Chelsea vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

The Premier League's second and third placed sides will face off on Sunday as a day of giant battles concludes. North London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are separated by only two points after a recent slump in the Gunners form, and the Blues could leapfrog the Gunners if they win on Sunday. Manchester United, who sit one place and three points ahead of Arsenal, play Liverpool at Old Trafford earlier the same day.

Arsenal have drawn their last four league games, falling from five points ahead of United to three points behind in four weeks, and would be seen as very long shots to win the title if they fall a further three points behind on Sunday. Although they are short on confidence, the Gunners have proven their worth in big games, beating holders AC Milan in the Champions League in between draws with Aston Villa and Wigan.

Chelsea have won three of their last four games, defeating West Ham, Derby, and Sunderland. The Blues will be gutted after failing to draw level with Arsenal on points against Tottenham midweek, though. Despite leading the game three times (once by a two goal margin) Avram Grant's side was denied three points by a late goal from Robbie Keane. Chelsea will also remember that Arsenal came out 1-0 winners in the reverse fixture at the Emirates this season, and that Arsenal were the last side to defeat the Blues at the fortress that is Stamford Bridge.

Neither team has too many injuries to worry about. Arsenal will be missing Abou Diaby, Tomas Rosicky, and Eduardo da Silva. Chelsea are likely to be without number one goalkeeper Petr Cech, but have a strong replacement in Carlo Cudicini. Former Gunners striker Nicolas Anelka is also a slight doubt with a minor hamstring injury.

The Arsenal squad is likely to remain unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough last week.

Manuel Almunia will remain in goal, behind a defensive line of Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy. The back line will have a busy day against the likes of Joe Cole, Didier Drogba, and maybe even Nicolas Anelka. The defenders will also have to be strong in defense against set pieces with Frank Lampard a threat in dead-ball situations.

In the midfield Mathieu Flamini will be the invisible wall in front of the back four while Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb try to break through the Chelsea defense with their deft passing. Emmanuel Eboue is likely to feature on the right, although he could be replaced by Theo Walcott after an ineffective performance against Boro. The midfield holds the key to victory in this game, and if our midfielders can hold their own against Lampard, Ballack, and Cole, we should be able to win the game.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie will start up front again, with the Dutchman finally approaching match-fitness. Hopefully both strikers will regain their form in this game, as a stalwart Chelsea defense which includes former Gunner (C)ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, and John Terry is unlikely to gift many goals.

Sunday's games could be hugely influential in deciding this season's title-winners. If Arsenal can overcome their lack of confidence against the Blues, I believe that they can end Chelsea's unbeaten home record this season. I predict that the Gunners will come out 1-0 victors in a tight game.

Champions League Draw: Arsenal Draw Liverpool

Arsenal failed to avoid Premier League opposition by drawing last year's finalists Liverpool in the Champions League Quarterfinal Draw. The mouthwatering all-English tie is the most competitive of the quarterfinals.

The draw means that Arsenal face a tough three weeks, their next six fixtures looking particularly daunting. In addition to facing Liverpool three times in one week, Arsenal will face off against Chelsea and Manchester United in the next three weeks. The Gunners next six games look like this: at Chelsea, at Bolton, Liverpool, Liverpool, at Liverpool, at Manchester United.

Even with the returns of Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie, Arsenal will have a tough time keeping their squad fit during such an important series of games, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may even resort to rotating some of his key players.

Nonetheless, Wenger believes that his team have what it takes to knock Liverpool out of the Champions League, citing the fact that they have already knocked out holders AC Milan.

"Let's give our best," said the manager, "We showed against Milan that when we are at our best we can beat anyone. We just knocked Milan out, who were the holders. That was a big hurdle.

"Now we have the finalists on our route - so why can't we do it again?"

Arsenal fans will be happy to have avoided Premier League title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, but disappointed not to have drawn foreign opposition. The Gunners are likely to face Chelsea in the next round, as the Blues drew Fenerbahce in the same half of the draw as Arsenal. If Manchester United can beat Roma and the winners of Barcelona and Schalke 04, Arsenal may play English teams for the remaining rounds of the competition.

The full quarterfinal draw:
AS Roma vs. Manchester United
Schalke 04 vs. Barcelona
Arsenal vs. Liverpool
Fenerbahce vs. Chelsea

Semifinals:
Roma/Manchester United vs. Schalke/Barcelona
Arsenal/Liverpool vs. Fenerbahce/Chelsea

Arsenal vs. Middlesbrough: Match Preview

Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Arsenal regain the fine form that saw them defeat AC Milan at the San Siro when Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough side travels to the Emirates Stadium this Saturday. Middlesbrough will have to pull out a major upset to do the double over Arsenal, but the Gunners current league form leaves something to be desired.

Arsenal have drawn their last three Premier League games in a row, dropping points against Wigan, Aston Villa, and Birmingham. Although the run of draws was interrupted by a fabulous performance in Italy, Arsenal have seen their lead at the top of the table narrowed to two points against opposition with a game in hand.

Middlesbrough have taken a solitary point from their last three games, but still sit five points above the relegation zone. Aston Villa took a point off Boro after a contentious penalty was given to Gareth Barry midweek, and Southgate's side lost to Reading and Liverpool in the two previous weeks.

These results see Arsenal still at the top of the table, while Middlesbrough are not altogether out of relegation danger in 12th. Although the Gunners sit 11 places and 36 points ahead of Boro, the visitors will take some belief out of the fact that Arsenal's only loss this season came at the Riverside against Middlesbrough.

In that game, Middlesbrough took the lead in the 4th minute through a Stewart Downing penalty before doubling their lead in the 74th after a goal from Tuncay Sanli. Tomas Rosicky scored a consolation goal for the Gunners in stoppage time, as Arsenal lost 2-1 at the Riverside.

Neither team has any serious injury worries. Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott are likely to return for Arsenal, although Eduardo da Silva and Tomas Rosicky will both watch the game from the stands. Andrew Taylor, Middlesbrough's only injured player, is a doubt for the fixture, but could feature in some small part.

Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie both returned for the Gunners in substitute appearances against Wigan and may be fit enough to start against Boro this week.

Manuel Almunia will start in goal for Arsenal, behind Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy. If Kolo Toure is match-fit he should start alongside Gallas in central defense, although Philippe Senderos may feature instead.

In the midfield Emmanuel Eboue should rejoin Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, and Alex Hleb after serving out his suspension. Fabregas, Flamini, and Hleb will be looking to boss around the Boro midfield with their deft passing.

Robin van Persie could be reunited with Emmanuel Adebayor up front, although depending on the Dutchman's fitness level Nicklas Bendtner could start in his place. Either way the strike pairing will be looking to put a few goals past a Middlesbrough defense that has allowed 43 goals in 29 games this season.

Arsenal should get out of their drop in form during this game, putting them in prime position to challenge Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next weekend. I predict a 2-0 home win.

Arsenal's Title Rivals Beaten In Two Shockers

Arsenal's two title rivals were both beaten in the FA Cup today in what turned out to be a shocking day of results.

Manchester United, who sit one point behind Arsenal in the Premier League, fell to Portsmouth after losing both of their goalkeepers. Edwin van der Sar was substituted out with an injury after halftime and his replacement, Tomasz Kuszczak was sent off after bringing down Milan Baros in the box. Rio Ferdinand took up the gloves between the United sticks, but was unable to stop Sulley Muntari's free-kick.

It was a huge loss for United who dominated in terms of possession and shots, but were wasteful in front of goal. To be fair, United should have been awarded a penalty of their own when Cristiano Ronaldo was taken down by Sylvain Distin in the first half.

Even more incredibly, Chelsea fell 1-0 to Championship side Barnsley. Barnsley, who are only four points above the relegation zone in England's second league, have proven to be the shock of the FA Cup after making Chelsea their second 'big four' conquest of the tournament (the Tykes also beat Liverpool in the same competition).

The normally lethal Nicolas Anelka missed chance after chance for Chelsea, and the Premiership boys seemed to have a difficult time playing on Barnsley's rough pitch. Goalscorer Kayode Odejayi jumped over Carlo Cudicini in the 66th minute to head home the only goal of the match.

Portsmouth and Middlesbrough are the only Premiership teams left in the FA Cup, with West Brom, Bristol Rovers, Cardiff, and of course Barnsley, the other competitors.

The losses will not be conductive to strong morale amongst the Premier League's second- and third-placed teams, and with Arsenal playing Wigan tomorrow the Gunners trophy aspirations look like they could be coming to fruition. United and Chelsea cannot slip up if Arsenal, as is to be expected, take three points from Wigan.

More Injury Woe For Arsenal

Premier League leaders Arsenal have lost another two players to injury at a crucial time of the season.

Abou Diaby injured his calf in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League victory in Milan and will miss this weekend's trip to Wigan. The Frenchman, who only recently returned from a long injury picked up on international duty, is not expected to be out for too long.

Theo Walcott has also picked up a thigh injury while playing in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Colorado Rapids. The England youngster, who has been growing in stature in recent games, will also miss the Wigan match, although his recovery should also not take too long.

"From Tuesday night we lost Abou Diaby," Arsene Wenger told Arsenal TV Online. "He has got a problem on his calf. Today we also lost Theo Walcott. He played against Colorado Rapids and he got a little thigh problem."

Robin van Persie also featured in the game against the Rapids, playing 60 minutes and coming through unscathed. The injury-prone striker is not expected to start against Wigan, although he is likely to make an appearance from the bench.

African duo Kolo Toure and Alex Song could also feature against Wigan, although it appears unlikely following Wenger's comments on ATVO.

The Arsenal boss said: "Robin played an hour and he looks OK. But it looks early for him – he finished the game very tired today so I will have to analyse that. We have a little chance to get Kolo back in the squad and a little, little chance to get Song back."

In other news, Tomas Rosicky is still more than a week away from a recovery. The Czech Republic star is expected to return in 10 or 12 days. Wenger will be hoping that the 27-year-old will be available in time for the Gunners game against Chelsea on March 23.

Results Go The Right Way, But Can Arsenal Run Away?

All of the results went the right way for Arsenal this weekend. Manchester City defeated Arsenal's nearest title rivals in a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford, while Liverpool held Chelsea to a goalless draw at the Stamford Bridge.

The results leave Arsenal two points ahead of United and five points ahead of Chelsea with a game in hand against both. A victory tomorrow against Blackburn would leave the league leaders a massive five points ahead of their nearest competition, with Chelsea eight points off the pace.

If Arsenal can seize this opportunity, Arsene Wenger's squad could be running away with the Premier League title this season.

One of the team's strongest assets is the maturity of its young players. Wenger was particularly complementary of Cesc Fabregas, who at the tender age of 20 is the linchpin in Arsenal's dominating midfield.

"They are all more mature now," said the Arsenal boss. "Cesc is committed and you always like your players to have a winning attitude.

"Sometimes it can go a little bit over the top, but Cesc has behaved remarkably well this season - I cannot remember one incident.

"There was maybe a stage, for about six months, where he went a bit the wrong way - but he corrected that very well, without any special management from me.

"If I feel that the players aren't managing to do it themselves then I will help them to do it. But in his case, there was no need. He apologized and from then on there have been no problems with him.

"He is so intelligent that he realized that is not the way he wanted to go."

Let's hope that Cesc's maturity can inspire our injury-ravaged team to a win at Blackburn tomorrow!

Does Arsenal Have What It Takes To Win The Title?

Arsenal went to the top of the Premier League last weekend after defeating Manchester City and watching Manchester United slip up at Tottenham.

The win took Arsene Wenger's team to 60 points in 25 games, two points ahead of last season's champions United and six ahead of title-challengers Chelsea. With 13 league games left, anything could happen. Does the Arsenal squad have the necessary depth, belief, and skill to sustain its title charge for until May? Let's take a closer look:

Depth: Arsenal's squad is not the biggest, but the quality of the club's second-tier players is more than enough to make up for an apparent lack of numbers. Wenger has often been criticised for his seeming reluctance to splash cash during transfer windows. This January was no different as Wenger failed to bring in a single player despite losing Lassana Diarra to Portsmouth and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, and Alex Song to the Africa Cup of Nations. The Arsenal manager claimed that he did not want to burden his squad with too many players when his African stars returned from international duty.

Despite the outcry of Arsenal fans who wanted to welcome a center-back to replace Toure, Arsenal have won three of their four Premier League games since Toure, Eboue, and Song departed. With only one more league game to play before the African trio returns, it seems as though Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore, and Johan Djourou provide enough cover for our defence in case of injury.

The Gunners also have one of the deepest midfield line-ups in the league. The recent form of Mathieu Flamini has been enough to keep Brazil captain Gilberto Silva from starting many matches, and Neves Denilson, Eboue, and the improving Abou Diaby are all ready to cover for Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, and Tomas Rosicky.

Up front, Emmanuel Adebayor has proved his worth at the right time. The departure of Thierry Henry and a long-term injury to Robin van Persie could have been a major crisis, but Adebayor's brilliance has lifted the squad. With Eduardo beginning to settle in and Nicklas Bendtner showing his potential, van Persie's absence is barely noticeable and Theo Walcott's mediocrity can be forgotten.

Although Arsenal's official website lists only 25 numbered first team players, the Arsenal squad has a strength in depth enough to make up for any number of potentially dangerous injuries.

Belief: Arsenal's youngsters have the mental strength necessary to win the title. Skipper William Gallas, along with a large number of his players, have often stated their desire to win the title this season, and often show their aspirations on the pitch. They always seem capable of pulling the game round even on the rare occasions when they concede early on. In fact, 20 of Arsenal's 52 league goals have come in the final 15 minutes of a match.

One of the most exciting games of the season was a 3-2 Carling Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers, in which some of the Gunners' younger players showed their mental and physical endurance. Early goals from Abou Diaby and Eduardo saw Arsenal 2-0 up within half an hour of the start, but a goal from Roque Santa Cruz grabbed one back for Blackburn before half time. Santa Cruz bagged his second around the hour mark to force Arsenal into extra time. However, despite the mental fatigue of having surrendered a two goal lead and the physical fatigue of an added 30 minutes of play time, Arsenal went on to win the game when Eduardo scored his second.

Just as the squad never gives up on a game, not a single one of Wenger's boys will give up on the title challenge. Arsenal are the comeback kings, and having regained the lead last weekend, they are sure to show their amazing belief required to challenge for the title.

Skill: Although they are young, Arsenal's players are some of the most skilful in the league. Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy have both proved to be rock-solid in defending. Their offensive capabilities are what makes them the best full-back pair in England. While neither has scored a goal for the club, the Frenchmen have confounded defenders and assisted their strikers in scoring goals, while shielding the Arsenal goal.

Flamini's box-to-box action has finally earned him the respect of Arsenal fans. The 23-year-old's pinpoint tackles have often prevented opposition goals and Flamini has even added a few goals of his own to the mix. Fabregas and Hleb are two of the most accurate passers on the planet. Hleb's skill with the ball at his feet and Fabregas' newly-discovered penchant for scoring goals makes the pair invaluable to Arsenal's cause.

Emmanuel Adebayor has improved dramatically since last season. No longer a wasteful finisher, the Togolese striker's incredible leap has added a number of headed goals. His silky control is incredible for such a tall footballer and his powerful shot has seen him contribute 18 league goals this season.

Arsenal's starting XI is one of the most skilful groups of footballers in the world, and with the depth and belief to back up their footballing prowess, they should be taken as contenders, if not favourites, to win the 2008 Premier League title.

FA Cup Draw: Manchester United To Host Arsenal

Arsenal will travel to Old Trafford in February to face their title-rivals Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup. The draw was as tough as it could get for the two sides, who sit at the top of the Premier League with only goal differential separating Alex Ferguson's squad from Arsene Wenger's.

Only six Premier League sides are left in the last sixteen of the FA Cup, and the other four managed to avoid drawing each other, with Chelsea facing Huddersfield Town and Liverpool clashing with Barnsley. Portsmouth and Middlesbrough will travel to Preston North End and Sheffield United respectively.

Arsene Wenger will no doubt be disappointed to have drawn the toughest team in the competition but neutrals' mouths will be watering with the prospect of another clash between this season's top Premier League title challengers.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, the clash comes only four days before the Gunners host Italian giants AC Milan in the Champions League, meaning that Arsene Wenger may face some tough player decisions or risk having fatigue lessen the effectiveness of his players.

Nevertheless, the game should be one of the highlights of the season.


The FA Cup Fifth Round Draw

Bristol Rovers vs. Southampton
Cardiff City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sheffield United vs. Middlesbrough
Liverpool vs. Barnsley
Manchester United vs. Arsenal
Preston North End vs. Portsmouth
Coventry City vs. West Bromwich Albion
Chelsea vs. Huddersfield Town

Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Tottenham as the Spurs broke a 9 year winless streak against their bitter enemies in an emphatic fashion. The deserved 5-1 win was the first time in 21 matches that the Gunners lost to their North London rivals, and was enough to propel Juande Ramos' rejuvenated side into the finals of the Carling Cup where they will face the winner of tomorrow's match between Chelsea and Everton.

Jermaine Jenas opened the scoring in the third minute and an own goal from Nicklas Bendtner cemented a two goal lead for Tottenham in the 27th. Spurs came out strong in the second half, with Robbie Keane scoring in the 48th minute and Aaron Lennon putting away a fourth in the 60th. Emmanuel Adebayor pulled back a consolation goal in the 70th minute, but a stoppage time strike from Steed Malbranque capped a formidable Tottenham performance.

Lineups:
Tottenham: Radek Cerny; Lee Young-Pyo, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Pascal Chimbonda; Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas, Steed Malbranque, Teemu Tainio; Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov

Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianksi; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore; Alex Hleb, Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby; Theo Walcott, Nicklas Bendtner

Injuries to some of Arsenal's younger stars meant that the experienced William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, and Alex Hleb all featured in a cup competition which usually sports Arsene Wenger's reserves and fringe players. However, the injection of experience did nothing to stop Jermaine Jenas from powering in a shot from just outside the box after just three minutes.

Dimitar Berbatov flicked the ball into the path of Jenas who side-stepped past Justin Hoyte and found himself with enough time to take a well placed shot which went in off of Fabianski's post. The Tottenham man should have been closed down much sooner, but no credit should be taken away from the perfectly placed finish.

Nicklas Bendtner took a shot over the bar after some good work around the Tottenham box, but he found the back of his own net fifteen minutes later. A free-kick from Jermaine Jenas saw the tall Dane under pressure from Michael Dawson, and the unfortunate youngster beat his own goalie from a few yards out to double Tottenham's lead in the 27th minute.

Berbatov should have made it three for the home side only a few minutes later. A busy Jenas put the Bulgarian striker clean through on Fabianski's goal, but he could only hit the post.

Bacary Sagna nearly scored his first goal in an Arsenal shirt soon after, but his goal-bound header was brilliantly saved by the quick reflexes of Radek Cerny, keeping Tottenham up 2-0 at half-time.

The scoreline wouldn't stand for long though, as Robbie Keane nabbed a third just after the restart. An excellent pass from Aaron Lennon put the Republic of Ireland international in front of Fabianksi who could do nothing to stop Keane's half-volley from reaching the back of the net.

Arsenal could have pulled one back straight away, but an acrobatic effort from Bendtner hit the post and Fabregas, on for the injured Denilson, hit his follow-up directly to Cerny.

Steed Malbranque could have made it 4-0 to Tottenham, but he could not beat Fabianski in a one-on-one. The young Arsenal keeper got a hand to Malbranque's shot and quickly recovered the loose ball.

The Polish keeper could not hold Tottenham at bay on their next attempt though, as Lennon slotted home through Fabianski's legs after receiving a pass from Keane.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Eduardo came on for Arsenal as Keane and Berbatov came off for Tottenham, and the substitutions had an immediate impact. Adebayor scored his 16th goal of the season with 20 minutes left, giving the Gunners some hope of an unlikely comeback.

Nothing transpired in the next few minutes though, and the Tottenham got the last laugh after Malbranque put the icing on the cake by scoring a fifth in stoppage time.

Lassana Diarra Leaves For Portsmouth

After weeks of transfer speculation, it has finally been confirmed that Lassana Diarra has joined a colony of former Gunners at Portsmouth. The French international had made only 13 appearances with Arsenal since signing from Chelsea last Summer. Despite some impressive performances, the magnificent form of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas has kept the 22 year-old out of Arsenal's starting lineup.

Arsenal are reported to have made an impressive profit during the player's short tenure at the club, with the latest transfer fee believed to be in the range of £5 million, £3 million more than what he arrived for.

Diarra is sure to get more playing time at Portsmouth, where the absences of Papa Bouba Diop, John Utaka, Sulley Muntari, and former Arsenal forward Kanu are likely to immediately throw the midfielder into the fray. However, the Frenchman admits that he has left two big clubs and would like to move to a bigger club some time in the future.

"My choice could shock and surprise people, I am conscious of that," Diarra said.

"It isn't Arsenal, it isn't Chelsea - but I know the Portsmouth manager, I know he is going to play me.

"Some are already saying that in going to Portsmouth, I am making a mistake regarding my chances with France.

"But I don't think so. I have thought about it.

"I need to play. I really want to think about myself, about those who appreciate me, who want to see me a little more on the pitch."

He continued by saying that he will not spend his career at Portsmouth.

"The people at Portsmouth know I will not spend my life at this club.

"If I shine, if a really big club wants me, I know already that everything will go well.

"I am 22 and the most important thing for me is football - my job, my passion."

In response to hearing that Arsene Wenger had wanted to keep him at the club, Diarra responded with an attitude which screamed "sell me!"

"I read that the club wanted to keep me - but when you want to keep someone, you do it by playing them. This hasn't been the case."

Having already expressed that he felt he should have started more for Arsenal, Diarra left Arsenal bitter about a lack of playing time. Not good enough to displace Flamini, Fabregas, or Sagna and not mature enough to wait for his time to come, I say good riddance.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Match Review

Both final spots in this year's Carling Cup are still up for grabs, as neither Arsenal nor Tottenham grabbed a decisive victory at the Emirates today. Chelsea are up 2-1 against Everton in the other semifinal, but will still face a tough away game at Goodison park before advancing to the finals.

Tottenham looked set to win today's entertaining encounter against their greatest rivals for the first time in eight years, after going up 1-0 in the first half thanks to Jermaine Jenas. However, Theo Walcott equalized for the Gunners with just over ten minutes to go to ensure that the return leg at White Heart Lane will not be a mere formality.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianksi; Justin Hotye, Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Abou Diaby, Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Theo Walcott; Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie

Tottenham: Radek Cerny; Pascal Chimbonda, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Lee Young-Pyo; Jermaine Jenas, Steed Malbranque, Aaron Lennon, Jamie O'Hara; Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane

As we have become accustomed to seeing, Arsenal flew out of the gates, with a blistering pace being set for the match.

Nicklas Bendtner had the Gunners best chance of the first half after a superb reverse pass from fit-again Robin van Persie resulted in a cross from Justin Hoyte. The Danish striker, who had scored a header against Tottenham in the Premier League, had his strong header brilliantly saved at full-stretch by Tottenham number two Radek Cerny.

The end of the opening exchanges saw Spurs on the ascendancy, slowly taking control of the game as the inexperience of Arsenal's cup squad began to show.

The visitors should have scored around the half-hour mark when a fine saving tackle from captain Philippe Senderos (didn't think you'd ever hear that did you?) saw the ball fall to Steed Malbranque about 12 yards from goal. The midfielder had a great chance with Lukasz Fabianski out of position, but shot well wide of the keeper's right-hand post.

The Polish keeper then proved his worth, saving a well-struck 20-yared shot from Dimitar Berbatov.

It wouldn't take long for Tottenham to find the back of the net though, as a poor header from Johan Djourou eventually led to a first half lead for Juande Ramos' side. Berbatov picked up the loose ball and chipped the ball to Robbie Keane who was helped to a two on one against Fabianski by the well-timed run of Jermaine Jenas. Keane squared the ball to the midfielder, who struck past Fabianski's outstretched leg to give Tottenham an invaluable away goal.

Arsene Wenger brought on some of his more experienced players for the second half, with Sagna on for Djourou (and Hoyte switching to center back) and Eduardo on for the not-yet match-fit van Persie.

Nonetheless, Arsenal failed to find a good chance before the hour mark. The young side were wasteful in possession and found it hard to even threaten in the attacking third.

They began to find their form in the final fifteen minutes though, as Sagna's overlapping runs on the right gave the team some width and the midfielders began to find their passing rhythm.

The equalizer finally came in the 79th minute when Eduardo slipped a perfectly weighted ball through two Tottenham defenders to reach Theo Walcott. Young-Pyo Lee tried to tackle the ball away, but could only deflect it onto the 18 year-old's chest. The England U21 international slotted home past a hapless Cerny to level the game.

The goal brought Arsenal fans and players into high spirits, and the Emirates faithful began hoping for a win, with their side pressing forwards.

It was Tottenham who came closer to a second goal though, when Jermaine Defoe shot over the crossbar after an excellent cross from Aaron Lennon.

The miss was a huge let-off for an Arsenal side who undeservedly held on to go into the return leg on equal terms.

Arsenal - Lehmann Out, Diarra To Follow

Arsenal outcast Jens Lehmann has agreed to switch the Gunners with his former club Borussia Dortmund. The 38 year-old goalkeeper has only a few small details to sort out before his transfer is officially announced.

The Germany number one was first-choice keeper at Arsenal until earlier this season when two early-season errors saw him lose his place to longtime backup goalie Manuel Almunia. Almunia's form has seen Lehmann relegated to the bench for most of the season, although the German international did feature last weekend in an FA Cup victory over Burnley.

Lehmann has not been gracious about his second-choice place, openly criticizing Almunia and even Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Already past his peak, Lehmann would not have lasted much longer in London. His transfer is a good move for both clubs, the player, and the Arsenal fans.

22 year-old Lassana Diarra is also likely to leave the club soon, after being left out of both of Arsenal's cup games this week. The French international regularly features for his country, but has found it difficult to displace any of the members of an Arsenal midfield already laden with young talent.

The holding midfielder joined Arsenal from Chelsea this summer, hoping to find regular first-team football, but has failed to break into the mold. Diarra is still highly rated and many Premiership clubs, as well as French champions Lyon are reportedly interested in the Arsenal midfielder. Among the Premiership clubs seeking his signature are Newcastle, Portsmouth, Manchester City, and Arsenal's North London rivals, Tottenham.

Diarra has publicly stated that he would like to leave Arsenal, and it seems that it will be only a matter of time before he leaves the Emirates.

Benzema, Ben Arfa, Diarra, Merida - Arsenal Transfer Rumors

Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra has publicly stated that he wants to leave the club after failing to secure a regular starting berth in a congested midfield. The 22 year-old arrived in North London on the final day of the Summer transfer window after Chelsea agreed to a last-minute deal with Arsene Wenger.

It now seems that the diminutive midfielder may join Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, or Lyon for a price rumored to be as high as £9 million - quite a fee for a player with so little Premiership experience.

Gunners fans are hoping that Lyon's liking for Diarra could lead to a deal for either Karim Benzema or Hatem Ben Arfa to come to London. The French champions are unlikely to part willingly with either player, but the lure of a top Premier League side could be too much for the 20 year-old pair.

Benzema, a 6 foot tall striker, has started this season brilliantly, scoring 12 goals in 19 games for Lyon. His impressive record has seen him branded as the future of French football, and the already-capped player could follow in the footsteps of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry by becoming an incredible power in the Premier League. Unfortunately, the youngster would cost a small fortune to bring to Arsenal.

Hatem Ben Arfa is a more likely prospect, and has already stated that he is pleased with the London giant's interest. The young forward has started 10 games for Lyon, scoring 4 times and assisting his teammates in scoring an additional 4. Although he is of Tunisian descent, Ben Arfa was picked over prolific Juventus striker David Trezeguet to represent France in European Championship qualifying. He scored his first international goal against the Faroe Islands as a substitute for Franck Ribery.

In other news, Fran Merida, a 17 year-old who is seen as the successor to Cesc Fabregas, is expecting to be sent away on loan to Real Sociedad. The move would be great for the youngster who is currently seeing little playing time with Arsenal's first team.

FA Cup Draw: Arsenal To Play Newcastle

Arsenal avoided an FA Cup meeting with one of the big four, but will still face a Premier League side in the form of 11th placed Newcastle United, if the Magpies manage to beat Stoke City in their third round replay.

The Gunners have already faced Newcastle twice this season, drawing in the league and winning in the Carling Cup. If the Magpies defeat Stoke City on the 16th, it means that they will have to travel to the Emirates twice in one week, as the FA Cup fourth round is meant to be played on the 26th, and Arsenal are to face Newcastle in the Premier League on the 29th.

The draw is fairly favorable for Arsenal as they won't have to face any of the big four, although Newcastle are one of the better sides still in the competition.

The FA Cup draw:
Arsenal v Stoke City/Newcastle
Coventry v Walsall/Millwall
Oldham v Huddersfield Town
Swindon/Barnet v Fulham/Bristol Rovers
Wigan v Chelsea
Luton/Liverpool v Swansea/Havant & Waterlooville
Southend v Barnsley
Southampton v Norwich/Bury
Man Utd v Tottenham/Reading
Portsmouth v Plymouth
Derby/Sheff Wed v Preston
Watford v Wolves
Peterborough v Charlton/West Brom
Sheff Utd v West Ham/Man City
Mansfield v Middlesbrough
Tranmere/Hereford v Cardiff

Arsenal To Face Tottenham In Carling Cup Semifinals

Arsenal will face North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals of the Carling Cup for the second season running. The other semifinal will be a tough contest between Everton and Chelsea.

Arsenal made it through to the semifinals after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers, while Tottenham barely had to fight to defeat Manchester City, despite playing 70 minutes with 10 men after the sending off of Didier Zokora.

The Gunners defeated their bitter rivals 5-3 on aggregate last season, drawing the away leg 2-2 before defeating Spurs 3-1 at the Emirates after two extra time goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Tomas Rosicky. They crashed out of the cup in the finals after losing to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

Arsenal have already defeated Tottenham once this season, and face them again in only three days.

The last Premier League fixture between the two sides was an emphatic Arsenal victory at White Heart Lane. The Gunners were trailing early after a Gareth Bale free kick, but pulled back to take home three points thanks to a double from Emmanuel Adebayor and a goal from Cesc Fabregas.

The home and away fixtures mean that Arsenal will be playing Tottenham three times over the span of the month.

Blackburn vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Ten-man Arsenal defeated Blackburn 3-2 in extra time, after a tense 120 minutes at Ewood Park. The Gunners gained an early lead thanks to Abou Diaby and Eduardo, but Blackburn came back through a Roque Santa Cruz brace. Neves Denilson was sent off during second half stoppage time, but Arsenal's youngsters showed great character as Eduardo bagged his second during the first half of extra time to propel the Gunners to victory after a titanic clash.

Arsenal will now have to face either Tottenham, Everton, or the winner of Chelsea and Liverpool as Arsene Wenger's fringe players try to reach the finals of the competition for the second year running.

Lineups:
Blackburn: Brad Friedel; Ryan Nelsen, Christopher Samba, Steven Warnock, Steven Reid; David Bentley, David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pederson, Robbie Savage; Matt Derbyshire, Roque Santa Cruz

Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianski; Justin Hoyte, Alex Song, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Neves Denilson, Lassana Diarra, Abou Diaby, Mark Randall ;Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo

The away team looked like a full senior squad, rather than a group of youngsters. A brilliant interplay of passes saw Arsenal on top after only 6 minutes when Abou Diaby's first-touch shot beat Brad Friedel at close range.

The traveling fans almost had more to cheer for only 3 minutes later when Nicklas Bendtner, who made a good case for his inclusion in Arsenal's senior side today, saw a shot rattle off the crossbar after a neat one-two with Diaby.

After a long period of Arsenal domination, Blackburn rallied back and twice tested 22 year-old Lukasz Fabianski in goal. The Pole made two good looking saves before Arsenal doubled their lead in the 29th minute.

Christopher Samba should have cleared away Neves Denilson's smart pass, but completely missed the ball instead. The Blackburn defender could only watch on in horror as Eduardo latched on to the pass and calmly slotted home to give Arsenal a two goal lead.

Blackburn rallied back though, giving Arsenal a tough time towards the end of the first half, and grabbed their first goal through Roque Santa Cruz in the 42nd minute, when the Paraguayan striker met Matt Derbyshire's cross in the penalty box.

The strike set the tone for the second half, which saw some desperate Arsenal defending.

With Blackburn on the ascendancy, it looked to be only a matter of time before the Rovers came up with an equalizer.

Mark Randall was booked for a tackle on Stephen Warnock around the hour mark, as David Bentley set up a free kick. The former Arsenal boy's ball was once again met by Santa Cruz who scored his second of the night with his head.

With half an hour left to play, the game could have gone either way, but despite a large number of chances on both sides, neither could break the deadlock, and to the pleasure of the onlookers the game looked destined for extra time.

Neves Denilson was sent off on the stroke of full time after a two-footed tackle on David Dunn, leaving a dejected Arsenal squad happy to hear the whistle.

Extra time started badly for Arsenal as substitute Nacer Barazite fell awkwardly and had to be taken off in a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder. The Dutchman was replaced by the much-hyped Fran Merida in the 100th minute.

Arsenal's luck got better soon after.

In the 104th minute of extra time a brilliant pass from an unlikely source reached Eduardo in the penalty box. Despite being fatigued, the Croatian striker beat Brad Friedel from 16 yards out, giving Arsenal scapegoat Alex Song an unlikely assist to top off an excellent performance from the center back.

Soon after Eduardo's goal, the former Dinamo Zagreb man was taken off after both of his legs cramped up at once. It was a good move, as he was so tired he could barely celebrate after his goal.

Kieran Gibbs played the last 20 minutes of the match, but nothing mattered any more, as Arsenal once again weathered a flurry of Blackburn attacks before finally hearing the final whistle.

The match was one of the most entertaining games I've seen in quite a while, and bodes well for Arsenal's future. These kids could well beat Chelsea or Liverpool to the Carling Cup title.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Match Review

Arsenal stayed at the top of the Premier League after defeating Chelsea 1-0 at the Emirates.

The Premier League return of Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, and Robin van Persie saw a dynamic Arsenal team boss possession in the high tension game which saw 10 yellow cards awarded. The Blues put up a good fight, but a mistake from Chelsea keeper Petr Cech led to the only goal of the match in first-half stoppage time.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Gael Clichy; Emmanuel Eboue, Tomas Rosicky, Mathieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb; Emmanuel Adebayor

Chelsea: Petr Cech; Paolo Ferreira, John Terry, Alex, Ashley Cole; Mikel John Obi, Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Shaun Wright-Phillips; Joe Cole, Andriy Shevchenko

Arsenal started with a 4-5-1 formation, with Alex Hleb playing just off of lone striker Emmanuel Adebayor as a not-yet-match-fit Robin van Persie watched from the bench until the 70th minute.

Chelsea, unlike the Gunners, were missing top scorer Didier Drogba and fellow African Michael Essien, and therefore played with Joe Cole partnering Andriy Shevchenko in an offensive 4-4-2 which Avram Grant had hoped would bring some beautiful flowing football to Chelsea's game.

The first quarter of an hour was frenetic, as both teams maniacally attempted to draw first blood. However, Arsenal's best chance came from a Chelsea player.

Emmanuel Adebayor pressured defender Alex into heading the ball towards Petr Cech, but the Brazilian's header was far too high for the keeper. Chelsea fans breathed a sigh of relief when the ball fell wide, but the chance suggested that the encounter could just as likely be won on a mistake as a moment of brilliance.

A deflected shot from Shaun Wright-Phillips found Manuel Almunia forced into a tight spot minutes later, but a diving save just about summed up the Arsenal keeper's night: brilliant.

Arsenal were beginning to find their passing form, but did little to trouble Petr Cech, only coming close through a free kick from Cesc Fabregas that flew over the bar.

Almunia on the other hand was being constantly tested, and did well to deny a long-range drive from Andriy Shevchenko.

The game began to change after John Terry limped off to be replaced by Tal Ben-Haim following a tackle from Emmanuel Eboue.

On the stroke of half-time former Chelsea defender William Gallas scored the winner. A flailing arm from Petr Cech completely missed the ball, and the Arsenal captain calmly headed the loose ball home, giving Arsenal a lead going into the second half. The keeping mistake looked more characteristic of Paul Robinson than Petr Cech.

Chelsea came out strongly in the second half, but their overly offense only invited lightning-fast counterattacks from the young Gunners.

Almunia once again made a fabulous save as a shot from Mikel John Obi flew towards the corner of the net.

It was then Arsenal's turn for an injury as Emmanuel Eboue was stretchered off after a nasty tackle from Joe Cole. Robin van Persie's entrance made an immediate impact.

After placing a teasing cross across the face of goal, and then stinging Petr Cech's hands, van Persie missed a brilliant chance following some good work from Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alex Hleb.

The Duthchman then found the back of the net, but had his goal ruled out for an offsides on Rosicky during the buildup.

As Arsenal began to look the stronger side again, Petr Cech made up for his previous error by making a fabulous double save when Cesc Fabregas had looked sure to score.

Emmanuel Adebayor than found the back of the net, but once again had a goal ruled out after having been harshly adjudged to have fouled his marker.

Arsenal fans were relieved when Almunia made yet another amazing save, this time from a Shevchenko free-kick, but were then disappointed as Cesc Fabregas missed a simple chance after being set up by substitute Nicklas Bendtner.

It didn't matter though, as the final whistle blew second later, ending a tense second half which kept Arsenal at the top of the Premiership, and once again proved that the Gunners can contend for the crown.

Nikolay Dimitrov Goes On Trial At Arsenal

Levski Sofia forward Nikolay Dimitrov has long been rumored to be coming to the Emirates.

The Bulgarian club's official website has now reported that the 20 year-old left-winger will be training in London with Arsenal on a week-long trial, on the invitation of Arsene Wenger. Arsenal's official site has yet to post an article regarding the news.

The Bulgarian forward made his debut for Levski Sofia when he was only 16 years old, and has since featured 32 times for the Bulgarian Champions, scoring 9 times.

A talented, young left-footed winger, Dimitrov could be a great asset to an Arsenal squad which has abundant talent, but not a single out-and-out winger. The general consensus amongst Arsenal fans during the summer was that the club needed a left winger, and while the rise of Alex Hleb has seen the clamoring quiet down, many would still be pleased to finally see Wenger investing in a winger if Dimitrov does make it to Arsenal.

The move could also solve the problem of Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric who has been heavily linked to Arsenal, but could be the subject of a bidding war between the Gunners and cross-town rivals Chelsea.

Arsenal vs. Chelsea: Match Preview

Avram Grant's Chelsea travel to the Emirates to face cross-town rivals Arsenal this Sunday. The day's fixtures, which also see Manchester United face off against Liverpool, could very well decide which team is at the top of the table at the halfway point of the season.

Arsenal are in a bit of a rough patch of form right now, but a win over Steaua Bucharest in the midweek, in conjunction with the return of Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie, will ensure that the Gunners are confident coming in to this match.

The opposite is true of Chelsea. The Blues have won four of their last five Premier League matches, but an injury to last season's top scorer Didier Drogba, and a poor home draw against Valencia on Tuesday won't be doing much to boost morale over at the Stamford Bridge.

Both teams could see many players return from injury for the big London derby though, with Petr Cech, Florent Malouda, Ricardo Carvalho, and Paulo Ferreira all back in contention for the Blues. Didier Drogba will be sorely missed though, regardless of other players coming back.

Arsenal's van Persie and Diaby both came back into action in the midweek, and the squad could be further boosted by Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb, and Mathieu Flamini, all of whom Arsene Wenger could be willing to gamble on.

After resting some key players on Wednesday, Arsene Wenger will field a rejuvenated full-strength squad against Chelsea.

Manuel Almunia is likely to return in goal, after Jens Lehmann had a decent, but not spectacular, game against Steaua Bucharest.

In front of the Spaniard, Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy look set to deal with the blunted front line of Chelsea. They will still have their hands full in spite of Drogba's absence, as their London rivals can rely on Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Anriy Shevchenko and many more of their players for goals.

If all three of Arsenal's midfielders are judged to be fit for the match Arsene Wenger's most likely lineup would include Tomas Rosicky, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb. However, Abou Diaby will most likely feature if Fabregas or Hleb are out, although Neves Denilson could also see some time in the place of Fabregas. Either Gilberto or Lassana Diarra could deputize for Flamini.

Up front Arsenal will see their first-choice strikers in action together for the first time in months. Emmanuel Adebayor, who is currently tied with Cristiano Ronaldo as the Premier League's top scorer, will be especially dangerous in combination with the incredible Robin van Persie.

The two will have trouble breaking down a tough Chelsea defense though, but hopefully some spirited jeering will steer former Gunner Ashley Cole off-course. If Hleb and Fabregas are fit, our strikers should also be able to latch on to a large number of defense splitting passes.

Arsenal are in for a real challenge, but Chelsea are far less potent without Drogba, and I think the Gunners can win this one 2-1 to stay at the top of the Premiership regardless of other results.

Faltering Arsenal Need van Persie To Shine Against Chelsea

Arsenal went 21 games unbeaten this season before finally losing 3-1 to Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. The Gunners’ fine run of form included draws with both Manchester United and Liverpool, and victories over Sevilla and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Arsene Wenger’s young squad have only managed to pick up four points in their last three Premier League matches since losing top spot in Group H of the Champions League to the Sevillistas.

The loss to Middlesbrough has dampened the Gunners early-season hopes of winning the title and brought the depth of the Arsenal squad into question. It seems that Arsenal will need some impetus to get back to their winning ways.

That impetus could be the return of Robin van Persie.

The news of his return has rejuvenated Arsenal fans, who believe that the Dutch striker could be what Arsenal need to get back to the top of their game.

Although Emmanuel Adebayor is the Premier League’s joint top scorer this season, along with Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the big Togolese striker has, at times, looked separated from the team as a lone striker.

Van Persie and Adebayor had been forming a special bond prior to the Dutchman’s injury on international duty, and the lanky African has often stated his desire to play alongside him since the injury.

While Arsenal aren’t exactly short in the goals department having scored more goals than any other team so far this season, Van Persie can bring a lot to the table when Arsenal face Chelsea on Sunday.

While Didier Drogba was last season’s top scorer in the Premier League, his goals-to-games ratio was slightly lower than that of the injury-prone van Persie, who managed to score 11 goals despite starting in only 17 league games. His form continued into the current campaign, seeing him score five times in only seven games before injury struck.

All know about his goal-scoring abilities though. What people often forget is that Van Persie is more of a Dennis Bergkamp-esque player than an out-and-out striker.

The 24 year-old forward follows in the steps of his countryman and former team-mate, adding assists to goals, making him the complete forward. Last season van Persie tallied up seven assists in his 17 Premier League starts, an impressive number.

If you think Arsenal have been in top gear lately, just wait until you see them with a fully fit squad.

Van Persie is the man to watch as Arsenal prepare to face a Drogba-less Chelsea team (the Ivorian underwent knee surgery earlier this week), and could quite possibly be Arsenal’s top scorer this season even in spite of his injury troubles.