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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:

Bendtner key to Arsenal's fortunes

A year ago, Nicklas Bendtner was being derided for some lacklustre performances in an Arsenal shirt, he even admitted himself that he played like a "schoolboy."

Now, though, Bendtner will face the burden of carrying an Arsenal team, replacing it's most potent weapon, Robin Van Persie. It was confirmed this week that the Dutchman will be out for around five months with ankle-ligament damage.

Eduardo and Carlos Vela, both undoubtedly top-quality finishers have been given the chance to fill Van Persie's boots, but with neither hitting the target since Van Persie's injury, doubts remain as to their ability to play as a lone-striker - a position where physical presence is needed, something which is sadly lacking in these two alternatives. Didier Drogba's match-winning performance against Arsenal on Sunday just highlighted this fact even more.

The truth is, only Nicklas Bendtner can be an adequate alternative to Van Persie.

Often thought of as just an old-fashioned target-man, the Dane is actually more than just height and strength. His performances in World Cup qualifying for Denmark, in which he scored three goals, prove he can keep calm in front of goal. The Copenhagen-born striker has also improved markedly on his link-up play after being played in wide areas by Arsene Wenger.

Bendtner is, however, currently sidelined with a groin injury, and expected back in around four weeks time.

The responsibility will therefore fall on Eduardo and Vela for the time being, but Van Persie's absence will be the opportunity Bendtner has been waiting for, and one he has to make the most of if he is to make a career at the club, and ultimately if Arsenal are to end their five-year wait for silverware.

Traore will soon know where his future lies

Armand Traore has long been earmarked as a first team regular at Arsenal, but he has slipped down the pecking order in recent months. The injury to Kieran Gibbs - and Arsene Wenger's reaction to it, will however, give the young Frenchman an indication of where his future lies.

Before his loan spell at Portsmouth last season, Traore was Arsenal's second choice left-back, but while he was on the south coast another young contender emerged to take his crown. Gibbs' performances for Arsenal last season, bar an unfortunate slip in the Champions League semi-final, were extremely impressive and with his stock risen dramatically, some even suggested that he should be included in the World Cup squad.

The young Englishman took his club form into the international arena during the summer helping England Under-21s to the final of the European Championship in Sweden.

Clichy's recent injury - a fractured vertebrae in his lower back - had given Gibbs a chance to impress further and maybe even give Wenger a dilemma as to who the first choice left-back would be upon Clichy's return. The 19 year-old, however, has now succumbed to injury and Arsenal have a number of options for his replacement.

Traore would be the obvious replacement given his youth and exuberance in defence and attack, something Wenger values in his full-backs. His performances for struggling Portsmouth last season were solid, but he was often deployed further forward, but he has shown in the past he is capable of performing well in the full-back position.

Traore has competition from fellow Frenchman, Mikael Silvestre who can also cover the problem spot. His lack of pace and advancing years led some Arsenal fans to dub him "gereatric" in last season AGM, and although he is a solid defender he may struggle with pacey and tricky wingers, in particular the likes of Joe Cole who could be linking up against him when Arsenal face Chelsea in a couple of weeks.

Another possibility includes shifting Thomas Vermaelen to left-back, a familiar position to the Belgian, having played there for Ajax, but Wenger would be reluctant to split up the relatively successful central defensive partnership. Emmanuel Eboue could also step in, but a right-footed left-back is not ideal.

It therefore looks to be a choice between Traore and Silvestre for the starting berth and if the young frenchman is not included then it looks increasingly likely that he has no future at the club.

Going for another Song?

Alex Song has not always been as well-loved at the Emirates, many fans condemning him to the scrapheap before his Arsenal career had even started, but now he is proving his doubters wrong and has become a key element of Arsenal's play.

His burgeoning ability to control midfield from deep allows his teammates to push further forward in the knowledge that he will cover. Last night with two very attacking full-backs Song's job was even harder than usual. When Kieran Gibbs joined the attack from the left, Song moved to left-back to cover, when Eboue joined the attack he moved to right-back and when Gallas or Vermaelen went on marauding runs forwards he dropped back.

Song's stamina is impressive and his distribution is improving at an alarming rate, no wonder Wenger was reluctant to splash the cash on a defensive midfielder in the summer.

As always though, there is a problem, one which has hit Arsenal hard in the past- the African Nations Cup.

The decision to offload Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure would seem to be a wise move given the start to the season, but even more shrewd given the two players will be missing for most of January while they take part in the competition. Eboue and Song will also travel to the competition in January to represent the Ivory Coast and Cameroon respectively.

Eboue will be a loss, but one for which Wenger has adequate cover, Song's absence meanwhile will have more of an impact.

Alternatives include Denilson, Abou Diaby and youngsters Francis Coquelin, Craig Eastmond and Emmanuel Frimpong.

Denilson has been injured for much of the season, but would remain the prime candidate to cover Song. The Brazilian started last season as Cesc Fabregas' defensive foil but his lack of strength allowed teams to dominate us at times. The former Brazil under-19 captain is undoubtedly a good player but not in the key defensive midfield role.

Abou Diaby has the strength Denilson lacks, but his lack of discipline - dallying on the ball - would be suicide on the edge of our own box. His bursts forward would expose our defence and also increase the defensive responsibilities of Fabreags, curbing the Spaniard's effectiveness in attack.

Craig Eastmond surprised many starting ahead of Francis Coquelin in the Caring Cup, but his assured performance against Liverpool could be enough to give him a chance. Eastmond keeps things simple and has the intelligence, stamina and strength to play in the position, but some may suggest he would lack the experience to play in such crucial games at this stage.

Francis Coquelin has been earning rave reviews from Steve Bould, the under-18, and Nick Banfield, the reserve team, coaches in recent months. Coquelin has incredible stamina and surprising strength for his size. He is a tough-tackling all-round midfielder and has shown he is capable in the reserves, but the step-up to the first team is always a more daunting task.

Emmanuel Frimpong was hailed as the key holding midfielder for years to come last season, but niggling injuries and a slight loss of form have seen his reserve team opportunities limited so far this season, he would be the outsider.

Samir Nasri has also been mentioned as a possibility but like Denilson, he may lack the strength to play the position.

If Wenger does sign anyone in January it would probably be a straight replacement for Song, but someone who, when Song returns would be willing to move aside. A loan-deal may be the best option but possible candidates include Marcos Senna, who is currently playing for a Villarreal side languishing in the bottom half of La Liga, while Arsenal legend, Patrick Vieria has also been mentioned.

Midfield key to Arsenal's success

Following the derby-day mauling of Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend fans and players alike could be forgiven for a rather lifeless match against AZ Alkmaar.

Despite the 4-1 scoreline, Arsenal's players never really moved out of second gear putting Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar to the sword in what was a completely one-sided encounter. The fans also seemed content to sit quietly, in stark contrast to Saturday's atmosphere.

AZ are undoubtedly a weaker team this season following their surprising title triumph in May, having lost a number of key personnel during the summer transfer window, but the gulf in class was enormous. To think Arsenal didn't even have the likes of Nicklas Bendtner, Gael Clichy and Theo Walcott available for the match shows why many are opposed to Michel Platini's policy to favour the inclusion of smaller clubs in the competition.

The fluidity of Arsenal's midfield was too much for Alkmaar to handle, as it has been for most of the teams who have faced the Gunners so far this season. It was again the midfield who weighed in with the goals with Cesc Fabreags scoring twice, Samir Nasri netting on his Champions League return and Abou Diaby weighing in with a goal of his own.


It was so comprehensive that Wenger was able to rest his three-key players, Robin van Persie, Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin midway through the second half, bringing on Eduardo, Aaron Ramsey and Thomas Rosicky, three equally-able players. The trio showed their worth causing a dejected AZ all sorts of problems in the dying embers of the match, Eduardo sublimely backheeling to help set-up Diaby's goal and Ramsey making a number of bursts into the penalty area.

The match has once-again shown Arsenal's strength in depth, particularly in midfield, something many pundits still refuse to acknowledge.

Playing with a lone striker particularly one of van Persie's technical calibre allows the midfielders to push forward in support - hence the likes of Fabregas, Nasri and Diaby getting on the scoresheet. With Alex Song increasingly looking like a world-beater in the holding role, and Thomas Vermaelen proving to be the buy of the summer, players can push forward in the knowledge there is ample and trustworthy cover behind them.

With the players constantly in a state of flux, swapping positions, it is immensely difficult to defend against.

This shows that Arsenal are on the verge of "total-football" something only the Invincibles have reached under Wenger and there are murmurs that this team, given time, can be just as good and then the pundits will surely change their minds.

Fabregas and Van Persie serve up a treat

As Club Level members tore themselves away from the a la carte selection on offer, Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas were serving up a treat of their own, and unlike last weekend there were no tricks in store for the Gunners who held on to their lead on what was ultimately a comfortable match at Halloween.

Van Persie's excellent touch and Fabregas' poise in midfield helped to light up what was a lacklustre and nervy first 40 minutes, but two goals in a minute towards the end of the half changed the game.

Just as the fans were contemplating the half-time rush for free beer, van Persie put Arsenal one up, a deft touch dispatching the ball past Heurelho Gomes from a pinpoint low-cross from Bacary Sagna. Cue delirium even among the most corporate of the corporate section.

There was hardly time for members to lift their coat-tails and de-crease their scarves than it was two. Van Persie stole the ball from Wilson Palacios and Fabregas raced onto it, first dancing around Tom Huddlestone then cheekily sliding it through the legs of Ledley King. As he raced towards goal Gomes came out to narrow the angle but the Catalan dispatched a delicious shot into the bottom corner. It was a treat even El Bulli, Catalonia and indeed the world's most acclaimed restaurant would be proud of.

There was much discussion at half-time as to whether Arsenal could hold onto their two-goal lead given last week's collapse against West Ham and famously having let a 4-2 lead slip in the same fixture last season.

What also struck me was the number of 'football tourists' at the match. Travelling to the match by tube I struck up conversation with a group of Norwegians just here for the match, there were also a number of German and Spanish-speaking guests obviously going to the Emirates for the first time. I also spoke to a Taiwanese gentleman who was also here just for the game. I was slightly worried that this would have a negative impact on the atmosphere, but it was better than it has been for a long time, even Arsene Wenger agreed, throwing his jacket down in frustration at his inability to converse with his players due to the noise of the fans, now that must be a first.

The Gunners came out in the second half to rapturous applause, shamefully however, as always with a swathe of red seats visible in Club Level. They were filled far quicker than usual though as members sensed a special victory over their closest rivals, not in squad quality Mr Keane, but in terms of distance.

Fabregas continued to control the tempo of the game from midfield and van Persie's control and strength upfront continued to cause problems. While at the back Thomas Vermaelen, commanding as ever, and the vastly improved Gallas stifled the threat of Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane which had threatened on occasions in the first period.

A comeback looked unlikely, and it was extinguished completely on the hour. Eduardo was fouled on the Arsenal right, Mark Clattenberg, the referee, waved play-on but the players all seemed to hesitate, Sagna was the quickest to realise and took one touch before sending a low cross into the box. Gomes seemed certain to take control but could only palm it away and van Persie tapped into an empty net. Game over.

Eduardo could and really should have scored two of his own soon afterwards. First he had an effort blocked by Gomes and then he was through one-on-one with the goalkeeper but opted to shoot low instead of lofting the ball over the Brazilian.

Ramsey also had a late chance, racing onto a long ball by Fabregas, Sebastien Bassong pulled up and the Welshman seemed unaware of the time he had and put in a tame cross instead of taking the ball closer to goal.

In the end though Arsenal fans would not complain at the scoreline and were left to savour the taste of another victory of Tottenham.

Further proof of the virtues of Wenger's ethos

Arsene Wenger must again have been stifling an "I told you so" when facing journalists after Wednesday night's match.

Wenger has repeatedly been criticised by various sections of the media over his lack of spending and reliance on untried youth players. This malaise has rubbed off on a small section - emphasis on small - of fans, with some attacking their manager's ethos during last years annual general meeting.

With a number of his prodigies putting in impressive performances in the 2-1 win over Liverpool, Wenger must have looked on like a proud parent seeing his children graduate from University with a distinction.

Fran Merida, long predicted to be a star, put in another impressive display scoring one and helping to set up the other. The Spaniard has recently come back from the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt where he was Spain's best player, scoring three goals in three games, before being knocked out of the competition.

Aaron Ramsey added to his burgeoining reputation showing Fabregas-esque vision and range of passing. With Fabio Capello, the England manager, watching on from the stands, Kieran Gibbs also impressed at left-back. Capello must also have noted down the name of Craig Eastmond, making his debut in the defensive midfield role, as one for the future.

Another criticism of Wenger has been his recruitment from abroad which has, according to some, stifled the development of young English players. Gibbs, Eastmond, Gilbert all started, as did Welshman Aaron Ramsey, while Sanchez Watt and Mark Randall, both English, came on. Kyle Bartley and Emmanuel Frimpong made it eight British players in the Arsenal squad. Liverpool by contrast had three in their squad, with only Jay Spearing starting.

There arguably would have been more homegrown players had Jack Wilshere been fit and had Samir Nasri and Eduardo not have been needing minutes following injury lay-offs.

With many of the FA Youth Cup winning team also eligible to play for England there is an exciting and English look to the future of Arsenal, but fortunately for fans of football there will also be foreign stars such as Fran Merida who will be lighting up the Premier League for years to come.

Eastmond justifies starting berth

Craig Eastmond must have been as shocked as many at the Emirates on Wednesday night as his name was read out in the starting line-up against Liverpool.

The tough-tackling midfielder put in a commanding performance to subdue Liverpool's Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis, helping Arsenal into the quarter-finals of the competition for the seventh consecutive season.

Arsene Wenger continued his policy to select from his hand-picked group of youngsters for the Carling Cup tie with teenagers Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Fran Merida and right-back Kerrea Gilbert joining Eastmond in the starting line-up. The surprising selection was, however, Eastmond's.

Eastmond was part of the FA Youth Cup and FA Academy League-winning team last season but he was often overlooked when the praise was being passed around.

Playing in his less-favoured position of right-back, Eastmond put in solid performances without really setting the world alight while the likes of Kyle Bartley and Jack Wilshere were recognised as future Arsenal and England regulars.

Francis Coquelin who has been earning rave reviews within the club was also in the squad and many expected the eighteen year-old Frenchman to claim the defensive midfield role, while Emmanuel Frimpong - who was Coquelin's midfield partner in the victorious under-18 team - was another alternative having previously been in Carling Cup squads. Both Coquelin and Frimpong were lauded as the next Makelele at various time last season but it seems as though Eastmond has now leapfrogged them in Wenger's thinking.

The former Millwall youngster has been promoted to the reserves this season along with a number of the of the Under-18 team and with right-back Kerrea Gilbert returning from the wilderness, Eastmond has been shifted to his more natural defensive midfield position.

Wenger explained his decision to move Eastmond into midfield on the Arsenal website, he said: "We always felt that he is very intelligent in his reading of the game but he lacked a little bit of pace so we put him in midfield.

His performances so far this season have shown that the switch has been a masterstroke. He has cemented a regular place in the reserve side alongside the likes of Mark Randall, Francis Coquelin and Fran Merida and has even weighed in with a goal. Wenger said: "He has blossomed there in the Reserves and that is why we gave him a chance tonight."

With Alex Song expected to travel with Cameroon to the African Nations Cup in January the race will be on for one of the young players to step into the squad and it looks like a race that Eastmond is currently winning.

We're back!

Due to the minor matter of a thesis to hand in and a brief sojourn to the European Under-21 Championships in June, Payne in the Arsenal has sadly been left abandoned by it's creators in recent months, however we're now back, bigger and better than ever before.

Russian to link up with Arshavin at the Emirates?

Rumours circulating in today's press have seen Pavel Pogrebnyak linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.

Pogrebnyak, 25, a tall and powerful striker has scored 4 goals in 12 games for Zenit this season and has also managed 5 goals in 14 games at international level. He is a potent finisher with both feet, he is also good in the air and also a free-kick taker.

The Zenit St.Petersburg striker formed a potent partnership with Andrey Arshavin while the winger was in St Petersburg and they have also linked up at international level,although an injury prevented Pogrebnyak from taking part in last years' European Championships.

Emmanuel Adebayor has been linked with a move to AC Milan this summer and if that move materialises, Arsenal could be tempted to raid Zenit for the second time in six months.

Arshavin has been a revelation since his move to London, the highlight being his four-goal haul against Liverpool at Anfield last month. If he could link up with Pogrebnyak again, the pairing could be a handful for Premier League defences next season.

Click on the video for more of Pavel Pogrebnyak in action:

Walcott signs a new long-term Arsenal deal

With the summer transfer window approaching, Arsenal have arguably made their biggest signing already as Theo Walcott today penned a new long-term contract with the club.

Walcott was delighted to have committed his future to the club, he said: "I’m absolutely delighted to have signed a new long term contract. I’m so happy here and just want to say thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point in my career. Together with the belief of my team mates, the boss and everyone on the staff, everyone has got behind me here at Arsenal which is brilliant."

The 2o year-old has made significant strides since his arrival at the Emirates in 2006 as a fresh-faced 16 year-old. After a run of games in the Carling Cup side, in which he scored against Chelsea in the Carling Cup final in 2007, The Middlesex-born winger started to make a major impact in the first team towards the end of last season. Walcott most notably set up Emmanuel Adebayor in a fast-paced Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool with a 40-yard run.

With the departure of Alexandr Hleb last summer, Walcott made the right wing position his own at the start of this season. Despite a shoulder injury, which put the England forward out of action for three months, Walcott has managed to score six goals in 25 starts, including important goals against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final and Villarreal in the quarter-final of the Champions League.

His pace provides Arsenal with an attacking threat which is difficult to defend against, something which has been lacking when he has not been in the team. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger said: "We are absolutely delighted that Theo has committed his long-term future to Arsenal Football Club. Theo is an intelligent player with amazing ability and speed, and has developed extremely well this season."

The former-Southampton man's hat-trick against Croatia in England's World Cup qualifier in September also affirmed his potential as a potent goalscorer and thrust him onto the world stage.

At 20 he still has a lot of time for improvement according to Wenger. "At still only 20 years of age, Theo has huge potential for the forthcoming years and we are all looking forward to see him grow even more in an Arsenal shirt,” he said.

View this video for some of Walcott's best moments:

Ex-Arsenal star 'fondly remembers' his time at the club

Sitting in his garden overlooking a stream in the peaceful surroundings of Whitley Bay, Newcastle, it is hard to imagine Malcolm Macdonald as one of the most feared predators of the seventies.

His affable and articulate manner is something sadly lacking in many of today's players, but his passion for the game is clearly still there as he chats about everything from Arsenal to Luton Town.

Macdonald, nicknamed "Supermac", scored 57 goals in 108 appearances for the Gunners before a serious knee injury cut his career short at the age of 29. The Fulham-born forward had earned his move to Arsenal in 1976 after an impressive tally of 95 goals in 187 games in five seasons for Newcastle. He also famously scored 5 goals in a game for England against Cyprus in 1975, a feat which has not been bettered.

Macdonald, 59, looks back on his time at Arsenal fondly and describes the negotiations over his move to the club in detail.

Talks took place at the home of Sir Denis Hill-Wood [the then Arsenal chairman] alongside Terry Neil [the Arsenal manager]. Macdonald said: "his back lawn was bigger than Lords and I'm not exaggerating, and we felt like opening batsmen walking out, Terry Neil and I"

According to Macdonald, Newcastle United "were playing silly beggars" over the move, and two requests for his transfer had been turned down after initial agreements.

Before he made a third and final offer, Hill-Wood asked Macdonald what he wanted to do. "I said Mr chairman the honest truth is I’ve looked at Arsenal and you’ve got this wonderful blend of experienced, great players and coming through you’ve got the most phenomenal group of kids, I said this club I think is going to be the club of the seventies and eighties."

Macdonald notes that Hill-Wood agreed the deal with Lord Westwood, the Newcastle chairman, in a "gentlemanly way" and he was soon on his way to Highbury for a fee of £333,333.33.

"That was how the business was concluded, it was a lovely gentlemanly way in which it was done in wonderful surroundings and that's how I fondly remember Arsenal. Nothing ever changed, it was always the best of business done in the best of ways, a fabulous club, absolutely was and is," he said.

So what does he make of the current team? With promising young players coming through, does he see any similarity to the team he played in the seventies?

"Yeah a little bit, but you see when you play youngsters you’re always going to find they hiccup at some point, and the best thing to do as a manager, and it may sound harsh, is to anticipate it and where you think it’s going to come, get the players out.

"They may say 'I’m playing well,' but you would say, 'have a couple of games in the reserves and then we’ll think about putting you back in.' You can create too much of a loyalty with players so that when they’re playing well you leave them there to then falter and go downhill and then of course its too late."

Although he's a Londoner by birth, his life remains tied to Newcastle. He currently presents a daily football show on north-east regional radio and fears for the immediate future of the club. Does he think they will stay up? "I'd be very surprised if they do, very surprised indeed." he said. "If they do, it will mean that they have put in performances in these three remaining home games of Portsmouth Middlesbrough and Fulham, they will need to put performances in there that they haven’t shown for a very long time."

Another of his old clubs, Luton Town, have been relegated from the Football League after being docked 30 points for financial problems. He fears for the long-term future of the club and said "I don’t know if it was right, I don’t know the precise rule breaking, but what I do know is they did some really stupid things and what made them think they’d get away with it... It's such a shame as well because a football club like that will not recover."



Macdonald is number 44 of Arsenal's top 50 greatest players: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gunners-greatest-players-44.-malcolm-macdonald

Arsenal Youth 4-1 Manchester City Youth, FA Youth Cup semi-final, Wednesday 22 April 2009

After a 2-1 away victory at Eastlands, Arsenal's youth team appeared to be in the driving seat going into the second leg of the FA Youth Cup semi-final at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

Over 9,000 fans turned up to see the young gunners play, a somewhat disappointing number given the record attendance at the same stage of last year's competition against Liverpool.

Those that did turn up however were treated to another Arsenal masterclass as Steve Bould's men made a very good City side look very ordinary.

The tie was effectively over after half an hour. In their first attack of the game, captain Jay Emmanuel-Thomas floated a sumptuous ball over the top for Sanchez Watt to chase in the first minute, some hesitation from the City defence meant the young Englishman was through one on one with Joe Clegg in the City goal. Watt calmly sent the 'keeper the wrong way and celebrated in true Arsenal style with a touchline dance.

Arsenal's players were quick to every ball with Emmanuel Frimpong putting in challenges at every opportunity and the diminutive Jack Wilshere was starting to find space in the midfield. The most well-known man in the Arsenal side then doubled the home teams advantage from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute.

Watt was brought down by the city goalkeeper after a misunderstanding between him and defender Reece Wabara. Wilshere stepped up to drill it in the bottom corner, although Clegg managed to get a hand on it low down to his left.

Wilshere was to have a say in Arsenal's third. His corner from the Arsenal right was met firmly at the back post by Kyle Bartley, the young Englishman added to the goal he scored against Tottenham in the previous round. It was 3-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate after only 29 minutes of play.

It was all too easy for Arsenal, and they didn't need any extra help from the City defence, but it duly arrived. Two minutes after Bartley's goal, Watt capitalised on some horrific defending to slide in his second and Arsenal's fourth on the night. Clegg passed to Wabara on the edge of the City box, the defender seemed to get it stuck under his feet and Watt took easily dispossessed him to put the ball under the despairing Clegg.

Arsenal looked like they could score at every opportunity. Emmanuel-Thomas had too much pace and power for City to handle, Wilshere was orchestrating play from the middle of the park and Francis Coquelin and Frimpong were controlling midfield.

Frimpong was maybe a bit too eager at times though and earned a yellow card for a succession of fouls.

City's players did not give up however and they almost pulled one back when the lively Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni seemed certain to score, only for Craig Eastmond to get there ahead of the Liberian striker.

Nimely-Tchuimeni and Slovakian Robbie Mak were starting to cause problems in the Arsenal defence but James Shea thwarted city on a number of occasions.

Ironically it was an injury to Nimely-Tchuimeni which led to City's goal. The Liberian's replacement, Jack Redshaw burst into the penalty area in first half stoppage time, he pulled the ball across to Ahmad Benali who fired past Shea.

With Arsenal in emphatic form, the crowd surely expected ore in the second half, but in all truth it was 45 minutes to miss. City put more pressure on the Arsenal backline, but Shea saved Arsenal's blushes by saving a number of attempts. Redshaw should have scored ten minutes after the restart but he shot well-over when it seemed easier to score.

Wilshere who was on the end of some petulance by City right-back Kieran Tripper earlier in the half, found space outside the area and curled an effort towards goal but it was always rising, and sailed just over the bar. It was to be his last contribution of the game as Luke Freeman replaced him with 10 minutes left.

Bould had also replaced Frenchman Gilles Sunu, who had a quiet night by his standards, with the prolific Benik Afobe and also took left-back Thomas Cruise off and replaced him with Cedric Evina in a like-for-like swap.

Arsenal saw the game out and can look forward to a meeting with either Liverpool or Birmingham in the final, which will give fans another opportunity to see this impressive group of youngsters in action, as one leg will be played at the Emirates.

Arsenal 3-0 Villarreal, Wednesday 15 April 2009

The Emirates was buzzing as the teams came out of the tunnel. After a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Villarreal, Arsenal fans sensed a place in the semi-finals for only the second time under Arsene Wenger, the players duly obliged.

Arsenal's players moved the ball around effortlessly like a toreador baiting a bull. Villarreal, efficient and dangerous for long periods in the first leg had lost Marcos Senna, their prize bull, ahead of the game. With another of their star turns, Santi Cazorla out injured, The Yellow Submarine were lacking creativity and Arsnenal,s passing and inventiveness was too much for the Spanish side.

Arsenal had problems of their own. Injuries to Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, William Gallas and Johann Djourou and Bacary Sagna's illness meant that Arsenal were left with only one of their first-choice back five but the defence was rarely troubled.

The home side started the brighter of the two teams and took the lead within ten minutes as Theo Walcott latched onto a Cesc Fabregas flick to lift the ball over the advancing Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez.

Emmanuel Adebayor calmly made it 2-0 on the hour mark after some good work by Robin Van Persie, then after Walcott was fouled in the area, Van Persie stepped up to blast a penalty into the back of the net to make the game safe at 3-0.

Lukasz Fabianski replace the injured Almunia in goal and Kieran Gibbs came in for Gael Clichy at left-back to make his first start in the competition. Mikael Silvestre replaced Gallas and Eboue slotted in at right back after Sagna was taken ill earlier in the day.

Andrey Arshavin remained cup-tied for the competition so Samir Nasri took up the left-wing berth. The in-form Alex Song kept his place in the side ahead of Denilson in the holding midfield role alongside captain Cesc Fabregas, while Theo Walcott started on the right.

Van Persie recovered from a groin strain to partner Emmanuel Adebayor upfront.

There was a return for Arsenal legend Robert Pires in the Villarreal midfield and Bruno replaced their captain Marcos Senna.

The game started at a fast and frantic pace with both teams creating early chances. Theo Walcott's dangerous cross caused panic in the Villarreal defence. Fabreags picked the ball up on the left and chipped a cross in to Van Perise who could only head over under pressure from Gonzalo Rodriguez.

Villarreal had an earl chance to score. Ex-Manchester United striker, Giuseppe Rossi, floated a free-kick into the area, it reached Diego Godin, but the defender's scissor kick was straight at the Polish 'keeper.

Arsenal had another chance soon afterwards, Fabregas cut the ball back to Adebayor who seemed to be caught in two minds when he'd maybe should have shot first-time.

The home side were starting to build up momentum and it showed in the 10th minute. Eboue's pass was cleverly back heeled by Fabregas to Walcott, wrong-footing Godin. The England winger raced onto the ball and as Villarreal goalkeeper Lopez rushed out, Walcott deftly lifted the ball over the Spaniard and into the far corner. It was a finish worthy of such an occasion

Arsenal looked to build on their advantage, but it was Villarreal who responded better after the goal. Pires and then Bruno both tired their luck but the Arsenal defence stood firm.

Twenty minutes after their first goal, Arsenal almost scored again. Van Perise curled a free-kick towards the corner of the goal and Lopez parried it, but only as far as the onrushing Adebayor. The Togoleses hitman seemed certain to score but his weak header was almost turned into his own net by Pries but Rodriguez saved the ex-Gunners blushes and cleared off of the line.

Arsenal fans and players alike thought it was in, but replays showed the referee made the correct decision.

Just before the break, Villarreal had a guilt-edged chance of their own. Godin broke free from his marker as a corner was swung in, and the centre-back directed a header towards goal. Luckily for Arsenal it cleared the crossbar.

The general feeling at half-time was one of optimism among the Arsenal faithful, but with Arsenal's defence looking less than convincing at times and with the pressure of away goals, the team needed to concentrate in the second period.

Arsenal and Villarreal continued trade neat moves with Pires, elegant as ever, moving to a more central position. But Arsenal were starting to turn the screw.

The pace and movement was starting to cause problems for the away defence, and fifteen minutes after the restart, it was 2-0 to the Arsenal.

Cesc Fabregas' powerful header was picked up by Van Persie, who jinked onto his left-foot. As two Villarreal defenders closed him down, expecting a shot, the Dutchman released Adebayor in the area, who coolly passed the ball past Lopes into the corner of the net with the outside of his boot.

Abedayor has been criticised at times for his lack of instinctive finishing but this finish which was his sixth in sixth Champions League games would prove many doubters wrong.

The players celebrated with a jig in the corner bizarrely matched on the bench by Arsene Wenger.

Villarreal now needed two goals to advance to the semi-finals, a task which looked virtually impossible given Arsenal were starting to get into an ominous rhythm.

The away players heads seemed to drop and Arsenal continued to play attacking football. Theo Walcott was proving to be Arsenal's best outlet and when the young winger turned, Godin made a challenge. The defender seemed to make contact with the ball first and then Walcott but the referee awarded a penalty, much to the disdain of the Villarreal players.

Sebastian Eguren took his protests too far, however, and after touching the referee was awarded his second yellow card of the game. It seemed to take an eternity for the Uruguayan to leave the field, but Van Persie was not put off and powered the penalty past Lopez, cue more dancing.

With the game seemingly over, Wenger replaced all three goalscorers with Saturday's FA Cup semi-final in mind. Nicklas Bendtner, Abou Diaby and Denilson came on.

The fans, in the comfortable knowledge that they were through to the semi-final of this competition, started to honour Robert Pires with the traditional chants of "Super, super Rob..."

The man who was withdrawn by Wenger in Arsenals Champions League final defeat to Barcelona would be disappointed once more but as the final whistle went the ex-Gunner was given a standing ovation befitting of his legendary status as one of the invincibles.