I really hope to see a good display on the weekend. We have shown patches of top form and then drop off. The first 45 minutes against the Spuds, the first half an hour against both Villa and Fulham were fantastic but then we stop. I want to see us start and finish in the same purposeful

A splendid afternoon to you out there,

Where has the time gone today? It feels more like lunchtime than approaching dinner time, very strange.

Is it me or has there been a mass increase in transfer speculation over the last few days? I was wondering what was going on until it clicked. It is December and the window is open in a few weeks time.

Eboue > Roma
Benzema – Clichy swap
Mertesacker > Arsenal
New Ronaldo / Messi combo > Tribalfootball (or something)

I kind of forgot how much rubbish comes out during the transfer window, can someone please close it again. It is freezing around here.

Anyway, Arsene had his presser today and unsurprisingly much of the focus was about Ryan Shawcross and his return against Arsenal. The media obviously tried their very best to get Arsene drawn into some derogatory comments towards a person who fully deserves them but Arsene batted them out of touch. Instead focusing on the present and not on what has happened in the past.

To be honest, it is all a little boring. We know that Shawcross is an idiot who cannot trap a ball to save his life. Listening to the British media and pundits, it is no surprise that thundering into people when he cannot possibly reach the ball is the only thing he knows. As long as he keeps his studs in the turf and we score more goals than his team then I couldn’t care less about him or his stone aged manager Pulis.

Unfortunately for us, we are missing Diaby and Bendtner for the game on the weekend. Diaby is back in training but is not yet ready to start whilst Nikki B the rebel MC is soon to be a doting Daddy. We could have done with their height from set pieces and with Vermaelen still out we lack power in the air.

We should aim for 99% possession, that way set pieces shouldn’t be an issue.

I really hope to see a good display on the weekend. We have shown patches of top form and then drop off. The first 45 minutes against the Spuds, the first half an hour against both Villa and Fulham were fantastic but then we stop. I want to see us start and finish in the same purposeful and aggressive manner for 90+ minutes.

Three points tomorrow are vital to get us back on track from our defeat at Old Trafford. Wenger made the point that we are in a very good position having already played all the big teams away from home and those points can be made up at the Emirates later in the season.

I personally am not of the opinion that because we have had a bad record against Manchester United and Chelsea whilst waiting for our squad to mature, that it will continue forever. I fully expect that to change this season, as quickly as the 27th against Chelsea.

That is then, Stoke is now, well almost now. Ok a couple of days away which is not yet now but you know what I mean. I hope.

I am not sure if I will be around tomorrow, so enjoy the weekend if I do not show my face. But you are free to chat amongst yourselves in the comments.

I will leave the fire place burning, some chocolate biscuits on the side with a load of hot chocolate drink. Tuck in and share.

Back soon.