West Brom (A)

What a game. On Tuesday we took Napoli apart within the first 30 minutes. Mesut Ozil got his first goal for us and it was a screamer. Ramsey fizzed it to be back of the box and Ozil side footed it into the corner past Reina. A classy goal from a classy player. Moments later he turned provider and Giroud found the net and from then on we coasted to the victory.

This weekend we take on West Brom at the Hawthorns for the second time in 2 weeks. However I suspect both teams will have very different teams out from those that clashed in the Capital One Cup. In terms of team news, we have everyone who played Napoli fit, bar Bacary Sagna who has a minor problem and will need scans. I have a feeling we will start with Wilshere in the middle after beginning Tuesdays game on the bench, Gnabry is also an option after being rested.

West Brom are an altogether different outfit this season without Lukaku. They do however have a raft of players returning from injury including Sessegnon who is a dangerous player on his day. Anelka is also there and although his game lacks pace he still knows where the goal is. They have the power in the midfield of Mulumbu and winger Amalfitano can be a handful. They miss Foster in goal though and Myhill has stepped up. I think they'll play cagily to start with to avoid losing an early goal and having to chase but if it remains tight throughout the most part they'll stretch and the game will open up.

The momentum is with us at the moment but West Brom will want to spoil the party this weekend and it's up to us to turn up and put in the performances like we have done for the last 10 games or so. A win and we remain top of the table which is a very nice place to be come the close of play at the weekend.

West Brom (A)

After some good league and European performances tomorrow night we travel to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom in the Capital One Cup or whatever it is now. I first expected Wenger to make wholesale changes but then realised that our squad is so bare that we may have to play some first-team players.

Guessing the squad will be hard but I think it's fairly safe to assume Viviano will start between the sticks to make his debut. I've heard good things but hopefully tomorrow will give us a better look at the Italian. The back line will more than likely include the likes of Jenkinson, Vermaelen and Monreal. The midfield is an area where we are short so I expect it to remain roughly the same, we may see more of Arteta depending on how he came out of the last 10 at the weekend. Ozil trained but I doubt he'll be played. The front line is an interesting one. Bendtner has been included and may start, I think Gnabry will start after his weekend performance and on the other wing we might see Myiachi start.

West Brom will take the match seriously and it will be a difficult game regardless of what team we put out. West Brom have had a rough start this season but they're still a dangerous team especially with the likes of Sessegnon adding to their ranks. But without Lukaku this season they have struggled for goals scoring just 4 in the league from 5 matches.

It's a really difficult game to call with us more than likely fielding a weakened team and them below their best so far this season. It'll give some players the chance to shine, Viviano has his chance to show why we signed him from Fiorentina and keep SZCZ on his toes, whilst players like Gnabry and Myiachi have the chance to show off their potential.

I'm not gonna predict this one cause it's such a strange match up, hopefully we can do the business and keep this little run going.  

West Bromwich Albion (A)

They say there are no easy victories in football, however Reading on Saturday was an easy victory. I was very pleased with the performance the team put in against Reading and although the look no more than a Championship team we made them look that bad with out very tidy performance. Now many people will be fully aware that I am no fan of Gervinho and when although I suspected he'd start, I could feel the universal disappointment at the Emirates when his name was read out.

However he played his socks off at the weekend and although we saw the man who can slip past 2 defenders before blazing the ball over the bar, we saw glimpses of what he really cant do, his goal was a tap in but fair play to him for seeing it. But the stand out moment for me was when Sagna (who was superb) lifted the ball over the top of the midfield and Gerv charged onto it. He was on his own against 3 defenders but held the ball well, drew them all in and then slid it across for Giroud who drilled the ball in. There were a lot of really good performances, Cazorla was unreal as were all the midfield actually. Fabianski had a good game and it was good to see Giroud getting back amongst the goals.

I'd also like to touch on the fantastic display of support on the 7th minute of the match for a man who graced our number 7 until his very premature death. David Rocastle was a fan favourite at Arsenal and with a unique blend of flair and power he was exciting to watch and a very effective player. Sadly on March 31st 2001 David lost his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma aged just 31 and will always be sorely missed, but will never be forgotten. 

Anyway that game is gone and we need to keep our momentum in the run is as Chelsea slipped up against Southampton. Tomorrow is going to be an odd game. We play West Brom who are by all means a decent team and will be very hard to beat but on the flip side of that, they have nothing to play for. They're sitting comfortably in mid table and aside from a Europa League place will go nowhere. That said they will still provide a stern test for our team who are still battling for a place amongst Europe's elite next season, and although people will say the run in is with us, we have to do our job before we count on others.

Team news for us is looking positive, although we are still without Jack and Theo, they are aiming to be available for selection next weekend. After colliding with the post and going on against Reading, Monreal is available which is good because although Gibbs came on to replace him its clear he isn't quite ready just yet. So with this in mind I think the team will be identical to the one that started against Reading. Fabianksi, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Gervinho, Cazorla, Giroud.

West Brom have a strong team and with Lukaku upfront on loan from Chelsea having bagged 13 of their goals this season. After Odenwingie's antics on deadline day he hasn't been selected (surprise, surprise). Brunt will sit in the gap behind Lukaku and they will have threat from Morrison too. They are however without the powerhouse Mulumbu in the middle which may give us the edge to to run the game from the middle of the park.
 
West Brom are a tricky team to beat but if we want to keep our charge for the top four on track they are a team we have to beat. On our day when the Arsenal play in the way we all know they can we should be beating West Brom but sadly we all know Arsenal far too well to expect this to be a bump free ride, we do like to make things hard for ourselves.

Until next time. COYG!

Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Arsenal

West Bromwich Albion (H)

Apologies once again that I didn't post before the Olympiacos game, luckily it wasn't of great importance and I think that was reflected by the side we fielded in which just 3 of the players from the Swansea match started. It's also lucky it didn't matter due to the scoreline, but there you go, we're through none the less.

After doing the business in Europe we need to get back to business in the league and drag ourselves out of the hole we're currently in. After Wenger saying more times than you can count that "we were not sharp", he has rested a lot of the first team including players who are clearly struggling (Cazorla, Arteta) so that won't be an excuse at the weekend. With any luck we won't need one against a West Brom side who have dipped a bit in recent weeks.

The bad news for us is that we have lost both Podolski and Walcott for this one, two players that can create chances and score them. Walcott also seems to have been the key to a lot of our pace this season and without him at times we have been lethargic. We are also without Kosciely at the back and Sagna faces a late test on his foot but is expected to miss out. With all that in mind I would expect to see Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the wings with Giroud returning to his lone striker role. Carl Jenkinson will fill in at right back if Sagna doesn't make it.

West Brom have been performing well this season but have begun to falter over the last couple of weeks. That said they still boast the attacking power of Odemwingie, Long and Morrison who are all more than capable of bagging a goal on their day. An area that I am concerned about is the midfield, Mulumbu is basically a tank and if he is on form he could give our rather smaller trio some problems, that said his pace isn't amazing so speed could be key. Ben Foster is also still out so they start Myhill, hopefully we can create some chances and really work the American.

I must admit that I am feeling slightly optimistic about tomorrow, despite being without a few key players. I don't think it will be pretty and I don't think it will be convincing but I can see us nicking it by a goal. COYG!

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 WBA

3rd place, relax for the summer

We did it! It wasn't pretty and it wasn't Arsenal football but the result is all that matters. You can say we got lucky and Fulop gave us 2 goals but who cares. We won, the now quiet neighbours down the road can't complain, they fucked it up the week before. It has been an easy week, not having to worry about Chelsea winning the Champions League, which evidently was a good thing.

I saw a lot of Arsenal fans supporting Bayern Munich last night and I can completely understand that, but it didn't happen so lets all have a real laugh at Tottenham today, I'm sure their fans aren't in the best mood. But that's irrelevant we have a long, boring summer ahead. The only football being the Euros and lets face it, international football is boring as hell so we only have transfers to keep us entertained (give me strength).

Now is the time where everyone over analyses everything and decides who needs what and where. I'm gonna leave that for a few weeks because the rumours have already started and right now I can't be asked to go into it. So I'll save that for a few a later post. Talking of posts from now they'll hopefully be around once a week but it all depends on what news and rumours are spinning around.


So its over for another year, a difficult year lets say. Its been one that looking at where we were and where we are I'm happy and think the team showed a lot of spirit to pull through it all. Wenger got stick, the players got stick and now they've silenced everyone but simply pointing at the table. I want to thank you for sticking with me throughout and I'm gonna leave you with a picture that I think sums up our final day nicely. Until next time.

 Oh and this one...

Wankers.
   

West Bromwich Albion (A) + the end of the season

Well here we are, our whole season defined by 90 minutes of the beautiful game tomorrow. Tomorrow the title race is irrelevant, the relegation battle is irrelevant. There is only one game that matters to gooners. We travel to the Hawthorns knowing that a win will secure Champions League next year, right now everything else that has come before doesn't matter, the game at Old Trafford, the night in Milan, the comeback against the scum, the victory at Stamford Bridge. None of that matters. 

It's been a difficult season there are no doubts about it, ending it on a high would make up fr the torture it has been. We know the situation: win and we're there, draw and we're at least fourth, lose and well that doesn't bare thinking about. The players will know the gravity of the situation, the manager will know and its up to them to step out there tomorrow and make sure that we do ourselves justice. Does anybody remember the program Dream Team? they were in the situation of playing an FA Cup final with a caretaker manager and when asked about tactics he simply said "win". That is the sort of team talk I would give, but I'm sure Mr.Wenger has other ideas.


Anyway I should probably get onto team news. Walcott faces a late fitness test, hopefully he'll be fit to go because lets face it down the right we do miss something without him, whether its his inconsistency or his link up play, its something. We miss Arteta badly and in situations like this I really wish we had the Spaniard playing. It seems that Coquelin will start at right back, not sure whats up with Jenkinson. Apart from that I think it will be pretty standard. Rosicky slotting in behind RVP.

News earlier in the week suggested that Odemwingie might miss out but he's unfortunately made it. Chris Brunt on the other hand is out which means it looks like James Morrison will slot in. Its hard to pick a weakness in West Brom's team, they have a fairly solid standard of player across the board but we know that we can beat them.

So it really is squeaky bum time now. Tomorrow isn't about pretty football, its not about scoring wonder goals, its all about the result. I'd take the shittiest, scrappiest, bundle of a goal if it meant we won. Its Roy's last game and it's also Pat Rice's last game, lets hope we send Pat off in the way he deserved for all his years of service.

I'm not doing a prediction for tomorrow, in fear of jinxing it or whatever. Come 3 tomorrow I'll find out if that running has paid off and my heart can take it.

For the last time this season. Come On You Gunners!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agony, ecstasy & a second chance

Summing up quite how I felt on Saturday after the result is quite hard. Just a truly gutting feeling. After being informed that we were leading 3-2 I said we'll concede an equaliser now and funny how things work, we did. I'm sure along with many Arsenal fans I was almost sure we'd completely blown our chances of 3rd. At that moment it seemed like everything that could go wrong would. We'd finish 5th, Van Persie would leave, Arsenal would crumble like Liverpool, Sanga had broken his leg and would never play again. Of course I calmed down from this dejected state but it still wasn't a pleasant feeling. 

I sat down to watch the Soccer Special not expecting much, to be honest I wasn't really paying attention. Until of course Ciaran Clarke fired Aston Villa into a lead. I expected Sp*rs to hit back and they did through Adebayor at which point I had accepted that they would win. I turned to Newcastle to see them lose to Man City, almost certainly securing the title for them but hey, you can't have it all. At that point we had a hope if securing top 4 knowing a point would do it. The 6 minutes of added time at Villa Park were absolute hell but eventually the full time whistle went.

I couldn't quite believe we had a second chance, one we probably didn't deserve but we'd all take it. It means that once again, we need to win at West Brom to secure 3rd and guarantee Champions League football next year. Although at this current moment I'm not overly confident I'd rather be where we are now. We have been gifted a second chance, if we don't take it then we probably don't deserve to finish 3rd. 

We need to hold our nerve and play the game not the occasion. If we keep our shape and Song covers when Vermaelen goes surging forward then we'll have a chance. We also need to keep it simple, rather than trying to over elaborate things. Song was particularly guilty of this after for their last goal at the weekend. He tried a loopy ball over the top instead of playing the simple ball that would have been far more effective.

So a lot to do in this final week of the season but we have launched our kit for the new season. I'm not exactly a fan at the moment but I'm sure I'll learn to accept it over the season. Check our our 2012/13 home kit.

Check back later this week for all the build up to our huge game at the Hawthorns.

Internationals, updates and apologies

OK once again I have to apologise, this last week have been a bit hectic with all sorts of things going on. But as of today normal service will resume with a match build up and preview and so on. However we now have two weeks of utterly pointless shit. Internationals, are enough to put anyone to sleep. Especially watching England, now I don't know how overseas readers feel about this, but basically I find watching England play is the most tedious, dull and painful experience. England win 5-0 and I still find it boring. I'm all for getting behind the country and being patriotic but when we watch that shit its hard to get excited.

So the internationals are times when Premier League football goes and has a little break and our players normally go and get injured. Lets hope that isn't the case. But all of the hype and normally scandal of the Premier League get forgotten and the most interesting piece of news we've had has been the whole Poppy situation. They have overturned it but haven't done themselves any favours over here by creating a fuss about it. That testicle-faced prick Blatter showing that he is as much of cunt as we all remember. 

Anyway, Arsenal news, well there isn't a lot of it to be honest with you. The site goes off with stories of our players on internationals which is boring as hell. Transfer news is also banded around but going into that would be totally pointless. As always just as we pick up some form there's an international break, we just have to hope that we keep our players fit and our momentum when we travel to Carrow road a week on Saturday. If we can keep this little run going into December then we will have certainly showed what we can do after a start that was our worst in years.

The performance against West Brom was solid and I do mean solid. Attacking, defending, the works. Admittedly it was helpful that West Brom offered virtually nothing going forward but it was as close to a typical Arsenal performance as we've come all season. All of the signs are promising lets hope we don't fuck it up in typical Arsenal style.

That's about it so until next week, have a good weekend. 

Arsenal Update

As we're currently on International duty I thought I'd post a little update on Arsenal related news. So once again my prediction was totally wrong against West Brom and we limped away with a draw and a lucky one at that. The first goal again highlighted our defensive frailties and Wenger has again come under fire for not finding another Centre Half in January. The second goal left me wondering why the fuck we haven't bought another keeper, a good keeper (Lehman doesn't count). What seemed more bewildering was the look of shock on Almunia's face when the ball was slotted past him after he decided to go for a jog up the field. Arshavin finished well and Van Persie got lucky but we did dominate the second half. Still those are the games we should be taking points from

Arsene Wenger confirmed earlier in the week that Walcott will not be available to play for England to play against Wales on Saturday. So it seems unlikely we'll be seeing Theo within the next couple of games, but the International break obviously gives him an extra week to recover. However there is better news where Fabregas is concerned as Wenger suggested he may be back after this weeks break, "He should be back after the international break, maybe, he has a chance".

The jury is still out as to when Song will return. Wenger was quick to rule him out of the trip to West Brom and didn't hint as to when we could see him again. We now know that Vermaelan will be out for the season along with Johan Djourou (sigh). The defensive woes continue.

Looking ahead to the next few games we have what many will see as an easy 3 pointer against Blackburn next weekend. But as a lot of Arsenal fans know there is never an easy 3 pointer with us. Then Blackpool away which is a horrible fixture, they need the points as do we and they have a formidable record of scoring at home. Then the crucial point in the season as we play Liverpool and Tottenham within 4 days of each other. Then our bogey trip to Bolton who are on form this season followed by the game that may well decide the title against Manchester United at home. In my opinion we need to get Walcott and Fabregas fit and soon. Check next week for the pre-Blackburn post.

West Bromwich Albion (A)

Well we've crashed out of everything but the Premier League now so it doesn't take a genius to figure out what every post for the rest of the season will be on. West Brom away, earlier in the season I would have seen as a 3 pointer all day long. Then and again I said that for the home tie against them, but now the stakes are even higher. They need the points but so do we and this is the sort of game we could throw away easily if we lose focus. So to the team.

With the expected but still disappointing news that Thomas Vermaelen (out for about 3 weeks since the 28th August according to Wenger) wont make an appearance this season the back four almost certainly will be Clichy, Koscielny, Squillaci and Sagna from left to right respectively. A 5 man midfield including Arshavin who is still at the forefront of the fans abuse, on the left. Wilshere, Rosicky who has been a poor player since returning this season and (sadly) Denilson who I still think is one of the worst Brazilian footballers ever to live. Nasri taking up the role on the right to try and weave his way around Nicky Shorey and Van Persie in the middle as the lone striker.

As for them, their leading striker Pete Odemwingie seems to be the pundits favourite to start on the bench behind Fortune with Morrison who is a real danger right behind him. Christ Brunt looks doubtful after suffering from illness in the last couple of days.Mulumbu provides their power in the middle and will no doubt cause us problems as all players like him do. Of course they have Scott Carson in goal, he has his critics but on his day he's as capable as any keeper.

This will be a hard game, no doubt there. However if we're really in the running for the title this is the game we need to win. I must agree with what Roy Hodgson said yesterday though when asked about what he thinks our mentality will be like after going out of 2 cups in quick succession: "When you draw Barcelona away in the Champions league...there's a risk your gonna lose that and when you draw Manchester United away in the FA cup there's a risk your gonna lose that". Looking back at these 2 defeats he's spot on, we were favourites to lose them both so is it really that much of a surprise that we went out?

After looking around some other forums there seems to be a strong fan base that want Wenger out. I personally don't think at this current moment that will help the squad at all. Having said that I am getting bored of being United's whipping boys every season. There's no point sending Wenger on his way this late in the season we're either gonna win the league with him or we aren't. If we win then everyone will be singing his praises, if we don't everyone will want him out but such is the nature of football.

Prediction: West Brom 0-1 Arsenal