The manager has said that we will see a different Cesc tonight and I am taking his word for it. Cesc is our string puller, the player who connects the whole team together, the player who can single handedly split the opposition to shreds and we have not seen him at this best for some weeks now

A game three days after an horrific home defeat could be just what the doctor ordered, but that is only if the players actually put it right at Molineux tonight.

An away match to promoted side Wolverhampton would have been seen as the perfect match to put things right a few years ago, this certainly does not feel like it in November 2010.

Another defeat could leave the players with a psychological bridge too far to cross, victory could heal part of some raw wounds and allow this Arsenal squad who are very talented to get back on track for a proper title challenge.

The proverbial handbrake must be released if Arsenal are to get back to their free flowing best that many of us got excited about in the early stages of the season. Wolves will know this and like many teams, a big part of Mick McCarthy’s game plan will be to stop Arsenal from playing, stop Arsenal from finding our rhythm. This is not new to Wenger and the players, a finely tuned Arsenal side can deal with committed opposition by moving the ball quicker than their legs can carry them, the problem is finding the self belief to move that ball quickly and impose our game.

The good news is that we have not collected any new injuries from Sunday, Samir Nasri who limped off with a calf problem has been given the all clear to start the match. Arsene will have another midfield and attack choice to make. Andrey Arshavin who started the weekend on the bench probably ran more in his cameo than he has done for the whole season so far and I would imagine that he would be a likely starter on the left whilst I imagine Nasri will be moved back to the right, relegating Walcott back to the bench ready to make an impact late in the game when legs and minds get tired and spaces appear more frequently.

Wolves wide man Matthew Jarvis is a player producing the goods right now and will be a handful to both Clichy and Sagna. He tends to switch flanks and run at his full back, if Mick McCarthy is a clever chap then he will probably put Jarvis up against Clichy more than Sagna as Arshavin is less likely to track back and help his full back.

This would usually be the ideal game for Abou Diaby to come in for, but unfortunately his ankle still remains a major issue. Wenger has the choice to bring in Denilson to add stability for the midfield alongside Cesc and Song but as Jack Wilshere served a suspension, I would imagine that Arsene thinks that he is now capable of three games on the spin after the forced rest. Chamakh looked far from his best at Newcastle, he has run himself into the ground since the beginning of the season and I would not be surprised if his legs could not take him through the Newcastle game. Nicklas Bendtner could start in his place but I would not be surprised to see Robin Van Persie donning his number 10 shirt from the start as Arsene has suggested that he is looking strong and sharper in training. Koscielny is serving his suspension so Johan Djourou will come in to replace him. I worry about Djourou’s lack of recent games, then to be thrown into the starting line up in such an important game.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up

One to watch: Cesc Fabregas

The manager has said that we will see a different Cesc tonight and I am taking his word for it. Cesc is our string puller, the player who connects the whole team together, the player who can single handedly split the opposition to shreds and we have not seen him at this best for some weeks now. With the likes of Karl Henry playing you can be sure that Cesc will not have much time on the ball so his sharpness will be very important. We are due a big captains performance, so lets hope it starts tonight.

Mean Lean’s Match Prediction

Wolves 1 Arsenal 1 (Bendtner)

As much as I want to change the Wolves one to a zero, I cannot help but have a worried feeling about the game. We are out of form, they are in form and they are in front of their home support. It could be a gradual improvement from our boys and that will do as long as the improvement keeps happening and we do not revert back to West Brom, Newcastle type performances.

With Stephen Hunt and captain Karl Henry likely to start for the home side, I expect plenty of strong tackling, we are going to have to match their commitment, win the ball back from them early high up the pitch and take our chances. We simply have to move the ball quicker than in recent matches and then the likes of Arshavin, Nasri and Cesc have to make the difference in the final third.

This is a game we can win, lose or draw so let us hope that we can show everyone what we are truly made of.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!