Arsenal 1-1 Totenham: two points dropped

Evening everyone.

Even a full day after the game I still cannot comprehend the result. Arsenal was clearly the better team yesterday and the fact that Tottenham fans celebrated a point like a win tells you a lot in itself. However, we went down the all-too-familiar road of not getting the most of our chances and hence the draw, which feels more like a loss. Let's start at the beginning, though.

The squad

All our senior defenders returned, while Chambers (understandably) kept his place for his first-ever North London derby. The Englishman did brilliantly, in my opinion, and could have scored an absolute screamer of a goal, but his shot went wide with Lloris stranded. Calum has, unfortunately, picked up a fourth yellow, but I quite liked it: Chambers committed a cynical foul in order to stop a dangerous attack, being fully aware just what exactly he was doing. Love this guy.

In midfield only Wilshere kept his place, with Ramsey alongside Jack, Arteta just behind.

This meant shunting Ozil to the left flank, but it was barely noticeable during the game. The German was constantly interchanging positions with Wilshere and so it was nigh on impossible to tell who played where.

The other flank was occupied by Oxlade and I've seen calls for Wenger's head for not starting Sanchez there. Not because the Ox was bad, far from it, but just because you shouldn't keep your second-best buy on the bench in a game of such importance. Personally, I don't find fault with this decision: Alexis completed 90 minutes in midweek and it was visible when the Chilean made his entrance on the hour. He wasn't as sharp or as quick, to my mind. Welbeck spearheaded the attack.

The first half

We dominated it, yet failed to turn this dominance into actual goals. There were a couple of shots from outside the box by Wilshere, Ramsey and Oxlade, but all were saved by Lloris. And only Chamberlain's effort (and his deflected cross) presented genuine threat.

Spurs, meanwhile, were happy to sit back and try their luck on the counter and had, in my view, succeeded. Adebayor (with this laughable haircut of his) failed to shoot when clean through, Chadli's weak effort rolled wide when he should have done better and Mertesacker nearly put the ball into his own net from a corner. Mercifully, Szcsesny was on full alert.

The real downside of the half, however, were our injured players (yes, in plural!) First, Arteta pulled his calf. Then Ramsey did likewise with his hamstring. In-between Wilshere received a knock on the ankle after a brilliant run. Mercifully, the Englishman stayed on. The other two were not so lucky, as a consequence Flamini and Cazorla were introduced to the proceedings.

The second half

We started it brightly with Ozil playing more centrally and Cazorla on the left. This allowed for more chances to be fashioned and the German himself nearly opened the scoring, but his shot was saved by Lloris.

Just as we were starting to really look on top, we conceded. Flamini classlessly gave the ball away near our box, Eriksen passed to Lamela and the cheaty Italian sent Chadli through. The Belgian slotted the ball away and celebrated by making this "I can't hear you" gesture aimed at the Arsenal fan sector. For which he was booked by Oliver. The first time I've seen a player being booked for such a thing, but, as it happened to Sp*rs player, I find it hilarious.

The scores should have been level seconds after, but Mertesacker's headed effort was cleared by Lloris. Goal-line technology showed there was no goal, but, as it didn't (and I suspect, for a reason) show the moment which caused the backlash, I'm not inclined to believe it. For me it looked a clear goal, for referees, unfortunately, it did not.

We carried on attacking, spurred on by Sanchez's introduction and almost scored the equalise through a wonderful effort from Chambers. Two minutes after that we finally scored.r

Cazorla's blocked shot fell to Welbeck, the Englishman swung his leg at thin air, but the Ox was on hand to smash the ball into the roof of the net. We huffed and puffed to try and score that winner, but it never came.

The aftermath

There are lessons to be learnt from that draw. Firstly, Flamini should never again be handed such an important role in the game of that magnitude. He's just not up to scratch. Simple as that. Play him, when the result doesn't matter, or if we are already miles ahead. In other instances play Arteta, Ramsey, Chambers, Diaby or whoever else at this position. Just not Flamini.

Secondly, we need to do something abouth these constant injures. Having Debuchy and Giroud out for the long term is bad enough. Monreal's and Walcott's absences are bearable to an extent, though it's not very good. Add Arteta, Ramsey and Wilshere to that list and we look screwed.

I do realise both injures to our Frenchmen are bad luck. Nothing you could to prevent a twist in the ankle or an unfortunate landing. Everyone else (bar, Wilshere, probably) is down with muscle problems. Monreal? Back. Ramsey? Hamstring. Arteta? Calf. Sanogo? Another hamstring problem.

How Arteta and Ramsey could have got injured is beyond me. Both had a week rest, both are not the smallest players on the team. Only incorrect preparation comes to mind. They are not being trained right, hence the injures.

Out of these two + Wilshere, only Jack stands a chance to play against Chelsea. All three are out of our midweek clash and that leaves us walking a tight line. These knocks sadden me infinitely more than the draw against Tottenham.

Don't know, what else to say. Guess I'll just call it a day and go to sleep. Things to do, people to see.

Back in a couple of days with the usual preview. Maybe earlier, if something of note happens.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Tottenham preview: outgun them

It's the day of the North London Derby and things have almost got to the boiling point between Arsenal and Tottenham fans. It's usually the case, this time around, however, the atmosphere is infectious even for me. I've already stated several times that I feel no particular hatred towards Spurs, as I wasn't brought up in London, nonetheless I'm too excited about this game and feel there really is something more, than the three points, at stake.

That's what Arsene said during his yesterday's press-conference. However, all the hype surrounding the game aside, the Frenchman also gave the update on the state of our squad. With this matter settled a guess-who'll-play game is in order.

The back five

I expect Szczesny to be reinstated between the sticks. Firstly, because Ospina didn't have the best of games on Tuesday. Secondly, because Szczesny was brilliant against Villa. And thirdly, the Pole understands the concept of a derby much better, than the Colombian.

The defense picks itself. Mertesacker,  Koscielny and Gibbs should all be available after their midweek breather, while Chambers will deputise at right-back once more.

The situation with the young Englishman is a bit worrisome, truth be told. I think he played in every game since joining, but I can't see him being cut a break before Debuchy's return. I hope Bellerin will be able to slot in here and there, but it'll definitely be Chambers for all the important matches.

Moreover, Calum is on three yellows already. Two more mean an automatic one-game suspension. Arsene is also concerned with this state of affairs:

“The yellow cards worry me a little bit because he has three yellows and after five you miss a game. But that's down to the fact that he's committed and lacks sometimes experience in the challenge.”

Apart from that, we don't have any fresh ins or outs,  so I expect Bellerin to make the bench with possibly Flamini alongside the Spaniard, just in case we need an emergency left-back. Hope it won't come to that.

The midfield

A real selection headache for Arsene. EVERYONE is available. I mean it. Flamini returns after sitting the last three games out and even Diaby is back.

I've seen suggestions on Twitter about how a fully fit Diaby should be picked ahead of Arteta and Flamini and they do merit a point. Especially after AW himself conceded he's tempted to make a DM out of his compatriot:

"I try to transform Diaby into a defensive midfielder. Facing the game will be easier, then playing back to goal with the injures he had. "

However, Diaby is very obviously far from being fully fit right now, so even an appearance from the bench today for him is unlikely. We'll see whether it's such a res judicata in the future.

So it's either Arteta or Flamini shielding the back four and I'm not so sure the Spaniard will get the nod:

"Mathieu Flamini might be available again. He had a dead leg. I feel he should be back.”

Well,  I'd still like to see Ramsey at DM,  but it is what it is. And by that I mean either Flamini or Arteta.

Further up the pitch,  it's clear we have to continue with Ozil under the striker. He's had his best game in quite some time there last week, so it'd only sensible to keep the German there.

Main question is this: who is the starter now: Wilshere or Ramsey? Right now it looks like Arsene trusts the Welshman more,  though his words about Jack becoming a permanent feature of this side in case the Englishman stays fit should not be forgotten in a hurry. It'll probably be Ramsey, as he's fresher, but Jack is bound to make an appearance at some point.

The attack

Welbeck should start up top. He's another player with a top-notch performance against Villa and also had a nice long rest because he's cup-tied,  so another start for the Englishman won't be a surprise.

The flanks present an interesting dilemma. We have, of course, Alexis Sanchez, who should, in my opinion, start:

“Alexis and Jack played 90 minutes the other day and they're usually on second-day recovery. But today Alexis really wanted to train and people had to tell him to take it easy."

Love this guy. Fresh from completing 90 minutes and he's chomping at the bit. Start him, Arsene, Sp*rs defenders will have nightmares long after this game.

The other flank is either Cazorla or Oxlade. Both haven't featured midweek and both give a lot to this side. They, of course, bring different qualities and, as the Ox is a bit too similar to Alexis, I don't think are likely to start together. However, both are also keen to track back and help fullbacks, so that's another thing to consider.

The verdict

Frankly, I'd be surprised if North London isn't red till at least the next derby. Tottenham doesn't look that cohesive or dangerous, and we have quite a lot of players to exploit their weaknesses. Our defense worries me in that simple sense that we only have four senior players, but these are in no way vulnerable or inferior. I'd probably be a bit more assured with Debuchy in the squad, but Chambers may prove even more useful in some regards.

That's it. I think we all can expect a win today, given the quality of our players, the fact that Tottenham is sh*t, the importance of that game, the fact that Tottenham is sh*t and the boosting effect a win can have on the squad. Did I mention the fact that Tottenham is sh*t?

Here's for a pummeling later today and I'll get back to you with a review on Sunday or Monday.

Until then and c'mon you Gunners

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Arsenal 1:2 Southampton: didn't work out

Before the game I said rotation was on the cards and I was fine with it. You can't expect the same group of players to feature twice a week and produce performances of the same level.

I understood that the quality of our game would suffer as a result of heavy rotation and I accepted it. Senior players needed a rest, while Arsene has always preferred to blood youngsters in this competition and give them a chance to prove themselves.

Capital One Cup is not the most interesting competition around and so I wasn't particularly saddened by the fact we crashed out of it. It was more about how our more experienced players performed and the (hypothetical) effect this loss can cause to the overall confidence of the side. However, let's start at the beginning.

The squad

In defense, I guessed two players right: Bellerin and Hayden. The other two were Chambers (Arsene decided to risk the young Englishman, possibly because he's fresher) and Coquelin, who started at left-back.

However, this make-shift defense, while looking a little shaky, still wasn't at fault for either goal. A couple of dodgy moments aside, these youngsters looked pretty decent.

In midfield we had Diaby and Rosicky (predictably) and Jack Wilshere. I still think it's not the best idea to play these two together as both like to occupy the same spaces, but they didn't seem to clash as much as I expected them to.

The front three consisted of Podolski and Campbell on the flanks and Sanchez (surprise) as a lone striker.

This decision was really unconventional, I thought Arsene would try and preserve the Chilean's energy for other, more important fixtures, but maybe Alexis will do just fine even with an extra match. He seems bursting with energy every time when making an appearance, so he may have enough in the tank to play twice a week regularly.

The first half

I haven't seen the first ten minutes or so because I couldn't find a decent steam (the game was broadcasted on no usual channels) and the first interesting bit of action I saw was Sanchez's goal. It was truly magnificent.

Wilshere (I think) was fouled some 25 yards out, Alexis stepped up and curled a gorgeous effort over the wall. No chance for the goalie whatsoever.

Our lead didn't last long, as Rosicky's stupid foul inside the area gifted the Saints a penalty and Tadic slotted the ball home from the spot.

Southampton looked the better side for the remainder of the first period, so it came as little surprise when they went ahead in the 40th minute.

A clearance from their corner fell to Clyne, who was roughly 35 yards out and the bloke fired an unstoppable effort under the bar.

I'm in two minds about the goal. On the one hand, the effort was really good: a powerful, swerving hit just under the bar. On the other, the it went in right down the middle and I'm not sure Ospina's view was obstructed.

We tried to get back to level terms before the break, but, apart from a well-saved shot from Podolski did little.

The Saints probably could have been further in front, but for Pelle to put his effort wide and Mane to get overpowered by Bellerin at the last possible moment.

The second half

Arsenal dominated it in terms of possession, but not much else. Alexis swapped places with Poldi in an attempt to bring something out of the German, but to no avail. I still cannot get the manager's decision to not substitute Podolski later in the game, when it was clear Lukas was ineffective.

Instead, Campbell (who didn't have a bad outing, in my view) and Diaby gave way to Oxlade and Santi respectively. Arsene tried desperately to clinch that equaliser by subbing Bellerin for Akpom, but this change came too late.

We nonetheless had a chance to score that goal in the dying seconds of the game, but Sanchez poked his shot straight at the keeper. 2-1 it ended and it probably could have been worse, considering how dangerous the Saints looked on the counters.

The aftermath

"It’s disappointing because we had a good start and we made two unnecessary errors on the two goals - they were big ones. We lacked a bit of experience at the back. I agree with you but overall they did well. We gave a lot and it’s frustrating as we were not able to score in the second half. When you look at the amount of possession we had you have to give credit to Southampton. They played well and were very organised. They abused the fouls in the middle of the park but they are a good side and they played well tonight. Overall it’s frustrating because we gave a lot."

AW's take on the performance. I agree with him. We looked combative and fragile at the same time. Fidgety at the back, willing to go forward up front. Had we made better decisions in the final third, I'm not so sure we would have gone down. But it is what it is.

Personally, the sheer fact of us losing is a bit of a blow. I hate when Arsenal lose, even if they do so in a friendly. But the scale is different nonetheless. It's much less painful to suffer a narrow defeat from a very good Southampton side, whilst fielding a squad full of youngsters and players who would under normal circumstances start the game on the bench, than producing an atrocious performance against Borussia.

It's a shame we lost after such a brilliant early goal, but there are positives to be gleaned still. We've seen what our youngsters are capable of and the signs of Bellerin, Hayden were good. Just as these of more seasoned pros like Chambers, Coquelin and Diaby. We rested a lot of first-team players before a crucial North London Derby. And we learned that any BPL team can beat us on our turf if we don't produce.

Also, we'll have at least the next CoC midweek free, while City, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Southampton will have to play. And this may just mean dropping points in the BPL, maybe even against us.

Bottom line is, it's just the CoC. We haven't gone out of or way and strengthened the team with the likes of Sanchez and Welbeck to win the cup, have we?

That's it for now. Back tomorrow/Saturday with a preview of the derby.

Until then, have a good day

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Southampton preview: rotation inevitable

Evening folks.

Tonight we play Southampton in Capital One Cup and I think the squad should be quite different to the one that took on Villa.

The back five

I fully expect Ospina to make his first appearance this season. The Colombian international shrugged off his health problems a while ago and has already made the bench at least thrice. However, given Szczesny's form, there was no reason to introduce Ospina to the proceedings. This should change tonight, as a) even goalkeepers need rest b) rotation is a commonplace in the cups. Last year we had Fabianski to feature on the cups, now it's Ospina. If the Colombian impresses, Wenger will be given a nice selection headache on Saturday.

Our defensive options are scarce and that's not a good thing. Things got off to a bad start yesterday, as Arsene confirmed Debuchy has undergone surgery on his ankle  and will spend three months out of the game. The situation quickly deteriorated, as Monreal's back injury will ensure the Spaniard will be unavailable for selection up until mid-October.

That means we have four fit senior defenders to get us through four games. And Chambers is on three bookings already. Should he start tonight and get another yellow, he'll risk missing our away trip to Stamford Bridge.

That's why I expect the Englishman to be a bench sub at best. Arsene said how he'll give a chance to his younger players to prove themselves, so Bellerin and Hayden are both favourites to start at right-back and centre-back respectively.

I'd play Koscielny alongside Hayden (both to guide the youngster and to keep Chambers wrapped in cotton wool), but the left-back position is a worry. With Monreal out and Gibbs in need of a breather, it's between Flamini and Coquelin. A hard pick, as both aren't that convincing. I'd personally go with the Frenchman, as he has more experience playing on the left and also seems more mobile, but you never know what Arsene will come up with.

While Southampton is not that formidable an opponent, I still don't like the paucity of our options at the back. There's no point in complaining about the lack of cover, now that we can't change anything, but there's growing desperation among Arsenal fans. There are calls already for free agents. Some started wondering whether we can terminate Jenks' loan. All in all, the situation is unhealthy. I hope we'll make it alright till Monreal is back. Then we should strongly consider boosting our options during the January transfer window.

The midfield

I'm certain Arteta, Ramsey and Ozil will all be rested. They've played a lot of games and will play more still, so a little R&R is in order.

Also, I'm pretty certain Diaby will start his first competitive game this season, especially after the Frenchman was backed by Arsene.

I don't have a problem with this decision. Diaby is a good player, who must be the unluckiest footballer alive to miss so many games through so many injures. Though we've stopped relying on Abou's services long ago, I sincerely hope he can contribute to our cause between now and May. If he does, he may just earn himself a new contract.

It is also very unfortunate for us Diaby played so little during his spell with Arsenal. He's that quick and tough DM everyone wants and he could have become a vital player for us, has he not been injured all the time. I still hope the Frenchman will recover and stay fit and have that bright future Arsene is talking about.

Further up field we have a plethora of options. Rosicky is an almost guaranteed starter today, but who be his partner in central midfield? With Diaby in the squad I doubt it will be Coquelin or Flamini, while Wilshere's style is too similar to that of the Czech. It's an interesting problem for Arsene to sort out. I'd tip Oxlade to start, as he's not in the first team picture right now and we all know his best games came when the Englishman was deployed centrally. Here's your guess is as good as mine.

The attack

I'd say the flanks are pretty obvious, with Poldi and Campbell strong favourites to start, so it's the lone striker position that interests me the most.

There were whispers Alexis can play, but I don't think it's a good idea. Yes, he was rested against Villa, but he'll definitely be crucial in our next three games, so playing him now won't do anyone any good.

I think that position is up for grabs between Akpom and Sanogo and I'm not sure I'd go with the latter. I know Arsene puts a lot of trust into his compatriot, I know it's important for Sanogo (who hasn't even made the bench for the last three games) to finally score an official goal, but we have to think about the good of the team first. And Akpom deserves his chance more than Sanogo. Simply because he's more convincing. So I'd play him, but it remains to be seen, whether Arsene agrees with this.

The verdict

We've been taking long and hard about how good our bench is and it's for a reason. You can't boast a strong bench and then fume when the manager rotates. It's normal, we have a big squad and a lot of capable players, who, I'm sure, are more than up for the task. Not only do I expect Arsenal to win tonight, I think I have every right to expect a beautiful performance.

So c'mon you Gunners.

And I'll be back with you on Wednesday/Thursday with the usual review.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Aston Villa 0-3 Arsenal: that's more like it

A jolly good evening to you.

We have jump-started our campaign a couple of hours ago after taking apart Aston Villa at their ground. Our performance was vastly different to the one we had in midweek and I suspect it may be down to some slight changes.

The squad

As I've said before the game, what I would do and what Arsene Wenger would do are two different things, the only question is the extent.

The back four was pretty predictable, though we had no Flamini or Bellerin on the bench, and it was a concern late in the game, as Chambers was hanging by a thread.

In midfield Mikel Arteta started in the holding position, with Ramsey playing close to the Spaniard and Ozil deployed under Welbeck (thank God). Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain occupied the flanks, coming in for Sanchez and Wilshere respectively. I think we played a 4-2-3-1, though the site showed a 4-1-4-1. It's not that important, really. What IS important, is Ozil's performance. He didn't have to worry about defensive work anymore (though the German has put himself about very energetically) and thus blossomed.

The first half

It was quite lethargic up until the 30-minute mark. However, I take my hat off for Szczesny, who has made two big saves in that period. First came from the Pole's own mistake. His clearance under pressure fell to Delph, who ran half the length of the field, played a one-two with some bloke and let fly, but Wojciech was up for it. The second save came minutes later, after Clark's headed effort from point-blank range hit Szczesny's chest. These saves proved vital in building up our confidence.

120 seconds later we took the lead. Danny Welbeck cut open Villa's defense with a gorgeous pass, Ozil escaped his marker with ease and slotted the ball home calmly.

Seconds later the German turned provider. His (no less gorgeous) pass from the right found Welbeck in the box and Danny smashed the ball into the roof of the net for his first goal.

In a minute the game as a contest was over. Gibbs's misplaced low cross met with Cissokho's outstretched leg and we were 3-0 up. Ozil could have scored another in the dying seconds of the first 45 minutes, but put his effort wide after a clever pass from Ramsey.

The second half

It was wonderfully boring. We were in full control of the situation and 80% possession rate (second half only) showed that. Villa were, for some unknown reason, very lethargic and, apart from one Agbonlahor's dribble didn't come close to creating anything even remotely dangerous.

Arsenal, meanwhile, was content to just keep the ball without going forward too much, though Ramsey still saw a good effort slid just wide of the post. Arsene made a triple sub at around the 70th minute mark, with Wilshere, Rosicky and Podolski coming on for Ramsey, Oxlade and Welbeck respectively, but it was just about the only interesting thing about that second half. And that's brilliant, let me tell you. The game ended 3-0.

The aftermath

"It was the response we needed after Tuesday. Aston Villa started quite well and they had one or two dangerous situations, but after that we were in control and we scored three goals in three minutes. Then in the second half it was a possession game, a controlled game, because they didn’t come out too much. Overall it’s still a convincing win where [Danny] Welbeck scored, [Mesut] Ozil scored, and that’s important as well."

That's what Arsene said about our performance. A fair assessment. I'm very happy for both Ozil and Welbeck. Both players needed this good performance, though the reasons differentiated slightly. Welbeck is just a new man, who needed to establish himself, while Ozil has been unfairly criticised lately.

on whether Arsene is tempted to stick with today’s system

"I adapted a bit game by game. There is a little difference but not a major one. Ozil played today behind their midfield because I thought they made it very tight. But it’s important for us to find Ozil between the lines and move the game forward. It worked, but he can play everywhere. I believe that the team played well and after it’s easier for everybody."

Well, frankly, I don't care much which formation we use as long as we perform the way we did today. It wasn't that easy to win 3-0. Aston Villa was in good form, played on home turf, while we were fresh exhausted from our midweek away trip and mentally challenged to bounce back from a disappointing performance and result. We showed once again we can do it, and it's brilliant.

That's it for today. Have yourselves a very good weekend and I'll be back here as soon as something new pops up.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Aston Villa preview: time to get back on track

Morning all.

We have an away game at Villa Park today and there are problems to solve and decisions to make before the game's kick-off.

The most important question is what formation we should use against our opposition. I'm all for going back to 4-2-3-1 as it was mostly effective last season, but we all know how Arsene doesn't like to abandon his ideas, so I'm expecting a 4-1-4-1 again. With that bit almost certain, we can try guessing who'll play.

The back five

Szczesny did make a couple of mistakes against Borussia, but I'm convinced we would have conceded more were it not for the Pole. Then again, you don't drop your number 1 after just one bad game. So I think Wojciech will start. Ospina should get his chance in midweek, though.

The back four, again, picks itself. Gibbs, Mert and Kos should start, and, barring injury to Chambers he should play too.

Yes, Bellerin wasn't that bad against Borussia, far from our worst performer and much better after the Ox was introduced, but he's still, in my view, completely ready.

The most problematic bit about the young Spaniard's game is his over-zealousness to come forward. It's great when your full-backs can do that, but experience is needed to find the right balance between defending and attacking. Experience Bellerin doesn't have (yet), so any opposition will exploit that trait of his. Furthermore, with Ozil in front of Hector our defense is definitely susceptible to quick counters down the right flank. Chambers should get the nod, therefore, especially since he's recovered from tonsillitis.

Apart from these five we don't have any defenders available. Monreal is out with a back injury, and the boss said he doesn't know, how long Nacho will spend on the sidelines. Debuchy, meanwhile, is down with an ankle injury and we'll have to get by without the Frenchman for six to twelve weeks, depending on whether surgery is needed.

Grim news, all in all, so Flamini should, from now, be considered a defender and used sparingly and only from the bench. That seems the most rational thing to do, in my opinion.

The midfield

Arteta will most likely continue in his holding role and that's something I'm more than a bit worried about. He was outrun by Borussia and, though the team as a whole underperformed (which, I suspect, can also be down to having a very physical game against City), Arteta was fresh. He played just five minutes in that weekend rollercoaster, so he shouldn't have looked that weak.

We also have to keep in mind last year's defeat to Villa at the Emirates. Both their penalties and a goal from open play came about after quick counters, so Arteta may not be an ideal candidate to, erm, counter these attacks.

Truth be told, I'd like to see Ramsey in that holding position. I'm pretty sure he can be effective there and, more importantly, he won't clash with Wilshere this way, so it may be an ideal solution for all parties. We'll see what happens, but I don't hold out much hope for this scenario.

In central midfield, I'd introduce Cazorla alongside Wilshere. The Spaniard is fresh, he can shake things up and become that ace up our sleeve.  If Arsene persists with Ozil on the flank, Cazorla can also become invaluable in distributing passes and making smooth transitions between defense and attack. What is more, Santi is no stranger to taking men on and his stock rises further still because of that.

Another solution is a Wilshere-Rosicky duo, but here we'll face the same problem as with a Wilshere-Ramsey pairing. Rosicky's style of play is too similar to Jack's, that's why I'm not keen on seeing these two play in roughly the same position.

The attack

Can Welbeck start a third game inside one week? If he can, should he? He's missed a couple of brilliant chances against City and Borussia and, while he's a new man and all that, we can't just write these misses off. However, I expect the Englishman to continue, as we all know how Wenger trusts his players even if no one else does and this, more often than not, allows them to bloom and deliver.

It may be still early days to deploy Sanchez in that lone forward position, especially considering our rather defensive formation. So I expect to see the Chilean to start on one of the flanks, interchanging positions with whoever occupies the other wing.

And here we come to the most pressing question: should Ozil play? I think he's likely to, taken into account how Arsene has once again shielded the German from criticism:

“Why should he be be a scapegoat? We've lost one game since April 1. Let's be realistic. We've come out of a very difficult preparation period with decisive games.

Criticism is a bit unfair because I believe that our offensive talents on Tuesday night were not in their best condition, and they couldn’t express that talent. On the other hand it’s post-World Cup. He came back on August 11. You know it takes a few months for them to get back to their best, that can happen."

However, I still want the Ox to start. Give Ozil a breather. He needs one not only on the physical, but on the mental front as well. Use him as a sub once. Put him out of the firing line for a while. Please, Arsene.

The verdict

"The easiest thing nowadays is to have an opinion. Everybody has one." I too have one and I'm going to air it. That's why we are here, right? To exchange opinions.

If it was up to me, I'd put out this squad against Villa: Szczesny - Chambers - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Gibbs - Ramsey - Wilshere - Cazorla - Sanchez - Oxlade - Welbeck. I think it has a mix of freshness (we need some rotation, the players can't take three games a week) and in-form players.

However, I trust Arsene's judgement. He's been a manager at a top club for 18 years and is much, much better at doing his thing, than me or anyone on Twitter. We'll see what squad AW puts out, but I think it'll be quite different to mine. And I'm fine with it, if we deliver.

And we have to deliver. Not only get a win, but to really perform. No excuses for today. We have a big squad, chock-full of quality players. We haven't won a game in PL since that opening day. Work your magic, Arsene.

That's it for now. Fingers crossed we'll do what we must later and I'll be back with you for a review some time between today and Monday.

C'mon you Gunners

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Arsenal: awful

Today, I don't know where to start. I'm not even sure I want to. Needs must, though, I guess.

Overview

As you surely know by now, Arsenal went down to Borussia yesterday. We've lost 2-0 and the margin could have been a lot wider but for some Szczesny heroics and the Germans' wastefulness. By the time the final whistle blew I wished I was stuck at work (if I had it) or in a traffic jam. Anywhere but before the laptop's screen. The reason is simple: we were atrocious. Last time we nicked a win in Dortmund, but few will argue we deserved it. Sure, Arsenal was dominated the entire game back then, but our brilliant defense coupled with lighting-quick counters ensured we got the three points, while also restricting Klopp's side to very few chances. This time around, we were simply dominated.

The first half

Despite Debuchy's and Monreal's absence we had a very strong squad. Bellerin, Gibbs and Arteta respectively were the only new faces compared to our weekend's line-up.

The squad was the only thing reminiscent of Sunday. It quickly became apparent Borussia would set the tone for this one and so they did.

Despite missing a slew of key players, the Germans had no problems breaking us down. Most of their attacks came down our right side and it's perfectly understandable: Bellerin and Ozil occupied this side. The former seemed out of his depth and was often caught out of position, while the latter was just not interested in tracking back in the slightest.

However, Bellerin was far from our weakest link. His compatriot Mikel Arteta has somehow disappeared from sight and was nowhere to be found. Which means Borussia broke through our defense right down the middle as well.

They didn't even need Reus and Blaszczykowski to make us look pathetic. When someone of Mkhitaryan's level has so many chances, it tells you a lot about the way we defended.

Surprisingly, we could have been in front around the half-hour's mark. Ramsey found some space in front of Borussia's box and sidefooted a clever pass into Welbeck's path, only for the latter to put his effort wide of the far post. Should he have gone for the near post? I don't know, but I know one thing: the scores remained level.

At the other end every Borussia's attack was genuinely threatening, with Immobile and Abameyang given free reign. That we have only conceded once and so late in the half is down to Szczesny, who at one point denied Abameyang from point-black range.

Before the game I mentioned how important it is not to fall prey of the counter-attacks. And yet we did exactly that, once again.

In our typical fashion, the opposition's attack started with our throw-in, deep in their half, gone bad. Immobile picked up the ball near the central circle, ran half the length of the field completely untroubled by our defenders (Arteta was nowhere to be found) and put his shot past Szczesny. You can joke all you like, but our defense looked much more Immobile than the man himself. The whistle blew immediately after the goal, we weren't even given time for one attack. Not that I think we would have conjured something up, but still.

The second half

Things needed changing, but no substitutions were made. And so we carried on, in the exact same manner.

Borussia punished us three minutes into the half. A simple one-two over our defenders was all it took to send Abameyang clear and he doubled his team's lead without much problems, putting the ball into an empty net. Szczesny tried to intercept the pass to Abameyang, you see, but couldn't do this.

We could have been 3-0 down shortly after that, but that joke of a player (Mkhitaryan) smashed his shot over with the goal at his mercy.

On the hour we've finally seen a substitution, even a double one. Oxlade and Cazorla came on for Ozil and Ramsey respectively.

Suddenly, Bellerin started looking much more the part. The reason for this is blindingly obvious: the Ox worked his socks off in defense. Cazorla added some quality to our passing, but couldn't do much else.

Poldi then made his entrance, after looking for his shin pad for what seemed like an eternity. In an attempt to save the game (which was beyond saving after the second goal), Wenger took off Arteta.

We created two chances in the dying minutes, but both weren't capitalised on. Podolski could have scored after being sent clean through, but the shot never came, while Welbeck created a chance for himself only to consequently smash the ball over. 2-0 it ended and, in truth, we can consider ourselves lucky. A more clinical team would have put the game beyond our reach inside the first 30 minutes.

The aftermath

This game highlighted exactly why a 4-1-4-1 doesn't work. For it to be effective, we need a beast of a DM, who can do all the dirty work by himself and wingers that retrace their steps and help the full-backs.

Arteta/Flamini just aren't that prolific in defense. If they receive no support from the midfielders, they will fall short. Simple as that.

Regarding the second issue, we no longer have Sagna or Debuchy, each of whom can manage on their own. For the next couple of months it's Bellerin or Chambers on the right and these guys need help. The kind of help Gibbs gets from Sanchez, though something tells me the Englishman would survive by himself just fine. He's a lot more experienced than either Bellerin or Chambers.

That's why I hope for a Bayern-like transformation. Do you recall that 3-1 defeat in 2013? Of course you do, things like that are hard to forget. But it's not about the defeat, it's about how we reacted to it.

At that time, we didn't have Ozil, Sanchez, Welbeck. Ramsey was out of form and Wilshere was, unless I'm mistaken, injured. At this point Arsene realised he just doesn't have the players to implement the attacking kind of football the Frenchman loves. And so he adapted.

He dropped Vermaelen and replaced him with a much more assured Koscielny. He dropped Szcsesny for his antics and gave the green light to Fabianski. He introduced Ramsey alongside Arteta, so the Spaniard wouldn't have to do all the defensive work on his own. He built a team around the back four and set a number 1 priority: do not concede. You all remember what happened after. We took 26 points out of 30, drawing only with United and Everton and got that fourth place.

In the summer we added Ozil and Ramsey blossomed, but our early results were again down to a rock-solid defense. 2-0 was our favouite scoreline this time last year.

Arsene has to do something like this again. This time around we have Sanchez and Welbeck and Ozil and CAN play the Arsenal way. Quick passing, counters, flashy moves. But we seem unable to do so whilst utilising a 4-1-4-1 formation. Too many players are uncomfortable with it. Full-backs don't get enough support. Arteta is left alone. Jack's and Ramsey's styles clash, cause these are two similar. Ozil is ineffective on the wing. Going back to 4-2-3-1 may just solve our problems. And I really hope Wenger will give it a long and hard thought.

Until later

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Borussia preview: weed out the mistakes

It's Borussia Dortmund today and Arsene faces something of a selection headache. But, while his options up front are basically limitless, it's the defense that worries me. So a guessing game is in order.

The back five

Szczesny should once again get the green light to start between the sticks. He was instrumental in getting us a point on Saturday and it's a real pity the Pole still has no clean sheets in BPL to his name. Goes to show how hard it is to not concede.

In defense, we only have five senior players. Throw in Bellerin and we have six, but him and Chambers are just 19 years of age. This is really scary. With Debuchy out, most likely for two months, we have a right-back dilemma to solve.

Chambers looks the obvious choice, but playing him means having no cover for Per and Kos. On the other hand, it's too much to ask Bellerin to start week in, week out. He's good, better than Jenks, in my view, but is he up for the task? Can the young Spaniard hold out approximately for 15 games, games, in which we need to be getting points?

We can go for the safer option and play Chambers (who is a 50/50, mind you) and have Bellerin on the bench. Problem is, Monreal is carrying a knock and hasn't travelled with the squad, so risking Chambers in this particular game can prove dangerous. Whichever way you look at the situation, we are short in defense.

The other three defenders basically pick themselves: Gibbs, Koscielny and Mertesacker.

Midfield

Plethora of options here. I've seen someone on Twitter suggest we should try Ramsey in a holding position and, while this is a rather unconventional choice, it does make sense.

With Flamini below par and Arteta dropped (who would have thought? I certainly didn't), Ramsey is the best option. The threat he poses in the attacking third has dwindled down a bit (he and Wilshere just can't be efficient doing the same thing), but his restless energy and fighting spirit remain. I'm sure the Welshman will put in a good shift in the fabled DM position, as he's more disciplined than Wilshere, more combative than Flamini and is a better runner than Arteta.

However, I also wouldn't be surprised should Arteta start. He's the captain, after all, and I think his absence on Saturday was more down to not being fully fit rather than Wenger deciding there are better alternatives to the Spaniard. Arteta's omission can be down to both factors, of course.

In central midfield I'd go with a Wilshere-Ramsey or Wilshere-Cazorla duo, depending on who starts in DM. With Jack there should be no questions. He was our best performer, he's clearly found some form and to drop the Englishman now may just undo all the good.

Cazorla, meanwhile, also had a good run of games, so his absence against City came as a little shock. I'm all for starting Santi alongside Jack, they seem to have forged a good understanding and their playstyles are different, whereas Jack's and Aaron's are too similar.

Attack

Welbeck looks the most obvious CF option to me, though Alexis is always a possibility. He offers different qualities to these of the Englishman and the manager may just want to utilise the Chilean's pace and energy to cause trouble to Borussia. We'll see, what happens, but personally I tip Welbeck to start.

On the flanks, Ozil is set to play another game. I've seen endless criticism of both how the German performs there and how Arsene shouldn't use Mesut on the left. However, I've also seen an interesting assumption as to why Wenger persists on shifting Ozil out wide: fitness. The Frenchman wants Mesut to get used to the physicality of the Premier League. He's done the same with Wilshere last year and with Ramsey a little earlier, so I won't be surprised if he's doing it again.

See, for all his prodigious skills and vision, Ozil is not much of a fighter. His presence in the centre of the park is both positive and negative. Positive because the German is able to see the pitch better and spray his inch-perfect passes. Negative because he rarely tracks back to help defenders and, upon losing the ball, rarely offers resistance to get it back. In this sense, both Wilshere and Ramsey are better candidates. You've seen what they are capable of against City. So, while it is frustrating to watch Ozil struggle, I don't think he'll be played on the left/right permanently.

The other flank is either Alexis or Cazorla/Chamberlain, should Sanchez be deployed as a traditional number 9. Personally, I wouldn't fix what isn't broken and play the same attacking trio as on Saturday.

The verdict

When it comes to attacking, it's clear we can give anyone a run for their money. We have a lot of quality players, each of whom can trouble the opposition and, moreover, we've seen these players click against City. Should they once again find their rhythm, we should have little problem breaking through Borussia's defense.

It's at the back where we look vulnerable. Only Gibbs, Mertesacker, Koscielny and Bellerin are completely fit, while Chambers is a 50/50. Beyond that, we have no cover for this game. Flamini can play at the back, Coquelin can do likewise, but these are fixes, which may, or may not, work. And even if they do, these aren't permanent solutions. Fingers crossed our defense will do well and come through the same unscathed. We really cannot afford to lose another player in that department.

Actually, I have a positive feeling about this match. I feel like we can win it (we have last year, didn't we?), should we get the basics in defense right. Don't concede from set-pieces and from the first shot on target and we'll make it just fine.

Alright, that's it for today. Back with a review on Wednesday/Thursday.

Until then and c'mon you Gunners

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

Arsenal 2-2 Manchester City: good, but not good enough

Evening everyone.

So, we drew with City. Was it a point gained or two lost? I'm leaning towards the former option, looking through the prism of the last ten minutes, but the simple fact remains: Arsenal has only taken 6 points out of 4 games. There were both positives and negatives to our performance today, so I'll just break the review down in parts, as I usually do.

The set-up

Rainbow laces campaign aside, I thought our squad was pretty unexpected. Both Gibbs and Arteta started the game on the bench, in favour of Monreal and Flamini respectively, Ozil started on the left once again and Cazorla remained an unused sub throughout. In a positive twist of events, Wilshere played right from the off under our shiny new buy Welbeck.

City's team also held a couple of surprises. Sabaleta, Milner and Lampard all started, while Toure was nowhere in sight. Injury, probably. Aguero spearheaded the attack, with Jovetic out.

The first half

Arsenal started brightly, retaining possession of the ball and should have gone ahead in the 12th minute. Welbeck was sent clean through following a defender's mistake, but his clever chipped effort hit the inside of the post and rebounded into play. I had a bad feeling we would pay for such wastefulness and, unfortunately, I was right.

After some hassle in midfield, Navas picked up the ball on the flank, ran half the field and clipped a low pass towards Aguero. The Argentine, unmarked for some peculiar reason, had the simplest of jobs.

We could have been 2-0 down minutes later, but, luckily, Silva's effort was brilliantly saved by Szczesny. 1-0 down after 45 minutes.

The second half

Arsene made no changes during the break and, much as was wrapping my head around this decision, I couldn't find fault with it. Who should AW have subbed? A lively and threatening Ramsey, even though the Welshman was a bit erratic? Flamini, our only holding midfielder, after the Frenchman was preferred to Arteta? Ozil, who was far from his best, but still produced moments of magic?

Once again we could have conceded on a counter. Silva's pass found Clichy, but his chipped effort went just wide. Thankfully, cause Szczesny was well and truly beaten. At this point I started having my doubts about Arsenal relishing even a point from the game, but then Wilshere made his grand entrance.

After Jack interchanged passes with Ozil and, subsequently, Ramsey, he found space in the box, swept the defender aside and sent the ball into the far corner. 1-1.

We started pouring men forward, sensing City's weakness and Debucht should have put us in front, only for his effort to skid wide.

And then, suddenly, we were 2-1 up. Some scuffle near the box resulted in a headed pass from Wilshere and Sanchez was on hand to smash home a beautiful volley. The Chilean ripped his shirt off in celebration, but our joy was premature, unfortunately.

Just minutes after the goal, Debuchy was stretched off the pitch. The Frenchman landed on his ankle and sprained it, as a result. He left the field to a standing ovation and Chambers came on.

Despite his brilliant form, Calum was unable to prevent an equaliser seven minutes from time. Silva crossed from a corner, Demichelis met the cross with a powerful header and the ball went in. This was the case of Szczesny doing too much, as Flamini was ready to clear his lines, but you cannot blame Wojciech for being too much of a goalkeeper. It's his job to save shots, it's in his blood to react to such efforts.

City could have nicked a win in the dying minutes, twice hitting the post and even scoring from an offside position, but ultimately we've escaped with a point and it's a point well-deserved.

The aftermath

"I think we produced a game of top quality. It was a game of top quality between two very good teams, played at tremendous pace, especially in the first half. We were unlucky to be 1-0 down in the first half and we did something remarkable to come back and be in a leading position. The only frustrating thing for me is that we didn't manage to keep the lead and gave a cheap goal away. That's where we have room for improvement because it was a very encouraging game but the way we conceded the second goal nearly killed our game."

Arsene Wenger's take on our performance and I agree with it completely. We had an outstanding attacking display, the best we had this season, but fell short of winning the game. Our three most damaging trends resurfaced: conceding from a first shot on target, conceding from a counter and conceding from a set-piece. This is really something we have to work on.

on Welbeck’s performance

"He did well. I believe that he needs to develop his link play with our players but that is a bit normal. It’s sad that he couldn’t take his chance but overall every time he had an opportunity to find some space he looked dangerous. There are some things to work on with him to integrate him well into our game but I’m happy with his first game."

I'm in two minds about his performance, actually. He was unlucky not to score, but faded away as we tried to find our rhythm. Reappeared again in the second half, nearly made it to Sanchez's low cross and had some nice touches, but nothing extraordinary. Maybe he was valuable in an other, less pronounced sense. Like we don't always know how well Arteta fared, but can rarely find flaws to his game. He's the cog that makes Arsenal tick. Maybe it's the same with Welbeck.

Finally, on Debuchy's injury

"Debuchy has a badly sprained ankle. How long will he be out? I don't know, but it doesn't look good. People told me they need a bit more time to assess how long he will be out but it's a bad ankle sprain."

It's reported Debuchy will spend 4-6 weeks on the sidelines and it's bad news. Leaving aside the fact that it's our fifth ankle injury this season (Gibbs, Arteta, Ozil, Giroud and now Debuchy), we're down to five senior defenders. One more than we need, right?

That creates a dilemma for me, as to who should play on the right. Playing Chambers is risky, as he's our only CB back-up. However, playing Bellerin can prove riskier still, as he may just not be ready to play on that level on a regular basis. We'll ponder this as the Dortmund game draws nearer.

Phew, that's it for today. Don't beat yourself up because we drew - the Invincibles drew 12 games in 2003-2004. I'm sure 9 draws and 25 wins will do the trick for us.

Until later

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)

P.S. For some reason, the desktop version may not be working properly - just view the blog from your mobile device and it should be fine

City preview: on all cylinders

Morning everyone.

Overview

Today we face Manchester City at the Emirates and a win will go a long way towards setting the right mood for the tough fixtures ahead.

We come into this game with only three absentees: Giroud, Walcott and Gnabry. With Olivier the situation is clear: we'll be unable to rely on the Frenchman until New Year. Gnabry's injury is a murky one, but he's not exactly in the first-team picture right now, so, while I wish him speedy recovery, it's not like he'd even be considered for the bench. Walcott is up-and-running, training with the squad and stuff, though he's still a couple of weeks away from being fully fit. Everyone else is available. With that bit in mind, I'll try to guess how we line up for this game, just as I always do.

The back five

Although Ospina is fit and available for selection, Szczesny should start. The Pole have made no blunders during the first five games, saved the team on several occasions and, despite his distribution sometimes bordering on risky (to put it mildly) he's our number 1 at the moment. And rightly so.

In defence, I suspect Gibbs will return at the expense of Monreal (the Spaniard had a good run of games, but may be required as back-up elsewhere). Debuchy, Mert and Kos also have to start. The Frenchman was the only one with a question mark over his head, but he seems to have fully recovered from that nasty concussion and should get the nod. As much as I like Chambers (who, by the way, was voted player of the month), our defense looks much more assured with the usual Mertescielny axis of awesome.

Midfield

Here we have EVERYONE available. I'm not kidding, Arteta and Ozil are both back and I won't be surprised if both are handed starts. Arteta is the captain, so he should play by default, while Ozil is simply one of the best playmakers in the world and definitely the best at Arsenal. Main question is, whether the German will be deployed in his preferred position.

I, for one, think think we should go back to 4-2-3-1, which implies two anchoring midfielders: a sitter and a runner. Arteta and Ramsey at the base (remember how good they were in 2012-2013?), Ozil under the striker. No need to shuffle the German out wide, when we have more capable players to feature there.

However, it'd be interesting to see, whether Arsene wants to experiment a bit and finally give Chambers a run-out in that holding role. I'm leaning towards no for an answer on that one, simply because it's risky to play all your CB's at once. Though we can probably call Hayden for help if needs must (he's had a brilliant U21s game on Thursday) I wouldn't want to go that far down the pecking order.

Also, I want Wilshere to slot in somewhere. Maybe Arteta can be dropped? I've argued his case on numerous occasions, but I always said we may need to come up with something in big games. Maybe Ramsey is not fully fit, despite taking full part in a training session? I hate the idea, but I'd love to see Jack on the pitch. The Englishman was very good, he needs to be playing regularly, so if Arsene can find him a place in the starting 11, that'd be great.

Attack

Danny Welbeck

"Oh Danny boy, the old summer is calling". Can I call him Danny boy from time to time? Yes? No? I will anyway, the temptation is just too hard to resist.

Anyway, all eyes were trained on our shiny new striker during training sessions and most of the questions during the Thursday's press-conference touched on the Englishman. I'll present you the most interesting snippets, however, I strongly advise you to watch the said conference in full, so that you can form your own opinion.

“I'm very pleased [to have signed him] because we lost Olivier Giroud. To find a striker who is a young English international and has the pace to play up front, that is not an easy task.

“He's a team player. I see him more through the middle than on the flanks but what is very good for us is he can play in all three positions - and sometimes behind the striker if needed - so he's very versatile as well."

Arsene's words. Though our manager was pretty coy on the subject of starting Welbeck today, I suspect that's exactly what'll happen.

AW also said he initially wanted to sign Welbeck on loan with a buy-out clause. However, he then stated it was only because the Englishman was AVAILABLE on loan early on deadline day. As soon as Danny was up for grabs permanently, Arsene went ahead and signed the striker.

On the subject of being in Rome, something that displeased most Arsenal fans:

“If I had not travelled that day, Welbeck would not be here. I'll explain that a bit later but the coincidence made that because I was on my way. If I had stayed at home, Welbeck would not be here today. That's the truth.

“We are in 2014 and you can always be in touch with everybody even when you travel. The advantage of that day was I had to get up at six o'clock in the morning and I was available the whole day.”

I'm not into conspiracy theories, so I am not reading too much into it. Arsene got up early, was available all day and thus had the time to pull off the deal. That's it for me. If you want to hear the story in full, listen to the Arsecast Extra.

Flanks

Back to the preview, however. I expect Welbeck to be handed his first start in an Arsenal shirt, but the flanks present a more interesting dilemma. I'm all for Sanchez on the right with the Ox on the left, though Arsene seems reluctant to use the Englishman there. Cazorla should start wide, therefore, but you never know. Santi was great down the middle, so, once again, the manager may not want to tamper with the formation too much.

Bottom line is, we have a lot of options up front. We haven't had that luxury in a long, long time and I don't expect further additions there for at least a couple of years. Sure, Poldi may leave, in which case I'll be all for signing up Reus, but that's about it.

The verdict

We definitely have the strongest squad in years, with almost everyone up-and-running. We've thrashed City at Wembley and I see no reason why we can't do it again. We've become a better team in that month, while they have lost Jovetic and Fernando. Kompany is back, but he's just one guy. On home turf we really should be looking at a win, regardless of who we face.

So c'mon you Gunners.

Finally, a couple of side notes. The rainbow laces campaign is in full swing, with Arsenal players ready to show their support, blah blah blah, something something. Honestly, I'm not much into such things, but you can always read Tim Stillman thoughts on the subject.

Also, some tip Sagna to start against us, despite Sabaleta being fit. I don't know whether the fans will opt to boo Arsenal's former right-back and I'm unable to influence their decision, but I personally don't think it's the welcome the Frenchman deserves. He's given Arsenal his best years and stuck with us through the hard times, so I see no need to jeer him.

That's it for today, back Sunday or Monday with a review.

Until then

Follow me on Twitter (@AlexBaguzin)