8 Personnel changes, disjointed performance - surely a coincidence?

Arsene Wenger said last night that the 8 changes he made to the first team after the game at Chelski had no effect on the game against Wigan. Its a shame for all of his money and brains he's not got a decent optician.

Diaby and Denilson had a shocker. Everyone in the stand heaved a sigh of relief when Diaby went off and Wilshire came on. We immediately looked a better side as Wilshire and Rosicky were on the same page immediately.

It was a very disjointed performance last night. It lacked pace, power, tenacity - everything that was in abundance against Chelski. When we were 2:1 up and N'Zog got himself sent off Wenger should have immediately put on Walcott and Nasri. Instead he procrastinated and thought we'd just try and see the game out only to watch Wigan equalise. I said just before they scored that if we didn't make a change soon we'd lose momentum, they'd score and then stick 10 men behind the ball. Exactly what happened. Everyone could see it coming and its disappointing to lose two points like that.

I'm not generally a fan of cheering for a player who's not on the pitch, but we all felt the same. We needed the dynamism and pace of Nasri and Walcott, so the chants began.

In terms of performances, several things were apparent last night; 1) Squillaci doesn't talk to anyone. 2) Diaby and Denilson should be sold. - Denilson isn't a central midfielder, he needs space to work and you don't get that in central midfield. Diaby is a conundrum in himself, I don't know what to do with him. He's so far away from being match fit its ridiculous he started. He was so far off the pace of the game he was practically static. When fit, he's powerful going forwards, but last night he had a shocker. 3) Bendtner isn't a right midfielder, at all, ever.

Rosicky was one of our best players last night, Chamakh was tireless in his running and fighting for the ball, Koscielny did well at times, extremely well at others and then made simple mistakes, but generally the back line defended ok...Squillaci really disappointed me last night. He's capable of much better.

Its such a mixed bag of emotions, decisions should have gone our way that didn't, but we got decisions we shouldn't have too, so I cannot complain about it. It all evens out. I just hope we don't look back at this game and realise its cost us a lot more than two points.

For now gooners, i bid you adieu.

WG

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Procrastination loses two points

We were 2:1 up, the momentum was all over the place but not with us. Then n'Zogbia got himself sent off.

Time then to bring on Nasri and Walcott to punish the legs of tired Wigan.

Or, not.

Tonight not the best for analysis, but I will attend to it tomorrow. For now, thank you to Kurtis, Seth, Ruby, Jonathan, Habib, Marissa and all, thank you for a great night, shame about the football.

WG

Bring on the pies, another result needed

Tonight we head to the DW Stadium, where another good result will send us into the new year in a great position. On paper its a result we should walk but the Christmas period often sprouts some odd results.

I'm thinking the line-up will look something like the below, though changes might be made due to fitness or knocks after the Chelski game.

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

With Cesc being injured, I expect Wenger to swap about some players about. I expect Chamakh to return and perhaps with RvP in a withdrawn creative role behind. Its difficult to predict the line-ups but I hope it looks something like the above. You never want to change a winning side.

In terms of a result, we should get this. Wigan are a battling side who have improved massively since the start of the season. Ali Al-Habsi has been playing extremely well in goal and they have been defending better too. Their main issue is scoring goals, their strikers could hardly be called prolific.

Not to dismiss them, with weary legs this is a tough encounter, but there's noone i'd rather play off the back of the Chelsea result. Lets banish the memory of last season, hit them for about 6 and have a great party in the DW. Let them eat pie and we will run riot.

WG

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Staking a claim, right through scumbag Terry's face...

In big games like last night it needs a collective team performance to get a positive result. Last night we got that. Many are pointing to the waning star of Chelsea as a reason for the victory. I think that does Arsenal a disservice and we have much to be proud of,.

I'm loathed to pick out individual performances from such a fantastic team effort, but here are some that stood out for me.

- Wilshire, Young Jack excelled last night. Showing a maturity above his years he was no over-awed by the occasion and excelled in his role. Up against the likes of Fat Frank and Essien he played extremely well and its worth noting that the central midfield of Chelsea were very poor last night. Even swapping Mikel for Ramires did not inspire an insipid performance, no doubt they were hampered by the bustling of Wilshire, Fabregas and Song.

- Song, A great performance by the guy that Wenger said lacked the engine to be a central midfielder (no doubt kidology to make him work harder in training). He was snapping at heels from the first whistle to the last and covered every blade of grass. He's not perfect, but his goal was well taken and his performance deserves noting. His contribution in keeping Chelsea's midfield quiet was significant.

- Fabregas, Back to his mercurial best, if not trying a bit hard at times, it was a great game to have him for, his dynamism, drive and vision was a constant thorn to Chelsea and he deserved the applause he got when Wenger brought him off early to an ovation. Excellent performance from the skipper.

- Djourou & Koscielny, Both played extremely well last night to shackle the Drog. Both showed the best and worst of their games. Koscielny wandered once or twice into midfield and got caught when Chelsea broke, Djourou's timing of headers and runs with opponents was a bit hit and miss but between them an excellent performance.

- Theo, always a threat last night. Cashley was in trouble as soon as he got that stupid booking for kicking the ball away. Theo went past him time and time again and put in crosses (mostly poor) and had a shot on target which forced an excellent save from Cech. Theo's vision to put Cesc through clean on goal was excellent and he showed great composure to score his goal. Another performance showing the best and worst of a young professional who is clearly improving and showed that in abundance last night.

So, in summary and excellent performance all round. Not one player did poorly and will have much to be happy with today. Next game is paramount however, you're only as good as your last game and we need to go to the DW up 'ere in Wigan tomorrow night and get a result.

I'll see you there in the cold and rain Gooners, its a shame Cesc is suspended, he'd have ruined Hendry Thomas and Diame.

WG.

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We fought them across every green blade

Talk is cheap, hyperbole for the media. Before this match both sides were firing shots, some of ours were friendly fire, intended to inspire and stoke up our players. Should we have needed motivation for tonights match, it was in no short supply.

Tonight was a massively professional performance by a team wanting to banish some mental demons. Across the park there were some great performances. I don't want to analyse it today, this is best served with a clear head and deployed thought.

Needless to say I'm delighted, our midfield and attach terrorised Chelsea and Koscielny and Djourou shackled the Drog.

For now, its a great night and we're back in second place at the happy end of the Prem once again.

WG

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Fighting Chelsea on our Bridges

Festivities on hold. Serious heads on. This is a game that holds so much for us. A win would catapult us back up the table into second place and with a game in hand over Citeh.

Wenger's admisson that Chamakh is tired is merely confirmation of what we already knew, he's looked off the pace in the last two games so I'm hoping the enforced rest due to the Stoke game being postponed will have given him time to recharge his batteries.

Today I'd love it if we tried something different, 4-2-4 or 4-4-2 and let Theo have a run at Terry and Alex. No doubt Wenger won't change his formation but I would like to see the raw pace of Theo given a go. There are a lot of old legs in this Chelski team. Theo and Nasri can knacker them out in 60mins.

Due to the return to fitness of Fabianski I can see no reason for not restoring him to the starting line-up unless Sczcesny is really showing him up in training.

I expect us to line up like this today;

Fabianski

Sagna - Squillaci - Djourou - Clichy

Fabregas - Song

Nasri. RvP. Arshavin

Chamakh

Honestly, that's a team that can beat Chelski's old men. No fear. Fabregas said after the Mirrors 'Millies' awards that he'd met some inspiring men and that he'd invited them into the dressing room to give a team talk. I'd love to see that. Someone who literally put his life and body on the line for his friends.

If that can't inspire us then Wenger has no chance and wholesale personality changes are required (which I don't believe).

Come on You Gooners!!!!

WG

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Best wishes

With t'internet being a multicultural society of like-minded perverts and info-philes I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Best wishes and a Happy New Year to all of you, my lovely readers. Without you I'd be bored.

WG.