The first time I saw Gervinho play was in the 2010 world cup for the Ivory Coast. Every time he had the ball, the crowd would go wild because of his amazing ability to get past any man who stood in his way. He has fast footwork like we see from Cristiano Ronaldo and he could actually score goals.
We all know what is at stake and tonight, we, and I mean those fans who are lucky enough to attend, have to push our lads to 3 points.
As a child I had an idea that if all the fans on the North Bank simultaneously sucked in air at a corner kick then the ball was sure to go into the net. It just had to be delivered into the right area and the ensuing suction would ensure another goal for my heroes.
After last night's game, Arsenal have got a reprieve and are now masters of their own destiny. Two wins from the last two games against Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United will ensure a top four finish and continue the incredible run of qualifying for the Champions League under Arsene Wenger. As the Gunners are just two points behind Chelsea in third place and they have two hard games against Aston Villa and Everton, as well as the Europa League final against Benfica in between them, there is still a chance for Arsenal to snatch third place.
There are worrying reports coming from behind the scenes at Arsenal involving possible summer signings, and that is before the transfer window has even opened. Apparently Arsene Wenger is keen on securing the signature of his long term target Loic Remy, while other club officials feel the target should be Wilfried Bony.
Arsene Wenger usually keeps his Arsenal team selection close to his chest, so it was a bit of a surprise yesterday when he issued a statement that clearly intimated that he would be playing the German international striker Lukas Podolski as the centre forward in the absence of Olivier Giroud. The tall French front man has two more games of his three match ban to go before he can return for the final day trip to Newcastle United, so Wenger was asked whether he had confidence that Podolski could fill in successfully.
Earlier in the season, when Arsenal were negotiating with Theo Walcott and his representatives about a new contract, we kept hearing that it was not about money, although he did manage to get a nice wage increase. Arsene Wenger and Walcott both said that some of the talk was about the England international's desire to play as a centre forward.
Arsenal have three more games left in the Premier League and will have to do without Olivier Giroud for the first two of those. The French international had established himself as one of the first players on the Gunners teamsheet after a few wobbles earlier in the season, but Arsene Wenger has another decision to make this weekend.
This weekend's game is certainly our toughest fixture in the run in to the end of the season and it comes against already crowned Premier League champions Manchester United. Arsenal will welcome back former captain Robin Van Persie, and although it's important not to focus on RVP for this game, no doubt that will be the main talking point.
1. "The Take That". No, not four young gentleman who live with their mothers and like musicals. Oh no. This is the "Watch out Johnny Foreigner, we're about to drop the Big One on you."
2. "The Hug". The Group Huggy, "We're all in this together" teamwork tap in.
1. "The Take That". No, not four young gentleman who live with their mothers and like musicals. Oh no. This is the "Watch out Johnny Foreigner, we're about to drop the Big One on you."
2. "The Hug". The Group Huggy, "We're all in this together" teamwork tap in.
The Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was effectively excluded from taking part in the final part of the Gunners race for the Top Four after being sent off in the dying minutes against Fulham last week.
Video evidence seemed to show that Giroud slipped as he went for the ball, and although contact was made he also clattered his studs into the leg of Stanislav Manolev.
Olivier Giroud has certainly had an interesting first season in the English Premier League since joining Arsenal from the French champions Montpellier. The French international has gone from hero to villain, and back again, a few times already. He has split opinion, not just with the Arsenal fans but with football reporters and commentators as well.
Things are getting very tight at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal have got four games left to ensure a top four finish and qualification for the Champions League next season. Arsene Wenger was dealt a blow yesterday when the FA deemed the red card and three match ban for Olivier Giroud would stand, leaving the professor with a tough decision to make.
Who will Wenger choose as Striker against Man UTD? by Rory
Giroud's sending off against Fulham was worrying at the time; however looking to our next game (A huge game against Man Utd) the sending off of Giroud could be a benefit to Arsenal.
Giroud's record is not bad for his first season, however his conversion rate is horrendous, and when I watched him at the Emirates against Everton, it was the first time I realised a professional footballer could sky the ball way over the goal from five yards.
Arsene Wenger has got a number of selection decisions to make for Arsenal's trip to Fulham tomorrow. These may be affected by the relative fitness of some of the players, but for the purposes of this article I am going to assume that, barring Diaby and Fabianski, there are no major injury concerns.
Arsenal's very own attacking enigma Gervinho, who can be brilliant on one day and an abject failure the next, has been talking about his childhood in the Ivory Coast and how football has changed his life.
Arsene Wenger has explained how importance confidence is to the Ivorian's game and Gervinho himself has now showed his emotional side.
What do you call someone who does the opposite of supporting their own team?
Well, yes, there is that, but this is a family blog so four-letter words are frowned upon. We need another name for them.
I was pondering this question on Saturday while watching us struggle to break down a 10 man Norwich defence (more of a parked combine harvester than a bus, really).
What do you call someone who does the opposite of supporting their own team?
Well, yes, there is that, but this is a family blog so four-letter words are frowned upon. We need another name for them.
I was pondering this question on Saturday while watching us struggle to break down a 10 man Norwich defence (more of a parked combine harvester than a bus, really).
It's coming up to a year now since we first started to hear of Podolski being in contact with Arsenal after his previous club FC Koln allowed us to talk to the German International, and we were all filled with excitement. As signings go, Arsenal doesn't purchase many ‘big name' players but Podolski was certainly one of these rarities.
After Lukas Podolski was left on the Arsenal bench after scoring against Bayern Munich there have been many rumours saying that there was some sort of rift with Arsene Wenger. Some people were saying that Podolski was injured but that was scuppered when he played 70 minutes for Germany a few weeks ago.
Arsenal 3 – 1 Norwich, the Gunners manage to somehow turn it around by KJ
This was an absolute bore-fest for the majority of the match and it was made even worse when we conceded an extraordinarily soft goal in the 58th minute. However, our substitutes rallied the troops and we somehow managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Words I Never thought I Would Say- Drop Walcott for Gervinho!! by Dan S.
The last time I went to the Emirates was in February to see Arsenal get knocked out of the FA Cup by Blackburn Rovers. My lasting image was of Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere being the only two to stay on the pitch and thank the fans while the rest of their teammates hurried down the tunnel with their heads down.
Let's be honest. Dig deep inside and search for the the truth. You expect us to secure three points this afternoon. Go on, Admit it.
If like me you never predict a win for fear of "boking" (Irish for curse) the team, then you will be doing all you can to pretend this is a difficult fixture against a team who have upset us in the recent past, but we all know we should beat Norwich today.
Let's be honest. Dig deep inside and search for the the truth. You expect us to secure three points this afternoon. Go on, Admit it.
If like me you never predict a win for fear of "boking" (Irish for curse) the team, then you will be doing all you can to pretend this is a difficult fixture against a team who have upset us in the recent past, but we all know we should beat Norwich today.
Being out of the cups certainly seems to suit this Arsenal side. Finally showing the sort of form that deserted us at the start of the season, even our Ivorian Messi Gervinho is finally getting back in on the action. Yet when you take a step back, it's all rather frustrating. The defensive stability which looks set to bookmark our season was not there at a time which could have defined our season, and players who spent time in and out of the side playing poorly seem to have found a fighting spirit and determination that could ultimately have helped end the anxious wait for silverware.
There have always been questions over Arsenal's lack of depth for many years now but this season, you feel there is an abundance of quality players ready to factor in on the wings. This season, we started with the options of Podolski, Walcott, Gervinho and Chamberlain on the wings.
Arsenal's budget, who we can get and who we should get, have your say. by Rory
There has been lots of talk about who we should buy ever since this release of the 70 million budget which we are supposedly being granted for the Summer, however a lot of us seem to have forgotten that Wenger stated that this will include wages, so I have tried to have a realistic view of the money we can, but also ambitious in the players that we can sign.
Arsenal has had some players severely disappoint in recent times. For someone who usually has a keen eye for talent, manager Arsene Wenger has had some really horrific signings. Arsenal fans might want to skip to the next paragraph at this point. These horrific signings range everywhere from centre backs to strikers.
I heard on a reputable podcast that Arsenal have made a bid for Asmir Begovic, Stoke's much-in-demand goalkeeper. The claim was made by a well-informed journalist who went on to say that Chelsea have already made two bids and that Begovic will move there in summer, if true, this raises a few talking points:
I heard on a reputable podcast that Arsenal have made a bid for Asmir Begovic, Stoke's much-in-demand goalkeeper. The claim was made by a well-informed journalist who went on to say that Chelsea have already made two bids and that Begovic will move there in summer, if true, this raises a few talking points:
Arsene Wenger was delighted with the Arsenal victory against West Brom and abandoned his usual reserve to declare that his team would keep up their recent form and finish in the Premier League top four. There is no doubt that Wenger will also be pleased, but maybe not surprised, that Spurs have continued to wobble with a last gasp equalizer rescuing a point against Everton, although he is trying to keep the Arsenal players focused on their own results.
There is no doubt that Gervinho possesses some wonderful football skills. Arsenal have seen the benefit of them in the last three Premier League games, and they have come at a really important time for the Gunners as the pressure is firmly on as we race Chelsea and Tottenham for a top four finish.
A few days from it all does wonders for your soul and it transpires that Arsenal haven't done so badly in my absence either, with an I'm-away record of P2 W2 F6 A2. Perhaps I should leave the metropolis more often.
In fact, we've now won five out of six league games, a very decent and needed run of form ruined only by a time-honoured Defence-o-Wobble up at our friendly neighbours.
Yesterday's result meant that we've broken our own record for the season. This was the first time in the 2012/13 season that we've won 4 times in a row. That is inclusive of all matches, domestic and Europe. The "achievement" puts us up into 4th place and only a point behind Sp*rs.
Arsenal named an unchanged side for the trip to West Brom, which is quite understandable after a 4-1 win over Reading. The game started as everyone expected, with Arsenal comfortable in possession, passing it around the pitch looking for an opening, while West Brom defended deep and hoped to break quickly, although their pacy forward Lukaku was on the bench.
Arsene Wenger has selected the same side that beat Reading so convincingly last week, so Gervinho has the chance to continue his revival at the club. Santi Cazorla will start on the left of the attack again, although he will probably come inside quite a lot and try to influence the game from wherever he can.
Have you noticed a spring in the Gooners step since winning in Munich? Suddenly this new Arsenal is not the shoddy bunch of lazy artisans just trotting around and picking up money for nothing (and chicks for free), No, this is a team focussed and able to get a Top 4 spot possibly even top 3.
it seems somewhat quieter this morning. Hopefully there are a few Manchester hangovers, some of which include acute food poisoning and 72 hour ebola as they ready themselves for the trip to play us on Sunday.
The Arsenal news yesterday was not particularly good as Olivier Giroud's red card appeal was rejected.
There was a bit of midweek Champions League stuff to keep us ticking over last night. I watched Barcelona against PSG. Not a hugely exciting game, really, the French side were quite good in fairness, although just as good as you'd expect a team that has spent a billion million squillion to be.
Barcelona didn't look as good without Messi – understandably so – and in the end it came down to who had the most objectionable looking face.
What can we expect from the upcoming transfer window by NP
So we are nearing the end of another season and as usual a host of players, a.k.a. "Starlets" are already "being monitored by", "close to signing for" or "would love to play for" Arsenal. Most of them are homegrown stories by websites trying to increase their pay-per-click revenues or agents looking to place the players on the transfer market.
