Arsenal 1-2 Birmingham City Player Ratings

Arsenal disappointingly threw away their chance to end the trophy drought at Wembley on Sunday. It was a brilliant game that ended with a defensive error costing Arsenal the victory the players and fans came to Wembley to get.

Wojciech Szczesny 5/10
Didn't have a good game and will need to be bounce back. Should have been sent off at the start of the match and also contirbuted to the winner at the end. He has the talent and confidence however to continue to be a top goalkeeper.

Bacary Sagna 5.5/10
Mr Reliable wasn't at his best against Birmingham but did make a couple of important tackles throughout.

Laurent Koscielny 4/10
He has been superb recentely but a lack of concentration cost him and the side on Sunday. Like Szczesny he has the ability to bounce back and continue to play at the top level.

Gael Clichy 5/10
Very poor from the Frenchman. His positioning was awful throughout and will need to improve to keep his place in the side ahead of Kieran Gibbs.

Alex Song 5.5/10
Failed to dominate the midfield, despite doing so for every other game this season.

Jack Wilshere 8/10
A truly superb performance from the youngster. He ran the Arsenal midfield in the absence of Cesc and nearly scored a superb goal. If any of the players deserved a winners medal it was Wilshere.

Tomas Rosicky 4.5/10
Looked lost and didn't contribute at all offensively.

Samir Nasri 7.5/10
A good game for the Frenchman, one of our better players going forward.

Robin Van Persie 7.5/10
Scored a fabulous goal but that was all he did for the side. He's also now injured, which is a huge blow for the team.

Andrey Arshavin 7.5/10
A strong energetic performance from the Russian.

Man of the Match: Jack Wilshere
He ran the midfield and nearly scored a superb goal. An incredible showing from a 19 year old, one can only imagine how good he will be in his prime years.

Arsenal 1-2 Birmingham City

Arsenal failed to bring home the Carling Cup after a brilliant game at Wembley against Birmingham City. It means Arsenal's wait for a trophy will continue and all hopes of completing an unprecedented quadruple are over for the Arsenal. Arsenal never really got into the final and some of the players could be accused of not handling the pressure they were put under especially by the press. For the majority of these players it was their first final in professional football, but this was also the case for many of the Birmingham players. Birmingham scored the first goal after Johan Djourou failed to stay marking Zigic, but in all honesty the huge forward would of still won the header anyway. Arsenal replied quickly with a superbly taken goal by Robin Van Persie. It was a brilliant volley which gave the impressive Ben Foster absolutely no chance. At the time this appeared to be a turning point in the game, and Arsenal should of put the game to bed throughout the second half but Ben Foster was superb in goal for Birmingham. A glaring defensive error by Koscielny 2 minutes from the end presented Martins with an easy chance to score and win Birmingham the Carling Cup, much to the disappointment of the Arsenal players, fans and of course Arsene Wenger.

A great goal from the Dutchman

Birmingham began the game brightly and were very unlucky not to receive an early penalty after Szczesny brought down Lee Bowyer. It was given offside but the replays clearly showed Lee Bowyer was at least 2 yards onside due to Clichy's awful positioning. This was an awful decision by the linesman, but it kept the game at 0-0 and luckily for Szczesny kept him on the pitch. Arsenal were however later punished on a set piece as Zigic scored from a corner in the 28th minute. Johan Djourou was marking him but gave the huge striker far too much room and gave him an easy chance to score. Zigic should of scored a second not much later as he was one on one with Szczesny. He proved he is useless with his feet and hit the strike right at Szczesny who saved easily keeping Arsenal in the game. After this save Arsenal grew into the game with some brilliant passing moves. Jack Wilshere started a move from his own box which resulted in him striking a wonderful shot against the crossbar. This however led to a brilliant effort from Van Persie after Arshavin crossed for the Dutchman to fire home the equaliser. It was a well worked goal and a great finish from what looked like an impossible chance for Van Persie.

 The second half began with the Arsenal on the front foot but Birmingham still played well and Arsenal couldn't break through to score a second goal. Arsenal had quite a lot of chances but Foster denied the Arsenal attack brilliantly. Jack Wilshere continued to impress and was our star player, but Tomas Rosicky looked like a non-league player. In the last couple of seasons hes become awful and seemed lost every time the ball came to him and I believe Bendtner should of started ahead of him. Then disaster struck in the 89th minute after a catastrophic error from Koscielny and Szczesny. A harmless ball was played into the Arsenal box and Zigic won the header, Koscielny should of easily cleared the ball but failed to do so resulting in the ball landing at the feet of Martins who scored one of the easiest goals you'll ever see in a cup final. It was a huge mistake by Koscielny who should of just cleared the ball which would of taken the match into extra time. Szczesny was also at fault but I believe both of these players have the mental strength to come back from this and learn from their mistakes and become better players as a result.

A costly error from Arsenal.

 All in all it was a hugely disappointing game for Arsenal. They were favourites for the match and a trophy would have been a huge confidence builder for the young side who haven't experienced a trophy as of yet. Jack Wilshere was the main good point from an Arsenal perspective, and the rest of the team were nowhere near the level we know they are capable of. I believe the team will learn from this defeat and will now be desperate to win one or more of the remaining trophies we are left in. We still have a great chance in all three competitions and I'm sure the trophy drought will end soon for the gunners.

Carling Cup Final Preview: Is the trophy drought going to end?

Arsenal are taking on Birmingham City tomorrow afternoon at Wembley Stadium in the Carling Cup final. If Arsenal win the game it will be our first trophy since 2005 and will be a major step forward for the players and the club. The club captain Fabregas along with Walcott will miss the final due to injury but the Arsenal team should still have enough to beat Birmingham on Sunday. After all Andrey Arshavin will be one of the players coming into the starting XI, who on his day is one of the best players in England. Unlike previous seasons we now also have a solid spine to the team, which includes Szczesny, Djourou, Song, Nasri and Van Persie. These 5 players especially will be key on Sunday. Tomorrow will however still be a huge test for Arsene's team, and it will be a huge turning point in our season if we win but also if we lose. A win will spur us on towards winning more trophies and closing the gap on United, a loss however would be a huge blow for the side, but I believe Arsenal will end the trophy drought comfortably on Sunday.

Goalkeeper
Wojciech Szczesny will start in goal and he is the exact type of player you want in your side in a cup final. He is full of confidence and his recent performances have been incredible.

Right Back
Bacary Sagna will start at right back keeping Eboue on the bench. He is an experienced and reliable defender who should cope with the pressure of a cup final well.

Centre Back's
Johan Djourou will partner Laurent Koscielny at the back for Arsenal. The duo have built a great partnership, but will need to defend well to deal with Zigic and Martins.

Left Back
Gael Clichy will continue at left back and is another experienced member of the side.

Defensive Midfield
Alex Song will play in the defensive midfield role for the Arsenal. He is a very important player and will need to have a good game tomorrow.

Centre Midfield
Jack Wilshere will start alongside Alex Song. He is only 19 and a cup final would be too much pressure for most youngsters. Jack isn't like most youngsters though and plays like he has been playing at the top level for years, and I'm sure he will be brilliant in the final.

Attacking Midfield
Samir Nasri will play in his favoured central role due to the Cesc Fabregas injury. He was superb in Cesc's position earlier in the season  and will hopefully continue tomorrow.

Right Wing
Nicklas Bendtner will start on the right wing for the Arsenal in the all important cup final. He has improved a lot recentely and has the confidence to play in a major cup final. He could finally make himself a favourite with the fans.

Centre Forward
Robin Van Persie will captain the side at Wembley tomorrow. He has been magnificent recentely and has the ability to destroy the Birmingham defence. He will be key tomorrow and if he plays like he has recentely we will win the match.

Left Wing
Andrey Arshavin will start on the left wing tomorrow afternoon. He has the potential to win the game on his own, but which Arshavin will turn up for the final tomorrow?

I believe this XI should easily have enough to beat Birmingham if we play well as a team. Obviously we are missing Fabregas but Arshavin isn't exactly a bad replacement. I am predicting a 2-0 victory for the Arsenal with goals from Bendtner and Van Persie.

Arsenal 1-0 Stoke Player Ratings

Arsenal defeated Stoke in an important match at the Emirates on Wednesday night. We won the match due to a Squillaci goal, but lost Fabregas and Walcott during the match to injury. This could be a big blow to Arsenal's attempt to win an unprecedented quadruple, but luckily Cesc looks like he will only miss the one match, however Theo may be out for much longer.

Wojciech Szczesny 7.5/10
The young keeper dealt well with the aerial assault from Stoke. A very assured and confident game for Szczesny.

Bacary Sagna 7/10
 A good game for the Frenchman, confident defending and going forward especially in the first half.

Sebastien Squillaci 7.5/10
For the first time Squillaci has had a good game for the Arsenal. Scored an important goal and even more surprisingly looked ok in defence.

Johan Djourou 7/10
Played well and dealt well with many crosses into the Arsenal penalty area.

Gael Clichy 7/10
Played well, once again ensuring his position as first choice left back over the young Kieran Gibbs.

Alex Song 7.5/10
Dominated the midfield and didn't give Stoke a chance to play the ball through the Arsenal midfield.

Jack Wilshere 7.5/10
The youngster gets better and better and has developed a truly superb partnership with Alex Song, which will develop into one of the world's best midfield pairings.

Cesc Fabregas 7/10
Wasn't on the pitch for long but was excellent until he got injured. Nearly provided the Arsenal with a couple of early goals.

Theo Walcott 7/10
Played well until he got injured and really should of scored early on twice.

Nicklas Bendtner 7.5/10
Led the line well and was a performance that will start to win the fans back.

Samir Nasri 6.5/10
Not his best game, but played quite well once moving into Cesc's position.

Substitutes

 Denilson 6.5/10
Kept possession well at the end of the match.  


Marouane Chamakh 6.5/10
Didn't really have to do much but also kept the ball well.

Andrey Arshvin 7/10
 Played well out on the left wing and will now start on Sunday due to the absence of Cesc and Theo.

Man of the match: Jack Wilshere
 Played really well especially once Cesc left and he run the midfield in his absence.

Arsenal 1-0 Stoke: Arsenal grind out a victory

Arsenal defeated Stoke City at the Emirates in a very tough match. Arsenal scored an early goal but Stoke never gave in and could of easily scored in the second half. The victory takes Arsenal within a point of Manchester United, and was the type of victory needed to win the Premier League. Squillaci of all people scored early on in the match to give us the lead. However the victory has came at a cost as Fabregas and Walcott both look to have got injured. Cesc appears to have been taken off as a precaution but Theo is deficiently out of this weekends final. This could prove to be a huge blow for our season and hopefully they will both return to action soon.

The opening goal.

 Arsenal started the game superbly with Theo Walcott nearly scoring two goals. Cesc and Samir particularly looked in the mood and were completely dominating Stoke. The goal came in the 8th minute most surprisingly from a set piece against Stoke. Our main worry coming into the game was the threat Stoke posed from set pieces, and it was a huge surprise to see Arsenal take the lead from a corner. The goalscorer was also Squillaci, this was maybe the first good moment of his Arsenal career. However Cesc Fabregas was subbed not soon after and appeared to have a hamstring injury. The good news was he managed to walk off and I believe he was taken off as a precaution. Andrey Arshavin replaced Cesc with Samir dropping into the midfield from the left wing. This seemed to have an effect on the team and we didn't look as dangerous going forward. Stoke didn't cause us any problems until the end of the 1st half where Szczesny saved superbly from John Carew.  He had hardly been tested but was still able to concentrate and save the powerful shot.

 The second half began with Stoke well and truly on the front foot. They believed they could get something out of the game and looked the better team. Stoke created a couple of chances throughout the second half and could of easily scored. However Shawcross missed a simple header much to the delight of the Arsenal fans who had booed him throughout, due to the Aaron Ramsey injury last year. In the last couple of minutes Arsenal kept the ball confidently and played out the stoppage time with ease.

 This was a huge victory for the Arsenal and could prove to be a very important match at the end of the season in the Premier League race. It was the sort of match we simply wouldn't of won last season, and Song and Co proved to be invaluable against a tough tackling Stoke side. Despite Stoke playing well in the second half we still deserved the victory and it is another step towards winning the Premier League at the end of the season.

The cost of still competing in all four competitions

Arsenal are still challenging for all four trophies and the fixtures are starting to mount up for the Gunners. We are competing in the Premier League, Champions League, Carling Cup and FA Cup. We haven't been in this situation before and it shows how much better the squad is this year over previous seasons. We should win the Carling Cup on Sunday leaving us with only 3 competitions left, even though it would only be 3 we would still have a large number of fixtures left. We have made a habit of drawing FA Cup matches and have a replay soon along with the Carling Cup Final, Premier League games and the return leg of the Barcelona game.

 We have five games in the next two weeks and every single game is vitally important to our season and how it ends. Realistically we should win the Carling Cup on Sunday and we should be still challenging for the Premier League in a couple of weeks as a win tonight would leave us just one point behind United. In my opinion we are capable of overtaking United as they have to face Chelsea twice and Liverpool as well, we have the easier fixtures and we should win the majority of our matches. We will need to be at our best however and hope that Chelsea rediscover some form also. However I believe the league will be decided when United come to the Emirates, with an Arsenal loss handing United the title and vice versa.

 The Champions League will also be very difficult but we do have the advantage of taking a one goal lead with us to the Nou Camp. If we are at best we should get the result we need especially with Puyol, Pique, Valdes and Xavi all potentially out of the tie. The FA Cup could also be decided with a game against United as a win will leave us as the favourites for the competition but first we need to defeat Leyton Orient in the replay at the Emirates.

 We are facing Stoke in a must win game this evening, however all of games from now on are must win if we want to win 2 or more trophies this season. We have the potential to win all four but I believe 2 trophies is the most likely result for our season.

Arsenal VS Stoke City Match Preview

Arsenal face Stoke City tomorrow evening at the Emirates Stadium. It is a key game in the Arsenal's season and is one we have to win to stay in the Premier League race. The match should of been played a while back but due to the bad weather it has been postponed until tomorrow. We have improved recentely against the so called tougher teams and we should be able to defeat Stoke. Despite the poor performance at the weekend the team is in great form and many of the players from the weekend won't be playing anyway. We do however have a couple of injuries, these are Robin Van Persie and Johan Djourou. Annoyingly these may well be our two best players at the moment and they have been in excellent form. We will have to face Stoke without them but they should be back for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday fortunately. I am now going to look at the Starting XI Wenger should use to defeat Stoke.

Goalkeeper
Wojciech Szczesny will return in goal to the relief of the Arsenal fans. He has been brilliant this season so far, and we look a far better team with him playing instead of the awful Almunia.

Defence
Right Back
Bacary Sagna will continue at right back. He has been playing well consistently and will hopefully continue to do so tomorrow evening.

Centre Back's
There is bad news on the centre back's as the key defender Johan Djourou is injured. This means that Squillaci will have to partner Koscielny at the back. They have never played well together but can hopefully start tomorrow against Stoke City. It will be a big test for the duo but they should have the physical strength to deal with Stoke.

Left Back
Gael Clichy will replace Kieran Gibbs at left back and will hopefully continue in the form he showed against Barcelona.

Midfield
Defensive Midfield
Alex Song will continue in the important defensive midfield role for Arsenal. He has been superb recentely and we will need him at his best against a team like Stoke

Centre Midfield
Jack Wilshere will return after being rested at the weekend. He has been one of our best players this season and will hopefully have another good game.

Attacking Midfield
The captain will return to run the midfield and hopefully take Arsenal to victory. He is far better than Tomas Rosicky and the rest of the team seem to love playing with Cesc Fabregas.

Attack
Right Wing
Theo Walcott will be back in the side hoping to torment the Stoke defence. His pace could be key especially as the Stoke defence isn't the quickest.

Centre Forward
I knew it couldn't last and Robin Van Persie is now injured. It is only going to keep him out of this game luckily but it is still a huge blow for the Gunners. I would play Nicklas Bendtner in his absence as Chamakh has been poor recentely and could do with the wake up call of Bendtner being picked ahead of him.

Left Wing
Samir Nasri will start his first League game for a while. He has been in great form of late and will hopefully continue especially in the absence of Van Persie.

This is a very strong Arsenal side,that should be capable of beating Stoke. The defensive duo of Squillaci and Koscielny will have to be better than in the past to have any chance of winning though. I believe with Song and Szczesny also playing they will be ok and I'm predicting a 2-1 victory for the Gunners.