The Gunners are aiming for their fifth Premier League victory on the bounce against West Brom on Saturday at the Emirates. Remember that the Baggies took four points from two matches against us last season, so it would be unwise to underestimate Roy Hodgson’s side.
Injury News
Kieran Gibbs and Marouane Chamakh will miss this match, as well as the players on the long-term injury list (Wilshere, Diaby, Sagna). Arsene Wenger is hopeful that Gibbs and Chamakh will be able to return after the international break, which is next week.
West Brom will be without striker Shane Long and midfielder Paul Scharner due to injury. Long is dangerous and has a lot of pace, so he will be a big miss for the Baggies.
Key Battles
Peter Odemwingie
Peter Odemwingie v Thomas Vermaelen: Odemwingie scored twice against us last season, and West Brom will need him to be productive. Vermaelen has recently returned from his injury, and it will be interesting to see how he deals with the pace of Odemwingie.
Aaron Ramsey v Youssouf Mulumbu: Assuming both players start, this could be a very important battle. Ramsey was fantastic at the Bridge but struggled against Marseille mid-week. Mulumbu is an effective holding midfielder who will certainly pressure Ramsey when he is on the ball. How Ramsey deals with this pressure will be telling.
Robin van Persie v West Brom: The Baggies are going to need all eleven players to hold down the Dutchman. Van Persie is in the form of his life. Roy [...]
Arsenal have a chance to seal their qualification into the Champions League knockout stage with a victory over Marseille at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. Stan Kroenke addressed the players ahead of this match, but some of his comments to the press worry me.
Let’s start with the team news. Vermaelen and Jenkinson are good to go on Tuesday night. Marouane Chamakh has a “knee injury” according to Arsene Wenger and is not included in the squad. This could be one of those phantom injuries we see every now and then, because Chamakh has been useless this season.
Yossi Benayoun is fit and will likely start tomorrow. My starting eleven prediction: Santos (LB) , Vermaelen (CB), Mertesacker (CB), Jenkinson (RB), Arteta (CM), Song (CM), Benayoun (CM), Arshavin (LW), Park (ST), Walcott (RW). Wenger may decide to rest both Mertesacker and Koscielny, and go with Squillaci or Djourou. Robin will likely be on the bench as Wenger will not want to overwork him. Arshavin could play behind Park (like he did very effectively against Bolton), and Benayoun could move to the wing. A lot of options.
We need to finish top of the group, and a win against Marseille would go far in securing that top spot. The French side is second in the group, and a victory would put us four points ahead of our closest competitor(s). Dortmund have been dreadful, earning only a point. Olympiacos still have a shot even though they were considered the whipping boys when the [...]
Arsenal can complete their rise from ruin with a result at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. Chelsea will be a real test, even without Didier Drogba. Arsene Wenger knows that the next several days are extremely important, dubbing the two matches in this period as “cup finals.”
The Gunners will clash with the Blues in an early kickoff on Saturday. The result will determine whether we have finally recovered from that horrible start. We have played three games (Liverpool, United, Spurs) against the “Big Six” this season and have lost all of them. Any point taken from this match can been seen as a cure to our woes.
I would not be surprised to see Thomas Vermaelen sitting on the bench at the start of the match. At his pre-match press conference, Wenger seemed very hesitant about starting Vermaelen (from Arsenal.com):
“He will certainly be in the squad at Chelsea. I don’t know yet whether he will start, I have to think about that. I feel physically he is not completely ready because he had problems to finish the game against Bolton, but he is close. We play two games in three days and I will have to evaluate the whole situation. But Thomas always wants to play.”
Who will start at right back? Carl Jenkinson may not be fit, and he would likely be torched by the speedy Chelski attackers anyway. Laurent Koscielny could fill in, but he has been great at centre-back recently. If Vermaelen doesn’t start, then Koscielny [...]
The Line-up: Thomas Vermaelen is set to make his return to the Arsenal squad on Tuesday night against Bolton. Arsene Wenger revealed that the dramatic loss in the Carling Cup final last season will hurt him forever. This league cup match presents another chance for the young Gunners to shine.
Injury News: According to several reports (Daily Mail, Metro, Mirror), Thomas Vermaelen will be included in the final squad for Tuesday night at the Emirates. He will likely get a run-out as Wenger wishes to rest the overworked Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. Wenger, who always keeps his team selection secret until the last possible moment, said only this about Vermaelen (from Arsenal.com):
“He is back in full training again, he is alright now.”
Arsene also gave an update on Jack Wilshere: “Everything is going to plan. The next steps will be to have a scan but he is on track.”
Back to Vermaelen. The Belgian defender has not played in two months, and many expected that he would make his return at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. But this Carling Cup tie could provide the perfect opportunity for Vermaelen to regain his match fitness ahead of the Chelsea clash. Maybe he only plays the last twenty minutes, but it at least assures that he will not make his return in the pressure-filled contest at the weekend.
Every Gooner remembers the heartbreak that was felt after Obafemi Martin scored the late winner for Birmingham City in the league cup [...]
The Gunners are looking to win their third match of the week and jump to 7th in the table. Stoke City are also trying to win their third game this week, but the Potters have suffered away from home. Ryan Shawcross will certainly be an enemy at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Injury News: Carl Jenkinson will miss two weeks after sustaining a knee injury at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday night. Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby, and Thomas Vermaelen are also out for Sunday.
Arsenal are running out of full backs. With Sagna, Gibbs, and Jenkinson injured, Andre Santos is the only true full back, and he is expected to start at left back on Sunday. Arsene Wenger spoke about his choices at right back (from Arsenal.com):
“That’s what I have to sort out before the game and I have not decided. My options are Koscielny and Djourou.”
Djourou will be the more likely to start because Koscielny excelled in the center against Marseille. Djourou believes he is ready for the challenge of filling for the injured right backs.
We have won five out of the last six matches in all competitions. Another victory against Stoke would push us up to 7th, taking into account Saturday’s results. Three points would put us only two points behind from Liverpool, who failed to beat Norwich City.
Stoke City defeated Maccabi Tel-Aviv 3-0 on Thursday night in the Europa League. In their last Premier League match, the Potters beat Fulham 2-0. Stoke struggle away [...]
Arsenal will continue their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night at the Stade Velodrome. Olympique de Marseille are struggling in Ligue 1, but they have won both their Champions League matches.
Injury News: Kieran Gibbs will miss the match due to a muscle strain in his stomach. Arsene Wenger said that Gibbs will be out for around “two weeks.” Aaron Ramsey is back and has been named in the 18-man squad. Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Jack Wilshere, and Abou Diaby are still recovering from their long-term injuries.
Arsene Wenger is not taking Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the trip to France. The Ox scored in the victory over Olympiacos, and it is surprising that he has not been included. Chamberlain has played very well when given the chance, but Wenger has chosen not to pick him for some inexplicable reason.
Another young, promising player was included in the 18-man squad for Wednesday night. Francis Coquelin, the tough tackling midfielder, will be at the Stade Velodrome. Coquelin was impressive in the loss to Spurs.
Marseille currently sit at 15th in the Ligue 1 table, with only nine points from ten games. Arsenal are not doing much better, with ten points from eight matches. Marseille’s last two results have been draws, including a 1-1 against Brest. Despite this poor form, Marseille have been great in Europe this season. They crushed Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at the Stade Velodrome, and also beat Olympiacos 1-0 in Greece.
Arsene Wenger is very familiar with Olympique de Marseille from his [...]
The Gunners will look to recover from defeat in the North London derby against Sunderland. Steve Bruce will be under pressure if the Black Cats continue to struggle. Robin van Persie said that he is as fit as ever after the international break.
Injury News: Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen will miss the match but both should be back fairly soon. Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere are out long-term. Arsene Wenger gave an update on Vermaelen’s progress at his press conference (from Arsenal.com):
“He’s two weeks away. He is running out on the pitches. He looks alright but we have to respect the progression, you still have to give him two to three weeks to be competitive again.”
Tomas Rosicky will be available despite suffering a minor injury while playing for the Czech Republic.
Robin van Persie is feeling great. He told Arsenal’s Official Matchday Programme: “I played 90 minutes in both international games, and I feel great. I feel so fit these days, I recover well, don’t have any pain, and feel really good.
“I’m enjoying it, playing all the games, doing all the training sessions. A couple of years ago, I had periods where I struggled to play two 90 minutes in a few days, but now I can do it, recover well, and for me it’s the best feeling for years.
“I also love the fact that the international week is over on a Tuesday – it gives you [...]
Derby day is upon us again as the Gunners travel to White Hart Lane. Spurs are the favourites heading into the match, but Arsene Wenger’s squad have won their last three games. Emmaneul Adebayor will most likely (definitely) play an important part in the match on Sunday.
Injury News: Laurent Koscielnly is very doubtful to play, while Theo Walcott and Gervinho will have fitness tests on Saturday or Sunday to determine their fate. Arsene Wenger said that Sebastien Squillaci is healthy but not match fit. Another phantom injury to keep a mediocre player out of a match.
Speaking of phantom injuries, there is absolutely no chance that Manuel Almunia will make an appearance at White Hart Lane. Almunia has seemingly been collecting his cash this season and doing little else. The Spanish keeper has been sent to West Ham on loan for one month. Gooners around the world are dancing in the streets.
Our old friend Emmanuel Adebayor has a new kit. This season the emotional striker will be playing in the despicable all-white shirt. Every Arsenal supporter remembers when Adebayor ran the length of the pitch after scoring for Manchester City.
Adebayor has issued an apology to Arsenal fans for that celebration, but he will not hesitate to score (from ESPN): “What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal. Sometime the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings. I regret what [...]
Arsenal will play Greek champions Olympiacos on Wednesday night at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners will be expected to beat Olympiacos, but Arsene Wenger knows it will not be easy. Mikel Arteta is anxious to make his Champions League debut in front of the Arsenal supporters.
Injury News: Theo Walcott, Gervinho, and Laurent Koscielny will miss the match due to injury. Wenger said that all three “have a chance” to recover in time to play Spurs on Sunday. Regarding Theo, Wenger said that he has “more than a 50-50 chance” of playing at White Hart Lane.
Mikel Arteta against Dortmund
Arsene’s mood at the pre-match press conference was much more pleasant than we have been seeing. He looked very positive and even snapped off a few jokes along the way. When a reporter asked Mikel Arteta if Wenger was a different manager than his reputation around football, Wenger said, “Don’t talk too much Mikel.”
Looking at the group (Marseille, Dortmund, Olympiacos), this match at the Emirates is the easiest fixture on paper. But Arsene Wenger said he is not taking this game lightly (from Arsenal.com): “For me, it is difficult to beat anybody. We have a lot of respect for Olympiacos. I have seen their game against Marseille and they played well.
“You never win easy in the Champions League – when you give absolutely everything, you have a chance to win. If we have not learned that from 14 consecutive years in the Champions League, then we are really stupid. [...]
Arsenal desperately needs a victory over Bolton at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger will be under immense pressure if the Gunners cannot beat Bolton, who sit at 19th in the table. Owen Coyle also needs a win in order to justify his philosophy.
Injury News: Jack Wilshere will miss “months” after a set-back in his recovery. He will have surgery on his ankle on Monday. Later this morning , I will post a full article regarding Wilshere’s injury. Arsene Wenger revealed that Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, and Bacary Sagna are available for Saturday. Johan Djourou (thankfully) and Yossi Benayoun will miss the match.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had a great performance and goal against Shrewsbury Town mid-week, will be in the squad. Wenger said that the Ox is “two or three months” away from being a “responsible” senior player. We better hope Andrey Arshavin and Theo Walcott do not teach him how to be a first-team player.
Arsene Wenger said he must take the criticism (or bullets) for the young players (from The Telegraph): “Since I arrived in England there have been a lot of things said that are wrong, but on the positive side as well. I personally do not complain. When you have heavy criticism of a young player I am more worried about it. I am supposed to take the bullets and absorb them. Like a bear. A polar bear.”
Since Wenger’s teams of recent seasons have been mainly comprised of young players, Arsene seems to [...]
