Written by Mean Lean on Saturday, 01 January 2011 15:52

A happy new year to you all, but I know it can only truly be a happy new year if Arsenal get a result at St Andrews this afternoon. My Christmas present only turned up on Monday when we finally disposed of Chelsea for the first time since 1872 or something. The hangover 48 hours later was not at all enjoyable though.

Birmingham City away has been a very depressing fixture in recent years, a fixture that has had a hand in putting an end to our league campaign on more than one occasion.

After making eight midweek changes in our 2-2 draw, I can imagine Arsene making a similar amount this afternoon as Cesc Fabregas returns from suspension and the rest of the resting crew should return to a side that should resemble the team that beat Chelsea.

A draw would normally be an acceptable result and in the bigger scheme of things would not be the end of the world but as Manchester United managed to win a game where they were second best for most of the game, we really want to keep the gap as close as possible.

How one team can escape a red card, penalty and opposition missed penalty is beyond lucky but that is what we are up against.

I would imagine that Johan Djourou will be drafted back in to deal with the aerial threat of Birmingham City and perhaps Koscielny will be the one to sit out after playing the last two.

I am interested to know what Wenger will do with Jack Wilshere, he was being saved for this game but had to be introduced early at Wigan due to Diaby's injury. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Wenger start with Denilson and Wilshere on the bench. Wilshere made an instant impact in midweek and his energy and passion turned the game around in Arsenal's favour from one goal down but asking the 19 year old to play three high tempo games in a short space of time may well be asking a little too much.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

One to watch: Johan Djourou

Plenty of credit has been pouring in the way of the Swiss international and rightly so. We could not deal with a set piece at Wigan and I am sure many crosses and set pieces will be heading towards our penalty area this afternoon. Djourou will be important as we attempt to keep them out of our box.

Mean Lean's Match Prediction

Birmingham 0 Arsenal 0

With Manchester United unbelievably riding their luck, I cannot help but feel that we will be heading for another St Andrews draw. We do not seem to do scoreless draws so for that reason in this topsy-turvy season, I will go for that result.

If we can manage to get a victory then it could be a hugely important victory. Lets cross all our fingers, toes etc that the rested boys can produce the same type of performance that blew our west London rivals away.

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Comments (20)

• 01-Jan-2011 16:24 | | sdfs
  

  
  Our season is like this

• 01-Jan-2011 16:26 | | puppyguts
  

  is that denilson's ghost i see in midfield

• 01-Jan-2011 17:00 | | Steve Palmer  - NOT KNOWING WHATS COMEING=NERVES
  

  Good Post MN
  
  I have got nervous watching us play, if we win one game Wenger changes it in the next so i havn't a clue what team He will field, Arsene has reached his change of life i'm sure, and is undecided whether he wants to win or not, now that is dangerous for supporters because we want to win everything, 8 changes from our winning team against Chelsea, to play Wigan, this man worries the life out of me.have i said that before?

• 01-Jan-2011 17:36 | | GunnerPete
  

  I think its very generous of you to call Manure lucky. I would say it is ovedue for an investigation into officials constantly giving them controversial and winning decisions. It seems that Lancastrian clubs are priviledged year in year out why? Is it to do with who runs the FA and PL? Or where most refs are born?

• 01-Jan-2011 19:30 | | Adams  - Resultaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh
  

  That is a fucking massive result for us. And impressive. COME ON ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait for MOTD later.

• 01-Jan-2011 19:35 | | MeanLean
  

  All of a sudden, a draw away from home at Wigan doesn't seem like such a bad result after all.
  7 out of 9 points is great during such a difficult fixture pile up at Christmas. Now lets beat those negative Mancs and we won't look back.
  
  We had a glimpse of the deadly trio at work. Give Nasri, RVP and Cesc a run of games together and we will destroy many teams with our passing and movement.
  
  Very content, up the Gunners!

• 01-Jan-2011 19:44 | | dkgooner  - Exactly
  

  A massive result indeed. Birmingham allegedly always difficult to beat at home (although that's the fourth they've lost this season) but it was the manner of the win that mattered. Looked very solid at the back for the first time in many games - only one dodgy moment from a set piece. I think the presence of Djourou had a lot to do with it. He and Koscielny are a much btter pairing - Djourou is really strong and skillful and Koscielny looks more relaxed. It will be interesting to see what Wenger does when TV is back. Koscielny looked good with him earlier in the season but Djourou is looking very solid too. Fabianski made all the right decisions as well.
  Song back to his quietly magnificent best - here, there and everywhere, winning ball, driving forward, and distributing much better than he has done on occasion this season, playing the simple ball. Cesc in top form, Nasri too and, although Chamakh has had a good season, for me RvP works better together with these two. When we're in this sort of mood, there's no stopping us.
  Bring on City - and Leeds and Ipswich :-)
  Brought the smile back to my face.
  Happy New Year all.

• 01-Jan-2011 19:46 | | dkgooner  - Postscript
  

  And what's all this 0-0 prediction lark Mean Lean?
  You're getting almost as miserable as me.

• 01-Jan-2011 20:14 | | Adams  - Djourou da man
  

  DK, I totally agree about Djourou - the quiet star of our season. A mate of mine is a Villa fan and he said he'd heard that Villa were trying to sign Djourou at some point and asked me what I thought. I said I think he's our best defender after TV and I can't understand why he's not a regular. That interception against Chelsea on Monday was awesome as a cameo. If we can now put a strong run together then with TV coming back this month and arguably one of the best forward lines in Europe we can really challenge on all fronts. A Happy New Year indeed.

• 01-Jan-2011 21:23 | | MeanLean
  

  Its all about the reverse psychology. I had it planned all along

• 01-Jan-2011 21:57 | | dkgooner  - Correction
  

  Re. my post-match comment above, I said that Birmingham had now lost 4 matches at home this season. Must have gone cross-eyed - they've actually only lost 2 home matches in their last 30. The 4 losses this season I had seen are in fact away matches. Apologies for downgrading the significance of today's performance.

• 01-Jan-2011 22:00 | | MeanLean
  

  I will go one better.
  
  I have just read that it is the first time that dirty Birmingham have let in 3 at home since they were promoted.
  
  Easy..easy..easy!!

• 01-Jan-2011 23:40 | | richie  - New year starts well!
  

  Waited to watch the rerun on MOTD because much is missed on 1st viewing. Wonderful result! Against a dirty rotten side at a difficult ground in abominable conditions! Clean sheet as well although defensively we rode our luck a couple of times, one set piece in particular (yet again). Nevertheless with Manu'er playing crap and wining and with Man'money City soon this was a much needed result that we acheived playing well in style. Happy "New Years" Day

• 01-Jan-2011 23:47 | | richie  - Luck don't cover it
  

  I second that call (re-Manu'er) an investigations long over due - How can any team get that much luck year in year out?

• 01-Jan-2011 23:48 | | richie
  

  Its improved our GD too

• 02-Jan-2011 00:23 | | MeanLean
  

  I am loving the look of Arsene's new first 11, at least until Vermaelen is back.
  
  This team have scored 6 in two games and have let in1. Got so much to say. So happy with that result.

• 02-Jan-2011 01:10 | | richie
  

  Sorry ML surely thats 5 in two with with 3 against?
  I can fully understand the wish to forget the Wigan game because having put 3 past Chelski with the 1 set piece goal conceded, and now 3 past Birmingham without reply it make the draw against 10 man Wigan even more bloody frustrating!
  
  Still on the upside as you and I both stated way back when Djourou was being slated. We expected him to come good and hasn't he just! I keep plugging on about CB's CH's coming in pairs its in the dynamic of the pair and our defensive dynamic's much improved with Johan

• 02-Jan-2011 06:51 | | MeanLean
  

  Ah but you missed a key part of my previous comment.
  
  'Arsene's new first 11'
  
  The removal of Arshavin, the inclusion of our greyhound striker on the wing, the magic touch of RVP leading the line and the fight to win the ball back from the whole team.
  
  The rest of the squad drew away to Wigan and should have won. I hope we can keep those players fit from now on, if we do then we have a very good chance.

• 02-Jan-2011 10:41 | | dkgooner  - Follow-up
  

  Just looked up some Brum stats. They haven't conceded 3 at home since the 2007/2008 season in the Championship.

• 02-Jan-2011 15:23 | | richie  - The A & the B of it
  

  So your classing those who played against Wigan as our B team then?

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