How will Arsenal deal with the loss of Star player Samir Nasri?

Arsenal will have to cope without the flying Frenchman.

Samir Nasri injured his hamstring on Sunday and looks like he will be out for 3 weeks, therefore missing the first Barcelona game. Samir has been magnificent this season and has been tipped to be the frontrunner for the player of the year award. He's been on form for a while now and especially when Cesc was out of the side. Arsenal have now got to play without him for about 3 weeks, I'm going to look at the various options available to Arsenal to replace the Frenchman.


                                                                                       1) Andrey Arshavin

Can Andrey return to his best?

     The Russian used to be a certain starter in the left wing position for Arsenal, but due to his poor form and Nasri's excellent form he has spent most of his time on the bench. Andrey is a proven performer and should be more than capable of replacing Samir on the left wing. However he will need to get back to his best quickly,otherwise he may still find himself sitting on the bench. Andrey is a big game player and I'm sure he will love the opportunity to play against Barcelona and this should motivate him to up his form in time for the visit of Barcelona to the Emirates. 


2) Switching Van Persie to the left wing
  Robin Van Persie is clearly our best centre forward. Although it may be in the best interests of Arsenal for him to start on the left in the absence of Samir. Due to the fluidity of  Arsenal's front 3, Robin rarely stays in the centre for the whole game and the front 3 drift across the front line constantly. Robin is also a left footer and therefore the left side position would suit him. He used to play there a lot in his youth and will still do a good job for the team. This however opens up the central forward position to Chamakh and Bendtner. Chamakh hasn't played like he was at the start of the season for a while and do Arsenal fans really want Bendtner leading the line against Barcelona, despite his recent improvement. Neither of these strikers are on top form and it would be a risk to select them for the central role. 


3) Jack Wilshere moving from his deep midfield role to the left wing?
  Jack is now a definite starter for the Arsenal, and has played the majority of his games alongside Song in midfield. In his past Jack played in a more offensive role either on the left wing or behind the striker. Therefore he has experience of playing on the left wing and I'm sure he'd impress on the wing like he does in the middle. He is a good option to replace Samir, but someone will obviously need to take his place in midfield. Abou Diaby has recentely returned from injury and he'd be the obvious replacement for young Jack in the midfield. He is inconsistent, but can be brilliant at times and I'm sure Wenger wouldn't mind having him start even against Barcelona. 


4) Tomas Rosicky

Will Tomas be given his chance?

   The Czech international has recentely returned from injury and is a talented and creative player in a similar mould to Samir himself. He looks to be an ideal replacement but he is nowhere near the level of Nasri and I'm not sure he's good enough to play regularly in Samir's absence and he has said himself he prefers a central role. He is however a hugely experienced player and this experience could be vital in big games against Barcelona. 


5) Could Theo start on the left wing?
  This is the least likely option but is still a possibility. Theo could start on the left leaving Bendtner to take up the right sided role. This would however not be in Theo's best interests and I don't think he would have the same impact starting on the left hand side. It would also mean starting Bendtner who has been impressive recentely but is still unreliable and may not perform against world class opposition such as Barcelona.
      
  I believe Arsenal have the strength in depth to deal with the loss of Samir Nasri for the next 3 weeks. We do have important games coming up and some of the players will need to work harder in the absence of Nasri. Fabregas is going to have to take on even more responsibility but he is certainly capable of doing this. I think Arsene's best option is to give Andrey his place back in the team and to hope he can regain his best form in time for the Barcelona game especially. He is a world class player on his day and should be able to do this. If he still doesn't regain his form in time for the Barcelona game, Wenger should utilise Van Persie on the wing and start Chamakh or Bendtner through the middle. Arsenal are playing Everton tomorrow and I'll be back with a match preview in the afternoon. 

Arsenal 2-1 Huddersfield Town Player Ratings

Arsenal reached the last 16 of the Cup with a far from perfect performance at the Emirates against Huddersfield Town.

Manuel Almunia 5/10
 The Spaniard returned to the side to the disappointment of many Arsenal fans. To be fair he did make one good save but seemed indecisive throughout especially on the Huddersfield goal. Szczesny will return in goal for the Everton game.

Emmanuel Eboue 5/10
  A poor performance from the full back. As usual tried too many fancy tricks and gave the ball away regularly. He got forward well on occasions but lacked the final pass. Bacary will return on Tuesday.

Sebastien Squillaci 4/10
 Looked to be playing well until the red card. It was a certain red as he was the last man, but most defenders would of done the same in his situation.

Laurent Koscielny 6/10
 Not at his best but was fairly solid in defence. Could have been better in the air but for the majority of the game he was playing with Song, who hasn't played at centre half for a while.

Kieran Gibbs 4/10
 Very poor from the young Englishman. Was caught too forward on many occasions and led Arsenal into trouble.

Denilson 5/10
 Not brilliant for Denilson, as he gave the ball away on many occasions. Jack Wilshere definitely is the better option and will start on Tuesday.

Abou Diaby 7/10
 Abou returned from injury and put in a good performance for Arsenal. Far from his best but held the midfield together at times.

Samir Nasri 6//10
 Wasn't in the game much and didn't have a huge influence. He picked up a hamstring injury which looks to be keeping him out for 3 weeks.

Nicklas Bendtner 7.5/10
  Led the line well in the second half winning Arsenal the penalty which Cesc scored. He was also involved with the first goal but his shot did appear to be off target. He looks to be steadily improving and settling into the Arsenal attack.

Marouane Chamakh 6/10
  Disappointing from the striker, had little influence on the game, but didn't let the side down.

Andrey Arshavin 5.5/10
 Looked lively at the start of the match but once again was awful in the final third wasting many opportunities. He will now need to step up his game due to Samir's injury.

Substitutes: 
Cesc Fabregas 8/10
 Changed the match when he came on in the 69th minute. Arsenal looked far better when he came on and he scored the vital penalty. A true Captain's performance from the midfield maestro.

Tomas Rosicky 7.5/10
  One of the impressive players for Arsenal. Came off the bench in the 32nd minute and played some excellent passes.

Alex Song 6.5/10
  Had to come on at half time to fill in at centre back. Played fairly well but could of done better on occasions.

Man of the match: Cesc Fabregas

Cesc celebrating the winner.

  Changed the game when he came on for Diaby. He inspired the team once again and in the absence of Samir Nasri will have to continue to play as he has been recentely.

Arsenal 2-1 Huddersfield Town

Arsenal scraped through to the last 16 of the Cup, with an unimpressive victory over the League 1 side. Once again a late Fabregas penalty decided the result, except this time we progress to the next round without the need of a replay. Arsenal struggled to impress especially in the 2nd half when we had to play with ten men due to the Squillaci sending off. Wenger made some interesting team selections, which included the return of Manuel Almunia. The majority of Gunners thought they had seen the last of the Spaniard but that doesn't seem to be the case just yet. Squillaci and Diaby also returned from injury and Bendtner kept his place on the right wing. This gave some key players a rest, including Johan Djourou and Robin Van Persie, who will return on Tuesday night for the Everton game.

Bendtner scoring the opener?

 Arsenal started the game quite brightly but were wasteful with their chances until Bendtner scored in the 21st minute. There is some debate as to whether the goal should be Bendtner's as his shot appeared to be off target until it took a big deflection. None the less the Dane will definitely take it as his goal. Later in the first half Samir Nasri pulled up with a hamstring injury. It looks like he will be out for three weeks which means he will miss the Barcelona tie, which is a huge loss for the Arsenal. He was replaced by Tomas Rosicky who also had just come back from illness. Wenger had wanted to play Tomas from the start but he wasn't ready for 90 minutes, but was forced into action when Samir injured his hamstring. Three minutes before half time, Jack Hunt went on a brilliant run from right back, and was blocked off by Sebastien Squillaci who was the last defender. It was a clear sending off and Squillaci will be disappointed with himself getting sent off after just returning from injury.

Not what the Arsenal fans wanted to see.

 As the second half began Huddersfield Town appeared to be inspired by having the extra man and put Arsenal under serious pressure. In contrast Arsenal were very poor for the majority of the second half. Tomas Rosicky was the only player, playing well at the start of the second half and Eboue and Denilson were very poor. Arsenal were giving the ball away constantly and couldn't appear to string more than two passes together. The players didn't seem to be putting the effort in and Kieran Gibbs looked far from his best at left back. It was from a set piece that Huddersfield Town equalised in the 66th minute of the game. Manuel Almunia didn't seem to have a clue what he was doing as he stood on the edge of the 6 yard box and then moved back to the goal line deciding not to catch the ball. This decision cost Arsenal and is why he is no longer the Number 1.

 Wenger decided to use our final substitution to bring on the captain Fabregas. He immediately made the difference and Arsenal looked far more dangerous with him playing in the middle. In the 86th minute Nicklas Bendtner won a penalty as he was denied a goal-scoring opportunity. However the ref saw it differently and only gave a yellow which makes no sense after the Squillaci red card in the first half. The Spaniard took the penalty confidently and never looked like he was going to miss. It takes Arsenal into the next round where we will have to play at Leyton Orient. It is another a League 1 side, but away from home it will be very different to this tie.

Cesc scores the winner once again.

 The downside of this victory, wasn't just the poor team performance but the injuries to Samir Nasri and Denilson. It looks like Samir will be out for 3 weeks which is a huge loss for Arsenal. It also means Andrey really needs to pick his game up as he is the likely replacement for the Frenchman. He was poor again today and needs to regain form sharply. Arsenal didn't really deserve the victory today, but in the end they managed to grind out a result with only ten men. This shows a strong spirit throughout the side, as at 1-1 an Arsenal side of previous years wouldn't of scored the vital winner. It was positive to have players returning from injury such as Abou Diaby, who could have a large role to play towards the end of the season. Arsenal face Everton on Tuesday, not leaving them much time between these games, but players like Van Persie didn't feature and will therefore be ready for the Everton game.

Arsenal VS Huddersfield Town Preview

Tomorrow lunchtime Arsenal will be facing Huddersfield Town in the 5th round of the oldest cup competition in world football. Huddersfield Town are currently in football league 1 and challenging for promotion. They are therefore 2 divisions below the Arsenal, and this makes Arsenal strong favourites to progress to the next round of the cup. Arsenal and their supporters see the Fa Cup as another good chance of a trophy, and despite our opposition being from League 1 Wenger should still field a strong side for the match. The key to beating Huddersfield will be to play our usual game, be patient and eventually chances will arrive for Arsenal.

  Arsene will be wary of the threat Huddersfield will bring with them to the Emirates and will have some key selection decisions to make. The goalkeeper is an interesting situation as despite Wenger saying Szczesny is now our number 1 he has hinted that Almunia may return from injury for the game. He will also need to rotate players for the game against Everton coming up on Tuesday. This is the starting XI I believe Wenger will chose for tomorrows game.

Goalkeeper
 Manuel Almunia looks to be returning to the side, to give Szczesny a game off and to keep him fir for the visit of Everton to the Emirates.

Defence
  Right Back
Emmanuel Eboue will come in at right back as part of the rotation policy. Sagna may still not be fully fit but will be for the Everton game on Tuesday

Centre Back's
Sebastien Squillaci has returned from injury and I believe he will partner Laurent Koscielny in defence. This will Djourou a well deserved game off and a chance for Squillaci to build up his match fitness after injury.

Left Back
Kieran Gibbs will come in at left back replacing Gael Clichy. He needs games and will of been dissapointed not to start against Ipswich in the week. However this will still be a good chance for Kieran to show what he is capable of.

Midfield
Defensive Midfield
Alex Song should return after being rested during the week, as it would be unlikely for him to be rested for consecutive games.

Central Midfield
Abou Diaby may return from injury and this would be an ideal game to come into. If he isn't fully fit Denilson will start in his place.

Attacking Midfield
Andrey Arshavin may start in his preferred role behind the striker. I believe this would help him to regain form at this vital stage of the season

Attack
Right Wing
Nicklas Bendtner will continue in the right wing role for the game. Hopefully he can build on an impressive performance in the last match.

Centre Forward
Marouane Chamakh will be given a chance to impress against Huddersfield town, giving Robin a rest.

Left Wing
Theo Walcott may be forced to play from the left wing but this shouldn't effect his game.

A chance to shine leading the Arsenal attack for Chamakh.

 This team should have the capability to beat Huddersfield. It will also keep key players rested for the Everton game. I'm predicting a 4-0 victory for the Arsenal.

The Importance Of Alex Song To Arsenal

An example of Song's brilliant tackling. 

The Cameroonian midfield player has developed over the last couple of seasons to be one of the first names on Wenger's team sheet. He arrived in England as a centre back in August 2005, but struggled to ever hold down a position in a defence dominated by players like Toure and Campbell. It was at the start of the 2008/2009 season that Song featured regularly as a defensive midfielder due to Flamini deciding to leave the club. When Flamini left for the big money on offer at AC Milan, the Arsenal fans were desperate for Arsene to sign a defensive midfielder to replace him but Wenger had obviously seen Alex as the man for the role. Song made 48 appearances in all competitions normally playing with Cesc in the middle of the park. When the 2009/2010 season started, Wenger switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation and this has suited Song perfectly. He plays in the defensive midfield role, but not as a simple anchor man due to players like Wilshere and Denilson alongside him behind Fabregas. He made 25 starts in the league last season and has already made 21 starts this season.

Song's interesting hairstyle for the 2010/2011 season.

 The role Song plays for Arsenal often goes unnoticed due to the defensive nature of his game but this season he has developed an attacking side to his game, scoring a few goals in the process from midfield. He has formed a brilliant understanding with Wilshere and when one goes forward, the other knows to stay back and they share the defensive duties well. I believe Song has been one of the reasons for Jack's incredible rise to being in Arsenal's starting XI at the age of 19. Song himself is only 23, but plays like a hugely experienced player and this comes from the amount of games he has played despite being 23. He has started 121 times in all competitions and scored 9 goals as well.

 Song is known for his excellent tackling and the ability to shield Arsenal's back four from the other teams midfield. He breaks down so many attacking moves from the opposition and is the unsung hero of the current Arsenal side. I am sure Alex will continue to play an important role for Arsenal in this season and the considerable future. Arsenal's fans always breath a sigh of relief when he is in the side as he brings defensive stability and gives players like Cesc and Samir the license to attack. He has played a big role in Samir's great performances this season and hopefully will continue to do so.

The emergence of Jack Wilshere

Jack making his first Premiership start.

Jack Wilshere only recently turned 19 but he is already an established regular in the Arsenal side. Due to injuries to key midfielders at the start of the season Jack made his first start for Arsenal in the Premier League. This was not an easy introduction in a tough game at Anfield, but Jack impressed and has now gone on to become a regular with Song and Fabregas in the middle of the park. 

Jack winning trophies at just 8 years old.

 Jack signed for Arsenal's academy back when he was only 9 years old and in the past 10 years has risen through the ranks incredibly quickly to where he is today. Wilshere still holds the record today for Arsenal's youngest Premier league player, when he replaced Robin Van Persie at just 16 years and 256 days. However it has been this season that Jack has really made his mark on the team and the world football stage. He has now started 33 times in all competitions and came off the bench on a further 11 occasions. Jack has been playing in the left holding role of Arsenals three man midfield. He has developed an excellent understanding with Alex Song especially and the pair have played a key role in Arsenal's impressive season so far and I am sure they will continue to do so. 


 When Jack moved on loan to Bolton last January it was a very important stage of his career and always will be. By going to Bolton Jack was going to get far more opportunities to play than in the superior Arsenal midfield. This was vital experience for Jack and he came back to Arsenal ready to start games and a far better player than he was before. He mainly developed the physical and defensive sides of his game at Bolton and this has paid off with him now playing in a holding role in Arsenal's 4-2-3-1 formation. This was an ideal club for Wilshere to go out on loan to as it is very different to Arsenal and would of taught him more about the Premier League than sitting on the bench at the Emirates for the remainder of the 2009/2010 season. 

Jack in the recent game against City.

 If there was one aspect of his game Jack would want to develop it would be scoring goals. He has only managed 3 this season, but that doesn't undermine how impressive his season has been so far. In my opinion he is now a key player for the Arsenal and looks considerably better than Denilson for example in the central midfield position. He will continue to be important for Arsenal for many years to come, and will in the near future become a regular for England, more than likely by Euro 2012. I see Jack as the complete modern footballer, he has all the qualities you need to succeed in the modern game from precision passing to tough tackling. Jack has said himself his aim is to eventually captain Arsenal and this is certainly possible for a player of his calibre. After all he is only 19 and has cemented his place in a leading English club and the football world is truly at his feet. 

Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich Town Player Ratings

Arsenal reached the cup final in style last night, with an impressive all round performance.

Wojciech Szczesny 7/10 

 Once again a solid performance from the young Polish keeper. Rarely troubled but another step towards becoming the Arsenal number 1. 

Bacary Sagna 7/10

 Not in the game for long, due to a head injury during a collision with Wojciech Szczesny. Hopefully will be fully fit for the important Everton game on Tuesday night. He will miss the Huddersfield game but Eboue would of been likely to play anyway. 

Johan Djourou 7/10

  Another impressive performance from the Switzerland centre back. Now looks to be fully back from his previous injury troubles. 

Laurent Koscielny 7.5/10

 Laurent took his goal well from the corner with a powerful header. He was also reliable in defence and played well with Johan. 

Gael Clichy 7/10

 Surprising pick ahead of Kieran Gibbs who usually starts the game. However he is the more reliable option and proved this once again against Ipswich. 

Jack Wilshere 8/10

 The Englishman proved his ability again in the centre of the park. Jack is now in Arsenal's strongest XI due to his good form this season. 

Denilson 7/10 

 The young Brazilian had a good game and linked well with Jack and Cesc.

Cesc Fabregas 8/10

  Orchestrated the game from the middle as usual and took his goal brilliantly towards the end of the game. 

Nicklas Bendtner 8/10

 Nicklas scored one of his most important goals for the Arsenal. It was a well placed finish but he needs to continue doing this to win back the Arsenal faithful. 

Robin Van Persie 7/10

 Led the Arsenal attack from the front, and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet once again. 

Andrey Arshavin 7/10

  Andrey had another varied performance. He made many mistakes but was involved in the build up to Cesc's goal with a one-two. 

Man of the match: Nicklas Bendtner

 Nicklas wins the man of the match award due to taking his goal so well, which set Arsenal up to score more goals to clinch a place in the final. 

Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich Town Wembley Final To Look Forward To

Arsenal reached the Carling Cup final last night with a comprehensive victory over Ipswich Town. After a disappointing first leg Arsenal had to go for it at the Emirates. Wenger's strong team selection emphasised this point with Van Persie and Cesc both starting. This showed how for once Arsene was taking the Carling Cup seriously and sees it as a trophy which would act as a spark for greater things for the Gunners.

 From the beginning Arsenal dominated possession with Ipswich only really touching the ball when kicking it into Arsenal's half for Djourou and Koscielny to start an attack again. Throughout the match Arsenal had 72% of the possession and this showed in the 3-0 result. For the majority of the first half Arsenal kept getting close but the final ball was lacking with all of the forwards guilty of missed chances and bad decisions. However going in at half-time the players must of still been very confident of getting the victory their performance was warranting. It was simply a case continuing the same way and eventually the chances would be taken.

A sign of what the Dane is capable of doing. 

 Wenger refrained from making any subs at half-time despite having Theo and Samir waiting on the bench. Bendtner was one of the players expected to be substituted but Wenger's decision to keep him on paid off in the 61st minute. Nicklas scored a brilliant goal cutting in from the left hand side and placing the ball in the corner of the net away from Fulop. It was a quality pass from young Jack Wilshere who once again impressed from the middle of the park. The goal should be a huge lift for Bendtner who has struggled for goals recentely and many fans have been criticising his recent performances. Hopefully this goal can act as a catalyst for Bendtner and I'm sure he will now start against Huddersfield in the Fa Cup on Sunday.

Laurent and Johan celebrating the second goal. 

 The opening goal appeared to open the floodgates and Arsenal looked definite of securing their place in the final without having to go to extra time. This proved to be the case as three minutes later Koscielny scored a powerful header from a corner to put the Arsenal 2 goals up and 1 ahead on aggregate.  Ipswich were now well and truly on the back foot and found themselves having to score the goals when their 4-5-1 formation clearly had them set up to defend a lead not to attack Arsenal. In the 77th  minute a magnificent passing move put Fabregas through to clinch Arsenal's place in the final with a cheeky finish through Fulop's legs.

Cesc making sure for the Gunners. 

 The game was now over and Arsenal continued to dominate possession for the remaining minutes to book their place at the new Wembley for the first time. Arsenal will now face either West Ham or Birmingham and a trophy is well overdue for the players and the fans. A first trophy in 5 years would inspire the players to greater things and would keep the critics quiet. However the competition is not over yet and the final won't be easy against either team. For now Arsenal need to concentrate for Sunday's game against Huddersfield and the Everton game that follows on the Tuesday.

Carlos Vela, Which loan move is the best option for the Mexican?

Soon to be moving on loan to Bolton..

Carlos Vela signed for Arsenal back in 2005 but due to work permit issues never started until 2008. Carlos made an initial impact in the cup competitions, scoring a magnificent hat-trick against Sheffield United. Despite Vela's clear talent he rarely starts for the Arsenal, and has other quality forwards ahead of him in the Arsenal pecking order. He has made 12 appearances in all competitions this season mainly off the bench and has scored 3 goals and set up another goal. 


 Recentely Wenger has admitted that he is looking to loan Carlos out as he deserves playing time to showcase his talent, and that he is going to struggle to feature for Arsenal for the rest of the season. Premier League and European teams seem to be interested in signing Vela for the remainder of the season, with Bolton appearing to be the frontrunner for his signature. Carlos has also been heavily linked with Valencia, he may believe this move suits him as it is a Spanish speaking country but he needs experience in the English game. By getting games in Spain, it isn't going to improve his ability for when he returns to play in the Premier League for Arsenal.


 In the future I can see openings in the Arsenal side for the little Mexican. He can either play through the middle with another striker but due to Arsenal using just the one striker, the left wing position will give Carlos more opportunities in the future. Andrey Arshavin and Samir Nasri have been dominating the position for the past couple of seasons. Hopefully Samir will stay at the club for many years but Arshavin is a different story, and he may be moving on in the Summer like the majority of players do at when they reach 30. 


 Vela has immense potential and could easily develop into a top class forward for Arsenal in the future. However his potential needs to be nurtured and by warming the bench at Arsenal for the rest of the season he isn't going to develop into the player he has the talent to be. Therefore a loan move is ideal and Wenger has said he hopes a deal can be done by the end of the week. "There's nothing done at the moment, no. But that could be sorted out Wednesday or Thursday". 

Can Vela progress at Bolton like Jack Wilshere last season?

 This is a promising sign for Vela and whichever club lands him on loan. The most likely option is Bolton, due to their interest in the forward, and the good relationship that has developed between the club since Owen Coyle took over. After all we owe Bolton for helping Wilshere become the player he is today and hopefully Vela will move there and develop like Jack did last season. 

Arsenal VS Ipswich Town Match Preview

Tomorrow evening Arsenal will be taking on Ipswich Town attempting to overturn the 1-0 deficit from the last leg. The game at Portman Road was disappointing and Arsenal never really got going, which is something they will need to do from the off tomorrow night at the Emirates. Arsenal were far from their best in the first leg but I'm sure the prospect of a first final at the new Wembley will inspire the Gunners to victory. The key to defeating Ipswich will be scoring the first goal as early as possible. This would put Arsenal onto the front foot and leave Ipswich having to attack the Arsenal, going against their original gameplan of sitting on the 1-0 lead they will be arriving at the Emirates with.

 Arsene Wenger has got some key decisions to make with the line-up for tomorrow night. Does he go all out and pick Arsenal's best XI or leave out some of the stars and rotate the squad. Either way Arsenal should have enough to beat Ipswich and make it to our first final at the new Wembley. I believe Wenger needs to rotate the team but not by much as the prospect of a trophy is too much to lose, after a five year barren spell for the Arsenal. Bearing in mind we have an easier game against Huddersfield in the FA Cup on Sunday some of the key players could be rested for this fixture instead of the Cup semi final against Ipswich. This is the starting XI I believe Wenger should use for the Ipswich game.

Goalkeeper
  Wojciech Szczesny will retain his place in goal due to the "Injuries" to Fabianski and Almunia and his good form in recent games.

Defence
  Right Back
 Bacary Sagna should retain his place at right back to provide experience to the backline. Emmanuel Eboue will probably play at the weekend against Huddersfield.

 Centre Back's
Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou will have to continue in the centre of defence due to the injuries to our other defenders. They have played well together recentely and hopefully they can continue.

Left Back
Kieran Gibbs will play at left back despite the impressive form of Gael Clichy. The young Englishman needs games and the cup games are ideal opportunities for him to get playing time.

Midfield 
 Defensive Midfielder
   Alex Song will retain his place as he plays such an important role for the Arsenal and until Abou Diaby is back he is the only real option available to Arsene.

 Centre Midfielder 
Denilson will get a start in Wilshere's position as he also needs playing time and Jack has played in a lot of games recentely and at a young age needs to be rotated regularly.

Attacking Midfielder 
 Cesc Fabregas should play in this important match even though its against Championship opposition. He didn't start against Leeds at the Emirates and Arsenal nearly paid for this. The club's captain should play in the important games towards the end of a competition only if it is the Carling Cup.

Attack
Right Wing
 Nicklas Bendtner should play in the right wing position to give Theo a well deserved rest ahead of a busy period of games. This may well be a final chance for Bendtner to prove he is good enough to stay at Arsenal.

Centre Forward
 Marouane Chamakh deserves a start after a while out of the team giving Robin a game off after his superb display at the weekend.

Left Wing
 Andrey Arshavin has been in and out of the team and could do with a game like this to regain some confidence and the backing of the Arsenal faithful.

The ideal game for the misfiring duo. 

 This is a fairly strong team that should be capable of taking Arsenal to Wembley for the final, whilst keeping key players in tip-top condition for the busy schedule ahead.

Which defender should Arsenal buy before the end of January?

Arsenal are entering the second half of the season in a very strong position, still competing for all four trophies. However Arsenal are lacking numbers in the centre back position and are currently relying on Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny to play in every match. Both of these players are in good form, but an injury to either and Arsenal will be forced into using Alex Song in defence or promoting reserve team captain Ignasi Miquel. 


Thomas Vermaelen has been out for the majority of the season and may still not be back by the time we take on Barcelona in the Champions Leauge. Sebastien Squillaci is also injured at the moment, he will be back soon but he has looked unconvincing and has dropped down the pecking order due to the good form of Djourou and Koscielny. Therefore Arsene Wenger has admitted he is in the market for a new defender and Arsenal have been linked with many defenders and I am going to decide who the best option is for the Arsenal. 

Gary Cahill

1. Gary Cahill

  The Bolton and England centre half has been the player linked the most with Arsenal throughout January. He has been in impressive form for a number of years and is now regularly in contention to play for England. This is a plus point for many Arsenal fans who believe the club needs more English players and Gary Cahill seems the ideal signing for the club. He is still only 25 and is therefore just entering his prime and would be a strong performer for many years to come. 

  Price: £10-15 Million

2. Matthew Upson

Matthew Upson

 The West Ham defender would be an inexpensive option and Wenger obviously knows Matthew well due to his previous stint at the club as a youngster.  Along with Cahill, Upson is a proven Premiership defender and would provide a reliable solution to Arsenal's defensive troubles. Unlike Cahill he is 31 years old and therefore realistically has a couple of years left at the top level, but this would allow playing time in the future for Djourou and Koscielny who would struggle for playing time with Vermaelen and Cahill at the club. Upson is out of contract in the Summer and would therefore be very cheap fitting in with many of Wenger's signings.

 Price £2-4 Million

3. Christopher Samba 

Christopher Samba

   

  The Blackburn defender is supposedly the type of defender Arsenal have been lacking since the days of Campbell and Adams at the back. He is very strong in the air and physical in the tackle. Blackburn have recentely been taken over and Samba made his views clear when Sam Allardyce was sacked as Blackburn boss. He said he wanted to leave the club and hinted that he would like to sign for the Arsenal. 

 Price £7-10 Million

4. Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos

 The majority of Arsenal fans can't see this deal happening due to Wenger's reluctance to spend big on world class talent. Sergio would be the perfect solution for the Arsenal, he is a World Cup winner and a top class Defender. Reports coming out of Spain reveal he isn't happy at the Bernabeu and has been involved in arguments with star forward Christiano Ronaldo. It seems an unlikely signing but would prove to be a popular signing and would signal a strong message of intent to Manchester United in the race for the title. 

 Price £20-25 Million

5. Jan Vertonghen 

Jan Vertonghen

 

 The Belgian and Ajax centre half would clearly fit in well at the Arsenal, due to playing regularly with his compatriot Thomas Vermaelen who used also be at Ajax. He has been a consistent performer for Ajax and Belgium and looks to be on his way to becoming a top class defender. The main advantage is that he would not need to form a partnership with Thomas Vermaelen, unlike Cahill and others. He would be a typical Wenger signing as he is young and relatively unheard of like Thomas Vermaelen who is now Arsenal's best defender.

 Price £10-12 Million

Verdict: Gary Cahill

  In my opinion the Englishman would be the best signing both in the short and long term for Arsenal. He could come into the team straight away and perform at a consistent level which would add much needed stability to Arsenal's defence. There is a week left in the January window and Bolton have recentely signed Wheater who may well be the replacement for Gary Cahill. Hopefully Wenger will be able to pull the transfer off in time and improve our title winning credentials. 

Nicklas Bendtner- Does his future lie at Arsenal or elsewhere..

 Nicklas Bendtner is the Arsenal forward who has divided opinions between the Arsenal fans since he arrived back in 2004. Some Arsenal fans see him as the future leader of the gunners front line whilst the majority see him as an over-confident forward who will never make it at the Arsenal. 


  Bendtner is clearly a talented young striker and proved this last season with an impressive hat-trick against Porto in the Champions League. During this match Bendtner appeared to be living up to the image he portrays of himself, that he is supposedly the best striker at the club and is destined for greatness. During the games after this he continued in this manner scoring important goals in the Premier League, including last minute winners against Hull and Wolves. However since then Nicklas has struggled to hold down a starting place in the Arsenal XI partly down to injury and the impressive early season form of Marouane Chamakh. So far this season he has scored 4 goals in all competitions despite regularly starting in the cup games. This record isn't good enough for a player who claims he should be leading the line for Arsenal in every game, especially when Arsenal have players like Van Persie and Chamakh also competing for the lone strikers role. 


  Nicklas Bendtner has stated many times in interviews that he is the best striker at the club, but his goal scoring record and general performances tell a different story. It is his incredible over-confidence that has made him unpopular with large sections of the Arsenal faithful and why many are calling for Wenger to cash in on the young Dane. I'm sure there would be clubs in England as well as throughout Europe that would be willing to buy Bendtner for a fee around £7 Million, with Sunderland now looking like a likely destination due to the sale of Darren Bent. 

Jet and Vela the future of Arsenal's forward line

  If he does leave in January or the Summer, he may well have a successful career and start to score more often, but he doesn't fit in at the Arsenal and he is halting the progress of youngsters such as Carlos Vela and Jay Emmanuel Thomas who would relish a role in the first team. These particular two players have shown immense potential in Carling Cup and Reserve games and I strongly believe they would be more consistent performers in the Arsenal first team, and for this reason Bendtner's time at the Arsenal has finished and it is time to move on.

  

Arsenal 3-0 Wigan Player Ratings

Arsenal were on top form on Saturday against Wigan, with Robin Van Persie looking back to his fluid best at the Emirates Stadium.

Wojciech Szczesny  7/10
  Hardly troubled by Wigan's attack, but a solid performance when he was occasionally called upon. Another step towards cementing his position as Arsenal's number 1 for the foreseeable future.

Bacary Sagna  7.5/10
  Impressive once again by the French full-back. Looked confident at right back, and offered another offensive outlet for the Arsenal. The Frenchman is looking to be back to his best after his 3 game ban.

Johan Djourou 7.5/10
  Another commanding performance by the strong Swiss centre-half. Dominant in the air throughout and this part of his game is becoming a valuable asset for the Arsenal.

Laurent Koscielny 7.5/10
  Solid once again from the young defender. Laurent and Johan appear to be developing a strong and confident partnership at the back aided by the superb form of the Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Gael Clichy 8/10
  A good performance by Gael both defensively and offensively. He appears to be a better player, with Samir Nasri in the left wing position, and now seems to know when to go forwards and when he needs to stay back to help out his fellow defenders.

Alex Song 8.5/10
  In recent games Song seems to understand his role in the team more and is developing into a world class Defensive Midfielder. Was strong defensively throughout but also contributed offensively with a number of through balls, one of which set up Van Persie's first goal of the game.

Jack Wilshere 8/10
  Impressive once again from the English teenager, when he plays with Alex Song they both understand each other's games perfectly and Arsenal look better as a result with Jack and Alex in the centre of Midfield.


Cesc Fabregas 8.5/10
  A true captains performance from the Spaniard. Looked to be at his best with some glorious passing and was unlucky not to score during the match.

Theo Walcott 7.5/10
  Used his pace well especially in the first half but made a couple of wrong decisions in the final third. Had a better second half and held the ball up superbly for Van Persie's third goal.

Robin Van Persie 9.5/10
  A brilliant performance from the flying Dutchman. Only misses out on a 10 due to the penalty miss. If he continues in this rich vein of form and stays injury free, Arsenal have a world class striker at their disposal.

Samir Nasri 7.5/10
  Linked up well with Clichy on the left hand side and played some brilliant passes. Along with Cesc he was unlucky not to score in the first half but a good game none the less.

Man of the match: Robin Van Persie
  Only one possibility, a magnificent performance from the Dutchman, leaving the Arsenal fan's praying he doesn't get injured once again.

Arsenal 3-0 Wigan The Return Of Robin Van Persie

 Arsenal thoroughly deserved the 3-0 victory against Wigan on Saturday. From start to finish we were on top, with all the players appearing to be at their best at this crucial stage of the season. The whole team were on form, including the ever improving central defensive partnership of Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny. The defensive side of Arsenal are looking more and more like serious title contenders and long may this continue for the rest of the campaign. 

Van Persie opening the scoring for the Arsenal.

    At the start of the game, Arsenal were in top gear and at their usual flowing best. Cesc and Co, passed the ball magnificently and Wigan appeared to be in a losing position from the beginning. It took only 21 minutes before this pressure showed with Van Persie, scoring the opener after a wonderful through ball from the consistently impressive Alex Song. For the rest of the first half Arsenal continued to dominate, but the Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi, prevented the Arsenal extending their lead, making a series of magnificent saves from Nasri and the rest of Arsenal's impressive attackers.  
   
  The second half began with Arsenal still on the front foot, and looking more and more confident as the game continued. Arsenal's backline had another easy half, only really touching the ball when starting moves from the defence. Wojciech Szczesny appears to breathe confidence into the Arsenal back four and surely has done enough to keep the jersey from Fabianski. Arsenal's impressive build up paid off again when Robin Van Persie scored his second in the 58th minute of the match. Robin was now looking towards his first professional hat-trick and the perfect opportunity arose when Fabergas won a penalty resulting in a red card for Gary Caldwell. Everyone expected Robin to slot the penalty home but it was skied over and the first hat-trick seemed to be evading Van Persie once again. However in the 85th Minute young Theo presented Robin with a glorious opportunity which he took with ease to complete his first hat-trick in professional football.


  All in all an impressive display by the Gunners, which enhanced their title credentials, and they must now concentrate on reaching their first final at the new Wembley with a win over Ipswich on Tuesday Evening. 

Van Persie hitting top form at exactly the right time for the Arsenal.