It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Naturally, I'm describing Arsenal's 2011-2012 season. I'm a nice guy, and I don't want to hold Arsene wholly accountable for the team's woes, particularly due to the simple fact that, well, that's what everybody else already does.

Arsenal have been hit with a huge blow after midfielder Jack Wilshere was ruled out for the entire season after yet another injury setback The news also means that Wilshere is a major doubt for Euro 2012 which kicks-off in June with England boss Fabio Capello adamant that he will only be selecting players who [.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has alleviated concerns about Arsenal's perennially high injury list, stating that it is about to shorten in the coming days.

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski made a long-awaited return in the goal during yesterday evening's 3-2 FA Cup win at home to Aston Villa and Wenger believes that midfielders Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere are also recovering better than expected.

Morning all.

We'd best start with the bad news this morning and that's Jack Wilshere. He's suffered a 'little setback' according to Arsene Wenger and although the manager was obviously trying to play it down a bit, saying he couldn't put a timeframe on it because Jack has to see consultants, the fear is that this could keep him out for at least 6-8 weeks, if not the rest of the season.

The long substitution

It's finally confirmed, the news that we did not want to hear. That Jack Wilshere has had a setback and would not be available in the date that we initially had hoped he would be back for. AC Milan's games were touted as his return period but that will now have to be extended.

Arsene Wenger has made it clear that he is strongly opposed to loan deals such as Emmanuel Adebayor's spell with Tottenham Hotspur.

Adebayor has been in fine form this season, scoring nine goals in 19 games for the Spurs after parent club Manchester City chose to loan him out at the beginning of the season.

Understandably, none of our regular authors were inclined to write a match report following yesterday's game, so you will all have to suffer the thoughts of someone who will I'm sure, not be expressing the mainstream opinion on this site.

I couldn't go to the game as I had to work. I followed the live commentary on BBC Sport football, listened to the radio phone in on my way home and watched the lowlights on MotD through the lattice of my fingers clamped to my face.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere's rehabilitation process has finally reached the phase where he can take part in outdoor training sessions.

Wilshere's last competitive football match remains the Euro 2012 qualifier that he played for England against Switzerland in June last year.

Greek challenger to Sir Chesney?

When the team has just lost our last 2 consecutive league fixtures, the last thing we want to hear is that our club is being gazumped elsewhere away from the pitch. Liverpool has secured a brand new £150million kit deal with American firm Warrior Sports. A deal that place them only second behind Barcelona in today's shirt deals around the world.

Good morning to you and welcome to Thursday. The week is flying by. Must be all the high jinks and fun. Can't think what else it would be.

Let's start this morning with Jack Wilshere. Apparently he's 'stunned' doctors by being ready to make his comeback ... erm ... pretty much on schedule. When he limped out of the Emirates Cup in late July there was no indication he'd be out this long but since the need for surgery we've been told he'd be back in full training by the end of January, ready for a mid-February comeback.

Almost a year ago, in the Evening Standard of 20 January 2011, Arsene Wenger was quoted at saying:

We have a shared leadership in our team, but I believe Fabregas is an outstanding leader, especially when you consider he is 23 years old, with personality and character and Van Persie as well.

Happy Friday the 13th to you.

Of course it's only unlucky if you're in certain parts of the world and if you believe in superstition. And the only superstition I believe in these days is the one Stevie Wonder belts out. Still, I hope your evening is filled with all the beautiful things this day brings: escaped lunatics wearing hockey masks and eviscerating people with a chainsaw.

If it had not been for such a difficult start to the season, Arsenal would now be fighting for the title.

And, that includes the loss of points against Wolves at home (unfortunate) and Fulham away (well deserved). The last few games have been disappointing, but Arsenal have gathered 29 points in their last 13 games and during the process it was able to pre-qualify for the CL against a very good Udinese, and win their CL-group against strong opposition with style and dominance.

He won't mind seeing a fit Wilshere

Let's start with the obvious shall we. The Champions League draw takes precedent and rightly so. The biggest tournament in club football today and the 2nd round draw took place without any Manchester clubs in it. For our efforts of finishing top of our group, we were rewarded with a date against AC Milan.

Morning to you from the vaguely more familiar surroundings of Arseblog Towers. A reasonable night's sleep is a nice thing. And it just goes to show what an undemanding person I am. A great night's sleep is not necessary, I don't want a spectacular night's sleep, just a middle of the road, perfectly all right one.

Frightening Frimpong Archie Wilshere, son of Arsenal star Jack, was reduced to tears when his dad showed him a photo of fellow Gooner Emmanuel Frimpong ripping up a Premier League ball. Wilshere Senior tweeted both the picture and the news that Archie was terrified of it. He wrote: "Showed Archie this earlier and he cried!

Following the news last week that Jack Wilshere was so sick of Spurs fans tweeting him about us being above Arsenal in the league, he put three grand of his own (pocket) money on a bet with Spurs fans that Arsenal would finish ahead of Spurs. If they did, Spurs fans would have to send £1 to a charity he supports.

Image that makes the heart shudder in fear

As fans, we are more than easily riled aren't we. I will be the first to admit that when it comes to Arsenal, emotions are rarely things within my control. When I saw the way Real Madrid has acted in trying to tap up one of our players, I was incensed.

I don't think anyone who has seen Jack Wilshere play doubts his talent. Even anti-Arsenal hacks and pundits, and purveyors of ignorant, spiteful opinions in the Arsenalsphere rave about the youngster. From football legends like Wenger and Capello to common fans like this blogger, everyone has lavished undiluted praise on the next great English hope ever since he was a schoolboy.

Jack Wilshere's successful loan spell at Bolton proved the final piece of his development. More please...

Even before the quarterfinal draw for the Carling Cup paired Arsenal with Manchester City (a.k.a., the Death Squad), many speculated that the reserve teamers logging time on the big stage would soon cede their places to first team players in a push for the silverware.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is determined not to follow friends Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri as he wants to be a Gunner for life. Speaking to iFilm London, the Englishman declared that throughout the years he ...

Exclusive: We have intercepted a song Jack Wilshere wrote just before claiming he would be at Arsenal 'Forever'. Apparently, Arsene Wenger is in on the act, which, as the lyrics suggest, is a ploy to keep key-player and captain Robin Van Persie at the club. Jack Wilshere has aluded to a singing career to compliment [.

The criticism of Arsène for trying to force square pegs into round holes has frequently been levelled over recent seasons. Bendtner, Eboue and Arshavin in particular have all been deployed in areas that would not be their first choice let alone the Championship Managers among us. The reason for this has generally been a lack of depth in the squad exacerbated by the perennial injury problems that have depleted us so cruelly at vital times.

Brrr, seems like yesterday wasn't just a one off. Cold again this morning as we head into the Interlull. My weather widget is not exactly a welcome sight, I have to say. Still, not much we can do about it. Other than move house and Mrs Blogs is not keen on the equator. Oh well.

So now we face a two week gap with no real football, which is pretty frustrating.

After Aaron Ramsey's impressive performance against Chelsea on Saturday, I thought it's worth to take a look at how the Welshman has progressed this season compared to last season's breakout player, Jack Wilshere. It's not a fair comparison, considering that Wilshere played almost the full season barring an injury out here and there.

The thing which everybody forgot was that it was hardly a great Arsenal side which challenged so strongly until March last season.
Tears were spilt on deadline day 2010 over a refusal to buy a veteran keeper; the centre half whom everyone insisted we signed turned out to be not much cop; the side as a whole was very dependent on Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri in the first half of the season, Robin van Persie in the New Year.

‘We cannot allow ourselves to indulge in sadness and melancholy'

Andrey Arshavin, December 2010 (after MU away game)

With the departure of Cesc Fabregas and the long-term injury to Jack Wilshere, Arsenal is left with a hole, in more ways than one.

With England through to the European Championships in 2012, what ten players should Fabio Capello trail between now and when he decides on his 23-man squad. Lets face it, In 2012 Fabio Capello will probably pick these 23 players: Hart, Carson, Fielding, Cole, Terry, Cahill, Ferdinand, P. Jones, Jagielka/ C.

Jack Wilshere saw two of his midfield colleagues leave in the summer, but he has told the Evening Standard he has no intentions of leaving Arsenal as it is the perfect home for him right now. Way to go Jack that's what Gooners want to hear. Are you sure you can't play on one leg? [...]

David Cannon/Getty Images(Bleacher Report) Arsene Wenger spent big on the last day of the summer window in attempt to stop the bleeding that has seen his club have its worst start in years.
Two losses and a draw now see the Gunners in 17th place in the table, with a host of clubs swarming to try and kick the perennial top four club while they are down the ladder.

"The proudest day of my life today! Archie Jack Wilshere was born at 15.06 uk time and weighed 7lb 11oz. I am the happiest man in the world!" Was how Arsenal star Jack Wilshere described the birth of his son as he posted a photo of him on twitter today. The 19-year-old became a Dad [...] Related posts:

1. Jack Wilshere Advises Fergie on How to Beat Barcelona!

By Chris Wright

As tweeted by the man himself, here's 19-year old Poppa Jack welcoming the newest member of the Wilshere clan into the world 7lb 11oz Archie, who was born at around 3:00pm yesterday afternoon...

<insert obligatory 'straight into the Arsenal first-team' joke here>

Image: @JackWilshere

Aww, fatherhood has finally arrived for Arsenal's Jack Wilshere! Yes, calm those ovaries girls... / via Jack Wilshere's Twitter

Tweet This Post

Jack Wilshere may be down in the dumps and struggling to come to terms with his injury woes, but every cloud has a silver lining as yesterday afternoon Jack the lad grew up and became a dad. Wilshere spilt up with his girlfriend Lauren Neal earlier this year, but got back together when the pair [...]

Howdy Arse lovers. I write a few hours in advance of the fixture with Olympiacos. Far from ideal as it's likely you'll read this in wake of that game. But it was so nearly worse dear reader. I did originally flounce off in a massive huff and refuse to produce the column altogether. This was until my lawyer forced me to release a statement explaining that it had all been a misunderstanding.

Size doesn't matter is a post from: Just Football

by Liam Blackburn

There's an advert on television at the minute for the video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution which uses a memorable Darwin quote in its opening sequence.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.

Looking for alternatives

Injuries once again hog the headlines with regards to Arsenal Football Club. I know it happens to every single club and not only to ours. The feeling for us though is the only one I care about. Every single season since the last major trophy that we won, our squad has been besieged with injuries, not just those minor ones but also long term ones.

It is highly likely that the media focus on this game will centre upon Gary Cahill. No doubt he is a good player (though he was crap against MU) but the interest has little to do with his playing ability and more to do with the conflict between the clubs off pitch. Should we be surprised that Gartside decided to go public with the transfer negotiation and made a prat of himself?

It is highly likely that the media focus on this game will centre upon Gary Cahill. No doubt he is a good player (though he was crap against MU) but the interest has little to do with his playing ability and more to do with the conflict between the clubs off pitch. Should we be surprised that Gartside decided to go public with the transfer negotiation and made a prat of himself?

Arsenal Football Club have released the below statement on the Club's official website concerning midfielder Jack Wilshere: Jack Wilshere will undergo surgery on his right ankle on Monday morning. Wilshere has recently been wearing a protective boot ...