West Ham preview: kick on

Today we play West Ham away and it's a good opportunity to regain the top spot, while also building positive momentum ahead of a busy schedule.

Recent results haven't gone our away. But we're still in the mix for a simple reason: we've demolished lesser teams earlier this season, something that gave us a cushion, a margin for error. We've used it up now.

I've already said, that it's not that important, how we play big teams, if we roll over everyone else. And so it proved. Two points from nine could have been disastrous under different circumstances. And yet we're still second, trailing only on goal difference.

The manager will most likely rotate his squad again Sam Allardyce's side. I think, we're due to see Monreal, Flamini, Cazorla and Podolski all start.

Monreal was frequently deployed on the left in away games last season. He's also in decent form now and should give Arsene a decent choice headache ahead of every game.

Flamini can come in for Arteta. The Spaniard has confirmed ankle swelling, so, even though I don't think it'll keep him out for any period of time, giving him a chance to rest makes sense. He's played a lot of games recently, including a full match against Chelsea, so recharging his batteries (especially when the opposition allow it) won't hurt.

Cazorla for Ozil is pretty straightforward. The manager has spoken of how the German will need a break at some point and today's game can become that break. It'll also provide Cazorla with an opportunity to improve on his performances.

And Podolski. Well, he needs practice at some point and playing him instead of Giroud will give him that, while Giroud will have a chance to recoup. He hasn't done awfully well recently, maybe the strain on him as our only striker is finally telling. It's more of a mental burden, than a physical one, in my opinion.

Again, whoever plays, will give it his all, so no worries here. We should not, by any means, take West Ham lightly, but we can all draw inspiration from our last-year results, something Arsene acknowledged during his press conference. Two well-deserved, emphatic wins. And we were a rather disjointed side back then.

Should we get a win, we will, most likely top the chart. Liverpool play City away and I'll be surprised, if they manage to snatch all three points. Sure, Suarez is great, but he's just one man. City has a whole team of talented players (we've learnt it the hard way).

So here's for a win and a great performance later and I'll be back with a review as usual.

Until then

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea: a tedious draw

Our winless run against Mourinho's side continued on Monday as the teams shared the points at the Emirates. I gotta say, I expected more from this game. Had I not supported Arsenal, I would have gone to bed at half-time. As it is, I sat there watching the game till two o'clock in the morning.

Arsene made a couple of changes to the side, that went down to City nine days prior to this encounter. Vermaelen came in for injured Koscielny, Arteta replaced Flamini, while Rosicky started on the left at the expense of Cazorla. Podolski remained an unused sub throughout.

Maybe the relentless rain played it's part, but neither team never built any kind of momentum. Chelsea sat deep and tried to catch us on the break, while Arsenal probed around, trying to find an opening. Both sides didn't succeed in their respective missions.

The best chance of the first half fell to Chelsea. Hazard (I think) played a ball over our defense, but Lampard cracked his shot against the bar. Arsenal defenders saw off the remaining threat.

The Blues had another chance, when they finally caught us on the counter, but Willian's tame effort only found Szczesny. Arsenal, meanwhile, had a shout for a penalty, after Walcott was tripped in the box, but Mike Dean pretended not to notice.

In the second half we were on top and created three good chances as a result.

In the first episode, Ramsey played a lob pass to Giroud and the Frenchman needed to hit the target with only Cech to beat. He failed, slashing his shot wide.

He was then presented with another opportunity, after a great move down the left saw Gibbs fire his low cross towards Giroud. This time, however, it was more a case of brilliant defending from Terry, rather than a poor piece of play from our striker. In the dying minutes, Sagna's shot was cleared off the line following a corner.

Chelsea was absolutely toothless in this second half. When Mourinho took off Torres to replace him with Oscar, we knew the Portuguese was content with a point.

Wenger, surprisingly, made no substitutes, which I think was a mistake. Walcott wasn't all that great, for example, and replacing him with Cazorla seemed an obvious thing to do. It just wasn't a game, in which Walcott could help us. He needs space he can exploit and Chelsea's defending provided him with none. Cazorla would have fared better in my opinion.

Another player I expected to come on (and I don't think I'm alone here) was Podolski. He could have replaced either Rosicky (who faded towards the end) or Giroud (who gave it all, but wasn't provided with enough service). I also suspect, Podolski would have buried that ball from a Ramsey pass.

Now, a word about individual performances. Firstly, Mike Dean. I think he had an atrocious game. I don't know, whether we really have won just 7% of the matches he refereed, but some of his decisions were, to say the least, controversial.

He  didn't point to the spot, when he should have done so. He also gave Chelsea's players way too much freedom, something that could have twice resulted in a serious injury for Arteta and an Ozil with a shredded cheek.

We cannot, however, put all the blame on Dean. As much as I like Giroud, he played his part in this draw. The chance he missed is what separated one point from three and he cost us two points. The manager really should consider an alternative during the transfer period or, at least, give Podolski a chance in that position.

This result leaves us with 36 points and in second place. trailing Liverpool on goal difference. Tomorrow we'll have the chance to regain the top spot, cause the Mugmashers face City, while we play West Ham. Hopefully, we will get a result this time around.

Till tomorrow, when I'll be back for a preview

Chelsea preview: break the spell

During Mourinho's first reign at the club, our record against the Blues was, to put it mildly, not very good. Out of eight games we drew four and lost four, including at least one Cup final defeat.

For the better part of three years, during which Mourinho was at the helm, Arsenal wasn't at its best. Only during 2004-2005 the Gunners fought Chelsea as equals, though went 13 (or so) points behind in the league. There was, of course, that famous 2-2 draw, when Henry scored twice, thus getting a chance to humiliate the Portuegese.

However, there was little to cheer about for the next two years. We've got beaten again and again (comprehensively, at times), which fuelled my ever-growing hatred towards the Blues. The way they dispatched of us reminded me heavily of the way United dominated the Gunners.

In 2007 the playing field levelled, as Mourinho was fired. We breathed again, going on to beat Chelsea immediately (3-1, remember?)

There were both good and not-so-good results in the follow-up, but at least we've got some wins under our belts. Last year, for example, we've come out on top 5-3 at Stamford Bridge.

And now we have to deal with the Portugese again. We've already suffered our fifth defeat in nine games, crashing out of the League cup.

Nevertheless, things seem different now. Even Wenger touched on this in his press-conference. The financial strain is lifted and we're definitely better off without it. We're genuine title contenders and not without reason.

Chelsea, on the other hand, seem in disarray. Sure, they are fighting for the top spot, but the overall feeling from their game is that of a disappointment. They're through in the Champions League, but lost to Basel twice. They're out of the League cup, having gone down to Sunderland. And I don't even want to touch on the mess, surrounding Mata and their strikers.

As of recently, we have hit something of a stumbling block. A draw and two defeats inside one week is hardly a result to be proud of. But now we have a chance to put things right and get back on track. Big time.

A win over Chelsea will serve the purpose of shutting up the critics, while also providing us with a handy boost ahead of a busy schedule. Getting through such a tough run of games successfully partially depends on the momentum we build. In other words, it's easier to forget about the tired legs if we win games consistently.

In terms of the squad, we have Koscielny and Wilshere out, but Podolski is back. I've already discussed, where and when the German can come in, while also giving my thoughts on possible stand-ins for Wilshere and Koscielny.

The midfield is the area, that interests me most. I think, our experimental axis of Flamini and Ramsey isn't up to scratch, so I'd pair up Arteta with the Frenchman. We lacked the Spaniard's cool head and metronomic passing against City, while dropping Flamini can prove costly defensively. He went off at 4-2 and our defense basically fell apart. We cannot allow such a dip against Chelsea. They have quality enough to hurt us.

As for the flanks, I'm again hard-pressed to tell, who'll play. I won't even exclude Rosicky. He can set the right tempo to our play, so he's definitely an option.

I think, Walcott will start, following a great performance against City. Besides, he enjoys to score against Chelsea more than anyone else on the team. As he occupies the right flank, it will probably mean a bench-start for Ramsey.

Anyway, all this is a nice problem for Arsene to wrap his head around. Whoever he plays is going to give his all, so no worries here.

Whoever he drops, though, it definitely won't be Ozil. The manager touched on how he will have to rest the German at some point, knowing he's used to a winter break. But he stressed this won't happen against Chelsea.

Anyway, we have enough quality in our side and everything to play for today. The weekend results see us sitting third in the table, a win will see us top the league one more.

So let's get a win

Wilshere out for two games, Podolski is back + Wenger on AVB

Hello everyone.

Preparation for our top-of-league clash with Chelsea is in full swing and some pieces of the puzzle start to fall in place.

Wilshere, for example, will miss both the game against the Blues and the trip to Upton Park. Frankly, I'm not fond of this particular decision by the FA panel (whatever its name is). While Wilshere`s behavior was unprofessional and deserved to be punished it's not like it's worth two-match ban. Maybe the panel is setting a new standard and we're just unlucky to become the first victims, but the worry is, naturally, that it's just a one-off decision.

Luis Suarez did a similar stunt two years ago in a match against Fulham. He was suspended for one game. MacManaman`s foul on Haidara (which forced the FA to create this panel in the first place) was worth a three-match ban. Do you want to say that snapping a man's leg in two is only slightly worse, than showing the away fans the finger?

Anyway, we'll have to live without Jack for now. It's unlikely, he would start on Monday, following his uninspired performance against City, but, you know, the more players we have ahead of a busy schedule, the merrier.

On the bright side, Podolski  will definitely make the squad two days from now. I even think, he may start, cause Cazorla wasn't at his best as of late. Wenger says, the German is more than capable to contribute by bringing goals into this side, so I'm looking forward to watching Giroud flanked by Walcott on the right and Podolski on the left. Two finishers plus the Frenchman is a mouthwatering prospect.

Of course, I won't be too much surprised should Poldi start the game on the bench. He may be that alternative to Giroud, we've been seeking, so the manager might only use him as direct back-up to the Frenchman. Before the German tore his hamstring to pieces, he twice played the lone striker role. Even last year most of the goals he scored came from a central zone, when he drifted inside to find space. But Poldi`s delivery from the left was, at times, invaluable.

Nevertheless, I, for one, am surprised, that we didn't see the German deployed up front more often during this last season. True, he plays on the left in the national team, but his escapades in Bundesliga proved him a goalscoring machine. It's a mystery to me, why the manager didn't use the German international in his more natural position. Maybe now is the time to reconsider this decision. Chelsea game will shed more light on the matter.

In other team news, we are unlikely to see either Oxlade or Koscielny. The former is probably still finding his form (no word on him from Arsene, anyway), while the latter has received ten stiches as a result of his collision with Negredo. Both the deep gash in the Frenchman`s knee and the number of stiches hinted at a long time on the sidelines but, mercifully, Koscielny will most likely return for our next away against. Which is good to hear. In the meantime, Vermaelen finally has a chance to prove himself. His last two outings were marked with two defeats, let's hope he'll turn it around on Monday night. Not that a result is riding on his performance alone, just an observation.

Meanwhile, the manager had spoken about Andre Villas-Boas sacking. Truth be told, he sounded as surprised as I felt.

The Spurs suffered two heavy defeats, but in-between they've won two away games and drew with United at home. Is it really that bad a result?

I don't even want to think, what's going on in their camp. A lot of words were said about their transfer policy and how not all of the players were hand-picked by the manager and rather by Levi and Baldini. There may something in this, I don't know.

The clear bit, is that the team is going from one extreme to the other in terms of results. Some say all the good results last year came from Bale's presence and this season we see what Tottenham is really worth.

At moments like these, I feel genuinely happy that Wenger is the only guy responsible for choosing, who to buy and who to sell. He has a vision of what he wants to achieve, he has the means to implement this vision without being hampered by the board or the chairman. Two sides to each coin, eh?

I'll leave it at that. Back on Monday with a review

Manchester City 6-3 Arsenal: not this time

As I was watching the game unfold, I felt strange numbness. Detachment. I cannot recall, when was the last time I felt this way.

Two years ago, we took a beating from United. Our half-baked squad full of youngsters suffered a heavy defeat, which prompted Wenger to buy Mertesacker and Arteta on the last day of the transfer window.

I turned that game off when Arsenal went 3-0 down after approximately 20 minutes. My mind could not take much more. I felt enraged and upset beyond comprehension.

This time around, I ploughed on, though I knew there was no getting back from 3-1. Walcott`s second after a period of heavy pressure sparked some hope in me, but Silva turned the clock back almost immediately. His goal proved to be that turning point, after which the Gunners basically gave up.

Well, not completely. One of the positives we can take from this game is our fighting spirit. We kept going even after conceding the fifth, something that resulted in a good goal.

Our defensive work, coupled with individual errors, however, left us well beaten by a good City side. It's just unbelievable how every our mistake was punished time and again. We knew before the game, City is a threat going forward, but their ruthless efficiency surprised even me. From seven shots on goal, six went in.

We lacked this kind of efficiency. While our defensive display was, frankly, horrendous, our attack made this game very open indeed.

After we've conceded the third, we've thrown a lot of men forward, which resulted in a quite fascinating period of complete control over the situation. The reason it took us ten minutes to score is simple: Giroud.

Now, before I say anything else, I gotta confess I love the Frenchman. He's become integral to how we play and his desire and overall work-rate is fantastic. But he has a couple of, erm, downsides, that weren't that noticeable (or were, at least, forgivable), while he was bagging goals. Those qualities (or, rather, lack of thereof) were thrown into the light at the Etihad.

Firstly, he cannot create opportunities out of nothing. He needs good service, needs someone to create these moments for him, so he could just finish them off.

However, it's his second trait, that everyone became acutely aware of on Saturday. Giroud is not clinical. He needs several chances to score at least once.

Our period of maddening pressure saw the Frenchman spurn at least three moments. Moments a more clinical striker would have put away with his eyes closed. That's why we need an alternative to Giroud, someone who can offer us an outlet of another sort. A technical kind of guy.

A target we should also pursue during the January transfer window is a central defender. One of the numerous things, that went wrong during the match, was Koscielny`s knee. The Frenchman suffered a deep cut, so we now have only two fit centre-backs. Sagna`s possible departure can make things complicated further still, forcing us to look for a right-back, among other things. I've already said I think Jenks isn't ready for regular first-team action. And he probably won't be for the next couple of seasons.

A few more words about individual performances. First, well done Walcott. Easily our best performer on the day, the Englishman scored two great goals after his first start in two months and was on course for a hat-trick, only to be denied by Pantilimon. Hope Theo carries on in that vein from now on.

And the linesman. Well, three offsides, which were actually onside tell you pretty much everything you want to know about this ref. He was either bought or struck with a sudden and acute mental illness. Either way, he should start looking for a new job.

So, what now? We recuperate. The game didn't go our way for several reasons, but it looks much more of a coincidence, than a rule. Another thing I failed to mention, was how exhausted the players looked. At some point, Whilshere lost the ball in midfield, fell in the process and was physically unable to get up.

We now have nine days before the hell breaks loose and we should use this time to maximum benefit. Analyse the mistakes we made, ensure we will never make them again and move on. The result wasn't all good and shiny, but, as I've said, it's more of an occurrence.

And finally for today, we drew Bayern Munich in the last sixteen in the Champions League. Well, well. Payback time. We'll have a chance to discuss it in greater detail as the week progresses. In the meantime, don't feel too down.

We're still top of the league, after all