Advantageous Arsenal Win Again

By Joel Martin

Arsenal looked strong today, trampling Portsmouth 3-1 with ten men for most of the second half. The Gunners controlled the game from the start, pouncing on a mistake by Glen Johnson to earn a penalty. Arsenal were 1-0 up after seven minutes.

Twenty-five minutes later, Arsenal had scored again, Fabregas scoring a scrappy goal off a corner kick. That makes four goals already for the young midfielder this season, and in Fabregas, Arsenal may have found a way to score much-needed goals from the midfield.

Tomas Rosicky added a third after Senderos clumsily pulled down Kanu in front of the box and was sent off. The red card seemed a bit harsh, as Senderos didn’t seem to have intent to foul, he was just clumsy. Kanu certainly made the most of the contact as well, and even though there were suspicions of offside, Arsenal had to play most of the second half a man down.

But right around the hour mark, Fabregas took an early free kick and passed to Rosicky, who capitalized on the confused and unprepared Pompey defense and took his chance well.

Right after going 3-0 down, Portsmouth was back within two goals scoring an accidental goal of the standing fool of Kanu. As the game ended, despite being a man down, Arsenal continued to push forward and Diaby should have scored after a brilliant build-up led to a good cross from Clichy which Diaby headed wide.

It was a good performance by the new, scrappy Arsenal. Instead of trying to score the “perfect goal,” Arsenal took what was given to them and dominated the game. Fabregas and Rosicky (and Diaby when he subbed in) dominated the center of midfield, and Flamini and Clichy gave Arsenal the width they sometimes lack pushing up from the back. Almunia came up with a few good saves as well.

Portsmouth is a good side, with a good keeper who seldom lets more than one goal in his net. They have great team speed and depth, but they were absolutely outclassed Sunday afternoon, and Arsenal have built a good string of performances going into the North London derby in two weeks. Martin Jol should start packing up his office, because if Gallas, Sagna, and Eboue are all back from injury, Arsenal could destroy their bitter rivals at White Hart Lane.

Walcott to Start Against Portsmouth?

By Joel Martin

Theo Walcott had a very good game midweek against Sparta Prague, creating the first goal for Tomas Rosicky in the first ten minutes. His pace is unquestionable, but sometimes he seems to lack in toughness and doesn’t always make the right decision. It looks like he’ll have a chance to prove his critics wrong, however, on Sunday.

Hleb has picked up an illness and is now doubtful for the game, and Eboue is still out with an ankle injury. So, with his two top right wingers sidelined, Wenger may again turn to Walcott on the right wing.

It’s not a bad game for Walcott either. First of all, its at home, and the home crowd gets excited every time he touches the ball. Second of all, he will probably match up against Hermann Hreidarsson, who is a tough aerial left back, but also a clumsy oaf who can hardly run half as fast as Walcott can. Finally, Walcott hopefully can play with a sense of confidence and self-assurance after playing so well and receiving so much praise in the media after his play midweek.

Also out for the Pompey game are Sagna, Gallas, and Lehmann(?), so expect Senderos, Hoyte, and Almunia to play instead. Arsenal cannot afford any early mistakes from the trio, as if Portsmouth get the lead they could prove difficult to break down. Distin, Campbell, and James are three talented, experienced players, and I don’t think there will be many goals. It may take a bit of inspiration from Arsenal’s teenage winger to break Pompey down.

Arsenal to Host League Leaders Manchester City

by Joel Martin

When Sven Goran-Eriksson came back to England, he brought in several additions in the squad in his first week, admitting that he had only watched some of them on videotape. Not one of them was English.

Since then, Sven’s Manchester City has been the major surprise of the season, not conceding a single goal and securing maximum points in their first three games. Eriksson’s multi-national contingent includes Brazilians Elano and Geovanni, Italian Rolando Bianchi, Bulgarians Martin Petrov and Valeri Bojinov, and Croatian Vedran Corluka, who may have been his best signing. Elano, Petrov, Bianchi, and Geovanni get all the hype, but its Corluka who has solidified City’s defense at right back, letting Micah Richards play his more natural position in the middle. City has not conceded a goal yet because Micah Richards has become one of the best centrebacks in the Premiership.

That being said, City were very lucky to beat Manchester United last weekend, and they were not very impressive in a 1-0 win against Derby. They should not win at the Emirates; Arsenal are still the clear-cut favorite.

Gilberto and Adebayor will return to the Arsenal squad, but Gallas, Eboue, and Lehmann are all out injured (whether suddenly-mistake-prone Lehmann actually is injured or dropped is an interesting question in itself). Gilberto will replace Flamini (who did do well in reserve) and give Arsenal some much needed steel in midfield. He will be needed to slow down Elano. If he had been playing Arsenal would have beaten Blackburn. Adebayor could partner van Persie up front and move Eduardo to the bench, which does make sense. Bendtner, who has looked impressive so far, is also on the bench for added firepower should the Gunners need him. Rosicky also returns and will take his normal position on the left. Hleb will move to the right and Walcott will be on the bench.

Clichy will have to play well against Petrov, who is one of City’s most dangerous threats. Look for Sagna to have a great game if he’s matched up against Stephen Ireland, who has looked bad so far. Also look for an improved performance from Cesc Fabregas, who will be well-rested after only playing eight minutes as a substitute for Spain midweek.

Where Wenger should be worried, however, is at the center of defense, which was a major strength in his side a month ago. Now, however, with Gallas injured and Djourou and Connolly loaned out, Wenger’s squad is dangerously thin. If Senderos or Toure pick up a knock, Arsenal will have a hard time keeping up with Chelsea and Liverpool in this early stretch of the season. Wenger needs to bring in one more centreback to provide the depth needed for a trophy-winning side.

Look for Sagna to dominate against Ireland, Toure and Senderos to control Bianchi, Gilberto to slow down Elano, Almunia not to let the ball through his hands, and Fabregas to play a pass just behind Richard Dunne in Robin van Persie’s stride for the first goal conceded by young Kasper Schmeichel. Arsenal could score a couple more before its over.

Lehmann Gifts Blackburn a Deserved Point

By Joel Martin

The never-ending head-case that is Jens Lehmann showed up yet again today.

A week ago, against Fulham, Lehmann badly miskicked a backpass and set up a goal for David Healy in the first minute of the game. On Sunday, at Ewood Park, Lehmann had seemed to put his mental problems behind him, only to concede a late equalizer to David Dunn off his own hands. It was an absolute howler. But Arsenal had not played well enough to win.

The first half was fairly even, and Arsenal scored a scrappy goal, the kind of goal you need to score on the road against Blackburn, when Eduardo chased down a Walcott header and pressured Freidel, who in turn fumbled the save and the ball somehow found Van Persie, who proceeded to finish it well. Eduardo’s contribution to the goal was the only thing he did all game. Eduardo was neutralized well by Blackburn’s physicality, and although a Premiership debut at Ewood Park is hardly an easy task, I expected him to show a little more purpose going forward.

The referee had completely lost control of the game. Fabregas was fouled nearly every time he touched the ball by Savage and Dunn. Pedersen stepped on his head. Nelsen bowled him over. He was rattled by Blackburn’s sometimes-dirty play, and he wasn’t the only one. Walcott looked magnificent in the first minute, taking players on and finding Eduardo with a nice through-ball, but after that he was hacked by Warnock right outside the box, didn’t get the call, and the youngster looked out of it for the rest of the game. Hleb was pushed around by Emerton and Bentley. He added nothing, and it is becoming more and more apparent that he should not play on the road against the more physical sides like Blackburn or Bolton.

With so many of Arsenal’s players in a state of shellshock, Blackburn looked to capitalize in the second half. Mark Derbyshire should have scored on a brilliant cross from Bentley; if Santa Cruz had been on the end of the cross, Rovers would have equalized earlier. David Dunn played a lucky one-two past Fabregas and fired a hard shot directly at Lehmann, who tried to parry it with his fists but didn’t get enough on it and the ball went in off the post.

In all, Arsenal did not play well enough to win the game, and Blackburn might have been the better side, but the result is still a sour one for the Gunners to take, as Blackburn’s goal should have been saved easily. A draw at Blackburn is not a bad result, however, and Wenger’s squad will need to put there disappointment behind them quickly, as they host league-leaders Manchester City next week.

Match Ratings

Lehmann – 3 - Looked good until his colossal mistake, but goalkeepers cannot afford to make any mistakes. It might be time to bench him so he can get his head straight, his mistakes are getting ridiculous.

Clichy – 5 – Unimpressive, given his recent form. Bentley actually got the better of him, and he did not put enough pressure on Bentley to track back and defend.

Gallas – 6 - Played well and kept Arsenal composed during the first half. Hopefully his injury is not too serious, as center-back is one of Arsenal’s weaker positions now that Djourou has been loaned to Birmingham.

Toure- 7 – Had a good, strong game. Great performance by the Ivorian.

Sagna – 7 – Looks more and more like a steal at 7 million. Very impressive start of the season by the new signing from Auxerre.

Hleb - 5 – Completely disappeared on the left. Arsenal needed a big game from him with Rosicky and Eboue out, and he failed to deliver.

Flamini – 6 – Showed good spirit and work rate, but he is a limited player. Wenger surely missed Gilberto, who would have added steel and composure to his lackluster midfield.

Fabregas – 5 – His slow start continues. Rattled by a few dirty tackles, Fabregas never really got in to the game. He is a terrible set-piece taker as well, and should give way to Van Persie whenever he can. Arsenal need him to step it up next weekend against the league leaders.

Walcott – 5 – He just is not strong enough to play against Blackburn on the road. It’s too bad Eboue was injured, as he would have been a bit more strong and fierce, and it’s unfortunate Walcott had to play out of necessity.

Eduardo – 5 – Not a good debut for Wenger’s new striker but it was a hard place to get his Arsenal career rolling. He did look eager to score, though, and his efforts led to Arsenal’s only goal.

Van Persie – 6 – Scored the goal and did not get rattled by a dirty tackle like he used to (Remember the game at Sheffield United last year?). Looked good taking set pieces but also never really got involved in the attack, although it really wasn’t his fault—Fabregas and Hleb never hung on to the ball long enough for RvP to hook up with either of them.

SUBS

Senderos – 6 – Didn’t look spectacular, but he made few major mistakes, which is all you can ask from big Phil right now.

Denilson – 4 – Came on for Eduardo and did absolutely nothing. A complete waste of a substitute. It’s too bad Diaby wasn’t healthy to play instead.

Bendtner – 6 – It may have been because Blackburn had just scored, but Arsenal looked much more dangerous as soon as Bendtner came on for the second straight game. He wins almost every header (he was the only Arsenal player to win a header against the gigantic Samba) and links up well. I hope he continues to see first team action even when Adebayor returns because I think he has looked very good off the bench both times this season.

Eduardo Poised for Debut as Arsenal Head to Ewood Park

By Joel Martin

On Sunday, Arsenal head north to Blackburn, still trying to erase the memory of Benny McCarthy’s goal that knocked the Gunners out of the FA Cup last February. McCarthy himself may not be fit for the match after suffering from a concussion last weekend, but Mark Hughes has added talent to his frontline in former Bayern man Roque Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a big player who excels in the air but is also a creative passer and dribbler. What he lacks in pace, he makes up for in size and skill. He will be the toughest mark Gallas and Toure have had this season. If McCarthy gets fit in time to partner him, Arsenal could have lots of trouble. If Jason Roberts or Matt Derbyshire plays instead, Gallas and Toure should not have many problems.

David Bentley and the Arsenal-linked Morten Gamst Pedersen are two of the better wingers in the Premier League, but they may not have energy going forward if Clichy and Sagna keep pushing up and adding so much to the Arsenal attack (Both had assists against Sparta Prague). Arsenal will need the two fullbacks can make the Blackburn wingers worry about defense and keep them from firing in crosses to Santa Cruz.

Rosicky and Eboue are both out with minor injuries, and it isn’t known who will play on the wings in their place. They could change formation to a 4-4-2 and move Hleb back out to the wing, adding either Bendtner or Eduardo to partner Van Persie up front. Walcott could step in and play on the wing, but he might get pushed around a bit by Blackburn’s physical game. Clichy could move up to play left wing and Armand Traore could start at left back, but his inexperience might be a gamble against Bentley. Or even Eduardo, who evidently doubles as a winger, could start on the wing with Theo Walcott on the other and Hleb once again in the hole behind Van Persie.

I personally would like to see a bigger, stronger player like Bendtner get a chance at Ewood Park, because made Arsenal look much more dangerous when he came on late in the second half and partnered Van Persie. I think Eduardo is a versatile player and I don’t think he will have any problems playing on the wing (I actually think he’ll end up there a lot with Arsenal’s lack of depth and injury-prone wingers), and as long as he is fit I’d rather see him get the start than Walcott, who was not impressive against Fulham and is too small to play against a bigger, more physical side like Blackburn on the road. Not yet, anyway.

In the end, despite Arsenal’s injury problems, Sagna and Clichy will be looking to build on their great form to start the season, and they will give Bentley and Pedersen problems all game. Without McCarthy, the Rovers will lose by a goal or more. With him, Blackburn could make the game very interesting.

Why Arsenal Fans Should be Pleased, not Uneasy, that Wenger is not Splashing Cash

By Joel Martin

With Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham all making several big additions to their squad this summer, many Arsenal supporters have been wondering when their club will get in on the action. Arsenal have bought in Eduardo, Sagna, Fabianski, and Nordtveit, but they have brought in much more money than they have spent with the sales of Henry, Ljungberg, Aliadiere, Reyes, and Muamba. Many fans think the losses of Henry and Ljungberg, in particular, will lead to the Gunners dropping out of the top four and out of the Champions League, and I’m not quite sure why they are so convinced.

First of all, Ljungberg had no impact for Arsenal last year. He has been over the hill for a few years and he wasn’t even worth the 3 million pounds West Ham spent on him. The West Ham Freddie Ljungberg is nowhere near the Ljungberg of old, and I really think he’ll get phased out of the Hammers’ squad by the end of the year. The loss of Ljungberg opens the door for young wingers with potential, such as Walcott, Eboue, and even Kieran Gibbs or Fran Merida to make an impact for the first team if given the chance. Losing Ljungberg is a good thing.

Selling Henry to Barcelona this summer was a bad move—it was a year too late. Wenger should have sold him last year, when Barcelona was willing to pay twice as much. Henry was a great striker, and Gooners worldwide would have been outraged, but he only played for half the season last year, and due to a few nagging injuries, he was not very effective in the few games he did play. Keeping Henry around for last season probably cost Arsenal 16 million pounds. Was he worth it? No.

Henry is a legend. He may well be the best player to ever put on an Arsenal shirt. But he was not a good captain. When Patrick Viera left to Juventus, Henry was really the only choice to replace him. Wenger had to give the armband to Henry just to keep from insulting him. No matter how talented a striker is, history shows they simply do not make good captains. No team led by a striker as captain has won the Premiership in the last 10 years. Now, with Gallas as captain, Arsenal have a captain who can see the entire field and lead like a general. Henry could not do this simply because of the position he was playing. His loss may very well help the squad by giving them a chance to be led by one of the most experienced and competitive defenders in the Premier League.

People forget Arsenal finished tied with Liverpool on points last season, losing out on goal differential. The Gunners were playing with reserve strikers (both of which were terrible and are now gone) for most of the second half of the season, and couldn’t get the goals they needed to break their tie with Liverpool, but they easily dominated most of the games they played, controlling possession and creating many chances. If Eduardo, Bendtner, and a healthy Robin van Persie can finish just half of the chances Baptista and Aliadiere scorned last season, Arsenal should have no problem racking up a large sum of points.

At the beginning of last season, Manchester United sold their most experienced and most prolific goal-scorer to a Spanish giant. People wondered where they would get the goals needed to challenge Chelsea, who had spent tons of money on several big-name transfers and were looking to win their third consecutive championship. Almost everyone wrote United off before the season started. Sound familiar?

A Less-Than-Impressive Manchester United Squeak By in the Community Shield

By Joel Martin

Both Manchester United and Chelsea looked very beatable today. Cheslea, who started Joe Cole as a lone striker, were without Terry, Drogba, Shevchenko, Kalou, Robben, Ballack, Bridge, and Makelele. Hargreaves, Scholes, Anderson, and of course Tevez were the only notable absentees from Manchester United’s side.

Missing so many key components, Chelsea surprisingly dominated the early going of the game, barely giving United a sniff of the ball. But, when they got into attacking positions, they had no strikers, and could not score. Had Drogba played the game could have been over in the first thirty minutes. Wright-Phillips burned Silvestre and probably would have set up a goal or two had he played consistent first-team football in the last two years.

United’s goal was against the run of play. Evra, who is an unimpressive left back and an awful left winger, played a lucky pass in between five blue shirts to an unmarked Ryan Giggs, who was standing at the penalty stripe and promptly finished it in the top corner. Even though they scored first, United did not look dangerous in the first half because Ronaldo was not dangerous. Ronaldo disappeared for long portions of the half, only really being a threat in short spurts on the on the left-hand side, working against Glen Johnson instead of Ashley Cole. The only time in the entire first half that Ronaldo really got involved was when he beat Johnson on the left and fired a ball off a Chelsea defender and into the path of Giggs, who would have scored had Petr Cech not dealt with his effort so well. United are reliant on Ronaldo. If a team can nullify his threat, United becomes very average (as Gattuso and AC Milan showed us last year).

Not long after United went ahead, however, Chelsea had drawn level on a good goal by Florent Malouda. Malouda burned Rio Ferdinand and just got enough of the ball with the outside of his left boot to place it just past Van der Sar and into the United goal. The goal came with a price, however, as Malouda injured himself in the collision with Van der Sar and had to be subbed out early in the second half.

After Malouda subbed out, United started to take control of the game. Each side had strong cases for penalties, and neither side got one. Nani subbed in and did nothing. He might take at least a year to adjust to the English game. Lassana Diarra, who had been heavily linked with Arsenal in the past few days, came on for Chelsea and looked good. If he is leaving Stamford Bridge I don’t think it will be to the Gunners, as Chelsea will not be keen to sell such a versatile and talented young player to their London rivals. New signings Steve Sidwell and Claudio Pizarro both came on and were disappointing.

In the end, although United eventually won the trophy on a joke of a penalty shootout, neither squad should really be happy with their performance. Manchester United, given the amount of talent Mourinho had sitting on the sidelines, should have taken this game like Liverpool did a year ago, but they could not get a hold on the game until it was too late. Ben Haim had no problems with Rooney, and O’Shea proved yet again that he is not a central midfielder (still don’t know what the hell Ferguson sees in the guy) as he was non-existent in the United midfield. Michael Essien had a bad game by his standards and still made Michael Carrick disappear. Evra, Silvestre, and Wes Brown all looked second-rate as well; good teams will beat United on the wings and in the center of midfield.

And while Chelsea did look better than United in the first half, they hardly looked great. They controlled possession well, but sorely missed their strikers. When Malouda went off injured and Pizarro came on, they finally had their target man—but Pizarro looked bad and couldn’t really get a good hold on the game, and he did not help their attack at all. Chelsea’s offense was as pathetic as their effort in the penalty shootout, as Pizarro, Lampard, and Wright-Phillips all took terrible penalties that were easily saved by Van der Sar, and United won the trophy.

Arsenal did not look great this weekend, but they looked better than both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Wenger’s boys had a very tough test this weekend, playing at the Amsterdam Arena against Ajax. Ajax played them the same way PSV did in the Champions’ League, putting ten players behind the ball and making Arsenal try to pick them apart. Huntelaar was nullified by Gallas and Toure, who both looked very comfortable in the back. Sagna looked good, and did well to keep up with the very quick Dennis Rommedahl—who subbed in halfway through the first half and took the game by storm. Clichy was fantastic yet again and proved his never-ending motor when he set up Van Perise for the winner after burning several defenders up the left-hand side. Eboue looked good again as a right winger. I am liking him more and more at that position every day. Denilson kept possession well and rarely played a bad ball. Flamini also did well, showing his superior stamina by marking Sneijder very tightly. Rosicky did not look match fit for the second game in a row, and I would not be surprised if he did not start against Fulham on Sunday. Hleb started in the hole, right behind Van Persie and looked good in the attacking third. He tried to dribble out of the back too often and Arsenal nearly paid for it. He has to stop doing that. Van Persie was average in the first half and good—not great—in the second half. He missed a couple chances late in the game, but it was good to see him score even when he wasn’t playing his best. That’s the sign of a great goal scorer. Eduardo subbed in for Rosicky in the second half and made an instant impact. He doesn’t like to sit around and pass around the box, he just wants to score goals. He is a valuable member of the Arsenal first team already, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up scoring a goal on his debut at the Emirates Sunday.

What was most impressive about Arsenal’s performance was that they never really lost control of the game. Even though Ajax was playing a very defensive, physical game, the Gunners did not got flustered. I have to admit I thought they would sink, like they always do against the more physical Boltons and Evertons, especially because they were on the road, but they kept pushing and pushing for the winner and broke down Ajax in the end. Had Stekelenburg not done so well to save Van Persie’s effort late in the second half and if Hoyte’s shot had not cannoned off the post, Arsenal would have won in a blowout. The young Gunners looked ready and eager to prove that there is life after Theirry Henry, and their first test is now only a week away.

Can an Unfit Henry get us the Goals We Need Today?

by Joel Martin

This could be the only meaningful game remaining in the season. If we lose, and with 3^rd or 4^th essentially wrapped up already, the season will be over for all intensive purposes.

Our fate rests in the hands of our captain, Thierry Henry. We could need multiple goals, hopefully just one or two, but we need to be prepared to score 3 if PSV pulls a goal out of nowhere. Henry has been sitting out recently with a foot injury, but has rapidly regained fitness for this match-which is the biggest match in the young history of Emirates Stadium. Last time Henry returned from a spell on the sideline, he came out on fire, scoring two goals in a 4-0 victory over Charlton. Today we’ll need him to pull that magic out of his bag one last time. Henry is yet to have a big game in a big game this season—he’s tended to disappear in the games in which he’s been healthy. This is his chance. He needs to get the Gooners behind him again; he’s no longer worshiped like an idol (and many are whispering about him leaving the club soon). I personally think he has plenty left in the tank, and that tonight could be his stage to win back his place in the hearts of Arsenal fans worldwide.

Adebayor, who should have fresh legs from sitting out the last ten days for a bogus red card, will probably partner our captain up top. I expect him to run, run some more, and run some more after that. When he is active, it causes major problems for defenses—when he isn’t, it’s like were playing with 10 men.

Hleb and Ljungberg will most likely start on the wings. Oh wouldn’t a clinical goal (like the Bolton one) from Ljungberg be sweet tonight! If he could pull another one of those out I wouldn’t care how many times he falls down. We will win if we get a goal from the midfield tonight, and Ljunberg could be just the guy to get it now that Rosicky is sitting out.

Fabregas and Gilberto need to dictate the game, which will be tough. Cocu is a crafty vet, and Simons and Mendez are both strong, strong players. Cesc will need to put that sitter against Reading behind him, too. The longer he remembers that the worse he’s going to play. Gilberto will need to play good passes and be a threat on set pieces. We cannot afford to take 20 corners and not make them pay once, like we’ve done all season. Either Gilberto, Gallas, Adebayor, Toure, or Djourou need to at least make Gomes save one header from a corner, just so they know they can’t just give us a corner when we’re pressuring their defense. We also need to stay away from corners because they’ll give PSV good opportunities to counter, which could lead to lethal away goals if converted. The less chances PSV has to counter the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Gallas and Toure will not be beaten tonight. If PSV is going to score its going to be on an Arsenal mistake. I’m confident Clichy will dominate again like he’s done all season. I’m also confident that Eboue, if he is fit, will have a great game tonight. He is amazing in big games (i.e. ManU), and the Champions League always seems to get the best out of him. Make no mistake, we are a much better team when Emanuel Eboue is tearing down that right side, making opposing defenses panic with his swift overlapping runs.

Both Jan Kromkamp and Manuel Da Silva are out for PSV, so their defense will be suspect. Jefferson Farfan returns, however, so they will look more likely to score than last time. Farfan’s presence alone makes it all the more important that we do not beat ourselves tonight with a dumb mistake, because Farfan, just like Kone, just like Mendez, and just like Cocu, has the ability to capitalize on any opportunity.

Their Brazilian center-half, Alex, is back. He put on a show last time, bullying our players around the entire pitch. Henry needs to burn him, just once, and put him back in his place. Right now he thinks he’s going to be the best player on the field tonight. Henry needs to prove him wrong, and I think he will.

This is the opportunity for Henry to win our hearts back. He has been amazingly underwhelming this year, and even though he has claimed to be playing with an injury for a large majority of his games this season, he still needs to produce like we know he can. Thierry Henry is still a world-class striker, and I think he’ll prove that not only to the world but most importantly to himself tonight. He needs a big game in a big game to get his confidence back up, to remind him that he is Thierry Henry, and that he scores goals at will.

He’s going to get that game.

My prediction: Arsenal 3 – PSV 0 - an Henry hat-trick.

Brazilians Prove to be Brilliant in an Important Win for the Gunners

by Joel Martin

We needed a win and we got a win, it was as simple as that.

The first half looked like more of the same. We played extremely well, dominated play and created chances but could not finish. Both Baptista and Fabregas could have scored more than once before the whistle, but we still went in to the break 0-0.

It took a moment of absolute brilliance from Gael Clichy, of all people, to get us our first goal. The left back took off and beat Andre Bikey (who had a mile of a head start on him) to a ball and tore into the box. Bikey fouled and Gilberto converted the penalty. Just after that, we broke out on a counter-attack off a corner. Denilson found his Brazilian compatriot, Julio Baptista, who beat Murty and slotted the ball in Hahneman’s near post. It was a good goal, and I hope Baptista can score more.

That being said, his touch and his tempo needs to improve. He looks like he is not on the same wavelength as the rest of the team, and he slows us down when he plays. I still do not see him staying, even though he scored a goal.

Walcott looked alright up top, it was a very encouraging game for him. Denilson was great, Fabregas could have used that goal for his own confidence’s sake, we need him to add a couple goals for us from the midfield. Hleb was good, and Ljungberg was frustrating. He just can not beat anyone anymore, its almost sad. He’ll have to change his game to have any chance at playing first team football for us in the future. Diaby subbed in and did well, Aliadiere subbed in and proved yet again that although he tries harder than anyone on the team, he’s not quite a player of Arsenal-caliber. He’ll be gone soon.

The back four played well. The Reading goal from the corner kick at the end really only happened because Senderos did not quite reach his marker before the kick was taken. He was only just subbing in and never got a chance to front his man before the corner was taken. And although the ball eventually did deflect of Senderos and then Fabregas into the goal, the only reason it took the deflection was Senderos’ original position in the first place.

Anyway, in the end the game was not the rout I would have liked to see going in to our showdown with PSV Wednesday, but a win is a win. Hopefully Henry can play, but the return of Adebayor, Toure, and Eboue will be very nice. We need all three, especially Adebayor, to create more chances, we’ll need all we can get with Rosicky, Van Persie and possibly Henry gone. Their return will also provide solidity in the back, and could be the key to our survival in the Champions League—if we can pull it off.

Reading to Visit the Emirates in a Defining Moment for the Gunners

by Joel Martin

We have not won in our last 4 games. This is the last chance to gain some confidence before Wednesday, when PSV visits for the biggest game ever at the Emirates yet. We are still missing many key players, and Reading is in great form lately. This is a dangerous, dangerous game.

If we lose to Reading, we’ll be going into the most important game of the year in our worst form since 2002—the last time we lost three in a row. We absolutely need to win, preferably big, in a rout.

Diaby, Djourou, and Cesc will return to the dismal side that played midweek, so I expect Djourou to slot in at right back now that Eboue is serving his suspension. I expect Diaby to start on the bench, because he is not yet fully fit. Cesc should pair up with either Denilson or Gilberto, I almost expect Wenger to give Denilson another chance to get his confidence back up after his performance on Wednesday. He was terrible in the replay, and needs to get that game out of his game.

Other than that I expect Walcott to start, whether it is as a striker or a winger is beyond me. Baptista and Aliadiere, our Carling Cup duo, sure haven’t looked lethal at all in their most recent outings. I hope Walcott gets a chance up front if only to shake things up a bit. If only we had Bendtner to do that too…

The Reading team we thrashed 4-0 early in the year is very different team than the one we’ll play tomorrow. These guys have played well against ManU and damn near beaten them. They’ve played well against Chelsea and damn near beaten them too. These guys are confident and scrappy. They give 110% every game and it has shown this year. Sidwell, Doyle, Lita, and their right back Nicky Shorey have all been great, great players for them. We will need some luck to get the result we need.

In all, we might need the home fans at the Emirates to get as pumped for today’s game as Wednesday’s game. The boys need a little bit of momentum, a little confidence to propel us into the second leg against PSV, or else the season could be over, for all intensive purposes, on March 7.

Lackluster Arsenal Leaves Something to be Desired as Blackburn Knocks them Out of the FA Cup

by Joel Martin

Today Blackburn did exactly what we couldn’t do two weeks ago; they took advantage of their home-field advantage and their opponent’s lack of fitness and won the game. We had a chance two weeks ago against a far-from full-strength Blackburn side, with the goal-scorer McCarthy shifty winger Morten Gamst Pedersen both missing when the Rovers visited Emirates in the first place.

The game was lost when Wenger decided to play Senderos at right back instead of Gallas or Clichy. Senderos is so big he cannot stop himself quick enough, and his momentum allowed him to get turned by McCarthy for the winner. It was tough to watch, because Senderos had been playing brilliantly until he switched positions.

This was one of Baptista’s best games, even though he did miss some gift-wrapped chances early. Ljungberg and Aliadiere both had atrocious touches that prevented them from scoring.

Blackburn did not play well enough to win the game, but we did not either. That was easily Denilson’s worst game with the club, and Gilberto could not pass the ball at all. Hleb is still not even close to how he was before he got injured. We need him to play like he did at the beginning of the season.

The bottom line is that we didn’t take advantage of the home field and our opponent’s lack of fitness in the first game, and we paid for it. There should not have even been a replay.

Injuries and Suspensions Aplenty as Arsenal Goes to Ewood Park

by Joel Martin

Today we travel to Ewood Park without as many as 10 first team players today in our replay with Blackburn. The Rovers, on the other hand, are much healthier than they were when we played them only two weeks ago. Morten Gamst Pedersen, who is easily one of their best players, and Benni McCarthy should return to a side who showed us how exactly to play the most negative of football. Now that they’re at home, however, they should come at us a little more, which could be intriguing.

Of course many of our absences will be due to the ruckus at the end of the Cup Final on the weekend. Adebayor’s appeal was denied, and Eboue was handed a suspension for what the officials thought Adebayor did in the first place (how the linesman mistook Adebayor for Eboue I have no idea, but then I again I have no idea how he found Drogba to be onside in the 20^th either). Kolo didn’t even appeal his suspension, and he’s sitting out the next three games as well.

In addition, Henry has picked up a foot injury somehow; Rosicky has picked up a groin injury; and Diaby (who has proven to be magnificent when he can stay fit) is out with an ankle injury. Hoyte, Djourou, and Flamini are all uncertainties as well, and I have no idea who will play right back if the three of them are out on top of Eboue’s absence. Clichy also has picked up a slight knock, so young Armand Traore may get a character-building chance on the road in the FA Cup.

Fabregas will get a much-needed and well-deserved rest, so it looks like we’ll pair the two Brazilians, Denilson and Gilberto, together in the middle. I think Denilson will make a difference tomorrow—he’s blossoming into a special, special player.

Other than the obvious problem as to who will play right back, I think our side should look fairly solid. Of course Van Persie is out as well, which makes our choice of strikers pretty slim. I personally would like to see how Walcott could do as an out-and-out striker, but chances are he won’t get that opportunity. I expect the youngster to start on the bench and then sub in for either Ljunberg or Hleb if we need his spark. If Baptista plays, he needs to show the spirit he showed in the first 20 minutes of the Cup Final, because he did absolutely nothing the rest of the game. He is still yet to impress since his goal explosion in January, and he needs to have a game tomorrow, when we need him. Other teams’ reserve score big goals because they need to impress and earn a place in the first team. Oldie Gunnar Solskjaer and Louis Saha, neither of whom are close to the caliber of player Baptista is, showed this resilience and determination by getting goals in ManUre’s thriller of a replay yesterday, we need Baptista to do the same. I think he finally will, simply because he can’t afford not to.

My prediction: a crazy free kick from Gamst Pedersen 35 minutes in, against the run of play, followed by an equalizer right before half from Aliadiere, and lastly Baptista thunders in a header in the 75^th to win it.

The Madness of Spaniards Apparent Once Again

by Joel Martin

According to Sky Sports, Villareal is apparently looking at buying our own reserve goalkeeper Manuel Almunia in the summer. Almunia, who has never really impressed since joining from Celta Vigo in 2004, apparently wishes to become our number one in the near future. The Yellow Submarines would be doing us yet another favor if they brought Almunia off our hands this summer. They’ve already taken in the sulky Robert Pires and the unexplainably-terrible Pascal Cygan off our hands, and now they want Almunia—who is strictly o.k., but only when he can cover the near post (which is never).

Almunia moving back to Spain could result in Wenger making one of two possible positive moves:

1.)He would be forced to keep Lehmann around. He is one of the best keepers in the world, and his presence helps instill confidence in our young defense.

2.) He would be forced to buy a quality keeper. Almunia is not anywhere near a World Class goalkeeper, nowhere near the quality a world class club like Arsenal needs in goal. Hearts’ Craig Gordon name has been mentioned, as well as Celtic’s Artur Boruc—both of whom havwe very promising careers ahead of them and would be good buys. Another route could be to sign Ben Foster or Scott Carson, although ManU and Liverpool may not be very apt to sell their young talents cheaply.

So, Villareal, if you want Manuel Almunia so badly, take him. We only will become a better team by losing him.

In a related story, related solely because it involves Spaniards looking to buy useless players, Rafa Benitez has signed Bayer Leverkusen striker Andriy Voronin on a pre-contract. Rafa is getting unbelievably good at buying players for too much money that are well below Liverpool’s standard, and Voronin is just another name on the list that includes Bodo Zenden, Craig Bellamy, Mark Gonzalez, Javier Mascherano, and that useless giraffe: Peter Crouch. The best complement you can give to Voronin as a player is that he played a good second fiddle to Dimitar Berbatov a couple years ago. He isn’t Liverpool-quality.

If their current squad remains in tact, Voronin would be in the running with Robbie Fowler for the fourth or fifth striker. Combine that with the return of on-loan Djibril Cisse, whom Benitez claims to still have a future at Anfield, and the apparently imminent addition of what Benitez claims he needs to challenge for a Premiership Title: a guaranteed 20-goal-a-season striker (nevermind his horrible goalkeeper or painfully-slow defense). Speculation has been directed at Valencia’s David Villa, but who knows? If Benitez’s spending habits can be characterized as anything they’re unconventional and unpredictable.

Purchases like Benitez’s “capture” of Andriy Voronin show me how lucky we are to have Wenger. Instead of buying 27-year-old second-tier strikers we go out and find wonderkids who grow up and mature in our youth academy into first-team stars before the age of twenty. We’ve got one of the smartest minds in the world managing our club, and his wisdom will only lead to great success in the years to come.

Young Gunners Fall Just Short of an Improbable Trophy

by Joel Martin

The Cup Final was refreshing and unique, one of the strangest games of the season in fact. Our young reserves, the future of the club, matched up against Chelsea’s first team and gave them a hell of a fight. Our boys’ effort was something to be proud of. Although the wheels came off in the end, I am still very pleased with the exertion we put forth today.

The first goal was a product of absolute brilliance from both Walcott and Diaby. Walcott’s finish was mouth-watering, I hope to be seeing many more of those in the years to come. Diaby has been unbelievable since his return from injury, twice the player he was last year. If he keeps playing this well, Wenger will have no choice but to make room for him in the first team. Fabregas and Denilson dominated Chelsea’s big name counterparts the entire game in the midfield. I’m not nearly as worried about life after Gilberto as I was now that Diaby and Denilson both have proved themselves to be class midfielders.

Hoyte finally seems to be playing with more confidence. I've never been a fan of Hoyte because he used to play terrified, like he couldn’t afford to make one mistake. He figured his future at Arsenal was hanging in the balance, and he couldn't handle the pressure. Now that Lauren is gone, however, Hoyte is a needed member of the squad and he knows it. He is much more confident because he knows that he can afford to make a mistake without getting the axe. Today was one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt, and I expect more great performances to come from him.

Eboue, on the other hand, is an absolute headcase. He was lucky not to get sent off for his role in the brawl at the end of the game. His temper-tantrum after a classic Arjen Robben dive was embarrassing, especially because it was coming from Eboue, who couldn’t stay on his feet if they were glued to the ground. His ability on the pitch is unquestioned, and I think he is one of the top right-backs in the world when he’s on (i.e. against Manchester United). His main drawbacks as a player are all mental. If he was disciplined he would have a positioning sense. If he was disciplined he wouldn’t writhe on the ground every time he took a knock. If he was disciplined he would not throw a fit and he would not hit Wayne Bridge in the head. When he reaches this level of discipline, and only when he reaches this level of discipline, will he reach his potential.

Eboue and Baptista were really the only players to disappoint in Cardiff. Even Senderos faced his demons well and held his own nicely against Drogba. Baptista’s ineptitude, however, is a recurring theme. I can’t see how Wenger will keep him at the Emirates if he keeps playing like this. He’s crap.

In the end, although we lost our composure in the end, and although Drogba looked clearly offside for his first goal, we can take everything from this game other than the trophy. Our reserve side outplayed one of the best teams in the world for 70 minutes, and it took a world-class goal from Drogba and Robben to beat us. We played with heart, which is something we’ve severely lacked in recent weeks, and we could have gone two or three up in the first half. Once we get older the finishing will come, and there will be many more cup finals and trophies in this Arsenal squad’s future.

Carling Cup Final Preview

by Joel Martin

Our first step will be not to concede early. If Drogba, who normally terrorizes our back line, gets going early he could score three or four goals before the game ends.

Our midfield will have to be decisive and strong to hold their own against any combination of Ballack, Lampard, Makelele, Essien, Robben, and Obi Mikel.

Walcott needs a good game; he has been lacking confidence lately. Diaby is coming off a great game against Blackburn, as is Denilson, and both of them will need to keep that form. Gilberto will need to find his after an awful performance in Eindhoven.

If Hoyte passes his fitness test, he should start. Clichy also needs to pass fitness to play, but Armand Traore should get the start anyway.

Baptista (who needs to prove his worth) and the lately-impressive Aliadiere, who is getting better every day, should pair up up front. Maybe Baptista will pull out a four-goal game out of his bag like he did at Anfield.

Gallas, Lehmann, Henry, and Ljungberg are not in the squad. Rosicky, Adebayor, and Fabregas will all be on the bench most likely. If we can keep the game close, Rosicky can come off the bench and be the spark plug he was against Tottenham. In my mind, that’s the key to the game: keeping it close enough so Rosicky and Adebayor can have an impact as substitutes late in the second half. If we can, I think the youngsters have a shot at pulling off a big, big upset. If not, at least we’ll be somewhat rested for the Blackburn replay.

Gunners Get Set For the Long Haul

by Joel Martin

The next few weeks will be Arsenal’s most crucial and most difficult stretch of games they’ve had this year. Starting with the Carling Cup Final on Sunday, we will possibly play five games in two weeks.

The cup final is the least of our worries, and Wenger knows it. Hopefully our young boys can play with the same amount of vigor and enthusiasm they’ve showed this entire cup run. I wouldn’t be surprised with a win if they do.

I don’t know how Wenger is going to handle the two games leading up to our second leg with PSV. He could play half the first team against Blackburn in the replay and the other half against Reading next weekend. Tuesday proved, however, that this might not be the best course of action. We looked out of sync at Eindhoven because the first team had not played with each other in weeks. Part of that was due to Hleb and Gallas’ recent return from injuries, but most of it was due to the fact that Henry, Adebayor, Gilberto, Fabregas, and Rosicky had not played together for several weeks. They need to play with each other and be given a chance to gel in order to play up to their potential. If they indeed are the line-up we want, they need to play together at least against Reading in order to be on the same page come next Wednesday.

The result of this might lead to our exit from the FA Cup, but I think our reserve squad could handle themselves well against the Rovers. Diaby, Denilson, and Flamini have already put in very solid performances for us this year, and Baptista seems to only play well when he’s the main man in the attack. Who knows? We’re talking about a reserve team who went into Anfield and won 6-3, so anything’s possible.

Anyway, that same reserve side should be featured on Sunday in Cardiff, where the youngsters (and probably Baptista and Ljungberg) will be put to the test against the Blues. I have no idea what kind of squad Chelsea will field, but I am pretty sure the Carling Cup means as little to Mourihno as it does to Wenger.

Champions League Round-Up

By Joel Martin

Every English team in the Champions League went on the road this week, and every team other than Arsenal is heading home with a good result. Manchester United and Liverpool needed a degree of luck to get the results they needed, but sometimes that is what these games are about more than anything.

The goal taken away from Lille in the Manchester United game was blown completely. Peter Odemwingie’s hand touching the shoulder of Nemanja Vidic was incidental at best, and Vidic clearly fell because of his own momentum, not the contact between himself and the Nigerian striker.

Giggs’ goal, as much as it pains me to say it, was legit though. I’ve seen Henry do it plenty of times. Quickly-taken free kicks are dangerous, dangerous weapons.

Liverpool had no business going in to Camp Nou and beating Barcelona. Although Barcelona did not play well enough to win, they still had two-thirds of the possession and arguably the best team in the world. The European Champions should not lose to a team like Liverpool at home.

It was nice to see Bellamy score the first and set up the second goal to Riise, the victim of his five-iron tirade. Kuyt could have even added another—hell, it could have been 3-1! If you had told me that Liverpool would have 33% of the possession playing at the Nou Camp I’d say you’d be crazy to think that Liverpool could escape Barcelona with a draw, let alone a win.

This week’s round of Champions League fixtures have proven that luck has just as much a role as anything in this competition. Although Chelsea was unlucky to lose John Terry to injury so early, they were also lucky Quaresma’s swirling rocket sailed over a befuddled Petr Cech and ricocheted off the bar. Porto could have easily won that game.

In the end, the “lucky results” by the rest of our English counterparts make me optimistic about hosting PSV at the Emirates in two weeks, because we’re due for some luck.

Pathetic Arsenal Fail Miserably Against PSV

By Joel Martin

Today’s game was so bad, I still can’t get the awful taste out of my mouth.

We had everything going in our favor at the beginning of the game. Jefferson Farfan, their leading scorer, was out injured, and we created all of the good first half chances. Rosicky should have scored after a brilliant (and lucky) one-two with Henry in the 12^th minute. Henry tried to curl the ball into the far post numerous times, and he scared the Brazilian keeper Gomes a few times. Rosicky and Cesc were dominating the game going into the break, and Arsenal looked like they were on the verge of opening PSV up for a couple goals in the second half.

I’ve never seen us play worse than we did after the break.

Henry was terrible. Even his touch deserted him. His flops and dives are starting to get aggravating, too. When we need him, he looks to the ref to bail us out. We needed Thierry Henry in the second half, not the ref, but, quite simply, Thierry did not deliver. I don’t know what the problem is, but he still isn’t playing up to his standard, and he needs to quickly, for his own sake. The longer he takes to hit his stride the more pressure will be put on him by both himself and the pundits.

I hope Hleb was not fit, because that was easily the worst I’ve ever seen him play. He took too many touches, was bullied around, and never even threatened Salcido, their makeshift left back.

Gilberto was also the worst he’s been this season. His touch was atrocious and he could not make a pass the whole second half. He couldn’t close quickly enough on Edison Mendez, who took advantage of the space and drilled in the winner in the 61^st minute. It wasn’t the first time Gilberto has halfheartedly closed on the ball this season (the Denny Landzaat goal comes to mind), which is a flaw that needs to be addressed.

Gallas still is no where close to fit. He looked terrible and also took too many touches on the ball. We missed Eboue’s attacking mind, even if it is a bit reckless at times. We needed someone other than Rosicky to take the game to the opposition.

Adebayor was out-muscled by Alex the whole game, but Alex really played like a star. If he plays like that at the Emirates we’re screwed.

Baptista came on and did absolutely nothing other than hitting Henry’s free kick straight to Gomes. He is horrible.

If there is anything good to take from the game it’s that we only lost 1-0. For how horribly we played, we should consider ourselves lucky that we even have a shot at advancing. The chances of everyone playing that bad again are very slim, and if we can take our chances well, we should not have a problem scoring at home. Believe it or not, we aren’t out of this thing yet.

Arsenal set for Eindhoven Clash

by Joel Martin

Champions League football resumes tomorrow, with Arsenal traveling to Eindhoven to play a very good PSV side. PSV may be the champions of the Dutch League, but they are not a “Dutch” team. They field a very international side, just like us.

Alex, their Brazilian center-half, is one of the strongest, most menacing players our strikers will go up against all year. He is a beast. His partner in the center, the Mexican Carlos Salcido (who was linked with us over the summer before he joined PSV), is a perfect complement: he is small, yet also quick, skilled, and smart.

Their midfield is experienced and strong. Cocu is a force, as is Timmy Simons. Ecuadorian World Cup hero Edison Mendez rounds out the midfield, who many have regarded to be the best signing in the Dutch League.

So far Arouna Kone has been a disappointment trying to fit in to the big shoes left by Jan Venegnoor of Hesselink’s departure to Glasgow. He has scored 12 goals this year, however, so he is a serious threat. Kone is a big, fast, strong, terrifying striker in the Drogba mold, and he may have a little extra motivation playing against his fellow Ivorian Kolo Toure.

Their other threat to score is the Peruvian Jefferson Farfan. Farfan has already scored 15 goals this year, and possesses great pace. We will have to keep Farfan at bay for us to get out of Eindhoven with a good result.

The most interesting story on the PSV roster, however, is that of Chinese left-back Xiang Sun. After being bought in the January window Sun made his debut this weekend. If he gets another start Tuesday, which he should, he will become the first Chinese player to ever play in the Champions League. He is a converted left winger, and he likes to push forward a lot. Hleb should be able to get behind him and wreak havoc on the PSV defense.

Eboue is still out, and Hoyte picked up a hamstring injury, so it looks as though it will be Gallas, who looked a far away from fit Saturday, or Djourou, who hasn’t looked the same since his injury either, on the right. Either way, we will lose the overlapping run from our right fullback, which does hamper the attack.

Hopefully Wenger does not revert back to the 4-5-1 he used last year, simply because it does not fit our players anymore. If we had a legitimate left winger or even a healthy RvP I think we could get away with it, but Adebayor is playing too well right now to sit out. Henry needs someone to run with him, and Adebayor has been performing superbly in that role; the man needs to play.

It is imperative that we leave tomorrow night with a good result, preferably a win, so keep your fingers crossed. The road back to the final starts tomorrow, in Eindhoven.

Arsenal’s Missing Piece: A Left Winger

By Joel Martin

Arsenal’s ineptitude against a half-strength Blackburn made me ask one question: WHY? Why can’t we beat the teams we are supposed to beat? We are 17 points behind ManUre after taking six points from them. Why are we not ahead of them? Why do we find ourselves behind the rest of the top four, even though we haven’t lost to any of them (we’re the only team in the league who can say that)? Why are we dropping so many points against the lower teams in the Premiership?

There are a couple of reasons, some are obvious, and some are not. One reason is because we are not as tough as the Boltons and Evertons of the Premier League. They outmuscle us and beat us physically, but that will change as our young team matures and grows stronger. Another is injuries. We’ve had a number of unlucky injuries that have hurt our chances severely in many games. That problem is more bad luck than anything.

There is one problem with the squad, however, has nothing to do with luck and will not fix itself: our lack of a left-winger.

The lack of width and balance that Arsenal has shown at times this year is largely due to the Gunners’ need for a true left-sided midfielder. Tomas Rosicky is a fantastic talent, and I am confident he will star at Arsenal for years to come, but he is a central player stuck on the left. Too often he strays to the middle and even the right as he tries to find holes in opposing defenses, and this wrecks our balance and width. He might be best used as a sparkplug off the bench, as he was against Tottenham only a week ago, but he does not seem to be the answer of the left. I hate to say it, but Freddie Ljunberg might be done. His old injured legs just couldn’t keep up early this year, and that was when he was fully fit. He is not the answer, either. Hleb and Walcott are naturally right-sided players, and they both (Hleb especially) do not seem nearly as comfortable on the left. Neither Hleb or Walcott are the answer either, not now anyway. Walcott could be there in a couple years, but even then I think he might be better suited as a right winger or a striker rather than a left winger.

Jose Antonio Reyes, had he not been a whining Spanish prick who couldn’t handle the chilly weather and missed his sunny beaches, would have solved this problem perfectly. He was a great left winger for us last year and propelled us through our Champions League run, but he is gone now, and Wenger is too stubborn to take him back (not that I think Reyes would want to come back).

This is a problem that requires a new addition to the squad. There are a couple of options, some are obvious and some aren’t, but an addition needs to be made.

The first, and most popular option, is Franck Ribery. Ribery has been strongly linked with us since the World Cup, and he and his agent have not exactly been denying the fact that he would like to play for Wenger. Ribery is not naturally adept to the left side, but he showed in the World Cup and for Marseille this year that he can play there easily. The World Cup has driven up his price, which is the reason he isn’t a Gunner already in my mind, but his quickness combined with his toughness and work ethic would be a welcome addition to the squad, in my mind. Unfortunately, Marseille is only two points shy of the French League’s last Champions League spot, which would only make his capture more expensive and less likely.

Another option is Ryan Babel. Babel, who doubles as a striker, is one of the best young talents in the Dutch squad. He is good friends with RvP, which is the reason the Babel rumors in January sprung in the first place. He doesn’t really score or set up goals (only 3 goals and 1 assist in the goal-happy Dutch League this year), but Babel is a good player, and I think Wenger would consider adding him if he indeed only costs 5 million pounds, but I still am not sure he wants to leave. Soccernet.com quotes him as saying:

"I will play at Ajax next season. I have a contract for another one and a half years and as far as I know I will hold on to that.”

Babel would be a good addition, not as good as Ribery, but a good addition nonetheless. 5 million would be a steal, and if the offer is there this summer, I hope Wenger takes it.

The final option, which may seem random as he has not been linked to us at all to my knowledge, is Blackburn’s Morten Gamst Pedersen. Although he is injured right now, Pedersen is one of the best left wingers in England. His left foot is uncanny, both on crosses and on set pieces. He does not stray to the middle and would keep balance to the side. He is a creative passer stuck on a boringly uncreative Blackburn team. He scores goals from the midfield, which would help us out immensely. We haven’t found a goal-scoring midfielder to replace Pires—Rosicky or Cesc could be eventually, but Pedersen would be a genuine threat immediately (6 goals already this year in the Premier League, 8 overall). He’s only 25, which means we’d have at least three good years with him in the squad and we could use those three years to groom Fran Merida into a left winger. His comfort level in England, combined with his ability to score would be well worth 8 to 10 million pounds.

Anyway those are my thoughts, if it were up to me I’d take Ribery at 15mil first, Pedersen at 10mil second, and Babel at 5mil third, only because to me its time to win right now. It is time we started trying to win right now, not three or four years down the line. We are an extremely young team, and the last thing we need is to wait for a 20-year-old Ryan Babel to mature while the rest of the squad is ready to win now. Either Ribery or Pedersen would be better answers, if we indeed are trying to get back where we belong: the top of the Premier League.

Textbook “Negative Football” stops the Gunners

By Joel Martin

Arsenal – 0 Blackburn – 0. The last thing we needed was another replay. From the opening whistle, it was clear Arsenal would have to be the aggressor today, and we failed to step up to the challenge. Blackburn’s 8 defenders never even tried to score.

Nothing really happened in the first half. Walcott had a tough time beating Warnock and didn’t look very good. Ljunberg had no impact on the game at all.

We only looked like a threat when Rosicky and Adebayor came on in the 68^th minute. Rosicky took it to the two lines of Blackburn defence, and was unlucky not to score after a great foot-save from American Brad Friedel stopped him. My heart skipped a beat when Almunia made the most of an average shot by Mark Derbyshire in the 75^th, but that was the only serious chance Blackburn had in the whole game. Adebayor slotted the ball across the ball to Henry well in the 88^th, who in turn tried to set up Aliadiere on the far post but was stopped again by a great save from Friedel, who also managed to save Hoyte’s follow-up.

In the end Arsenal should not be pleased with their performance, but we should not be unhappy either. We looked strong and composed in the defense and Fabregas controlled the game extremely well. It would have been nice to see us as determined to score in the first 15 minutes as we were in the final 15, but no we must win at Ewood Park to reach the next round—another fixture on a list that is getting more and more dubious.

Best to put the disappointment behind us, though, I’m sure PSV won’t show much sympathy on Tuesday.