Written by Mean Lean on Saturday, 04 December 2010 08:03

As the Arsenal squad jump off the Carling Cup train, along comes the Premier League train, pulling into the platform at high speed. Next stop Fulham at the Emirates. Our last defeat at Braga is starting to fade into the distance after back to back victories against Aston Villa and Wigan in the Carling Cup. However there is still an underlying concern regarding our inconsistent home form this season. In fact you have to go as far back as September 11th to see a home victory with more than a goal margin and that was a 4-1 victory against Bolton.

The squad seem to be coming along together after a more than wobbly patch. Without wanting to jinx anything, we are currently maintaining a 'normal' injury list in the beginning of December, only Cesc Fabregas, Thomas Vermaelen and Abou Diaby would be pushing for a first team place right now. Although they are big players, we are still probably in our best shape for many seasons given the strength of squad that has been developed over the years.

Robin Van Persie who was not involved at Aston Villa could well start the game after looking impressive against Wigan in midweek. Robin played a little within himself yet produced a few moments of brilliance, the type of quality that we could have done with in some of our home games where we failed to produce victory.

There is no point in looking back at this stage, we are sitting two points away from the top of the table, victory gives us a chance to go top of the table, if Chelsea do not beat a struggling Everton team at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United's trip to Blackpool has been postponed due to the snowy weather, so it gives us a good chance to leap above them regardless of what happens in West London.

I am hoping that we get the chance to see Robin van Persie and Marouane Chamakh in the same starting line up this afternoon. I am confident that we will see the two together. Chamakh should replace Bendtner from midweek and Van Persie can continue to float behind the front man. If Nasri can continue his form of recent weeks and Arshavin can follow on from his wonderful showing at Villa Park then we could be in for an attacking treat.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

One to watch: Andrey Arshavin

I have probably been harder on Arshavin than any other of our players so far this season, his statistics have been impressive but I have often had the feeling that he could have done much more. I was absolutely delighted after his performance last weekend, we saw the Arshavin that we had all expected and hoped for and now I cross my fingers that it is now the beginning of a long run of inspired displays from our Russian match winner.

Having Van Persie back in the set up will help Arshavin, his off the ball runs can be spotted by Van Persie and I can envisage those two linking up to create at least one goal by 4.45pm this afternoon.

Mean Lean's Match Prediction

Arsenal 3 (Arshavin [2], Chamakh) Fulham 0

Perhaps it is the optimist in me but I feel like this team are about to kick into gear. A good home win is important for the team and with Fulham's pretty poor away record this season, we would be very disappointed not to come away without all three points. This should not mean that the team can turn up on the day and float through the 90 minutes without fighting for the victory.

I hope for a high tempo, quick passing game whilst being defensively strong at the back. If we can combine the two then we should claim the three points.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS.

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Comments (9)

• 04-Dec-2010 10:57 | | steve wilson  - todays game
  

  i rather suspect that we will play better at home than we have recently but will still manage to score, so i'd settle for a good old 1 nil to the arsenal!!!

• 04-Dec-2010 11:34 | | matlee
  

  the way Arshavin burst onto the scene with 4 goals against Liverpool i thought he was going to win trophies and titles by himself. it seems that performance has not helped him as he has struggled to live up to that day and has not reached those heights since. i think he is working hard to find his way in the premier league and the team which is beginning to show. we have some very special players around the squad at the moment, RVP, Cesc, Nasri, Jack Chamak and Rosicky to name a few and Andrei certainly should be included in that category. i'm really not sure about facing Chelsea or Man utd this month as recently we have been well beaten in those matches so it will be a big help if we can take 3 points from the surrounding fixtures starting with Fulham.

• 04-Dec-2010 13:25 | | richie  - We want to still be in touch with Chelski & Manu'e
  

  This is a must win home game because if not we can't continue to talk about us still being in with a shout of the title. I'm not putting Fulham down heaven knows we can't afford any more complacency, but with the title leaders coming up this month we need to stay in touch with those close above us. I want the ghost of November put to bed! Filling our boots should really be the order of the day but a secure win will do for my nervous old bones.

• 04-Dec-2010 14:43 | | dkgooner  - Defence
  

  I thought Squillaci was still injured.

• 04-Dec-2010 17:15 | | richie  - Top
  

  I said before this match we needed the win and Nasri must of heard me loud and clear! How good was Samir? He's stepped up now that Cesc is injuried. We dominated possession and had chances but we looked nervous at times especially with RvP clearing off the line. The defense isn't looking tight, and we have big matches coming up.

• 04-Dec-2010 17:37 | | MeanLean
  

  Loved Nasri's goals for us today. Wonderful feet. He is almost doing for us in the final third what Messi does for Barca (I did say almost)
  
  Our square high line was looking very vulnerable at times in that first half.
  
  Once again I am most frustrated out wasted chances in the first half before they scored. We need to be more clinical in the final third. I do not expect us to take every single chance we get but we have to be more ruthless when the chances present themselves more often.

• 04-Dec-2010 19:07 | | richie  - Chances
  

  We always create but we never seem to become really clinical stats show our creation to goals scored level is low - Surely the team works to develope this skill constantly - Next up our defending is so frustrating because the team as a whole doesn't do it and neither do individuals. I can't understand how AW thinks we'll get away with playing like this against any of the top 4/5 Surly this is something else the team should be working on constantly.
  
  I too love the fact that Nas has stepped up when we've needed him.
  If we can ever get an uninjuried combo of either Shava Nas Cesc Wilt Diaby RvP & Chamakh playing at their peeks the possibilities are astounding. But with all that attacking flair we need a defense to match.

• 04-Dec-2010 19:14 | | richie
  

  I don't think our defence is crap like a lot of our own, but we need a properly, well drilled, well organised defence to balance all our flair. I think it would only take someone on the field who could marshall.

• 04-Dec-2010 19:27 | | richie
  

  No matter which combo is defending out of Squilla Kosh Djourou no matter if Gibbs takes over from Clichy, we keep ending up in the same situation. Not good enough defending overall.

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