Following consecutive league defeats (both games in which we took the lead) I think we can all agree the need for savage and violent revolution is obvious. A blood thirsty, shrieking gallop to the hills followed by a good fortnight of medieval combat ought to sort it. Because nothing quite says “ambitious football club” like flapping through a wooded area wearing Arsene Wenger’s skin as a dress and Peter Hill Wood’s nuts for earrings. All whilst screeching like horny hyenas, naturally.

In all seriousness, there’s plenty to be concerned about given the symmetry of our defeats. Both the Fulham and Swansea games were bookended by fast starts, followed by sluggish, leggy second halves that have allowed our opponents to overpower us and win the game. I think that does come back to a point blogger made earlier in the week that a small group of players is being overloaded and the congested Christmas period, with little replenishing of the starting XI has taken its toll.

Still, it’s difficult to ignore the fluctuating, frankly schizophrenic reactions of the fans. Little less than a month ago we were hailing the newfound professionalism in this squad. Two defeats later and we’re back to everything being shit and everyone being a cunt. Defensive frailties can be amended by the sacking of the whole board of directors.

Where Szczesny’s confidence once made him a future great, now it’s evidence that he thinks he’s made it and Ramsey’s entire career written off as average at the age of 21. I often sit and marvel at the energy required to maintain this sort of flip-flopping. It’s dizzying just watching it.

I think the truth is, we’re in a bad spell. All teams get them at some point in a season. The trouble is, the club handled last summer in such slipshod fashion, that we almost wantonly gave ourselves a 5 game handicap at the start of the campaign. These were fairly unique circumstances due to the turmoil we incubated ourselves into.  We’ve done well to come from a long way back, but unfortunately, it didn’t leave much room for a bad patch.

It’s important to remember that a good deal of this team weren’t even in situ during that turbulent summer. So the last iffy run of form doesn’t even belong to them, it sits with a barely recognisable mutation of this squad. For all of the full back woes we’ve experienced in the last month or so, it seems ridiculous to contemplate that we finished our first home game of the season with Henri Lansbury at right back. He was an 84^th minute substitute in a Championship match this weekend past.

But our full back woes, as it were, have had a deep and cutting effect I think. It’s no coincidence that Walcott’s early season pizzazz has evaporated completely since the twin losses of Sagna and Jenkinson. There was a time, around two seasons ago, when Eboue was preferred to Sagna at right back for home matches. This was not solely because, at the time, Eboue posed a greater attacking threat than Sagna. (Of course Sagna’s response was to stay quiet and improve his crossing, Eboue’s was to soak up the faux adulation afforded to him by his cult status).

But this was just as much because Walcott depends on the ability of his right back to push him up the pitch, to carry the threat and leave him to run in behind opposition defences. We don’t have that sort of weaponry at right full back at the moment, meaning Walcott is having to do his work nearer the halfway line, where his effectiveness is dulled. Gervinho fared slightly better without an attacking left back because he’s more adept at beating players. But the lack of an overlap has affected his and Walcott’s ability to take up central positions.

I’ve seen some scathing criticism of Ramsey’s form and it has confused me somewhat. For me, a player, particularly a midfielder, isn’t in trouble form wise unless he starts completely disappearing in games. Anonymity is a cause for concern. Ramsey has been anything but anonymous. I think he’s become identifiable because it’s perceived that his passes aren’t coming off and that he’s not creating.

Given what I’ve explained above; the reality in my eyes is that he doesn’t have an awful lot ahead of him to aim for. Without overlapping full backs, the wide players aren’t assuming dangerous positions centrally. In Gervinho’s absence, we’re playing Arshavin who, like Benayoun and Rosicky, doesn’t really penetrate in behind defences, but sits off the front line looking to create an opening.

This essentially means our forward line has lacked diversity without proper attacking full backs. Ramsey’s seemingly wonky radar is much about the lack of movement in front of him as it is erring execution. The heavily marked van Persie is usually his only option. That also explains why van Persie’s overall contribution to our build up play has dwindled in the last few games- though thankfully his ability to finish moves hasn’t. The wide players aren’t the viable outlets they were when Sagna and Santos were manning the line, so often the captain has to try to conjure his way through crowds single handedly.

But given the run of form we are in, the voguish criticisms of every facet of the club are creeping back. Whilst in relatively good form, no supporter breathes a word about the board of directors, but a couple of defeats later and blood needs to be smeared across the oak panelled walls of Highbury House. Peter Hill Wood apparently invited a petition for his removal from the board with some really tame comments this week.

Whilst it’s true that Hill Wood is something of an old fuddy duddy, I fail to see the mortal offence taken. His comments amounted to, ‘we really want to get in the Champions League, but if we don’t, we won’t go bust.’ Heathen! How dare he? You can argue that he should perhaps hit the ‘decline’ button once in a while when the Daily Star start calling, but the hysterical screams for his removal are a little much.

For a start, the role of Chairman is a purely ceremonial one. The cigar chomping old codger doesn’t actually run the club in any operational way. Chairmen rarely do in this day and age. Besides which, when Kroenke took over last April, an agreement was signed, locking the current board in for 12 months. It’s almost certain that Hill Wood will be pensioned off in the not too distant future anyway.

When he and other members of the old guard begin to drift away, it won’t be the tempestuous cull many will paint it as. The club’s operational staff has slowly begun to groove to Kroenke’s beat. The appointment of Gazidis was the opening bass trill of this gradual evolution, with Tom Fox and Angus Kinnear joining on drums and keyboards. The board lock in was simply to smooth the transition- it’s very common to have a handover period when stewardship changes in any big company. It stands to reason that the next step will be for the front men to take on a more Yankee drawl when that lockdown expires.

Dein, Edelman and Bracewell-Smith have already scuttled off into the sun, Fiszman sadly no longer with us. Hill Wood is 76 years old, Friar is 78 this spring, Sir Chips Keswick is 71 and Lord Harris turns 70 this year. They’ve steered the club through a huge period of off pitch progression and deserve commendation for doing so. But it’s natural that their time is nigh and they will know that better than anyone. It makes sense to handle that upheaval gradually. So please spare me the “the axe has been wielded because Kroenke is, like, totally pissed dude” comments when they do collect their pensions.

Anyway, I think I’m going to charge back to my little molehill. I figure if I dance naked around it, smearing myself in the droppings of David Dein as I do, it’ll turn into a mountain sooner or later. Till then, adios. LD.

Follow me on twitter @LittleDutchVA

Joy is a virtue that fast seems to be disappearing from football. I am in no way a misty eyed sentimentalist. Nor do I wish to fall into the trap of pining for a mythical past age, where the sun always shone, the players were your mates and when you could leave your doors unlocked at night and wake to find someone had come in and plumped your sofa cushions for you. That’s what nostalgia can do; it enlarges the good and photoshops the bad in a cloud of sepia.

Whilst I’m not old enough to profess first hand experience, I’m sure travelling to Stamford Bridge in the 1980s was no cakewalk. Players have only ever really been as loyal as contract law has permitted. In the days pre-Bosman and going back even further to the retain and transfer system successfully repealed by George Eastham in the 60s, the benefits and opportunities for club mobility were not as available. Loyalty has only ever shape-shifted to the permutations of legislation and finance.

However, I still get the impression the fun is slowly eroding from the sport. Supporters are guilty of forgetting the point of the pursuit in the first place. We live in a time when a 1-1 draw in a pre season friendly can produce sustained heckling and booing. A victory for your local rivals in a match your team has no participation in invites the acid tongued prophets of doom, astride their social networking soapbox. Victories are written off with an expectant shrug, mere numbers on a screen.

In part, this reaction is precipitated by the avarice of the sport itself. Large chunks of it are becoming quite joyless; the spectacle is reduced to little piggies grappling to keep their snouts in the trough. Memorable cup runs are eschewed in deference to relegation battles. Grimly hanging onto 16^th or 17^th or even 4^th spot has become a pursuit of necessity in the greed is good game. Money does not so much talk, as prod, shout and bark orders. Existing is the new winning.

For these reasons I’ve steadfastly held on to my attachment to the F.A. Cup. Because, at least in its early rounds, it provides a measure of the random. Milkmen playing at Old Trafford, not knowing who you play until three weeks before the game, the opportunity to visit a different ground. It can provide some respite from trying to guess how many goals United are going to shellack past Wigan, or whether Barcelona are going to get 16 or 18 points in their Champions League group.

‘So why tolerate it?’ you may ask. Why continue to attend every game with robotic regularity? Well, nights such as Monday evening tell you why. Arsenal’s record goalscorer and favourite ever son returning home to score the winning goal from the bench. Every game is still capable of surprising you and giving you those moments that elevate you from the humdrum of day to day existence. A 3^rd Round, Monday night Cup tie at home to lower league opposition shouldn’t have any right to provide such an epoch making moment. But it can.

It defies script writing or soap opera, or voguish intonations towards ‘destiny’ or any other such claptrap because it’s all so possible. It’s what keeps us coming back. I was vocal in my doubts towards the re-signing of Henry and don’t get me wrong, it might all just have been a flash in the pan. He could yet score six own goals and set the training ground on fire before jetting back to New York in February, but that one stroke of his boot has already given us something that will live long in the memory.

Doubting the move to re-sign him did not take away one iota of my appreciation of the moment. I absolutely refuse to join those cunts that put their estimation of their punditry abilities above the team. You know the misogs I’m talking about. Those that slagged off Koscielny last season so refuse to acknowledge his excellent form. Those that wouldn’t so much as get to their feet if Squillaci scored a forty yard bicycle kick in the last minute of a North London derby, but would heckle themselves hoarse if he was spotted picking his nose. The game is supposed to be more fun than that and Monday night showed us it can be.

However, behind the romance and beauty of Thierry’s winner, it does beg a more serious question of our squad. Henry was seen as a superior option to Park Ju Young, whose backside stayed firmly planted to the bench. Chamakh’s approach play is actually very good. He screens the ball well and brings others into play. But he looks allergic to the penalty area. Without van Persie, Arsenal simply do not look like scoring. Henry’s introduction instantly showed us exactly what we don’t have elsewhere in the squad. That bit of movement that foxes defenders and ekes you out half a yard of space and the composure to finish.

We just cannot rely on van Persie or Henry to conjure a piece of magic in every single game. We face Swansea on Sunday and it’s going to be an almighty test. The likelihood is that we will trail Spurs by twelve points come kickoff. Swansea have an excellent goalkeeper and a good defensive record. We only seem to have two players that can finish their dinner. The Swans also channel their attacks through a couple of enterprising, attacking wingers in Dyer and Sinclair. We don’t have any fullbacks. We’ll need to be clinical and that responsibility comes down to more than two men (one of whom is unlikely to be able to manage 90 minutes).

Elsewhere, Arsenal have signed Francis Coquelin on an extended contract and I consider that very good news. I must confess I’d almost forgotten all about him following his loan spell at Lorient. But I’ve been incredibly impressed by what I have seen this season. But it was interesting to note that the extension is reportedly for three years. Given modern contract law, that essentially means his terms are up for review again at the end of next season. This represents something of a departure from the usual “long term contract” we have seen in the past with Arsenal’s up and comers.

Whether that’s down to Coquelin reserving the right to reassess how many first team chances he gets, or whether it’s a shift in the club’s policy is open to conjecture. It could be that, having seen the likes of Denilson and Bendtner paid on the basis of potential never fully realised, or with Abou Diaby spending the vast majority of his £60k a week long term deal in the treatment room, a rethink has been ordered. Maybe the club are waiting to see how Coquelin flowers before committing him to a contract more commensurate with that of a first team regular remains to be seen. Something to park and ponder though, nonetheless.

O.K. I think that’s probably enough wistful reverie and hard nosed contract law for one week. Be sure to return, same time, same place next week. LD.

Follow me on Twitter @LittleDutchVA

Having last week ruminated in full on the state of our rearguard this season; this week’s column will meditate on the performance further up the pitch. Taking in the oily machinery of the midfield engine room, through to the leather upholstery and walnut gear knobs up top. (Or in some cases, those big seats on the bench that look like they’ve been half inched from the McLaren showroom).

Midfielders

In many ways, I think this has been the best performing unit in this season’s side. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, I don’t think we can value the contribution Mikel Arteta has made quite enough. He’s brought stability and subtlety to a midfield which previously lacked responsibility and maturity. Largely due to his willingness to take on the workload, too often in the past the ball was simply shunted to Cesc Fabregas, whilst his colleagues cowered with their fingers crossed that Cesc could single handedly win the game again.

One also must take account of the fact that Arteta is knocking 30 years old and has vast Premier League experience. In the past, talented, yet erratic players such as Denilson and Diaby have been prone to the odd brain fart in the centre of the pitch. That’s not to criticise either Denilson or Diaby per se; inconsistency is just par the course with most players under 23. A phrase I often found myself muttering in previous seasons at Arsenal would be; “take the best option available to you.” A lot of young players don’t necessarily do this.

Think Theo when clean through on goal for instance. Passing the ball to a better placed team mate is often the best course of action, but not always. Yet Theo will always look for the pass regardless. He lacks the maturity to vary the approach according to the situation. Yet for Arteta the game is simple. If there is a team mate open, he passes to them. If a gap needs filling, he fills it. If a tackle needs to be made, he makes it. He’s the adhesive that holds the midfield three together. In fact, I can’t help but fantasise about how Arteta might have played alongside Fabregas.

But I think the other predominant reason for the positive displays in midfield has quite simply been the continuity. Song, Arteta and Ramsey have stayed relatively injury free thus far and have built up a run of games together. Each brings different qualities to that midfield three and once familiarity builds, then those qualities become harmonised.

Each player appreciates one another’s strengths. For example, in the recent QPR match, Arteta and Song swapped positions in the triumvirate. With QPR defending deep, Arteta sat at the base of the triangle and Song moved further forward; because he has the ability to beat players with his close control and to carry the ball forwards. A good team is a fluid team. In the age of Championship Manager and Sky Sports graphics, there is a tendency to fixate on rigid positions.

It’s ok for a defensive midfielder to make a loping run so long as his team mate understands he has to drop back to cover him. Arsenal’s midfield, by and large has achieved this synchronicity. At this point, I cannot help but hark back to an enduring image of 2009. Wenger tossed his jacket to the floor in disgust when Abou Diaby needlessly pushed forward in a North London derby we were already winning by two goals. Arteta’s presence has given him no such reason for sartorial gestures of vexation.

It’s for this reason that I think Coquelin to be a slightly superior option to Frimpong as our back up in the defensive position. I think he appreciates the need for movement better than Frimpong does. That’s not to say Frimpong doesn’t have a role to play. He does. As a muscle-bound enforcer, he has something of a niche in the Arsenal squad. Every squad needs a blend of different qualities.

At the head of the midfield trio has been Ramsey and, by and large, I think he has been very impressive. For a start, he has that burst of energy and injection of pace to carry him beyond defenders into the box. I am put in mind of Ljungberg in any ways and think that, eventually, he can fine tune that ability to arrive late and increase his goal tally a la Lampard. I think he can stand to work on his finishing. But I’m always relaxed about something like that because it’s easily fine tuned with practice on the training ground. It’s also worth remembering that he’s only a few days past his 21^st birthday.

He takes some of the defensive load off of van Persie too because he presses high up the pitch. The next time the opposition rolls the ball back to their keeper, have a look at the man charging down. It’s not usually van Persie. Ramsey leaves him free to take up more dangerous positions. Rosicky too is a good option in this position. He’s not the devastating, rumbustuous player of pre 2008. But he moves the ball quickly and accurately. He speeds up our play in the final third.

Jack Wilshere was voted our Player of the Season last year. The biggest compliment I could pay the engine room is that I’ve not heard many opine that we miss him this year. Again, that’s not to belittle Jack in any way, a refreshed and reinvigorated Wilshere could provide a real boon for us as we get to the business end of the season.

Forwards

This is where the assessment becomes quite complex. It’s not really worth me penning an appraisal of van Persie’s season. The English language only provides so many superlatives and I’ve exhausted most of them on him. But where the midfield has spread the load between themselves in Cesc’s absence (which is ratified by the assist statistics of Arteta, Song and Ramsey this season) that burden seems to have transferred from one part of the field to another.

The addition of greater pace in the front three through the acquisition of Gervinho has seen Arsenal become more direct. Now we get the ball forward quicker, with Walcott and Gervinho providing the injection of pace from the flanks. This means most of our play is funnelled through van Persie. The three have worked well together and provided a refreshing change from the chin stroking, uber slow faffing about that characterised Nasri and Arshavin at the back end of last season.

But I worry now that, where we once looked to Cesc to cut our meat for us; we’re starting to look to van Persie to do the same. There is almost that same sense of everyone expecting a miracle from him every time we’re in a grind. The goalscoring burden is too large on him. Walcott has showed signs of improvement in his final ball, but still only has 4 goals this season.

I have marginally more hope for Gervinho to relieve that burden though. The Ivorian’s finishing has been skewiff to say the least at times. But as I’ve said with regards to Ramsey, such deficiencies can be ironed out with practice on the training pitch. I worry far more about a forward like Chamakh, who doesn’t seem to be able to buy even a sniff of a chance. Whilst I’m beginning to wonder if Park Ju Young isn’t just starring in an elaborate episode of Channel 4’s Faking It.

Therein lays the biggest problem in our squad. There simply aren’t enough players contributing in the scoring stakes. Gervinho and Ramsey are getting the positions, but just need to work on their accuracy. But the back up to the skipper is miserably bad. Even when 4-0 up at the DW Stadium recently, the manager still played van Persie until the bitter end, not even considering Chamakh worthy of a punt at a confidence boosting goal. That tells you everything you need to know about his faith; or lack thereof, in his options.

I think the depth in wide areas is good. I like Benayoun, a busy, industrious player capable of a goal too. Despite his introspective sloping, I refuse to give up on a player as talented as Arshavin just yet. But we are desperately in need of reinforcement in the central striker role. If we all remove the mist from our eyes and the clouds of sentiment from our heads; we will probably realise that a 34 year old from the MLS isn’t the answer to this question. Frankly, if his name were anything other than Thierry Henry, people would be lamenting that Wenger had lost it.

The first choice forwards have performed well overall, but I think the continuation of that is potentially fragile. Put simply, to strengthen that resolve, there needs to be some work on finishing for some players and a little dip into the market required. In the wide positions, Benayoun, Arshavin and Oxlade Chamberlain between them represent good, varied options. In midfield, we have Wilshere to return, Rosicky kicking his heels and Diaby will be like a new signing when he gets his hips replaced. Upfront, we don’t have that kind of roster so it must be replenished. LD.

Follow me on twitter @LittleDutchVA

Last week I touched upon our feeling as supporters around the squad; how the bonhomie appears to have improved. This both between the players and according to the respect that radiates out from fans compared with six months ago. I met little opposition to the supposition that the supporters were more tolerant with this more experienced roster than last year’s.

So over the next two weeks, I’ve decided to examine further. Where is the current squad? How have they performed with the season approximately at its half way point? Over the next fortnight I’ll undertake an in-depth, two part interrogation on the contribution of the squad so far this season; taking into account individual displays as well as an appraisal of the team as a unit. For this reason, I’ll split the review into four parts; starting this week with a forensic look at the goalkeepers and the defenders.

GOALKEEPER(s)

It’s difficult to believe that just 18 months ago; one of the most popular caterwauls, from press and supporters alike (though 99% of the time, one begets the other) would have had you believe cosmetic surgery was required in the goalkeeping department. But since his installation into the team at the beginning of 2011; the belief of the supporters in Wojciech Szczesny has been total. In fact, our conviction in him is only outstripped by his conviction in himself.

His supposed eccentricities make him a popular character – both in the dressing room and in the stands. Though leading the away support in song, kissing his captain’s boots and his hybrid cockney Pole burr help aid the cult of Szczesny, there really is more to it. The English, as a general rule, don’t like self confidence. We think it unbecoming and unseemly. (Which I think, partly explains why we tend to explode like rat bags in most sporting contests, but that’s a different story).

With Szczesny I think we appreciate the differences. There’s a measure of self deprecation in there too; which suggests he analyses his mistakes without just blindly championing his ability. Following his Premiership debut at Old Trafford, he immediately took to Twitter to say, “I think I’m going to have to work on my kicking!” He was clearly true to his word too; because now his distribution is faultless. For a side like Arsenal, this is a crucial facet for a goalkeeper.

Arsenal build attacks from the back and Szczesny is able to aid that with his calm distribution. It’s become a feature of matches now for him to control a backpass and coolly chip an inch perfect pass over a closing striker and to the feet of his centre halves. It’s difficult for some to give credence to the importance of a keeper that is good with his feet, even some 19 years after the backpass law was introduced. But Ferguson even put de Gea’s ability with his feet as one of the reasons he parted with 20 million big ones to secure his services.

Szczesny has presence in abundance for sure, but presence counts for precisely jack shit if you haven’t got the ability to compliment it. There has been a catalogue of excellent stops from the Pole in the Goal this season. The close range reflex save from Cattermole, the sprawl and save at the feet of Balotelli, the gravity defying claw away from Danny Graham’s header and my personal favourite, the high fist away from di Natale’s penalty in Udinese. All were important stops in tight games.

In a couple of the aforementioned examples, they were the only work he had to do in the entire game. Another urgent quality for an Arsenal goalkeeper. This is what separates Wojciech from a goalkeeper like Manuel Almunia; whose better performances came in games where he was busied- think Barcelona and United away in Champions League encounters. Szczesny might only have one save to make in 90 minutes; more often than not, he makes it.

Szczesny’s game has improved markedly in his decision making from crosses- as you’d expect now he has 50 Arsenal appearances under his belt. Work has clearly gone in on the training ground here. From the opening day against Newcastle, it was clear Szczesny’s aim was to be a decisive goalie; making decisions early and sticking to them. Fear and hesitation are deadly bedfellows for a Premier League custodian.

When Szczesny leaves his goal line, he’s out quickly and early. As with his distribution, this will occasionally lead to mistakes. But compared with a goalkeeper like Shay Given, whose reputation is built upon his refusal to make decisions that might lead to mistakes, he’ll save us infinitely more than he loses us in the long run.

My only concern with him at this stage is that his Schmeichel-esque sprawl in one on one situations leads to many strikers putting the ball through his legs – many of his goals have been conceded that way. But that really is a minor concern. In fact, it’s probably a concern borne of one of his biggest strengths. In seemingly hopeless situations; make yourself as big as possible and play the odds.

Many would argue that the performances of Fabianski and Mannone in turn in Athens demonstrate a lack of quality back up. In truth, I don’t think clubs around us have an awful lot better on the bench. I’d argue any top side that has a genuinely top quality goalkeeper on the bench probably has a keeper that lacks ambition. Or else they have a questionable number 1 that leaves the deputy with a glimmer of hope for playing time.

DEFENCE

Another area of the squad that appeared to be positively weeping for improvement, which has slowly improved. There are a number of factors for this. Firstly, I think there are more mature, responsible players in front of them. The team ethic towards defence has greatly improved with the likes of Arteta and Benayoun arriving. There’s also the replenishing effect of having a trusted goalkeeper behind them.

But largely I think it’s just down to an improvement in personnel. Thomas Vermaelen was injured for the whole of last season and, being a world class defender and a leader, his presence has had a rejuvenating effect. (Dare I say he’s been like a new signing?) Then we have the improvement in Laurent Koscielny who seems to be undergoing a Robert Pires style flowering at centre half. That is to say, a fairly impressive first season with glimpses of real quality, followed by a metamorphosis into a world class performer in his second.

Then there’s the addition of Mertesacker. There have been hiccups, as one would expect in an acclimatisation period. But put bluntly, whereas last season we looked to Squillaci, this season we call upon a centre half with 80 caps for Germany. Mertesacker has fitted into the ethos of Arsenal’s new defence, which appears to be built on early interceptions. Vermaelen, Santos and especially Koscielny, are very adept at nicking in front of an opposing striker and beginning an attack with Arsenal on the front foot.

I think this has suited Mertesacker, whose quality appears to be his reading of the game, enabling him to perform the “mop up” function. This is why Santos has also been a quality addition. For an attacking side like Arsenal, defending on the front foot is important because it allows you to quickly start attacks. Santos looks to be an upgrade on Clichy to me because of what he adds going forward. This piece from Arsenal Column expands on that brilliantly.

I think there has been something of a revitalisation in the defence because there’s a slightly different attitude. Put simply, there’s more pride in the art. The likes of Koscielny, Vermaelen, Sagna, they’re defenders that love defending. They relish the prospect of putting their bodies on the line. For too long I think there’s been a laissez-faire attitude at Arsenal that defence was simply a necessary evil. Now I think our current backline actually enjoys it.

There are still some kinks to work out, sloppy goal concessions of late to Aston Villa and Wolves say as much. But I don’t think any of us fill our undercrackers with effluent every time the opposition is awarded a corner. (Well, possibly less than we did in the spring anyway). Our recent injury curse at full back has inevitably upset us too I think. But I have very positive vibes about the current defence and I think it will only improve as the cohesion increase- as it will with games.

With everybody fit, we have competition for places in defence possibly for the first time in Wenger’s reign. The vital thing now will be keeping them together; Arsenal are finding out more than anyone how hard a task that is in the modern game. Quite enough chin stroking for this week. Next week, I’ll analyse the contribution- or lack thereof- of our midfielders and attackers. Until then, toodles. LD.

Follow me on Twitter @LittleDutchVA