For Arsenal, we all know that we will have to make do without the services of Mikel Arteta for the rest of the season. With Yossi Benayoun ineligible for this fixture, Arsene's options are fairly limited although we have a double midfield boost with Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin returning to the squad. Aaron Ramsey is likely to start the game but which position? He has spent most of the season as the furthest forward but Tomas Rosicky seized his chance when Ramsey picked up and
Yaan M’Vila of Rennes is the popular choice to arrive over the summer, and he looks a strong, tenacious player in the mould of Flamini. Adding a little bite in our midfield wouldn’t go amiss either. For all our beautifully intricate approach play, there’s the odd occasion I’d like to see someone thunder through Joey Barton in the centre circle. That might just be because he’s Joey Barton.
The game was pretty much Tomas Rosicky vs Wigan and Rosicky had lost. He was the only player who was making things happen but he couldn't play on his own. He might have had Mikel Arteta to play with but Arteta got badly injured in the first minutes of the game. Gary Neville pointed out that Wigan caught us on the break when Arteta could not walk, Yossi Benayoun was signaling to the bench, assuming that we had maintained possession but instead Sagna's header was cut out by a Wigan player and they swiftly broke on us bypassing
Tomas Rosicky should return to the side tonight after having been fully rested at Wolves in midweek. Gervinho returns to the squad and so could Kieran Gibbs if he comes through late fitness checks. I am interested to know who will get the nod at left back. Gibbs has done very well since his return to the side and Santos is not quite up to speed since his long term
I find it quite bewildering that just two years later so many seem to endlessly criticise him, and some go as far to say as they want him out of the club. No-one is saying that he doesn’t have problems; he has often formed quite a frustrating figure whenever he has been on the pitch. He sometimes lingers on the ball for that one second too long, he doesn’t always make the right choice in the final third and he hasn’t shown exceptional finishing ability. What he does provide however, is an outstanding work-rate. He is never invisible on the pitch; he always does his bit defensively, and is usually always involved some way in our attacks, for good or bad. People may remember