By Alan Duffy

Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal Premier League 11th February 2012

Some wondered if Thierry Henry's brief return to Arsenal would damage his iconic status with the north Londoners, however, in netting his second winner (and third goal) of his loan spell against an impressive Sunderland side, the Frenchman has entered the realm of the God-like for Gooners all over the world.

Thierry Henry came off the bench in his last Premier League appearance for Arsenal this year and capped the occasion off in perfect style with a late stoppage time goal that wrapped up all three points for the Gunners.

In a toughly contested match at the Stadium of Light, James McLean opened the scoring for Sunderland 25 minutes into the second half, when he capitalized on Per Mertesacker's slip to guide the ball past Wojciech Szczesny from an acute angle.

This season has seen the emergence of Wojciech Szczesny as the undisputed no.1 at Arsenal, and for the first time since the departure of the Invincibe Jens Lehmann, we have a world-class keeper in our squad. But do we have a decent enough deputy to the young shot-stopper? The answer is quite simply a big [.

This season has seen the emergence of Wojciech Szczesny as the undisputed no.1 at Arsenal, and for the first time since the departure of the Invincibe Jens Lehmann, we have a world-class keeper in our squad. But do we have a decent enough deputy to the young shot-stopper? The answer is quite simply a big [.

The Polish keeper Lukasz Fabianski is still stuck as second choise at Arsenal behind his countryman (and rival for the national jersey) Wojciech Szczesny, and he made it clear before Christmas that he wanted to move somewhere else in search of first team football. The Poland manager, Franciszek Smuda, has already told him that he [.

Don't just sit there Robin. Get a fourth

That's our first rout of the season. The first of which we won and not the other way around. You can count the Chelsea game as one but then it was not as one sided as this was. Blackburn tormented us the last time we met and this was sweet revenge being exacted.

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.

The tackle that started the comeback

The team needed a lift after results of recent weeks. A 1-0 win is great but coming back from 2 goals down to win it, is surely going to give the team the boost that we so desperately need. A game of two halves is the old cliche but certainly applies in this scenario.

After the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday, I was emailing with a friend who has been an Arsenal season ticket holder since the ‘70s. He knows infinitely more about the team than I do, so I figured I'd let him speak in his own words. (My email comments inserted for clarity of what questions/comments he's responding to.

The Spaniard Manuel Almunia has dropped to third-choice goalkeeper at Arsenal, but in a rare interview he has stated that he is simply keeping to his contract and has had no thoughts of leaving, in fact he hasn't even spoken to Arsene Wenger about his position at the club! The two Poles, Wojciech Szczesny and [.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has refused to get carried away with suggestions that the club won't qualify for the Champions League next season, pointing to the forthcoming return of midfielder Jack Wilshere and right-back Bacary Sagna as a major boost.

The Gunners trail fourth-place Chelsea by five points and third-place Tottenham Hotspur by another five, leaving Arsene Wenger's side with much work to do in the four months ahead.

So then, this is what heartache feels like. This is what it means to have the figurative broken heart. I have decided I don't like this feeling, at all. And I want it to go away.

Needlessto say, many hard-core Arsenal fans like myself are in agony at this moment in time. The team that we love so desperately appears to be dead.

Arsenal vice-captain Thomas Vermaelen has returned to fitness in time for this evening's massive home fixture against Manchester United while there were also another two surprises in the Gunners' starting line-up against the reigning champions.

The 18-year old summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a memorable debut while Tomas Rosicky also starts over Andrei Arshavin and Yossi Benayoun, who have previously been preferred to him this season.

Players on both teams involved in this weekend's Barclays Premier League clash between Manchester United and Arsenal have committed to Nike's "Make It Count" campaign, pledging to make 2012 the year in which they give everything in pursuit of perfection. Rio Ferdinand, Wojciech Szczesny and Theo Walcott will be amongst the players sporting boots embroidered with "#makeitcount" and the active

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.

First off, I accept that this is a pretty unfair comparison.

To rank any Arsenal team from any era against the most feted group of Gunners ever to have worn the sacred cannon is clearly destined to be a mismatch.

It's a bit like comparing Dan Brown with Charles Dickens, or Boyzone with the Beatles.

The young Pole Wojciech Szczesny has maintained the confidence that Arsenal will still win a Champions League place, and even had a couple of quid on Arsenal to go on and win the Premiership just before Christmas. Since then the Gunners have dropped eight points in the title race and is dropping away from the [.

The young Pole Wojciech Szczesny has maintained the confidence that Arsenal will still win a Champions League place, and even had a couple of quid on Arsenal to go on and win the Premiership just before Christmas. Since then the Gunners have dropped eight points in the title race and is dropping away from the [.

Barcelona Lite vs. Barcelona Shite

Sadly, that's what it was. Yesterday's performance by the Arsenal was hardly Barcelona-esque. We were all over the place defensively. Szczesny had one of his poorer games in an Arsenal shirt (notwithstanding the aforementioned defensive hilarity).Honestly, had it been the doughnut stealer in goal, there'd have been a lot of Shabby Singh ‘punditry' about angles and positioning.

szólj hozzá: Swansea City 3-2 Arsenal

Arsenal's bright start through who else but Robin Van Persie was dashed within minutes as Aaron Ramsey brought down Nathan Dyer, an absolute pest to the Gunners, and Scott Sinclair converted the penalty. The foul looked pretty soft. Andrey Arshavin who had threaded the pass through for RVP's goal was guilty of less precision in the second half as Ramsey could not latch onto his errant service gifting the ball to Joe Allen.

We never thought we'd see Joey Barton successfully accessorising a mauve pram with matching shoes. Anything is possible in this world, Kickettes. Image via twitter.

It's been a week of political posturing, professional problems and puffy faces at Kickette.

And that's just the staff.

Despite struggling to overtake David de Gea as Manchester United's outright first choice goalkeeper, Anders Lindegaard has the highest save percentage in the Premier League through 20 games.

The Dane, who caught people's attention when he kept 5 clean sheets in his first 5 Premier League starts has saved 84.

By Alan Duffy

Arsenal's gifted young goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has made the latest in a long line of footballing Twitter boo-boos. Indeed, it's not even his first offence.

On responding to a photo team-mate Aaron Ramsey has posted of himself at a golf event, the Polish international Tweeted: "I don't wanna be rude mate but you look like a rapist on that picture.

After Vito Mannone moved to Hull on loan there was some suggestion that he had made available a space for non homegrown players to arrive.

Unfortunately this isn't the case. For the 2011/12 season we named five homegrown players over the age of 21, and 17 (the maximum allowed) non homegrown players.

After Vito Mannone moved to Hull on loan there was some suggestion that he had made available a space for non homegrown players to arrive.

Unfortunately this isn't the case. For the 2011/12 season we named five homegrown players over the age of 21, and 17 (the maximum allowed) non homegrown players.

Wojciech Szczesny has apologised for a Twitter update in which he said team-mate Aaron Ramsey looked "like a rapist". The 21-year-old was responding to a photo of Ramsey attending a golf event. Clearly unimpressed with the Wales captain's appearance, he wrote: "I don't wanna be rude mate but you look like a rapist on that [.

Here is some rather amusing news that is funny just as much as it is shocking.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciesh Szczesny has apologized to team mate Aaron Ramsey for some offensive remarks he posted to his twitter account saying that Ramsey looked like a rapist.

Szczensy who was only joking when made the comments, has however apologized saying that he crossed the line.

It's not a trick of the eye, it's not a fancy photoshop job. That is indeed Thierry Henry in an Arsenal shirt, an Arsenal shirt of 2012, wheeling away to celebrate a goal.

And not just any goal, but an Henry goal. Song played in a brilliant through ball that split the two covering defenders, Henry took one touch to control the ball, and himself, and then he curled right into the corner of the net away from the keeper's despairing dive.

After Vito Mannone moved to Hull on loan there was some suggestion that he had made available a space for non homegrown players to arrive.

Unfortunately this isn't the case. For the 2011/12 season we named five homegrown players over the age of 21, and 17 (the maximum allowed) non homegrown players.

It's my first article of the new year and despite witnessing our agonising collapse at Craven Cottage last night, the Arsenal have still managed to put a smile on my face.

Even with a defiant cold/hangover that refuses to go away, the club have been able to keep me in good spirits. More on that later I'll get the depressing stuff out of the way first.

Match report Video -

Defeat is generally a painful experience. Defeat in circumstances like yesterday's even more so. It was late, very late, and pretty much self-inflicted.

It came after what was a pretty good opening 45 minutes from us. We were energetic, good going forward and while Fulham had their moments I thought we contained them pretty well defensively.

Robin celebrates one of his 35 Premier League goals in 2011, second only to Alan Shearer's 1995 calendar year tally of 36.

A few quick comments as the minutes to midnight tick closer.

Robin rules. It would be impossible to heap too many superlatives on his form this season. He finally got to show what he could do when he could remain injury-free.

Last week I touched upon our feeling as supporters around the squad; how the bonhomie appears to have improved. This both between the players and according to the respect that radiates out from fans compared with six months ago. I met little opposition to the supposition that the supporters were more tolerant with this more experienced roster than last year's.

WEEKEND WRAP : CHRISTMAS EDITION

Nothing warms our heart (and stockings) more than futbolitos who are committed to charity work and give back to their communities! To be fair, every club in world football makes an attempt do this but special mention must go out to Tottenham, whose efforts are equally impressive (na na, don't be hatin' this Christmas!

Match report Video and highlights -

There was nothing more important than taking three points last night. A good performance is always welcome, but winning after playing some way below par is also welcome. Winning after playing some way below par and very late in the game against a team managed by Alex McLeish, is more welcome than Johnny Beer and Fred Rum around my house.

What a result! Tough game, battling performance, well-earned points. Not vintage but victorious nonetheless.

I was surprised to see Coquelin in the starting line-up at Right Back as Arsene has said in the past the youngster doesn't isn't suited to the role. Perhaps it was due to Miquel's errors at City.

What a result! Tough game, battling performance, well-earned points. Not vintage but victorious nonetheless.

I was surprised to see Coquelin in the starting line-up at Right Back as Arsene has said in the past the youngster doesn't isn't suited to the role. Perhaps it was due to Miquel's errors at City.

The Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny believes that the narrow defeat by Man City on Sunday showed that the gap between the top four teams is very little indeed, and there are still four teams capable of winning the title. Although City have a lead at the moment, Szczesny is certain that there will be many [.

The Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny believes that the narrow defeat by Man City on Sunday showed that the gap between the top four teams is very little indeed, and there are still four teams capable of winning the title. Although City have a lead at the moment, Szczesny is certain that there will be many [.

You'll have a great laugh watching this Christmas video featuring Arsenal's Szczesny, Walcott, Sagna and... the Gunnersaurus! Someone explain what Sagna is supposed to be again? Whatever the case, you've gotta love these hombres!

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