The North London Derby

The part of the season where nerves begin to kick-in, is here.  An important last 5 games lie in store for us, starting with a tricky local derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

With our last game coming in a 4-1 defeat against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, the team’s stamina could’ve been low, the team could’ve lost all belief, however.. we had a free weekend. Allowing Wenger to get to grips with the team a little more, show them what needs to be done to continue the push for the Barclays Premier League against local rivals, ‘Spurs. ‘Spurs’ve been flying through their fixtures, thick & fast. Games against Portsmouth, Sunderland & Portsmouth again, have left Redknapp re-shuffling the back four and midfield, in order for them to be ready for the derby.

Ross, a passionate Arsenal fan from England, takes time out & previews the game for 11G. You can follow him on Twitter as well!

Gooners should approach the local derby, confident, yet aware of the attacking presence ‘Spurs present. The confidence comes from the recent form of Theo Walcott & fine goal-scoring form of Nicklas Bendtner, who seem to be finding the net at-will. However, Arsenal must be aware of the form of Hotspurs’ front-two. Pavyluchenko continues to give centre-backs’ a hard time with Defoe making crafty runs’ behind the CB’s. Old-timer, Sol Campbell, if he were to start, must work on his pace in order to stop the attacking creativity of an inconsistent Tottenham side.

In the last 10 Premier League games against ‘Spurs, Arsenal have won 5 and drew 5. Two memorable victories that spring to mind are a historic, 5-4 victory at White Hart Lane, in late 2004. And a recent, 3-0 victory at The Emirates where Cesc Fabregas stole the show. This time, we’re without Cesc. Relying on the creativity of Nasri & Diaby in the midfield, Rosicky on the left & Campbell at the back doesn’t give many of us Gooners hope, but I see another side of the coin. A thumping, 5-0 victory against FC Porto without our big names proves that when called upon in big games, our second-stringers can produce the goods.

Now to ‘Spurs. It’s more than likely that this Hotspur team will decide the outcome of the Premier League, facing us, Chelsea & Manchester United in the weeks to come. Many people will consider Tottenham to be drained of energy after going to extra-time in their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Portsmouth, I see it differently. Redknapp will be drilling the fact into his players, that 4^th place is all they have left to fight for, pumping more motivation into a derby that doesn’t need pumped up even more.

A win is a necessity for us, in our pursuit for Premiership gold. With United slipping up at home to Blackburn, this is the perfect opportunity to get ourselves back in the mix, and push us into second place. Number 52, Nicklas Bendtner believes that this game is the perfect opportunity to get our season back on track after falling out of the Champions League to favourites Barcelona. He went on record as saying:

“It would mean a lot to us because Tottenham are our main rivals. Beating them at their ground and maybe going second in the League, depending on other results, would be a massive thing for us.”

A massive thing, indeed. The walk/train/bus to White Hart Lane will be a nerve-wrecking trip for us Gooners, but it doesn’t need to be. Confidence from us, will radiate onto the players on the turf. Manuel Almunia will have a huge responsibility on Friday night, as club captain. Ensuring that the players stick to their role, ensuring that the team is motivated through-out the match, and ensuring that we go onto win the game. Whether that be comfortably, or through a lucky last-minute goal, again.

Reports filtering in suggest that Robin might just make it to the squad for tomorrow’s game. What a boost will that be!? Read more on the same here:

RVP Returns To Gun Down The ‘Tiny Totts’!

Here is the team I think Arsene will start at White Hart Lane:

Formation

Go Gunners..

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Note: If any of you want to share your views/opinions on the club from N5 (read: Arsenal!), leave Us a comment at the bottom. We’ll get back right away & be glad to give you a chance. Keep Gunning..

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The Best Anti-Tottenham Jokes: Part 4!

“Not-So-Hot-Spurs”: A Pictorial To Confirm The Same!

11Gunners Exclusive: ‘The North London Derby’(EXPLAINED)

Go Gunners..

Last week, the footballing duel of the decade was witnessed by mortals around the globe, and a few of them were lucky enough to be at ground zero. I had to make-do with a view on the tube and boy was it a spectacle or what!? Wenger billed the game as a walk through an art gallery; for the first 70 minutes, it was a walk through a morgue per say. All that till one certain Theo-ry set afoot. Rest as they say, is history, with Arsenal trailblazing a way back to end the game at 2-2. 11G interludes..

Barca started the proceedings in a ruthless manner and if it was not for Almunia’s pyrotechnics, we would have been done and dusted right then. In the 1^st hour of the match it looked like Barca were miles ‘n ages ahead of Arsenal and Wenger’s dream of creating a world class team will never come outta paper. The character of this team was put to litmus test and it looked like failing dismally.

But then this team did something which makes me feel more ‘goonerish’ than ever before. Walcott was introduced and he did live up to the ‘super sub’ tag bestowed to him. The speed of this youngster provided that zip missing in the team. The team was trying nonetheless but the spark was provided by Walcott. It’s a slap in the face of people who question his footballing brain and consider him to be a sprinter who has lost his way to a football ground.

Experts were heard saying that there is indeed some flicker of hope, as we prepare to face the best team on the globe in their back yard without the services of our best players i.e. Arshavin, Fabregas, Gallas et al. But we never had Arshavin or Gallas in the 1^st leg as well and considering the circumstances, we did quite well. We will have Rosicky coming back to take Arshavin’s place and Fabregas’ role will be played by Nasri who relished in this role against Porto. We have Sol to take Gallas’ place and Diaby has still not shown what he is capable of. All in all we have a lot going for ourselves.

It is Barca who needs to worry about their absentees.  Puyol and Pique’ both are outta of the tie and they are the weakest link in the Barca squad. If their 1^st choice center backs are so poor then I bet that gunners are having wet dreams dreaming about their 2^nd choice center backs. Even Ibra, Barca’s lone goal-scorer the other night, is out with a calf injury. Seems that’s the flavor of the season! Go gunners.

Now should Walcott start or should he again come as a ‘super sub’, is what has divided opinions all week long. In my opinion he makes more of an impact as a substitute and should be used late on in the game to exploit those tired ‘n tardy Barca legs, like he effectively did in the first leg. But again, question is will Arsenal be still in the game by then? Whilst he has not shown much of a class starting games, his presence is undeniable in those final minutes. Wenger will have to back him instincts on this one.

Nasri is good enough as a playmaker and I expect fireworks from him at the Nou Camp. On a nut shell, we have a more than a chance to go through and I would expect nothing less.

Even if this side does not manage to go through, I would not be ashamed of this side. These lads have done enough to make us gooners proud and it is the way they responded to the challenge that mattered. It is not about losing or winning but it is about the way you play the game and the way you respond to a challenge. They have done well to fight back against the best team in the world and that performance has brought a lot of solace to every gooner’s heart.

For now, forever, ‘Proud to be a Gooner’.

PS: News has filtered in, there is no Song in the squad for the trip to Spain. Things are going from bad to worse for Arsenal it seems.

Campbell is sure to start now, with Denilson-Diaby-Nasri to shoulder the mid-field. Any of Bendtner/Rosicky/Theo/Eduardo/Eboue will feature in the attacking third.

Irony being the selection of Fran Merida, another ex-Catalan. Now that will raise a few eye-brows surely!

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Note: If any of you want to share your views/opinions on the club from N5 (read: Arsenal!), leave Us a comment at the bottom. We’ll get back right away & be glad to give you a chance. Keep Gunning..

Fabregas vs Messi : Who'll Triumph?

I got into a conversation with 11Gunners on Twitter and after exchanging views on our beloved Arsenal I offered to do a preview of the Arsenal v Barcelona Champions league quarter final first leg at the Emirates on Wednesday night. At the time my feelings on the Barcelona tie were that the two games were more or less free games for Arsenal as we are not expected to beat Barcelona and in my opinion the Premier league was a much more realistic target. However the events of Saturday afternoon at St. Andrews may have changed my mind just a little.

It has been five years since Arsenal won a trophy and a lot of their fans are of the opinion that that is too long a gap between trophies. We have of course been spoiled in recent years since Arsene Wenger took over and we won trophies almost every season under him. He told us at the start of this season that he genuinely believed that we would challenge for the league this season and despite countless setbacks he has been proved right. However Saturday’s draw with Birmingham leaves that challenge hanging by a thread and the blow of the injury time goal we conceded so sloppily won’t be easy for the players to overcome.

After a blow like that we could do with a home game against a team who aren’t particularly good at defending as our next game and we have just that on Wednesday night. However, Barcelona don’t have to worry too much about their defending as they would seem to be an irresistible attacking force and for every goal they concede they usually score three or four. They won the Champions league last season in superb style and they also won five other trophies to accompany it while Arsenal could only manage to finish fourth in the Premier league and had to be content with semifinal exits in the Champions league and FA cup as the closet they came to winning a trophy.

In the summer we lost two senior players in Adebayor and Toure and we only brought Vermaelen in which would appear to have made us weaker on the surface but it would seem that the opposite has in fact been true. An argument can be made that if Arsenal hadn’t suffered with the incredible amount of injuries that they have this season that the Premier league title would be all but over by now with Arsenal as the winners. Unfortunately that is not the case and the absence of Van Persie since early November is a blow that could prove to be the most expensive of all to them. A fully fit Van Persie would be an ideal player to cause problems to Barcelona but instead the attack will be led by Bendtner who, in my opinion, has a long way to go to reach the level of Van Persie.

Arsene Wenger has a few big decisions to make before 7.45pm on Wednesday night and the biggest one of all will probably be which position he plays Alex Song in as long as Song is fit after picking up a knock on Saturday. The obvious choice would seem to be to play him in his best role as a holding midfielder but as William Gallas is injured there have been some calls for him to play alongside Vermaelen in central defence. Sol Campbell came back from the wilderness to rejoin us in January and at the age of 35 he finds it hard to play more than one game in a week. He played against Birmingham on Saturday and the thought of Campbell not at 100% having Messi run at him with the ball is one that should frighten any Arsenal fan.

Messi has been in incredible form this season and he seems to have got even better in recent weeks as the goals have flowed from him. He didn’t manage to score at the weekend as Barcelona won 1-0 away to Mallorca and no matter how good he is any player can have an off game at any time. Last summer Barcelona decided to offload Eto’o and replace him with Ibrahimovic and from what I’ve seen he doesn’t exactly fit in with their style of football. A lot of their moves break down when they reach him and I’ve always thought he was a player who could lose his temper very easily. If our players can wind him up just enough he’s liable to react and that could give us an advantage that could to be very costly for Barcelona.

Arsenal have suffered at times this season when teams have got in their face and kicked them from one end of the pitch to the other but Barcelona are like us and they play the beautiful game the way it is meant to be played. I have no doubt that we will get the opportunity to play our football and if Barcelona are in any way complacent they could be forced to pay a heavy price for it. I expect Arsenal to try to play at a very high tempo and force Barcelona on to the back foot but it is a very risky policy against a team who can be so deadly on the break. The manager has to play his strongest team possible and that means that Nasri and Arshavin will both start although Arshavin’s recent form has been anything but impressive. To be honest Rosicky is probably more deserving of a place in the team but I am fairly sure that Arshavin will play. It’s the type of game where he could decide to shine and if he does he’s good to enough to cause any team problems.

Cesc & Xavi : Midfield Maestros

It’s vital for us that Cesc recovers from the knock he took on Saturday and plays as this game is made for a player of his skill and intelligence. He will be up against the man who is still ahead of him in the pecking order for his national team and it will be fascinating to see whether Cesc or Xavi has more influence on the game. The news that Barcelona will be without Iniesta is very welcome for Arsenal as his partnership with Xavi is quite outstanding and it will surely decrease the workload for our midfielders.

I’m a little worried that our moves seem to break down all too often when they reach Bendtner as his touch isn’t at the same level as the other players. I would prefer to see him in the box on the end of any moves rather than taking part in the buildup. It’s annoying at times to see him crossing the ball when he should be the man on the end of those crosses instead. I think Barcelona are suspect defensively and if Puyol plays I think we will get some joy out of him. He is prone to making mistakes and although he is a whole hearted player I think his best days are behind him.

That’s not to say that our defence is exactly strong and with Almunia in goals anything can happen. The defenders don’t have any confidence in him and quite rightly so as he does nothing to inspire that confidence. With Barcelona playing their one touch football and Messi running at us with the ball I will be shocked if we keep a clean sheet. I think we can get a win in the home leg but it will be by only one goal if we do. Barcelona’s form in Europe this season hasn’t been great and even though they won their group they struggled at times throughout those group games.

There is sure to be a fantastic atmosphere at the Emirates on Wednesday night and I will have goose bumps when I hear the Champions league music being played. We will need huge games from Vermaelen, Cesc, Nasri, Song and Arshavin and whoever has the job of marking Messi will have to play out of his skin to keep him under wraps but all of that is possible from an Arsenal team who have beaten AC Milan, Real Madrid and Juventus in the Champions league in the last few years. It’s time for us to gain revenge for our defeat in the 2006 final and I hope we can do it in style on Wednesday night.

Even Henry Wants Arsenal to Win!

When the teams take the pitch on Wednesday night the chances are that a certain Thierry Henry will be in the Barcelona team. It will be a strange thing to see him take the field against Arsenal in the colours of another team but if he does play I am certain he will get a fantastic reception from every single Arsenal fan in the stadium. He is our record goal scorer and an absolute legend at Arsenal and we all know that he still loves the club and its fans too. If he had his own way he wouldn’t be playing on Wednesday night as he finds the thought of it too difficult to handle but as a professional footballer he will still do his very best if he is called upon by his club. I can only hope that the occasion gets the better of him and he does nothing to inflict pain on the Arsenal fans that he loves so much.

Go Gunners..

Michael Sheehy (Follow him on Twitter @JamrockRover)

Note: If any of you want to share your views/opinions on the club from N5 (read: Arsenal!), leave Us a comment at the bottom. We’ll get back right away & be glad to give you a chance. Keep Gunning..

Arsenal FC

Football is awash with statistics. Goals for and goals against, average points per game and territorial advantages. I will start with 2.10. That is Arsenal’s average points per game this season. After 29 games, Arsenal has 19 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses. Our record against Manchester United and Chelsea stands at: played 7, won 0, drawn 1, lost 6, scored 2, and conceded 14.

Michael J. Parker, a regular contributor to CNN World Sport, teams up with 11G & shares his views on the above. Follow him on Twiiter @Mickeygooner

5, is the number of players who have been out with broken or fractured bones for arsenal in the past 4 seasons. 210. That is the number of successful passes made by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia this season. More than weekend striker opponent Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink’s who has completed only 198.

After a roller-coaster season, Arsenal find’s itself in 3′rd place in the Premier league, having scored 66 goals with 184 shots on target.

These are all numbers that while interesting, mostly don’t convey the true story of our season. But one number does, and that is the one I want to discuss. And that is the number 15.

15 Minutes. That’s the time it took Arsene Wenger to send a car to meet Aaron Ramsey’s mother to drive her to see her son after his horrific injury. Arsenal are a team that has gone through more trauma than any other in the Premier league. From 3 career threatening leg-breaks on the pitch, to 2 broken shoulders for Theo Walcott, to being written off as mere Europa League hopefuls and coping with a litany of nearly moments and heartbreaking losses. From a team of 22 year olds, we have seen growth, maturity and resolution. Nobody can doubt that Arsene Wenger has discovered steel in North London, and has built a side that when push comes to shove, will fight until the end.

After all that was said by pundits, bloggers, fans and reporters, the old adage that critics don’t decide titles rings truer now than ever before. On paper, and maybe after you crunch the numbers, Arsenal look weaker than our rivals, but titles are not won on paper. Arsenal still have points to prove, but have certainly silenced many of their vocal critics.

Arsenal have progressed past Porto to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and are 2 points from 1st place in the Premier League with 9 games left to play.

After having failed to beat Chelsea and United, Arsenal are in a position to trump them both to the title. The Gunners will look to dial the pressure up on their rivals against the Tigers at the weekend. Hull City is Arsenal’s stepping stone to the history, and let’s hope that they take all 3 points this Saturday. Go Gunners..

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They Are Same-Same But Different!

I have had this thought lingering in my mind for quiet some time now. Barcelona play the same style of football that our beloved Arsenal plays. They attack, attack and attack, just like we do. But they are sitting on a pile of trophies and we, on the other hand, are sitting on our arse, for half a decade now. What is the reason behind this unfortunate disparity. We @11G dwell into the same..

First of all lets look at the similarities amongst us, apart from our style of play i.e. They develop players, and so do we. They rely heavily on their youth set up, and so do we. Technically, both the teams have the most gifted players in European circuit to choose from. But this is where the similarity ends. They don’t fear losing out on a transfer recruit & back themselves to get the next one come what may. We instead, go for a hiding every time the window opens. They have democratic set up to run their team, unlike ours. For them winning is more important than the business of football. In fact, there is no better way to make money than to win. If a team wins, their financial assets  automatically go on an upswing.

They bought Ronaldinho, who went on to become the best player in the world. They bought Deco who went on to play a major part in Rijkaard’s Barca. They never lost money on these players even when they paid highly for their services. They never fixed a salary structure for themselves but paid their players as per their abilities. They never told Messi that they can’t pay him beyond a certain limit even if he is the best player on the globe unlike what we did when we allowed Flamini & A Cole to leave. And yes, back then, Ashley was as good a LB as any.

Agreed that we have managed to lure away one of their own, in Fabregas, but how long can he stay here if other clubs are willing to pay thrice the amount he currently earns. Put yourself in his shoes & decide for yourself. Right now, he is as good as anybody in the EPL, if not the entire continent. In spite of that he is paid peanuts when compared to someone like Rooney or Drogba. Barca is not afraid to bring in players from outside to support their youth set up and that is where they beat us. They brought in Henry when they needed a striker. They brought in Alves when they needed a right back. Last season they bought Ibra, who is again a world class player. They buy according to their present needs, forgetting the finances in the interim. They win trophies by the dozens & inturn balance the balance-sheets! Simple, aye!? A subtle mixture of youth & experience is what adds both flair & steel to their ranks.

Arshavin and Vermaelen are the only world class players we have bought over the past two summers. Just not ambitious enough for a club of our stature. Economics dictates that spending brings in more money to spend and not otherwise. It is about time that we pumped in some serious cash to buy ready-made talent. Only then will the exuberance of youth at our disposal, fully blossom. Else we may always remain a profitable club but never become a GREAT one. Take your chances Mr. Wenger. Economics, like football, is your forte, remember!?

PS: Arsenal face first of the so-called easy games in Sunderland, tomorrow evening. Almunia or Fabianski or Mannone, god willing, it shall be a clean-sheet. I’m going for a 3-0 trashing. Thoughts?

Viva Arsenal!

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Time To Give Chelsea The 'Blues'!?

Whilst many a faithful have been busy cursing the cruel fixture list which entitled us to face the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea & Liverpool over a span of little under three weeks; the optimists would have seen this as an opportunity to break from the pack & stamp one’s authority on the ever-so unpredictable nature of the league. Two games down the mini-league (i.e. the quartet of AVFC, MUFC, CFC & LFC), we see ourselves up by a solitary point, & down by more than just moral. As we build up to the massive duel with our trans-London rivals Chelsea, 11G looks into this game with the ‘6-points’ at stake, & the 6 things Arsenal must set right if they are to regain their momentum & with it, their aspirations to become ‘Champions’ come May.. 1. Almunia Can’t Judge For His Life

The involvement of a modern-day goalkeeper has been largely left to the miser task of picking the ball from the back of the net. Exceptions like Buffon, Casillas, Van der Sar et al, are few and far in between. At Arsenal, our No. 1 is more of a former. Not since David ‘Safe Hands’ Seaman, has Arsenal seen a custodian who infuses confidence in his ranks. Almunia, for starters, infuses fright amongst his back-4. The last time he actually turned up and played, was against United in the CL Semis 1’st leg. Injury kept him out of the first half of the current season, & ever since winning back his place from Fabianski & Manonne, he has been gravely inconsistent.

He was dreadful against United last week & was at fault for their first goal. If Arsenal are to have even a  sleight of a chance against the robust attack of Chelsea, then he better prove his detractors wrong come Sunday. Let’s hope he does.

PS: Personally I’m not yet convinced of his goal-keeping credentials in the first place. To see through the might of Drogba & Co., especially the corners & set-pieces will require more than Godly-intervention.

2. Is He Clichy Or Silvestre In Disguise!?

With likes of Anelka & Malouda marauding down the flanks for the Blues, the pair of Clichy & Sagna will have to be at their livid best. While Sagna has been his regular self all season (one tends to take him for granted at times), Clichy has been a misnomer vis-à-vis his former self. Injuries have denied him a longish run-in with the first team. He made Nani look pseudo-CR07 last week. Here’s hoping Malouda doesn’t turn into a ‘Ribery’ overnight!

3. They Better Stay ‘Gallic & Venomous’

Yes I’m referring to the most stellar defensive partnership the Grove has seen, since the ‘Sol-Kol’ days of yore. Vermaelen in particular has been the ‘Signing-of-the-Season’ (not just for Arsenal, mind you!) thus far, & has reinvigorated Gallas’s desire to keep performing at the top level. Last time these two faced Chelsea, Drogba literally shredded them apart. The Blues will stick to their tight play down the center & will rely heavily on ‘long-balls’ to frighten the fragile Arsenal Back-4. I say fragile in reference to their ability in dealing with the long-balls & physical play, which btw largely forms the fulcrum of Chelsea’s attack. If Arsenal are to stop Chelsea from running away with the match, these two will have to STOP Didier Drogba, come what may. I wish them luck. Although, they’re gonna need hell more than plain luck in this one. L

4. Diaby for Denilson. Eboue for Denilson. Hell, Anyone But Denilson!

One Gunner, not many are fond of. He topped the charts last season, when it came to accuracy (i.e. % distribution) with which a footballer passes the ball. Did anyone care to question where those passes actually went? I have the answer: sideways or backwards. Very seldom does he thread forward, even scarcer is his role in shielding the back-4 back, by making those last-ditch lunges. In fact, he only excels in passing the ball (sideways or backwards only!). He was woeful against United, & 2 screamers apart, has been woeful all season long.

Diaby, on the other hand, has been a breath of fresh air this term. Not only has he found his long-lost vigour for the game, the abundance of raw talent that he possesses, makes him all the more dangerous. His decent goal tally, as well as filling-in for Song if & when required, speaks volumes about the form that he is in. Wenger must start him alongside Alex Song this Sunday. This will not only make our mid-field slightly heavy-weight but will also provide the much-needed height dealing with the set-pieces.

One probing question here is Diaby’s fitness. Not sure if he is making the squad as of now. If not him, Arsene should opt for Nasri, even Eboue. Anyone but Denilson, on current form.

5. Time For Some Russian Roulette!?

Wenger’s decision to play Arshavin all alone at the top seemed to have paid off during the holiday period, but then time caught up with the little Russian. Despite his technical brilliance, he is clearly not made for leading the line. It’s unfair on him & his talent. He is best when he runs rings around defenders with the ball at his feet & creates the space to feed-in the approaching mid-fielders. We all know his ‘big-game temperament’ after scintillating Anfield on consecutive occasions & Old Trafford once. He was in mood to light the Emirates as well, against United the other day. But his lack of decision-making cost Arsenal dear. He could have brought Nasri or Cesc into play but went for solo-glory. So unlike him but that was that. Let’s look ahead.

I personally feel, Bendtner should be started for this one & supported by Arshavin & Rosicky from the flanks. Theo can come in for Rosicky at a later point. Niklas has been very vocal off-late & wants to prove his mettle, so let’s try him out. After all, the result can’t be worse than the 3-1 last week!

6. Self-Belief Answers Half The Problems

When the Gunners march onto the pitch this Sunday, they must carry pockets full of desire, courage & determination with them. They must remember it was them who ended Chelsea’s winning streak last season with their backs to the wall. Arsene should be prepared with another of his ‘Boys, You don’t deserve the Red n White’s of Arsenal’ tirade, just in case the fellas are found faltering at the break. A victory in this one is a must.

The likes of Nasri, Rosicky, Gallas, Vermaelen & above all Captain Cesc must rise to the occasion & make this one count. Fabregas, has in him to single-handedly destroy the ‘Blues’, like he picked out Villa not long ago. But he’ll need his team-mates to anchor along. Arshavin too, is one to watch out for.

Full points at the ‘Bridge’ will see us go just 3 adrift of the league leaders, whereas another loss, will surely quell our chances, as the gap would then further swell to 9. With 13 games to go after this one, it would be very difficult to close-in again.

This is by far the most important 6-pointer we have faced in season’s. So C’mon You Arsenal. Do Us Proud.

Arsenal To Give Chelsea The ‘Blues’

Prediction: Mighty Gunners 2 – Meeky Blues 1

Read On:

The Best Anti-Chelsea Jokes: Part 1!!

The Best Anti-Chelsea Jokes: Part 2!!

NOTE: Originally Published for Square Football.

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Follow Me on Twitter @trulytazz

It's Arsenal..It's United..It's 3D!

This coming Sunday, the battle lines will be clearly ear-marked as the Gunners face the ‘Red Dolls’ on their own turf i.e. the Emirates. Unlike the last few seasons, when the fixture was of not much consequence, it will be this time, if bare statistics are to be kept in mind. Points or otherwise, this rivalry has been the cream of the lot, right through the noughties, & it shall be no different in two days time. 11G looks forward to the ‘big one’ with the latest filtering in..

The times that we live in,  even the street dogs these days know how big a rage has the James Cameron megalith, Avatar, become. The spectacle that it was, experiencing it in 3D was quiet literally an ‘out-of-the-world‘ experience. Keeping that in mind, just imagine what it would be like for us ‘football-fed & bred fans‘, to see the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Andrey Arshavin & Wayne Rooney, come up with those pile-drivers time & again in real-time 3D. Wow, is all that comes to mind.

It’s official folks, for the very first time ever, a football match, any football match for that matter, from any part of the world, would be telecast Live across 9 centres (read: pubs) in UK, in 3D. This is an initiative by BSkyB, a prominent satellite brodcaster, ahead of it’s full-time 3D channel launch this coming April. No better occasion to do a pilot than a ‘Arsenal vs Manchster United‘ showdown. Can’t wait to lay my eyes on one of those sometime soon. Till then, an Avatar re-run can fill in!

Getting serious again, the game also marks the re-igniting of a rather famous all-English rivalry, in the form of Sol Campbell & Wayne Rooney. No one has forgotten the unethical dive Rooney won a penalty from, against the Gunners way back in ‘04, ending their 49 game unbeaten run. Campbell was at the receiving end back then, & those two have been at each other ever since. Although it’s circa ‘10 now, whilst Rooney is at the top of his searing best, having already bolted 20+ goals this term, Sol on the other hand, is slowly easing into his second Arsenal homecoming. After two decent displays against Stoke & Aston Villa, he looks good enough for a start & thus make his 200th league appearance for the Gunners. Injury to Vermaelen might just force Wenger to do that you know. And if that were to happen, it would be his 3rd straight outing in just over a week, something the Professor was quiet apprehensive about in some of the pre-match scribbles that came by. Realistically speaking, it would be Gallas marking the top man, with Sol given charge of the likes of Berba, Giggsy, et al. But you’d bet old-Sol to come to the fore & take command if things go haywire. We know what he is made of alright. Either way you look at it, it will be an intriguing battle, one that might jus live up to the billing ala ‘04.

'That' Dive..

It’s not just Sol who is bothering Arsene at the moment, the likes of Eduardo & Vermaelen, are both out of this important fixture. Just not what the doctor ordered, but that’s how Arsenal’s season has been thus far. They have bounced back each time, defying the skeptics, no point why they won’t in this one. Sol is tipped to replace the ‘Verminator’, whereas Bendtner should cover up for Eduardo. Both Nasri & Rosicky have been injury-starved all season, & despite their availibility, one would be a fool to expect miracles from them. So like most games this term, the onus to lead the line falls on the ‘out-of-position‘ shoulders of Arshavin & Fabregas. Let’s not forget, Fabregas missed the last encounter against United way back in August, he would be raring for this one. We surely are. And I bet, even the Navi’ (from Pandora) would be keeping a tab on this one, after all it’s 3D & it’s as big as the Premiership gets!

“This Weekend, The Red Dolls Will Bleed In Red. C’mon You Arsenal, Gun Them Down. In Arsene We Trust..”

Celebrations Shall Take Over

It has been a difficult time as an Arsenal fan and tomorrow’s is one fixture where we need to win more desperately then we probably ever did. Given any other day, i would have comfortably predicted an Arsenal rout but this is not any other day. It is going to be a challenge, can the players put back the disappointments of the weeks before and show their true class and calibre or shall we sink deeper into the realms of ignominy. Uncertainity shrouds as Stoke visit the Emirates, 11Gunners previews the game..

We don’t  know which Arsenal will take the field tomorrow, the one which casually outclassed oppositions or the one which seemed aimless and unimaginative against Sunderland and Chelsea. That has been our story thus far. The key players we usually rely on, the likes of Arshavin, Eduardo and Rosicky have been inaccurate, ineffective and thus unimpressive. The result has been a paucity of goals and points.

Though given the quality we have, it seems an issue of confidence more than anything else and that transformation one believes has to intiate tomorrow. We are not without our share of concerns ahead of this one. Song is out suspended after accumulating 5 bookings. Theo Walcott is also an absentee after an hamstring injury but Sagna will be back to guard a defence that has been at sixes and sevens more often than not.

At home we have been superbly fluent apart from the Chelsea match but Stoke are capable of ruffling a few feathers as they did last season at the Britannia Stadium.

MATCH PREDICTION

Arsenal 2-0 Stoke

Yes, we shall get back to winning ways starting tomorrow, I expect Eduardo to get onto the scoresheet, he’s long overdue a goal or two.

All Gooners hope that we get to see the fluent, scintillating and true Arsenal tomorrow and Let the healing process begin!!

Here Comes The 'Whore'!

It’s never a happy time when the team you support isn’t doing well on the field of play. November has been a horrible month for Arsenal fans and I believe most people are glad to see its back. Now it will soon be December and fans want to see an evidence of a change in fortune – like progressing to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

Stephen, from Gooner View, pens down his thoughts ahead of the ‘Shitty’ clash.

11Gunners thanks him for the effort and ponders ahead of the game..

Manchester City drew their last 7 games and I sense their next game against Arsenal won’t be a draw – at least not in the normal regulation time. Citeh will have nothing to fear from whatever team Arsenal put out as they know confidence is low in Gunner’s dressing room. I can sense Mark Hughes telling his boys to push forward and if possible be 2 goals ahead by half-time.

If I was Arsene wenger, I may struggle with what to say to the team that will face Citeh. There is a kind of psychological depression that is hovering over Arsenal players and the evidence was there to see last Sunday against Chelsea – there was no urgency and purpose. The youngsters that will play on Wednesday need to prove they have the hunger and talent to replace some underachieving first teamers.

My predictions for Wednesday line-up would be: (4-1-2-3)

Mannone

Gilbert-Senderos-Silvestre-Evina

Eastmond

Denilson-Ramsey

Walcott-Watt-Vela

(Arsenal) Man to Watch: RAMSEY:

Some people have observed that Ramsey doesn’t flourish when another creative player like Fabregas is on the field of play because it stifles his attacking instincts. The good news is there won’t be Cesc on the field on Wednesday; hence, young Aaron will have it all to do in terms of creativity. He will need to orchestrate the midfield and lead his compatriots in the battle against Stephen Ireland and De Jong.

(Manchester City) Man to Watch: ADEBAYOR:

I feel this man may not start the game. But even if he does there won’t be much “personal” motivation for him this time except that he won’t want to lose to Arsenal’s “youngsters”. He also won’t want to get into trouble with the referee. However, Senderos and company need to watch out for crosses from anywhere on the pitch as this guy can punish any team on those kind of balls.

Score Prediction:              Arsenal to win 3-2.

Why:

1. Adebayor isn’t Drogba, so there is no reason why Senderos shouldn’t take care of him!

2. There isn’t Almunia in goal; hence we should see some real saves!

3. Sanchez Watt is taller than Eduardo!

Thank God that pesky, injury-ridden, bad luck of a month is gone. Hello, December!

Arsenal Will Chelsea The 'Blues'..

In every campaign there comes a time when things change forever and we love to call that moment “the turning point” of the campaign. This game is the biggest game of the season for us and it is shame that we are facing a game of such importance when the season has not even reached midway. If we lose this one then there is no point in waiting and we can as well give the trophy to the Blues just after the game. Lets preview the game the 11Gunners‘ way..

Lets analyze that what went wrong that we have to face a ‘make or break’ game so early in the campaign. Or should we??? According to me there is nothing to blame but ourselves. We gave the game away to Man Utd@the OT and we did the same a week later against Man Arabs. It was not as if they played way better than us but it was lack of application on our part. And it was worse against Sunderland last weekend. The players thought that they just needed to turn up to bag 3 points which never happened.

We have not won anything since 4 years and it would have been nice for our BP if we could watch this match without any risk of a cardiac arrest. Everybody knows that Arsenal plays the sexiest football in EPL but it is well known that “The Hot Guy Never Gets The Chick“. This is the reason why we get to see sexy gals walking hand in hand with jerks (in this case EPL is the gal and Man Utd & Chelsea are jerks). The reason behind this phenomenon is that the hot guy never takes the initiative to grab the opportunity as he takes the gal ‘for granted‘. I believe that something similar is happening with Arsenal. Every footballsupporter loves watching Arsenal because they play the sort of football you want to see.

A few (actually a lot) of our players are injured at this moment but if we claim that we have the best team in EPL then this should not matter, especially when we have the best youth set up on the planet. There is nothing wrong with technique but it is all about the desire. How badly do our players want it? When I started out as a football fan I used to wonder that how can a small team like Burnley defeat big boys like Man Utd or Liverpool. And then i realized that in a game like football technique takes a back seat when the desire takes charge.

AW thoughts on this match are:

“I think there is a period for any team to come out and show its strengths,” he said. I think for our team this moment has come. We are not any more a team that has to be considered to be young. We have the strengths and we want to show on Sunday that we want to beat them.”

The Arsenal manager admits that the game against Chelsea will be one of the biggest tests yet for his side but says he is relishing the fixture.

“It is one of the biggest tests, yes. But that is what you want; you want to play the big game games.Everyone will look at the game to rate our potential, and I have no worries about that.We are ready for the game, are well focused, prepared and the confidence is good. We just want to focus on the game like we want to play it.”

Wenger also refutes the suggestion that this could be a bad time to play the Stamford Bridge side.

“No, I do not believe it is a bad time [to play Chelsea],” said Wenger. You know that during the season you will at some period have some injuries. Chelsea might have some at a different period. It does not matter. I still believe we are strong enough to beat them.”

The Guru believes but its the players who need to show the belief on the pitch. I just hope that this piece charges them up to realize their true potential. May the best (Arsenal) team win. Amen.

Testing Times Ahead...

Club football at the top level can be tiring but the number of matches a top team needs to play every season can be a blessing in disguise. The next match is never too far away so a chance for redemption is readily available. Arsenal lost against Sunderland and deservedly so. We played poorly and lack of desire was the main reason behind it. But nevertheless, We our boys can redeem themselves against Standard Leige in Europe. An 11Gunners preview of the same..

Arsenal play Standard Liege at the Emirates today and should beat them comprehensively. We just need a draw  to go through and it looks highly unlikely that we will come out empty empty handed. News has come in that Gibbs is fit to play and is ready for selection. Thank God. Meanwhile Wenger has come out all gunns blazing against the English press and its fascination with “English Talent” is well known. When he was asked about Walcott’s chances in this World Cup, he said that he does not give a $hit to England’s World Cup campaign and for him club come before country. As usual he has opened a Pandora’s box and we are gonna hear a lot on it in coming days.

Standard Liege coach Laszlo Boloni has appreciated Wenger and he believes that AW is a man of vision. Amen to that. This tie will set the tone for Sunday’s match against Chelsea and we need to do well in both the matches. These matches will either make or break our campaign on both the fronts – domestic and Europe. In fact, if we don’t win against Chelsea at the weekend then things might go out of our hands as in that case we will have to bridge a gap of 11 points with a game in hand which is gonna be a herculean task. So, this match is very important as it will set the tone for Sunday’s clash as well.

I believe that it we are gonna win 3-nil. Yes, I am expecting a miracle to take place for us to maintain a clean sheet. Go Gunners..

The Domestic Battle Returns

The hiatus of the International break proved to be a rather costly one for all Gooners. Several of our torchbearers, Robin Van Persie, Abou Diaby and the young Kieran Gibbs failed to return as they had gone. Our tryst with injuries has always been a forgettable one, however we should conjure enough creativity and magic to dispose off Sunderland, but it would be foolish to underestimate them.11Gunners looks at the Game as EPL is knocking again at your doorsteps..

Yes, a lot has been said and done during this time with all our injury concerns and the incident involving our legend Thierry Henry, it hasn’t exactly been a cheerful time off the field for those associated with our club. However, our current squad has the ability to make us forget all that will a scintillating display of their own and that is what we’ll be expecting tomorrow evening.

Silvestre will fill in as left back temporarily and we hope he can manage it temporarily given his experience at this level. Sunderland’s disciplinary record has drawn scorn from rest of the League and one eye will be on emerging physically unscathed out of the Stadium of Light as massive games against Chelsea and then Liverpool remain lined up for us.

The Black Cats have been extremely mpressive so far and if there performances against Liverpool and Man United are anything to go by, there will be no free lunch tomorrow. We will have to earn every bit of it. Though goalscoring hasn’t been any concern for us, with Persie out we’ll need Eduardo to step up as the frontsman. The Croatian was guilty of missing simple chances earlier against Spurs and he’ll have to get back to his adept finishing skills that make him a Gunner favorite.

MATCH PREDICTION

Sunderland1- 3 Arsenal

I expect and hope Fabregas will be at it again, we need him to continue his magic in front of goal specially with Persie out of action. Arshavin and Eduardo are the pther chosen ones to deliver for us.

Lets hope we put all the doubts and disappointments off the field and climb up the Premiership Ladder in our own dynamic style!!

Samir Nasri’s comeback into the scheme of things adds more flavour to our attack. Mick Mc Carthy, the Wolves boss has been known to take the defensive route against the big teams and he will be probably doing the same against the might of Arsenal, who have been scoring goals at free will. However, away from home we can be frustrated with astute defensive play from the opponent, a weakness that needs to be overcome as we look to filling our trophy cabinet this season with some elusive silverware.

Stan Kroenke’s takeover has captured headlines this week and a takeover looks more imminent than ever. With Chelsea taking on Man United later on Sunday, this is one week where we need to capitalise and make inroads towards the top of the table.

Wolves have secured some important draws against Everton, Stoke City  and Aston Villa and they will go in with the belief that they are capable of snatching a point against the Gunners, just like West Ham did. But the hunger in the Arsenal squad seems to be increasing as the League is progressing and we shall make life difficult for Mc Carthy’s men when we take the field tomorrow.

MATCH PREDICTION

Wolves 0- 2 Arsenal

Well, the Gunners need to prove a point in the away games before we start making our usual optimistic predictions. Securing points shouldn’t be that difficult a task tomorrow and I expect Van Persie and Arshavin to net the goals at the Molineux.

The injury list keeps mounting

Three games into the Champions League Group stages and we are optimistically looking at the knockout stages of the Champions League. And in a home game against AZ Alkmaar, we like to do nothing but to seal it. However thwarting us in our attempts is the latest news that Gael Clichy has succumbed to a back injury and could be sidelined for several weeks to come. Looking at our form this season at home, with or without Clichy, we shall book a place in the round of 16  tomorrow. Though Alkmaar proved themselves to be a tough side to beat eventually stealing a point, one wonders if they have enough to challenge us at our own turf.

11Gunners looks at tomorrow’s game and what Clichy’s injury means in the longer run..

Clichy’s injury proves to be a blessing in disguise for young Kieran Gibbs who will have to hold the mantle of the coveted left back position. While he has shown to be capable enough with his pace and alacrity, pressure situations have tested him thoroughly though he has still to pass that test. Gibbs is expecting a call from the English national squad so there can be no better way of proving on the big stage.

Also, Niklas Bendtner who limped off in the first half of the North London derby will be atleast out for 4 weeks. Rosicky and Walcott contiune to be absentees. Even without these warriors, we seem to have enough firepower to dispel Alkmaar for whom it hasn’t exactly been a pretty season, either domestically or in Europe.

But under the tutelage of Ronald Koeman, the Dutch brigade know that any chances of progress requires a positive result tomorrow. So there is no scope of complacency as far as the Gunners are concerned. But with a perfectionist like Wenger in charge, one feels the hunger in this team will be never ending.

Match Prediction

Arsenal 3-0 AZ Alkmaar

Yes on paper or even otheriwse we have too much quality for the dutch side. If we get our flowing game kickstarted, the 3 I have predicted could easily go upto 5 or a number that will haunt Koeman and his boys for a time to come.

All prepared to get blown away as the Gunners welcome Alkmaar to the Emirates!!

Its more than just a game!!

So we have had our share of fun with this one, its time we get down to serious business as less than 24 hours remain between the Gunners taking the field against their oldest and staunchest rivals, Tottenham. Some games in the Premier League are not just about the points and this one ranks high in the charts. This one is primarily about the pride though Tottenham hardly have any. One has to scout the History books to find the last time they beat us in the League and no matter how hard they have tried, we have always and I mean always got the better of them.

With the 2 teams locked on equal points one can expect nothing but a cracker tomorrow evening, 11Gunners previews the Big One..

The 162nd League Edition of this rivalry is defintiely more spiced up because of the rich vein of form shown by both these clubs so far. But that would be taking the truth to its breaking point. Saying that Tottenham’s quality is at par with us is a hilarious exaggeration.  We enjoy a ten year unbeaten streak against the Lilywhites in the league and the 11th one seems to be on its way. Previous week was a disappointment for us at West Ham but nothing compared to the shock of Tottenham being undone at home by Stoke.

Fabianski has picked up a knock ahead of this one so we might be seeing Manuel Almunia back in action. Theo and Tomas continue to be absentees but we haven’t missed them a lot thus far, not atleast at home where we have played some exhibition stuff to humble our opponents.

Spurs have shown quality this season but Aaron Lennon’s absence is bound to hurt their attacking potency that they have so much faith in. Jermaine Defoe remains suspended and Luka Modric is nursing a broken leg adding to the woes of the Lilywhites.

They say that form goes out of the window when it comes to games like these, but form or no form we seem to have too much quality for them to handle.

MATCH PREDICTION

Arsenal 3 -1 Tottenham

I expect the usual suspects Van Persie, Fabregas and Arshavin to write their names on the scoresheet. Last year’s contest was a thrilling one for neutrals but a disappointing one for us. But this year, get ready to face the music when you make that short trip to the Emirates,  remember who’s your DADDY!!

For all you Gooners, we will be following the game live for you!! So be there to enjoy all the action as we gear up to hunt down our enemies!!

Its Hammers against the Gunners

Another episode of the London Derby is round the corner. West Ham have had a deplorable season while Arsenal have found their groove in the League, but this London Derby is one game where we can expect the home team to give their everything..after all pride is at stake. With news just in that Spurs have been beaten at home by Stoke City hence there’s everything for us to move one step closer to the Numero Uno spot!!

Do the Hammers possess any chance of upsetting the team that has netted a whopping 27 goals in 8 games, 11 Gunners explores..

Manuel Almunia is back to full fitness and we can only expect him to find the form that made him a Gooner favourite last season. The diligent and skilful Frenchman Samir Nasri is also back though it is doubtful if we will see him in the starting line up. Eduardo also has shaken off his injury and that extra killer dimension will be added t our “Arsenal”. The Prof who celebrated his 60th Birthday recently was visibly confident of Arsenal’s chances and the stage seems to be set to carry forward our momentum as the mouth-watering London derbies approach us.

West Ham won only on the opening day of the season and the sword hangs on the shoulders of Gianfranco Zola ahead of this one. A scathed team can produce something special so no doubt we have to be wary of the threat from the Hammers. Good news for the Hammers is that Guillermo Franco is expected to make his debut which was indefinitely delayed due to his prolonged injury.

Match Prediction

West Ham United 1- 2 Arsenal

Yes, i am not my usual optimistic self today but West Ham have never made it easy for us and it will take effort on our part to see them off, maybe an Arshavin special who knows!!

Keep Gooning!!!

Will It Be 7 All Over Again!?

Its time to ‘Go Dutch‘, its time we pay visit to AZ Alkmaar, ‘that‘ club in our Group H list of fixtures. 2 losses and a draw places them at the bottom of the heap going into this one but lets not forget they still boast an impressive record of just one home defeat in 34 European ties. Ahh, we were kidding ofcourse! Ronald Koeman is by far the most recognised face in their line-up, and its a shame won’t ever breach the touchline over the 90 minutes!

An 11Gunners preview of Arsenal’s trip to The O.C., the ‘Orange County‘..

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal

Gael Clichy is back to full fitness after missing the game at the weekend.

Samir Nasri (broken leg) and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (knee) continue their rehabilitation with the reserves.

Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo (both groin), Denilson (back) and centre-half Johan Djourou (knee) remain sidelined.

AZ Alkmaar

Koeman has at least one advantage over Wenger going into this match, in so far as AZ have no injury worries at the moment.

Probable Starting Line-Up For Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

Almunia

Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Clichy

Song-Diaby

Eboue-Fabregas-Arshavin

Van Persie

Quotable Quotes

AW

“If we score goals, it is because we have the ball. To have the ball, you need to defend.

That is why I believe we have a good team ethic, a good working attitude together.

We all play on the same wavelength, which is why everybody scores.”

Ronald Koeman

“We know Arsenal are very good and we know what we have to do.

I saw their game against Blackburn and they could have scored 15 times! On the other hand, Blackburn had four excellent chances and scored twice. Arsenal, therefore, have defects.

We must take the initiative, dominate possession and take the chances that come our way.”

Men To Watch

Robin van Persie returns to his homeland in fine form. The Dutch striker has scored in each of Arsenal’s last four matches – and three of the goals were superb clinical finishes. He would love to add to his tally and no better place to do so than his motherland. Carlos Vela too, might get some action late on, and it would be interesting to see what he has to offer to this already goal-greedy Arsenal line-up this season. They have alreasy amassed 27 goals in 8 league outings this term, expect the fireworks to continue.

PREDICTION

Arsenal 4 AZ Alkmaar 0

Looks fair enough to me. I’m sure Van ‘the man’ and Cescy babes will do the honours later tonight. Let the action commence then..

Payback Time...

The last meeting between these 2 sides were not suited for a football field. It should have taken place in a jungle. Arsenal players were literally broken down by Birmingham into pieces. This tie derailed our season forever. In fact, we never managed to recover after what happened in this tie last time around. Incidents like those pose a huge question mark on the physical style of play prevalent in EPL and should quality players be given more protection from guerrilla warriors who play anything but football.

An 11 gunners preview of the same…

Team News

It was Eduardo who suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle in a tackle from Taylor and sat out for more than a season due to Martin Taylor when these teams met last time around. This time both of them miss out through injury.

Arsenal

Eduardo has a thigh problem. Good news is that goalkeepers Fabianski is fit and Almunia should retrn from a chest infection. Fabregas is back in the squad though he missed the second Spanish tie due to personal reasons. Nasri is fit but he might not make  a return before the Carling Cup tie against the Scousers. Clichy has picked up an ankle injury when in the internationals he played for France. Other players who are injured are Bendtner (groin) Denilson (back), Djourou (knee).

Birmingham

Birmingham forward Cameron Jerome returns, but Christian Benitez missed his flight from South America. Other player who are injured or unavailable are Bent, Queudrue & Vignal (all hamstring), Fahey & Parnaby (unspecified), Murphy (knee), Martin Taylor (ankle).

Probable Starting Line Up

Fabianski

Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Gibbs

Song-Diaby

Walcott-Fabregas-Arshavin

VanPersie

Stats

Arsenal are on high and they are scoring goals for fun. In their last match in EPL they scored 6 against Blackburn, so don’t be surprised if u are treated to Goal rain.

Men To Watch

Fabregas is firing on all cylinders but i believe that it will be Arshavin who is gonna be the star of the day. Watch out for the Little Russian and don’t forget that The Little Mozart is due for some magic of his own.

Prediction

This is gonna be a goal riot. Goals are gonna come from all over the place. An encore of the Blackburn match, i believe. Six nil won’t be extravagant. Birmingham watch out. You are gonna regret what you did last time with us. This one is for Dudu…

'Lord Wenger Reigns Supreme'

Having shut Olympiacos during mid-week with a convincing 2-0 win at the Emirates, its time for Blackburn to bear the burnt of Arsenal’s ire. With Wenger having just turned Arsenal’s longest serving manager a couple of days back, the Gunners would be upbeat to enthrall the occasion with a fitting win and dedicate it to Lord Wenger.

We @ 11Gunners gear up for the same..

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal

Denilson has been sidelined for two months with a back fracture. Theo Walcott could may a belated first appearance of the season and Nicklas Bendtner, injured in a car accident, should be available.

Blackburn

Blackburn are without Vince Grella, sent off in the 2-1 win over Villa last Saturday and test Gäel Givet, missing for two games.

Probable Starting Line-Up For Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

Mannone

Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Clichy

Song-Diaby

Bendtner-Fabregas-Arshavin

VanPersie

Stat Attack

Arsenal have scored four in both of their home games.

Also in both the Premier League games against Blackburn last season, Arsenal came out trumps with a 4-0 victory!

Men To Watch

Van Persie and Arshavin, both are back to their best. Fabregas was in amazing touch against Olympiacos just that he wasn’t wearing his finishing boots on. Expect him to make good on Sunday though. Also Walcott and Bendtner, both coming off injuries of different kinds, would be hoping to make a goal-scoring return to the side.

PREDICTION

Arsenal 4 – Blackburn 0

Well going by the stats from last and start to this season, only a fool would think otherwise! And that we aren’t!

VanPersie, Walcott, Cesc and Bendtner to score for the Gunners.

Bring’em On..

Hope We Don't Miss You Bendy!

With a hard fought win at Liege behind them, its time the Gunners square off with Olympiakos in a mouth-watering fixture at the Emirates later tonight. Arsenal have now won two on a trot and would love to keep the winning run going now that they are at it. As the Emirates gets ready to host the first group stage match of the european season, we at 11Gunners get you ready to get a feel of the same..

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal are without Nicklas Bendtner for the visit of Olympiakos after he was involved in a minor car accident that left him bruised.

Keeper Manuel Almunia is still absent with a chest infection so Vito Mannone will continue to deputise in goal.

Midfielder Denilson is out for two months with a back injury but Theo Walcott returns from a side strain.

Olympiakos will be missing attacking midfielder Luciano Galletti and striker Matt Derbyshire, who are both injured.

Probable Starting Line-Up For Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

Mannone

Sagna-Vermaelen-Gallas-Clichy

Song-Diaby

Rosicky-Fabregas-Arshavin

Van Persie

Quotable Quotes

AW

“We have plenty of options. We have a very big squad at the moment and there are opportunities there for anybody to take.

“Aaron Ramsey is not far away from the first team now and Jack Wilshere who can play when requested, so we have plenty of opportunities for young players to come in.”

“Nicklas did not practice because he had a car accident on Sunday,” Wenger confirmed.

“Fortunately there was no real long-term damage, but he was bruised and we thought it better he did not train. He should be back for Sunday’s game (against Blackburn).”

Zico

This is what the great Brazilian had to say on Arsenal:

“To be successful against Arsenal it is very important that we pay them the utmost attention, that we leave no space for them.

“They are a very fast team, especially when they attack, especially in the follow-up and we have to concentrate.

“We cannot be fearful and we have to play in a brave way.

“We have to have the mentality that we are equal to any team and on the field it’s 11 players versus 11 players and this is the mentality I want.”

Men To Watch

Van Persie scored a creamer last weekend at the Craven Cottage and would want improve on his rich vein of form. Arshavin and Rosicky together for the first time this season, with Fabregas in the middle, is something every Gunner can’t awit to have a feast on. Also Theo is due to make an appearance sometime late on. So loads to look out for. And ofcourse ‘The Great Mannone’ can’t be forgotten after his heroics at the weekend. What a player!

PREDICTION

Arsenal 3 – Olympiakos 0

After predicting 7-0 to Arsenal for the Liege game, its about time I got my facts right! I’m sure it shall be 3-0 this time around! Robin, Arsha and Cesc to score for the Gunners. C’mon you Arsenal..