With the games coming thick and fast Arsene Wenger has spoken about the need to rotate over the next few weeks. The return to health of most of our squad couldn't have come at a better time. Usually we start the season with a clean bill of health only for half our team to be crocked at this stage. Maybe that is the answer. Give a few a kick in pre season so they return just in time for the hectic period, often a time when we drop points. I mean you can't get injured when you are already injured can you? Stupidness aside for a moment. Many have bemoaned our lack of strength, often pointing to our bench at the likes of Akpom or Hayden but there is little you can do when the back up players and in some cases the back up to the back up are injured all at the same time.

English football fans have a long tradition of communicating their excitement, hopes, beliefs and thoughts at matches in new and inventive ways. Fans in all stadia can be seen waving scarves, holding banners, as well as singing and chanting. All of these media carry messages that are clever, funny, hateful and sometimes all three. Fans of Arsenal FC at either Highbury or the Emirates over the years have shown themselves to be a great example of the inventiveness that is so indicative of football fans in England and indeed Britain.

Going back to Ramsey for a moment, you can see why Arsene played him as the number 10 when Cesc left and we failed to get Cazorla. His pass to Theo Walcott this pre season against Manchester City, one amazing pass to the same player I think away at Olympiacos when he was younger along with a few to Özil already this season. He has concentrated so much on his remarkable run of goals

There is no chance of Arsene Wenger taking this game lightly and playing fringe players. I was listening to the Clock end podcast last night and a caller thought it would be sensible to rest Giroud for Bendtner. That just isn't going to happen and neither is Theo Walcott playing up front in place of

In the 12th minute Jack Wilshere hit the far post before Boruc finally grabbed the ball. My first impression was that it was a cross gone wrong. That evening and the next day pretty much everybody else spoke about how unlucky Wilshere was. I asked if Arsenal fans thought it was intentional on Twitter that evening and 99% of responses thought that he meant to do it. I am a clear minority here and that should be more than enough to convince me that I am mistaken but I don't buy it. Wilshere would rather use the outside of his left foot to pass 7 yards. He often misses the opportunity to shoot when the ball is on his right inside the box so I am struggling believing that as the ball kicked off the surface he thought he would chip the keeper with spin on his weaker side

It was the same for the French last night. The tempo had already been set from the first match, the mind sets from both sets of players had already been created and if France scored first and early enough then the boost for them and the deflation for the Ukraine's would swing the match in favour of the home side. It finished 3-0 to the home side. If the first leg was 0-0 then you just know it would have been a much tighter match.  Great news for Laurent Koscielny who now doesn't have to take the flak and negative pressure from being partly at fault for the French defeat in the first game. Also positive news for Oliver Giroud

Arsenal to be sitting top of the table by November. The Gunners have taken the league by storm and have already carved out a five point gap between them and second place Chelsea. However, with the high density of fixtures in December, Arsenal could see their five-point lead diminish; they have six league games and a Champions League fixture on the horizon in the festive month. There is no doubting that December will provide the sternest test for Arsenal’s title capabilities. With seven games set to be played, Arsene Wenger is going to have to be at his managerial best. When you have to play three games in six days rotation is vital. Luckily for Arsenal, this season they are finally having the rub of the green when it comes to injuries. Wingers Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as well as forward Lukas Podolski will all be back by December, and with their return Arsenal

I do have an issue with our team though. I have had this issue for a while now. When you look at this team, it is built to play in front of opponents. We are designed to play football outside of the penalty box. Even more so when you remove Theo Walcott from the team. Giroud is a striker who faces his midfielders, he is one of the best at bringing midfielders into play but when given the ball to feet with no support, he is virtually neutralised. He doesn't have a burst to escape a defender and his top speed is slow. Unless he plays it off in two touches, he tends to take too many and get dispossessed. Giroud has had a fantastic season so far, he is one of the best at what he does, he just cannot do everything

I'd really like Vermaelen to have a good game after what happened last year. Oh crap, Sagna has fallen quite badly and is limping. He needs to stay on for this one. 18.52 We've grown into this and the game has spread out a bit 55%/45% possession in favour of the home team. Great recovery tackle from Vermaelen on Rooney. He's taken a whack in his face for his trouble. He's ok though.