Arsenal have two visits to Sunderland on consecutive Saturdays in different competitions and both have the potential to improve the season but could also make it far worse. The focus for now, obviously, has to be on the more immediate fixture that is the upcoming League meeting.

It would be an understatement to suggest that Martin O'Neill has turned the fortunes of the Black Cats around.

By Phil Gregory

A resurgent Sunderland side lie in wait for Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, though a 7-1 drubbing of Blackburn could prove to be the catalyst for revitalising our own campaign. The draw at Bolton recently means that we really must be getting the three points from Sunderland if we are serious about catching [.

For all the crisis talk, it hasn't been a bad fortnight for Arsenal. At half time against Villa, we were staring down the barrel of a fourth successive defeat, and an early exit from a competition that was beginning to open up thanks to some high profile ties that we had managed to avoid. Since then, we have seen actual mental strength (as opposed to the professed type that leaves us scratching our heads in disbelief) in that comeback win, a match against Bolton which, while frustrating from a result point of view, was a sharp improvement in performance on those that had come before, and a thumping seven goal win over a Blackburn side that inflicted perhaps our most painful defeat of the season back in September (yes, I count that 4-3 loss as worse than the United hammering).

Israeli midfielder Ashraf Soliman was involved in arguably the most exciting game of his life when Maccabi Umm al-Fahm took on Hapoel Afula in a cup tie. With his team 2-1 up and injury-time looming, Soliman contrived to score perhaps the worst (or best depending how you look at it) own goal ever as he [.

Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com

The pieces are in place for it to be the weekend of the landmark appearance for Americans across Europe.

After Tim Ream was named to Bolton's matchday roster and Charlie Davies was named to Sochaux's, West Ham announced that centerback George John will be part of the 20-man traveling party for the club's match at Peterborough United on Saturday.

Woolwich Arsenal, the club that changed football. Have your name in the book as an official sponsor. Updated information here

Today's referee is Kevin Friend This review can also bring some perspective to our goalless draw this week as one of our competitors for the 4th spot went under at Bolton.

There's a story about David Bentley.

I kid, I kid. I'm all out of Bentley stories. I could tell you my epic about Arturo Lupoli, his secret agent dog and his layabout sidekick, but it's all a bit too similar to an episode of Scooby Doo and I need to give it some work.

So, what's going on in the world of Arsenal?

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland Highlights FA Cup Replay 2012 1-2 Goals Video Jack Colback L. Jutkiewicz Sessegnon is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland Highlights FA Cup Replay 2012 1-2 Goals Video Jack Colback L. Jutkiewicz Sessegnon is a post from Soccer Blogger.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has dedicated his team's recent 7-1 mauling of Blackburn Rovers to their under-pressure manager Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners dominated the relegation-threatened side last weekend, which was the first time that they collected all three points this year. The lopsided victory means that Arsenal are now just three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who threw away a three-goal advantage against Manchester United on Sunday.

I don't think I exaggerate when I say that people were surprised by the Le Toux trade to Vancouver.

People understood why Le Toux might want to move to EPL club Bolton and many supported the decision even if they were sad about the possibility of losing our favorite Frenchman (I will post more thoughts on it in my second part of evaluating the Union off-season when the dust finally settles).

Minneapolis, Minn., – 02/06/2012 The University of Minnesota women's soccer team has announced the 2012 signing class with the addition of six new student-athletes to the Gopher program. Head coach Mikki Denney Wright has snagged five Minnesota preps stars in Ellie Arvesen, Mehan Bolton, Elle Dykema, Kristen Knutson and Allie Reinke while also pulling in [.

Untold Injury Index – Gameweek 24

By Dale Higginbottom

Here we are, back again for the second time in just a couple of days and unlike the feeling that was surrounding the game at Bolton, we're on a bit of a high after this one. Yes, it's only Blackburn but you [.

Gary Cahill made his long awaited debut for Chelsea against United last Sunday and I thought he did well and looked calm and composed. OK there is an argument that he was part of a defence that conceded three goals but two of them were penalties and you he is in no way at fault for the Hernandez header.

There was a time under the soon to be booted nicest man in football when Sydney won 1-0 - boring but they won.
Then in season 2, they lost 1-0. More boring and more frustrating.
Now in Season 3 they lose, by 3, 4 or 5 and that's at home.
Mr Lavicka might be nice - but he's a pretty ordinary coach.

Newcastle vs Aston Villa 2012 Highlights 2-1 Goals Video Demba Ba Robbie Keane Papiss Cisse is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Newcastle vs Aston Villa 2012 Highlights 2-1 Goals Video Demba Ba Robbie Keane Papiss Cisse is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Newcastle vs Aston Villa 2012 ( Newcastle United Aston Villa Video below) Final score and result:- Newcastle vs Aston Villa 2-1 ( Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse/ Robbie Keane) Sports [.

After a two month hiatus, our Great Teams series is up and running again with this account of Blackburn Rovers' return to the top echelon in 2001, a third Lancastrian study in a row after Fiona Martin and myself considered matters Blackpool and Bolton in turn. You can follow Phil on twitter here - and look out for further entries in the series throughout February.

Last time out George got 4 results right and no perfect score.
Saturday 4 February 2012
Arsenal 1 Blackburn 0
Norwich 1 Bolton 1
QPR 2 Wolves 0
Stoke 2 Sunderland 2
West Brom 1 Swansea 1
Wigan 1 Everton 2
Man City 3 Fulham 1
Sunday 5 Febuary 2012
Newcastle 2 Aston Villa 1
Chelsea 0 v Manchester United 0
Monday 6 February 2012
Liverpool 1 Tottenham 1
Last week's Premier League predictions
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Click Here to Get a Free £50 Bet for All New Paddy Power Customers Chelsea v Man United On the face of it, Chelsea reaching for Bolton's best defender to help shore up their own leaky backline looks a bit odd. It'd be like the Belgians asking France to protect them from a German invasion [...]

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has publicly spoken of his side's recent struggles after the Gunners could only muster a 0-0 draw against Bolton earlier this week. Arsenal have been in a poor run of form of late, prompting many media outlets to question the future of Arsene Wenger.

"We had a lot of chances to win the game at Bolton, but once again we've not been good enough to take them," said Arsenal's Spanish midfielder.

Football is a funny game. When you predict like a master pundit (read-Carlton Palmer) every thing goes topsy turvy and it actually ends up even more interesting. The past week was no exception and it had everything, I mean everything. For a guy like me the premier league is the only source of joy in what can be called an uneventful life (Yes, what can you do when you are an engineer with a long and winding road ahead).

After the recent defeat at Bolton, many fans were surprised by Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's ferocious public attack on his players, but Jamie Redknapp - who was signed by Dalglish during his first spell in charge at the club - believes the public rebuke was the right tactic to employ, and he feels it will lay a positive foundation for the rest of the season.

"Not good enough."

Three words used often by football fans to describe aspects of the club they support. They're used in relation to certain players, performances, the manager, the board, the price of a pint and a pie, how their club handles various communications, pretty much anything they've got the hump with for one reason or another.

It may not have been a coincidence that the Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta was out injured while Arsenal had their run of three defeats since the New Year, but he was back for this weeks 0-0 draw with Bolton, and he is not very happy with the team's performances. "We had a lot of chances [...]

While the Gophers have not yet released information on their signings for the 2012 season, three players have committed to the University of Minnesota while another, Mehan Bolton, said last fall that she had made a verbal commitment to the team. Elle Dykema from Northfield High School, Kristen Knutson from Eagan and Allison Reinke from [.

In the preview I wrote, "there will be goals in this game for sure". I don't know how, but both sides managed to keep the ball out of their opponents' nets when scoring would have seemed like the easier option. Arsenal had a lot of chances, very good ones. And they missed them all.

Twitter went mad after the game, as it usually does after a disappointing result I guess.

Con la seconda tranche di gare, che è andata in scena ieri, si è conclusa la 23/a giornata di Premier League, che era iniziata con i successi di United, Tottenham e Liverpool e il ko del City. Solo un punticino, invece, per un'altra big inglese, l'Arsenal di Wenger che, a casa del Bolton, non vaContinua a leggere .

Bolton 0 Arsenal 0
(Premiership)

Last night's clash at the Reebok was a classic example of a football match not being an isolated occasion, and not judged as such, but rather an act in a bigger play, with interpretations not purely taken from the ninety minutes of action, but from the wider context of both clubs.

I was not happy after Villa Why? Cos minus 2 penalties and a fluke goal, we played average at best. We rarely created any real goalscoring opportunities from open play. I am never over enthused with Arsenal when we don't actually play Wengerball.

When we get those slick passing triangles going, opening up a host of chances.

Given that Sam Allardyce supposedly had the hex over us while he was in charge at Bolton, it was interesting to find out that we've actually won 9 out of our last ten games against Bolton in the league. Until today, our last failure to beat Bolton was the rather galling 2-1 defeat last year, when Nasri choked, and we failed to defend our set-pieces.

Perhaps that should be, 2012 HAS to be different. More than some recent poor results, last night's 0-0 with Bolton felt like it signalled the death knell for our season.

I say this because for once we can't hide behind conceding fluke goals or wonder goals. I say this because despite keeping a clean sheet for the first time in what feels like eternity, we could not score at a ground where the likes of United and Chelsea scored five.

Perhaps that should be, 2012 HAS to be different. More than some recent poor results, last night's 0-0 with Bolton felt like it signalled the death knell for our season.

I say this because for once we can't hide behind conceding fluke goals or wonder goals. I say this because despite keeping a clean sheet for the first time in what feels like eternity, we could not score at a ground where the likes of United and Chelsea scored five.

Perhaps that should be, 2012 HAS to be different. More than some recent poor results, last night's 0-0 with Bolton felt like it signalled the death knell for our season.

I say this because for once we can't hide behind conceding fluke goals or wonder goals. I say this because despite keeping a clean sheet for the first time in what feels like eternity, we could not score at a ground where the likes of United and Chelsea scored five.

Perhaps that should be, 2012 HAS to be different. More than some recent poor results, last night's 0-0 with Bolton felt like it signalled the death knell for our season.

I say this because for once we can't hide behind conceding fluke goals or wonder goals. I say this because despite keeping a clean sheet for the first time in what feels like eternity, we could not score at a ground where the likes of United and Chelsea scored five.

Critics may already be writing off Arsenal's chances of a top-four finish after last night's goalless draw at Bolton but manager Arsene Wenger has evidence that his side his actually improving.

In his post-match press conference, Wenger was reminded that earning only a point in their last four fixtures had pushed the Gunners to seventh position in the Premier League standings.

By Phil Gregory

Well, 0-0 versus Bolton was a disappointment and a serious blow to attempts to haul in Tottenham. The odds on that front are getting near the stage where it would be irrational to expect us to overhaul our neighbour should we not shrink the gap over the next few games. Fortunately Chelsea [.

Fine margins

February and all we've collected from 2012 is a solitary point in the league. Unfortunately for a club the size of Arsenal and the ambitions that we harbour, that is not good enough. 7th is where we are right now in terms of the league standings and hopes of staying with the top pack and clinching that vital Champions League position is not mathematically out of grab.

Down to 7th in the Premier League

We've fired a blank against the worst defence in the league.

And our great hope Wilshire is injured again.

Is this the lowest we have been as Arsenal fans in the last 7 years?

No, is the answer. The lowest was 6 months ago when we had just lost arguably our 2 best players in their prime, had been stuffed 8-2 at Old Trafford, and we're struggling to stay in the Champions League.

Down to 7th in the Premier League

We've fired a blank against the worst defence in the league.

And our great hope Wilshire is injured again.

Is this the lowest we have been as Arsenal fans in the last 7 years?

No, is the answer. The lowest was 6 months ago when we had just lost arguably our 2 best players in their prime, had been stuffed 8-2 at Old Trafford, and we're struggling to stay in the Champions League.

Sigh.

First of all, the Arsenal Offside would like to place its thoughts to the victims from today's awful turn of events in Egypt. A truly disheartening experience. Some things are bigger than football, and this was definitely one of them.

Typical Arsenal. A few days after a great comeback victory, a victory that had the potential to help turn our season around and put us on the right track (granted, it was a poor Villa side), we draw against an insipid Bolton side that is currently languishing around the relegation zone.

Newcastle United are up to fifth in the Premier League after they beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0, while Arsenal's poor run of form continues as they were held 0-0 at Bolton.

Newcastle are now just three points behind Chelsea and a UEFA Champions League place as the Magpies leapfrog both Liverpool and Arsenal with the win.