and ‘we have to react to this disappointment’, I just want the football on the pitch to do the talking and a victory today will certainly help us before a few daunting games against Manchester City, Chelski and Liverpool. Arsene is the man who is responsible for motivating his team and he has to be at his inspirational best at this time of the year. I’m not even going to talk about what defeat today could me, so let’s just make sure we get behind the team, and that they give us the reaction we’re all hoping for.

Until tomorrow.

Day five of transfer window, and people are already combusting…

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Quick! Every Gooner for themselves! Run for the hills! The Armageddon is nigh! The Mayans were right (give or take a few weeks)! We cannot survive much longer!

If you spend your life flicking through Twitter feeds and seeing some of the responses of gooners, you’d probably be thinking the same right now, such is the animosity that is being banded about by some sections of The Arsenal fraternity.

Yesterday we saw the first real bit of transfer movement in the league from a number of clubs, including Arsenal, as players came in, players went, players disappeared on loan and some agreed to join other clubs in the summer. We already knew about Demba Ba from the evening before; the public statement by his army of advisors that he will not be joining Chelski clearly designed to extract maximum value from the West Londoners (and probably at the same time giving you a better idea as to why we weren’t involved in the bidding process), but yesterday also saw the departure of Marouane Chamakh on a six month loan deal to West Ham. The fact that we can’t shift him on a permanent deal is a damning indictment on the clubs wage policy (that would be Denilson, Bendtner and Chamakh all on loan now because we can’t shift them), but I have to say that I see it as a good thing. Arsene is shuffling his pack already in an effort to bring in some fresh blood. And look, I understand that some people are apprehensive about no deals being done, but I’m willing to go out on a limb and suggest that this movement of the Moroccan followed by the departure of Squillaci and Djourou (I hope the former goes before the latter, but it looks unlikely) will be followed relatively swiftly by some incoming to the club.

But from what I have read over the last 24 hours, you’d have thought people were going to spontaneously combust in a ball of flames. We’re FIVE days into the window people! Five! Not twenty-five!

The catalyst seemed to be the announcement by the Spuds of Lewis Holtby from Schalke in the summer. It was the blue touch-paper of Twitter for gooners, as people bemoaned our lack of activity and the fact other teams are moving instead of us. This really confused me when I read some of the fan reaction. Firstly, we know what positions need strengthening, and small, creative attacking midfielders isn’t really one of them. Sure, Lewis Holtby is a great player, he’d be on a free transfer, and could be better than some of the other players we have in the squad – but our immediate pressing need is surely for another striker, a goalkeeper and a tough ball winning central midfielder to ease the burden from Arteta, isn’t it? Or even another wide attacker if Walcott is being shifted into the centre. I know Ben is keen on Lewis and I don’t doubt he would have been a great signing, but missing out on him is hardly going to massively affect us, is it? Also, we all agree that signing players for the here and now is our most pressing priority, so why the bloody hell are people getting worked up about a player that will not be joining anyone until the summer? How can that help us now?

David Villa however, well, there’s a player that could come in and make an instant impact. Established, a great finisher and still has it in my opinion. I watch Barca play Celta in the Nou Camp in November and Villa got the first goal. He was superb and I think would hit the ground running. We’re being linked more and more with him but unfortunately the tools that are Goal – which I refuse to link to – don’t help the excitement by wildly proclaiming an ‘exclusive’ that we have made a formal bid for the player. I know Arsenal like to conduct their business quietly, but we all know Barca don’t, so if that were true do we really think those idiots in Catalan wouldn’t be shouting from the rooftops of El Mundo to try to get a bidding war going? Of course they would. So if you’re hanging your hopes on us getting him, don’t hang them too much – that’s all I’d ask.

We’ve got a game tomorrow, but I’m reticent to go through a probably line up and thoughts on it until then as I’d have nothing to say, but Arsene has certainly been making noises that he’ll put out his best team out. I’m a little skeptical over this but we wait with bated breath. On the transfer market he declared once again (has done it for the last couple of years) that he expected the market to be calm for the first couple of weeks before hotting up a little. I am hopeful that this is a ‘Who is Cazorla?’ style Arsene bluff, because that comment would suggest a last-minute trolley dash around Europe, which to be fair I don’t think he’ll want. I think Arsene is looking to add some quality as soon as possible, but we’ll just have to wait to see when he finally lays his cards down.

That’s it from me today. Have a good one folks.

West Brom Preview: no punch-drunk performance please

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Happy Saturday campers. It’s less happy when your Arsenal tickets were sold off for a charity auction, meaning that you’ll not be frequenting your own church for the usual 3 O’clock Mass, but one cannot complain too much – it is for a good cause and this is the time of the year when people must be a bit more generous. So I’ll nee be hopping on the tube to head towards the Emirates this afternoon, but I most certainly will be keeping one eye on the scoreline as I go about my Saturday activities.

before I dive head first into the match preview and thoughts on the game, a quick word on Theo. Le Boss gave the first clear indication (in my mind at least) that the winger is offski in the summer in his presser yesterday. Hee admitted that talks had got nowhere and that he was feeling ‘frustrated’. I don’t know whether this is a new tactic of Arsene’s to trying and put pressure on the player and his representatives by making such a public statement, but it looks to me like the last throw of the dice from the clubs and Arsene’s perspective. Try to make the issues a little more public in an effort to force Theo’s hand. I’ve said for a while I think that he’s gone in the summer and as far as this latest round of commentary goes, it almost confirms it to me. I’d love for him to stay, but when he can probably get an extra £40,000 odd by going for free in the summer, why would he? So for my mind I’m going to support Theo for as long as he wears the red and white of Arsenal, then the second the contract expires and he dons the shirt of another club, he’ll be the same as all of the other money-grabbing mercenary whores that have departed for greener pastures and bulging pockets.

Walcott won’t be involved today, along with Podolski, which means there’s a shuffle in the deck for Le Boss. I focused on this area yesterday so I won’t go into too much detail, but I suspect we’ll see a combination of Gervhino (sigh) and probably Ramsey (again, sigh. But only because it’s not his natural position). It’s not my preferred option, as I’d try a bit of Arshavin and Santi with Rosicky playing just behind them, but I’m not the manager so I can’t really influence selection other than on my computer with football Manager and that really doesn’t help anyone in real life. Giroud has to start up top and we have to hope that the rest will see him ready to continue his form by banging in a couple today.

The midfield trio of Arteta, Wilshire and Cazorla have all had a good week’s rest leading up to this game, so there can be no complaints about fatigue for the players, nor should there be. They need to be popping the ball amongst themselves with more verve and zip and dictate the game in the middle of the park. Jack and Santi need to be the drive and cutting edge in between the lines of West Brom players, whilst Mikel must be strong in marshalling the team and sitting in front of the back four. All three players need to be able to provide an outlet for the back four, because one of the most visibly irritating things about last week was that the defence, when not finding a midfielder free to release the ball too, stuck to the monotonous display of horizontal passing between themselves which drove the crowd mad. All three midfielders need to ‘show’ for the defence to avoid that again this week.

The defence will, in the absence of Koscienly and Sagna, pick itself I think. Starting with Szczesny in-goal followed by Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen and Gibbs, you have to be relatively happy with that line up. Szczesny has proven his worth with some good performances lately, Carl and Big Per have had good season and we all know what Gibbs is capable of when he gets a run of fitness. The only question mark this season has been Vermaelen, but after what I think was a good performance against Olympiacos on Tuesday, I think the captain can draw confidence from that.

West Brom are no mugs. They have players like Shane Long that will run all day and have an eye for goal that can hurt us. The few times I’ve watched the Baggies this season he has been their talisman. He can hold up play, is a battler and has a good goalscoring record. Steve Clarke has a virtually full fit squad to choose from, so players like Odemwingie can support Long, Mulumbu has a trick in him and from set pieces they have players like Brunt that can deliver. Zoltan Gera has looked really good this season, so I also expect him to prove a threat.

It will not be an easy game for us and this will certainly be no 3-0 or 4-0 win. We’ll need to be knocking the ball around with more purpose and drive this week. Last week the first half was an abomination and we barely got out of our own half. In the second half there was a bit more purpose, but we lacked creativity. That is where we need to sharpen up and we need that creativity to come to the fore from the first minute today. Mikel Arteta spoke during the week about how the players are looking at themselves, have analysed where they went wrong and want to put it right. That’s all well and good and I’m hopeful they’ll come out today like fighters that have been dealt a couple of sucker punches. What I don’t want to hear about though is if the team comes out of its corner like a punch drunk former champion, randomly swinging in the direction of his opponent, in the hope that something connects. We need guile and quality to knock out West Brom today, so now its up to the team to show us they can do that.

Fingers crossed guys.

Villa preview: to rotate or not to rotate – that is the question

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Massively delayed post from me today. Poor form, I know, but I’m up north in the wild and wonderful lands of Northumberland, so have been enjoying all the freshness of a crisp Morpeth morn. The result of which means an afternoon post a few hours before kick off. The good thing is that because the game starts at 5.30pm, it means that I’m technically writing this at the equivalent of 9.15am on a Saturday. Anyway, none of that relates to Arsenal, which is why I’d assume you’re here having a read.

It’s Aston Villa today for our boys in horizontal purple and navy blue and, with back-to-back victories in both domestic and European competition, the importance of maintaining momentum against a struggle Villa side is obvious for all to see. Yesterday the club announced an extension to the Emirates deal worth £150million. Whilst that will undoubtedly have an impact on our ability to compete, all that really matters is what they do on the pitch and starting from tonight it is an opportunity to forget any of the off-field stuff and go for three pointageness.

Aston Villa have three defeats in their last five and currently sit in the bottom three of the table, but when you look at who they were defeated by – Man City, Man Utd and Fulham (who are usually quite strong at home) – it doesn’t really give you an idea on what form they are in. It’s the draws against Norwich at home and defeats to West Ham and Southampton that have been the disappointment from the Villans. Last season we managed a late victory courtesy of Yossi Benayoun and rarely do I recall any games that have been a walk in the park at Villa Park. They may have taken a tonking away to Man City, but I expect the game to be more like the game Man Utd had a couple of weeks ago, which they certainly gave as good as they got. Christian Benteke will be their key focal point in attack and he looks like a powerful centre forward that will happily throw his weight around against our central defensive pairing.

Speaking of the defensive partnerships, Arsene will have a tough decision to make on who his first choice are. The last few weeks have seen that Per and Kos can play well together and compliment each others positive attributes, but the form of Santos and injury to Gibbs have meant the manager can play all three of his first choice central defenders. With Gibbs now back, I wonder if there might be some rotation, particular with Everton in midweek. I hope that the manager recognises the form of Per and Kos and plays those two today, with Gibbs on the left. However, Wenger does like his hierarchy within his Arsenal teams, so I think that Kos will be the casualty from the starting line up today.

I read the Daily Express today to see what the line-up predictions were and it assumed that we’d see Ramsey instead of Wilshere today – possibly with the view of some rotation before the Everton game in midweek. I can understand this, because without seeming a little disrespectful to Aston Villa, you’d expect Everton to be a tougher game and so you need players to be fresher. I’m not sure who, if there is rotation, will drop out. Jack has been out quite a while and also had a rest a couple of weeks ago, so I’d expect him to be fresher and if anything, I thought that Arteta, Cazorla and Podolski might be worth getting a rest. But I’m just not convinced that a) the manager would do that, and b) that we have the players that can come in and do the job needed for the three points should he make wholesale changes. Ramsey (for Arteta), Arshavin (for Cazorla) and Gervhino (for Podolski) just haven’t had enough game time for my liking and when you make that many changes you usually don’t see the team gel as well as they should.

I think we’ll see Giroud up top and The Ox on the right, but for the first time this season I don’t think I could pick the team bar the obvious choices (goalkeeper, right-back, centre-forward). Theo still remains sidelined, so we can’t count on him, and you don’t know if Aaron Ramsey might resume his ‘square peg’ role as a right-winger. I hope not – I haven’t really seen it work yet. Arsene has a real Shakespearian dilemma on his hands to rotate or not to rotate, that is the question.

Unfortunately, unless you’re going to the game you’ll probably have to contend with the morons on ESPN, so expect some clear rooting for Villa from genius and insightful punditry from Chris Waddle, followed by the in-depth half-time genius of Ray Stubbs. It will be painful, but if you can, get yourself down to a pub so you can drown out some of the noise.

I’m not really sure what sort of performance we’ll get from Arsenal today, but urgency from the kick off will be essential if we want to set down a marker. If we let Aston Villa start well then we could see our backs against the wall, and we don’t want a repeat of Norwich.

Keep those fingers crossed gooners – lets hope we can all watch Match of the Day tonight.

Arsene speaks! That means real football is back!

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Happy Friday to yer!

It’s over. Gone. Finito. Endgame. Outta here. The International break has been booted into touch and is currently with us in the away fans section who are throwing it amongst themselves and not returning it. I for one hope they hold on to it for a long time. We know that eventually another international break will be thrown onto the pitch, but for now I’m just glad that it’s over.

The official site is covering some tit-bits of information from Le Boss about who has returned broken and who has returned bruised but available. By the initial impressions of it I think it sounds like only Theo is going to be missing for this weekend, confirmed by Arsene. Although he hasn’t started very much this season, his impact from the bench the last time we played in the league – if you can remember that far back – was telling. He was the man that set us on to victory with a cool finish against West Ham and I’d wager that we may have even seen him from the start against Norwich if he hadn’t have been crane-kicked by the San Marino keeper last weekend.

Gibbs unfortunately remains sidelined, but we have a Traffic Cops inspired Andre Santos who can deputise ably enough. Arsene believes Gibbs has a chance of making the Schke game, but I’d imagine he won’t be taking too many chances, so I’d expect the Brazilian to get a couple of games under his belt.

The injury to our number one has meant Vito Mannone has had the opportunity to remind us all who he is, made all the more prevalent by a few interviews of late as well. I think he’ll be pleased with his run out in the team but I’d still expect Szczsney to return when he’s fit. He’s by far a better keeper and whilst Mannone has been an able deputy, he reminds me of Manuel before he went a bit erratic: he will save the shots he’s expected to save, miss the shots he’s expected to miss. If you’re going to chase for the title you sometimes need a keeper that can get you out of jail and I just don’t see that with the Italian.

Le Boss also spoke about how he believes that we might play with a little bit more freedom away from home, hence why we have picked up more points. He talked about how we have perhaps felt the pressure at home and maybe that’s why we haven’t won as many games. I certainly agree that we play with more freedom away. Of all but one of the away games we’ve played away we’ve come across teams that are willing to attack at Arsenal a bit more. The only exception being Stoke. So in every game we have had more space and therefore more freedom to assert our style of play on a game. In terms of the home games, I’m not sure I agree with Wenger on the home pressure though. Maybe he’s right, but I just don’t think we’ve played enough league games for that to be tested. So far we’ve had three at home, and by the end of the weekend we’ll have played five away, so I’m not sure that’s enough to judge. We had one game with a team that didn’t even want to get outside their own penalty box, let alone half, one team that fell apart after an early Arsenal goal, and one team that did play slightly better than us, but we’re still afforded some comical defending on both goals in a London Derby. So I’m not sure whether or not those games constitute us feeling ‘pressure’ or not. What do you think?

Arsene thinks our moment of truth begins now. We’ve got a host of games coming up now that will really test the sides….err….mental strength…and this weekend will be vitally important that we start to try and build some momentum. There are two games to play in the league before we head up to the site of last seasons confidence shattering display and going there will bring back a lot of painful memories, so it’s important we exorcise some demons. The only way I see that happening is if we have full concentration for Norwich away, Schalke at home and QPR at home. Win those three and we’re in a great position to go to Old Trafford and get the result.

That’s it from me today. Have a good Friday wherever you are.

Wenger’s efforts and Jack/Bac’s return

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Apparently there was some kind of football match on whilst most of us were at work yesterday. Personally, I think it’s a rouse to get us to click through onto BBC Sport, Football365 and Sky Sports webpages, but there you go.

Sarcasm aside, yes folks, we can finally put our laces firmly into the groin of the October international break and look forward to a series of games that are all things Arsenal. I don’t know why people get so outraged with England when you know you have the joys of the gooners. Arsenal are the Halls Soothers to the stabbing pain in your throat that is international football. Yesterday England apparently played out a poor 1-1 draw away to Poland, yet all the media and also some fans are acting surprised, like people haven’t seen England play boring, drab, dull, under-performing matches before? Baffles me really. Well, luckily don’t have to think about it too much because we can switch our attentions to Norwich. Arsene, the sneaky devil that he is, has thrown the odd surprise with his pressers this season. Sometimes on a Thursday and sometimes on a Friday. Now, if I was any type of blogger that spent time researching things, I could probably find out. But ignorance is bliss sometimes, so I think I’ll stick with a comfy stable statement of:

We’ll get an update on the returning players from Arsene sometime within the next day or two.

There, can tick that one off the list, but we’ll know we’re definitely one man down in the shape of Theo Walcott, so we’ll just have to hope that no other bumps, bruises, or downright assaults have happened to any of our players.

Mikel Arteta has taken up the official title of PR love child from Johan Djourou, and he spoke to the official site yesterday, talking about the possibility of being a manager one day. The perfectly groomed Spaniard spoke of the pressures of being a man-manager whilst also dealing with international stars, personalities, tactics and everything that comes with management, talking of how hard he felt it was these days. Have to say – totally agree with him. When Arsenal aren’t playing or training or being involved with youth/charity projects, whilst the players are left to their own devices, we as fans are expecting Arsene to be scouring the globe (or at least thoroughly reading through his scouts’ notes) for the next star that we can sign to ensure the continuing quality of the team. In fact, when I think about being a manager, particularly during the January transfer window, I wonder how the wiley old French Professor sleeps at all. Training during the day, interviews in the afternoon, meetings with agents of existing players in the evening (sometimes at his own house) followed by discussions over players thereafter. In fact, I bet he doesn’t sleep, instead utilising his vast wealth to but one of those dream machines that the bad guy in Die Another Day had to keep him sane.

Whatever tangent I’m spiralling into, the fact remains that a Premier League managers job is bloody hard, and to be fair to all of them, they should all be respected. Except Allardyce. Or Pardew. Or Villas-Boas. So actually, only a select few should be respected.

Finally for today, it was great that Jack and Bac got a run our in a behind closed doors friendly against Chelski yesterday. Both played 90 minutes and the fact that both appear to have got off the field without any major issues is a massive boost for us. Both will add yet more depth to an impressive squad and I think we’ll possibly see one or both a little quicker than we might think. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Jack named as a sub for the QPR game in ten days, which will allow him a further under-21 game and a chance to gleam yet more match fitness from minor games before being introduced. The question of Sagna will be based purely on the performances of Jenkinson. I can see Carl keeping his place in the side for a little longer.

Plenty of reasons to be happy today guys, so go forth and spread the smiles: Arsenal will soon be back.

Accounts schmaccounts, I want football!

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Morning fellow fans of the red and white. Yesterday we had the announcement that the club has made pre tax profits of just under £37million with ‘cash and balances’ of just under £157million and a wage bill of £143million. Aside from the fact that you could build a vault like Scrooge McDucks in your back garden, i find myself asking the question ‘what exactly does that mean for me when I go to the Emirates this weekend and from now on?’. Well the short answer is not a lot really. The team will not change much in the short term, the players will all get paid and not go on strike, and John Terry will still remain the most morally bankrupt man in football. I had a dream where I played football with Frank Lampard last night, and after my initial irritation at the man, when I realised he also hated ‘JT’ and ‘Ash’ and hoped that we’d smash them in this weekend, I found Frank and I had more in common than I thought. Anyway, I’m moving off piece. Where was I? Oh yes, Arsenal made profit, the wage bill went up, the world keeps turning.

I know I should probably care much more about how the club is run, as it secures its future for the long term and ensures we try to remain competitive for generations to come, avoiding the whimsy of what side of the bed a millionaire wakes up on. However, as for going into the minutiae of the figures and dissecting/analysing them for hours, I’m afraid that’s just not me. I have quite a short attention span and so figures and numbers just don’t float my boat. I got into this football supporting lark to watch great football and cheer on my team. I want my team to be competitive and it’s good to know we are maintaining our future, but I leave the quizzing of the clubs finances to the waiting media, supporters groups and other bloggers. They’re just better at it than me.

One thing I will say though, before I move onto actual footballing matters, is that I hold a firm belief (and have done so for some time) that Stan Kroenke has bought into Arsenal for one reason and one reason only: investment. He can talk (via Ivan, obviously) all he wants about the clubs policy and sustaining our future, but I don’t believe there is an American out there that buys into ‘soccer’ because they love the game. The Glazers take their slice of Man Utd through ‘management fees’ in the accounts, and whilst Mr Kroenke hasn’t yet taken a dividend yet, I don’t believe that will last forever and I believe he’s looking to make a bit of cash from Arsenal. It may even be by selling up after all of the commercial deals have been in place and the club is worth more than what he has spent, but ultimately I see Silent Stan as somebody who is looking at his London investment expecting to make a return soon, whichever way that is I don’t know but I’m not liking the idea of.

Actually, one ‘final, final’ thing on the finances – I wonder how many of the people who wanted to pay Robin and now Theo ‘what they want’ are also the ones complaining in the increase in wages?

Yesterday we got a bit of Wenger-Time when he went through his pre-match presser routine, where i’m sure he was asked a host of interesting questions probably a little bit around cash and transfers in January, then some stuff around contracts, THEN he even asked about the game tomorrow! What’s that you say? A game tomorrow? Well how about that. How novel.

Seeing as I’ve just broken my Sarcasm-o-meter, perhaps I should consider some of the burning football questions I’d love Le Boss to answer. I’d be fascinated to get his thoughts on Andrei Arshavin and see whether he is now looking at him as a ‘reserve Santi’ following his midweek performance. Yes, Coventry aren’t exactly your average Premier League team, but you could tell that the diminutive Russian was in his element, and I just think that we should be giving Santi as much time off as we can allow, when we can allow it. If a game is won, bring him off and wrap him in cotton wool until the next one. Andrei is in his last year of a contract and I doubt the club will offer him a new one, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play a useful role this year.

He wouldn’t tell anybody, but I’d also love to get an inkling on who the front three will be tomorrow. Gervhino’s indifferent performance against Moneychester City must surely lead to an opening vacancy at the top of the formation tree and whilst Giroud scored, so did Theo, so it would be interesting to see who gets the nod. My gut feeling would be Giroud because Chelski at home is no time for a trial of a formation, but you never know.

I’d also love to get Arsene’s thoughts on who will be playing in the heart of the defence. He now has three defenders whose form has been outstanding in the games they’ve played, giving the manager a fabulous selection headache to choose from.

The team has just come back from a brilliant September and will want to continue the form into October, so it will be great to gauge the jovial attitude of the manager at today’s conference, as I’d imagine there might be a few juicy sound bites to copy and paste into some text for tomorrow. But for now, I’ll leave you in peace and wait in anticipation for tomorrows game.