When Wenger first came to England, the other title contenders had more or less sewn up the scouting network on the British Isles, the next George Best or Denis Law was going to be snapped up by United or Liverpool.

He had his connections in France and other parts of the continent... he stole a massive march on Fergie and Co by signing the likes of Anelka and Fabregras whilst the rest were scouting on a cold evening at Turf Moor.

So here we go, without doubt the biggest game since our last eye-catching fixture for which three points were at stake. While the win over a pretty inept Everton had all and sundry proclaiming this lilywhite vintage the greatest thing since Danny Blanchflower sliced a loaf, the draw with uber-negative Wolves had Hansen imploring all Spurs-supporting MoTD viewers to find their nearest cliff-top and hurl themselves in anguish – so whatever the outcome against table-topping City the reaction will presumably border on the apocalyptic.

So finally this much-vaunted "Game in Hand" is upon us. Truth be told, I will be a little sad to see it go. It has practically become part of the family, like a scruffy, uncouth urchin discovered in the wreckage of the summer riots, and adopted by the cheery folk of White Hart Lane. And let's face it, this Game in Hand has proved more useful than the Sword of Omens when it comes to pointless bickering with fans of l'Arse, Chelski, Liverpool and the like.

Apologies for the tardiness – AANP Towers has been overrun by tiny people the last few days...

And it had all begun so well. Our lot spent the opening minutes pinging the ball between themselves with such dizzying rapidity that the only time a Chelski touched the thing in the opening ten minutes was that lad on halfway, who was promptly crunched by Sandro, releasing Bale to release Adebayor for our goal.

Apologies for the tardiness – AANP Towers has been overrun by tiny people the last few days...

And it had all begun so well. Our lot spent the opening minutes pinging the ball between themselves with such dizzying rapidity that the only time a Chelski touched the thing in the opening ten minutes was that lad on halfway, who was promptly crunched by Sandro, releasing Bale to release Adebayor for our goal.

Crunch time. This one could not be much bigger if it were written in size 72 font, stretched in a rack and then injected with muscle-steroid-type-things by that Russian giant of a chap David Haye beat a couple of years back. It's not just the three points, which would give us a five-point platform from which to wave down at Chelski, with a game in hand.

Crunch time. This one could not be much bigger if it were written in size 72 font, stretched in a rack and then injected with muscle-steroid-type-things by that Russian giant of a chap David Haye beat a couple of years back. It's not just the three points, which would give us a five-point platform from which to wave down at Chelski, with a game in hand.

Three more points, and all comfortable enough, but this being AANP Towers, and we being Spurs fans, I react to third place in the festive season not by praising our heroes, but by flagging up areas for improvement.

Specifically, I do beseech our heroes to make life a bit easier for all concerned by walloping opponents out of sight once in a while.

If life at Chelsea can not get any worst for Fernando Torres at Chelsea, now the blues are looking a signing a replacement him, Justin Bieber. Bieber trained at Chelsea with Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres and some people said he does not miss sitters like Torres does.

Yes it was only QPR (nota bene, Chelski), and no one does not really like to brag – but by golly our lot could not have played with more swagger if they had purred around in Lamborghinis with Megan Fox in the passenger's seat and Snoop Dogg mixing cocktails in the back, while the stereo blared out Test Match Special.

The best goalie in the league will clearly keep his place Chezney

Full Backs Keep the Brazilian Santos going at Left Back, and hopefully bring in a proper Right Back in Jenko, who seems to be back fit. Djourou done ok against Stoke, but eventually a good winger will destroy a Centre Back playing in a makeshift full back role.

So the last of the Mohicans in Raul Meireles scores and sets up Torres to set Chelski on their way to a 5-0 win against Belgian side Genk (Ever been to Belgium? Its quaint and compact).
I was surprised when Meireles left Liverpool and I think we have missed his guile and craft and his goal-scoring abilities, yet it was strange to see him linking up with another former Red in Torres in Chelsea colours to secure an emphatic win for Abramovic 5-0.

Look who's back. the reunion is earlier than expected

And we thought we could get a few months to move on, pretend he never existed, and then came Thursday and the Champions League Draw.

Lets step back and take a look at the last few days and two very positive and exciting pieces of news.

Some transfer rumours are pure fabrication, some are speculation and a very few have genuine substance having said that, it is unwise to dismiss all the current stories surrounding Arsenal players when they stall over signing new contracts and are a year away from leaving on a free.

Make no mistake, Cesc wants to go to Barca and Clichy and Nasri are looking elsewhere for big money (and possibly the notion that they may be more likely to win trophies).

You're looking at the gorgeous Miss Universe 2010, Mexico's Ximena Navarrete, proudly holding up her host country's paper slip in last night's U-17 FIFA World Cup Draw which kicks off on June 18. The host country has been drawn with The Netherlands, Korea DPR and Congo and will play the opening match in three weeks!

That is correct, the Champions elect Arsenal, travel to play West Bromich Albion this afternoon.

United drawing Chelski in the quarters of the CL means they now have 3 battles with each other over the next 6 or so weeks.. in essence, United have an extra 2 EPL fixtures to contend with as the two legs won't be played out like continental affairs, as we have seen over the past 7 seasons with the all prem battles between the likes of Arsenal-Chels, Pool-Chels, Arsenal-Utd.

I was going to write a piece having a pop at the little fat nazi fucking heart attack patient in waiting, who was dressed up as a referee at St James' Park yesterday... but then I thought otherwise. Nothing new happened, nothing surprised me... come on Gooners, comrades... brothers and sisters in arms.

I was going to write a piece having a pop at the little fat nazi fucking heart attack patient in waiting, who was dressed up as a referee at St James' Park yesterday... but then I thought otherwise. Nothing new happened, nothing surprised me... come on Gooners, comrades... brothers and sisters in arms.

"You mean it will be difficult?"
"Very."
"Well this is not Mission Difficult, Mr Hunt, it's Mission Impossible. Difficult should be a walk in the park for you."

However, the chances seem increasingly slim that we will all have smug Tom Cruise-esque grins etched across our faces come May.

My theory behind this outlandish claim is simple.... you see, I have the distinct feeling that Old Purple Nose himself now truly believes following in the footsteps of the Great Arsenal Invincibles is highly achievable.

Why? Well United this term are a team quite unlike previous Fergie iterations, in that they lack a cutting edge, style, a flair.