Farcial Defending Hands Birmingham Carling Cup

Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1 – 2 Birmingham City

0 – 1 Zigic (28)
1 – 1 van Persie (38)
1 – 2 Martins (89)

I remember the numbness of defeat. I remember that it took many hours for the gut-wrenching feeling to pass. I remember the despair that accompanied an Arsenal defender making a calamitous error. I remember the opposition goalkeeper being Man of the Match. I remember a defensive error handing the trophy to an opponent. In the last minute.

I remember the pain of 1988 for I relived it in 2011.

When a team enters the final of any competition as an overwhelming favourite, there is a burden which accompanies that recognition of talent. It is demanded that the talent be on show, be proven; that the talent be matched by attitude.

Arsenal lacked the ‘killer’ aspect of the latter, dominant as ever in possession, twelve attempts on target with one goal justifying the decision to give Ben Foster the match accolade. Birmingham scored twice from half as many on target efforts. The record books will not record who deserved to win. Those same books will not record that A Comedy of Errors led to a tragedy that even The Bard would have shied away from.

All they will record is that in 2011, Birmingham City beat Arsenal 2  – 1 in the final of the Carling Cup. And whatever you may feel about that outcome, congratulations go to them for that.

For Arsenal, it is a case of wounded and battered pride being picked up from the floor and returning to winning ways on Wednesday night. Leave the anguish and navel gazing to us, the supporters. Concentrate on learning the lessons of defeat and applying them to the rest of the season. Never forget the pain or the tears so that when another final is reached, these are emotions never repeated.

There is nothing else to be done.

The journey from Marylebone to Wembley mirrored the football match taking place. One side of the tracks, row upon row of terraced houses, covered in Dickensian grime. The other had newer build, shoots of a brighter new future which through errors of design stuttered to prove that this is the way forward. In miserable and grim weather, the older, more industrial ways still win.

And emerging from these architectural clashes is the ‘new’ Wembley. Improved on the old structurally, devoid of soul within, lifeless and lank without, empty advertising hoardings shepherding the inhabitants to their seats. Even with the new, the darker, more basic pierces the surface if left unhindered.

Arsenal and Birmingham took to the pitch, Gael Clichy brought a false dawn to the proceedings by instantly and aggressively beating the towering Zigic to a header following a predictable start by the West Midlanders. They came out of the blocks quicker, barely a minute on the clock when Bowyer was upended by Szczesny, the penalty ruled out by an apparent incorrect offside flag. van Persie responded, crashing an outrageous effort over the bar and wide of the goal.

Arshavin went closer, should perhaps have done more. Samir Nasri was becoming more influential in proceedings. Darting in from the right he fed the Russian with a perfectly weighted pass, Foster advanced quickly, snuffing out the chance with his legs.

The state of play was set; Birmingham lay deep, repelling Arsenal with short passes before the inevitable hoisted pass. The Londoners were passing across the pitch and backwards, retaining possession before probing in the final third. Before thirty minutes had passed, the game plan changed.

Arsenal surrendered a cheap corner which had an expensive price tag. As at The Emirates earlier this season it was Nicola Zigic who broke the deadlock, this time beating Szczesny to the ball and flicking it between the goalkeeper’s flailing arms into the net. van Persie responded immediately, almost silencing those bedecked in blue with a header that marginally cleared the angle of bar and post.

The game had sprung to life. Szczesny denied Zigic when it seemed a quickfire second might bite Arsenal; Djourou quickly closed the Birmingham forward down as he advanced in dangerous positions as Arsenal regrouped and regathered their poise.

As the interval approached, Jack Wilshere strode through the midfield, his thunderous strike matched the weather and left the crossbar reverberating as Arshavin squirmed through the defence to cross for van Persie, the Dutchman equalising with a stunning volley into the corner of the net. Parity at a high price as the Arsenal captain suffered a blow to his knee, an injury that impaired his mobility for the remaining thirty minutes that he was on the pitch.

Arsenal became the dominant side with the goal, Birmingham pegged back into their half for long spells, bodies behind the ball in well-organised defence. Yet they did not stop the chances, Nasri and Rosicky going close as Foster and wayward shooting kept the scoreline level.

And hints of complacency surfaced in the Arsenal defence, Djourou and Koscielny contrived to cede possession, Fahey’s snapshot rattled the inside of the post and rebounded to safety. Arsenal had been warned.

Bendtner and Chamakh replaced van Persie and Arshavin, injury and fatigue catching up with latter duo. Bendtner brought another good save from Foster, Nasri stung his palms before denying Rosicky and the mercurial Frenchman once more. Foster was intent on a winner’s medal in three consecutive seasons, his aim achieved in circumstances he would not have envisaged as his long free-kick toward the head of Zigic.

Arsène said post-match that ‘making mistakes is not positive‘; Szczesny seemed to take responsibility for the situation at a late stage, Koscielny pulled out of a clearance, the ball rebounding off the Pole to a stunned, grateful and unmarked Obefami Martins. The Carling Cup was duly delivered to the West Midlands.

’til Tomorrow.

Carling Cup Final Preview: A Time For Winners

‘Hardaker’s Folly*’ is fifty this year, today the 51st final of the League Cup. It is also Arsenal’s first final at the ‘new’ Wembley Stadium. It is always a privilege to be at any final in which Arsenal participate, that this is the ‘debut’ adds a little extra spice to the occasion.

And this has the air of a Débutante’s Ball. This is the Arsenal squad’s Coming of Age, the chance to cross the Rubicon, acknowledged as Winners rather than potentials. Victory today ends the ‘Trophy Drought‘ of five wilderness (© lazyhacksrus plc) years – yes, it is still five years since Arsenal last won a trophy until May, when six will have passed.

In keeping with Arsène’s reign at the club, a victory will have to be achieved with key personnel missing. Despite the inconsistency of the final ball, Theo Walcott will be missed on the right and centrally where he offers another avenue of danger for a lightening break, eleven goals and five assists cannot be taken lightly.

More painfully, Cesc will not lead the team onto – and on – the pitch, injury robbing him of the chance to add to his FA Cup winners medal. There is a certain symmetry in Robin van Persie replacing him as captain, mirroring that afternoon in Cardiff when the Dutchman was the Spaniard’s replacement with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Fàbregas’ absence in the middle of the pitch is the hardest to replace, such is his influence on the side. And his replacement will define Arsenal’s approach to the match, as well as who will come in on the right.

The obvious combination seems to me to be Nasri / Bendtner. The Frenchman has been in imperious form this season, when the ballot papers go out this week to the PFA members for their choice, forget Gareth Bale, Samir Nasri is the only serious candidate for Player of the Year.

Bendtner meanwhile has shown he is capable of producing telling involvement from the right side of the attack, despite his self-professed loathing of that position in the team. Equally, he provides more aerial threat at set-pieces and having exposed Stoke’s supposedly well-organised defence at The Emirates last week, we should perhaps not be too quick to dismiss this option.

Tomáš Rosický could likewise come to the right of midfield, this afternoon I cannot see him dropping into the central role simply because Andrey Arshavin has recovered his best form. Had the Russian still been out of sorts, I suspect that Wenger would have left Nasri on the left. As it is, Arshavin is back towards his best and surely the best option with the current injuries. Bendtner though, I think, will get the nod.

Wenger could go with Diaby or Denilson, moving Nasri to the right but each has drawbacks. Whatever the player may say, Diaby is not match fit. He could provide the physical presence to counter Birmingham but it is not going to be necessary. The size of the Wembley pitch means Arsenal can spread their play to neuter any attempt by their opponents to compact play.

Denilson meanwhile would offer the opportunity for Jack Wilshere to showcase his talents, allowing the England youngster to push forwards more assertively than he perhaps might do with Fàbregas in the team. Wilshere is being identified by all and sundry, including his manager, as the key to this afternoon. The England international has progressed beyond expectations this season and must surely be the Young Player of the Year, if such awards are to be taken seriously.

Birmingham know all about his good and bad points, Fàbregas’ absence means he will take a more dominant role. Without doubt it is the biggest afternoon of his club career and the continued highs have not seen the player overawed by anything thrown at him this season. He has had week’s where his performances have not met with the expectations thrust upon his shoulders yet there has been nothing to suggest in his recent form that a dip with additional responsibility can be envisaged.

The starting line-up I expect Arsène to field is:

Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy; Nasri, Song, Wilshere; Bendtner, van Persie, Arshavin

Crucially for Arsenal, this game is being played out in their minds. Birmingham have not beaten Arsenal outside of the second city since October 1957; Arsenal has lost just once in the past nineteen meetings between the two teams. Much talk in the press recently has been of psychological tests used on the younger players.

This is a familiar pressure on the squad in unfamiliar surroundings. This is about taking the tag of overwhelming favourites and not letting it become a burden, complacency robbing play of its usual vibrancy. Bacary Sagna hinted that this barrier will not exist this afternoon, hunger and desire for victory focussing their minds.

A time for winners to emerge, wearing the red and white of Arsenal. Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it. ’til Tomorrow.

* When Alan Hardaker, then Secretary of the Football League,  first conceived the Football League Cup, he envisaged a structure in the professional game that had five divisions of twenty teams and less fixture congestion. It is a tournament that had it’s heyday for two decades from 1967, the first Wembley final, until the lustre started to wain as the Premier League came to fruition.

Hardaker got it wrong, his baby is now consistently viewed as a cause of fixture congestion and derided by most top clubs as a result. Five divisions of eighteen teams had less chance of success than his original plans  which were vetoed by the club chairmen anyway, but is the only way this competition can be ‘happily’ accommodated into the league season.

Nasri Agrees Terms, Spare A Thought For Rambo & Wembley Beckons

In the midst of the bad news about Cesc and Theo missing tomorrow’s Carling Cup Final, outstanding news about Samir Nasri with his contract terms apparently agreed and ready to be signed. It is just the tonic, vindication for the club’s attitude of taking these matters out of the spotlight and dealing with them quietly as opposed to the issue continually be raked through the back pages.

Frequently Arsenal’s transfer and contract policy – generally secretive – is criticised,  targets tumbling through the back pages as if Autumnal leaves fallen to the ground, swept along in the clearing breeze. The policy though pays off when senior players are able to deal with these matters away from the media gaze and concentrate on football, on the pitch where it really counts.

Twelve Months On

On the periphary is Aaron Ramsey, someone for whom we should spare a thought this weekend. Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the assault which set back his career. Perhaps he is wondering what might have been, surely a natural reaction given that a cup final appearance has gone begging for the young Welshman.

Whilst there is always hope that his career will be bedecked with rewards, seeing him in the first team shirt against Orient this week will be suitably fitting. Arsene observed immediately after the Stoke match last February that Ramsey could be their ‘inspiration’. It’ is a little later than anticipated but nonetheless, the players could do worse than think of those who absence is enforced as motivation.

Wembley Ways

So to Wembley. Birmingham City will not be kicking Arsenal out of Wembley Stadium tomorrow according to Sebastian Larsson, who believes that the favourites are an altogether tougher prospect physically, than they have been in the past. Larsson might like to mention that to his boss and colleagues to ensure that no-one believes a ‘getting to know you’ challenge is a good way to start a final.

Personally, I am hoping that we do not get a replay of the encounter between the two sides that took place at Highbury on 30th November 1985. It wins, hands down, the somewhat dubious accolade of ‘The Worst Football Match I Ever Saw‘.

And that says something as I can remember an almost equally dismal goalless draw against Coventry some years later that we trawled to Highbury for, instead of staying at home and watching it on ITV. It was before pubs showed football, kids.

That match in 1985 was notable for a young David Seaman keeping goal for the visitors that day and generally having very little to do after an early chance went begging. In fact, there were not any chances after that, a rare game where no shots on target were recorded.

Tomorrow’s focus is being diverted to Cesc Fàbregas, or rather his absence. The Spainard’s hamstring has tweaked, Arsène preferring that it would not be twanged by playing his mercurial capitán. The manager’s decision is no doubt influenced by last season,

Would I play him if it was the last game of the season? I don’t think so, I don’t think so. You’re asking me whether he could play with the injury? Certainly not at 100 per cent. And he could make the damage much worse.

If this was the only chance of silverware this season, I wonder if Wenger would be so reticent to include Cesc. Certainly those other targets are not forgotten and the manager stopped short of telling Cesc to get over it but not by much.

His team-mates still want him to collect the trophy though – perhaps Arsène does as well – and that is a good sign of the togetherness that five wilderness (© overusedtermsinthemedia plc) years have brought about. A slew of ‘We’ll win it for Cesc‘ stories were cut off at the knees as the captain insisted that the trophy be won for the fans. He did not use the word ‘long suffering‘ but was not far off it.

That’s it for today, God Bless The Good Ship Wigan Athletic and all who sail upon her, hopefully you will be given the strength to overcome Manchester United this afternoon. Failing that, just get a huge dollop of luck so that the first part of this weekend’s double-header can go to plan.

’til Tomorrow.

Stone Cold Friday: He Who Dares Rodney, He Who Dares.

He was known as “The Raffles of Peckham”. He was a gentleman safe-cracker. He was a conisiour of fine wines, gourmet of foreign quisine, big art lover, snappy dresser, and big-time charmer. Now he’s simply called Darius…

It’s often said that one of the worst things that can happen is letting a good crisis go to waste.  The headline writers certainly think we’re in crisis seeing that Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas are crocked and won’t make it for the Carling Cup final.  It’s a body blow they say, one that has rocked Arsenal.

One of the best lessons ever unleashed on an unsuspecting crowd was during the semi-final of the 1995 Rugby World cup between the New Zealand All Blacks and England.  It was the misguided focus on a certain Jonah Lomu who uncannily had a Fabregas-esque impact on the All Blacks.  Rory Underwood had his hands full in the first place, but England opted to dedicate another man to police mark Lomu alongside Underwood – and it did the trick.  Pretty much stopped the explosive winger for most part.

What England forgot was that all the other 14 All Blacks players on the pitch were capable of annihilating anyone in the world who dared accept the challenge of the ‘Hakka’.  In truth, they really didn’t need Lomu; he was the classic decoy.  England were humiliated and given a master class in how to play Rugby.

Cesc is very important to Arsenal and a peak at the stats bears this fact.  Without him though, the team must rise to the challenge and complete the job they have been sent to Wembley to do.  Even if there was a small chance of playing him, my take would be that it’s not worth the risk.  A much fitter Cesc is required for the home straight.

The captain can most certainly serve the purpose of being our decoy, one who gives false hope to an unsuspecting enemy lying in wait.  Lest we forget, Samir Nasri might have something to say to those who dare scoff at the suggestion that he has been the best player in England this season.

Robin Van Persie will also want to remind us all why he has been the most lethal striker in the world since the beginning of the year, with an added incentive of being the stand-in captain at a cup final.

While it’s important to get the “haven’t won a trophy in half a decade” monkey off our collective backs; what’s more important for the team and the fans is that this milestone is crossed so as to cement our belief in what this team is capable of.

Not that we’re likely to hear the last of the trophy drought nonsense – Neil Ashton of that blasted red rag has already confirmed live on air that if Arsenal do indeed win the Carling Cup, the narrative will change to “but they haven’t won a major trophy since 2005”.

Make no mistake, Birmingham are not going to roll over, let us tickle them on the belly, pat them on their heads and send them back up the motorway.  Their last trip to a league cup final against Liverpool 10 years ago is something they want to wipe out of the history of the club and Arsenal is fair game to them.

Mike Riley – the cynical and baffling referee chief is already on a mission this season to show us that he has power and is willing to use it.  How else would you explain the sheer impunity of giving Peter Walton the same fixture as he did last season where Walton’s incompetence gave Stoke the licence to ‘get in our face’s and for Shawcross to assault Aaron Ramsey.

Clearly, he knows that Birmingham has a history with Arsenal and goes ahead and hands Mike Dean – the same referee who managed the game which Martin Taylor hacked off Eduardo’s ankle.

The team must focus and put the game way beyond the match officials and way beyond Birmingham City.  It will be good for the world to experience our brand of Wengerball at a cup final but that is not necessary in my view.

The object of the exercise here is to win the game.  It matters not whether it’s a scrappy win; or whether we pass them to death; or whether we wear them down for 75 minutes and then lick them to submission; or whether we smash and grab the game.  The players know that they must deliver.

A lot has been said about the possibility of Arsenal winning a historic quadruple.  Some may think that it’s a task too far, and to them it must be said – “Ye of little faith”.  He who dares wins.

We have to believe that we’re the best and we have to have that confidence.  Sunday is a good start and an opportunity to knock off the list of available trophies this season.  It’s been a long time coming and we have had to be patient.

We have no divine right to win at Wembley – but we have the team, we have the attitude, we have the desire and we have the hunger.  Many have suggested that this season, Wenger has prioritized the league cup and played a really strong team all through the competition.

What most of them fail to recognize is that the vision is coming to fruition, and the strength of the team is a culmination of years of work with our young players who are now mature well beyond their peers.  As the other teams are only now catching up with the concept of using the Carling Cup for developing their squad, they’re clearly only playing catch-up to what Arsenal has been doing for years.

Wenger was derided and fingers were pointed at Arsenal for not taking the Carling Cup seriously – and would you believe it, most clubs are now doing what Arsenal started years ago, and we’re bearing the fruits of this endeavour, long before others will catch up with our visionary development path.

The opportunity to win the first cup for this team is nigh.  And it will be just one of many to come.

’til Tomorrow.

Win Carling Cup Final Tickets

‘The Fans Final’ brought to you by Carling

Carling have teamed up with talkSPORT, the nation’s favourite sports radio station, offering Arsenal and Birmingham fans the chance to be at this year’s Carling Cup Final.

Every day this week in the build up to the Carling Cup Final, talkSPORT will be getting rival Arsenal and Birmingham City fans to go head to head on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show in a brand new competition, The Fans Final. And every day, the listener who proves they have the superior sporting knowledge will win a pair of tickets to the Carling Cup Final, with the runner up netting a case of Carling.

To be in with a chance of winning go to:

http://www.talksport.co.uk/competitions/win-tickets-carling-cup-final-wembley

And that’s not all. Simply by registering to take part in the competition you could get involved in Carling’s great Home Delivery service that has been running throughout this season’s competition.

To help improve the experience of fans and their mates watching games at home extra special, Carling has been sending beer, glassware and club legends straight into fans’ living rooms. If the players of your chosen team score more points than the opposition’s throughout the week, then you could be in with the chance of winning 1 of 100 Carling Cup final packs – which include a case of beer and a match-day programme – being offered to the highest scoring fans.

Heads, We Win! Arsenal Close Gap But At What Cost?

Arsenal 1 – 0 Stoke City

1 – 0 Squillaci (8)

Sèbastien Squillaci scored a vital winner to close the gap on Manchester United at the top of the table, one point now the difference. The win came at a price; Theo Walcott definitely misses Sunday’s Carling Cup Final whilst Cesc Fàbregas joined Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny as doubtful, the Spainard’s hamstring tightened, the player withdrawn as a precaution.

The outcome was of little surprise. Stoke were always going to be the least adventurous of visitors to The Emirates; they did not disappoint. Fàbregas’ substitution was pivotal, Arsenal lost their most influential player yet Stoke did not capitalise on that, only Carew drew a meaningful save from Szczesny.

Shawcross’ header hit Djourou in the face and Pennant rippled the sidenetting their other chances; one shot on target during ninety minutes sums up Tony Pulis’ attitude to this match. Defensive, dour and unadventurous.

Arsenal were rampant in the opening twenty minutes with Theo Walcott the chief antagonist. In the second minute, Wilshere and Fàbregas combined on the edge of the area, the Arsenal captain found a precise pass into the path of Walcott whose shot thundered into the inside of the post and back to the relative safety of a Stoke defender.

Moments later Walcott was played in for another effort which he dragged wide, Bendtner the provider on this occasion. The duo would once more combine, this time Begovic stopped Walcott in his tracks. For this spell in the game, Stoke were as much helpless as hopeless.

The threatened breakthrough duly arrived. Organisation at set-pieces is the strength of sides which deploy dullard tactics; in the eighth minute, Stoke were shambolic. Wilshere’s corner caused consternation but was flicked clear to Bendtner, close to the by-line. The Dane returned the ball into the six yard box where the unmarked Squillaci headed home.

So much for the aerial superiority of the visitors. If they could not win those battles, there was no hope for them. Or that is how it seemed at this point in the match. Five or so minutes later, the spark of the match would die a little with Fàbregas’ withdrawal. Arsenal enjoyed more possession of the ball than is usual; in excess of 75% for the first half, reducing to a trifling 60% overall.

That dominance did not negate Stoke entirely. A lot of the ball that Arsenal had led to blind alleys, the chances not created to match that superiority. Warnings were few and far between but John Carew enjoyed his encounters with Arsenal whilst at Valencia, Szczesny’s one handed save to his right prevented an equaliser from the Norwegian. It is another promising sign for the Pole; little to do during the evening yet alert to opposition forays.

Stoke’s capitulation in the first half would only lead to a heavy defeat if repeated in the second. A change was wrought, they realised that attack could bring rewards and within ten minutes very nearly did. Pennant crossed from the right, Shawcross met it with a firm header, Djourou’s face diverting the ball to safety.

A more traditional route for Stoke goals emerged minutes later as Delap hurled the ball into the area, Huth’s header cleared the bar and almost landed cleanly in the first row of supporters.

Arsenal responded. Jack Wilshere shot from distance straight at Begovic whilst Theo Walcott could not find the right finish following good work from Arshavin on the right. Just as it seemed Arsenal would be upping their gears once more, Whitehead brought Walcott down; unlike Clichy and Walters, the Stoke player would escape a deserved yellow card for his foul.

With the introduction of Denilson, the width Arsenal had previously enjoyed disappeared. Arsenal were prepared to close the game out, nick a second if possible but to enjoy a clean sheet. Pennant’s late free kick almost put paid to that aspiration, it seems a long time ago that he graced Highbury with his only three Arsenal goals against Southampton on a balmy May evening.

Post match, Arsène was pleased with the points, the ‘professional’ manner in which there were achieved. The injury to Cesc is being assessed today, his participation on Sunday in doubt. As it is both he and the manager will be happy that United have been caught, even if temporarily, but the pressure is on them with wins in their two games vital, before Sunderland visit The Emirates next weekend.

I’ll leave Arsène to sum up his view of Stoke,

I was quite surprised how intelligently they defended

Me? I’ve never forgiven them for Terry Conroy. ’til Tomorrow.

Stoke City Preview: Making It Up On The Hoof

Never has a team visiting The Emirates been more appropriate. The weather is dull, horrible, drab and wet. Which is exactly what Stoke City are. As well as being incredibly generous as they have rolled over and lost on their last eight visits to Arsenal, a run stretching back almost thirty years.

Wholesale changes can be expected to the team that took the field at Orient, an XI resembling that which took on Barcelona will be enough to beat tonight’s opponents.

Arsène though is paying the price for a congested fixture schedule as Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny are both missing for tonight, neither guaranteed to return for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday either. It means a reprieve for Sebastien Squillaci tonight and Arsène praying that no further injuries are suffered.

Whilst Manchester United’s game in hand is against Wigan, it is a brief respite judging by their upcoming fixture list. Arsenal has more volume but United’s tougher journey’s. Frequently the media has pointed out that this fortnight is big for Arsenal’s season. It is but they are not involved in the biggest games; United are.

If they emerge with nine out of nine from their next three fixtures, the opportunities to close the gap will be fewer. United’s next two away games are at Anfield and Stamford Bridge. It would be no surprise if they won both such is their opponents form but equally they have not won at the latter since 2002. Neither Arsenal or United will win every game between now and the end of the season. Who draws the fewest will be key.

For tonight, Arsène has noted a simple tactic to neuter the visitors threat,

What is important for us against Stoke is we [make sure] we have the ball. The more we have the ball, the less they will be dangerous in the air. We will try to dominate the game, as long as we have the ball they cannot be dangerous.

In picking on the aerial threat, Wenger makes telling observations about Stoke. Firstly, they are not so much of a threat on the ground. Secondly, he believes that the media stereotype of them as uncultured long ball merchants is not far off the mark. Lastly, Johan Djourou cannot be rested tonight as he is key to dealing with any aerial threat and there is no-one else to play centre back.

The Britannia Stadium has been a nightmare for Arsenal goalkeepers in recent seasons, unable to deal with the distinguished tactic of hoofing a ball long or throwing it for a considerable distance. Despite knowing what is coming, Almunia and Fabianski struggled until last season in the League fixture when the Spaniard coped to a degree. Szczesny has the frame to deal with any interlopers into his six-yard box and needs to ensure that they are intimidated to do so.

The team I would expect Wenger to start with is:

Szczesny; Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy; Fàbregas, Song, Wilshere; Walcott, Chamakh, Nasri

Tempting as it might be for Wenger to go with Bendtner, he perservered with Arshavin in his spell of indifferent form and it is hard to see him doing any different with Chamakh. The Moroccan did not let him down when van Persie was out injured earlier this season but his lack of goals recently will play on his mind.

It is important for him and the team that he does not let this overwhelm his thoughts; the pressure is on others to chip in with goals already. A misfiring forward only elevates that situation. Tonight is the sort of team whom he will enjoy playing against. Neither Huth or Shawcross is dominant in the air despite their size; Chamakh will only be successful if the right supply is provided though.

Whichever way it happens, a win is imperative tonight. A sneaky one-goal deflection does not count anymore than a flair-filled one-goal win; they still bring about three points.

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