Had we had most of our players fit for during this campaign then I believe we would be sat top of the league right now. Van Persie, Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky……

As many Arsenal bloggers do nowadays, I usually start my morning by opening up my internet browser which automatically opens up the Arsenal section in newsnow, Arsenal Vision and some of my favourite Arsenal blogs. My morning is already a super mad rush, attempting to help my daughter get herself ready for school along with controlling my two and a half year old son along with my one year old daughter.

I save any articles that are worth writing about on my hard drive as I cannot access the internet on my travels and away I go.

The train is often my place of work, travelling into my real work from Middlesex into London. As I check my saved tabs I can see that one article is pretty much dominating the news today. Andrey Arshavin says that Arsenal need a miracle to win anything this season!

‘There is goes again, blabbing away to the press’ was my first thoughts without reading the article but after having read his quotes it appears that as usual the press have blown his comments out of context. My feeling upon reading the article was that he was suggesting that it would be a miracle for Arsenal to get a full squad of players together without injury and that certainly seems to be the case over the last few seasons.

I think the difference this season is that other clubs have had to step into Arsenal’s shoes and have had to deal with an abnormal injury list. This is my guess as to why the league is so tight right now.

Had we had most of our players fit for during this campaign then I believe we would be sat top of the league right now. Van Persie, Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky, Gael Clichy, Denilson, Samir Nasri, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner have all struggled with injuries and Arsene has had to go into rotation overdrive because of this. Yes injuries are part and parcel of the game and a squad is needed to cope with absentees but a squad can only be so deep. How deep are you supposed to build your squad? How many injuries do you have to plan in advance? We have the best attack in the league and before the season we were struggling to create our best side. Many Gooners on Arsenal Vision were tapping away at their version of our strongest line up and 90% of those line ups were different.

Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas have played every Premier League game so far this season and they need to continue to play together to develop that central defensive partnership hat is so important, but what if one of them get injured which is a very valid point, do we need two more world class center halves sitting on the bench? What would they be doing for the whole season? Wait for Carling cup games? It is not going to happen. If Arsene doesn’t buy in that position during this month then we will see if Silvestre or Senderos are not able to step up. In a good unit around them I do not see why they cannot fill in for our current center backs but the rest of the team has to be functional, have to be well organised.

I slap my thigh in frustration when I think of how unlucky Johan Djourou has been this season, we wouldn’t be having this conversation (if you can call it that) had he been fit and available this season. A fit Djourou could slot in as Vermaelen or as Gallas without any problem in my opinion. Many times last season, I thought he was our best performer and I was shocked when he was dropped for the returning Toure.

Going back to Arshavin for a moment, if he did intentionally mean that we need a miracle to win anything this season then I am a little surprised as a player with his experience should really be trying to give his younger and less experienced team mates the belief to win things, especially in the position we find ourselves in just above the half way point in the season.

I have nothing against Arshavin but I do think he likes to talk a little too often, if it is positive and going to help the team then that is fine, it is good but he should really be aware of how his voice will be used by the media.

I expect many to jump on the bandwagon, stating that we have no chance of silverware this season. I think Arshavin needs to concentrate on his own performances as I do not feel he has been anywhere near what he achieved last season. Yet he manages to escape any criticism from our support. I wonder if the perception would be the same if Arshavin cost £1.5 million, 22 years old and came up through the Arsenal system.

Andrey Arshavin is a match winner with fantastic ability but I cannot remember one game where he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck dragged us to victory. Cesc has done it, Van Persie has done the same. Arshavin needs to forget about injuries and new signings and put his energies into getting the very best out of his abilities both in terms of fitness and performances.

The Daily mail have run the Saha to Arsenal story which I find quite interesting, not because it has any truth behind it, it is the Daily Mail after all but I find it interesting because I mentioned him as a player who I wouldn’t mind at the club on a short term basis. He worked his socks off against us on the weekend. Has a great strike and has Premier League experience. Did I mention that he has pace? I like pace, I do.

His injury record makes him a perfect match for the squad. The January window has been very quiet so far, many Gooners are going to complain about the lack of transfer activity so far but then I ask who else has been busy? How many other transfers have gone through during this window? Hardly any, because these things take time or clubs like Manchester United are struggling financially.

So give it time, players will come in if Arsene thinks they are right for us and if they are in our price range. I like many Gooners are hoping for reinforcements during a time when our squad is crushed by injuries (as usual) but if Wenger does not manage to bring any new additions, we still have to back our players and hope that they can continue the second half as we have the first. The reason why we are only three points off Chelsea is not because Chelsea and Manchester United are rubbish it is because we have plenty of quality in our squad just as our rivals have.

When Manchester United win the league it is never because Arsenal have had to suffer injuries but when we are competing for the title it is because the other teams are not at their best. *yawn* it is so boring.

Cesc Fabregas has said that he feels 100% about his injury and is ready to kick some Bolton ass on Sunday, ok perhaps he didn’t say that but I just know he is thinking that. Trust me on that one ok *condescending wink*

Denilson has also overcome his mysterious side injury and is ready to fly kick Kevin Davies in his elbow to nullify his only threat.

And with that I bid you goodbye.

Back again tomorrow.