Written by Mean Lean on Tuesday, 27 December 2011 10:05

Boy am I glad to have me Arsenal back. It seems like an awfully long time since we beat Aston Villa at Villa Park. Speaking of which, I am watching the Stoke City vs Aston Villa match at the time of writing this so I am sure you can understand my desire to watch Arsenal once more. Bloody shambolic.

Anyway, the Christmas fixtures have been kind to us so far our late win at Villa was followed by ambitious Liverpool drawing at home to Blackburn Rovers and also Manchester City took part in a goalless draw at the Hawthorns. The early kick off saw Chelsea only manage a 1-1 draw against Fulham. How any side can draw at home to Fulham is beyond me. Moving on.

Those results will only benefit us if we manage to take all three points at home to Wolves, and to do so we will need to play well and work as hard as we have done for pretty much the whole season. Our next three fixtures are very winnable games. Wolves and QPR at home and then away to Fulham. Those games will not be won with the same eleven players that is certain. So talk of predicted line up's could well be a little pointless but this is a preview after all so I will give it a bash.

Much of the pre match talk will be about Robin van Persie and the calendar year record that is so close yet so far with the amount of days until the year slams shut. I guess that he will be given a chance to close in on that record later today and perhaps sit out the QPR game, giving Chamakh or Park a chance to prove themselves. Ideally van Persie will score a hat trick before half time so he can be rested for new years eve where he can bang in another hat trick but unfortunately for us, football isn't that simple.

As exciting as the prospect of Robin breaking Alan Shearer's record is, it cannot get in the way of a far more valuable three points and if a team mate is in a better goal scoring position then Robin should make that pass. One player who I expect not to be in that goal scoring position is Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman has a super engine and he covers a phenomenal amount of ground but he has looked 'jaded' as Arsene likes to say. He hasn't been at his sharpest for a few weeks now. When you have a player with the quality of Tomas Rosicky sat on the sidelines then it would be criminal not to use him over the next three games. Mikel Arteta could also do with a breather but it is hard to imagine Arsene resting two of three, the third being the returning Alex Song who was forced to sit out against Villa with a suspension. One that actually did us some good for a change.

This is the time where the squad massively miss the contributions of Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby. Without their services, rotation is more difficult or at least maintaining the team's overall quality is more difficult.

Yossi Benayoun deserves a start after his late winner at Villa and if he does start then I would imagine that he would start in a wide left position with either Gervinho or Walcott on the right depending on who Arsene believes needs the rest the most.

It will be interesting to see who starts at right back for us, Francis Coquelin had a tough game against Charles N'Zogbia and if he continues in that position then he could face Matt Jarvis. If anything he is getting some great defensive experience which will come in handy for him in future midfield games.

As I was saying in a recent blog I would love to see Rosicky and Benayoun linking up together with Robin van Persie, three players who could potentially be on the same wavelength and could play some nice football together. Whichever team takes to the field this afternoon only a victory will be satisfactory, anything less will be a big disappointment and waste of a very good situation.

Firstly fingers crossed for the Gunners today and then secondly I wish Norwich City the best of luck when facing Tottenham at Carrow Road later on this evening.

COYG.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

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Comments (33)

• 27-Dec-2011 11:00 | | samuel  - mr
  

  Agreed 100 % with Rosicky,BenAyoun ,replacing Ramsey and or Walco
  tt,Gervinho and starting together vs Wolves ,Song coming back from suspension is also good news having been sorely missed vs Villa,so will
  the coaching staff and Arsene,in particular play Rosicky,Ben Ayoun and
  van Persie in tandem,giving Ramsey a rest ,we shall see?

• 27-Dec-2011 11:03 | | samuel
  

  A very powerful line-up this one but the only weak link is Coquelin ,in de
  fence ,so where,s Squillaci who has tons of experience,even if he isn,t
  the quickest anymore?

• 27-Dec-2011 11:11 | | Mkenya halisi  - RVP
  

  for heaven sake , I don't want to see RVP rested he needs to play, injuries come even in the training fields, so thats no excuse...no one plans for an injury it may or may not happen... wenger should get him on the field to get much goals as he can..before....everything goes down to the drain

• 27-Dec-2011 11:25 | | samuel
  

  Without Robin on the pitch maybe ,Walcott,Gervinho,Arteta,Ramsey
  Song,Arshavin,and any other Arsenal player capable of shooting on
  target ,will get the goals as we cannot rely on van Persie ,every mat
  ch,is Arsene brave enough to test my theory, i hope so ?

• 27-Dec-2011 11:56 | | richie  - Samuel?
  

  U ain't a Gooner!

• 27-Dec-2011 12:07 | | richie
  

  I'd like to see Rosicky play with Arteta even if Rambo is deemed fit enough,
  I think Benayoun deserves a start and as you rightly say with Arteta, Rosicky & Benayoun there's enough creativity and play intelligence to put in a through ball for RvP to latch on to, so I hope he brings his shooting boots with him, as nothing would give me more pleasure than to see him down Shearer's record. Nevertheless its the 3 points we really need! I won't be shooked if MM has a massed 10 man defence.

• 27-Dec-2011 13:06 | | Anonymous
  

  ger should sit on the bench and alex should aslo star but 4 rvp its perfect

• 27-Dec-2011 13:08 | | kaviraj
  

  i want szczesny, koscielny, vermalen, mertesacker, miguel, arteta,song, walcott, benayoun, rosicky and van persie to play.this would be wonderful line up to destroy wolves.TRUST ME!!!

• 27-Dec-2011 13:08 | | valentino
  

  this is the year of the ox he should also start with gervinho on bench rvp to break the record it time gunner 4 life

• 27-Dec-2011 13:10 | | valentino
  

  squillaci are you serious that one is not ryt for even trainning with all the mistakes naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

• 27-Dec-2011 14:14 | | samuel
  

  Really, says who as you haven,t got a clue matey like so many other
  snoozing Arsenal fans,Gervinho couldn,t buy a goal,in a month of Su
  nday kickoffs,Walcott is woeful,Ramsey likes to dribble himself ,Arsha
  vin is way past his sell by date ,Chamakh like Bentdner doesn,t get ne
  ar enough playing time ,for what reason only fickle fans like yourself
  know ,you were saying what about me not being a Gooner?

• 27-Dec-2011 14:16 | | samuel
  

  If you want to play young inexperienced Coquelin in defence ahead
  of Squillaci then don,t complain when Arsenal can,t win games or keep clean sheets,it,s rather clear ,so stop snoozing during matches
  Valentino?

• 27-Dec-2011 16:57 | | MeanLean
  

  So frustrating.

• 27-Dec-2011 17:17 | | richie  - The Enevitable After Match Rant!!!!!!!!!!
  

  Frustration heaped on frustration!! 17 Attempts on target 1 goal - 68% possession - 16 whole minuets played against 10 men! - Could our players have anymore of an insentive than to take 4th spot?
  This is what is meant by us needing clinical finishing - Wolves have 4 attempts on target and score 1 - By Wolves low standards of scoring we should've won by 3 - I know their Keeper was MOTM but GK's having great games against us is something that happens way too often! Why is it that it seems to happen to us more often than any of the other top teams? Simples "We Lack Clinical Finishing" I'm sure in the 98th min manu'er would've found a way in. Damn its just so bloody frustrating!!!

• 27-Dec-2011 17:21 | | richie  - Agggghhh!
  

  Didn't see your post was trying to compose mine through gritted bloody teeth!

• 27-Dec-2011 17:27 | | Vuja De
  

  That was a frustrating game and frustrating result, to put it mildly.
  
  We should have been at least two or three goals up long before Wolves equalised. We simply weren't sharp enough in the final third in the first half, and was playing at too slow a tempo.
  
  Why was Song showboating with two backheel passes in the first half when we were only 1-0 up? At least one of those passes gave possession away in a dangerous area of the field.
  
  Perhaps some began to feel it was too easy, the way we were stroking the ball around.
  
  But our failure to kill Wolves off in the first 30 minutes or so when we were rampant meant that they grew in confidence and belief, and although their goal may have been off-side, I could see it coming, as
  the game was far from won before they scored.
  
  Time to take some deep breaths to restore calmness, but that's two points dropped in my book, and an opportunity wasted both to get closer to City in the table, and to claim fourth place.

• 27-Dec-2011 17:35 | | richie  - Still Ranting!!!!!
  

  That game was a throw back to way too many of our old games, go one up lack concentration concede and end up not knowing how to break down 2 tight lines of 4 Annoyance irritation dissatisfaction disappointment

• 27-Dec-2011 18:00 | | Vuja De
  

  That was the type of game in which we required someone like Diaby, Wilshere or (when he was our player) Hleb, i.e. a player capable of dribbling past and taking out several opponents at the same time, in central areas of the field.

• 27-Dec-2011 18:13 | | MeanLean
  

  We are missing our full backs badly. It was the same against Fulham at the Emirates. I agree that we missed someone like Diaby to drive forward and open spaces.
  
  We need to be sharper in the final third to win games. I just hope that Tottenham drop points today. 6 points ahead with a game in hand is not fun

• 27-Dec-2011 18:56 | | richie
  

  Missing the FB's is especially true when there isn't a driving force in the middle as Vuj'de says above or there isn't someone really creative that can play that special defence splitting final pass. Bena threaded a beauty for Gervinho's goal but after that he dried up. Rosicky too disappointed me but I feel its not really surprsing that Tomas wasn't at his best as he's hardly played lately.

• 28-Dec-2011 07:15 | | Tony  - Wasted oportunity
  

  I will always trust AW, and God knows in two life times i would probably still not know one tenth of what he(Wenger) knows about football and the arsenal players and how to choose the right line-up, but in my opinion he called it wrong today -and in the process missed a great oportunity to get back in the title race, and more importantly, claim 4th over chelsea- by not starting or playing as a sub AOC when he dicided to rest Walcott. He sacrifised our pacey direct attack for possesion and it cost us big. Still find it hard to understand why he would chose to leave AOC on the bench -we all know the kid's got mad skills and is primed- and instead plays arsharvin who cant find his these days, and chamk who's been clueless for a while now. Dreadful!

• 28-Dec-2011 09:12 | | colesy
  

  keep the faith guys. we must get behind our players and trust in them. we should applaud their effort yesterday and not give up. we are still 12 points behind and have everything to play for. we can still enjoy success in 3 competitions and this squad is capable of succeeding in all 3. all fans should pull together and believe the principles of our play. we have quality players like Diaby and Gibbs to return from injury and we have quality players on loan who will come back to our club like Denilson and Bendtner - these will all bring back valuable experience and help increase the competition for places in the starting eleven. Wenger must be given time. Happy New Year to you all!!!

• 28-Dec-2011 12:15 | | MeanLean
  

  Ashley Colesy,
  
  You have lost your mind. This is the end of the world, why on earth should we back the team? We are bloody awful.I wish we had the ambition of Liverpool and Chelsea. Look at where splashing the cash gets them, that is the true way to run a club. I don't care if Wenger has a small percentage of their budget, he should be getting us in first place from week one until the end of the season, nothing less.
  
  Forget about the fact that we have four full backs out right now and who is this Jack Wilshere fellow that people speak of? Lets ignore that please, it doesn't fit my argument. Instead we can use players who have been farmed out on loan.
  
  If only we had bought Torres and Luiz last Jan.
  
  Ignore Colesy, lets all not get behind the team because that is the best way of support.
  
  Right?

• 28-Dec-2011 12:57 | | richie  - colesy the shed dweller!
  

  You called that one right ML!! Someone on this blog asked colesy if he was either a Spud or lived in a Shed? He quickly said he wasn't a Spud, but perhaps his name is his give away because he never responded to the questioned Shed Dweller insult.
  
  Like so many other infiltrators who get their kicks from invading other teams blogs, its hardly surprising that whenever we have a set back, however miner, the luney tunes arrive. Its also no coinsidence I feel that as one nutter drops off so he's replaced by another.
  
  The spectrum, of the colesy's of this world getting their rocks off whilst hiding behind an Arsenal scarf should be nothing more than an amusement to all Gooners, what boring lives they live while supporting their own teams that they have to come to us.

• 28-Dec-2011 20:39 | | colesy
  

  Hi Richie, for starters my surname is Coles -hence Colesy. If it were Cole (aka Ashley Cole) it would be different - like Coley? Right?
  
  Anyway, I shall not comment anymore on the Spud/Shed thing- sounds too much like something Pika would bring up.
  
  I try to contribute throughout the season - not just when points are dropped. Perhaps if you look back -you'll find that's the case- sorry to blow a huge hole in your claims.
  
  I guess you and ML didn't appreciate the heavy hint of sarcasm in my last post but I noticed that you blew a fuse yesterday evening and you even came close to criticising "le boss".
  
  As I've stated before, I have supported AFC since 1978 when I was 7. I lived through several poor spells, poor players and poor managers during this period. Like everyone, I couldn't fault Wenger during his early years (who would!!!??) because he brought success - success that was on the back of a strong back 4, players like Petit and Viera tackling hard but fair (well most of the time!) and class acts like Berkgamp and Overmars etc. Yes, we all know about the not so success buys he made (Jeffers, Stepanovs, Cygan etc, etc) but the team played based around a spine of steel and with flair up front and often had to grind out results on their way to success.
  
  He rebuilt and put together the invincible's and life was great. I have repeatedly confirmed that I no longer 'believe' in Wenger any more and do not feel he is continuing to take the club forward. (Yes I know he moved us from Highbury to the Emirates, new diet, new training methods etc) but I'm talking on the pitch- over the past few seasons.
  
  I don't seek (nor do I get) any pleasure from the team dropping points or going out of competitions. I shared the same frustrations that Richie aired yesterday. Each goal conceded or point dropped is just as painful as the last.
  
  I guess the difference between me and others (like Richie and probably 90+% of those who visit this site) is this. I have become dissatisfied with the outcomes of the past few seasons and fed up with Wenger's actions/comments and I chose not to 'gloss over it' or simply accept it because of his success in the early years. I strive for improvements and future success - I don't give up when things go wrong and point to past successes. Others might be happy to accept this scenario - but I'm not. That doesn't make me a spud troll or shed dweller.
  
  He makes the same mistakes year after year (for example not buying additional QUALITY defenders - instead buying replacement mediocre ones, or not bringing in a proper defensive coach, ditching the zonal marking etc). Quite simply, I think that he has taken the club as far as he can - he will not produce trophies to add to those he has previously won as Manager. He is responsible for the "tippy tappy" football which drives so many mad.
  
  Finally, to respond to your last sentence Richie- I come here, well because I am an Arsenal supporter and therefore I've every right to do so- the same as you and everyone else who chooses to visit ML's site.

• 29-Dec-2011 00:52 | | richie
  

  Don't bother V its another loney tune infiltrator!

• 29-Dec-2011 02:28 | | richie  - I stood on the North Bank for a decade in the 60's
  

  Your a colesy come lately to both this blog and my club, otherwise you'd know I criticise Le Boss for those things he controls. Team selection, substitutions, and my pet hate of many many years zonal marking! But I can't bring myself to criticise someone for something they have no control over i.e. It wasn't enough of a secret that we were interested in signing Mata. I say wasn't enough of a secret because the moment Chelski got wind of it, our attempt was doomed to fail.
  
  Its an open secret at our club that Arsene Wenger deals with footballing matters, and has never entered into contract negociations with a player or another club. When Wenger arrived at Arsenal David Dein was the clubs technical director, director of football or sporting director if you prefer. Its mainly a European post but after the sacking of George Graham for taking a bung from an agent Arsenal as a club didn't want another manager in the traditional British sense. i.e. they didn't fancy a manager being in charge of buying and selling players.
  
  This suited Wenger perfectly because in his previous role as manager of Monaco he'd never done that job. What Wenger has always done is choose players that he thinks will improve our squad from those our scounts identify, compile a list and submit it to the board. Its then the boards job to agree the list (or not) and send out someone to make the purchase. Many have noticed that since Dein left in 2007 most of Wengers asked for target buys didn't arrive. Can I bring myself to criticise Arsene Wenger because he hasn't bought such and such a player? No!
  
  Arsenal opperate a very strict budget system that we don't deviate from. Our players wages are paid for from our season ticket sales.
  How strictly we opperate within those rules was demonstrated by the way we had to sell players on high (wage) contracts last summer before we could negociate new contracts for incoming players. Again can I bring myself to criticise Arsene Wenger because he opperates under our clus rules? No!
  
  Knowing that the board was given a list of 20 players by Wenger long before the summer transfer window opened, can I bring myself to criticise Arsene Wenger for doing the business on the last day of the transfer window? As before No! Should I aim my criticisms at Wenger because our board won't buy more quality defenders who want proper big money contracts? Our club has a wage structure, players contracts increase with seniority, so is it really Wengers fault that the club has mainly youngsters on the books?
  
  Criticise Wenger all you want for the type of football he has the team playing. We'll either agree or not, but know the structure of your own club before you heap either misplaced praise or criticism. I questioned your participation on a Gooner blog because your contributions come in the same form as Spud infiltrators, make of that what you will. If you notice I wasn't alone in thinking you might not be one of our own. That is the impression you are giving Gooners on this blog with your comments.

• 29-Dec-2011 12:29 | | Colesy  - Not ashley by the way!
  

  Richie, thanks for the history lesson. I hope that wasn't aimed at me although it read as though you were in possession of facts/inside knowledge of the inner workings within the Emirates. Mostly it seemed like guess word and newspaper talk - but I'll let others decide.
  
  I have said before that I accept my views on Wenger are not agreeable with everyone and I acknowledge that I do not possess a sentimental crush on the manager like you and many others who contribute. For me, he has rebuilt this club and brought fantastic success and I am appreciative of his achievements like everyone else. I simply think he has achieved all he can. I accept the world of football is completely different now with sugar daddies bank rolling clubs like Chelsea, Man City etc and we cannot compete with their transfer fees and wages.
  
  I acknowledge that we have some decent players in the squad but also we have too many poor players which we need to offload too.
  
  So, again thanks for the patronising comments about 'knowing my club' - I do. I will end with one piece of advice for you - which is this, do not assume that everyone else has inferior knowledge compared to you. It's not appealing and will alienate others.

• 29-Dec-2011 14:31 | | Colesy  - too old for name calling?
  

  Hi Richie,
  
  Sorry but complete oversight on my part but I've just noticed your title "I stood on the North Bank for a decade in the 60's". Assuming you started to support Arsenal before you were aged 10 would mean you were born in the 1950's and therefore 60+ years old? Am I right?

• 29-Dec-2011 14:32 | | Colesy  - correction
  

  I meant 50+ years old.

• 29-Dec-2011 21:57 | | richie
  

  Of course I'm 50+ I was on the pitch the night we won our first piece of silverwear (the inter city fairs cup) in 18 years. In the run in we beat the Ajax of Croyff and I saw the great man in the flesh. My old family friend Charlie George scored a brace, when we beat them 3-0. I still live in Highbury and I know a few at the club, and I don't mean cleaners, I mean admin. My family's connection to the club goes back a long way.

• 29-Dec-2011 22:17 | | richie
  

  I don't need to assume you have inferior knowledge your own comments gave you away. I stated facts! Nothing but facts and you can't dispute those fact! Unless you can quote either Arsene directly or get a statemement from Kroenke's trouble shooting player buyer. I never got those facts from news papers. I asked another old family friend for the low down, apart from Arsene I figured if anyone would know he would, and what he told me I repeated.
  Neither am I concerned with alienization. The truth will always out!

• 29-Dec-2011 23:31 | | richie
  

  Check ML's post of the 29th "Henry Podolski & squad restrictions" it contains a link to the ever excellent Desi Gunner who further explains some restrictions other than the obvious monetary ones.

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