It is that dastardly November Blip, horrendous injury list (from october to Feb)and fatigue creeping itno key players (Henry, Fabregas) during the busiest period of the month of March and April where the team is competing concurrently in FA Cup (qtr and semi-final) adnw ith matches coming in thick and fast within a period of 3/4 days.

The key element that is missing this season when we play those 4 UpNorth teams are – arctic conditions, hard foren pitch or muddy pitch resulting in a trench warfare with physical battles.

This weekend away to Stoke City is a good benchmark on our team in battling for a win in wintry conditions.
Win this game and we know this team has turned the corner and can mix it up with any team in physical battle.

And this team is geared towards playing on a dry and firm pitch during spring/summer/authum with the fluid and quick passing style.

Sunderland?
When we lose that game, it was raining, a slippery pitch, and we can’t play our quick passing game on a slippery and quick pitch. And of course, Lady Luck deserted us as well.

If we want to crown as champion, then we must play like champion for the next match and therafter, winning ugly when playing badly, grinding out results and a ruthless killer instinct to finish off weak opponent at Emirates with a cricket score – no more showboating please when 2-0 or 3-0 up.

I will observe Fabregas closely again, and see how he knit up the team into a cohesive unit. he is the key to our title challenge.

I’m going to try to give another vote to the biggest prat in football, this will do me good…

The bottom line is that this Arsenal team doesn’t fancy it much up north and 4 of those games are very much ‘up north’.

Ironically, the one I think Arsenal have most chance of winning is the one at lily-livered (something you can’t accuse Stoke of being!) Tottenham which you’ve put down as a draw.
A) It’s virtually a home game and B) Tottenham will be out of contention for the hallowed 4th place (4th!!!! what a rubbish league!) when it’s played.

Gilberto will return to Arsenal as resident psychologist.

Commenting on the appointment, Arsene said: ‘Gilberto has seen it all in football and still he is humble. His first assignment is to help the Irish contingent at the club (Liam Brady?) get through their distracting disappointments by helping Brazil to beat ROI fair and square on the pitch. His next job will be accompanying Eduardo to the premier of the new film ‘Fear of flying tackles’. After that, he will accompany Fabianski to Lords to teach him how to field at Wide Mid-On, as stopping the ball by throwing oneself to the left is a key aspect of that. Finally he will take Nicklas Bendtner to play beach football on Copacabana beach, as the young man still thinks he is better than Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton combined. With these minor alterations in mental focus, I feel confident that we will enjoy a great end to the season and the three treated players will play a significant role in bringing that about.’