Some players want to leave, Arsenal will be going places this summer, the English NT is filled with jerks... your usual cup of Arse here at the Offside

We start today's blog with a subject Arsenal fans are always delighted to hear about: player departures. Park Chu-Young has indicated that if keeps getting ignored for play action, he might leave in the summer.

Slowly some of those long standing absences are working their way back into the Arsenal squad and not a moment too soon. The latest update has Kieran Gibbs ready and available for next week's Arsenal Champions League first leg against AC Milan if Wenger so desires. Thomas Vermaelen stuck at left back might finally get some relief and relocate to his more familiar centre back role with Laurent Koscielny.

I don't know if you've noticed, but January has been pretty awful so far. We've lost all three of our league games, and we've gone back to our old habit of throwing away leads. United swept us aside with an ease that was almost saddening, given how massive the games between the two clubs used to be.

In a toughly contested match at the Emirates Stadium, Manchester United emerged 2-1 winners over Arsenal to move within three points of the Barclays Premier League summit.

Earlier in the day, league leaders Manchester City went six points clear at the top thanks to a late penalty kick converted by Mario Balotelli.

On Sunday, January 22, 2012, Manchester United will take the pitch against Arsenal at the Emirates. Cognizant of the simple fact that Manchester United handed Arsenal an 8-2 loss that is counted amongst the very worst in a period of 100 years, no one is giving much reason to believe that the Gunners have a chance against the Red Devils.

Arsenal has suffered some terrible bad luck with defensive injuries this season. We lost Sagna, Gibbs and Jenkinson all with a 17 days in October, but the loss that has hurt us most was the loss of Santos in December. Santos was an attacking full-back and gave us extra attacking options something that has been lacking in recent weeks.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain

Alex made his big move to Arsenal in the summer for a massive £15million. The England U21 international has been outstanding when he has featured this season and will have a big part to play in the second half of the season. At the start of December Wenger tipped Chamberlain to make the England 2012 squad for the summer tournament which could him play more and more in the second half of the season.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain

Alex made his big move to Arsenal in the summer for a massive £15million. The England U21 international has been outstanding when he has featured this season and will have a big part to play in the second half of the season. At the start of December Wenger tipped Chamberlain to make the England 2012 squad for the summer tournament which could him play more and more in the second half of the season.

Slow news weeks, obviously. Still, a couple of tidbits are noteworthy. Find out which legendary French striker is held in high regard by Gibbs and why our next transfer target could be a 16 year old. More after the jump.

When Thierry Henry re-joined the Gunners at the start of the month, there were questions regarding his potential worth to the team, but also his effect on the team chemistry that has progressed leaps and bounds since the start of the season- it's obvious that this is one of the most closely-knit and cohesive Arsenal team in years.

Arsene Wenger brought in Ju-Young Park from Monaco this summer as competition for the mis-firing Marouane Chamakh, and was convinced he would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad. Wenger said on his arrival: "We are delighted to have signed Ju. He will add true quality to our attacking forces and will be a [.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has at last re-signed for the Gunners, it has just been announced. The deal was concluded in time for the Frenchman to be eligible to play in Monday's FA Cup clash with Leeds although doubts remain about his match fitness.

Henry has left speculators, pundits and critics undecided about the impact this might have on the Arsenal squad.

The imminent resigning of Arsenal Legend Thierry Daniel Henry has left speculators, pundits and critics undecided about the impact this might have on the Arsenal squad. It is easy to overlook the Wenger & Henry combination which has proved to be successful on and off for approximately twenty years.

Arsene Wenger has recently attested to Thierry Henry's greatness. Arsene Wenger has suggested the old hero could even be a top player right now, even at 34 years of age, in the English Premiership. Now it has emerged that Per Mertesacker, the gigantic German defender, has said pretty much the same.

The recent strong run by the Gunners has created this impression that they are a hard lot to beat. I am among the many Gooners who have noted and commented on the doggedness of this Arsenal squad. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to see if some numbers back the new found resolve that is being widely perceived and how other top teams stacked up when compared to Arsenal.

The recent strong run by the Gunners has created this impression that they are a hard lot to beat. I am among the many Gooners who have noted and commented on the doggedness of this Arsenal squad. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to see if some numbers back the new found resolve that is being widely perceived and how other top teams stacked up when compared to Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger made a grave error by playing Andre Santos in the irrelevant Champions League game against Olympiakos, and he now regrets it for both the player and the Arsenal squad, who could do with him still fit and well. "I took a gamble because I did not want to be accused of just throwing [...]

Arsene Wenger is more than happy with his last minute signing of the transfer window Mikel Arteta, and says that he is already a key part of the new Arsenal squad. "Mikel has taken a big importance in our team very quickly," Wenger said. "Of course I knew about his talent, but he is a [...]

Arsene Wenger rotated his team as expected for the game against Man City last night, and although he thinks his youthful Arsenal squad played with "heart, quality and desire", he feels that they were a bit naive when it came to Sergio Aguero's winning goal just seven minutes from the end of the game.

Ahead of the game that could seal the Gunners' progression from the group stages, Arsène Wenger offered very little bad news regarding the Arsenal squad for the Borussia Dortmund encounter on Wednesday evening. While Tomas Rosicky will be disappointed to be unable to face his former side with "a small thigh strain", Abou Diaby's recovery [.

The likely starters

It's football day once again. Not something you would usually expect so soon, since Arsenal only last played on Sunday. Seemed to remember reading somewhere that the FA asked if we are comfortable with the schedule and we didn't say no. So, no point pondering over that now.

Arsène Wenger has been mulling over the idea of resting Van Persie for today's visit from Stoke, the player having been the only ever-present member of the Arsenal squad this season along with Szczęsny. Despite having an on-form, proven striker in Park, it is Chamakh that seems to be the most likely to replace the [.

Although nothing can be guaranteed, Thomas Vermaelen's return to the Arsenal squad is looking to be in around a fortnight's time, with Wenger saying "He will be back in full training on Friday. It is 10 days to two weeks for him". At the beginning of the season, the Belgian was seen as the perfect [.

Will be training at Colney for a few more seasons now

If the team needed any lifting before their trip to Marseille, this should be it. The news of Thomas Vermaelen penning an extension to his contract. Obviously, what transpired in the summer has got a lot of fans worried that the situation might be replicated with those currently with 2 years left on his contract.

When Robin Van Persie stalled on his Arsenal contract talks earlier in the month, there were tremors felt everywhere. Clubs were perking up their ears, waiting for new development. Arsenal fans were quaking....dismayed that yet another "home-grown" star is on the verge of leaving. Arsenal has not been known to keep their stars with huge wage packages and therefore it will not be hard to imagine the departure of the Dutch star come end of this season.

Arsene Wenger went on a last minute spending spree at the end of the transfer window, and although the new players are taking their time integrating into the Arsenal squad, Wenger is convinced that he now has the strength in depth to challenge for all trophies, and also to cover for the usual long injury [.

Written by Oz Gunner

Theodore Roosevelt once said:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Stuart Holden got back into the mix this Tuesday playing for Bolton in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in a Carling Cup fixture. It was his first competitive start in six months after a Jonny Evans tackle tore his knee ligaments.

Holden had to undergo reconstructive surgery and subsequent rehabilitation for his injured knee.

After five matches in the English Premier League 2011/12 season, Arsenal are sitting in 17th position and have the worst goal difference in the league. It would be unthinkable to suggest that this is where the club will be at the end of the season, but Arsenal fans are genuinely worried that Champions League football might be off the table next year.

Arsenal are aiming to rebound strongly from their most recent Barclays Premier League setback at Blackburn by using a string of talented youngsters against Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup tonight.

On a night where Leeds United will reignite a huge rivalry with reigning English champions Manchester United, Shrewsbury's visit to the Emirates was originally nothing more than a mere formality.

Robin van Persie has urged his Arsenal teammates to rebound quickly from the 4-3 defeat at Blackburn by reminding them that a long season lies ahead.

Van Persie, who did not hesitate in stating that the Gunners were unfortunate in losing to an inferior Rovers side in Saturday's early kick-off at Ewood Park, is looking forward to three home fixtures in a row, which will provide Arsene Wenger's men with an excellent opportunity to finally claim back-to-back wins.

It is being reported this morning that Arsene Wenger has not finished his investment in the growing Arsenal squad, and is still looking for another top class creative midfielder, and it seems he is now looking at another cast-off from one of Spain's giants. This time the focus is on the out-of-favour midfielder Estaban Granero, [.

Arsene Wenger wrapped up as many as five quality signings on the transfer deadline day but not all members of his squad are feeling confident about the future ahead.

Russian winger Andrei Arshavin, for one, believes that the Gunners' failure to sign a defensive midfielder such as Rennes' Yann M'Vila not only left the Arsenal midfield incomplete, but also prevented Wenger from compensating for the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

- Tom Thomas

Arsène Wenger will be feeling very sad tonight. Not just the sadness you feel when you're disappointed with yourself, but a certain sadness trailed by the desperation and helplessness of knowing you're in a corner and you may well have put yourself there.

- Tom Thomas

Arsène Wenger will be feeling very sad tonight. Not just the sadness you feel when you're disappointed with yourself, but a certain sadness trailed by the desperation and helplessness of knowing you're in a corner and you may well have put yourself there.

Arsenal's summer signing Gervinho has revealed that former Gunner Samir Nasri convinced him to seal a transfer from Lille to the Emirates by promising that they would be playing together at the club this season.

However, with Nasri recently completing a protracted move to Manchester City, Gervinho has urged the entire Arsenal squad to overcome the pain of losing such a key playmaker by responding collectively.

Manager Arsene Wenger was delighted to see the Gunners qualify for the group stage of the Champions League as the win over Udinese eases the pressure on his young Arsenal squad. Speaking in his post-match press ...

Arsene Wenger's hope in reinforcing his Arsenal squad with some top names in the market doesn't look promising as one of the Frech tactician's target, Eden Hazard, looks to be a difficult purchase since the player's current club, Lille, isn't keen on selling the young prodigy.

The French champion's boss, Frederic Paquet, stated that Hazard isn't going anywhere including to Emirates this summer since the club have already released some important players, especially Gervinho, who was also bought by Wenger earlier this month.

It may come as good news to some of you, but on the other hand it may not as it depends on your point of view. Samir Nasri looks set to travel to Italy with the rest of the Arsenal squad for the make or break game with Udinese. Nasri trained with the rest of [...]

Arsene Wenger is expected to make some big-name signings at long last with days remaining before the transfer window closes.

It emerged that Kaka, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines, Yann M'Vila & Lille forward Eden Hazard are all possible targets*.

But here lies the problems, Arsenal fans, including myself are fed up with that word.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has urged his teammates to acknowledge the quality of Tottenham Hotspur as Harry Redknapp's men visit Old Trafford for this evening's mouth-watering clash with the champions.

The Spurs could not enjoy the excitement of a home opener at White Hart Lane last weekend as their match against Everton was called off due to riots in the area.