Fridays always have the potential to bring better news on the injury front, what with Wenger's press conference, and there was certainly plenty of good news today.

From a list that that seemed earlier on this week to be mushrooming out of control, things now look a bit more normal, don't they?

So what's going on? Well hey guess what this evening Kieran Gibbs has picked up the now mandatory injury playing in the England U21 qualifier away to Lithuania. We await further news, but who thought, when we lined up for the season with three left-footed left-backs, that where left-backs were concerned, we were a touch over-subscribed?

As ever, we cross our fingers in the hope that our players and especially our key players emerge from the pointlessness of international friendly week unscathed.

If I'd asked you before the break which players are absolutely crucial to Arsenal's resurgence and form, you'd have given me a shortlist with 3 or 4 names on it.

After another thumping win, in which we scored four times and went second, it's been interesting to read some of the reaction in the press.

There's no doubt that some of the sceptics have started to take note. We're now thirteen matches unbeaten, and in those 13 games have scored 37 goals. There's even talk that we might break the 100-goal barrier, though surely that's a) absurdly premature and b) asking for a tumble.

I'm not quite sure where this week has gone. It's absolutely motored past. However, I suspect I drifted along, basking a bit too much in derby delight, and before I could whistle, the Champions League game had been and gone, and Stan Kroenke had hoovered up yet more shares.

We continued our fine form, albeit against what turned out to be the limited AZ.

Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham

For a football fan, there can be few things as satisfying as an epic goal bundle.

In order to achieve optimum conditions for bundles, several key elements need to be in place. Surprise is definitely one. Scoring against your old rivals is another.

Nerves

There's no doubt, as a fan, you get a huge buzz from games like these.

Though whether I actually enjoy them at the time well that's a moot point. There's just so much tension, and unless the game is clearly won (and my mathematical equation for when that point is reached has had to be revised in light of what happened last year), then I tend to be too uptight.

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

Another great win in the Milk Cup for the Arsenal thanks to two crackers from Merida and Bendtner.

Though fatigue set in at the end, it was another feather in the cap for Wenger's second string. It seems to happen every year, yet every year it still surprises me how much potential there is bubbling under the surface at the club.

West Ham 2-2 Arsenal

There are draws that seem like wins, and there are draws that seem like defeats. Today's was both depending which team you support.

Deeply frustrating if you're an Arsenal fan though. Coming back from two goals up might be a theme of the weekend, but it doesn't make it any less infuriating, does it?

Points dropped, not a big deal

I was very close to lauding Alex Song to the heavens last night when he dropped his guard as to be honest did the rest of the Arsenal defence in the 93rd minute, enabling AZ Alkmaar to equalise.

He did have a terrific game, but he's not the polished gem we would yet have him to be, even though his improvement has been spectacular.

Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham City

I suppose football is the popular game that it is partly because, while money, good management and history will always bubble to the top over the course of a season, so much still relies on the vagaries of the human mind.

So it was yesterday.

Well here we all are again, a little dustier and a trifle older, but here we all are nevertheless.

I did try to get excited about the internationals. But I couldn't. I missed the Ukraine game entirely, and though I did watch the Belarus game, it was so inconsequential that I lost interest faster than I do when I periodically attempt doing some DIY.

International Week 0-0 Excitement

Interminable, isn't it? Though it's not like our players are all sitting at home twiddling on their Wiis we've got 20 away on international duty. Am I being a cynic to suggest that the chances of all 20 of those players coming back uninjured is practically nil?

A rather blustery morning to you all.

After three old-school Saturday 3pm league kick-offs, we're back at the whim of the televisual gods with a 1.30pm Sunday start. Our game will doubtless be the lesser written about and hyped of the two Sunday games, but that's fine with me. If we can keep chipping away at the fixtures we need to chisel off the slate, that suits me fine.