Cesc Fabregas was certainly in for some rough treatment on Saturday. Every time he got hold of the ball he had people flying into his ankles or legs. I think he needs some sort of metal socks to protect him

So another weekend goes by and the real ‘big four’ all end the weekend with three points, Unfortunately I missed the Manchester derby, it appears as if it was a bit of a cracker. I would have rather that Manchester City won the game as I still see both us and United finishing above them come the end of the season.

Not much going on in the world of the Arse, well at least whilst I am writing this (usually a gap from when I write to when it goes live) but I shall go through what I have in front of me.

Arsene Wenger is not best pleased about teams setting out to foul our players and get away with it. I have been more wound up about the more organised and cunning version which is known as rotational fouling.

One player cannot go around kicking players because he will be off quicker than he can say the words ‘anti-football’. but if different players take turns making fouls then it is difficult for referee’s to act on it if it is the players first foul. I wonder how it is organised, do managers have a fouling pecking order or is it a case of whoever hasn’t kicked anyone just go and help yourself.

Cesc Fabregas was certainly in for some rough treatment on Saturday. Every time he got hold of the ball he had people flying into his ankles or legs. I think he needs some sort of metal socks to protect him.

Arsene has been talking more about the ‘tactical foul’, and wants to discuss the problem with the Football Association. Lets hope Wenger doesn’t get banned for bringing the game into disrepute by having the cheek to talk to the FA about other teams bullying us.

He said:

“It’s the little fouls in the middle of the park. It breaks up the game from when you are attacking three against three, four against four and then you get a free-kick and it’s 10 against 10 again.

“All the work you have done is nothing. You start from scratch again. They have broken up the play. It’s what teams are doing at international level, we call it a tactical foul. You’re passed in midfield – make a foul.

“You start again and you have time to get everybody back. Then you stand in front of the ball.”

I am not sure if much can be done about that really, it is part of the game and you cannot send a player off for making a foul to save the team. We have been guilty of not doing the same which has cost us in the past. Having said that we being Arsenal may have earned ourselves a red card for the very same offence.

Much has been made of Robin Van Persie playing as a central striker, some suggest that the player who finished as the clubs top goal scorer is not suited in the role, I would disagree, although I could see him doing a good job on the right side of the front three. In a central position Van Persie can get involved in most of our attacks. Technically he is the best we have but he is currently going through somewhat of a goal drought even if he did get off the mark last week.

Van Persie was not totally happy about his performance against Wigan.

He said:

“I wasn’t so pleased with my own performance though. I just missed too many chances and that is something I have to work on. There were a lot of them [on Saturday] especially the one that I controlled on my chest. I was totally free but didn’t expect to be. That was my own mistake but it was a very good pass from Cesc. I should have done better but I’m confident it will be OK very soon. Still the main thing was the three points and they were very good for us.”

Cesc is not at his best as yet and Rosicky is finding his way back. When you join Arshavin to that list then I cannot imagine Van Persie not going on a run of goals. Hopefully starting at the weekend. Arshavin will be back and Rosicky will be ready to start again.

Robin has also had some very positive words to say about his new team mate, Thomas Vermaelen.

“He is raised in Holland,” said the 26-year-old. “I am not saying every Dutch player is good technically but when you are raised in Holland – especially at Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV – you are brought up getting the ball, moving it first touch, move again, pass and move. He was at Ajax since he was 15, so it is in his system for a long, long time.”

“The first one [against Wigan] showed he is very, very strong from corners and free kicks and that is very important for us. Even if we play badly we can always score from set pieces. I would have been proud of his second goal.”

His second was certainly a thing of beauty. I love Kolo Toure and personally I wish him well (not his team mates mind you) but am I happy with the Kolo-Thomas trade? Hell yeah! I know it is early days but he looks like the real deal. As Sagna did before him, he has slotted in like a duck to water.

Long may that continue I say.

Carling cup fun tomorrow, well I kinda hope it ends up as fun because West Brom are going through a very good patch right now. Middlesbrough will tell you that after they were humiliated 5-0 at the Riverside. The youngsters are going to have to impose themselves on the game for us to get some sort of result. We certainly have the talent to cause them problems.

I shall refrain from talking about that game right now because I have to slot it into a pre match thoughts page. To me it looks as if Coquelin will miss out to Randall, do others agree? I am a big Coquelin fan so I hope he plays but I am not sure if he is ahead of him in the pecking order.

Enjoy your day, Gooners. Back tomorrow.

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