Wow! What a Sunday. At half time I was getting ready for the barrage that I'd receive from friends Monday morning. At the final whistle the story had changed considerably. A game of two halves is certainly the way to describe it. The first half we were unlucky not to score but defensively we were a shambles and were caught out from a set piece as we so often are. 2-0 down at the half and the boo's that we have become accustom to hearing rang out louder than ever. The second half was a whirlwind, we came out fighting and the warning signs were there with shots and attacks reigning down on the Villa goal. Ramsey charged into the box and was sliced down by Dunne who already on a yellow was lucky to stay on, Arsenal penalty. RVP stepped up and slotted it in beautifully, the comeback was on. Moment later a rather lucky Walcott was on the scoresheet after being greedy and going for goal from an impossible angle then saw the ball cannoned off his shoulder and in. He then proceeded to celebrate as if he'd scored a 40 yard screamer. A massive 16 minutes was capped off with a second penalty won by Koscielny, Van Persie again stepped up and creamed it in sending the remaining fans delirious. Not to put a damper on a fantastic performance by the lads but I was disappointed with some fans leaving early and not staying to clap the team off, after a performance like that I think that's the least they deserve.
So it's deadline day and there is news of an Arsenal departure and to be honest I think is best for both parties should it go through. Makachakala (I think that's spelt right) are holding preliminary talks about Andrey Arshavin. Now in a way I feel sorry for the little Russian who hasn't had the best luck of late and the fans are always very quick to get on his back, on the other hand he's lazy and when your in a position like we are you can't afford to have players not giving it their all. So a move is probably best for all parties, hopefully he'll be remembered for that historic night when he scored the winner against Barcelona and not for the wrong reasons, should it go through. That's about it from us I don't think we'll have any in comings.
Tomorrow we play Bolton away and its a game where we've had mixed fortunes and were once seen as our bogey team. In some respects they still are, we lost there last season in our appalling final run in and there's no doubt it will be a tough game as Bolton are in need of as many points as they can get hold of. This makes them dangerous but it also makes them vulnerable. After 3 league loses we need to pick some points up if we're going to keep the pressure on Chelsea and Tottenham (who are entering the most crucial part of their season).
We saw Alex OC start on Sunday along with Coquelin who has returned from his knock. It was fantastic to see Bacary Sagna come on for the last few minute and hopefully he'll start against Bolton as we've missed him badly. Mikel Arteta also reappeared which is good to see as I think he plays a vital role in the midfield, allowing Ramsey to push forward a bit more. Gradually our players are returning, Diaby is expected back end of Feb/early March, Gibbs is a week or 2 away as well as Jenkinson. Santos is expected back mid March and although Wilshere has suffered a setback Wenger said:
"I spoke to Jack today. We have no real news yet. The first news we have
had is better than expected. He is not in a boot, but I don't know
more. His morale looks quite good and I hope it will only be a short
setback.There will be more tests this week."
So I think the line up will be something along the lines of: Szczesny, Sagna(hopefully), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song, Ramsey, Arteta(hopefully), Walcott, RVP and Alex OC. As stated Sagna and Arteta are still touch and go but should they not start I imagine they will come on at some point.
Bolton have caused some upsets this season but their position in the table says it all really. Threats come from Ngog who has been touch and go and Kevin Davies who was rumoured to be leaving but so far I've heard nothing concrete. Reo-Coker and Petrov can also be a handful and we'll need to keep an eye on them. I think it will be a cagey affair with them seeing a point as a good result so I'm not expecting bags of goals.
Hopefully tomorrow we can kick off another good run at this vital part of this season. Next post will be Friday as we prepare to take on Blackburn at home. COYG!
Prediction: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Arsenal
In a turbulent week for Arsenal and the manager we've heard good and bad things. So lets start with the obvious talking point, the decision to replace Alex OC with Arshavin. From my perspective he was our best player now Wenger claims he was cramping up and on one hand I can believe that on the other he looked fine to me. The reaction of RVP said it all, it just made no tactical sense, he gave an option going forward and power coming back. The fans who were clearly unhappy made their feelings known and for the first time that I can remember actually turned on Wenger which wasn't particularly nice to see, but caught in the moment where we looked as if we could steal the game I understand the reaction. As if to prove the fans right Arshavin came on and did nothing, I think putting the blame for their second squarely on him is unfair but he didn't help the situation. Anyway that's in the past and some of the more senior players have come out and said that we all need to be going the right way and they count on our support. That's the end of that.
There's good and bad new this week regarding players. Let's start with the bad news and get it out the way. Wilshere has suffered a setback in his progress, from what I can gather he felt some pain in his ankle whilst running, at the moment we don't know how serious it is, fingers crossed. Gibbs will miss this weekends clash with Villa as he's still not ready and Arsene has basically said, we aren't signing a left back so I think we can rule ourselves out of doing anything this window. Now finally onto some good news, Sagna is nearly ready and is back in full training and there is a rumour that he might be in the line up on Sunday, but lets not get our hopes up. Alex OC is perfectly fine and in the words of Wenger himself "He will be involved on Sunday." Arteta and Henry are also back in full training and are close to being fit.
Picking a team for Sunday is complicated due to so many possibilities so I'm gonna have a stab at it and see what we actually field: SZCZ, Vermaelen, Mert, Kos, Sagna/Yennaris, Song, Rosicky, Ramsey, Walcott, Arshavin, RVP. Now a lot of that is guessing so don't hold me to that. We could well see Coquelin step in as he is fit again and Alex OC may start but I just think we're more likely to see him come on later in the match. Benayoun is another possible starter. There is no doubt this is an important game and we need a trophy and that's no understatement but I think Arsene will have half an eye on Bolton midweek.
So in terms of the Villa side we'll see I'm really not sure. There is no doubt they'll pose a threat with the likes of Agbonlahor, Bent and the old enemy Robbie Keane whose on loan from LA Galaxy. Petrov can also be a pain in the arse on his day, so plenty of threat going forward but I don't think the defence is overly great and I can see us getting some joy out of it.
So a difficult game, to cap off a difficult week and we'll be made to work for a result that is much needed. So till Tuesday COGY!!
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa
Where to start? Well last week we just looked awful. RVP opened the scoring and we were all expecting a few more to follow. But our possession was terrible, for a team that is supposedly well known for its passing ours was well off the mark. We were without Arteta and I've been harsh on him this season, but it really showed how much of an influence he has on our midfield game. Ramsey had another mare of a game, he's a long way off form and I think that may be down to the fact that he's played so many games this season. The full back warnings are all there for everyone to see especially in their 3rd goal, Miquel showed his lack of experience and the ball was played through to Graham who has acres of space.
Henry said after a spat with a fan that we need to support the team and in part I agree with him, but its hard to show support when there is just no passion or desire from the majority of the squad. We went 3-2 down and there was no fight or spirit, yes we have injuries but still. Talking of injuries the full back problem is starting to really worry me and Arsene has said he will "assess the situation" after tomorrow.
Talking of tomorrow, well its one of the games that used to be one of the biggest matches in the PL and I suppose it still is but this season after the Old Trafford incident its really got the feel of a one sided affair. But we have to forget about that and focus on tomorrow. Now the team news that I'm hearing is that Vermaelen who "had a big chance of making it" surprise surprise hasn't made it. Henry is very much on a knife edge and remembering that he technically isn't our player I think its unlikely that he'll be fit. Arteta's problem has also kept him out so I can only assume that we will play the same team as last week. There was talk of a possibility of Rosicky starting ahead of Benayoun but for some reason I can't see that.
Now to United, well they have a longish injury list but the team is still strong as you'd expect. The absence of Young means that Valencia will play on the wing with Nani his opposite. If these two turn up I can see them ripping Miquel and Djourou apart. We just have to hope that they both have off days. United's midfield however, is weak and this is where we need to boss the play tomorrow. I hear news that it's likely to be Giggs, Jones and Carrick. Giggs is old, Jones is a defender and well Carrick is just shit. The back has Ferdinand and Evans in the centre with Smalling and Evra as full backs. Also don't forget Park who always scores against us.
I think if we're going to get anything out of tomorrow we need to boss the midfield and get Van Persie in behind Evans and Ferdinand who have been lacking this season. That said we need our defence to hold out which is a mammoth task against the fire power of Man United. I can't see us doing it, now I really hope the team come out and shut me up but our defence worries me, a lot. If we'd beaten Fulham and Swansea then most of us could take a defeat tomorrow but we didn't the pressure is definitely on. Just so it's not a completely down beaten post I think a few of you might enjoy this:
Till next time COGY!
Prediction: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
Well it just had to be didn't it. A match where we dominated and there were some very good individual performances as capped off wonderfully in a storyline you just couldn't write. 68 minutes, Arsenal substitution, Chamakh (definitely not a good individual performance) comes off to make way for the man that scored 226 goals for us. By the time the 90 was up it was 227. 10 minutes after coming on, Song played the ball through to Henry whose first touch was simply perfect, on that left channel as we've all seen so many times, he opened his body up and curled it into the far corner. So typically Henry, it could have been 2002 not 2012. His emotion was evident in his celebration and in the interview afterwards where he was quite quiet and I think still very emotional after a brilliant night. Everyone watching will remember it for a long, long time.
It wasn't all about Henry's goal, as I said up there, there were some solid individual performances. Firstly I thought Arshavin had a much better game than we've seen in recent weeks, yes he spurred some chances but it seemed like he put the effort in. He just needed that little slice of luck to see him hit the net, unfortunately it didn't come. Again Oxlade played a very well down the flank showing that rare combination of power and pace, I also thought Arteta had a decent game and was unlucky not to score. However it wasn't all good, Chamakh I really think is just out of his depth. Its all well and good him scoring 15 goals in Ligue 1 but that's the whole point. The Premier League is the hardest league in the world (forget all that la liga bullshit, it just is) and when a player comes in from an easier league you have to wonder if the quality is really there. He's of the ACoN and it wouldn't surprise me if he scored and played well but its not the Premier League. Anyway one more piece of bad news, the cursed position claimed another victim in young Coquelin whose out for a few weeks.
To Swansea away now and their home record is good. It will be a tough game for us but again its a game we should be winning. Assuming the yids beat Everton tonight, they'll be 9 clear of us with the same games played so we need all the points we can get. The sort of team we'll put out gets more and more difficult every week as we seem to lose a player every week, after losing Vermaelen last week. So my guess would be: Szcz, Djourou?(is he still injured, I genuinely can't remember), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Miquel, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Rosicky, Walcott, Van Persie. I can't see Henry starting but you never know these days.
Swansea are doing well for a team that have just been promoted and sit in 12th after a decent start to the season. But this is so often the case with promoted sides, they start well and then fall away later on. Players to watch are Obviously, Sinclair and Graham. We need to keep an eye on Dyer too just in case. Vorm in goal is a top notch keeper and he certainly won't be easy to get passed so we need to take out chances, something which we seem to be struggling with in recent weeks.
Its going to be a tough game but its certainly doable and with United coming to the Emirates next week a win would really be good for confidence. COYG!
Prediction: Swansea City 1-2 Arsenal
There's something totally different about an FA Cup weekend to the normal league clashes, the eagle eyed amongst you will notice that maybe its because they're playing in the FA Cup and not the league but whatever. The chance to see what teams below us can do and there's nothing quite like watching a lower league team knock out a big gun, that is of course unless you are the big team being knocked out and we've all been there. Hopefully we won't be in that situation tomorrow night.
The news came through during the week that Henry's papers cleared in time so he is in the squad to play tomorrow night. People are still very much divided as to what sort of impact he'll have, some say he'll be bad for Van Persie who is the main man now but Henry and Wenger have been quick to say that people shouldn't expect him to be the player he was. Other have said that he will be a good influence on the young players in the squad, maybe he could teach them a thing or two. I'm very much of the opinion that the return of the greatest player ever to play in the Premier League can only be positive.
Now last time we played Leeds, lets have it right, we were lucky to get a draw at home. Wenger does this year after year and doesn't seem to learn his lesson. He plays a weakened team we draw and then we have another game to add to the list where he has to play a strong side in order for us to get through. Obviously I'm not expecting to see a normal team out but seeing a good side would be nice. Its a good opportunity to see the likes of Park whose signing seems more and more pointless by the day, I think he has the potential to be a really good player but he needs game time and since we've bought him Wenger has showed virtually no faith in him whatsoever. I think we'll see Oxlade who looks very promising and also needs game time, along with the odd experienced member of the team like Benayoun. I'm not going to attempt to name a team because I simply don't know who Wenger will play.
Threats in the Leeds team include Ross McCormack whose smashed in 12 goals in total so far this season. Obviously Snodgrass is a threat along with the likes of Clayton and Nunez. Leeds haven't been particularly tight at the back though and have been giving away some silly goals so that gives us some hope.
I think it could be quite an interesting game tomorrow night but that totally depends on what sort of team Wenger decides to play and I just have a feeling that it might not be what we're all hoping for. Only time will tell. COYG!
Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Leeds United
Happy New Year and who would have expected that? Man United, Chelsea and Man City losing, Tottenham drawing and us winning. Well maybe not the last part but still a good weekend for Arsenal none the less. Its just a shame that we couldn't win last week otherwise we'd be 4 points clear of Chelsea, but that's life and all that. Fulham away tonight and a game that is difficult to call. Fulham are all over the place this season and we nearly got turned over by them in the reverse of this fixture, yet their results have been poor.
Luckily for us Zamora won't be playing after his link with a few PL clubs so they've lost that threat but have others in the form of Dembele, Dempsey, Johnson etc. So the defence will be given a run around and talking of defence we've suffered yet another injury, this time to Vermaelen who was playing at full back. I swear at the moment our full back position is cursed, so I would assume we'll see Miquel? maybe?? Who knows.
Anyway the rest of the team managed to scrape past QPR unscathed so I would expect a similar team to start. Unless we get an extension granted by the Ivory Coast team this could be the last time we see Gervinho especially baring in mind the next game is Leeds in the FA Cup and Arsene does like to take risks with these sorts of games. A potential banana skin there but more on that at the weekend.
Today will be a tough game I'm sure but add another 3 points and we're looking good. Short and sweet today, more to come throughout the week.
Prediction: Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
