Cup Shock - Blackburn Have Shot!

Just when we thought it was safe again to go back to the north-west for a late kick-off up pop Blackburn to win over 180 minutes with just about their only shot on target!

Arsenal’s ‘week horribilis’ that started in Eindhoven, continued in Cardiff, and hopefully ended at Ewood Park, has resulted in three defeats in games we could, and should, have won.

The Gunners huffed and puffed at Blackburn, but ‘the Beast’, to whom the best chances appeared to fall, was not capable of blowing the house down. Julio Baptista is providing a real problem for Arsene Wenger, who has to decide at the end of the season if he will be signed permanently or returned to Madrid.

Many players take a year or so to settle in the Premiership, but will the Brazilian get the chance to prove he is one of those? He was originally sought to bolster the midfield but the emergence of Denilson and return of Diaby could persuade ‘Le Boss’ to send him packing.

To single out Baptista would be harsh though. Every Gooners favourite ‘three yellows and you're off’ referee turned down two solid penalty appeals, and showed the patience of a saint with Tugay, and possibly Dunn. I know it’s easy to have a pop at the referee but it was Graham Poll, so come on now, can you blame me?

In the end Phil Senderos was shunted out to replace the injured Eboue at right-back, and was left exposed for the wonderfully executed goal by Benni McCarthy. He deserved better after a solid display alongside William Gallas at the heart of the defence for over an hour.

So wherever the Cup Final is played in May we won’t be there. That is a disappointment, not a calamity. The season is far from over, with Champions League glory and qualification still up for grabs. There are plenty who would gladly exchange places with Arsenal at this precise moment in time.

Last Man Standing

The FA have acted and decreed, as we all expected, that Adebayor’s appeal would be rejected and he would face a further charge which will doubtless result in a six match absence. We can’t argue he reacted badly to his dismissal, but six games for mistaken identity. I have to accept Paul Merson’s assertion on Sky at the weekend that the appeals committee consists of a couple of ninety year olds with cataracts who see no wrongdoing by the officials.

Between suspensions and injuries it will be a case of whoever makes the bus to Blackburn will play in tonights FA Cup replay at Blackburn. I’ve just been listening to Mark Hughes passing comment about how Arsenal react to defeat. Pretty rich that, given his moaning last week about being the victim of time-wasting and negative tactics as Rovers crashed out of the UEFA Cup. How do you think you got the replay tonight pal?

Almunia should continue as ‘cup-tie keeper’ tonight, but the four ahead of him will be without the suspended Toure, and possibly Djourou and Clichy. That at least leaves Hoyte, Gallas, Senderos, and young Traore.

The midfield is definitely stripped of the injured Diaby and Rosicky, plus Fabregas who in the words of Wenger “will be rested as well”. Flamini and Walcott are also doubts, leaving a possible four of Hleb, Gilberto, Denilson, and Ljungberg.

Up front Henry and Van Persie are injured, and Adebayor suspended. That means another opportunity for Aliadiere and Baptista to reproduce the double-act that shattered Liverpool in the Carling Cup quarter-final. The Beast is in need of another big performance if he wants to avoid a return ticket to Madrid.

That would leave a ‘bench’ of mad Jens and, er, well, just mad Jens really. The crazy German could yet be key to our hopes of reaching the quarter-final!

It obviously won’t be quite that bad, but a week away from the massive Champions League clash with PSV there is a sense that Lady Luck is not bestowing her favours in equal measure.

If we can avoid further injuries and red cards I still fancy that side will be strong enough to get the result we all crave, but that could yet turn out to be a big ‘If’. Have a word with them Arsene!

The Waiting Game

The fall-out from the Carling brawl continues as the FA delay and procrastinate, so no surprise there then. I think we all know what we can expect. Adebayor lost all chance of justice with his reaction to his red card and will be caned for an official’s mistake.

We continue to wait for the most important news to emerge from the Highbury treatment room. Diaby, we know, is ‘gone in the fetlock’, but how badly? The guy’s quality shone through at the Reebok, and again on Sunday. We need him. Get well soon Abou.

Arsene is now rightly concerned about what sort of side to put out at Blackburn on Wednesday. With an important Premiership clash against Reading less than seventy hours later I think we can expect a ‘squad’ team.

"I cannot say now what team I will field at Blackburn," the Arsenal manager said. "I just wish we did not have to do it because it is certainly not a dream place for us to go.

"There is a danger when making changes, but I can say as well that I made eight or nine at Bolton in the last round and it worked. It's the mystery of management but I still don't know enough about it.

"You never can predict how human beings are and what kind of wave the team is on.

"Whatever happens I know we will adapt. We have the squad to cope with it, but you never know how human beings will react."

The problem facing Wenger is only too clear. His ‘squad’ players are those currently in the best form. Blackburn may just prove to be an easier task than the visit of the Royals.

Finally, a little information for Jose. When you have three Premiership titles and four FA Cups behind you, then you can start having a pop at your peers for winning nothing, you odious little creep. (And you will still be out of order!)

Sense Of Pride

Where to start. The mixture of emotions is still powerful this morning. Yesterday was a day that brought with it travel frustrations, new friends, pride at a fantastic performance by the 'Young Guns', and complete and utter disgust at the assistant referee. Finals should not be decided by incompetant officials.

Let's start with Great Western Trains. I don't know who runs the planning department, but common sense surely tells you that when two London clubs are playing in the Welsh capital you can make a great deal of money by laying on sufficient trains to carry your customers in some small degree of comfort.

Apparently I was extremely fortunate to make the first train out of the West Country, although we did take just under three hours to complete a one hour journey, and the first class passengers whose armrests we borrowed to sit on were remarkably calm under the circumstances.

Behind us others were far less fortunate. I heard from one fan who said the standing passengers were removed from the train at Bristol. As we were to discover later when we were queued outside Cardiff station for another two hours to get home a large number of fans didn't get there until half-time.

Fortunately we arrived in time to enjoy some hospitality courtesy of Arsenal and Carling, that excellent brewer, who had returned just under a thousand tickets to each club for the fans to enjoy the corporate hospitality for once. Arsenal Supporters Club branches worldwide were represented. A special 'hello' here to the guys from Dublin, Drogheda, Armagh, and Tipperary. I hope you made it home in one piece.

The game itself has been covered in depth elewhere. In short, we were outstanding for an hour or so. The younger players were definitely winning their individual battles, including Traore who was solid at left-back, and of course the remarkable pairing of Diaby and Denilson who ran the show in midfield. It was no surprise that Chelsea only really started to feature as an attacking force once Diaby had limped off.

How I would like to be magnanimous in defeat, and not throw brickbats at the officials, but the assistant referee who judged Drogba onside for Chelsea's equaliser, and managed to get Adebayor sent-off in what appeared to be a case of mistaken identity, should be bumped back down the ladder. Either the occasion was too big for him, or he was looking to get noticed in a bid to boost his career. Yes, you imbecile, you were noticed.

So Chelsea have come home with the trophy, but Arsenal have won all the friends, and recognition that this great young team is about to achieve some very special things. It was a proud day to be a Gooner.

I'm Losing My Train Of Thought

Just time for a very view brief rambled thoughts as I begin to worry more about our travel arrangements for Cardiff. I am starting to visualise a mad scramble for cars if First Great Western fail to honour the tickets they have sold us for tomorrow. We'll worry about that in the morning!

The news is dominated this afternoon by John Terry's miraculous recovery. I'm not unduly concerned by that, although it will unquestionably strengthen Chelsea's back four. It will release Essien for midfield selection and that could well make Chelsea a little narrow in that key area.

The other big story for us this morning is William Gallas apparently pleading for a starting berth although he has not featured in the competition thus far. If Hoyte and Clichy fail fitness tests I rather expect he will be in the squad. Arsene Wenger has always maintained he would bring players in if injuries dictated.

Mrs Holic will hope to take my mind off the big day by booking us up for a dinner out tonight. She is fighting a losing battle. I need to be at Cardiff for lunchtime as I have been fortunate enough to get an invite to a hospitality bash, and I will be on edge now until I am on the train.

We appear to have gone full circle. If you are going tomorrow make sure you give those kids terrific backing, win or lose. Whatever happens tomorrow they have given everything to get to this stage. I have a sneaky feeling they could just finish the job against all the odds.

Arsene Knows - Something

So it’s the last trip we’ll be making to Cardiff for a Cup Final (because Wembley will be open for business in May, right?) We are putting a relatively inexperienced team up against the reigning champions, so Arsene Wenger must be edgy and nervous, must he not?

Well, judging by yesterday’s press conference, no he isn’t. The creator of all things bright and beautiful in English football smiled and charmed his way through the session. By the end of it I was assured that he would ‘pick a team to win’ and that the players who had not featured in the earlier rounds would not compete.

There was enough of a glint in his eye to suggest he has genuine belief in his team’s ability to lift the trophy. The only cloud on the horizon being the injury scares involving full-backs Justin Hoyte and Gael Clichy. If fit, Hoyte would certainly claim a starting berth. Clichy could well understudy seventeen year old Armand Traore from on the bench.

Toure and Djourou are the likeliest central defensive partnership, unless Hoyte fails to make it, in which case I would not be surprised to see Wenger slightly contradict himself, and give William Gallas his first Carling Cup appearance in an Arsenal shirt.

Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby and Denilson could all start as junior partners in midfield, chaperoned possibly by Rosicky. You can be sure that Wenger will have a couple of experienced heads on the bench, just in case. Gilberto and Hleb may be summoned if required.

The front two probably picks itself. Aliadiere and Baptista were devastating in the quarter-final triumph at Anfield and deserve the opportunity to embarrass a Chelsea defence deprived of its talisman, John Terry. Expect Adebayor to feature as a substitute at some stage.

As for Chelsea, we are assured that the thoroughly unpleasant Mourinho will send Essien back to partner Carvalho. I fear that may help them as they will be forced to select a genuine wide midfielder, perhaps Robben. The diving Dutchman would give Traore a stern test.

Even worse news is that Shevchenko appears to be shaking off his early season lethargy and is getting back to somewhere near his best. The potential of his partnership with Drogba, however short-term it may be, is frightening.

So there you have it. Chelsea will start as favourites as far as the bookmakers are concerned, but I really cannot see them keeping a clean sheet if the Diaby/Denilson axis is as impressive as it was little more than a week ago in Bolton. We will need whatever back four we can muster to shine, and perhaps enjoy a little good fortune along the way.

I don’t want to tempt fate here but I hope we have been practising penalties in training!

Cheers!

The last two matches haven’t happened. We are now fully focused on the Carling Cup Final this Sunday, which incidentally is sponsored by that damned fine brewer, Carling. (Ok, I’m not a lager drinker, but their act of returning their tickets to the competing clubs means that Arsenal’s allocation has stretched to us mere mortal silver members!)

Of course it’s not our first meeting with Chelsea in Cardiff. I couldn’t resist the gratuitous inclusion of a picture of Freddie and Thierry celebrating after the Swede had added to Ray Parlour’s strike in our comfortable 2-0 FA Cup triumph of 2002.

That nasty little Portuguese chap has already started the mind games, once again boasting of his European Cup. I have a feeling this could be his last chance to win old big ears with his current employer!

I have to confess to a little smirk when the news broke last night of John Terry’s injury. There is no doubt that will give our boys a bit of a lift in the build-up to the big game.

Hopefully we will have a little more in the way of accurate team information tomorrow, so today it is time for the Holic to tackle his second favourite passion, namely beer!

It would appear that a number of Cardiff ‘first-timers’ will have tickets this weekend so where should you be heading when you hit town. Those of you travelling by train should be aware you will be positively discouraged from going in the first pubs you will see. These will be for our friends from the western suburbs of London.

The closest pubs to the far end of the stadium are bounded by Westgate Street, Quay Street, High Street, and Castle Street. There are five taverns in this small area that are a five minutes (or less) walk from the ground.

Most popular of these if you are looking for a bit of a sing-song will be the Gatekeeper, a large Weatherspoons just north of our entrance to the stadium. Moving clockwise from there you will find Dempseys in Castle Street, then the charmingly named Goat Major in the High Street.

On Quay Street you will find the City Arms, and the Model Inn. These are usually venues where you can hear the conversation, though you will understand there can be no guarantees of this on Cup Final day!

Those who have been before will be able to confirm to you that the tortuous journey to the Welsh capital is made bearable by the variety and sheer number of pubs in the city centre, so if you get there early just get your bearings and explore.

I’m indebted to Arseblogger for letting me crack on with this piece after it appears we had similar ideas. If you haven’t heard his Arsecast before then get yourself over there today. The link is in the GoonerhoLinks on the right. You won’t be disappointed.

I’ll be looking at the game in more detail tomorrow. Expect some disparaging remarks about Mourinho, Lampard, Drogba et al. It’s only right and proper.

Thinking The Unthinkable

A second consecutive poor performance has brought the nay-sayers out in depth again. Frustrating as it is to read much of the negative attitudes on the various forums one has to consider that some of the points being raised may be worth further consideration.

I have no time for those who just keep on saying player x is rubbish, but there is now a growing acceptance that some key players are not in a rich vein of form. Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas have temporarily fallen from the high standards we have come to expect of them.

Let’s get one thing straight. We pretty much controlled the game in Eindhoven, but came unstuck to a wonderful strike, and showed little of the guile and creativity that swept Bolton aside just a week ago. Yes, that’s right, it was only a week ago that those who were so critical last night were eulogising about the performance at the Reebok.

The beauty of playing Chelsea at Cardiff next is that the young players who stood out at Bolton will return to the side. Most notable of these is the Brazilian midfielder Denilson who has impressed massively in his first few appearances.

There are all sorts of reasons for wanting the fringe players to triumph on Sunday, not least of which is the fact that it will confirm to Wenger that some of his squad players may just be in better form than their senior colleagues.

It may also persuade him to do the unthinkable, and drop a couple of the misfiring Gunners for the big games to come, starting with PSV at home which has now become the biggest game of the season thus far. (Note to self, check knees for a jerking reaction!)

Wenger And Koeman Play The Numbers Game

It is Carnival time in Eindhoven on Tuesday but the party atmosphere that will hopefully sweep over the rival fans at the Philips Stadium will not extend to rival coaches Arsene Wenger and Ronald Koeman.

They are currently pre-occupied with the question of what formation to use in order to secure an advantage in their Champions League encounter. Both men have utilised a pair of options during the current campaign.

Arsenal have recently returned to a 4-4-2 set-up and are unbeaten in 2007, but the Gunners have lined up in a 4-5-1 variation in most of their Champions League contests following the success of that formation in last seasons competition.

Wenger has confirmed that he will rotate his squad again following the goalless draw with Blackburn on Saturday. ‘I rotated the team for the Cup tie and I will continue that policy for the Champions League game at PSV Eindhoven. Hopefully a few players will be back on Tuesday, for example Alexander Hleb and Johan Djourou.’

The resting of Togo’s Emmanuel Adebayor on Saturday suggests that he will partner Henry in a 4-4-2. The lack of a recognised right-back in the travelling squad would hint at a starting berth for both Djourou, and William Gallas who was given an hour to prove his fitness at the weekend.

Koeman faces even bigger headaches ahead of the match with Ibrahim Afellay, Patrick Kluivert and Michael Reiziger having already been ruled out with injuries, while Alcides is not eligible to play.

Koeman has alternated between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 this season. His choice this time round may depend on the fitness of Diego Tardelli. The on-loan Brazilian made his first appearance after a lengthy lay-off in the weekend victory over Heracles Almelo and could complete a front three with Arouna Kone and Jefferson Farfan.

The PSV coach has his midfield options limited by the absence of the attack-minded Afellay, and may call up John de Jong to increase his options.

The sides have met twice in recent Champions League history, with Arsenal winning twice and the other two match-ups ending all square. With a quarter-final place at stake never has the numbers game been so important for the highly-rated coaches.

Much Ado About Nothing-Nothing

Just time tonight for a few brief words about the non-event that was the goal-less clash with Blackburn yesterday.

If you are looking for positives then clearly the depth of the squad is now being demonstrated fully. Nine changes were made from the triumph at Bolton, and by and large the 'fringe players' are proving their value.

What is of more concern is that Henry and Fabregas, the most valuable jewels in our expanding collection of gems, have been lacking in lustre for a while now, and yesterday was no exception. Let's hope it is just that they are feeling the effects of a post-World Cup season and with careful handling will return to their best as we get to the 'pointed end' of the season.

The trip to Eindhoven on Tuesday will be uppermost in Wenger's mind now. Not only will he be agonising over who to pick, but also what formation to use. That's a subject I'll return to on Tuesday. Just to get you thinking about it now though, would you consider reverting to a 4-5-1 with Henry as the lone frontrunner on current form?

It's also just a week to go until the young Gunners get their chance to humble Chelsea down in Cardiff. (Did I mention before that Carling are the sponsors of this fine competition?) The second half of this week will therefore be devoted to that particular contest, and the possibility of 'Le Boss' adding the Cup sponsored by that wonderful Lager brewer to his cv.

Here's hoping it's a good week to be a Gooner.

Arsenal v Blackburn Preview

Little more than sixty hours after both sides have faced stiff tests away from home Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers lock horns in the televised FA Cup fifth round tie at Ashburton Grove tomorrow.

Blackburn will be buoyed by the two away goals they grabbed in a narrow UEFA Cup defeat in Leverkusen, whilst the Gunners will be on a high having overcome bogey side Bolton at the Reebok.

Arsenal face a Champions League test in Eindhoven next Tuesday so Arsene Wenger will once again shuffle his increasingly youthful pack. It would be a surprise if the likes of Henry, Fabregas, and Hleb were to be in the starting line-up.

Long-term casualties Gallas and Van Persie will also be absent, but the form shown by the ‘squad players’ in recent weeks mean that Gooners will still be anticipating a positive outcome to the contest.

Blackburn will arrive in North London without Pedersen, Savage, Ooijer, Reid and Derbyshire and their squad depth will be severely tested. They do however boast in-form Benni McCarthy up front and a former Gunner, David Bentley, who will be keen to embarrass his former employers.

The sides have met twice in recent months and Arsenal grabbed all six Premiership points, winning 6-2 at the Grove in December, before producing a 2-0 raid on Ewood Park last month. The last FA Cup meeting of the pair resulted in a 3-0 semi-final victory for the Gunners just two years ago.

It’s tough to make a compelling case for anything other than a home win. The wily and experienced midfield pairing of Dunn and Tugay will need to roll back the years to nullify the probing of the Arsenal creators. Bentley and Emerton will have to put in a double shift on the flanks to support McCarthy and Nonda whilst denying the hosts space to attack the full-backs.

Yet Arsenal have been far from convincing in a number of home games this season. Eleven times they have had to come back from conceding the first goal in their impressive new abode, and Blackburn will be looking to quieten the crowd in the early stages.

All in all the armchair audience can rightly expect an intriguing encounter.

The Romance Of The Cup

It's impossible not to rave about the midfield quartet that started for Arsenal at the Reebok on Valentines night. I suspect most have now ceased to be surprised by the quality that Hleb and Rosicky bring to the side, but Diaby and Denilson, with barely thirty-nine years between them, were simply awesome.

It took just thirteen minutes for a breathtaking move, featuring two moments of control from Hleb and Denilson that should be made a part of every football education video, to result in the opening goal. Adebayor will righly claim the finish which deflected in off the hapless Stelios.

The only surprise of the first half was that the lead was not greater, so complete was the visitors control of the contest, yet in the end Almunia was grateful to see the Trotters first worthwhile effort, from Stelios, come out off the post just before the whistle.

The second half should have seen the tie well and truly wrapped up. Baptista, strangely lacklustre, was upended on a run into the box, but Gilberto sent the penalty high into the visiting supporters. Five minutes remained when Adebayor got the better of Campo, rounded Jaaskelainen, and managed to strike his effort against the upright with an open goal yawning before him.

There was an inevitability that Bolton would score, and in injury time they did just that. Meite was left unmarked in the centre of the area and added the finishing touch to a Campo header. Having been so outclassed for ninety-two minutes, surely they would not win this time?

After a goal-less first-half the second period of extra-time brought a reminder of days gone by as Freddie Ljungberg finished magnificently following some superb approach play by Aliadiere, and as a visibly tiring home team pushed desperately forward in search of a second unlikely equaliser, Arsenal twice sprung out on the break to telling effect.

The first resulted in a penalty when Anelka felled Adebayor. For the second time the spot-kick flew into the travelling Gooners, Baptista the culprit this time. The final break was altogether more decisive as Baptista set up a simple finish for Adebayor and the young Gunners could celebrate a 3-1 triumph where so often the side has come unstuck.

I'll resist the urge to offer an opinion on the Bolton manager, and his tactics. I will say we have some lads who will make us an outstanding side in the next year or so, and the only way they know of wasting time is to keep the ball moving and not let the opposition have a kick!

The second course of my Valentine treat is also a portion of humble pie. I'm not sure if it was here or elsewhere, but I had suggested that there would be no likelihood of Aliadiere remaining a Gunner next season. I hope I'm wrong.

Bring on Blackburn!

The Kids To Do It Again?

It’s FA Cup time, so we must be playing Bolton again. Predictably Sam Allardyce is trying to raise the temperature ahead of the contest, picking up on the theme of the moment and accusing Arsenal of time-wasting.

While we as supporters can enjoy and react to the mind games that are a feature of the contest, I cannot help but think that the Bolton boss is not holding a full hand. Kevin Davies, his long-ball outlet and battering ram is missing, as is Abdoulaye Faye, one of the Trotters prominent ‘enforcers’.

In fairness to Bolton, there were times in the first tie when they did get the ball down and play a bit. The catalyst for that, Gary Speed, is also doubtful.

Arsenal have travelled north without Jens Lehmann and Thierry Henry. Gallas, Eboue, Flamini, and Senderos are also excluded, but Freddie Ljungberg and Alexander Hleb return to the squad after injury.

Arsene Wenger will have one eye on next weeks Champions League clash with PSV, and a potential home tie with Blackburn on Saturday lunchtime. There could be a distinct ‘Carling’ flavour to the starting eleven. (If I keep advertising Carling I wonder if they will be good enough to provide me with a complimentary ticket for Cardiff?)

Holic’s pound will be going on an Arsenal triumph. The time has come to put the Reebok hoodoo to bed. I quite fancy a few pence on Manuel Almunia picking up a booking for being the first goalkeeper in history to take forty-five minutes to take a goal-kick when we are a goal up at the start of the second-half! Have that Sam!

If Carling Did Spam....

Forgive me for contacting you via this medium, but it would appear your spam filter is preventing our direct negotiation. My name is Charles Holic, my mother died when I was a baby, and since then my father was poisoned to death on October 2006, by his business associates in one of their outings on a business trip. My father was a very wealth Cocoa merchant business man and before he passed on he secretly confided in me on his bedside, that he has the sum of US $10,000,000 left in a fixed / suspense account in one of the prime banks and used my name as his only son for the next of kin in depositing the fund. He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned. This wealth can be yours in exchange for one piece of paper.

By strange coincidence I have also of late been employed by Microhard to run their International Lottery Fund. We are happy to announce to you the draw (1032) of the online Sweepstakes International program held on Saturday 21st Jan, 2007. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475612545 187, Serial Number: 5368/03 drew the lucky numbers: 21, 32, 41, 42, 43, 46 [Bonus #17],which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 6 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £691,252 in cash credited to fileKTU/9023118308/07. One piece of paper will be sufficient to confirm this prize.

As if that is not enough I am glad to offer you a job position in my associated company, Holic Integral Maintenance. We are into integral maintenance. We produce and distribute clothing materials, assorted fabrics and traditional costume worldwide. We have reached big sales volume of textile materials in Asia and now are trying to penetrate the UK market. Quite soon we shall require a highly paid agent and that is where you come in.

I know what you are thinking. Here comes the request for my bank details, but you couldn’t be more wrong. All of these rewards are yours in exchange for just one piece of paper.

You do have a spare Carling Cup Final ticket, don’t you?

Tommy Rocks Wigan

I'm not sure if passing my ticket up to enable someone else to experience the Grove on matchday was my best decision of the weekend. I was fortunate enough to meet yet another Gooner in the local as I took up my position in front of the big screen, and less than two hours later I was thinking I had missed something quite astonishing.

From my viewpoint I have to accept that Wigan came to play in a way that others have certainly not. I both winced and grinned (I know, but trust me!) when Landzaat produced a fabulous finish to put the Gunners on the back foot. Henry wasted two golden oportunities to give Arsenal a half-time advantage, but you could not help but feel that Wigan had earned their moment in the sunshine. Surely the hosts would brush them aside in the second half?

Impressed as I was in the opening forty-five minutes with both sides, Phil Dowd was driving me (and thousands of others!) nuts with his refereeing. Kolo Toure found himself in the book for his only foul of the contest, and from the moment Wigan scored the only criticism you could level at them was their blatant time-wasting, led by keeper Kirkland. Let's get one thing straight, you cannot blame them for their professional approach, it's down to the official to put a stop to it and he didn't. It would come back to bite him on the backside!

The turning point came, after yet more blatant time-wasting, principally from the aforementioned Kirkland, when Heskey made rather too much of a Flamini challenge towards the end and in so doing denied his team the chance of a clinching penalty. What followed was pure theatre.

Ten minutes from the end Flamini avoided an offside flag and his fierce cross found its way into the net via Wigan's Fitz Hall. Grace was cast to one side as Henry offered Kirkland the ball to hold on to, along with a few words which were clearly not offered in a conciliatory tone.

Minutes later Adebayor and Baptista linked up to provide Rosicky a rare header for his first Premiership goal. This was fabulous football to snatch a late victory against a surprisingly dogged opponent. Cue more hilarious time-wasting from Lehmann, and a yellow card from the hapless official who had condoned such behaviour for an hour or so.

Let's get this right, Lehmann deserved his punishment, and he will not be afforded the opportunity to take part in the Carling Cup Final as a result. Just as well he wouldn't have played anyway! How on earth did he get treated so after Wigan had, understandably, made an art of the using up of minutes in the preceeding hour?

I have to confess that, although the right side won, we did for once enjoy a degree of fortune that is not normally afforded to us. Wigan showed enough to suggest that if there is an almighty then neither West Ham nor Charlton will be able to catch them before the season's end (sorry Watford, you are already what is technically referred to as buggered!).

Also a huge vote of thanks to Jens, who certainly saved the day when touching Heskey's first-half sidefoot on to the post when disaster loomed large. That was a wonderful moment in a surprisingly absorbing contest.

So Arsenal are now a mere point behind this weekends 'bargain sale' purchase, Liverpool, with a game in hand, and a superior goal difference. Attention now turns to the cup competitions, and our old mates at Bolton. Fingers crossed, fellow 'holics.

Wigan Up Next

One wonders what the Wigan fans will make of their surroundings on Sunday. The Latics last visit to N5 was of course on the historic occasion of Highbury’s final hurrah just last May, and most of the visitors stayed behind that day to share in our celebrations.

They will, like the rest of us, be in awe of the comfortable big seats and excellent sight-lines at the Grove, but the pie gourmets may be a little taken aback by the cost of their refreshments!

Arsenal have an excellent record against Wigan, having won four of the five meetings between the two sides including of course that dramatic 4-2 triumph on the final day of last season which clinched Champions League football for the eighth consecutive season.

Speculating on the Gunners line-up is a bit of a pointless exercise at this stage as a number of players face fitness tests on Saturday. I wish no disrespect to the visitors when I say whatever eleven are put out should secure the points at the weekend and maintain the unbeaten-in-2007 statistic.

Wigan have concerns of their own with key players Kirkland, Baines, Heskey, and Camara struggling for full fitness. Sadly they have failed to repeat their exploits of last season and are looking anxiously over their shoulders, praying that the likes of West Ham and Charlton will not start securing valuable points.

The other significant thing I have learned today (thank you Arsenal.com) is that Thierry Henry now shares his goal celebrations solely with Emmanuel Adebayor because the big Togolese is the only other player in the squad who can do the hip-wriggle and steps at the same time. Come back Cygan, all is forgiven!

That’s basically my lot for today. I’m going to listen to Arsecast now, and hope that Wenger’s latest interview is on ATVO by the time that’s finished. Then it will be time to phone the Chinese restaurant for a home delivery, and crack open a vat of something red and glugable!

Have a good weekend ‘holics.

Reading Between The Lines

Hello ‘holics. At last the international week is coming to a close, which will be a delight to bloggers and club managers alike. Today is the big day for bosses as they assess the damage done to their expensive charges in meaningless friendlies. Let’s hope we are luckier than most.

For those of you in the UK make the most of the snow that has turned up overnight. The weather forecast suggests a partial thaw later on and then plummeting temperatures. That will mean extremely dangerous road conditions tonight and tomorrow morning so please take care. I haven’t got that many regulars that I can afford to lose one of you, even temporarily!

I’m indebted to the Independent for an interview with Freddie Ljungberg this morning. The Swede is rubbishing suggestions that he is going to be leaving anytime soon.
"I live to win things and we are doing that at Arsenal so I see no point in me leaving. There is a special bond at Arsenal. I just love the way it is and that's why I have stayed so long."

I hope for his sake that Arsene is thinking along similar lines! Talking of monsieur Wenger there are widely varying interpretations on his comments in this mornings edition of The Sun.

"I need to accept that in 10 years I'll be 67 and in this job you need a certain amount of instinctive physical power and an animal instinct for winning.
"It is something which must come naturally to you but you can lose it when your testosterone levels drop or when arthritis hits you or you just go through the process of becoming old.
"The fact is that you can lose it when you are 45 and I know - I've seen guys who got fed up of coaching in their 40s.

I’m looking at those words and trying to find where he says he will be leaving in five or ten years, or indeed tomorrow! He’s given a logical response to what I’m guessing was a leading question. He doesn’t rule out stopping on longer than Bobby Robson, he’s just pointing out it’s unlikely.

Time to research our next opponents, Wigan. It seems a lot longer ago than Saturday that we last played. Until tomorrow ‘holics, take care.

Board Games

The takeover of Liverpool leaves Arsenal as the only one of the ‘big four’ without a significant backer. I’ve seen the current influx of investment described as ‘Premiership monopoly’, an interesting analogy.

The difference between the board game and the current high stakes contest is that success is not guaranteed by who has the most houses and hotels. The key assets are the sixteen players that are put on the park every week.

With that in mind you cannot attach too much importance to the position of Arsene Wenger. ‘Le Boss’ has kept Arsenal in the top echelon by scouring the world for the best young talent, and the fruit of that policy is currently in the process of ripening.

Wenger is currently engrossed in the chase for four competitions, which will probably delay talks on extending his existing contract until the summer. I’m told he has no intention of leaving at the end of next season, but will play hardball over the terms for his continuing services.

Peter Hill-Wood’s assertion that he sees no problems with the renewal is an indication that the board will do whatever it takes to secure the professor for another term. Nonetheless, I will only breathe a sigh of relief when the ink is dry on the contract.

The last time I saw the split of the club’s shareholding, Danny Fiszman had 25%, Lady Bracewell-Smith 16%, David Dein 15%, and ITV 10%. The relationship between Fiszman and Dein is pivotal, and any indication that Wenger would not be around in the longer term might well have them considering their options.

Gooners everywhere should think long and hard about taking the moral high ground in any debate. Liverpool fans, having been among the most vociferous critics of what has happened at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, are now taking spoonfuls of humble pie.

Arsenal are perfectly positioned to withstand any interest IF THAT IS WHAT THE MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS WISH TO DO. The potential profits from the Highbury development and increased attendances must be a powerful incentive to stay and complete the magnificent project they have undertaken.

That will however require Wenger to continue his remarkable work and keep the club competitive on the pitch without the readies available to his main competitors. When he eventually leaves, we may be praying for that significant investor to come along. Let’s hope the last dice hasn’t been thrown by the time that day arrives.

Bon Chance Matty

How I would love to have been a fly on the wall when Raymond Domenech phoned the Training Centre yesterday.

‘Good Morning,Arsenal Football Club’

‘Bonjour, this is Raymond Domenech. Could I speak to Matthieu Flamini please?’

‘One moment sir’…………’Call for Matthieu Flamini on line one’…..

‘Ello’

‘Bonjour Matty, ici Raymond’

‘Ah oui!’

‘I need you to get out here for the friendly with Argentina’

‘Piss off Gael, I’ve told you before about winding me up about not getting a full cap’

‘Non, Matty, non, it’s really Raymond. I really need you to come out here on the next plane. I’ve lost Mexes’

‘Is that you Armand?’

‘Matty, for the love of God it’s me, Domenech. Get your arse out here NOW!’

‘Ok boss, if you are who you say you are, Mexes is a defender. Why would you want the finest utility midfielder in all of France to replace a defender?’

‘Don’t you start Flamini. This is a golden opportunity for you. I have no time to mess about. The flight tickets are waiting for you at the Air France desk.’

(Flamini checks through the lounge door, and notices neither Clichy nor Traore have their mobile phones to their ear.)

‘Chef, I am sorry, I’m on my way, merci very, very, beaucoup’

‘And Matty’

‘Yes chef’

‘Bring some tea towels, you may need to wash up once you’ve finished making the coffee.’

The Advertisers Dream

The news that Thierry Henry has entered into a mega-bucks sponsorship deal with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer for Gilette has given me yet another headache at the shops.

I am one of those for whom market forces cease to apply when companies are pouring pound notes into the coffers of my club and favourite players.

Since the days when JVC proved to be a loyal and generous sponsor of an inconsistent Arsenal I have resolved to reward those who attach their brand to the club. The beauty of the Gunners first deal was that JVC did produce good quality products.

The only exception to my self-imposed rule was the Sega deal, but if I had been of a mind to buy a games console at the time the Dreamcast would have been forced upon me.

When O2 came along I had to offload the T-Mobile pay as you go brick, in favour of a contract to prove my commitment to our new partners. In fairness to them, my annual renewal has always led to a cheaper deal and a new phone, whether I needed one or not. These days the first number in my address book is the one you text to get a free pint from the mobile phone company at every home game. Well played O2.

Of course my wardrobe is bursting at the seams with Nike gear. If you see a grey-haired old boy on your travels in a bright red hoodie with a luminous 'swoosh', stop me and say hello!

In the event that I need to fly off to foreign climes my first point of call now will have to be Emirates, and thankfully they bombard my e-mail account with messages advising me of their best deals. Bless ‘em.

Now comes the latest restriction to me being able to seek out the best deal. Just a fortnight ago I invested in a new tin of shaving foam. Specially blended for ‘sensitive skin’ this can should have lasted me months. Now it has to go in the bin when I seek out the Gilette equivalent, which doubtless will be twice the price. Thank goodness I already have a (twelve year old!) Gilette razor.

Mind of my own? You’re ‘aving a laugh!

Just One Of Those Days

It's one of those mornings where we are trying to convince ourselves that all is well. The unbeaten run now extends to nine as a result of coming from behind at a tricky venue with only ten men. Yet somehow it all feels a little bit flat, doesn't it.

The less said about the match, the better. I could be a little churlish and question Mike Riley's classification of what does and doesn't constitute a red card offence. That would only be deflecting from a below-par performance where Thierry once again salvaged a point with a very well taken goal, after Yakubu had put the hosts ahead from the spot.

I'll have to single out one player for some rare praise, however. Justin Hoyte was left exposed by the selection of the out-of-sorts Flamini ahead of him, and sometimes by a lack of covering from his defensive colleagues. He lost out in a couple of early skirmishes with Downing, but stuck to his task admirably and generally put a lid on one of Boro's most dangerous outlets. He may not be as dangerous as Eboue in the forward areas, but he is starting to achieve a standard many thought was beyond him. Well played Justin.

I was hoping the newspapers would give me a lift this morning. Sadly I was wrong. The Express Group have unearthed the impending release of Thierry Henry at the season's end for twenty-five million. I wouldn't be surprised if the true source of this tale is a Tottenham supporting London cabbie. 'Here guv, guess who I had in 'ere the other day!' Pure nonsense.

Slightly more carefully constructed is the People's fable of Sheikh Mohammed making a £450m takeover move for Arsenal after his Dubai International Capital group pulled out of negotiations for Liverpool this week. You can follow the line of logic here, club now heavily sponsored by Emirates, Liverpool foul up negotiations, Emirates money to settle Arsenal debts in one fell swoop.

There's only a couple of things that I can see wrong with that. It's highly unlikely that they would be able to take full control of Arsenal given the distribution of the shareholding at present. They also made it abundantly clear they were moving for Liverpool as the main players in the negotiations were Liverpool season-ticket holders, who I am given to understand have ruled out any move for another club in the forseeable future.

You pays your money and you makes your choice. I think it's complete and utter nonsense. It hasn't improved my demeanour though. Until tomorrow fellow 'Holics.

Next Up, Middlesbrough

The hangover from Wednesday is now, thankfully, firmly in the past. Time to turn our attention to Middlesbrough in the Premiership Plus encounter on Saturday.

Hopefully the ‘it’s 5.15 in the north on Saturday so Arsenal will lose’ jinx is a thing of the past following the magnificent cup triumph at Anfield.

That said, there is a touch of the ‘Boltons’ about Boro at the moment. Unbeaten in seven starts, Gareth Southgate’s boys got a one-one draw at the Emirates earlier in the season, and our last trip to the Riverside ended in a two-one reverse. That was though a rare defeat in this fixture for the Gunners who have won on six of their last eight visits.

Arsenal have few selection problems, as basically the only eleven who are fit will play! From a position a couple of weeks ago when we thought everybody was coming back from the treatment table the list now makes painful reading again.

Ljungberg, Gallas, Van Persie, Hleb, Diaby and Baptista are all definitely out, Eboue and Adebayor apparently have to undergo late fitness tests, which suggests they are doubtful. That means the only poser for Wenger could be a 4-5-1 with Denilson starting after playing a full two hours against Tottenham, or a 4-4-2 with Aliadiere partnering Captain Henry in the front line.

We will all be sorry to see the back of January which brought us six wins and two draws from eight fixtures in three competitions. February is a strange month and Boro is the first of only two Premiership fixtures scheduled, yet another unbeaten month could see us lift the Carling Cup, added to progress in the Champions League and FA Cups.

The mouthwatering, if unlikely, prospect of an undefeated second half of the season is one reason for my confident prediction that we will emerge from tomorrow with all three points. However, only a couple of pennies will be ventured on a 2-0 away win.

Experience tells me half of you will not be logging back in until Monday, so whatever you have planned, I wish you a happy weekend, fellow ‘holics. Up the Gunners!

The Boys Done Good!

Through bleary eyes it is a pleasure to reflect on Arsenal’s march to the Carling Cup Final. On Tuesday I wrote of great expectations and the Gunners gave a dickens of a good performance to leave the next door neighbours in a bleak house.

The atmosphere at the Grove was electric, with most of the crowd on their feet all night, and the tension was also evident on the pitch as Senderos suffered a nasty looking head cut from the elbow of the combative Ghaly.

The first real opportunity fell to Toure after Robinson failed to hold a fierce drive from Denilson, but the Ivorian snatched at the chance and it was gone. Arsenal dominated the exchanges pretty much throughout with Denilson a sensation in midfield.

The biggest surprise was that it took the home side seventy-seven minutes to take the lead through Adebayor’s clinical finish to a Rosicky pass. The second biggest surprise came when Mido grabbed an equaliser with Spurs only on-target effort all night.

Cue consternation as those of us with last trains to catch did the mental calculations. Just how much is a taxi to the west country? Leaving was not an option. Still we stood and sung, and got our reward at the end of the first extra period. Rocha made a hash of a clearance and teed up the hard-working Aliadiere for a deserved goal.

Midway through the second period Rosicky crowned a superb cameo appearance with a shot against the post that went in off Chimbonda. Cue pandemonium as the Emirates exploded into joyous celebration.

So for the likes of Hoyte, Traore, Denilson, Diaby, and Aliadiere there is now a nervous wait to see what form their participation in the Final against Chelsea will take. It looks a distinct possibility that Ashley Cole will miss that contest. Shame!

For Holic there is now the serious business of sobering up, and thanks for your concern. Somehow we did make that last train. Tottenham must now look for another mode of transport into Europe next season. Their best chance has apparently gone.