The good thing about a Wednesday game is that the weekend is very soon upon us. The visit to Molineux, combined with Chelsea and Manchester United meeting at Stamford Bridge on Sunday is the opportunity to make ground on the top two, provided that Arsenal win, of course.

The players are rightly confident and taking more than a little pleasure in the thought that several hacks are squirming uncomfortably in the press box when the final whistle blows on another Arsenal victory in the Premier League. Thomas Vermaelen appeared to sum up the squad’s mood:

Maybe we were a little bit underestimated at the start of the season. A lot of people were talking about Arsenal not being good enough to be at the top, but we have done well so far in the Premier League and Champions League. We have some big games coming up including Chelsea [at home on 29 November]. If we have a good result against them, then it will be very big for us.

Far be it for me to disagree with the Belgian but the only big game to be concentrating on is Saturday. Get into the international break with wins and then start worrying about Chelsea, which if my somewhat vague memory is correct is preceded by a visit to Sunderland or a trip to the local swimming baths might save on travelling time since they were less waterlogged than the Stadium of Light last season.

Vermaelen believed it was easy to join Arsenal, little persuasion needed to get him to up sticks from Ajax. Hardly surprising that he thinks such thoughts as his move has gone extraordinarily well for him, 5 goals in 10 or so games is better than he or anyone expected. Such has been the confidence with which he and Gallas have been playing, Wenger is looking to keep the pairing intact for as long as possible, forgoing the rotation which has disrupted other sides this season:

I do not like to rotate too much in central defence because we are in a position where they have a good understanding and every point is vital so it’s not worth to take a gamble if I’m not forced to do it.

The key to rotation though is surely that the manager has confidence is those coming through to replace the rested player? Injuries are not rotating your squad but the management of a player’s condition is. The manager can only implement such a policy if he believes that the ‘reserve’ player is not going to have an adverse impact on the team for the match(es) in question.

Is Wenger’s stance influenced by that? For all of the positive comments he makes about Silvestre and Senderos – he is hardly likely to make negative ones in public at least – he cannot share the belief that either of them will ensure that no strength is lost from the middle of the defence. Equally, Gallas is playing as well, if not better, than he has ever done in an Arsenal shirt, certainly the most consistently, which is a big factor to consider.

When the time comes for one of Gallas or Vermaelen to be replaced, is Alex Song a more likely deputy or is Wenger hoping that the duo will remain fit through to the point when Johan Djourou is once more able to don the Arsenal shirt?

Awy from the pitch, Stan Kroenke has bought another 200 shares which has prompted Arsene to observe that a takeover is not inevitable. Given Stanley would have to buy 71 more to be forced to make a bid for shares. Equally, he would be obliged to offer £10.5k per share as this was the highest he paid for any purchases in the past two years. Whilst he may believe that is not a problem, it is £2k more than he paid to PHW for some shares.

It does explain why the chairman was so relaxed about Kroenke buying shares recently. Perhaps he knew that the incoming windfall would settle the drinks tab at the club.

’til Tomorrow.