I stick by what I said at the start of the season and that was that we were capable of winning the league this season. I didn’t bank on the amount of chopping and changing our side has had to endure over the course of the season

Football can make you feel old and tired and at times it can make you feel like you’re 10 years old. For once I feel like an excited school boy. I am going to the game for the first time in a few months, luckily a friend of a friend is going to Vegas and has handed over his tickets which should quite conveniently coincide with a debut for Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin.

The victory against Cardiff on Monday night gave me a very warm and excited feel about Arsenal. I know the players have great talent, I have been blowing that trumpet all throughout the season. In recent weeks, it has been a case of getting through the sticky period. I say this after the club have gone on a nice little 12 match unbeaten run. We have been grinding out results of late. Our passing has been getting up to the opposition penalty area then things get a little difficult. We know we have missed the players who have the answers so it has been a case of educating those who haven’t quite reached that knowledge.

On Monday night the revision seemed to have paid off. I almost forgot how we normally play football. People have said it is only Cardiff but once again I feel that we could have carved open most that night.

Today we miss Eduardo through injury again *sigh* but we welcome back Van Persie into the starting line up, hardly a drop in footballing talent. Arsene will have no choice but to have a slight eye on the Roma clash.

Trying to get an insight into the mind of our marvelous manager, I would think that Nasri could be the player who is high on the rotating list of players in need of a breather. This could see Carlos Vela keep his place in the side and Arshavin playing on the right. Having said that, Wenger was asked where he sees Arshavin playing and Wenger said either from the left or behind the striker. That is the same role as Nasri and Rosicky.

I do not think Wenger would play Vela on the right, I am pretty certain that he wouldn’t, so if Arshavin and Vela both start the game then you can expect Arshavin to start wide right.

Ideally Nasri would continue on the right as he did against Cardiff and Arshavin would slot into the left wing spot. Nasri will not be rested against Roma, so its either no rest for Samir or its bench time against Sunderland.

Ok, that is enough insight for one moment, I have probably confused the hell out of you, so apologies.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up

Another decision that Arsene will have to make is if he should bring in Djourou to combat the height advantage of Kenwyne Jones. I cannot imagine that Sunderland will play two strikers, so I would guess that they may try and ask Cissie to do a job on the right to make a 5 man midfield and try and support Jones whenever he can.

Mean Lean’s Match Predictions

I do not expect that we will be given as much room as we did in the FA cup but I think the football we played that night will give all the players confidence and belief. I hope that we can start the game at a quick and aggressive tempo, we started that way against Cardiff and we will need to do the same in the rest of our fixtures from now on.

Other News

Many fans have not been pleased with our players and many think that they are not good enough for Arsenal football club, without going into detail about this as I have done previously but I did want to show you something. I was thinking about which players we had out and if I could make a team out of it. Well these are the players we have at our club who are unavailable for the game today for one reason or another, mostly through injury.

Slot a right back and a goalkeeper in there and you would say that this team would have a very good chance of beating today’s line up. Although they might be defensively a bit of a nightmare. But it just goes to show the quality we have unavailable. Many will say that injuries happen and I am making up excuses but I would wager a bet that you couldn’t create a team from missing players of that quality from any of the sides above us, not even close to that.

I stick by what I said at the start of the season and that was that we were capable of winning the league this season. I didn’t bank on the amount of chopping and changing our side has had to endure over the course of the season. The way I see it this time round is that Wenger has been forced to give the developing players a chance this time and next season when they are asked to come in and help with injuries, tiredness and suspension they will have the experience to do a good job, not only that but fight for a starting berth. Players like Alex Song, Aaron Ramsey and Kieron Gibbs would not have been given the pitch time this time round if we had better luck with key players.

Do not get me wrong, I would rather they had less experience and we were level on points with Manchester United at this stage but it is not to be. So lets find the positives.

Out of interest, which team would win in your own opinion out of the missing side and my predicted line up. Obviously add a keeper and right back for the missing side.

Van Persie is in the headlines at the moment about his contract. He is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal that would tie him down , the press are stating that it is down to if the club get back into the Champions League or not.

Van Persie said:

“Financially the club’s last offer is fine but that is not everything to me. It’s about my ambitions and how they can be fulfilled in the coming years, Arsenal have promised me they will do everything possible to make that extra step to a level where we win prizes on a regular basis, In the last four years I have only had one prize, the FA Cup, and that’s not enough.”

The cynical side of me thinks that the press could have twisted his quotes somewhat so I would like to hear the full interview myself before making an conclusions about his comments. However, it would be bigger than a big blow to lose someone like Van Persie especially after such an impact in the season.

I am hoping that the players coming back and produce the football and results that we should have witnessed on a more regular basis this season and that will be enough to convince everyone, including the doom and gloomers that we have more than enough to become Premier League winners next time round. We also have the FA Cup and Champions League to look forward to this time so not all is lost.

Speaking of players making their way back, the Tomas Rosicky injured story gets closer to the end of the book. Arsene Wenger was asked about when the missing crew would be back and the boss said.

“Tomas needs three weeks to play in training fully fit,” Wenger said. “He is still doing special training but in three weeks he will join in with the first team. It will be three weeks to play in the Reserves, touch wood.

“Rosicky looks very good in training, he looks unbelievably strong. Fabregas looks good, Diaby will come back. Rosicky is three weeks, Cesc four weeks, Theo two weeks.”

How I would love to watch those training sessions with so much talent on show. We are close to being at full strength for the first time since we were 1st in the league last season.

Another major talent has been spoken about by a new this week.

Firstly Arsene Wenger was asked if size matters, and Arsene’s answer was something along the lines of its the motion in the ocean that counts.

“Yes he is quite small,” said the manager. “I think Arshavin is 5ft 6ins. But what is amazing in football is that people are always concerned about size.

“But if you take the best players in the world you had Maradona who was 5ft 7in and Pele, 5ft 7ins – so it is not a handicap. For me the [creative] potential is there, the skill is there and the technical quality is there. We have always played with two creative players on the flanks. We have had players like Freddie Ljungberg who have had that creative influence. It is very important for our efficiency. And Arshavin can make runs in behind without the ball.”

We haven’t had someone who can make runs off the ball since perhaps Ljungberg in his pomp and that has been missed, especially with the amount of creative passers we have in the squad.

When we first signed Arshavin I cut up a game in the Euros but I didn’t use it because it was crap quality but thought I may as well throw it in for you to view.

Disgaced Chelsea supporter launched a scathing attack on the Chelsea captain asking what he has done to justify his wages and… oh wait one second, its not Chelsea is it. It is Arsenal, sorry. Adebayor was the one and it was Arsenal in crisis again wasn’t it? I should have known.

To be honest, I cannot be arsed to go into it. But you can read it at The Sun

Rightyo, I am gonna get myself ready for some Arsenal action. Good luck to you Gooners!

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