Obviously I would rather Arsenal in the Champions League for some many reasons, not least being able to keep and build our squad, as well as having memorable nights like our last CL match. But it would be nice to see how our team would do domestically with the standard one game a week, I suspect that our horrendous injury list wouldn’t be so horrendous if we had a Tottenham style fixture list.

When Tottenham fell apart at the Emirates I just new they would lose to Manchester United and Everton. They will probably lose at Stamford Bridge as well next week. I should of put my money where my mouth was but that is almost a sure way to see Tottenham get back to back victories. The weird and wonderful logic of a football supporter.

Liverpool FC also lost to Sunderland which pretty much wipes out any vague hopes that they might of had of finishing in the top four.

When you think about the Liverpool team that turned things around towards the end of the season to the one now, it is quite amazing how much they have underachieved. When you spend close to £75m on transfer fees on players like Carroll, Henderson and Downing then you have to scratch your head a little.

If Daglish had spent sensibly and well like Pardew has done at Newcastle for example then Liverpool could have been fighting for the title this season and not way off the pace. This is during a season where both Arsenal and Chelsea are in transition so they may have missed out on a great opportunity to finish in a good league position. But hey, I guess they cannot complain. They won the Carling cup against Cardiff on penalties.

Unfortunately Stoke City could not hold off Chelsea at the bridge especially having been reduced to ten men so early thanks to some Fuller stupidity. Chelsea look so static and rigid these days and I am amazed that Roberto Di Matteo left out Juan Mata from the start unless the Spaniard had a knock or something.

The fight for the top four will be tough because we have plenty of difficult fixtures from now until the end of the season and it is very tight. But Thomas Vermaelen believes that ending in the top four will take care of itself if we play the way we did against AC Milan.

Vermaelen said:

“We have to be on the top of our game to fight for fourth and maybe third place, you never know. We can have a lot of confidence after this week with a lot of victories.

“Of course, a club like Arsenal belongs in the Champions League and we will try to achieve that for the Club, for the fans, for ourselves, for everybody. If we play the way we did in that first half on Tuesday then I am not worried about it at all.”

That is exactly right, if we can maintain that level of performance at least physically then we will have a bloody good chance. Being out of the cup competitions will be a help because we will only have to manage one game a week, allowing plenty of recovery time after each ‘cup final’

Obviously I would rather Arsenal in the Champions League for some many reasons, not least being able to keep and build our squad, as well as having memorable nights like our last CL match. But it would be nice to see how our team would do domestically with the standard one game a week, I suspect that our horrendous injury list wouldn’t be so horrendous if we had a Tottenham style fixture list. One where they rotated the squad in the Europa games and focused on their ‘title challenge’

Hands up by the way, if a Tottenham fan has told you to mind the gap this season? That huge gap could be whittled down to one point at the end of Monday night should we overcome Newcastle United at the Emirates.

This gap that we need to mind currently needs a magnifying glass. I tell you what, St Totteringham’s day would be oh so sweet this year but that is not important right now and getting back to what Vermaelen was speaking about, it is how we approach every game.

When we went two goals down against Tottenham you could smell the desire from the players, sense the purpose from the whole team. We have to have that in every game from now until the end. I have my doubts that it will happen because that intensity has vanished many times following fighting displays but I would love to be proved wrong.

It is nice to have something that resembles a fit squad and that is the difference from this end of season run in to previous versions. Andre Santos looks lean and trim judging by his photos on Arsenal.com that is great news, I reckon we will see a better player than the one who was stretchered off in Greece. Arguably our first choice back four should be fit on Monday which is almost unheard of around these parts. Like I said recently, Santos will have to play very well to dislodge Gibbs who has looked very good since returning to the first team.

Given that we have a new March transfer window, I guess I need to mention all the hoo-har that has been doing the rounds.

Firstly the van Persie signing a deal with Manchester City article, I suggest not entertaining the idea. I began to worry about our skipper leaving the club last night which goes against what I promised myself recently, which was that he loves the club and wants to stay. Why worry about something that you have no control of?

I don’t believe for one minute that van Persie has agreed any such deal with Manchester City,a especially given that The National who run the story have close links with Manchester City. Darren Dein who is in fact Robin’s advisor rather than his agent which is Kees Ploegsma.

It certainly would not be unusual for Manchester City to whisper in the ears of Dein, painting the rosiest of financial pictures to then find its way back to van Persie. Like I have said, I am sure this has been the case with several big or rich clubs around the world.

But it is a good time to remind us all of what our captain has said only last month.

The RVP said:

“There have been a lot of stories, generally contradictory ones, about my contract situation recently so I’d like to make it clear,” the Arsenal captain said in the Arsenal match day programme.

“For me, this is a time to play football and not speak about personal things. All of my energy needs to go on getting this team where we want it to be this season.”

It is as simple as that for us right now, absolutely no point in fretting about it and I shall heed my own advice this time. Lukas Podolski has confirmed that no Arsenal deal has been agreed as yet which is cue for Arry and Levy to fall over themselves to try and scupper the deal.

I would rather we all didn’t know all this stuff in March and I guess that is what the club try to avoid by trying to keep this information under wraps.

Mario Gotze has been linked to us again by some tabloid or something. It is far too early to be delving in this and it brings back summer memories of repeated transfer rumours that everyone rushes to back and forth all day every day.

For the record I believe that he is a player that Arsene likes, ticks all the correct boxes. A super talent that would link the midfield and attack together but I guess that would be the same for many clubs, clubs with far superior bank balances. So as nothing can be done about this can we shove it under the bed with all the rest of the transfer guff and then we can drag it out all over the floor once we have secured third place. Or fourth. But much rather third, thanks.

Lastly I would like to end on a player that is actually registered with Arsenal. Crazy right?

Ryo Miyaichi was awarded the man of the match award in Bolton’s 2-1 late victory over QPR. He has just been handed the player of the month for Bolton so it is fair to say that everything is going pretty well for him so far. He lit up Feyenoord last season on loan and now he is impressing once more. As far as I know, he was actually pretty subdued yesterday until Armand Traore went off and then he set up the late winner with a pretty good assist. He started on the right when he usually plays his games cutting inside from the left so it will be interesting to see how that develops over time.

With that, I bid you farewell until Monday which will be Arsenal footy day. Exciting.

’till then.