Everton and West Ham...Same Result I Wonder?

I never did do a match review of the Everton game, so in order to review it briefly and also preview the game against West Ham I think we need to make a logical connection between these games, a connection that frankly I hope doesn't exist.

I'll be the first to admit that the game at Everton was not very good. We were fluent at moments, but unfortunately those moments were entirely too few and far between. It seemed like we had no intent and no drive and determination to win until the last five minutes of the game, and that was when we grabbed our equaliser.

But despite the fact that we weren't great, full credit to Everton, who played wonderfully well, deserved at least a point, and have now held Liverpool twice and us to draws. They truly are the form team right now outside of the top four.

But if there is one more form team right now that's not in the top six currently, it would be West Ham. They have collected 13 of their last 15 possible points, and as much I as want to think of them as no threat, they are. They will come full of confidence and determination, knowing that before this year, they were the only team ever to beat us at the Emirates Stadium.

So it pains me to say this, because I'm the eternal optimist, but I'm really thinking we'll struggle tomorrow. I suppose it all comes down to which team shows up: the side that mean Man Utd and Chelsea, or the team that lost to Stoke and Fulham, the team that very nearly lost to Everton Wednesday night.

If the right team shows up, then we'll win, simple as that. If the wrong team shows up, well then we'll be looking at our sixth defeat of the season, and our challenge to the big four will almost have slipped away.

So here's hoping for a win tomorrow (or today, depending on where and when you read this). Here's hoping the right team shows up and we get all three points. Why, I wouldn't even mind if Arshavin were presented to us tomorrow as the latest Arsenal player. It could happen if you believe the rumours; but either way, there is still a reason to be optimistic.

I will be, and I hope you will be too.

Fab 4

On again, off again...

This Arshavin deal has been on again and off again so many times I think I'm getting sick. Today I woke up to the news that I really didn't want to hear. Apparently Arsene Wenger has held his usual press conference, and in it he discussed the Arshavin transfer, and specifically the news that a fee had been agreed with Zenit. Here's what he had to say:

“There is no news about Andrei Arshavin or about anybody else that is why I cannot give you anything. At the moment it is all quiet.
When asked outright if a price had been decided and whether a deal was far away, he said,
“[That is] not true. In this job ‘far’ doesn’t mean a lot. I believe that we are not close to concluding any transfer, Arshavin or anybody else.
“I don’t know [if it will happen] frankly. Time is getting short and at the moment I am more focused to win the game tomorrow. We know we are in front of a big game and the most important thing is to focus on that.”

So apparently we are no closer to signing Arshavin, and according to him, we also are not close to signing anyone else. Arsene Wenger sure does know how to kill a supporter's spirit.

Here I was, and I know many of my fellow gooners were as well, excited by the apparent news that the Arshavin deal was only days away, and we would soon have his creative influence to inspire our lacklustre attacking. A new signing doesn't just improve the team or its performance, but it also gets the fans and players excited and energised.

We need some excitement and energy right now more than ever. And with only a week left of the transfer window and no signings anywhere near completion, we may end up not having strengthened the squad at all, and that would, I believe, be a huge mistake on Arsene Wenger's part.

Yes we have quality, yes our best players are injured, and yes our defense is improving, but we still need to improve. Long before the transfer window opened, I suggested that we would either need to sign someone new to play for us or sign someone new to train the players that we have. So far we have done neither, and it's looking now like we may not sign any new players. This means our last hope is to sign a staff member, a coach who will inspire and instruct the team.

Remember, the players aren't everything in football, and without the right management and coaching they will not perform at their best. I think more than anything right now we need either a new defensive midfielder or a new creative influence in our attacks. With the challenges that lie ahead, we cannot wait for Fabregas to return to add spark to our attacking play.

So whether we sign Arshavin or not something needs to be done, and I genuinely hope Arsene Wenger sees this and will work to rectify the situation. We'll find out in the next week if either of these things happen, but in the meantime we'll just have to keep the faith and continue to support the club we love, through thick and thin.

I don't think I'll preview the Everton game too much, but it's important to note that this may be the biggest fixture we will have until the Champions League starts up again. This match away to Everton will, I believe, show us how the next dew months will play out, and could either make or break our season. Here's hoping for the best tomorrow night. Don't forget, you can get now all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service!

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A Replay Awaits Us: Another Fixture!

So after the 0-0 draw with Cardiff this weekend we now have to replay the match at the Emirates next week. Now, usually I wouldn't mind bringing a team we have to beat back to the Emirates, but with our already congested fixture list, this one might be a little tricky.

It was a good match. I really had a horrible feeling before the match that we were going to slip up against the Championship side. They were determined, played hard, got in our faces, interrupted our passing game, and had a loud and raucous crowd behind them. This very well could have gone in their favour, but we came through it with a 0-0 draw.

We weren't very inventive, but that seems to have been the story of the last few weeks, in fact the story of 2009 so far. But defensively we weren't actually that bad. It's still not great, but I think the defense has been improved from mid-table status to about 5th place status. Still it needs work, but I think Arsene Wenger is right when he keeps telling us that the defense has improved: it has.

So with the draw and the replay that must follow, we now have a number of important fixtures coming up over the next couple of weeks. There's Everton this Wednesday before another weekend Premiership match, and replay, and even a Champions League date with Roma in the not-too-distant future. It's going to get difficult, and this is the time of the season when we have, over the past few seasons, crumbled.

But I think that maybe our usual crumble came back in October/November. We were losing 3-0 to Man City back then and we're still digging ourselves out of the hole we created at that time. I'm really hoping, and I think it's true, that our struggles are behind us. Now we've turned over a new leaf, and with all of our injured players returning over the next little bit, I think we'll finish out the year strongly. We can still win silverware this season, and if our bad form is behind us and luck comes our way, I think we just might finally do it.

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Big Day for Aaron Ramsey This Weekend...

This weekend, our 18 year-old Welsh midfielder, Aaron Ramsey, will likely go up against his former club of Cardiff City. I can only imagine what it must be like for the lad to face the team that gave you your start, and I can say I've only seen one Arsenal player when recently faced with such a dilemma.

That was Tomas Rosicky back in the qualifying rounds of last year's Champions League. He faced his hometown club, Sparta Prague, and when he scored against them he didn't celebrate, but merely let his team-mates congratulate him. Rosicky really is a class act, and this just showed his committed and loyal character. I really do hope to see him in an Arsenal shirt again one day for us.

But getting back to Aaron Ramsey, the lad is, in my opinion, one of the most intelligent signings Arsene Wenger has ever made. Of course, all gooners here will remember the circumstances of his signing for us this past summer, where he was courted by both us and Manchester Utd, and where he chose us over them so he would get games.

And this promise that was undoubtedly made to him by Le Boss has come true. Ramsey has played in all of our League Cup games, and F.A. Cup game, multiple Champions League encounters, and even played a few times in the league. And from what I've seen he's an exciting prospect.

He's a bit like Cesc Fabregas was when he first arrived here, and I ultimately think he was signed and is being bred for this role so that he can take over in Fabregas's place when our captain one day leaves for pastures new. But despite this, I think the player he is most like is Steven Gerrard of Liverpool.

His style of play is more like Gerrard than Fabregas, and he seems to pass a little more like him as well. What I mean by this is when Fabregas looks for a pass, he gets this instant composed look about him and he looks for the killer through ball, usually on the ground, which splits open the defense. Ramsey on the other hand doesn't look quite as composed, but this isn't necessarily bad. He is more aware of the threats around him, and instead of always looking for the perfect ground pass, he isn't afraid to look as well for the long ball or perfect cross-field pass that will free up some space for others to play in.

Sure, right now he gives the ball away a lot and he's not the strongest of players, but I think that this is simply due to his age. He will develop into a great player, and I feel quite certain that come World Cup 2014 time, he will be among the best in the world. Just like I was excited about Fabregas and Van Persie and Clichy, just like I was excited about a young Thierry Henry, I'm equally excited about Aaron Ramsey. Only time will tell, but I think that Arsene Wenger has unearthed another gem.

I'll try to have a full match preview of the Cardiff game tomorrow, where I'll look at our chances in both this game and the rest of the F.A. Cup. Until then,

Fab 4

They'll Never Get Le Boss or La Captain & Eduardo "Ready"!

If you believe the reports today, this summer Le Boss, Arsene Wenger, and La Captain, Fabregas, will both be gone to Real Madrid. Real Madrid presidential contender Florentino Perez wants to bring both Fab 4 and Arsene to the Madrid club. This was the report:

"Florentino wants to make Wenger both coach and general manager of Real this summer - and will promise it will happen." It was also reported that,
"With Kaka and Fabregas as players and Wenger as coach, Florentino will take Real back to where they should be."

So that's the quote, but I don't think we have anything to worry about. Over the years Arsene Wenger has rejected offers to manage Real Madrid twice, and I don't see why this time would be any different. Wenger has a project going here at Arsenal, a project involving youth players that we gooners may or may not agree with. However I think this makes it highly unlikely that we would lose Arsene Wenger.

The the bit about Fabregas is utter - well let's keep it decent - a boatload of nonsense. He has always said that if he ever did leave Arsenal, Cesc would head back to the club that gave him his start, Barcelona. Is it really likely that he would jump ship to Madrid of all places so he could play for the club he no doubt holds in very low regard? I think not.

Real Madrid need to start worrying about their own problems and try to sort it out internally rather than try to raid other clubs of their best personnel to fix things. Madrid are having a tough season just like we are, but maybe if they focused on just themselves for once results would turn around. Rather, I think this is a strategy of disruption, and it's one that Spanish clubs use all the time.

Seeing as the Real officials realise their La Liga season is blowing up in their faces with the dominance of Barcelona this term, they want to win the Champions League. And since they won't be winning it on the skill of their players or their ex-Tottenham manager alone, they feel the need to get into the heads of their possible opponents and get them worried so as to affect their game. They tried to disrupt Man Utd with the Ronaldo rumours, and now their trying desperately to disrupt us. But it didn't work with then Mancs and I don't think it'll work with our club either.

So mind your own business Real Madrid, and stay out of ours. We don't give a darn about your ugly club, just as you obviously don't give one about ours.

In good news today, our "Crozillian" striker Eduardo is finally "ready" to play for the first team, at least according to him. He played a solid ninety minutes against Stoke in the reserves the other night, and now he feels he's ready for the first team. Here's what he said:

“I think I am ready for the first team but you would have to ask the boss.
“I feel very well and I’m training hard every day. Of course I want to come back quick and strong. Now, every game for me is a big step.
"In my head and everything I am ready. I am happy with the 90 minutes tonight on a very hard pitch with all the hard rain. I needed time in the Reserves to get my match fitness back. But playing my first game for the first team, I am ready now and I am just waiting for my chance.”

This is great news, and I can only hope that when he does come back he'll start providing us with that inspiration and cutting edge that we have been so lacking this season.

So on that happy note, that's all for today. Don't forget, you can get now all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service!

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How the Media Attention is Helping Arsenal...

I should start off by saying a bit about the Hull game on Saturday. I never did get around to writing a match report, but I thought it was yet another good, solid game. Arsene Wenger said after the game that the fact we went on to win and not lose the game after we conceded the equaliser proves the team is maturing. I couldn't agree more, and I think that although it's not pretty, we are indeed turning our season around. If we can keep this us we'll be in a great position to take advantage when Chelsea & Aston Villa slip up.

Now onto the subject of today's post, and it has to do with the media. Any Arsenal supporter worth calling themselves one can see that the media very clearly has it in for Arsenal. Why this is still remains a mystery, but I heard a very good explanation once.

The suggestion was that the media are full of old Liverpool fans from the glory days of the 80's. They don't like Man Utd that much and thus the constant obsession with Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid, and the complete overlook in the media of the fact that Liverpool weren't playing that well for a while. I seem to remember last season when we were leading the league and sweeping away team after team the "experts" were saying we would collapse and not win anything. This season Liverpool have just been average but leading the league, and yet the media never said anything about Liverpool collapsing...

And of course, said the person from whom this theory came, our famous win at Anfield in '89 which won us the league has forever turned all Liverpool supporters from the 80's against us, and thus the media bias.

But whilst the media bias is annoying, it has actually helped us in this case. Year after year, the media make up a million stories about us apparently going after this player or that one. In fact over the summer we were linked with no less than 50 players (seriously). But just as they focused on Nasri during the summer, they are focusing on Arshavin this January. It's all the media can talk about in relation to Arsenal transfers, and I think that's really helping us.

We've seen it so many times that Arsene Wenger likes to use smokescreens to buy players. He will supposedly go after one player, a big player, only to be after someone else entirely. The club who owns this player thinks that Arsenal are just signing their man as a second player to supplement the big star, so they sell him for less. I think that this is happening again, or at least I hope it is.

Whilst it is perfectly obvious we are going for Arshavin, and perhaps we really will get him, I also think that this is setting up the perfect situation for Arsene Wenger to get someone else as well. Whether it happens or not is a good question, but the fact is the situation is set up so perfectly and so invitingly, I think Arsene may just go for it.

It happened with Silvestre over the summer. All of the sudden out of nowhere there was a rumour that we were going to sign Silvestre and a day later we had him. It was totally unexpected, and I think there's a good chance it might happen again. I'm hoping it will anyway, and I'm hoping we're in for a new defensive midfielder, who I still think would be our main target.

We'll see what develops, but the situation is set up perfectly and the opportunity ripe. Now we'll find out of Arsene Wenger makes the move. Don't forget, you can get now all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service!

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Hull Preview & A Bit On Arshavin

Tomorrow afternoon is the game against Hull at their KC Stadium. It's a match that I'm looking forward to, despite the fact that we lost to Hull so painfully last time we faced them. But I think the tides have turned since then and we will be walking away tomorrow with all three points.

Hull have now lost four on the trot as their early season form has crumbled. All this whilst we are on a seven match unbeaten run. We have been grinding out results as of late, with the old classic of "One-nil to the Arsenal" very much being the norm. Unfortunately this has been because of a lack of creativity, but I still think we'll have enough to beat Hull tomorrow.

This lack of creativity is perhaps a bit worrying, as it has now overshadowed our defensive problems of earlier in the season. Arsene Wenger is quite right in saying that the defense has improved as indeed it has: the stats back this up. And whilst we still don't have a stellar defense it is now at least decent and capable of winning us clean sheets. No, what we need now is someone who will come in and bring that creative spark that we have been missing since the loss of both Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas to injuries.

And it would seem Arsene Wenger believes the Russian midfielder (or is he a striker?) Arshavin is the solution. I can't say I've seen to much of the lad myself, having missed Russia's knockout-stage matches during EURO 2008 and having never seen the Russian League. But he seems to be the real deal and quite capable of fitting into the side. For me he seems like a Samir Nasri, although he could also be likened to Van Persie in where on the pitch he usually plays.

If he came I think it would do a wonderful job of vitalising this stuttering attack force of ours and scoring us more goals. At the moment we just seemed starved of idea and style. Bar Robin Van Persie, no one in the present attack or midfield seems capable of that one moment of magic or that killer pass that will unlock an opponent's defense. Maybe Arshavin will provide just that and allow us to once again be incisive.

Actually, my biggest worry is where Arshavin will fit in once our four injured players have returned. He will surely cover Rosicky's place, but if the Czech ever gets fit then we have a dilemma. And of course once Fabregas's inspiration and Walcott's penetration are back in the squad, I have a very difficult time visualising where Arshaving would fit into the system. More than anything his signing, if it happens, seems like a replacement for Rosicky, who perhaps Arsene Wenger has given up on. Of course, he'll never say it, but I think that Arsene knows we may never get back the same player who was injured one year ago against Newcastle.

So we'll see how it all plays out. I wasn't overly thrilled when I hear we were after Arshavin because I couldn't see how he would add anything to the squad. But with our recent lack of creativity on the pitch, perhaps he would be the perfect tonic to our ailing attack. Maybe this, combined with our improving defense, will allow us to finally win some silverware this season. But until then the focus needs to be on immediate matters such as the trip to Hull tomorrow.

Here's hoping for a win there and maybe even the signing of Arshavin in the next few weeks. Till next time,

Fab 4

Our Worst Player Wins Us the Game: Bolton Report

Yes, Nicklas Bendtner did fire in the winner tonight, but he was probably our worst player on the pitch. With Eboue playing fairly well and Diaby (who was also substituted) not playing horribly, that left Bendtner as the worst Arsenal player on the pitch. And wouldn't you know that in typical fashion, he would show up to score the winner?

Perhaps he needed that, and maybe the goal will give him a bit more confidence and allow him to play better. Whilst I'm not so angry about the fact that he hasn't been scoring goals regularly, I am unhappy about his recent playing style. Even more than before he seems to drift out to the right side and then be unavailable for crosses of shooting opportunities. And he chose the moments we needed a tall head in the box most to drift out to the wing. It's just so frustrating to watch sometimes.

But despite Bendtner's performance, I'm happy with the three points. It's another match undefeated which means we haven't lost since the very beginning of December in the League Cup. And our first team haven't lost since Aston Villa at home. Bolton were tough today; they put ten men behind the ball, hacked our players to death (all the while getting away for most of it), but in the end we still came out on top.

And that means we have now how had two 1-0's in a row, and three in the last six games if you go back to Wigan. We're undefeated in seven, and starting to hit a bit of form. As I said after the F.A. Cup game against Plymouth, I think we're taking baby steps now, getting back on our feet slowly, and we truly are grinding our way back into form. But grinding out wins is better than losing any day.

Not much else to say about the match. The defense was pretty good, held on well, Almunia was decent, but could have been a bit more vocal. Nasri was good, Denilson was solid, and Adebayor wasn't horrible. But Van Persie was by far the man of the match. He was involved in literally every good opportunity tonight, and deserved a goal when his shot came back off the bar. I think we truly have a new candidate for player of the season. Move over Cesc, RVP is fit again and showing the promise that we all saw in him but were so frustrated to see blocked by so many injuries. Robin's back.

Don't forget, you can get now all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service! Till next time,

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We Are Going To Win the F.A. Cup This Season

Yes, I believe that the F.A. Cup will be the trophy we win this season. I came to this determination by looking at the club's history and the strange coincidences that have cropped up over the last four years involving our challenges for silverware. Let me show you what I mean, and I think you'll find it quite astounding how clear this has been.

Since the years of the Invincibles, we have not won a double, and truth be told we haven't even come close. In fact, in the last four seasons after we won the league undefeated I have noticed a pattern has arisen whereby we have only seriously challenged for one major honour each season. We may have been entered into four competitions every year, but in each of the last four seasons we have only made it to one final, or came close to winning one trophy. But due to bad luck, we have only been successful in one of those four seasons. Let's go over each briefly to show you what I mean.

The 2004-05 season was the first of these four seasons where the pattern has held true. That year, ten matches in, we saw the end of the Invincibles' unbeaten run after a loss to Man Utd. And while we stayed relatively strong in the league after that, we were never again serious contenders for the title. We were eliminated rather easily in both the League Cup and Champions League, but we excelled in one competition: the F.A. Cup. We made it all the way to the final that year, but in that final we had one thing that has not been on our side the last few years: luck. We were by far the worse team, but in the end we denied Man Utd a goal and we won the penalty shootout. Thus we had a trophy from the season - the F.A. Cup.

In 2005-06, we saw the exact same pattern, but this time the cup final we made it to was the Champions League. We struggled to hold down fourth in the league, finally doing so on the last day, we crashed out of the League and F.A. Cups rather early, and that left us with the Champions League as our one chance for silverware. We made it to the final, took the lead against Barcelona, and were less that 15 minutes away from another trophy, but then our luck ran out and we succumbed 2-1 to the Spanish club when their extra player showed. Bad luck, or at least the lack of luck, left us empty handed that season.

The next season, 2006-07, saw us fail on the F.A. Cup front by going out to Blackburn. We were only average at best in the league, but managed to hold fourth a little easier. In the Champions League we were eliminated in the Round of 16 by lowly PSV, and that left us with one trophy to win: the Carling Cup. For the third year in a row we made it to a cup final, and for the second year in a row, we took the lead, this time against Chelsea. But again we fell prey to our opponents and Chelsea came back to beat us 2-1. I remain convinced that with a bit more luck we could have won it.

Last season, 2007-08, didn't see us reach a cup final, but we did the equivalent in the league. We were eliminated from the F.A. Cup and League cup after crushing losses to Man Utd and the scum from White Hart Lane. We only made it as far as the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but like the seasons before there was at least one trophy we were challenging for, this time the Premier League. We were leading the league for the majority of the season, we were getting result after result, we had as much as a five point gap at one point over second, but then with a huge but of bad luck, we lost out. This was of course the Eduardo injury. It so shocked and upset the team that they were never the same afterwards, and though we finished just four points off the champions, we again lost out on silverware.

So do you see what I'm getting at? Each of the last four seasons we have, whether intentionally or unintentionally, focused on one competition. We have fallen short in everything else, but we have always come withing touching distance of silverware. But due to pure bad luck, we have only claimed the trophy in one of the four seasons. I believe that this year will be the same: we will seriously challenge for only one trophy. And we are left with two.

We fell out of the League Cup rather easily, and we will have to fight to finish fourth this season, though I do think we'll eventually claim it. This leaves us with the Champions League and the F.A. Cup. I think we could win either won, but for some reason I just get the impression it will be the F.A. Cup. There are a couple reasons I think so.

First, the competition in the F.A. Cup is always easier than the Champions League, at least in terms of team strength. With Barcelona still in magnificent form and all of the other big teams still in it, the Champions League will be very difficult this season. The second reason is that I have seen hints that the players and club are more determined to win the F.A. Cup than anything else.

Both Cesc and RVP have come out with quotes in the last few days saying how much they'd like to make it to Wembley. And I haven't seen anything close to the same about any other competition this season. The player have been saying they'll give it their all in the other competitions, but I haven't once heard quotes that showed so much desire as in these two. As further evidence we are taking the F.A. Cup seriously this season, look at the team played vs. Plymouth Argyle at the weekend verses the team that faced Burnly in the same round last year.

Last year we rested almost all of our first team, playing back-up fullbacks, the third-choice goalkeeper, reserve strikers, and a weak midfield. We did the same thing later against Man Itd and lost 4-0. And you could see from that game the team really didn't care. This year almost the entire first-team played. Only Clichy, Adebayor, and Almunia were rested, and Clichy was due to injury. But Van Persie, Nasri, Sanga, Denilson, Gallas, Djourou, and most of the rest of the first team played. This is in stark contrast to last year, and I think it shows we are truly concentrating on the F.A. Cup this year.

So perhaps the cycle is starting over again. Perhaps this year we are to reach the F.A. Cup final. And if we do indeed make it, I genuinely believe we will win it. I think, therefore, that our best and most likely source of silverware this season will be the F.A. Cup, and that's why I am now throwing my full support behind the team focusing on that competition this season. I'm really hoping I'm right, and looking at the history books, I think I am.

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Solid, Determined, But Not So Sublime: FA Cup Report

And the title perfectly sums up the performance against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday night. A 3-1 win whose scoreline was perhaps a little harsh on the visitors, but overall reflective of the skill difference between the two teams: and that was all that won is this match.

Plymouth Argyle played their hearts out and I think I can honestly say that they weren't the only ones putting in a determined performance. The Arsenal team out there tonight really looked like they were focused and actually trying to win this match. If there's one thing that's changed over the last month or so it's just that: we are starting to take the small team a bit more seriously.

Nasri and Van Perise both had a good match and either could have claimed the MoM award, but as RVP scored the goals, he'll get the credit. But what worried me, even in the slightest, was what I've just barely mentioned: this was a real effort by Arsenal.

Whilst determination and willingness to win matches used to produce stunning football (like against Man Utd), if this match is anything to go by now it's just getting us wins. There was no fluidity, little lovely football on display last night, and we won through sheer hard work.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see that in the team, but I'm hoping we have a bit more than that in the tank this season. I'm really hoping that this is just a rough patch we're going through right now and that's why performances are not at their flowing best.

One could argue that the entire season has been one big rough patch, but I don't think that's the case. I think we were playing pretty football earlier this season, but we weren't putting our minds to the task, and that led to poor results. Now we have lost our flowing football but we're focusing a lot more and playing more determinedly, and that has led to us being undefeated since the Carling Cup exit.

It all seemed to start with the Liverpool game in hindsight. Before it we had two bad game against Wigan and Middlesbrough, but we were lucky to get four points from the two fixtures. But then against Liverpool we were playing well until Adebayor was sent off. Then we produced the biggest surprise that I have had this season: a determined, life-on-the-line defensive performance with ten men that kept Liverpool out.

After that we have been getting results in the same way: ugly but determined. We played really badly at Aston Villa but almost won and left with a point. We only just beat Portsmouth, but did so with real determination. And tonight we beat Plymouth due to sheer willingness and more classiness.

If this is the new Arsenal, I'm both hating it and loving it. I hate how we are no longer producing lovely, stunning football, but I love how we are getting result after result. This is how to win things: win ugly and often, and we seem, even if incidentally, to have figured this out. Maybe, just maybe, this will give us the silverware this season that we all so desperately want and feel we need. I'm hoping it is, and I'm hoping we have taken the first step toward another trophy tonight: we have learned once again how to win ugly.

Don't forget, you can get now all the Fab 4 Arsenal news and views sent direct to your mobile phone for free, please Click Here for details on how to try out this great service! Until next time,

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What Can We Expect In 2009?

First of all, Happy New Year to all of our readers. As we leave 2008 we can look back on perhaps a year to forget for gooners. In 2008 we saw a title slip through our grip, a number of players leave the club, one of our own injured in Eduardo, and the team change from world-beaters to a UEFA Cup strength side. But 2009 is a new year, and thus a chance to turn it all around.

This year will probably not bring a Premier League title as we thought may happen last year, but I still believe we have a realistic chance of claiming one or both of the other two competitions: the Champions League or the F.A. Cup. And here's how we'll do both.

In order to win the F.A. Cup this season, Arsene Wenger needs to take the competition seriously. If we have to play a lot of our reserves, let's do it in the early rounds such as in the match coming up against Plymouth. But when we get to the difficult sides, I believe it's time to put this competition ahead of the league.

One trophy can make all the difference for a young team, even if it's the F.A. Cup. It can give them confidence and a belief to press on a put in a full effort. Just look at what one trophy did for Manchester Utd. In 2006 they won the League Cup. It wasn't a big trophy or even an important one, but after a few years of winning nothing, it felt to the Man Utd team wonderful. Then, with just one summer signing that year, they went on to win the Premiership title twice in a row and the Champions League last season. I think if we can just win one title, we will be back to our winning ways once again.

Now concerning the Champions League, I don't think we'll have to worry about effort: this team seem to save their effort and energy for the big European clashes and seem to decide not to waste it on the League. Whilst I don't like it, it's the way it is, and it may allow us to become Champions of Europe.

No, it won't be an easy path to the final, but I think that if we can avoid Barcelona until the final, then we'll be able to make it in this year's competition. We can beat anyone in Europe simply because they come out and attack us. Unlike the Premier League, a point isn't good enough for them, and when they come out to try to win, we exploit that space and punish them.

I, and I hope the team as well, don't fear anyone in Europe. The only team I don't think we could beat at the moment is Barcelona, but who knows? If we both make it to the final, we'll be different teams by May. And maybe that will allow us to get sweet revenge against the side that snatched away our first Champions League title in 2006.

Here's hoping for a wonderful 2009. I'm hoping that in the months to follow we will finally win another piece of silverware, the squad will be strengthened, and with the global financial crisis and our club's excellent financial health, we will come out of the year one of the only teams with real money to spare. It's going to be an exciting year, so let's get to it.

Fab 4