Get out of jail free weekend.

This isn't the first time I've said this, forgive me for the repetition, but its that kind of season. How fortunate are we again? We capitulate and have poor decisions taken against us and the fear was that it would cost us badly.

It seems that the luck was with us again. Chelsea and ManYoo losing softened the blow, but its still two points lost. I really would like to talk to the referee and his lino and just ask him what they think they saw Rosicky do? A ridiculous decision, one which could, conceivably cost us the league.

However, it will be interesting to see how ManYoo respond to the defeat at Wolves, where being honest they we're woeful and didn't deserve a pie at half time, let alone 3 points. I'm hoping they crumble a little, now would be a great time to catch up whilst their fixtures are tougher than ours...on paper at least.

I hope the players use that result against the Barcodes to enforce the siege mentality, everyone is punishing us at the moment. Lets show them all that we are not so easily swayed from our targets. We are Arsenal, victory through harmony.

That in mind however,I would just like to say, I've seen it lots of times and I still can't condone Diaby's reaction. I know he's been injured and had his fair share of bad tackles, but you have to be bigger than that. Getting injured happens in football, deal with it. He can't keep reacting like that everytime he gets a robust challenge.

WG

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The all-too familiar story & transfer news

We absolutely dominated Citeh. We could have had a hatfull and they had nothing to offer as a real threat.

I feel so gutted that we didnt even nick one in, its so frustrating. We were denied by the post and good saves from Hart and its games like that where you don't get the points deserved that cost you.

My hopes of winning the league are waning, if we cannot score when inflicting near total domination over an opponent then what chance do we have? I'm trying not to be too negative because performances like that are why I love Arsenal. Just stick it in the onion bag lads...for the love of all that is pure and good, stick it in the bloody net!!

Rant over...thank you for listening.

Almumia is destined for Spanish soil it appears. I have it on rather good information that he has said he'd like to return to Spain and has already completed contract negotiations the only stickler is his insistence on being first choice but that is being ironed out.

Good luck to him. He's a good keeper, just not a Great Keeper and thats what you need in the Premier league.

WG

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Why Wenger will never spend 20million on a defender, or a keeper

This post is really born from some comments on my posts so I thought I'd create a whole post from my responses to it.

Fans are getting frustrated because they don't see us competing in the transfer market with the likes of Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Man Citeh. They want a marquee signing and I can understand why. People look at the signings of Squillaci and Koscielny in the summer and pound their fists together and ask why didn't we spend real hard cash and replace Gallas, Senderos and Toure?

Wenger doesn't buy ready-made players, with a few rare exceptions he wants to make them.

I don't think Squillaci and Koscielny are bad defenders. Its their first season in the premier league and its only Koscielny's 2nd season in top flight football. Koscielny wasn't bought to start every game, he and Squillaci were bought to supplement Vermaelen and Djourou and both be brought into the Premier League slowly, circumstances however have seen them play a lot more than expected. I can tell you now, Wenger never meant for them to be the first choice pairing for this season.

Koscielny is one of the best 1v1 defenders in the premiership, yes their partnership is vulnerable but it is still young in terms of games.

Now I WISH Wenger would spend twenty million on a Goalkeeper, or a defender, or sod it both!! But he will never do that. He's a coach first and a manager second. He wants to make talent, not buy it.

Thats why Henry was a great player, thats why he helped an aging Arsenal defence play on for year after year.

I certainly feel your frustrations, but we're building a great side and I'd rather be positive than negative, that just leads to the dark side.

Hang on in there gooners, we're on the cusp of greatness.

WG

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Entering the Den of Wolves!

Wolves tonight in a away game that in the past has left us with a difficult task. Wolves have been performing well of late with a loss to Chelski, then a win against Citeh and a loss to ManYoo that could well have been a win for Wolves.

This season, Wolves are playing more expansive attacking football than last year. It has seeing them concede a goal in every game this season. Something which will assist us greatly tonight I feel. Marcus Hahnemann of Wolves has said they're in great form at the moment and fancy their chances.

Arsenal never really get started in a game until they have their first goal and with Wolves having previous in letting goals in, it should lend well to an Arsenal win. Especially when we're hurting from losing at the weekend.

Tweeting on twitter, Wilshire has been saying Sunday was just a bad day and the players are focussed on getting a result tonight. I'm hoping the squad will look something like this;

Fabianski
Sagna	Squillaci Djourou			Clichy
	Wilshire Song
Arshavin		Fabregas		Nasri
		Chamakh

People in certain quarters are criticising Chamakh for his performance at the weekend. Personally I feel his form has been excellent for us this season and one game doesn't make him a bad player. It was a bad day at the office, move on. I expect him to start tonight and I think he will score.

I'm hoping for a resounding win tonight, I'd like Citeh to get a result against ManYoo or at least get a draw and Chelski to draw or lose to take us closer to the top of the table.

I'll not be able to see the game as I'm in Manchester watching the hilarious Jason Manford so I expect him to be commenting on the game being a diehard Citeh fan. I'll attempt to heckle him without mercy if the opportunity presents itself.

Come on Arsenal!

WG

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Butterflies and hurricanes

I forced myself to watch MoTD last night. That's half an hour I will never get back.

It never surprises me how unenthusiastic how the pundits can be, we played well. Citeh were down to ten men, so what, its not our fault, it was a legitimate dismissal.

We played as a team, we moved forwards as one and pressured Citeh across the pitch.

Particularily impressive on the day the arsenal team were in full stride. I loved the combinations and the pace at which we played.

Hopefully we can kick on from this, get a result midweek and smash the hammers next weekend.

Super proud of the boys yesterday. It was a very mature, assured performance.

WG

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The importance of being idle

Sunday will see us visit the blue half of the Citeh in an away fixture that is a must-win for us.

Come sunday we will have had 4 days rest since our exertions against Shakhtar on tuesday night. We should be fresh, raring to go. It seems odd knowing we're stepping out to war again this season and young Jacky isnt going to be there. Is it really only this season that he's stepped up? He plays like a veteran. Tony Adams would have loved to have him in his team. He's confident, tough and a nightmare to play against.

Citeh will have had 2 days rest. They had a strong side out last night too with De Jong, Silva, Richards, Lescott and Adebaywhore all playing and all played the 90 with the exception of Silva who was subbed off for Yaya Toure on the 75th minute.

This is a unique time for us to catch Citeh and hit them hard. Run at them and work them and they will tire. We need to be responsible at the back and devilish in attack. Song and Diaby will really have to dig in and fight. I don't want us to come away on sunday without a win, its unthinkable and on paper, it should be an Arsenal win.

Come on you gooners, crush the wannabe's. Prove this is your year. Cesc, I know you will make them look like a mug, don't let me down.

WG

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Bring on the Citeh!

Confidence is flying high in the Arsenal camp and the stronger characters in the team are demanding more from us when we go to Citeh this weekend.

It is absolutely a must-win game and with that in mind, I think Wenger will attack this game a bit differently than Birmingham and Shakhtar. He knows Citeh are powerful and their ball winners in midfield are aggressive to the point of violence (De Jong anyone?). He needs to take that away from them and the only way to do that is to stop it being a midfield battle. If it becomes a battle I feel we might lose, or if we don't we might lose a few players to injury.

Without knowing really who's fit and who isn't anyone would struggle to guess the line up, but I think it would be something like this;

Fabianski
Eboue	Squillaci Djourou			Clichy
	Song Diaby
Rosicky		Fabregas		Nasri
		Chamakh

That is the way I'd love to see us lining up, with Diaby and Song holding and allowing Rosicky, Fabregas and Nasri to support Chamakh and collect his knock-downs. I know Diaby doesn't like sitting, but we will need his power to protect our back 4. He'll direct the midfield to play one-touch wherever possible, moving the ball faster than we can be tackled, therefore negating the midfield of Citeh whilst maintaining posession and continuing to attack.

Rosicky, Fabregas and Nasri will be essential to the success on sunday. God help them that they don't get injured.

More to follow when I get a bit of team news.

WG

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Chelski preview - mobility is key

I'd like to start off this post with a predo....I believe Arsenal will win this game - providing Fabianski doesnt flap about and gift them a goal or two.

As the title suggests, mobility is key for us tomorrow. We need Nasri, Wilshire, Arshavin and Rosicky to be swarming about creating space, confusion and combining in attack to bamboozle. These four players are critical, if they are on form we will win.

Confident of me to suggest, but beliefs are rarely without base. The fab four listed above are on the same wavelength and provided Song does what he is good at and just defends and breaks down attacks then I think we can get a result.

Chelski aren't that good. Against Citeh they were woeful, Terry looks like he is running with UHU on the bottom of his football boots. Cashley is playing well but the rest are hardly showering themselves in gold. This is a good time for us to play them and I am confident.

I feel super-confident and last night in the pub my confidence was questioned. I've been hilariously wrong before so we'll see.

Til then gooners!

WG