Thoughts on the Cesc Fabregas saga, CL final and released players

Let's make this clear - in an ideal world, I would not want Cesc Fabregas back. Sure, he was the poster boy of Wenger's Project Youth and he gave us many emotional moments, if not trophies. Moreover, My refusal on wanting him back is not related to his manner of departure from the Emirates, but is more on the priority of signing a creative midfielder. 

We didn't spunk 42 million quid on Mesut Ozil to give up on him after one season, only to spunk 25 million quid on another. It's a waste of resources and doesn't make footballing sense. It would be better (and indeed, more cost-effective) to pursue a one-year contracted Khedira, for instance.

However, even though I am past the manner in which Fabregas left Arsenal, it has left him being trustworthy, to me at least. Have you ever heard of a player who is so desperate to leave a club that he goes on strike and contributes £5m to the buying club's transfer fee? Forget the fact it was his hometown Barcelona, such attitude is unprofessional. Arsenal wasn't a prison, it was the club that recognized his talents.

Anyway, what worries me now is Manchester United's interest in the player. I always knew that Fabregas would never leave Barcelona last season for David Moyes, mostly because he was happy at Camp Nou. But that was last year.

12 months down the line, things have changed. Barca have had a piss poor season, they have managerial instability, and the Catalans, for some reason, are making Cesc the scapegoat for their problems, despite his best season statistically. While he hasn't revealed anything yet, Fabregas could so easily be unhappy at Barcelona.

Normally, I wouldn't be too concerned about United's reported interest in him, because as long as Cesc was happy at Barcelona, there was no way United could lure him. However, after changing times at Barca and a confirmed £30m bid from United, there is a chance that Fabregas could play for United next season.

You might chuckle, because Fabregas has publically stated that Arsenal and Barcelona will remain his two playing clubs for his entire career. However, don't times change in football?

Arsene Wenger, 12th July 2011: "Imagine the worst situation, that we lose Fábregas and Nasri; you cannot convince people that you are ambitious after that."

van Persie, 28th February 2012: “I am a true Gunner. I love this club and that’s no secret."

Just two of many examples.

I'm just saying, there is no trusting a player who forced a transfer from a club with such shocking means. Of course, Fabregas would prefer going to Arsenal rather than United, for he clearly has affection for this club. In addition, returning to Arsenal will propel his PR image by justifying his quotes.

However, what if Arsenal never approach him? I have reason, if not proof, to believe that Wenger's does not give a rat's ass about the Cesc Fabregas situation, and I agreed with his stance earlier. However, after the £30m bid, it is obvious that we cannot let United pursue Fabregas, especially because we have contractual and emotional advantage over the player.

I have no idea if Arsenal are trying to bring Fabregas back, but it seems they don't care enough to. However, after the £30m United bid, the answer is clear - we need to move on Cesc.

We should buy Fabregas, only and only because it will hinder the progress of a direct rival. Never mind the fact he may be surplus to requirements from the very start, we should buy him so to not help the other team. Alex Ferguson did it with van Persie even though he had Rooney. Real Madrid did it with Bale even though they had Di Maria, and hence.

Di Maria was quite outstanding yesterday, on that topic. Grossly underrated and overlooked for players like Ronaldo and Bale, who weren't up to the mark. While I felt for Atletico, who lost out on the CL after such a landmark season, Real Madrid were deserved winners. Their style of football is something I've been wanting from Arsenal, what I believe is the best form of football in the whole world, presently. Klopp's pressing philosophy is promising, but at the moment dynamic wingers are king.

Possession football is dead. Bayern Munich proved it last year and Real Madrid proved it this year.

Bayern oriented their game around Ribery and Robben under Heynecks, trashed Barcelona (a possession-oriented team) and won the CL. Guardiola took over Jupp, gave possession football more preference by buying Gotze and Alcantra, and got trashed 5-0 by Real, a team that have strength concentrated on their wings. Real won the CL yesterday, what does that tell you?

Wenger is insistent on possession football, another factor in Arsenal's constant underwhelming in the EPL. He seems to have forgotten the importance of Pires and Ljungberg 10 years ago.

Instead of playing the striker game, buying a monster winger and calculated potential up front might be better. I won't say no to both, really, I just feel that buying a winger might be more productive. Cesc, in addition, would be a welcome bonus and would put a dent in van Gaal's plans. And isn't that all we want?

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Elsewhere, Arsenal's released list is out, confirming departures of Bendtner and Park. Unlike many, I am sad to see Bendtner depart, not because I feel he was integral to our system, but because I had an unusual attachment to him. You can read more of my weird thoughts here. For now, I genuinely wish him well.

Park Chu Young's departure, along with Bendtner, means we have only two strikers at the club - Giroud and Yaya Sanogo. Both have their qualities, but let's face it, not enough to propel Arsenal to major trophies. A striker is a must now.

After PSG spunked cash on Luiz, they'd be looking to cover up the losses. I think you see what I'm hinting at.

Right, that's that. Have a good one, Gooners.

P.S. Whatever happened to Wenger's contract?

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Arsenal 0-0 United: Adjust your sights for the remainder of the campaign

We aren't winning the Premier League.

Acceptance is the first step to understanding, and only with proper understanding can there be true recovery. I have been saying since 1st February that our league hopes have been vanquished by Arsene Wenger, and today I believe it more than ever.

Don't get me wrong as people always do - I badly want this team of all teams to win the EPL. However, when everyone knew that we needed a striker and Wenger refused to buy one (not failed, REFUSED), that was when we lost our chance. All that hard work done by a plethora of honest, dedicated players like Szczesny, Mertesacker, Ramsey, Flamini and Giroud was laid waste by a blind manager who cares about his job more than our title hopes.

Back in November 2013, this is what Ivan Gazidis had said:

"We will see where Arsenal will be in January and whether or not the club will invest in another forward. Olivier Giroud won't be able to go on all alone until the end of the season. We need to buy."

Board at fault for denying Wenger funds? That's a laugh and a half. There were quality players in the market that would have infinitely strengthened the team and taken the pressure off Olivier Giroud. Even if we failed to buy a striker, a doable transfer like Julian Draxler would have undoubtedly provided the club a massive boost going into the crunch period.

Let me get this clear - if you have the money, every player on the planet becomes available. The question of a possible snag between deals for players like Dimitar Berbatov, Mirko Vucinic and Jackson Martinez does not occur; when in doubt, throw in a few million and get the deal done! It's not like we're a poor club anymore, we're raking in cash from business deals, sports deals and ticket prices everywhere.

I know that I have emphasized our failure to purchase a striker a lot since the transfer window had closed. After all, such redundant facts would get increasingly tiring to read, even for people who agree on my views. However, my sole reason to keep Arsene Wenger's blunder fresh in everyone minds is because I don't want people blaming Olivier Giroud or Nicklas Bendtner at the back end of the season. I want Wenger held 100% responsible.

I completely support the boos ringing around the stadium at full time - everyone connected to Arsenal deserved better from Wenger. By that I don't merely mean defeating the worst United side since three decades - the fans deserved some show of real ambition from Wenger. They deserved a better signing than Kim Kallstrom. They deserved a manager who has his sights on first and not fourth, and they deserved a manager who makes the right calls during team selection and mentality preparation.

Not this shadow of a person. I'm growing sick and tired of Wenger's one-dimensional tactical naivety, playing the same players and using the same formation, whether the team is Manchester United or West Ham United. I'm beyond frustrated at his refusal to make substitutions before the 69th minute, and his insistence to play Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of Lukas Podolski.

We could have just as easily defeated Manchester United today. The fact that we drew doesn't have anything to do with Moyes' tactical brilliance (ha), or that we had an off day. It's all Wenger's fault that we drew this game, because he went about this game just as he goes about with others.

Nothing has changed with Wenger's Arsenal. The problem of a lack of movement up front was initially apparent at the Cardiff game, but Bendtner's heroics saved us. However, instead of counting his lucky stars and addressing this obvious problem, he stuck to his same old philosophy throughout the following games, including today.

It isn't the February run of fixtures or the March top-of-the-table clashes that will define our season. It was the month of January, when Wenger had the chance to bring in the cavalry. He failed, and it seems like the hinges of our season are already beginning to come off. With a spirited team now fading away, players like Ramsey have succumbed to injury, and Arteta, Ozil and Giroud are looking dead tired from the rigours of overplaying.

The season isn't over yet though. While I've given up hopes for the Premier League, our Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich is one that I'm really looking forward to. Our stable defence gives us a good chance to nick this tie somehow, and while the chances of winning the CL are slim to none, a good result from the Munich ties might just have the Ozil implications on the club that we need.

However, I firmly believe that a huge chunk of our season depends on the FA Cup. Irrespective of Wenger's infuriating lack of activity in January, the squad remains motivated and talented enough to win the FA Cup. I know that winning the league is the primary objective this season, but I think we all know that wresting the title from Chelsea and Manchester City is a long, long shot.

Win the FA Cup, and a lot would be forgiven. Even pessimistic supporters like myself would call this season a success, and Wenger's disappointing managerial decisions would be quickly forgotten. Most importantly, the ghost of the "9 years without a trophy" would finally be killed, something that has been our objective for half a decade now.

It goes without saying that the game against Liverpool at the Emirates is massive. It's a game that would have long-lasting implications when we look back at the season. Lose, and a trophyless season awaits, with only the Champions League as a possible highlight. However, if we win, a bunch of Arsenal supporters would be filled with something that they crave for right now.

Hope.

P.S. Here are the highlights, for those interested.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Arsenal vs United: Match Preview

Needless to say, this is a must-win. After our sickening collapse at Anfield, it is absolutely vital to bounce back and defeat Manchester United. For title challengers, nothing less than three points would work, and that's what we are going for.

We couldn't have caught United at a weaker time. Under Moyes, they are one of the most shockingly poor outfits I have ever seen. Signing Mata seems to have had little effect - they lost to Stoke and drew hilariously to Fulham. However, they were in similar perils when we visited them at Old Trafford, yet they managed to come out with three convincing points.

Moyes already seems to be losing the plot. His redundant tactic of telling his team to repeatedly cross the ball to no competent target man is yielding poor results. One feels that if we have full backs in form (Sagna and Gibbs) and a 6 ft 6 inch Per Mertesacker, we could nullify a lot of their attacking threat on the flanks. In reality, if the manager motivates the team correctly and chooses the right starting XI, three points would be comfortably gained.

However, I don't think that he's going to do that. Wenger always fails to mentally prepare his team for big matches - that is a factor that could cost us dear. In addition, his irritating habit of overplaying Mesut Ozil is not boding well for the player as well as the team, but it's a trend that seems set to continue.

My advice? With Arteta and Wilshere covering the defence (what other choice do we have?), Santi Cazorla should occupy the central attacking midfielder role. Lukas Podolski should be deployed on the left, and Tomas Rosicky on the right, and Olivier Giroud as our mainstream main man. Ozil is long overdue a rest - we should keep in mind the Champions League clash against Bayern is approaching.

However, I am quietly confident that Wenger will go out with the same one-dimensional formation, lineup and tactics. Whether it will work or not remains to be seen, but if United catch up on Wenger's naive attacking method, they could close us down and cause problems like Everton, Dortmund, Southampton and Liverpool did earlier in the season.

You know, I actually think that United are going to snatch this encounter as well. It's not about being pessimistic, but I think Wenger's flawed team selection and United reading through Arsenal's tactics would result in another bad result. Moyes is having a really bad time at Manchester, so maybe the factor that could go in our favour is that he ignores our deficiencies and sends a confidence-depleted side to London. Either ways, I'd be really surprised if we manage to win this game comfortably.

The odds are overwhelmingly in our favour. We have a fantastic home record, and are sitting 14 points pretty of United. Even so, I just hope that I had a better feeling about this match.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

Thoughts on van Persie, Premier League shocks and WC Draw

Surprising rumours emerging that van Persie had handed in a transfer request on Tuesday, suggested by former Liverpool defender and football pundit Mark Lawrenson. I say 'surprising', because even though I expected van Persie to abandon the sinking ship, I never thought that he would submit a transfer request in the middle of season. That's just pathetic, and even though we of all people know what kind of a person he is, I never thought that he was shallow enough to leave Moyes in the middle of such a turmoil.

After all, we were in a much worse crisis in 2011, losing Cesc and Nasri and getting hammered 8-2 at Old Trafford in the same month. Yet Robin did stick with us throughout our top 4 struggles, throughout the embarrassments at Ewood park, the San Siro and throughout yet another trophyless season. Even though there was a mammoth of speculation about his contract situations, he kept his head down and pumped goals in, carrying us to 3rd place.

Of course, then he inexplicably decided to burn bridges with the Arsenal community and sent out the "Hey guys, I love you and all, but I want to leave Arsenal, but I'll always be a Gooner, you guys" statement and got transferred to Manchester United. Even though he did justify his statement by winning the league at Manchester (at least for a year), I still can't help but feel that United was certainly not his preferred destination.

I felt (and still do) that van Persie saga was poorly handled by his agents. I still think that they manipulated his mind and fooled him into thinking that sending out such a frank statement was a wise choice. His agents probably thought that an open transfer request would culminate into a bidding war from clubs from all nations, which would leave them with cutting out the best deal possible. They also might've hoped that the Arsenal support would appreciate his honesty and thank him for telling Wenger about his desire to leave in advance so that he could buy Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski.

Well, there certainly was no bidding war for Robin now, was there? A Juventus £9m rejected bid, a Man City enquiry turned down, and finally, a £24m agreement with Manchester United. If his agents thought that there was a shred of hope in the fact that we Gooners would respect his decision, that was probably smashed to smithereens when he stabbed us in the back by joining a title rival.

However, in the long run, things worked out pretty well for us, right? We now have an honest, dedicated bunch of talented players, and while a striker is still required, the improvement in Giroud has meant that even a backup for him would be sufficient. Elsewhere, van Persie was left betrayed by Alex Ferguson (ironic, right?) who had conveniently not mentioned the fact that he was to stay only for a year more as Manchester United manager. What's more, he was replaced by a manager who feeds him painkillers before matches and is currently overseeing an abysmal run of form. And doing nothing about it. Their loss to Newcastle means that if Arsenal win tomorrow, van Persie's side will be closer to the relegation zone than to the league leaders.
  
While this chaos at United is equivalent to a bundle of laughs for me, a little part of me does begin to wonder if his agents are making him take a rash choice again. Of course, I would understand Robin's side of the story if his transfer request turns out to be legitimate. [UPDATE: Moyes rejected these claims. Oh,well, what else was he supposed to say?] He's one of the best strikers in the Premier League, and he certainly does not want to be in a team that are set to not compete for the title this season. However, wasn't that the exact situation that he had going on with Arsenal? What if he does abandon United in January, only to discover that they've been transformed into a title competing side again?

My sole point is that footballers need to add a certain amount of loyalty to their decisions, and have faith that the club will work things out, at least for a period of time. And that van Persie's a shallow prick who deserves every second of misery that he is hilariously earning under a clueless manager. Of course, there is a real plausibility that Lawrenson's source turns out to be incorrect, but I think that we all can agree that van Persie is far from happy at United.

Anyway, screw him. We've got Mesut Ozil.

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In other news, the World Cup draw is out, and the focus will be on Group D, a group where England, Italy and Uruguay have been paired together. I actually reckon that England can get eliminated from this group, considering that they haven't really been convincing and dominating in the WC qualifiers. Sure, I want our British core to prosper, but I just don't see that happening in 2014.

To my intense relief, France have been paired with Switzerland, Honduras and Ecuador, and should easily make it through the knockout phases. And yes, I'm a France supporter, but not because of Zidane. I've been one ever since Thierry Henry scored the winner against Brazil back in 2006, and even though I know that they are significantly weaker than they were back then, it wouldn't be classy of me to lecture on van Persie's betrayal and switch teams frequently now, would it?

If you honestly ask me, I would say that Germany are my favourites to win the World Cup. Granted, they have been placed in a tricky group consisting of Portugal and Ghana, but I'm sure that they'll make easy work of it.

According to me, they're the only team capable of toppling the dominance of Spain, a team that seem to be going a bit downhill now. Even though I support France, a huge part of that is down to loyalty (and our French core!), and while I certainly want France to win the World Cup, a part of me knows that that is not a realistic scenario. Instead, I would love it if Germany break Spain's trophy dominance, a dominance that is largely owing to negative tactics and mundane football of late.

Anyway, the World Cup is a good 6 months away, leaving plenty of time to focus on each teams' chances. Speaking of chances, Chelsea's 3-2 loss to Stoke and Man City slipping up at St. Mary's means that we now have a glorious chance to go a mammoth 7 POINTS CLEAR on the top of the table. The match against Everton has suddenly gained much more significance, and I'm finding myself praying for 3 points tomorrow.

Everton are really difficult opponents, and a victory will obviously be far from a given. However, if we do beat them, it would take a load off the coming two fixtures. If we win tomorrow and lose against City and Chelsea, we'll still be on top of the table, albeit by one slender point. It's a wonderful prospect. 

I don't care if we get it by hook or by crook, all I know is that we have been presented by a wonderful opportunity on a silver platter to get some real daylight between us and our two present title contenders. We. NEED. To. Take. it.

Come on Arsenal. The onus is on us.


-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

United 1-0 Arsenal: Let's be honest

Robin van Persie: "I will never celebrate against Arsenal."

Aargh. This is almost too painful to type.

I could just sit here and say that we were unlucky to not snatch a point and continue our fantastic away record in this game. Or I could say that apart from van Persie's header, we were the better side at Old Trafford. I could also say that by virtue of still being 2 points clear at the top and a relatively easy fixture list after the international break, there is hardly any cause for concern.

Predictably, I'm not. Let's be honest, Arsenal lost fair and square against a motivated side who had more productive possession, more clear cut chances and ultimately more hunger and desire to win the game. True, the match was much tighter than the previous Manchester United vs Arsenal encounters, but Robin van Persie's header was a clear example how an out-and-out, world class striker can make a difference between two quality sides. What's even more painful is that he could've been the one who might've made the difference for us, had he still been in Arsenal colours.

Olivier Giroud was one of our best players on a disappointing day, but it's obvious that he can't carry the striker burden alone. Don't get me wrong, Giroud is a really good striker with an increasingly colourful and likeable personality, but as demonstrated yesterday, he's clearly not world class. There is a good chance that he will be one day, but we can't afford to hang around and pin our hopes on him to prosper and reach his undoubted potential.

Robin van Persie announced his decision to leave Arsenal on around the 4th of July. Since then, we have had one whole year and 3 transfer windows, yet we have failed to replace him. It took 2 whole years to finally replace Fabregas with Mesut Ozil and a year to get Cazorla for Nasri. Patrick Vieira left in 2005, and it's simply shameful to see 8 whole years of no leadership, until finally Mathieu Flamini was got in (whose signing still seems like a stroke of luck to me). Even after having £80m in his pocket and Champions League in the bag, Wenger procrastinated till the final half hour of the transfer window to finally get in some genuine, proven, world class quality. Why?

There is something massively wrong in this club's transfer policy. I'd even go as far as to suggest that there is hardly anything right about it. We're short of two center backs and a world class striker in this team, and it's simply ridiculous that Wenger didn't realize that and not manage to bring anyone there. Giroud needs someone to support him or overtake him in the starting lineup, but there is a good chance that there will still be no replacement for Robin got in at January. Gazidis' statement on the fact that "we need a striker" (Oh, really?) might pile some pressure on Wenger like back in August and force him to spend, but unless there is pressure from the fans too, I don't think that there are going to be any arrivals in January. It is the bitter truth, but it's the truth all the same.

Which is why we have to hope that this current crop of players perform well throughout the season, and certainly better than yesterday. Flamini was rusty (which was understandable), Ozil was average and Santi and Ramsey were - no other word for it - dire. While everyone has been praising Aaron and Mesut for their performances this season, I have always had a few niggling worries on them, especially on Ramsey. Those worries will be exploding into separate blogs throughout the international break, because I feel they aren't to be shared right now.

As I said before, the loss doesn't affect us mathematically, because we're still pretty high up on the table. However, the psychological implications of this loss is massive. We just ended our famous and well publicized away record (not to mention another record of scoring in every Barclays Premier League) against a team that broke our 49 match unbeaten run. On the same ground. We also bottled the chance of having an astonishing 11 point gap against our once-again emerging bitter rivals, and all but invited them back to the title race. Things don't really look as blossom as they did two days ago, do they?

It's a bit strange that every time we win a match, I'm heaping praises on the team and sounding increasingly optimistic, but when every time we lose, I'm against the manager and averse to the team's chances of winning trophies this year. Maybe I'm just on the edge of the line on being a Wenger supporter and a Wenger hater, and every loss pushes me over the edge, while every win pulls me back up. All I know is that I'm firmly seeing the glass as half-empty rather than half-full at the moment.

There was still a silver lining that we could take from an otherwise jet-black cloud, though.  While the result was a sure sucker punch and a slap in the face, we could still salvage some admiration from an Arsenal side that showed pride and fearlessness while playing at Old Trafford, for the first time in almost 4 years. For the first time in a long time, Manchester United were actually considered as underdogs, and while you have to credit and respect them for notching a crucial 3 points, it was heartening to see this Arsenal side dominate the closing proceedings, knocking their socks off. While we did lose, we showed great determination and mental strength (heh) and gave United a run for their money, even after playing high intensity matches at the Emirates and the Westfalenstadion as early as last week.

However, that still doesn't cover the fact that this was a game we really should've won, but lost due to a certain underestimation of the opposition. The international break could not have come at a better time, because it provides a perfect opportunity to cool off, regroup and prepare for a vital December run in. With key players like Flamini, Ozil, Rosicky and Mertesacker (possibly Jack too) [UPDATE: Only Flamini is not going out of the mentioned players. This sucks.] not going to play international fixtures and Podolski and Walcott set to return after the break, we might have a much stronger side at the other end of the two week break.

Be back on Thursday with another post. Until then, keep the faith.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )

United vs Arsenal: Match Preview

Do not. Underestimate. Manchester United.

True, Alex Ferguson has left and put David Moyes, a mid table manager, in charge. True, Moyes has had a bit of a rocky start to his United career. And it's also true that they seem considerably weaker than last season. (the Premier League table does not lie!)

But it's also true that they are still Manchester United. This is a team that gave Real Madrid a real run for their money last year. This is a team that has stars like Rooney and van Persie to showcase in their lineup. And let's not forget, this is the same Manchester United that won the Premier League as early as last year. They might arguably be stronger than last season, due to the arrival of Fellaini and the brilliance of Adnan Januzaj. And for those who think that Januzaj got famous only because he scored two against a relegation threatened side, think again.

I'm not saying that we are destined to lose this match. We're actually the favourites to defeat United at Old Trafford for the first time since 2006, and end that dismal Old Trafford record. On current form, we certainly have the better players than Moyes' team. To add to that, there couldn't be a better time to play them, on the back of morale boosting victories against Liverpool and Dortmund, so confidence should be high to defeat a "weak" United team.

And that's my worry. Moyes' shaky start and Man Utd's current position in the league has led many to believe that United's class has considerably fallen and that they are just a mediocre team with a few starlets. Rumours of van Persie being unhappy at Manchester and Fellaini's horrible form simply adds to the burden on Moyes.

But they are still Manchester United. A club who are on an 8 match unbeaten run, a team that seem to be finding their feet and a team that can defeat us if we take this fixture lightly. I still believe that they are title contenders this season, and I am certain that they will attain a Champions League spot at the end of the season. 

The last time we won was in 2011. Guess who scored?

Which is why Arsenal can't afford to take Man Utd lightly. It's true that this is one of the best Arsenal sides that we have seen for almost half a decade, and it is also true that this is one of the worst United sides in recent history, but that doesn't mean that we should treat them like Crystal Palace or Sunderland. I can't shake off this sneaky suspicion that over-confidence and complacency will play a part in getting 3 points at Old Trafford.

When you look mathematically, a loss won't be the end of the world for Arsenal. We'll still be on the top of the table comfortably, and it will only be our second loss in the Premier League. However, a loss at OT will be a huge psychological letdown. To let the same team who destroyed our 49 match unbeaten run to destroy our fantastic away record might be a catalyst in a collapse we've seen far too often (although I think that's unlikely to happen to THIS Arsenal side). The gap narrowing to 2 points from 5 will undoubtedly bring nervousness and leave hardly any margin for error. Not to mention the glory hunters looking to "shut us up" will get a reason to cheer about.

Wenger highlights the fact that our defence, rather than our attack, needs to be focused. He says:

"Rooney and Van Persie are a very dangerous partnership because both can score, both are complete players and both can give assists. Certainly one of the keys for us on Sunday will be to keep this partnership quiet. First in stopping others feeding them but, as well, we will need our back five to be very efficient.”

We have a boost in team news, with Flamini certain to start and Wilshere and Walcott possibly providing options on the bench. I think that Wenger won't use Wilshere at all in this match, so that he doesn't play with England and thus gets a two week rest. I suspect we shall see a lineup of Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Rosicky and Giroud, with a powerful option like Ramsey (and maybe Theo) on the bench. It's a side that is definitely strong enough to win at OT (we need to, after Liverpool won) and keep out the likes of Rooney and van Persie.

It's surprising how little I have thought of van Persie this year. While many Gooners teased and jeered him for having a tough time at Manchester so far, I have been completely indifferent towards him so far. For me, this match carries much more significance than showing a traitor how wrong he was to turn his back on us. For me, this game is about avenging the humiliation our reserves suffered 2 years ago on this pitch. It's about turning the tables on Manchester United in less than a year and going 11 points above them. It's about making a statement to the whole of England that we are the team to beat this season.

Most of all, it's about showing the world in 90 minutes that the old Arsenal is back.

-Santi (Follow me on twitter: @ArsenalBlogz )