I have mentioned it before and I shall do so again, Song has not started ahead of Silvestre in that position this season when the decision has needed to be made so I am not sure if Arsene will want to move Song out of his current position

Much of the build up to today’s match will be about the last time these two sides met, the Eduardo leg break, the images of Matthew Taylor looking sheepishly at the referee. William Gallas sat holding his knee’s on the pitch at the final whistle but the game and the three points are the only important factors come the final whistle.

We have overcome some difficult hurdles so far during this season including victories at Stoke City and Hull City and another big performance from deep down within our guts will be required for us to win at a ground that has seen a large share of the points going to the home side.

Only Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers have come away from St Andrews with three points. Chelsea and Manchester United have only managed a point and once again a point for us will realistically not be good enough as we would really would be needing a mass collapse from both rival title challengers in the remaining games.

Many of the ingredients for a good performance and victory is currently in place. High of confidence, a weeks rest since we brushed past West Ham at the Emirates. The hunger is still there for the players and that bodes well. However we have one problem that we need to overcome. Injuries to one area.

This is a problem that the squad will have faced many times over this season and the team will have to do so again this afternoon.

The Arsenal center of defence is down to the proverbial ‘bare bones’

First choice partnership William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen will be unavailable due to injury and suspension respectively. Back up center back Johan Djourou is on his way back to fitness but is not close enough to take part. It is left to the aging pair Sol Campbell and Mikel Silvestre to hold the fort.

Arsene also has the option of moving Alex Song back into central defence, a position that he filled in superbly when Vermaelen was wrongfully dismissed last week.

I have mentioned it before and I shall do so again, Song has not started ahead of Silvestre in that position this season when the decision has needed to be made so I am not sure if Arsene will want to move Song out of his current position. The more changes are made, the more disruptions to continuity there will be.

If Song is moved back to partner Sol Campbell then Wenger no longer has any trust in Silvestre and I suspect that it will be the last we see of the former Manchester United defender. However I am going to get used to Silvestre playing in our back line this afternoon until proven otherwise.

My one concern (I say one concern, I could say more) with playing Silvestre and Campbell will be the pace and mobility of both Cameron Jerome and Christian ‘Chucho’ Benitez. Oh how I want William Gallas back in our squad for times like this and midweek for that matter.

Another argument could be made against myself is the form of Denilson. He has come back up from a dip of form in recent weeks and was arguably our man of the match against West Ham. He has scored and assisted two very important goals from two long range strikes in the last two weeks. My only reservation will be the nature of the game. It is likely to be a physical affair at St Andrews and a midfield trio of Song, Diaby and Cesc would be able to handle that better than Denilson who is still growing and developing that side of his game.

Denilson would be better suited to the passing game that Barcelona will undoubtedly bring to the Emirates in midweek.

I hope to see Theo Walcott in the starting line up, his form of late has been good and he will need games to continue that form. We want to pin Birmingham back and Theo has some unfinished business to attend to with Liam Ridgewell.

One to watch: Abou Diaby

As much of today will be about imposing ourselves, I look to Abou Diaby to be the one to drive the team on. They say that winning the midfield battle puts you in a good position to win the match well I cannot think of a game where Diaby has dominated and we haven’t been head and shoulders the better side. Diaby will need to be at his box to box best again and perhaps playing only a part of the West Ham game would have given his legs the rest they deserve.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up

I could be completely wrong, in fact I cannot remember the last time we lined up without either Nasri or Rosicky. All three areas of the pitch could be changed a number of ways so let us wait and see what the boss has in store for us.

Mean Lean’s Match Prediction

I do not care how it comes, as long as it does. A victory is important once again but this is no simple game. As long as the boys give ‘absolutely everything’ then it is all we can do.

The nerves are already here for me.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS.

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