Turning the lights on at Elland Road

With the visit of Arsenal, Ken Bates was forced into investing an extra 50p in the meter to keep the floodlights on in what was a thrilling game of football.

Nasri tormented, Song battled and our defence was excellent last night. Koscielny and Djourou's job was made easier by Leeds playing tubby Billy Paynter who's as mobile as a bus, but they handled the threat well and neither of them put a foot wrong in 90mins. Both of them are seeing their stock rise at the moment with their consistent, reliable performances.

Nasri's goal was typical of him at late, everything is working for him at the moment, superlatives escape me as I search for originality, perhaps simply everything he touches turns to goals. This in stark contrast to poor Arshavin. I actually feel so sorry for him right now, we've all been there when everything you try just doesnt come off...you have to play through it and get out of the other side but its a killer. He worked so hard last night, he was even trying to win a defensive header, HIM!! ... he's only 3ft tall! (slight exaggeration).

Sagna's goal was exactly what he needed and he should do it more, a few minutes earlier he chose to put the ball across the box and Bendtner failed to get on the end of it when I think he really should have put something on it. It was an excellent, swerving powerful shot that Schmeichel should have saved, but the power beat him.

A point of frustration to me is Nik Bendtner. He's not a right winger, he never will be. He's not got the pace or the tricks in the locker to beat the left back. I know last night with the rotation Wenger didn't feel he had anyone else to put there but I would put Vela out there (he's not gone out on loan yet has he?) because he has pace and tricks to burn. In fairness to Bendtner, it was a frustrating night but he redeemed his performance somewhat with the cross for Van Persie, it was a peach and made Robins job very easy indeed.

Lets hope this is the first of many cups we continue to progress in, we need to thrash Ipswich. I didn't want to preview last nights game because I didn't want to jinx it. I'm glad I didn't. Bring on the Latics at the grove on Saturday, I can't wait!

WG

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'e deserved it, Taking on the Citeh

Happy New Year Readers!!

Arsene Wenger has been out in force in the media over the last few days about Bowyer's suspension, he's a angry little monster and deserved the ban.

There is also much speculation about the possible arrivals of Ronaldinho and Beckham to the PL. Personnally, my recent recollections of the form and attitude of Ronaldinho do not cover him with gold, but if he comes it will generate a significant media and public interest and that can't be a bad thing. Might stop the media battering on about potential transfers to us.

On that note Wenger has been reasonably resolute, the only signing will be a central defender and thats only if the Verminator breaks down again. Might be worth hedging your bets Mr Wenger.

Its all good news on the squad front with Wenger saying its the fittest squad in years. Its about time!! Its almost nice to see other teams crippled with injuries for once, touch wood that habit doesn't return to us.

Tonight we take on Citeh at the Emirates, a game that I think we should win. Man City will come to play in our back yard and I expect us to teach them another lesson. The likes of Nasri and Arshavin will get room to play and the Citeh defence will not be able to cope with Van Persie.

I expect a similar line-up to the Birmingham line-up, I see no reason to change a winning side and there are no injuries to speak of from the game. However, I've been proved wrong by Arsene's interesting teamsheets.

I'm looking for a 3-1 tonight, Nasri to score so get your bets on Nasri

WG

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Tear into Partizan as if our lives depended on it.

Thats the attitude our players need tonight. We need to set down a marker tonight. Another performance of lackadaisical football will not be enough.

Arsenal set records this season for the most goals scored in the first three games of the group stage. We need that form back. Noone will fear us if we nick a 1:0 result at home.

If we annihalate them 7:0 however, that might make people stand up and think.

Thats what I want to see tonight, I want Nasri, Wilshire, Song and RvP to rip them apart. I want Chamakh to hit a hattrick and the rest to weigh in too. As fans we deserve a performance after the last two Champions League games.

This should be our line up tonight, I'll leave it to Mr Arsene to make his own modifications as is his wont..

Fabianski
Sagna	Squillaci Koscielny			Clichy
	Song Wilshire
Nasri		Robin Van Persie		Walcott
		Chamakh

That teamsheet should, on paper, destroy Partizan and thats what we need.

WG

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Lift up rug and sweep....furiously.

I've considered it, even written it but I have no intention of publishing my review of this weekends game. I just don't want to talk about it. My post was full of vitriol and not for anyone's eyes but my own. I've since rediscovered my centre and I'm at peace.

Tomorrow then, away to Braga. Clichy, Arshavin and Van Persie all miss the trip to Portugal in a game where we need all 3 points. Clichy has a back injury, Arshavin is knackered and Van Persie is still chasing full fitness. I would suggest however that it might be better for RvP to travel and play 30 mins or a half against Braga unless he is injured?

We're still short of the likes of Almunia, Diaby and the luckless Vermaelen due to their respective injuries so we will probably see a starting eleven similar to what started on Saturday. I hope Vermaelen recovers soon, I feel we're missing that communicator, that leader at the back hugely.

I would like it, I really, really would if Djourou started instead of Koscielny, he's in much better form. I'm restraining myself from saying anything unnecessary here, we all know what happened at the weekend.

I expect a much improved defensive performance tomorrow night. My ideal squad for tomorrow is below, tell me what you think

Fabianski
Sagna	Squillaci Djourou			Gibbs
	Wilshire Song
Nasri		Fabregas		Rosicky
		Chamakh

So, ignoring the results at the weekend lets all get behind our boys and support them. We can win tomorrow night and continue our march out of the group stage.

WG

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Affirmation? A formation...? Meh.

...apologies, its an awful title for the article.

Onwards gentle reader, to the crux of the article. Namely Formations, the way Arsenal should line up next season. With regards to football, its formations, combinations, personalities and evil machinations that make up matches.

Everyone who plays Football Manager, or its bastard love-child Championship Manager (I know you people are out there....cross over from the dark side, its warm and we have cookies!!) will know their favourite formation. I tend to adjust my formation, tweak if you will, for each opponent. whilst taking into account squad availability and balance and its clear that Arsene does this to a point.

Arsenal, for the majority of last season played 4-3-2-1, with Song dropping off the two central midfielders to cover when we were under pressure. It provides 5 bodies across the middle of the park when we are without the ball and 5 to defend when attacking (leaving Song and our defence to cover).

I believe that the Striker absences (much mentioned by all) caused us serious problems last season. Not necessarily for the absent goals but the extra pressure it put on Arshavin and other players to step up and save us in games. I'm not convinced that the battering Arshavin took trying to play the lone front man didn't have an effect on him when the run in began, he looked exhaused in the last 5 games of the season.

The one problem with 4-3-2-1 is that you sacrifice a striker for a holding midfielder, so you lose a bit up front, you can't pressure as high up the pitch and you rely on your midfield stemming the tide. Against a mid-table side I think it worked well, against the top sides we didn't ask enough questions. We fought, we never surrendered but we certainly never played the Arsene way and didn't once stamp any authority on the games.

I don't argue at all with 4-3-2-1 when we are playing away against the top sides. To go all out would be foolish (although unexpected) and we would stand a chance of nicking a result on the counter. Playing away at Bolton, Blackburn and other places very close to my current home doesn't warrant this kind of security. We need to get our fear factor back. We need to go out and annihalate a few teams this season and I think we could achieve this by going 4-2-4. This would consist of Nasri and Arsha on the flanks, RVP and Chamakh in the middle, Fab4 and Song in the middle and a stern word with Clichy and Sagna to be a bit more disciplined to keep the home fires burning.

When teams park the bus and trying to get at us, we should not be afraid of them. We can't molly-coddle our defence in games like this. We always seem to lose to a crappy set piece...so don't give them the chance. Play 4-2-4, play for 80 mins in their half and make them make the mistakes. Trust me, a few teams will stop thinking about "Getting up them" if they're worried about getting smashed 4 or 5 to nil. Remember, the best form of defence is attack and with the versatility of players we have we could turn it into 4-2-3-1, 4-3-2-1 or even 4-5-1 if we wanted to defend a decent lead but we have to get one first.

Certainly modifying formations during a game will provide a tactical surprise if nothing else, if a player pops up where the opposition don't expect, that will give him at least a few seconds head start on anyone trying to mark him.

Just a few thoughts on a Wednesday.

WG

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