We have done well in the big games against Manchester United and Chelsea but Liverpool at home will be a different type of match, especially with Fernando Torres unavailable you can expect Liverpool to be negative

A little annoying as I have already written most of this article but for some reason I have lost it, hey ho, such is life and all that.

Liverpool are in town today and it is crucial that we win and craw back some missed points. Victory against the Scousers will pull us back within 5 points of the leaders and we know that 5 points is a margin that can be cut quicker than you can say Aston Villa.

Call me crazy, call me delusional but I am keeping the faith that this group of players can still win the Premier League. If we beat Liverpool then you cannot say that we are not in a good position to challenge for the League that isn’t the problem. The issue is the consistency of the team, as we approach Christmas we know that we have to enter the second half of the season inform and get on an unbeaten run. We have no more room for error so it is time to behind the side in what could be the make or break time of the season.

We have done well in the big games against Manchester United and Chelsea but Liverpool at home will be a different type of match, especially with Fernando Torres unavailable you can expect Liverpool to be negative in their approach and come to the Emirates with the intention not to concede.

Thank god that we have Samir Nasri back in the squad to add some width to a very central looking team last week against Boro. I could rather see Eboue come in on the right with Denilson back in the middle alongside Cesc but Wenger could stick with Song in the middle with Denilson on the right. Diaby could be the one to make way for the returning Nasri.

Mean Lean’s predicted line up

Mean Lean’s match predictions

Games last season against Liverpool were all very tight affairs and I do not expect this to be any different. One part of my brain tells me that it will be another draw, perhaps a 0-0 but the positive side of me thinks back to the Boro match and we showed some positive signs in our football that we were beginning to look like our old selves. Given the fact that the supporters will be behind us at home and that law of averages suggest that Van Persie will not be as wasteful in front of goal makes me believe that we will have a little too much for a Torresless Liverpool.

Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0

I fancy one of Denilson or Van Persie to grab our goal and that Nasri will once again show his importance even after time off from the first team.

In other news Director Danny Fiszman has reiterates that the club do not want to sell to foreign owners.

“It is important Arsenal remains a club that is not entirely in the hands of foreign owners.

“That is the standard we have set within the club and the model we follow. As such we have a duty to the fans.”

I do like the last part of that and the current board members will have to work fast to stop Red & White holdings getting their grubby hands on the remainder of the shares. It most definitely is uncertain times at the club right now and the sooner this is resolved the better (resolved for the good of the club of course)

Back on the pitch, Robin Van Persie believes in the side can still mount a title challenge.

“Yes, it’s a miracle we are still in it – but we still believe we can win it.

“It’s true five defeats before Christmas is not good, it is too much and normally you would say, ‘that’s it, it is all over. If you look at Chelsea and Man United in recent years they have been so consistent. They were winning every time. But they’re not now.

“The top four teams are all dropping points and that means we still have a chance. Yes, we have lost to Fulham, Stoke and Hull City – which is wrong because we are the better team. But we have also beaten Man United and Chelsea. Now if we beat Liverpool it is wide open again.

“If we beat them we are only five points behind them and it’s still not even half way, so we are definitely still in it. As for me, I shot down Chelsea and now I’m aiming to do the same to Liverpool, I hope I can.”

Robin, I sure hope you can. It is not going to happen (reverse psychology in full swing here) but it would be nice to beat Liverpool by a clear few goals to boost that confidence for this busy time. It is very unlikely as Liverpool will be well drilled and well organised. We have some very important games in a short period of time coming up, from what I remember we do not tend to do very well when games are coming thick and fast.

Two important ingredients needed for such a period is not many injuries and high confidence. Eduardo on his way back to full fitness will help the former and a victory over Liverpool will certainly help the latter.

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