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Arsenal v Liverpool: Wounded animal regains consciousness

Vultures were circling around the Emirates last night waiting for the last sight of breath escaping their unsuspecting victim on a freezing night in North London.

In the end, the scavengers gave up as the wounded animal slowly regained consciousness and lived to fight another day.

Far from being dead, the timid creature created by Arsene Wenger now senses the hunt is on once more with the leaders again in sight and seemingly losing their ruthless streaks.

Arsenal know the path ahead is clearly signposted, even too easy it seems, while those in front face a more tricky route. Whether the gap is insurmountable only time will tell, but it could be a very close fight indeed.

Abou Diaby, whose physicality was sorely missed in recent matches, rose to head an inviting Rosicky cross into the Liverpool net last night to give The Gunners the three points they so desperately needed. Chelsea's loss to Everton and Manchester United's draw with Aston Villa mean Arsenal are now six points behind their West London rivals.

On paper, Wenger's men now have easier fixtures than the top two which could pave the way for an interesting few months, but they will need to improve on an unconvincing performance last night.

It was, however, the gritty performance which was craved by the Gunners' faithful after two soul-destroying defeats.

After being left for dead once again, the animal is now very much alive.

Is the title really out of reach?

So we are now nine points adrift of Chelsea, and seven of Man United, languishing in third place after two humiliating defeats. The media has written us off again, but is it too soon? I think it just may be.

I hear you shout "he's mad", but hear me out.

Arsene Wenger was not simply full of bravado when stating that we can still win the title, it really is possible.

We have now played the top two at home and away, and we have also played Everton and Aston Villa, both at home and away, traditionally two of our tougher opponents.

We have also played Liverpool, Manchester City and Fulham away, leaving only trips to Tottenham and Birmingham from the top half. Tottenham will undoubtedly be a tough match but we have a good record against them, while Birmingham may be in mid-table security by the time we play them.

As for our home matches, we face Liverpool tonight and Manchester City at the end of the season, but the other games should, on paper, all be winnable.

Contradict our fixtures with Chelsea and you see we may start to close the gap.

Chelsea travel to Everton tonight with other away ties at Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool. So if, for example they were to draw all of these matches we could gain eight points, only one behind. And with home games to Manchester City and Aston Villa ahead, it suddenly looks closer than you would expect.

Manchester United, who have flattered to deceive at times this season, are prone to aberrations such as their defeat at Burnley, which already gives some hope to Arsenal fans.

Add to that the fact that United also face tough fixtures, including trips to Aston Villa tonight, Everton and Manchester City, while they face Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool at home.

Arsenal were admittedly completely outclassed against Chelsea and Manchester United and these teams are better than us head-to-head, but the league is about being the best team over 38 matches and there is still a glimmer of hope that we can make it, but it must start tonight

Embarrassing gulf in class

Before yesterday's match at The Emirates, Arsenal were well-and-truly in with a shout of the title, but another thrashing at the hands of one of our closest rivals has once again shown that this team have some horrific flaws.

Arsenal's good run of form since the humiliation against Chelsea in November had led Wenger to keep his hand in his pocket during the transfer window, but the truth is wins over the likes of lowly opponents Stoke, Hull, Portsmouth and Bolton only papered over the cracks.

Yesterday the problems of last season returned. When teams stifle Arsenal in midfield and break quickly, the players i red and white simply have no answer. The speed with which Man United counter-attacked was phenomenal, it was like watching 'The Invincibles' in their pomp.

But this United team was not made up of world-beaters. A midfield comprising Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes should not be dominating the likes of Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas. Nani and Park should not be humiliating our full-backs, and with both of their first choice centre-backs out, the young Rafael at right-back and an unusually off-colour Patrice Evra at left-back, we should have had them running-scared.

I left-out Denilson from the above comment simply to single him out. In the big games against Chelsea and United he has been dominated time and time again. A cheer went up yesterday when he became the first of our players to be subbed as he was truly awful. Lacking the physicality to break-up play and an astonishing lack of positional sense and tracking back, he also allowed the likes of Fletcher and Carrick far too much time on the ball.

Fabregas had to cover for the Brazilian on numerous occasions, blunting our attack in the process. I think Denilson is a good player, but he is not going to be a world-class all-action midfielder and in games such as these he simply disappears.

I have read some other commentary this morning deriding Andrey Arshavin for his missed chances in front of goal, but without him we would not have had any. The little Russian who didn't stop running all afternoon, was isolated in attack. When he had the ball he just had to run and conjure something out of nothing. His trickery did create some opportunities but with a lack of support he was limited to quick shots with a pack of black-shirts closing in on him.

Wenger is reluctant to spend as he feels that buying more experienced players would stunt the development of his young players, but has he considered the fact that some of these young players are simply not good enough no matter how long you wait for them to develop? The gulf in class yesterday and against Chelsea in November was embarrassing, Wenger needs to wake-up to that fact.

Brazilian wonderkid signs

It has been reported today that Brazilian forward Wellington Silva has signed for Arsenal for a fee of £3.5 million.

The Fluminense player had been expected to join the Gunners ever since impressing on trial last year. His performances in the Rio de Janeiro-based outfit's victorious Brazilian youth cup team and his four goals in one game against Norwich while on trial at Arsenal had alerted a number of other top European clubs, but Arsenal have now reportedly nipped in to finally secure the starlet.

The Daily Mail has reported that Silva will not be able to link up with his Arsenal team mates until he has turned 18, and will therefore remain at "Flu" in the meantime.

Silva, 16, will eventually link up with the likes of Benik Afobe, Luke Freeman and Zak Ansah all of whom have been scoring goals for fun so far this season, in what is set to become a mouthwatering attacking line-up.

There have also been rumours of another young Brazilian arrival. Zezinho, also 16, is on the verge of a move to Arsenal according to sources close to the player. The Juventude winger and Wellington Silva could join the growing Brazilian contingent at the Emirates, with the likes of Denilson and Pedro Botelho also set to have promising futures at the club.

Macedonian on his way?

Arsene Wenger insisted yesterday that he will be keeping a close eye on the transfer market as it reopens and that can only mean one thing, that he will be strengthening his squad with at least one addition come the end of the month.

A number of players have been linked to the club in recent weeks, the majority of which are strikers, understandable given the injuries to Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo.

Wenger said that there may be bargains available during the window and he is right. Brazilian international Adriano is scoring goals for fun at Flamengo in his homeland and may be worth a gamble on a free transfer. Luca Toni, meanwhile, who led the line for the victorious Italian 2006 World Cup team, will be allowed to leave Bayern Munich for a nominal fee after falling out with Louis van Gaal, the coach. Another Arsenal target, Marouane Chamakh, the Bordeaux forward, may also be available for a bargain price as his contract expires in the summer. But there is another name to add to the list who may prove to be the bargain of the year.

Goran Pandev has today be granted release from his contract at Lazio after a contractual dispute ongoing since last summer. The Macedonian international has not played in Serie A all season and will therefore be a little rusty, but also very fresh. The 26 year-old has scored 22 goals in 52 internationals and 48 in 159 games for Lazio. Pandev is seen as one of his country's leading players and his two recent goals against Spain has seem him become his country's leading scorer. Although smaller than van Persie, Pandev has the skill element to match his game.

The likes of AC Milan, Liverpool and Tottenham, as well as Arsenal, have been linked to the forward in the past and Wenger may now look to revive his interest.

Lukaku worth a gamble

Romelu Lukaku is a name many in England would not have heard of, but the young Belgian is certainly becoming a prominent figure in his own country.

Dubbed the "new Didier Drogba", Lukaku is making waves in Anderlecht's first team, scoring eight goals in 14 appearances, all from the bench, and this is despite him being only 16 years-old.

The powerful forward, of Belgian-Congolese decent, has long been thought of as a future star, but many would not have expected his reputation to have grown quite so quickly. Despite assertions from the forward's father that he will not move before he finishes school at the age of 18, Anderlecht will be bracing themselves for bids during the January transfer window.

Arsenal could well be at the head of the queue for the £15 million-rated player as key striker Robin van Persie is out for five months, second-choice frontman Nicklas Bendtner is currently injured and Eduardo continues to succumb to niggling injuries since returning from his leg-break.

Arsene Wenger keeps a keen eye on Belgian talent, in the past insisting that he knows all about the best young Belgians coming through the system. The likes of Lille's Eden Hazard and Standard Liege's Steven Defour and Axel Witsel have been linked with a move to Arsenal to join fellow countryman Thomas Vermaelen in recent months and Lukaku could be another name to add to the list.

Some would argue that Arsenal already have enough young strikers and an experienced forward is needed if the club is to win some long-awaited silverware this season, but Lukaku could be a gamble worth taking if he continues his development at the vast rate he has so far in his career.

Arsene Wenger admits to missing out on Drogba having waited too long to bid for the striker while at Guingamp, surely he wouldn't want to make the same mistake again.

Watch more of Lukaku below: