West Ham Left Frustrated As Arsenal Are Finally On Song

Arsenal 1 – 0 West Ham United

1 – 0 Song (88)

An afternoon where Arsene may have learnt more about his team than a humdinging win. Little doubt that the performance was not at the level of those achieved against Manchester City, Shaktar and Newcastle; West Ham set out to frustrate, waste time and generally make life as difficult as possible. Allied to those tactics, Robert Green stood proud, determined to deny Arsenal in the process of proving his critics wrong.

Despite this, a win was ground out. The players would not have known it but the pressure had cranked up on them five minutes before Song’s late goal; events at Ewood Park had extended Chelsea’s lead at the top to seven points, essentially undoing the good work of wins since Arsenal’s defeat at Stamford Bridge. Criticism of the performance whilst not misplaced is founded on a false assumption. Clubs lower down the division set out to deny Arsenal space and stop them dominating the rhythm of the match; West Ham succeeded to a certain extent, not attacking as they might in the reverse fixture.

Arsenal showed one change from the team which started at Eastlands, Laurent Koscielny had proven his fitness in the win at Newcastle and was restored to the centre of the defence. The weather reflected the changing seasons, an autumnal shower reflected West Ham’s season so far. A promise of brighter things dampened in the end.

The match started evenly, Arsenal dominating possession, the scurrying Arshavin amply involved but there was little end product. West Ham traded punches but found the fist of Fabianski more than a match for anything they had to offer. Much effort by both sides but Arsenal gradually asserted themselves, creating real opportunities giving Green the opportunity to prove his reputation from his younger years might have been built on solid foundations.

The first clear opening fell to Fabregas. Song released Sagna on the right, the full back putting the first of several decent passes into the box. The Arsenal captain launched his effort goalwards but Green collected the ball comfortably. Post match, it transpired that a hamstring problem was besetting the Spaniard, restricting mobility under some half time repair work assisted his movement. The midweek trip to the Ukraine is surely one the captain will miss. At the other end, Noble found Fabianski’s midrift.

The end of the half threatened a breakthrough. Song’s drive was blocked by Green, the chance fashioned following a neat interchange of passes with his captain. Squillaci found space from the resultant corner but Green found the strength in his fingertips to push the ball to safety.

The second half started in a similar vein. Arsenal were barely able to get into second gear but Samir Nasri came closest to breaking the deadlock with a thunderous free kick that rattled the bar before disappearing into the crowd and safety from the visitor’s perspective. The introduction of Theo Walcott with an hour passed gave the attack an injection of pace and urgency. He almost broke the deadlock, racing onto a Fabregas through ball, cracking a shot against the post, the rebound falling into the grateful clasp of Green. With time running out, Green would once more deny Walcott and Fabregas whilst Chamakh will feel he should have scored with a clear opportunity but a poor header denied him the chance to continue his excellent home scoring record.

The breakthrough when it came was from an unlikely source. Clichy found space on the left, strolled into the area and dinked a cross with his right foot. Having sprayed the ball wide with the outside of his boot to start the move, Song continued his run to the far post and guided his header into the net. The relief was tangible, an afternoon’s frustration erupted for this that had not left early.

Three vital points, a credible title challenge emerging on the back of three straight Premier League wins. More importantly, a oft-stated criticism of the squad not being able to win when they play badly was shown to be fallacy.

There were some bright spots for Wenger, most notably Lukasz Fabianski’s continued good form. Whilst Green is being lauded for his saves, the Pole deserves credit for excellent positional sense. Everything West Ham threw at him was comfortably handled, his awareness of where he was making it seem as if shots and headers were straight at him.

Alex Song’s goalscoring form is important; he is enjoying more licence to go forward and displaying confidence in front of goal, releasing some of the pressure on others by scoring. The threat from Arsenal’s midfield has increased as a result. Equally, there was some intelligent supporting play in the second half particularly, from the full backs. It seemed they made better choices with their delivery and whilst it was not always perfect, it seemed they thought more about where their targets were and concentrated rather than peppering the crowd and photographers.

A welcome win that indicates staying power; a win that shows the determination of the players that this time they will walk the walk as they talk the talk.

’til Tomorrow.

BOOK REVIEW: Billy Gooner’s First Match by Greg Adams

Billy Gooner’s First Match by Greg Adams

GCR Books

A bit of a change for ACLF book reviews, this one is aimed at the younger audience.

GCR Books has published the tale of a seventh birthday trip to Highbury to see Arsenal take on West Ham – a Hammer’s theme day on ACLF today – in 1976. As choices of first games go, it’s pretty much hard to improve on that.

The book is aimed at the younger audience and sits comfortably in that arena. Number Two son is of that age and enjoyed the story, remembering his own experiences along the way. The excitement of a child’s birthday present being  is well-conveyed and the language he found helped comprehend the story, not just reading it.

It is well worth the effort of buying this for any younger family members although be prepared for pester power to come along with it; how you will wish that entry to the ground was at 1976 prices!

A Cutlured Left Foot readers can get a 10% discount on the purchase price by visiting the GCR website and entering the code ‘ACLF’ in the relevant box when ordering.

West Ham Preview: Continue The Good Form Please

West Ham United arrive at The Emirates this afternoon rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, a solitary win all season with three 1-1 draws to accompany it in the paltry six points from nine games. The sort of home banker which Arsene has been careful to warn his charges about, stopping the complacency which cost dear against West Brom recently.

West Ham seem to enjoy visiting Arsenal in October; the nine matches previously played in this month at Highbury ended with five draws and the sides emerging victorious in equal measure in the remaining four matches. If they need straws to clutch at, this is a pretty decent one to hold onto. That the last fixture was in 1982 makes that straw bend significantly.

Having seen his squad win four consecutive matches, Wenger noted that this sort of sequence must be maintained if the title is to be delivered,

It is very tight at the top and two conclusions come out of that. The consistency will be rewarded in the end and that everybody can drop points against everybody.

I believe that the League is very difficult and you have to be focused for every single game or you will drop points. But realistically seven teams could win the League.

Whilst the seven could win the league, realistically anyone outside of four would be a surprise. Even then, there is some debate as to whether or not the four are in with a chance, many content to proclaim the title already at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal needs a good run to put that suggestion to bed and the matches between now and the end of November are a good chance to test their title credentials, wins essential.

It is this focus which has been evident in the past fortnight and needs to be maintained. Wenger has undoubtedly been aided by the return of fitness to the majority of his walking wounded, Robin van Persie aiming for the derby against Tottenham as a comeback game is further good news.

For Wenger, the biggest boost has been the return of Nicklas Bendtner and his confidence in front of goal. Two goals in less than a game and a half is devastating form, difficult to maintain but enough to make those ahead of him think about their own game and realise that their place in the starting line-up is not as secure as they might believe. Likewise, Theo Walcott’s brace at St James’ Park puts him firmly in the manager’s mind for a starting place this afternoon. Maybe two games in three days might be too much, too soon but nonetheless Wenger will be relishing the options available.

In particular, Andrey Arshavin will be thinking hardest. The versatility of the returning strike force might induce more consistency from the Russian. He has the ability to be an automatic choice in the starting line-up but at times drifts out of games, infuriatingly. It seems to me unlikely though that Chamakh and Bendtner would start the same match unless the Dane was played on the right hand side of the attack. Even then that would surely be if injuries arose in others? It is van Persie’s return which may spark the Russian into action, the Dutchman more than capable of asserting his right to a place with goals on a regular basis.

Younger players though are occupying Wenger’s mind. Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny are being offered new deals, the young goalkeeper gave a hint that the hype surrounding him might have some substance, on Wednesday at Newcastle. A nervous start was followed by an excellent contribution, notable for his concentration through to the final minutes. Wenger seemed confident that a deal could be negotiated and is revelling in the choices he has for his main custodian.

It is a little early to be crowing that the problem is solved but the form of Lukasz Fabianski has clouded the issue. He needs time to prove that his erratic previous is down to a lack of match action but Wenger believes that he is going to prove his doubters wrong,

He always felt that if he could get a run of games, then he could show how good he is. He always felt it [his reputation] was only on one game and he felt under pressure to show how good he is in one game. Now he is a bit more relaxed.

He is what I call a natural goalkeeper, the rhythm of the game runs through his body. He smells what will happen. He is technically very gifted, after that every goalkeeper progresses and they blossom at 28 until 38.

Having seen how confidence, or lack of it, destroyed the Arsenal career of Philippe Senderos, little wonder that Wenger is sensitive to the subject,

Of course [the mistakes he made last season] affected him. The Porto game was very bad for him. The confidence problem is a very interesting subject in top-level sport. You feel it goes quickly and comes back slowly. If you are an established name and you make a mistake, then people say ‘you have had a bad day’. If you come into the team and you make a mistake people say you are not good enough. That’s a massive difference.

There is undoutebly a chance for him to prove people wrong and Wenger has to contribute to that. Replace Fabianski with Almunia and that confidence will once more ebb away. Yet the feeling is that the Pole is still as good as his last mistake. That he has so far come back and played well is testament to his ability and mental strength. Long may that continue.

This afternoon’s team is more likely to be that which took the pitch at Eastlands last weekend. Wenger will no doubt be keen to avoid muscular injuries following various injury lay-offs although Laurent Koscielny’s performance at Newcastle suggests he will return to the starting line-up at the expense of Johan Djourou. I would expect the starting XI to be:

Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy; Fabregas, Song, Denilson; Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin

The key is a win. The only tough fixture this afternoon for any of the top five is Tottenham v Manchester United. Chelsea ought to win at Blackburn, Manchester City likewise at Wolves. It is important that Arsenal focus on winning first, presuming that the gap will not widen this weekend. Any reduction in the five points between first and second is a bonus.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

Stone Cold Friday: When Maturity Is Mistaken For Desperation

“There are two kinds of spurs, my friend. Those that come in by the door; those that come in by the window.” How wrong you were Tuco, how wrong you were. There is a third type. Those Spurs always finish below Arsenal but hopefully will do us a favour by beating Manchester United tomorrow. To keep you going, here’s Darius

There’s a vicious rumour doing the rounds that Arsenal is so desperate to win a trophy, they’ve become outright flat track bullies in the Carling cup. While every team now uses the league cup to blood youngsters and give fringe players a chance for some pitch time, Arsenal are being ungentlemanly by unleashing a full strength side.

The irony of all this is the fact that not so long ago, Arsenal was being berated for not taking the cup seriously and bringing the game into disrepute. You have to ask though, that if Wenger makes 9 changes to a team and still ends up with a formidable starting 11, isn’t he fielding his under strength team?

So are we that desperate?

You need to get past the smoke screen of the most quoted statistic in English football – ‘…but Arsenal hasn’t won anything in 5 years’. You need to climb over the mountain of lazy clichés and shameless bias of commentators who tempt you to throw your TV right out the window.

You need to get past the intellectual masturbation unleashed on us by pundits and hacks as they fumble in search of a plausible explanation as to why they think project Arsenal has failed. You need to get past the vocal rabble that is a minority of anti-Arsenal Arsenal supporters who seem hell bent on sending Wenger and a few players to the gallows if we end up with another barren season.

For only when you get past this muck, do you realise how far this team has travelled on this audacious journey to greatness. Not enough credit is given to Wenger, and to individual players for the continuous development that has seen this team grow right in front of our eyes.

Granted, our patience has been tested many a time, but that is the price we have to pay to see this vision through. It’s unfortunate sometimes that this 24-hour – give me what I want now culture has thrown the concept of patience out of the window. Few people seem prepared to build things any more, a quick fix being the order of the day.

What the Carling cup is showing us is that Arsenal has a formidable squad that will challenge on all fronts. It’s a squad that has been brought together by a painstaking and meticulous process of a youth development program tempered with a sprinkling of experience. It’s a squad that is developed to stand us in good stead for a long time to come.

What was also interesting this week was the revelation of the psychology that Arsenal applies as part of the development process. It was always rumoured that the Professor demanded intelligence in his players, but a rare glimpse of the hoops players have to jump for the right to wear an Arsenal shirt was fascinating.

The psychology in part, provides an explanation as to why Wenger only signs certain types of players as opposed to the regulation short-list provided to him by the tabloids every transfer window. This season has seen the introduction of Koscielny, Squillaci and Chamakh – all of who are playing like they’ve always been part and parcel of the Arsenal setup.

What is also becoming more evident is that Arsenal’s impending – and in my view inevitable success is a fact that has started to sink in for many in the establishment. I know that as fans, we tend to get aggrieved by the sometimes criminally biased representation that Arsenal gets in the media. The ‘last kick of a dying horse’ comes to mind when you reflect soberly on the begrudging acknowledgement we occasionally get.

The job is not yet done, but to use one of Wenger’s nuggets, the ‘ingredients’ are there. It’s also noticeable that we’ve collected a few more along the way – like the skill of diplomatically applying the dark arts – for the good of the team.

The team’s mental strength is not an issue for me – we have it in abundance. The rub of the green has also become a familiar bedfellow in recent times. What has been most impressive for me though is the patience and maturity that the team has shown when it has been called for.

You can see it in the way we close out games, or the way we grind and wear down teams with pace, stamina and Wengerball – before licking them to submission.

Teams are also ill-advised to consider Arsenal a soft touch, a myth that has become conventional wisdom if you believe some commentators. The boys are consistently showing that they can ‘take care of themselves’ to use a common euphemism for having a no-nonsense approach or response to teams attempting to bully us off the park.

When people talk about desperation and a clamour for the Carling cup – I think they totally miss the point that Arsenal has become a different beast – one that is also the best at making beasts look beautiful.

The team know what they have to do – and they’ll take it a game at a time. The prizes are not being handed out yet, contrary to the procession being prepared down the Kings Road. The least we can do is enjoy the ride – it’s going to be a fascinating one this season.

’til Tomorrow.

Arsenal Leave Tyne In A Fog In Carling Cup Romp

Newcastle United 0 – 4 Arsenal

0 – 1 Krull (45 o.g.)
0 – 2 Walcott (49)
0 – 3 Bendtner (82)
0 – 4 Walcott (88)

I am struggling to remember when Arsenal were last installed as favourites to win this competition but apparently playing two Premier League rivals away from home – one of them a Champions League competitor – and scoring four goals on each occasion means that you only rank the same as a win at home over a relegation contender from each of the top two divisions. And joint favourites Arsenal find themselves this morning, alongside Manchester United in what is now an emminently winnable competition.

Wenger named a strong side whilst Newcastle replicated their squad for the trip to Stamford Bridge in the last round. As a crisp autumnal day gave way to the chill of evening, Arsenal’s attack took to the task immediately from kick-off. Rosicky won possession and fed Vela on the left. The Mexican sprinted into the area, the opportunity to shoot early spurned, dragged his shot and Krull turned the ball to safety. It was a brief respite; from the resultant corner, Nicklas Bendtner saw two goal bound efforts blocked, the second of which brought quarter-hearted penalty appeals before his final effort went straight at Krull. Barely a minute played and four efforts on goal already.

Arsenal peppered the Newcastle goal with efforts, Eboue, Bendtner and Gibbs all went close to varying degrees. All told Arsenal were averaging a chance a minute before the clock had shown ten had passed. Newcastle gradually got into the game as an attacking force; Vuckic has rasped a shot into the side netting before 1970s funk star, Nile Ranger, raced clear of the Arsenal defence, judging the trajectory of a long ball better than Djourou or Koscielny. Szczesny came out of his area, fortunate that he missed the onrushing forward but forced Ranger wide enough for Koscielny to block his shot with Djourou covering on the goal-line.

Polish goalkeepers charging out their area is nothing new at Arsenal and Szczesny found his redemption, even if it went unrecognised by the officials. From the corner, Smith hammered his shot from thirty yards, the Pole’s fingertips pushing the ball onto the bar and over which apparently now constitutes a goalkick rather than a corner.

As the half came to its’ conclusion, possession was dominated by Arsenal. One enforced change had been rung, Kieran Gibbs the latest to fall foul of foul play, replaced by Bacary Sagna, Eboue shifting to the left. The breakthrough came with the interval beckoning. A corner from the left was helped clear but the Rosicky returning it finding Nicklas Bendtner’s head. Koscielny and Eastmond obscured Krull’s view and the ball dribbled past him; Taylor’s clearance found the back of the Dutchman’s head and the breakthrough was achieved. Much has been made of the number of red cards and penalties in Arsenal’s fixtures; goalkeeping errors which have been beneficial now stand at three for the season and counting.

With a lead established, Newcastle left themselves open to the counter-attack in the second half. Two of the goals occurred from this avenue, both despatched with some aplomb by Theo Walcott in the central channel. It might be his long-term aim to become a centre-forward and with six goals in six games, perhaps the clinical edge that has been sometimes missing from his play is materialising.

The first, five minutes into the second half, was contentious. Nicklas Bendtner chased down Krull as he cleared and was clearly in an offside position as the ball was returned with interest by Laurent Koscielny. That, though, was not the cause of Tyneside consternation, more his baulking of the defender as he arced his run to provide support to the onrushing Walcott. A blatant bodycheck, calculated to deny Williamson the opportunity of a tackle. The referee is being castigated for his decision but he was consistent on the night, Taylor having been equally blatant in his pull on the Dane in the first half, denying him the chance to be in a goalscoring position.

No matter, 2-0 to Arsenal with less than fifty minutes gone: a comfortable position to be in. The introduction of Andy Carroll gave the host’s attack more vibrancy but Djourou had woken from his first half slumber and once more put in a sterling effort in the second half.

Szczesny was not allowed to rest on his laurels, evoking memories of Bob Wilson with his willingness to put his head where boots were flying, concentrating until the end, the final action of the match a forty-yard punch from the youngster. A sure sign his confidence had grown during the match. He got away with some errors last night. His excellent one-handed save from Taylor’s free-kick found fortune when the rebound fell to Eboue in front of goal, the Ivorian’s tiger feet somehow putting the ball over the bar. His rush of blood was covered by Koscielny’s positional recovery. It is not hard to see that he is a potential number one nor would there be any surprise if a win in Donetsk sees the Pole play two Champions League fixtures as well as the remainder of this Carling Cup run. The FA Cup? Possibly but that rather depends on whom Wenger has as his first choice for the Premier League.

The final brace of Arsenal goals came following the surprise introduction of Cesc. The Spaniard capitalised on Guthrie’s slovenliness to feed Bendtner on the left. The Dane ambled into the box before cutting in and unleashing a fearsone drive which curled majestically into the top corner. The coup de grace came in the dying embers of the match as Walcott latched onto another through ball to complete an emphatic scoreline.

It was a match with many positives. Szczesny and Eastmond did their respective causes no harm, it is too soon to say either is a definite for the first team now but their inclusion would not be a cause for concern. It was good to see Koscielny back, seemingly unaffected by the short lay-off. Elsewhere, the returns of Walcott and Bendtner seem to have been unaffected by niggles and strains which is promising for the upcoming schedule.

A great result, the draw on saturday leaves possible opponents as Manchester United, Aston Villa, West Ham, Ipswich, WBA, Birmingham and Wigan. Should we be overly worried about any of them or are they looking at Arsenal and thinking, “Now there’s a team we want to avoid?“.

’til Tomorrow.

Carling Cup Preview: Are We Singing The Same Toon?

Arsenal travel to St James Park for a League Cup tie for the first time. The three previous meetings between the two sides have all taken place in London, Newcastle yet to find a response to the eight Arsenal goals they have conceded. Indeed, you have to go back to a cold December evening in 2001 for their last victory in any competition when Graham Poll’s influence over proceedings was less than benign. Those looking for omens might seek solace in knowing Newcastle have not triumphed in an October fixture with Arsenal since a 7-0 thrashing handed out in 1925; tonight’s visitors have won eleven and drawn the remaining four in the interim, conceding in only six of those games.

Arsene responded to ‘enquiries’ at the recent AGM that all competitions were being treated seriously, all to be won. A sea-change we are told, a change of policy, something different for the League Cup’s most disrespectful manager. Wenger, no matter what he may publicly opine, could do without this tournament. He would far prefer to have the players on the training pitch, working on the positives from Sunday as well as the negatives.

The benefit to his squad members who are on the fringes outweight this though. They get a runout against decent opposition in the second consecutive away tie this season. A chance for the walking wounded to morph into the running fit; a chance for redemption for others. A chance for everyone to be more ready for the first team if called upon, better prepared than a time spent twiddling their thumbs.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is one of those. Arsene may have heard his knocking and until now, he hasn’t let him in. The manager noted though, that the youngster was trying to kick down the doors. JET has been on the fringes of the first team for a couple of seasons and his form for the reserves this campaign suggests that he may have outgrown that level. Being naturally left-footed puts him at an immediate advantage, allowing movement across the frontline with confidence. It is this which Thomas believes that has improved this season, reading the game. Whether he starts tonight is another matter.

I suspect Wenger is going to look to go with Vela, Bendtner and Walcott as his starting trio. Bendtner and Walcott need match time following injuries whilst Vela is back in favour this evening. Whether it is for tonight only remains to be seen. Wenger intimated yesterday that there had been an injury, perhaps a slight niggle but possibly he may have been paying a price for indiscretions on international duty. Who knows, another interesting chapter in the Wenger’s book when he eventually writes it.

One person definitely starting tonight is Wojciech Szczesny. It seems that Manuel Almunia has not fully recovered and will be on the bench. For the young Pole, this is a real opportunity to prove the hype is not misguided or unfounded. No pressure then. A competitive match is entirely different to pre-season friendlies and many believe that the current pecking order is the one that should exist anyway; a remarkable turnaround for Fabianski to be in Pole position. Arsene was a tad disingenuous in his praise for the trio; if his faith was truly unshakable, he would not have bid for Mark Schwarzer in the summer.

Welcomed back into the defensive fold is Laurent Koscielny, recovered from his knack as is Havard Nordtveit and I wonder if that is the central pairing we will see. Whilst the Norwegian can play at full back, that would mean Eboue further up the pitch and I do not believe that is going to happen with Walcott’s rehabilitation being given the perfect opportunity to continue. Johan Djourou might take his place on the bench as cover but Wenger will surely have half an eye on West Ham and want to rest Squillaci as well just in case of a relapse to his compatriot.

Otherwise shuffling the pack will be the order of the day. Gibbs will no doubt appear in place of Clichy whilst Song and Fabregas will drop out of midfield, allowing Denilson and Lansbury to push their claims for first team action on a more regular basis. Partnering them should be Tomas Rosicky, probably captaining the side as well. The line-up I would expect is:

Szczsney; Eboue, Nordtveit, Koscielny, Gibbs; Lansbury, Denilson, Rosicky; Vela, Bendtner, Walcott

With a bench of:

Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Eastmond, Nasri, Fabregas, Emmanuel-Thomas

The team fielded is a typical Wenger Carling Cup side; youth mixed with experience. Except the youth has plenty of experience and should be favourites to win tonight and the competition. A tough tie is ahead, Newcastle’s win at Chelsea should not be underestimated but it contained a number of positives for Arsenal, most notably their willingness to concede goals.

Enjoy the match wherever you are watching. ’til Tomorrow.

Nasri’s New Deal & Signs Of Momentum Building

Samir Nasri is claiming this morning’s headlines, The Guardian reporting that talks are under way to extend his contract until 2015, his current deal expiring in 2012. This is being tied into his improved form this season but is probably more based on Wenger’s comments last week noting that with contracts nowadays negotiations have to start two years before a deal ends to ensure that players do not have their heads turned by representations of others. Not that a contract means anything to players or clubs; a move can be engineered quite easily by both parties if it suits them.

Not that Nasri does not deserve his place in the side. On current form, the player most at threat when (or should that be if) Robin van Persie returns to full fitness would appear to be Andrey Arshavin. That is based on the assumption that Wenger believes van Persie is back to full fitness and f0rm. And that there are no other injuries, which is perhaps stretching the imagination too far. The observation is double-edged, referring to the Russian’s showings this season but also highlighting how quickly Marouanne Chamakh has settled into the team. Another effective display on Sunday was unrewarded with a goal but nonetheless appreciated by all.

Nasri though has flattered to deceive before, a run of several good games and then becoming ineffective, trying to take the weight of the team on his shoulders proved to be a heavy burden. This time around, he seems to have learned the lessons from last season and is relishing the responsibility. Indeed, he has not stepped back into the shadows following Cesc’s return to the side, instead maintaining his form and producing a diamond display at Eastlands. At the moment, the midfield is functioning efficiently, with Denilson’s inclusion in the side allowing Alex Song the chance to move forwards, rewarded with two goals in two games.

Song was one of the players who is coming in for praise for perceived improvements to his game. The dreaded word ‘maturity’ springs immediately to mind with all of the squad; you expect season-on-season improvements otherwise the player, like Randall, will be moved on, plateauing for more than half a season suggests that they have reached the peak of their abilities.

As Cesc observed, the measure of these improvements is not one game, not even half a dozen. It is the whole of the season. Trophies is a marker, a milestone for the squad but for the individuals, the performances overall are the measurement. Obviously, we all want them to win and that the results are being achieved in the last week with the ‘last choice’ centre back pairings speaks volumes compared to last season. Whilst Djourou has been showing the signs of his long lay-off, that the wins are happening shows harder work throughout the team in terms of defending.

That is going to put to the test in coming weeks with tough away games in Donetsk, Braga, Aston Villa and Everton mixed with Tottenham visiting The Emirates. A solid foundation has been built since the loss to West Brom and wins over Newcastle and West Ham create a momentum that can quickly develop into a formidable run of form. All of these games though are emminently winnable, especially as the next few weeks apparently sees all bar Vermaelen return to fitness; pressure on places in the starting line-up will genuinely exist throughout the squad.

Meanwhile – according to News International sources, I hasten to add – Cesc is learning Russian, responding to Arshavin’s native shout of ‘Give me the ball‘. So what did the our diminutive forward think of that?

I do not know, It happened on the spur of the moment: my words and his pass.

So is he or isn’t he (sounds like an advertising campaign)? I would have thought they would communicate in English, being the common language of the land although given his well-documented desires to play for Barcelona, it would be of little surprise to learn that Arshavin spoke Spanish.

’til Tomorrow