The big win over Blackburn was immensely enjoyable and has lifted the mood in the Gooner camp to a great extent after an eminently forgettable January. A lot has already been said about the match and I don't want to revisit it in detail but there were two goals in that game that caught my eye.

Both the goals started from the back but were scored in a markedly different manner, each a delight in its own way.

STAY HOME HONKY - Why John Terry should not be visiting Auschwitz
A BUSTED FLUSH - The collapse of the January Transfer Window
DESPITE HAVING THE "BEST ACCOUNTANTS IN THE COUNTRY"... - How long is Harry heading down for?
THE LITTLE THEO SAGA - Walcott chats shit
HAS-DEAN - Why Mike Dean should be banned from officiating
All this and more at our new website FOOTBALL IS FUCKED @
http://footballisfucked.

If you carefully select portions of this game you can make a video highlighting many of Arsenal's major problems. With another selection you could also show the reasons that make the Gunners such a great team to watch and support. It was a classic Cup tie and one that will remain in fans' memories for years to come if it can spark a run of form.

Angry, frustrated, disappointed. Once again Arsenal fans are left let-down, once again we are promised things will change and once again it is groundhog season for Arsenal, and we haven't even entered the annual departures of the close season.

Where do we start? It is obvious that things went wrong in the summer with Wenger anticipating that both Nasri and Fabregas will not leave these were the hopes of a man living in a dream land.

We are still a few days away from the Leeds game and I don't want to step on what will surely be another (auto paste here) splendid pre match from the master himself. But without wishing to step on toes I want to get some thoughts off my chest.

Having spent most of Christmas and New Year struggling to find the back of net I have started to change my mind about the importance of this game and who should be playing.

We need more potency in the final third, that much was clearly on show on Monday against Fulham.

We dominated and played some of the best football this season, but we could not finish.... second half we took off pace and just got straight out pummeled for 30 minutes.

Say what you want about the ref, red cards, penalties etc.

I'm not feeling at all witty this morning and the things I have to say are mostly obvious and not earth shatteringly different. What I want to know most of all is what on earth happened in our dressing room at half-time yesterday? We had played a very acceptable game up until then, we were good for our lead and yet we didn't come onto the pitch with any belief that we were going to win the game.

They say, "Never meet your heroes." Quite who 'they' are, I'll never know. But forget that. Last night after we squeaked past QPR at the Emirates with a 1-0 win me and my old man bumped into Sammy Nelson. He was having a beer at Victoria Station before he hopped on a train back to his home in Brighton.

Let's start this morning with tonight's game against Aston Villa.

We all know about our injured full back situation (more on that anon) and Djourou's sprangled groin further complicates things. I would suggest we'll see a start for Ignasi Miquel at left back, Laurent Koscielny on the right with Vermesackser in the middle.

One-Nil to the Arsenal seems like an apt score to mark the 125th anniversary of the club, although there is an argument it doesn't really represent the Arsene Wenger era.

This game was anything but typical though. David Moyes took a surprisingly brave approach and attacked Arsenal from the kick-off.

One-Nil to the Arsenal seems like an apt score to mark the 125th anniversary of the club, although there is an argument it doesn't really represent the Arsene Wenger era.

This game was anything but typical though. David Moyes took a surprisingly brave approach and attacked Arsenal from the kick-off.

Gimme a minute, I'm just shoveling coal into the Liveblog 3000. It's a bit clunky this morning (afternoon/evening for many of you). Nothing a cuppa won't fix, mind. *pauses, thinks...* Gimme a minute, I'm just shoveling tea into the Liveblog 3000.

If you haven't read it, then you should run, don't walk, to Darren's preview of this match.

This wasn't the kind of game that I wanted to watch at midnight after an immensely enjoyable day with friends and their families who are visiting us for the holidays. And I get no joy in typing this report at quarter past two in the night but writing can also be cathartic at times and that's just what I am hoping to achieve.

The Gunners' return to European contention in seventh place – and just three points from third – may have been almost solely attributed to freescoring Robin Van Persie, but the Dutchman himself has unselfishly claimed that his relationship with Theo Walcott is the foundation for such an attacking threat.

Cologne and Mainz top flight Bundesliga game was called after 41 year old Banker Babak Rafati who had been due to referee the tie attempted suicide in his Hotel room.

Rafati's assistants new there was something a miss when the referee of over 200 top flight games including Champions League ties was unusually late and not answering his phone.

Following the likes of Juventus and Barcelona, Chelsea are reported to have targeted Arsenal pace merchant Theo Walcott for the second time after having shown interest in the player earlier this year. Arsenal fans have often grown frustrated at his lack of impact at times, often unable to finish with a direct-enough cross or shot [.

Hello there.

A very quick Saturday round-up for you.

And there you go. Thanks for stopping by.

It is a bit like that, really. Very little in the way of Arsenal news. Last night the teams too terrible qualify for Euro 2012 had at it and it worked out pretty well for Ireland, by all accounts.

On Arsenal's official website, there is a Robin van Persie fest. Accolades are pouring in to acknowledge his great run of form and as usual Arsene Wenger is taking the credit for this performance. here are his comments to the media

"Robin has scored 28 in 27 games and still people tell me he is not a centre forward," Wenger said.

Good day to you. I was up late editing the upcoming Arseblog book so I'm a bit tired this morning. Nevertheless, a preview of this morning's game has to be written so we'll crack on with that.

The team news for today is that Thomas Vermaelen is in the squad. Arsene says he's a bit reluctant to use him so soon after Tuesday's comeback game but if I were manager I'd certainly start him today.

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.

I normally hate Harry Potter references, but I'm too happy to care today.

Editor's Note: This match review was written by one of our frequent commentators, SJGumby. A big thanks to Gumby for taking the time to write this, since all 4 of us were unavailable to recap. Thanks, Gumby!

At first the crowd looked disappointing. But that seems to be the problem with people turning up at game time to buy a ticket. By the time Eric had headed the ball into the back of the net there was a good covering of people across the ground, and they were in full song.
The first 14 minutes were even, then after the goal the ball raced from end to end.

By Tony Attwood Theo is injured, Gervinho is injured, Koscielny is injured, plus all the others you know about, like Sébastien Squillaci, Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby, Yossi Benayoun, Thomas Vermaelen, and Johan Djourou. So who have we got left? Goal - no problems Central defence: Alex Song plus Per Mertesacker with Ignasi Miquel in reserve.

Theo Walcott has held talks with Arsene Wenger about switching positions from right wing to a central striking role and believes he can offer so much more to the team in such a role. Speaking yesterday Walcott said, "I had a meeting with the boss and explained my point of view. He knew the conversation [.

Arsenal have come in for a lot of criticism this season, and rightly so after their worst start for 58 years, but Theo Walcott reckons the players should be to blame and not boss Arsene Wenger. Speaking to Absolute Radio today Walcott said, "The boss is a great man, he can deal with anything thrown [.

The blonde bint on Sky News sports round-up keeps banging on about the attendance last night. Just seen the papers and they are happy to highlight this too. Especially the Sun. Yes, there were 15,000 or so empty seat but that means 46,000-odd full ones. For a Carling Cup game against Shrewsbury that ain't bad.

Blackburn – Arsenal: 4-3

Match Report

Written by Total Arsenal

Today we saw once again the two Arsenals we got to know so well in recent years: the one that dominates proceedings and scores great goals through wonderful football, and the one that cannot defend properly.

Blackburn – Arsenal: 4-3

Match Report

Written by Total Arsenal

Today we saw once again the two Arsenals we got to know so well in recent years: the one that dominates proceedings and scores great goals through wonderful football, and the one that cannot defend properly.

14 years in the Champions League and counting!

By TotalArsenal

Udinese – Arsenal: 1-2 Match Report

Let's open with a cliché: this was a game of two halves.

14 years in the Champions League and counting!

By TotalArsenal

Udinese – Arsenal: 1-2 Match Report

Let's open with a cliché: this was a game of two halves.

I have read on some of the Arsenal blogsites that there are "fans" who want AFC to lose this game, their reasoning being that Arsene and the Board will be removed should we not achieve CL qualification. Or is it so we can concentrate on the PL (I stopped reading)? Whatever the reasoning I say Nay, Nay and thrice Nay, this is a huge game in our season and we need to get a result.

Jack Wilshere has added to Arsenal's growing injury crisis and has been put in a surgical boot to protect his ankle injury, says the Mirror. He is set to miss games against Liverpool and Udinese and is battling to be fit for the trip to Manchester United on Sunday week, says the paper this morning.

So, was this a lucky, undeserved win or was it winners finding a way to get a result when not playing particularly well?

I think neither statement does justice to such a game and would reflect more on the attitude of the opinion holder rather than the match itself.

As expected, this was an open game with both sides coming out with a positive attitude.

The second and last day of the Emirates Cup commenced today with PSG beating Boca Juniors 3-0. That result meant that the Arsenal-New York Red Bulls match would produce this year's Emirates Cup winner, with a win giving Arsenal the trophy and anything else handing the Cup to New York.

Arsenal lined up with a more first team-y formation than yesterday, with Wojo between the sticks, TV5 and Koscielny in the center, Sagna and Gibbs on the flanks, Wilshere, Song and Ramsey in midfield, Rosicky in a pseudo-Cesc role, and Gervinho and van Persie up front.

Gerrard and Walcott ruled out for season start

Liverpool skipper will not be fit until September while Arsenal winger Theo must rest for 10 days

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-07-30 22:02:45 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

They signed him in Winter transfer window... back in 2009.

Yup him, the little, frustrating, Russian winger who would prefer to play the central free role behind the main striker. With Ryo and Gervinho set to slug it out with Theo to claim the Wingman spots, and with Cesc and Nasri both doing one before the transfer window closes, Arshavin may finally get his chance to claim the role he covets so much.

Not a very exciting title and certainly not one that is going to shoot the lights out of the hit stats but after questioning myself about it I thought why not, do I really want to attract people who's blog name is "Wenger The Liar" and the like, not really was the answer. No, far happier am I to address the solid regulars of this fine site.

Not a very exciting title and certainly not one that is going to shoot the lights out of the hit stats but after questioning myself about it I thought why not, do I really want to attract people who's blog name is "Wenger The Liar" and the like, not really was the answer. No, far happier am I to address the solid regulars on this fine site.

Written by Gooner in Exile

On Monday 27th December Arsenal took on and beat Chelsea at home. I was very content as finally I had seen our team in blistering form, moving through the gears during a ninety minute display against a major rival that many of us had not witnessed for some time.

The Arsenal transfer rumours are coming thick and fast as the transfer window approaches, and some are more believable than others. The Metro today reckons that the Italian giants Juventus (who are on course to end up 7th in Serie A) are looking for a complete overhaul of the team, and Arsenal's Theo Walcott is [.