Right I don’t want to dwell on yesterday too much because I can’t stand thinking about it. My feelings about Adebayor are now known, live with it. I am going to focus on how to move on.

1, Several of the starting team are not playing on merit, they are playing because they are the most 'valuable'. This is not only massively unfair on the squad players who have been performing well but it is stupid and illogical. I have always considered this to be a Wenger weakness. You must pick players on form because if not it ruins squad moral. Look at things from Bendtners point of view, he has been by far our best striker this season, Ade and van Persie have been dour. He must be thinking there is no chance of him starting! There is no reward for playing well and that’s harsh.

2, Corners are not hard to defend, we have a number of players who are of a decent size. I can’t understand why Gallas is pretty good at attacking corners but as soon as he has to defend one he is hopeless. This is the area we leak most goals and we are a danger against any team (Hull, Fulham). Not only that it’s embarrassing!

3, Our strikers are lazy. Adebayor used to work his socks off in the first few games of last season but this season he sees himself more as the target man. When I watched the United Vs Chavski and Scouserpool games I was amazed by how much effort Rooney put into his defensive duties. I think it is the reason he is so good. van Persie looked pretty good but he is by no means a worker from the middle of the park. His shooting has been woeful and his trademark free kicks have been weak. So many times it just looks like we can’t be bothered to put the ball in the net. These players must be on goal bonuses, bag yourself a couple of grand and boost out goal difference!

4, Players are constantly played out of position. I fully accept that it is important to have your best team out (see point 1) but it’s not the best team out if they are not playing in their usual positions. People say to me "oh Arsenal don't have a rigid positional set up" but they need it. I think it is madness that we have a right midfielder/defender playing on the left. Eboue was pretty quiet by his standards and has been for a few games on the left. If I was manager I would have done the sensible thing and played van Persie on the left (I still think it is his best position) and that would have made a place for Nikki B. If not I would have played Vela there, he’s used to it.

5, This is sort of linked to 1 but it is the other way, the last player to actively be dropped by Wenger was Jens, that was over a year ago. It would appear to me that he is too nice. When was the last time Adebayor was subbed? When was the last time someone was kicked down to the reserves? Alex Song has been flirting with a first team place, I think he is a much better player than Denilson, but nothing. Does Arsene just have a concrete starting 11 and only changes if there is an injury? Toure needs to be dropped. That is my new campaign, he has not doing anything wrong per say just not doing enough right!

I do not want to be one of these people who just slates the club but I don’t see why I should have to put up with the same problems. We are not evolving we are revolving (thank you Alan Partridge!). Kiss good bye to any success this season. If you don’t fix the problems they get worse!

Arsenal have started selling club player badges because none of the players are wanting to play for their badge...we need to man up and show some fight. we were dredful SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN!!!!!

I am sick of saying this he is dredful, what can you say? obviously i am basing this on missed chances, stupid pointless offsides, laziness, bad decisions and he has the composure of a retarded squirrel

van Persie isnt setting the world alight really either

any1 with a good reason adebayor should stay in the team leave a comment and it i think its worthwhile I WILL send you the money

Although I'm a dedicated Arsenal TV viewer I sometimes find it difficult to keep my attention during some of these press conferences so I thought I would take notes for the rest of people. I am a giver!!


He is happy to be at the top of the table.

Hunger is the same.

Still sure we are strong enough.

Clichy and Silvestre are fit, Nasri is not.

Phil Brown is apparently wrong about the Clichy tackle. Arsene loves comitment and physical games. "a good tackle is as good as a good volley" - Excessive force is bad!

Hull are a surprise package - we need to be at our best.

Championship teams are different.

The Game isnt about money.

He wants Henry to be happy.


NB Bischoff is fit but not mentioned...what does this mean!!

I thought I would make use of my political knowledge; it’s something I know a surprising amount about! John Prescott is a pig of a man. The end!

We need to keep the momentum going and stay top of the table for the sake of moral. If I had my way I would want us to take an approach like Chavski did last season. Play the 3rd place quiet contenders card, it suits our young squad and keeps some of the pressure off but I suppose you take all the points you get don't you?! I expect us to stay at the top of the table for a wee while.

Prediction
4-1, Vela, Bendtner, Fabregas with 2.


Key Battle
Fab vs. Ashbee – we need to put pressure on their midfield and that will force openings.


Players to Watch
· Vela. MUST start after his performance against the Blades.
· Song, I would like to see him start and put Diaby under some pressure for that position.


Odds
Arsenal – 1/5
Draw – 5/1
Hull – 14/1


Probable XI
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Song Vela
Adebayor Bendtner

Watch Out For
Alex Song’s passing; it is surprisingly good for someone who looks like a borderline psychopath!


Missing Players

Eduardo,
Rosicky,
Diaby,
Nasri,


This is a game where we need to boss early on and not let Hull get into any sort of rhythm. They will try and block us out as long as they can but we need to open the flood gates.

I like the idea of a Song/Fabregas middle partnership, there is strength and someone to dictate tempo.

It is hard to predict the starting lineup because I think there are a number of players pushing for a starting place;

Bendtner - he has been really good, I didn’t expect to be saying that but it is a good thing! He is scoring a few this season and linking in well as a team player, this is his strength compared to Ade.

Vela – 3 in the Carling Cup and electric, we are short of players on the left he might get a start there, he played there while on loan.

Eboue – Had a blinder against Bolton, it’s about time I was sick of slating him!



There could be an influx of youth players or Arsene might just keep it the same as normal, it would be stupid to play a weakened side and drop points! We have a big month coming up and can’t let moral drop.

There is going to be an enormous load of hype regarding Thierry Henry because he doesn’t like playing on the left for Barca. This will get boring quickly and nothing will happen for a long while.

Fabregas has told the current bun he wants to be a Gooner forever. They are just words it means nothing we will have to see what happens; a lot can change in a couple of seasons!

Clichy and Silvestre are looking slightly less dead at the moment. I would be tempted to start Silvestre instead of Toure, The African King has been one of my first names on the team sheet since the 49ers but he is looking weak and needs to raise his game.


Playing Hull tomorrow should be surprisingly tough, match preview to follow.

As we continue our tour of some of the less glorious parts of the prem I am hoping we can pull out a good win in Bolton, famous for a comedian and a cheat (big Sam (allegedly)). Oh and a great wee boxer who needs a chin (I like Khan so lay off him)

Prediction
2-0 – We have a point to prove, Ade and Theo
Key Battle

Players to Watch
· Theo, still on fire, to see how he works when he is marked out of a game in the Prem!
· Song, strong and what we need

Odds
Arsenal – 8/13
Draw – 13/5
Bolton – 5/1

Probable XI
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Song Walcott
Adebayor van Persie

Missing Players

Eduardo,
Rosicky,
Diaby,
Nasri,
Silvestre,

We have an awful record against Bolton. Wenger has made a tactical error criticising Kiev regarding their bullying tactics. I think this will only encourage Bolton to play dirty football. I think Song will start because of the strength we need.
We need to play a fighting game with a more physical starting team.

Stan the man has become a director! I am firmly of the belief that the business side of the game should not affect what happens on the pitch but I do have an interest in it. I think the bad one (I’m not using any names because apparently he tried legal action against a blogger) would be a dredful thing for the Gooners. I think he would be Mike Ashley bad!


On the same note; we are chucking out some serious profit. Always good.

Fergie has shown that he is actually almost human and praised Arsenal regarding the way we can look after Theo. Because my brain is the size of a planet I have also realised that there could be links to the 2012 management role?

I have just seen an article about Ade always being offside. I have exploited this, I put money on him having the most offsides this season, bring on my cheque! It does really annoy me though, he isn’t slow and he is strong so he will win most 50/50 opportunities, and even if he scores 2 goals all season from timing his run that’s better than the frustration!

It would appear that Rosicky is actually dead, his injury isn’t healing and he “might be back before Christmas” looks like a broken leg and dislocated ankle isn’t looking that serious but I want dudu back!

*Som is the Uzbek currency by the way, thankyou wikipedia, again!

Apparently Yaya Toure turned down a move to us so he can stay at barca, thats probably fair enough. Its a shame I really rate him. We will get him one day.



Rui Fonte isn't good enough for Crystal Palace...Lucky him!



The Czech media feel that Rosicky's injury could end his career, I think this is unlikely, he will be back soon, I dont think we miss him with Nasri fit. He needs to come back with more presence, he can be too quiet



There is an artical coming regarding Tony Adams and Dennis Bergkamp so I am putting a poll up on management options. please vote!

I think Song has overtaken Denilson in the first team battle. Song's passing is under-rated

Arsenal were involved in the world record (yes another world record) for most celebrations for a single goal. Bangoura celebrated the goal in about 5 different ways. The highlight of it was watching him stick his face in the camera and then decide to do a pretty average dance. Nothing better than a bit of showboating when you draw 1-1! I can safely say I really dislike him, I am trying to avoid swearing in these blogs so I can’t actually describe him! Man up.

Wenger was clearly pretty annoyed with the performance. Having analysed this deeply I think it’s because we were weak. He also said about trying to “destroy Walcott”. To be honest you would do it wouldn’t you if you were playing him? It is a good lesson for the boy and he came out of it well.

Adebayor claims we should have won, “we had the better chances”. I haven’t quite worked out why he said that, not only because he wasted his gift but also because he was playing as a single striker meaning that scoring was pretty much his responsibility!

People are saying to forget last nights game, I say never forget. Without becoming a miserable boo boy, I think it is important to remember the bad performances, they mean more and you learn more from them.

Having just sat through an hour of us playing terrible football I thought that at least if we lost something might be learned but the draw will mean that nothing has changed. A late equaliser often feels like a win but it’s NOT! Gallas seems to be the ultimate big goal scorer, Man U, Chavski and now Kiev, they keep saying he hasn’t scored in the comp for 5 years, word in your ear, you sky morons...HE HAS SCORED IN THE LAST 3 GAMES!

This was almost Fulham bad. I was angry about Fabregas and Ade. What did they actually do? Fabregas had possibly one of his worst Arsenal performances in a long time, actually saying that he didn’t do anything so it wasn’t bad it was just not actually anything. Adebayor was just his normal self, wasteful and clumsy.

I am disappointed with Toure’s recent form, I think he has been pretty weak and I genuinely feel that I would play Silvestre instead of him for a while. Kolo would be my choice of captain but its a lead by example example! He isn’t.We didn’t have any show in the middle of the park showing that we can’t really play against the 4-5-1 formations. No one played well or made much of an impact.

Player summary
· Almunia, did his job, you have to wait to see where a pen is going, guessing doesn’t work. 6
· Sagna, average, linked up well with Theo a couple of times, looked bad after the pen. 5
· Clichy, Bright in the first half, not great in the second half. 6
· Gallas, was made to look silly a couple of times defensively, scored which was handy. 6
· Toure, a couple of good runs in the first half after that weak. 5
· Walcott, good cross for the goal, looked good but was closed down rapidly. 7
· van Persie, wasted chances, didn’t look sharp. Not as good as I hoped. 5
· Song, gave us some fight in the middle of the park, it was better than average.
· Fabregas, invisible I thought he had been subbed. 4
· Denison, didn’t really do much did he. 5
· Adebayor, standard, weak, wasteful, overrated and overpaid. 4
· Bendtner, better than any other attacker we had.
· Vela, didn’t really do much in the 5 mins. 5
· Eboue, gave us a new angle, played well, I was pleased. 7


Highlight of the match
Theo after he got professionally fouled. It showed he is getting stroppy about things and that fight and desire was exactly what he needs in his game. No more nice Theo!

Arsenal Man of the Match.
Gallas / Theo, defensively he wasn’t great but in terms of his leadership he showed why Arsene kept his faith. Theo showed has run of good form and caused problems, his link up play is getting better. Everyone else was pretty poor.If we play like that in Bolton we are going to get embarrassed. The thing that really seems to anger me about Arsenal is the way they deal with failure; Fulham an example, nothing seems to raise the game. Against united in the FA cup it was ZERO passion. As far as I can see there are 3 players who really fight for the badge, Theo, Gallas and Cesc.

Having just sat through an hour of us playing terrible football I thought that at least if we lost something might be learned but the draw will mean that nothing has changed. A late equaliser often feels like a win but it’s NOT! Gallas seems to be the ultimate big goal scorer, Man U, Chavski and now Kiev, they keep saying he hasn’t scored in the comp for 5 years, word in your ear, you sky morons...HE HAS SCORED IN THE LAST 3 GAMES!

This was almost Fulham bad. I was angry about Fabregas and Ade. What did they actually do? Fabregas had possibly one of his worst Arsenal performances in a long time, actually saying that he didn’t do anything so it wasn’t bad it was just not actually anything. Adebayor was just his normal self, wasteful and clumsy.

I am disappointed with Toure’s recent form, I think he has been pretty weak and I genuinely feel that I would play Silvestre instead of him for a while. Kolo would be my choice of captain but its a lead by example example! He isn’t.

We didn’t have any show in the middle of the park showing that we can’t really play against the 4-5-1 formations. No one played well or made much of an impact.


Player summary
· Almunia, did his job, you have to wait to see where a pen is going, guessing doesn’t work. 6
· Sagna, average, linked up well with Theo a couple of times, looked bad after the pen. 5
· Clichy, Bright in the first half, not great in the second half. 6
· Gallas, was made to look silly a couple of times defensively, scored which was handy. 6
· Toure, a couple of good runs in the first half after that weak. 5
· Walcott, good cross for the goal, looked good but was closed down rapidly. 7
· van Persie, wasted chances, didn’t look sharp. Not as good as I hoped. 5
· Song, gave us some fight in the middle of the park, it was better than average. 7
· Fabregas, invisible I thought he had been subbed. 4
· Denison, didn’t really do much did he. 5
· Adebayor, standard, weak, wasteful, overrated and overpaid. 4
· Bendtner, better than any other attacker we had. 6
· Vela, didn’t really do much in the 5 mins. 5
· Eboue, gave us a new angle, played well, I was pleased. 7

Highlight of the match
Theo after he got professionally fouled. It showed he is getting stroppy about things and that fight and desire was exactly what he needs in his game. No more nice Theo!

Arsenal Man of the Match.
Gallas / Theo, defensively he wasn’t great but in terms of his leadership he showed why Arsene kept his faith. Theo showed has run of good form and caused problems, his link up play is getting better. Everyone else was pretty poor.

If we play like that in Bolton we are going to get embarrassed. The thing that really seems to anger me about Arsenal is the way they deal with failure; Fulham an example, nothing seems to raise the game. Against united in the FA cup it was ZERO passion. As far as I can see there are 3 players who really fight for the badge, Theo, Gallas and Cesc.

Apparently the Celtic chief exec Peter Lawwell has turned us down but at the same time he hasn’t so who knows...bloody paper talk. We will hopefully bag someone soon.

Kroenke is going to join the board and get more involved in the get rid of the Usmanov idea. The Usmanov has no charisma! We want some safety not a flash in the pan dodgy ex-con! Mike Ashley anyone?

Ade has said he is going to be dynamite in the CL this season. Let’s hope so because he was rubbish last season.

Bobby Pires is playing Man U tonight. Villarreal are my second team (Arsenal connection). They are forever in my heart for giving us £2m for Pascal, what a man, do you miss him? (Pascal not Pires).

Just a note for everyone, the way the CL TV rights are paid it is by country then by club each round so if there was only one English club in the knockouts taking say £20m if all 4 are there it’s down to £5m. I thought I would tell people this because it is an added excuse not to support Chavski and Man U. It may be good for British football having 4 teams in the knockout stages but its not so good for the Arsenal bank balance!

Cheers.

Now I’m going to man up and avoid any sort of chicken related pun with the team we are associating ourselves with.

Prediction
Gooners to sneak it by a goal 1-2, Ade and Fab

Key Battle
I think the fans will play a massive part. Eastern Europe is a nightmare to play in. The noise they make is amazing having been one of the Gooners to applaud the Slavia Praha fans (after 7-0). Will our famously good away support be able to win this battle?

Players to Watch
· Theo, still red hot, pace will cause problems.
· Ade, hat-trick hero with a poor CL goal scoring history.
· Vela, if he gets on I think his quick play will be troubling.

Odds
Arsenal – 10-11
Draw – 12-5
Kiev - 1-3

Probable XI
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Denilson Walcott
Adebayor van Persie

Missing Players


Arsenal
Eduardo,
Rosicky,
Diaby,
Nasri
Silvestre

Sorry things have gone quiet I have been a busy badger. I have a strange feeling about this game its either going to be really tight and physical or we will thump them. I have already made the Slavia Praha comparison; they may be a poor team but they are very hard to beat in their own country.
They have said they will not be man marking Ade, I don't think anyone ever needs to because his goals normally come from him making a run (hence his millions of offsides), this won’t come to anything because they will be defending pretty deep and the other opportunities created for him are in the air which means its zonal defending anyway.
I suspect there will be a real physicality in the match and it is important to avoid injuries and also getting involved in violent play. The CL 2 yellow = 1 match ban could be a problem playing a Turkish and Ukrainian side twice. Composure will win this game for us.
If we can keep our structure and frustrate them we will buy fouls and chances. Frustration is important!

I hear from my Ashburton Source (Ash sauce from now on) that the groundsman is having to use a rare type of non-toxic white paint to do the lines on the pitch in the RARE chance that Robbie Fowler can put the ball in the goal and do a silly celebration. Obviously there are some mitigating factors in this; the most obvious is that he is about 80, he has no pace, and is rubbish! I don’t know why he is bothering. He bought a load of property and made an absolute bucket of cash on top of massive wages, that being said he has scored a few against us.

Prediction
Gooners to sneak it by a goal 1-2

Key Battle
Santa Cruz vs. Gallas – We wanted to buy him because he is good! Gallas isn’t quite as good. I’ve put this in Lehmann’s terms because I miss him!

Players to Watch
· Theo, he has come off a blinder.
· Cesc, feels he has something to prove defensively, important regarding

Odds
Arsenal - 5-6
Draw – 12-5
Blackburn – 7-2

Probable XI
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Denilson Walcott
Adebayor van Persie

Missing Players

Blackburn
Ooijer
Dunn
Grella

Arsenal
Eduardo,
Rosicky,
Diaby,
Nasri?
Silvestre?
Vela, (knackered)

Now Blackburn are one of those nothing teams that just sort of appear every now and then for the occasional kickabout. I have had to endure the chat of Ince and all that boredom throughout the summer. Despite the team being about as interesting as Fulham but a fair bit better, I have never been so excited about a game against the Rovers ( rubbish name, stick to people who make guns!). In saying that they have made the S**rs give us £7m for Bentley which is funny!

We have just come back from the pain of international football (I must say I enjoyed watching Theo but that was about it). So I expect the team to be a bit rusty. Fabregas has been disappointed with his Spanish form so I hope he will prove a point. Silvestre might be back from injury and I suspect he will bench it due to the lack of match fitness. Nasri is also a doubt which means that Eboue will probably take the right and shunt Theo to the left (if he starts). I expect a good performance from Theo because I think he is a confidence player and will be on a massive high from the England success. If he doesn’t start I think Ramsey might because Wenger is pleased with his progress and is possibly a bit fresher than Theo.

Paul Ince came up with "We could have picked an easier game as we have had so many players away on international duty and we don't have a squad the size of Arsenal.” I would just like to inform Mr Ince that actually Arsenal have more injuries and more players involved in international fixtures so he is wrong! Man up mate, don't be such a girl all is fair if we beat you it’s because we are better than you not because your squad is in a better position than ours!

I would just like to draw readers’ attention to my post regarding Theo, having listened to the Wenger pre-game interview on Arsenal TV. My comments on Theo’s interview were practically quoted by Arsene! Therefore in a roundabout sort of way this blog is the inspiration of our heroic manager! It’s all about me!
1 day ‘til Blackburn!

It would appear that Theo’s Hat-trick and Nikki B’s goal and Clichy’s long awaited debut were the highlights of a dull ten days! The rest of the international performances were pretty weak!

Denmark
Bendtner scored to help Denmark beat Portugal. I am still trying to take a team with a player named ‘Quim’ seriously!

England
Theo Hat-trick, did you hear about it?

France
There were 7 Gooners past and present in the France squad against Serbia and only won 2-1, goals from Henry and Anelka. Nasri was dropped from the squad because of a knock to his knee but Clichy (debut, really?), Gallas and Sagna started. In the 2 games the French leaked 4 goals which is worrying considering 75% of their defence is our defence! Guess what? They struggled with corners.

Switzerland
The Swiss got turned over by a city, that isn’t really particularly impressive is it! Djourou started in defence while Senderos was playing badly for AC Milan who also lost to some random friendly team.

Spain
Despite setting up a goal for Villa, Cesc has stated that he needs to work on his defensive game. He only got 20 minutes in their second game.

Obviously we all remember him from United and it was a massive shock when it was revealed that we had signed him from the dirty Berkshire based team, Opps that’s just their supporters!

I think Silvestre could well be a great piece of business for us as backup for the first team. Apparently he was allowed to go because Ferguson couldn’t promise him first team football. Now this would emply that the Red Army could. This brings a tricky selection problem, who do we drop for this Man U reject? Sorry if that appears harsh but that is how it seems to the rest of the Premiership teams. I bet spurs fans were laughing (I wouldn’t know I don't associate myself with them!). Are we going to drop Kolo our vice captain? Gallas, our captain? Clichy, left back of the season? Cesc, Our Playmaker or will it be one of about 6 players fighting for the other place in our midfield (Song, Diaby, Denilson, Ramsey, Bischoff and Eboue apparently)?

I think as a squad player and potentially a mentor to the young defensive players in our squad then he will be great, I just can’t see him starting.

Due to the problems Setanta Broadband was causing me I missed the first half of the game other than the odd image and a bit of commentary. I did however hear the commentators slag off Walcott’s performance, within literally 20 seconds there was a Croatian goalkeeper picking Theo’s shot out of his net. I found myself (somewhat riled by the frustration of the lack of a picture) screaming “how do you like them apples!” at my screen. They obviously heard me because they changed their tune as Theo was going to be walking out with the match ball.

Not only was his performance confident and mature for someone of such a young and inexperienced position it was exciting to watch. I will not be the only Arsenal fan to be delighted to see a Gooner starting for our country but to score the first goal in open play since 2002 was amazing! During the second half I did notice Theo lost possession of the ball a couple of times and there were a couple of loose passes but this was somewhat covered up by his 2 goals in the half.

In the post match interview I was impressed with his team spirit. He seemed more interested in the squad and a famous win in an oppositions graveyard (a bit like Ashburton) than he did in his own epic performance.

Do you think Arsene will pick him for Blackburn in 2 days?

His loan spell at Charlton a couple of seasons ago almost kept them up. This was strongly linked to his impressive passing and vision. He was considered one of the stars of the Cup of Nations which is impressive considering the likes of Essien, Toure, Toure, Drogba and some other world class players.

His Arsenal career has not been quite as bright, I am not saying he has played badly but mainly out of position (AGAIN). He is a central midfielder but has been mainly played in defence so it is hard to judge.

I think there will be an important role in the Carling Cup for this season and I think that there is a place in the starting team for him if he can push Diaby for it. His physical presence is vital for the Premier League and his passing is pretty sharp. I forgot to say he looks bloody scary as well. Intimidation is the key ask the Russians!

If Diaby is the new Viera, is Song the new Petit?

Another young one, I haven’t really seen much of him but he didn’t look bad in the pre-season friendly games, not that one should judge by them!

From the hype built up regarding Ramsey I have high expectations of him, I just hope he can live up to them, Wenger can get kids for less than £5m so he must have something that is desirable, maybe it’s the “good engine” Arsene was speaking about!

I think he fits into the Fabregas mould given his slick passing and ability to read a game. I think it will take him a while to get used to the speed of the Premiership compared to the First Division/Second Division/Championship.

I hope he can make a strong impression in the Carling cup this season but I can’t see him doing much more unless we have a serious injury crisis. Please excuse the lack of chat on him but I don’t know what to say, just wait for Bischoff!

The Brazilian has been on ‘the one to watch’ list for a long while. I think he is a talented young player and an exciting prospect. I did watch the Fulham game and it was one of the worst performances I have ever seen by an Arsenal player!

I think the trouble with Denilson is that he will get to the stage where he will become too good to be a squad player and follow in the footsteps of Diarra, Lupoli and Hoyte. He will get frustrated at a lack of first team football especially because he could well be pushing for a Brazil place in a year or too!

The reason I don't think he will be starting is because I see him as a Fabregas type player and if both were to play together consistently we would lose out because of the lack of a dominant central midfielder (Viera, Diaby, Petit) and games like Fulham will just keep happening! I feel that he is good defensively but you really need the power in the centre of the park which he is simply too small to have.

He has been a player I have enjoyed watching (that goal against Newcastle!) and would love him to break into the first team but I feel that it is a bit unlikely, sorry mate

Theo seems to have been around for ages. This could well be down to the fact that due to our lack of English players Walcott became a fans favourite almost instantly. Still only 19!

I was excited that Theo was going to make his first real England start on saturday almost to the point that I was looking forward to the game. It came 18:50 and my mother put the weakest like on, it was some sort of special so i missed the first half, bugger. Apparently it was dire, same old England eh? The second half must have been equally as bad as I fell asleep. Sorry Theo! Apparently he was good though?

I think Walcott is very Naive, this sounds like a criticism but it is to be expected for his age. One of my favourite moments of last season was Adebayor's goal against AC, this may sound like a weird one but I spend a lot of my time trying to defend football to rugby fans; Theo got absolutely chopped and jumped up to put a ball in for Ade to win the game for us. I think the reason for the goal was possibly because the AC defence were expecting a free kick with him going down and were caught flat footed. Back to the point Walcott is small and will be bullied off the ball on occasions. He could have won us a couple of penalties and free kicks but his honesty is unprecedented in this age of football. I DETEST diving, its cheating surely? This is the reason I love Walcott.

Obviously his blistering pace is quite good as well, so is his running at defenders, his crossing can be world class and he often finds himself in the right place in the box. I don't know if Theo will be a striker or a winger, I think he is very nervous about having a dig and maybe a few games in the reserves would build his confidence, look how he performs against weaker opposition. I don't have these answers, you are reading the words of a dribbling idiot! If he built up his confidence he could be like the Liverpool era Michael Owen. I just hope the fans don't get impatient, PLEASE.

Opps hes gone, still a celebration though its party time! we used the money for Nasri, Wenger you CRETIN!


I genuinely feel that Hleb was worth no more than £7m tops, he didn't really do anything unless he was behind the striker which scuppered the rest of the team. He never shot and according to Setanta we had a better success rate without him (I would like to find a quote but my house got flooded, im going to milk that one dry, unlike our carpets...).

He was annoying and apparently an absolute tart in front of the mirror, I am not going to be one of these bitter twisted people as I chose to focus my bitterness for my private life. I am glad Hleb has gone though. It was good to have him briefly and nice for him for Arsene to make him a name! Same goes for Flamini, he could have been a gooners legend but don't worry. His numbersake who I will speak about in 3 blogs time will play the same role! Back to Hleb, I dont see why Barca want him so this ends my Hleb celebration!

Oh, excitement, its exciting Carlos Vela is very, very exciting. I have been excited about him since he signed. He looks very comfortable on the ball and totally unphased by a game in the premiership. I think he is the most exciting player we have had for a while because of the build up, Cesc and Toure have come and made a name for themseves when he got here whereas Vela has come with a massive reputation built up through his Mexico career and his loan spells. (just so you know I overused the word exciting to promote my excitement)

For a Premiership debut his 30 mins were impressive, I think its hard to rate someone when they are playing against tat or in non-competitive games. It was a bit worrying his lack of a right peg but he seems to have quite a left peg! I really do think he will be more than a Carling Cup player this season.

Vela seems to have a good attitude for a striker, he is massively confident, this can be seen by the best strikers (TH14). I feel that Vela could make things happen, he might even have a shot. Mark my words Gooner for the future!

RvP is class, that pretty much covers it. However doesn’t seem to be particularly resilient to the physicality of the Prem. These things are obvious though I don’t want to waste your time.

I have an idea for the utilisation of the Ice man: The idea is to play him on the left side of midfield. Although I am aware of the fact that one of the best parts of his game is his shooting. I think as a winger he can get forward and chip in with some goals. I also expect his service would be pretty good. It would also work well because we could pave the way for the Vela Eduardo partnership I have been getting excited about! It would also add a bit of an extra dimension to our game.

I don’t understand why some people have such a problem with injuries. This can also be looked at with the whole squad Arsenal are normally in the top 5 in the injury table. Is it a training problem? Are the players not stretching properly or are we just big girls?

RvP is definitely our most talented attacking player and a season without injury I think he could prove it. If you are ever in doubt ask Charlton about that volley.

To be honest I didn’t really rate him at Chelski and although I thought he was good value I would rather have £15-25 million for Cashley. That said we have him and he is our captain, Arsene has reviewed the captaincy and he considered that Gallas is the leader of Arsenal.

The clearest turning point of popular opinion regarding the captain was the Birmingham game. I think this was slightly unfair, it showed he actually cared. He works hard and despite defensive frailties (he and Toure don’t get on well together as a partnership). I was surprised he got it to be honest I think Gilberto had it nailed on, no one will ever know if he would have been better!

Having read an article in a paper a while ago saying something along the lines of Gallas claims has not got any friends at Arsenal, I can’t work out if this is a positive for a captain or not because it is good to keep some distance when in a position of authority. The game against WBA with Gallas screaming at Djourou was a bad sign for me, I thought it was going to be another Ade vs. Nikki B showdown.

Gallas seems to score a fair few goals which is always welcome, especially against United and Chavski. This does lead to the question, if you can score from set pieces why the hell can’t you defend them? It’s mental! I also think a centreback paring needs a dynamic player like either Gallas or Toure and a big hardcase, Toure would be my choice!

My appearences may be somewhat blighted by the fact that we have no electricity at home due to the 14 inches of water in my house.

Theo had a good game apparently, i missed the game because the first half my mother wanted to watch the weakest link and the second half i fell asleep, England play such exciting football!

Dudu is possibly one of the most unlucky players in the history of the Premiership. I am basing this on the timing of his injury. There is no guarantee he will ever be able to play to the same standard again.

I always thought when people said oh it’s difficult to adapt to a new league that was just an excuse or a tactic to buy some time before their signings to get slated but I then I think Eduardo was a good example of a bit of time needed to get settled. I was really worried about us signing a player from a nothing league to replace Henry (this was in the worry days). After a few Carling Cup games he found his English club form and was electric.

Eduardo has shown dedication in his attempt to get back to fitness and has brought out the best in the Arsenal fans, the amount of good wishes that were sent was incredible. Football is effectively a primitive tribal instinct lead sport, giving fans an opportunity to be part of effectively a family or community.

Now for my chant suggestion, you know how some times they play the heart beat thing? Well I think if the fans did that (the Du Du, Du du, Du du) This also happens to be Eduardo’s nickname so it could be linked to him and I think it would really boost the atmosphere and create a bit of suspense!

I just hope Dudu can make a full recovery. I think he could be a long term first team player – even with a fully fit squad!

I am going to have a go at Arsenal fans so be warned this is not for the easily offended! Just to qualify this, I love arsenal fans I think on the whole they are amazing, I met one of my best mates on the bus to an Arsenal match, purely because of an Arsenal badge, I think its cool that people will speak to you because of the love of the Gooners. Especially in these times where everyone is so grumpy.

My rare trips to the Arsenal have always been on my own and it has always felt weird to be sat on my lonesome (the joys of being a red member I suppose). I have been to 7 games and every time the people around me have seen that and made an effort to speak to me (one old dear gave me a lemon sherbet!). It really is a united atmosphere. I feel that I am a part of the Arsenal not just a football follower.

My problem is the speed of our fans turning on players. I was astonished to read people calling for Arsene to get the boot after the Fulham game. I cite the example of Adebayor as a key example of this. As I have made clear I would have taken £15m for him over the summer and wouldn’t have him as one of the most well paid players (average wage and a massive goal bonus would be my idea). I do think he is a badge player, he loves Arsenal. The media are trying to sell stories, they also hate Arsenal and I think a lot of people bought into the talk of Ade wanting to go, I don't remember him saying he wanted to go because if he did he would have gone. This booing is totally stupid and counter productive. Show these people some bloody loyalty. Keep criticism constructive or its pointless!

I think the need for people to boo players is because of the little input the fans have no real voice. Does Arsene read all of these blogs? Will he make Fabregas captain because I had a poll on my blog? I strongly feel that Arsenal should have a proper fans forum or some sort of Q&A with some of the management one afternoon a month or something like that. We have no real say and we are the stakeholders of the club and deserve to be heard! We need to act as a united (dirty word) front.

I live near Newcastle, I’m sorry not my fault! I have always sort of had an interest in them. (especially since we hammer them). I also HATE Mike Cashley (he’s a spurs fan as well). I think Kevin Keegan has been stitched up by the Barcodes board, it made me think, would Arsenal fans surround the stadium and kick up the fuss if something like that happened or are we fair weather supporters? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7599621.stm listen to this, I think the point about people filling the stadium because we are winning struck a chord somewhere. I hope its not true. Stand up and be counted! I think we and Liverpool do have real supporters Man u and Chavski don't!

Get behind OUR TEAM, we are the Arsenal!

Nasri arrived from Marseille and I hate to admit it but I knew about him from playing Football Manager*. Having seen that he was pretty good in the game and hearing that we were linked to him in January I decided to do some research. The videos of YouTube were my basis for analysing the boys skills.

The videos I found all showed him being good up until the shooting. I thought that we should have signed him then and then had to endure about 6 weeks of Mr Wenger teasing me with the purchase. It was our own version of Ronaldo or Robinho (except without the bitchiness or pathetic sniping of a player, we play by the book...ask Barca!). I knew he was on his way but just wanted the paperwork to be signed and finalised.

I am now aware that we are in full ownership of Nasri’s skills. It is so good to see him playing in an Arsenal shirt. I think he and Fabregas will devastate teams between them. There is one thing that has really taken me by surprise about this “new Zidane” and that is his strength and fight, ask Joey Barton. Actually...dont we have all seen what he does to his team mates let alone randoms! He is 5’10” so by no means a giant and not very well built looking but the amount of times already in the season he has managed to squeeze through non-existant gaps or hold off defenders has wowed me. He also seems to have an exceptionally low centre of balance, this helps him evade challenges and continue runs.

Having seen that he is obviously not shy of a shot is also a very good sign especially after the Hleb years (he was average glad to see the back of him sorry). This maybe means that he can help with the midfield goal tally. There is a link to Bobby Pires there. Maybe he is the love child of Zidane and Pires after an youth international? No that’s just silly, maybe some cloning and splicing of their genes? Nasri has also fitted into the squad well and I was excited to see that he is obviously good friends with Gael Clichy already.

Obviously it is early in his career as a Gooner but just think in 5 years time...

Nasri (Pires) – Fabregas (Fabregas) – Diaby (Viera) – Walcott
Going on their rate of improvement that will be the best ever Arsenal midfield!

The problem is he needs a chant! Any suggestions? I have got a good one for Eduardo but you will have to wait for the next post! (cliff hangers, quite the wee writer I am becoming!)
*Football manager is not real football but it is awesome, I just saw a video on YouTube for the new one and it looks amazing 3D games and stuff don’t expect a blog on the 14th of November!

8 Days to Blackburn!

Dumpling was one of the players bought by Arsene having had him score against us in the Champions league. I have always enjoyed having him in the side but he seems to be another one of the off-games kids. He has only made 44 league appearances for us in the 2 seasons. When we bought him I was really excited and thought he was going to be the perfect replacement for Bobby Pires, in terms of his general play he has not been disappointing.

My one problem with him is that goal he scored for the Czech Republic in the World Cup ’06. A stunning strike, the trouble with it is that it had pushed my expectations of him up further. He then Scored that absolute belter against HSV (Hamburg) from 30 yards. My problem with him scoring these 2 rippers so early in his career is that it has built him up in my mind to be a goalscorer, something we really need in the midfield. Nasri could be in the same boat thought. Since then there have been 13 goals scored by 'Little Mozart'.

When I started writing this I began to think actually he has been pretty quiet other than that Liverpool pair of goals. I thought I could say about his assists but there have only been 6 in 61 games, statistically that is weak compared to Theo who has made 13 assists from less starts than Rosicky.

I have started to doubt whether he will make it into the starting lineup when he gets back to full fitness. This is a strange one, the Arsenal squad doesn’t really have a lot of depth but it seems that there is competition for places, especially in midfield. I think the problem is a similar style of player for some of the midfield roles Nasri and Rosicky both seem to be playing the same sort of game. Nasri it seems is a bit more edgy though. Although Rosicky is a good all round player he does not offer us much in terms of being a match winner just a steady player. In saying this I also realise that he has the attacking skills to be scoring the 15 goals a season we need from some of our midfielders.

He faces an important couple of months in order to show why he is worthy of a start.

Big Phil reminds me of my Aunt’s inbred Labrador, this may sound cruel but there is a similarity in their facial expression, it is a sort of constant look of slight guilt, and the idea that they know they are a bit of a burden (and their foreheads are about the same shape but that’s a touch harsh). I have a soft spot for both the dog and the Swiss defender.

I remember the Pre-Gallas days where Swiss Tony was pretty much a first team player and we were not quite as leaky . Gallas came in and was definatlely not going to be subbing so Phil was spending most of the game time in a tracksuit. This meant that the little time he has spent on the pitch seems to amplify any mistakes made. And his aesthetic similarity to Pascal also makes him look prone to a mix up. He is also often involved in a weaker side so there are going to be defensive frailties.

I don't get to the games very often and the games I do go to are normally Carling Cup (I prefer seeing the kids have a run around, I actually do). This means I have seen Senderos play a couple of times and it is like nothing I have really experienced before; if there is an attack against us and Phil is involved there is a sort of heavy atmosphere in anticipation of a screw up.

I hear he is a really bright guy and also a really nice person (great mates with Cesc), I really hope he learns something in Italy hopefully not from Flamini regarding wages! I want him to come back and be a star, if not I want him to be a star somewhere. He is the closest thing Arsenal has to a cult hero at the moment and the fans love him whether they trust him is slightly different.
Good Luck Phil

King Kolo is one of my favourite players not only because he is the longest serving but also because of his work rate and attitude. I don’t think vice captain is good enough for him really.

Toure is apparently the most popular African player because the Africans love strong defenders (yet the African Cup of Nations seems to be flowing fast attack based football). Although he is obviously an absolute unit he is also a very fair player. This needs to be encouraged.

Kolo was bought to play either in centre mid, attacking mid or as right back depending on whom you believe but made one of the central defensive spots his own through world class defending. There have been many a world class tackle or interception saving points left right and centre. His genuine delight when he scores the occasional goal also brings a smile to my face. Remember that goal against Liverpool where he nutmeged Reina?

I worry about some aspects of the Ivory Coaster’s game, especially his relationship with Gallas, Having had to do this stupid team building rubbish I suggest that Wenger handcuffs the two together for a week so they get to know how each other think. I also feel that a 6” stone wall should be able to cover set pieces better than he can, this is a squad problem not just him but its comparatively easy in terms of some of the more complex areas of the defensive game.

I would also like Kolo to get his brother into the squad, Yaya is a good player and I think it would not only be cool having brothers in the team but it would also strengthen the squad defensively.

What can you say about him? He is 60 days older than me and has;
1 European Championship winners medal,
1 Champions League runners up medal,
1 FA Cup winners medal,
2 Arsenal.com player of the season awards,
3 PFA awards, good ones, Young player of the year etc.

To prove to the success of the lad we shall compare him to no one other than myself;
1 Yetholm Primary School 7 A Side winners medal. (a competition where I made a boy 3 years my senior cry by sliding in the back of him, Keown would have been proud considering I didn’t even get booked!).

I think you may have realised that Cesc is pretty special. I have got some statistics, I love statistics, I love the Churchill quote regarding statistics “there are lies, damned lies and statistics” but I think these speak for themselves;
- 17 assists last season, the most in the League. Almost a ¼ of all Arsenal assists
- 25.5 minutes per chance created, least in the League.
- 81% pass success rate, with the most passes in the League.
I think these prove a point. I also think that these are beginning to become a bit too dominant for us. Cesc is amazing but is he too good? The games against FC 20 and Fulham showed that we are pushing on for being a one man team. If we lose him for a few months will be able to cope? I don't think we can, the only way is if Nasri can share the responsibility with Cesc for being a playmaker.

Fabregas is also massively influential on the pitch, not only as a role model for the youth players but also on the pitch for the likes of Denilson, I rate this young Brazilian but his performance against the Neutral Standers (Fulham, they have a section of their stand for neutral fans cos they can’t fill the ground!) was one of the worst I have seen in the Red and White of Kings. However, what a difference Fab makes, against Newcastle he looked so much calmer and relaxed and had a pretty good game. This I imagine is because of the care teams have to take in marking the wee legend.

Recently I managed to acquire Sky TV, I saw the last 10 minutes of the Fabregas show, it was awful, it was dumbed down so much and I was hoping it would show the real Fabregas but instead it was some sort of Soccer AM waste of my time. Football players get such a bad press and to be honest there are a lot of pretty ropey ones about (there seem to be loads down the 7 Sis road), I am sick of trying to defend these morons to rugby fans. I have always regarded Jonny Wilkinson to be the perfect role model for kids until I discovered some of the things Fabregas has done; his charity work – often overlooked by the tabloid rats, the time he spends signing autographs and stuff like that but most importantly he spends a lot of his time of the training pitch studying for his school exams. This may not sound like much but I think it is admirable.

My question is when was the last time he had a bad game? Oh and does he have a kid Brother Arsene can buy?

Bac was another inspired signing form The Boss, another Auxerre player who has come and slotted into the Arsenal system. I find it hard to write much about him because he seems to be quite a quiet member of the squad off the pitch in terms of interviews and such. In order to make up for this lack of knowledge I shall drop a couple of facts for you. He is cousins with Ibrahima Sonko but neither had met before the teams clashed last season! Now if that didn’t shock you and make you feel more of a Gooner for knowing this will....
...Bacary Sagna’s cool blonde dreadlocks are not real, there is a nice touch to it though, his mum attaches them for him. I am sorry if this came as a shock to you, it was like finding out Santa was the same person as the Easter bunny (my father).


He was in the team of the season last season which is pretty rare for a first season in England. There is not much more you can say than that. He does however cause a problem with the selection process. His name would be one of the first on the team sheet for me but the important dynamic of the team is the linkup between right back and right winger. I strongly feel that Theo is the future on the wing for the Red Army but I also think that Sagna and Eboue link up very well down the right and possibly cause more problems. One of the many challenges faced by Arsene, we have to let him earn his reputation I suppose!

Sagna is a nailed on first team player I don't see any reason for him not to be at the club for the foreseeable future. I hope he is looking to a testimonial, only 9 years to go! Is that wishful thinking considering the longest serving player in the squad is King Kolo for 6 years?

9 Days to Blackburn!

The ‘New Viera’ as he has been touted is another one of the young Arsenal players who obviously has a huge amount of talent for their years. It is hard to think that he is only 22.

The Viera link must be pretty intimidating for such a young player but I think it makes sense, watching him run with the ball on the fuzzy screens of Youtube you could confuse the 2 of them. I am confident that he will be a star but I’m afraid it will take a lot to knock at the door of being anywhere near Viera, the greatest player of that type I have seen in my lifetime (21 years, just a pup!).

Diaby seems to have fallen from grace a bit over the last year. He has been unlucky with injuries (should be back for Blackburn though). Like a lot of our young players (Flamini, Eboue, Song, Walcott and a number of the kids) Wenger has played him in different positions, I think this is not only because of our never ending list of injuries, but also in an attempt to expand a players knowledge of how to read the game, seeing it from different perspectives. This has lead to Diaby being played on both wings, this has meant a drop in form as he is obviously not comfortable in the wide role but will benefit his game in the long run.

I would like to think that Abou is going to be Fabregas’ long term partner in the centre of the pitch. I think Diaby has the physical strength we need in what is a seriously lightweight midfield (Nasri, Cesc and Theo). He is not just a battering ram, his game is deep and he has a good eye and a hell of a shot. This will link with the Cesc role and be good...Think sting like a wasp float like a butterfly.

On another note I was criticised for my post regarding Eboue, I just want to clarify that I rate him as a player but I don't think he is worthy of Walcott or Sagna’s shirt. I also hate his diving NOT THE ARSENAL WAY!

10 days to Blackburn!

I have always had a lot of time for Almunia. I think he was well behaved and it must be hard to shine the pine every week but he did it with dignity, sadly Jens struggled with that. Manu seems like a decent bloke as well, having seen interviews with him he seems like he actually cares for the team and its players. I am drawn to the quote about Theo saying he is “too lovely”. I think Almunia would be a fair shout for captain because he is not only one of our most consistent players but also seems to have a great temperament.

Almunia has never made a first team appearance for the main clubs he played for before Arsenal (Osasuna and Celta). I find this hard to believe due to the fact that he’s a good stopper. In the Actim ratings last season he came 2nd behind David James.

I have a theory on goalkeeping, if you stick someone truly horrifying in the nets they are going to be more effective. The proof of this is Peter Schmeichel – Scary stuff, David Seaman - weird tash, Petr Cech – Scrum cap, Tim Howard – Tourettes. Is it a coincidence that Almunia came good when he dyed his hair bright blonde? The man looks possessed!

Great guy, I think he will have another great season and I really do want to see him in the goal for England.

To celebrate the active transfer window I was going to write a profile on each of the new signings but since there are only about 3 of note (or that have been heard of by the world) and that there are stupid internationals breaking up the start of the season I have taken it upon myself to write a celebration (well something) for all of the players and throwing my opinion into the ring for the lions to tear apart. It is also something to stop me drinking my sorrows away at the rate of a idiot chairman, I live near Newcastle and am fully aware of the damage an angry Geordie can do, don't upset a city of them. I heard he is considering buying Sunderland and merging the 2 teams because he wants to be hated by everyone in the North East!

First though, here is my summary of the transfer window. Before I get to us the Manchester Saga has become a nightmare. It looks like every team needs a billionaire (I hope we can find one more charismatic than Usmanov). The funny thing is City have spent £30 odd mil on Robinho which goes straight into Real Madrid's Ch******no Ron**do transfer fund. United buying another world class striker makes no sense to me, what’s wrong with Rooney and Tevez? Madness, especially when you are supposed to be broke. We had the money and bought no one, a cunning move there!


Arsenal have bought:-

- Nasri, he looks amazing, could be the solution to our attacking problems.

- Ramsey, too young to make a first team impact yet one for the future! some are calling him the next Jack Wilshire.

- Silvestre, I assume backup.

- Bischoff, some sort of midfielder with an average career that Arsene is going to play out of position and he will become a world class player!

- Vela is effectively a new signing because of the work permit. I am so excited about that boy (not like that)


We have sold/lost:-

- Gilberto, he was loyal and I think that being overlooked for captaincy broke his strong spirit especially since he was Brazil captain and vice captain to El Tel.

- Hleb, £12m? Thanks, that’s too kind! We didn't want him anyway.

- Flamini, a shame we lost him, it’s a shame we made him and he showed now loyalty and ran to the cheque book like Harry Hill's wife (in the pre TV burp days), disappointed not angry.

- Lehmann, some say the key to the untouchables, others say mad. I say both, the premiership will miss you thank you for your loyalty that is the way to leave a club.

- Hoyte, A true Gooner, loved the club and its always sad to have to let go of a genuine fan but he wasn't good enough.


The season kicks off for real in 10 days time; prepare to hold your collars!

Doing the rounds on the websites this morning I saw that Wenger hails Eboue as a "pass master" in my post slumber lack of attention i genuinely thought it said 'ass master' and felt that Arsene was resorting to ripping Manu to find some form out of the boy.

My stance on Eboue is that has always been overrated, I thought he had a very good season a couple ago. Everyone has a purple patch and I think Ade is going to prove that he had one last season. Expectations have grown and his game hasn't.

Now I am not going to use my new powers of telling maybe 3 people on the internet to hate everything about arsenal like some do! I think last season was difficult for him with a position move. I think he has moments of magic but I think Theo is the same but has more of these moments and doesn't dive.

I think Eboue plays a major part in the club but more as a jester than as a player, maybe he could be Gunnersaurus? The players all think he is very funny and that is a good thing but I dont understand it because he is probably one of the most hated players in the league.

Is the general opinion that he is overrated and should be benched? I think he would be great cover for Theo and Bac but not a starter surely? And never play in centre mid unless things get really desperate.

I like many die hard Red Army fans spent the day yesterday off work glued to the BBC transfer window with my refresh button just about worn out (obviously I had some football manager to keep me sane (I won the treble if you care?).


Arsene is a legend there is no doubting that and has the ability to be more of an Arsenal legend than Chapman but it’s weeks like this that make me rip my already receding hair out (sad for a 21 year old!).


I feel lied to, I feel personally offended, I feel cheated, I feel bloody optimistic. Having gone through my collection of season reviews (the older ones are a bit better!) I look at our squad and think that it is pretty good, maybe not the best but if we fire, then its game on. If we get injuries we are knackered.


Keepers


1, Almunia - Good keeper, seems like a nice guy as well (new captain?), oh and England keeper soon!


2, If anything happens to Manu we have some sort of Polish dwarf Rosicky lookalike who is average under crosses but a good stopper.


Defence


1, Although Gallas and Toure only look like they have been introduced to each other a minute before every game, they are both sound individual players.


2, Cover comes in the form of Alex Song and the better of our Swiss defenders, Johan is a steady player. as for Song, I really rate him and he is also scary looking which I maintain is a good thing!


3, We have OFFICIALLY the best 2 wingbacks in the league. Enough said.


4, Eboue might be a diving, annoying, cheating, average player but he is loved by the players and is vital for the team, he also shows moments of class (Slavia Praha).


5, Armand Traore obviously hates s**rs and will be getting some game time i hope.


Midfield


1, Cesc Fabregas.


2, Nasri is looking pretty sweet and his goals are making him look like a new Bobby Pires (they say hes the new Zidane but Bobby was better!), goals from the midfield are vital, Man U won the league because of the dirty ones goals, we need that!


3, Dumpling (Rosicky) will be back soon.


4, Theo is looking pretty good in the long run.


5, Diaby is apparently the new Viera but people are giving him stick for being played wide left and not playing well in an alien role.


6, Wilshere is going to blow the premiership away at some point in the next 18 months (because or squad is so weak that we need to play 9 year olds. Actually its cos these 8 year olds are electric).


Attack

1, Ade scored over 10 goals last season, heaven knows how but he did! He has signed a new contract and i hope he will shock me and score some more, for the record I don't rate him at the moment but i do LIKE him, I think the fans have been hugely unfair towards him. he loves Arsenal what more do you want!


2, The Glass man (RvP its a bit like the Ice man (Dennis)) has looked on good form if he can stay fit, I hope he can he deserves a 20+ goal season.


3, Carlos Vela, I think he is so exciting to watch, I think he will overshadow Fabregas to an extent. the only trouble is his onefootedness.


4, Nikki B is a good reserve striker despite obviously not getting on with ade.


Staff

1, Arsene is a hero dispite this lie!

2, Pat Rice, what a man!


Now for the negatives;


1, Eboue’s behaviour, it is not the arsenal way. I also think he is a right back, he seems to always play despite not being good enough, i think Wenger is showing too much faith in him.


2, I don't think Walcott is good enough for a team of Arsenal's standard (YET) but we can't loan him because he is still developing and a fans favourite.


3, Ade worries me, I feel that he is one of those players who could slide under the radar if he

doesn't have another big season.


4, Our form with a lack of Master Fabregas, he is so important to our team and he will have a serious injury at some point.


5, The team spirit, this is an odd one because there are obvious divisions, the French players, the African players, obviously it seems that there are smaller units not a whole team.


6, Seeing the reaction when Johan cleared from the line against WBA, Gallas screaming at everyone, I thought oh no there is going to be a bust up right now, season over!


I keep thinking positively about the team but its frustrating being a Gooner if I was in control I would have done some things differently;


My Starting Team

GK- Almunia
RB- Sagna
CB- Toure
CB- Gallas (if I have to)
LB- Clichy
RW- Walcott
CM- Fabregas
CM- Rosicky
LW- van Persie
AMC-Nasri
FC- Adebayor



Squad depth,

GK- We are ok, Fabianski is safe with a solid defence.
RB - Eboue
DC- We have cover for one injury but if King Kolo and Gallas are out then we have no one to organise the defence.
LB – Silvestre,
RW- Eboue,
CM- Diaby, Ramsey, Denilson, Bischoff, Wilshire
LW- No one without someone being played out of position,
FC- Bendtner, Vela, Eduardo

Transfers

1, Sell Ade for anything over £20mil and use that money for Huntelaar (or the Villa for under £30m if avaliable)

2, Buy Veloso (£14m) or de Guzman (£12m) or both?

3, Kompany from HSV.

4, Nasri, I saw him playing in France and thought he is Arsenal to a T.

5, Maybe Van der Vaart?


Considering we are prone to injuries it is not very thick backup is it?

In conclusion, I think we should be able to take 3rd this season but if we manage to keep people fit then there is no glass ceiling!