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.

Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Arsenal travel to White Heart Lane this Tuesday to face Tottenham in the return leg of the Carling Cup semifinals. The Gunners have faced their London rivals three times this season, resulting in two wins in the Premier League and a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this fixture.

The Gunners will be high on confidence after emphatically defeating Fulham 3-0 on the weekend. However, Arsene Wenger will be missing Kolo Toure, Alex Song, and Emmanuel Eboue on African Cup of Nations duty, while Johan Djourou and Robin van Persie are out with injuries. Philippe Senderos is also out after taking a blow to the nose against Fulham. The lack of central defenders means that Wenger will resort to risking players from the first-team in a League Cup clash.

Tottenham will be hoping they can finally overcome a 21 match winless streak against their arch-rivals, although injuries to Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Darren Bent, Younes Kaboul, Ricardo Rocha, and Anthony Gardner may restrict their chances against the Premier League leaders.

As usual, Lukasz Fabianski is likely to start in goal for the Gunners. However, Wenger is likely to play some first-teamers in the defense.

"The players who were on the bench at Fulham will play," he said. "But I will have to play one or two who played on Saturday because we are short in numbers."

With Senderos out, Wenger will have to play William Gallas in the heart of defense, alongside either Gilberto, or Justin Hoyte. If Hoyte partners Gallas in the center, then Bacary Sagna and Armand Traore are likely to complete the defensive lineup.

In the midfield Abou Diaby, Neves Denilson, Gilberto and Theo Walcott should all keep their place from the first leg of the match.

Nicklas Bendtner will probably be partnered with the on form Eduardo in van Persie's absence, and Wenger might keep Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench as an option in case the going gets tough.

It will be tough for a young Arsenal team distracted by the FA Cup, the Champions League, and the Premier League to defeat Tottenham's first-team squad, but we have the talent and the ability to come through to the finals as we did last year. I predict a 2-1 win for the Gunners, with extra time a distinct possibility.

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 vs. Tottenham: Match Preview

Arsenal's arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Emirates for the first leg of the Carling Cup semifinals on Wednesday to face the mighty Gunners for the third time this season.

Arsene Wenger has already defeated two of Juande Ramos' sides this season, including Sevilla in the Champions League before the Spaniard made the switch to North London. Arsenal have also completed the league double over their London rivals, winning 3-1 at White Heart Lane and 2-1 at the Emirates.

Spurs fans will take solace from the fact that Wenger always fields a younger lineup in the Carling Cup, but a 3-2 extra time win over Blackburn in the last round proved that even Arsenal's youngsters are a force to be reckoned with.

The game promises to be high scoring, as Tottenham fans have seen 23 goals in their last four matches and Arsenal have failed to hit the back of the net in only one of their 33 games this season.

This could prove to be a problem for both teams as a leaky Spurs backline and an inexperienced Gunners backline may mean that the game is decided on an error rather than a moment of brilliance.

However, the likes of Abou Diaby, Eduardo, and Nicklas Bendtner could win the game for Arsenal and Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane could do the same for Tottenham.

Arsenal are likely to field a lineup similar to the one that faced Blackburn last month, although Alex Song will miss the match on international duty with Cameroon.

Lukasz Fabianski will probably start in goal as the last line of defense behind Justin Hoyte, Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou, and Armand Traore.

In the midfield Abou Diaby, Lassana Diarra, Neves Denilson may be joined by the more experienced Gilberto, although 18 year-olds Kieran Gibbs or Mark Randall.

Up front Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner are likely to complete one of the most potent second-string lineups in the world. Both scored against Burnley on Sunday, and will be looking to prove their worth as Robin van Persie looks set to return against Birmingham on the weekend.

Any game against a Premier League side is tough, and Spurs will be looking to record a win over Arsenal this season after losing twice, but a gritty and determined young Arsenal squad should be able to pull out a 2-1 win, giving the team an advantage going into the second leg.

Burnley vs. Arsenal: Match Review

A young Arsenal side reached the fourth round of the FA Cup after defeating a resilient Burnley 2-0 at the Turf Moor in front of a crowd of 16,000.

Eduardo continued his great run of form by scoring the Gunners' first after 9 minutes and supplying the pass for Nicklas Bendtner's first and Arsenal's second in the 75th.

The Croat and the Dane were two bright spots in an off-color Arsenal squad that would not have found such a favorable result against a Premier League team with the same display.

Lineups:
Burnley: Gabor Kiraly; Graham Alexander, Steven Caldwell, John Harley, Stanislav Varga; Wade Elliot, Chris McCann, James O'Connor, Robbie Blake; Andy Gray, Kyle Lafferty

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Eboue; Eduardo, Nicklas Bendtner

Arsenal put some pressure on Burnley for the first few minutes, but it was the Clarets who had the first chance of the game, nearly stunning the London giants through Kyle Lafferty after 5 minutes. Andy Gray had made a surging run down the right flank, and crossed the ball into the penalty area where it was met by Lafferty who hit Lehmann's crossbar with the German already looking beaten.

The chance lifted the crowd at the Turf Moor and for a few moments it looked as though Burnley could truly be giant-killers. Unfortunately for the home fans, though, it was the Gunners who took the lead only four minutes later.

Kolo Toure chipped a long ball up the field to Eduardo, who finished coolly to make it 6 goals in the last 4 games. The Croatian is finally beginning to look like he could challenge for a spot even when Robin van Persie returns.

Burnley did not falter under the pressure, and continued to attack Arsenal. Gray had a shot blocked by Bacary Sagna and Robbie Blake fired just over, but it was Arsenal who would come closest to scoring again in the first half. Gilberto, who has yet to score a goal for the club this season, rose to meet a corner, but saw his header cleared off the line by a well positioned Graham Alexander.

The Clarets had their own chance before 45 minutes were up though, when the inexperienced Armand Traore had trouble clearing the ball out of the penalty area. The ball was stolen and Jens Lehmann was completely out of position, but Chris McCann granted the Gunners a needed lifeline by shooting well over the bar.

Arsenal's final chance of the half saw Nicklas Bendtner attempt a bicycle kick after a cross from Denilson. Unfortunately for the tall Dane, his shot fell straight to the Burnley keeper, and the half ended with a lackluster Arsenal one goal up.

The Gunners came out strongly after the restart, with a clever one-two setting Eduardo free. The Croatian uncharacteristically misplaced his finish, firing just left of the post.

Burnley were still hoping to earn a replay, but lost their chance when Lafferty was somewhat contentiously sent off in the 60th minute. The Burnley forward's tackle had not looked malicious, and although his studs were up, the red card was very harsh. Referee Alan Wiley had no question though, brandishing the red without any hesitation at all.

Arsenal had the upper hand now, and should have scored soon after. Emmanuel Eboue couldn't decide whether to cross or shoot and his ball into the box came nowhere near to doing anything.

The goal came soon enough though, when Eduardo turned supplier with a perfect pass to Bendtner. The 19 year-old rounded Gabor Kiraly easily and slotted home to announce his return from suspension after two yellow cards at Everton. The goal ended Burnley's hopes of FA Cup glory.

The scoreline was flattering for Arsenal and tough on Burnley, but the Gunners were still happy to be in to the next round. However, they will have to play better to defeat stronger opposition in the future.

Blackburn vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Only two days after defeating Chelsea in the Premier League Arsenal travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn in the Carling Cup quarterfinals.

The team is likely to be hugely different from the near-full-strength squad that beat the blues to keep Arsenal on top of the Premier League, as Arsene Wenger always tries to field his kids during cup ties.

Robin van Persie is the only player who featured on Sunday that I see as likely to play on Tuesday, and the striker is only likely to play at Ewood because he is struggling to recover match fitness after a long spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Lukasz Fabianksi will probably start in goal, behind a young defense of Justin Hoyte, Philippe Senderos, Alex Song, and Armand Traore.

In midfield, Neves Denilson, Abou Diaby, Lassana Diarra, and Theo Walcott are the most obvious choices, although after Diarra's declaration that he will leave the club I'm not sure if I'd put him in, even for a Carling Cup game.

Up front I would like to see Robin van Persie partnering the impressive Nicklas Bendtner, although Eduardo could play instead of either of the two.

Van Persie needs to reach match fitness soon, and I believe that Bendtner has more of a future at Arsenal than Eduardo, so I hope to see him rather than the Croat.

Although Blackburn are a very good side, our youngsters have proven again and again that they can play with the best, so I expect a tough 2-1 win to propel the Gunners into the semifinals.

Flamini and Hleb to miss Newcastle clash

Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb have joined Arsenal's lengthy injury list for tomorrow's game at St. James' Park. The pair join fellow midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Abou Diaby, as well as long-term casualty Robin van Persie.

Hleb picked up a hamstring injury during Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa over the weekend after a nasty tackle.

Flamini, who has also been on great form this season, will miss the game at Newcastle due to a recurrence of a thigh injury.

However, Arsene Wenger was upbeat, confident in the Arsenal midfield with Neves Denilson returning to the squad.

"We have lost Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini from Saturday at Villa," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

"We have no-one back so that's Diaby, Van Persie, Hleb, Flamini and Fabregas out for this game.

"At one stage we thought it was congested in midfield but now it looks bare," he added. "But we still have quality players coming in there. We have Gilberto while Denilson is back after an injury. He is travelling with us. So we are very confident that we are still strong in the midfield."

Wenger shouldn't be too worried, as Arsenal's Carling Cup side already beat Newcastle 2-0 in the cup this season.

Arsenal vs Wigan: Match Review

Match Preview

An undermanned Arsenal side managed to break down a resolute Wigan in the last ten minutes to go clear at the top of the Premier League table as Manchester United faltered at Bolton.

Wigan showed some real character in their compact defense, but a goal from William Gallas opened the game up in the 83rd minute and Tomas Rosicky insured the win with a second only two minutes later.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy; Emmanuel Eboue, Neves Denilson, Lassana Diarra, Tomas Rosicky; Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor

Wigan: Michael Pollitt; Emerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Andreas Granqvist, Salomon Olembe, Paul Scharner; Kevin Kilbane, Michael Brown, Jason Koumas, Denny Landzaat; Marcus Bent

Arsene Wenger was forced to field a makeshift midfield lineup due to injuries to Alex Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, and Abou Diaby. Gilberto was also out due to fatigue, and Cesc Fabregas missed the match due to suspension after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against Reading. Theo Walcott started alongside Emmanuel Adebayor as Robin van Persie was still not fit to play, although the Dutch international has returned to training.

Both sides started brightly, with Theo Walcott warning Wigan of his talent with some mazy runs into Latics territory.

Wigan had the first clear-cut chance of the match though, as Marcus Bent fired past Manuel Almunia before being correctly flagged offsides.

Arsenal were having a tough time finding their usual passing rhythm without Fabregas and Hleb, but the showed some of their style in a fine exchange of passes after about 20 minutes of play. The move resulted in a through ball from Theo Walcott to Emmanuel Adebayor near the penalty spot. The Togo striker drilled in a shot, but a fine reaction save from Michael Pollitt, who was already a few yards off his line, kept Wigan level with the Gunners.

In the 36th minute Arsenal had another great chance, as some unselfish play from Adebayor set up the dangerous Walcott who saw his shot blocked by a last-ditch tackle from Salomon Olembe.

It was close, but not enough, and Arsenal began to get frustrated as a wall of eleven Wigan defenders stopped the Gunners' free flowing football.

Just after the hour mark Emmanuel Adebayor was released in the box, only for Emerson Boyce to make a beautifully timed tackle to deny the lanky forward a shot.

Wigan then had a rare chance as a mix-up between Kolo Toure and William Gallas saw the ball fall to Marcus Bent just outside Arsenal's 18 yard box. Unfortunately for the Latics, Bent's shot went wide of the post.

It was Arsenal's chance again, as a free-kick from Denilson was nearly deflected into Pollitt's net at the other end of the pitch. The Wigan keeper showed some fine reactions to keep the ball out at his near post.

Denilson and Bent were in the center of the action again as the Brazilian suffered a bad tackle from the Wigan striker. Tempers flared and William Gallas got involved with substitute Emile Heskey, resulting in yellow cards for the Arsenal captain and both of the involved Wigan players.

It wasn't the last bad tackle though, as a sliding tackle from Bent crumpled Theo Walcott, who was stretchered off as Nicklas Bendtner came on.

As if in response to the reckless tackles, Arsenal went on a sudden and ferocious offensive, finally breaking down the Wigan defense.

A wonderfully placed cross from Bacary Sagna met countryman William Gallas who headed in at the near post.

The goal opened up the game for the final few minutes, but Arsenal were finally assured a victory when Tomas Rosicky grabbed a second. Substitute Nicklas Bendtner fed the Czech Republic captain on the edge of the box. Rosicky finished well, firing in with a low shot off of Pollitt's left post.

It was a great day for Arsenal as they lengthened their lead on last season's champions Manchester United to three points.

A Most Unlikely Situation At Arsenal

Arsenal have what is arguably the best midfield lineup in the Premier League (and maybe even all of Europe).

A 20 year-old Cesc Fabregas leads a midfield which is so strong that even Brazil captain Gilberto Silva cannot break in to the lineup this season. Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini have undergone incredible changes this season to become two of the best in the Premiership and Tomas Rosicky can be brilliant on his day.

Behind this first-choice four the incredible Gilberto has to fight for a spot with young talents Neves Denilson and Lassana Diarra. Abou Diaby can also play in any offensive spot across the midfield, and even Alex Song has been getting better this season even though he is not Arsenal quality yet and his best game came in the center of defense.

With such a talented and deep midfield lineup, one would think that Arsenal would dominate the middle of the park against any team in the Premiership.

Football, though, is a game of many variables, and it seems that Arsenal's luck has run out.

First, Cesc Fabregas picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in a 3-1 victory over Reading. No big deal. We're playing against Wigan at home.

Then the French senior and U21 sides played. Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby were ruled out for the Wigan match due to injury. Diaby was likely to deputize as Fabregas served out his suspension, but with Tomas Rosicky and Alex Hleb in the side, we wouldn't be lacking in creativity. Gilberto, of course, is the perfect like-for-like substitute for Flamini, and as a Brazil international with almost 60 caps his quality is undeniable.

But the stream of injuries did not stop there. Belarus played the Netherlands in a European Qualifier in which the outcome meant nothing (the Netherlands had already qualified and Belarus was already out) and Alex Hleb was substituted out at half-time due to injury.

Now that was bad news. Hleb has undergone an incredible transformation since last season, and has been one of the best, if not the best, player at the club during this campaign. We could deal with it though. It is Wigan we're playing.

Then the news comes that Gilberto won't be playing due to fatigue. Not due to arrive until Friday evening, the Brazilian would be too fatigued to play the next afternoon.

So, it seems that a most unlikely situation has ocurred at Arsenal - a midfield crisis.

But will a Carling Cup midfield be enough to defeat a Premiership side?

19 year-old Neves Denilson and 22 year-old Lassana Diarra will have to answer that question for us on Saturday, as they are likely to start at the Emirates. It will be Diarra's first Premier League start since moving to Arsenal. It will be Denilson's 16th appearance.

But this is not how Arsene Wenger likes to expose his youngsters to first-team football. Fans will be expecting an emphatic win against a manager-less side, and the team may have trouble conjuring up enough offensive firepower without Fabregas, Hleb, Diaby, and Robin van Persie.

It shouldn't be too difficult to win three points though, especially considering the Latics abysmal form (one point in the last six games). However, staying on top of the table will be far more challenging.

Manchester United play third-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers and are almost surely going to improve their goal differential and pick up a full three points. Even against a second-from-bottom Wigan side, a depleted Arsenal squad will have difficulty winning by the same margin that United are likely to defeat Bolton by.

Arsenal fans are expecting a major trophy this season, but before we get too carried away let's get real. More than two-thirds of the Premiership season are yet to be played. The knockout rounds of the Champions league have yet to start. Winning a trophy is quite possible given the incredible talent of our team, but the lesson to be learned from this all this madness is quite simple: nothing in football can be taken for granted.

Arsenal vs. Wigan: Match Preview

Match Review

This Saturday a depleted Arsenal side face off against second from bottom Wigan as the Gunners look to retain the top spot in the Premier League.

After three straight draws (against Liverpool, Manchester United, and Slavia Prague), the Gunners were just beginning to regain their form with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Reading before the international break.

However, the international games didn't do much good for the Gunners, as Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby, and Alex Hleb all picked up injuries.

There are no injuries in the defense, with Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy all fit and ready to play.

However, with Cesc Fabregas already suspended for the match, it seems that Arsenal are facing what seemed impossible - something of a midfield crisis.

Tomas Rosicky looks sure to start, although he may be pushed out onto the left with Emmanuel Eboue patrolling the right. Otherwise, Rosicky could start on the right with Eduardo or Theo Walcott used as a left winger.

It is more difficult, though, to choose players for the central midfield positions. Arsene Wenger has ruled Gilberto out since he doesn't get back from international duty with Brazil until Friday evening, and Fabregas, Flamini, and Diaby are all unavailable. Neves Denilson and Lassana Diarra are likely to start in a light midfield due to a very strange injury crisis.

Up front, Arsenal will not see the return of Robin van Persie. The Dutchman, who was expected to return against Wigan, will not be fit for the weekend nor for the midweek Champions League game against Sevilla. Emmanuel Adebayor will, of course, start up front, but he needs a partner, as the midfield crisis will eliminate the chance of playing a 4-5-1. Personally I would choose Nicklas Bendtner, but Theo Walcott or Eduardo could start as well.

Wenger has stated that he won't play Bendtner with Adebayor, but the young Dane scored two goals in two games for his country over the international break and will be brimming with confidence.

The team itself should be brimming with confidence as well, as a Wigan side that has lost its last seven games and not won in ten shouldn't trouble a light Arsenal team too much.

I say 2-0 to the Arsenal.

More Injury Woes for Wenger

Arsene Wenger said before the international break that he feared that the international break might result in injuries to key members of his Arsenal squad, and he couldn't have been more right.

We learned that Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby had been hurt during their international matches for France and the French U21 team respectively, after Saturday's matches.

Today, more bad news came, as Alex Hleb hobbled out of his country's game at half time and although Belarus went on beat the Netherlands 2-1, he looks to be out for two weeks.

This means that Wenger will be unable to start three of his four first choice midfielders against Wigan on Saturday, with Cesc Fabregas out due to suspension. Lassana Diarra, Neves Denilson, and Gilberto should all get a chance to break back into the side.

In other news, Robin van Persie's recovery is coming along nicely and he has returned to training. He may not start at Wigan but he will most likely feature at some point during the match.

As for the other international matches, Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner scored Denmark's first goal in a victory over Iceland.

Eduardo's Croatia also defeated an England side which once again fielded no Arsenal players. The 3-2 victory meant that England did not qualify for the 2008 European Championships - a huge blow for such a powerful footballing nation.

Flamini and Diaby Injured in Internationals

Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby both picked up minor injuries while on international duty with France.

Flamini, who has started every Premier League game Arsenal have played this season, has returned to London after picking up a knock. The 23 year-old made his France debut on Saturday, but will be missing out on his country's final qualifying match against Ukraine. France coach Raymond Domenech will not be too worried, as France has already qualified for the tournament, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will miss the Frenchman.

With Cesc Fabregas suspended after picking up his 5th yellow of the season in Arsenal's 3-1 victory over reading, the Flamini injury means that the Gunners will be missing both of their first-choice central midfielders.

This should come as great news to Gilberto who has been missing games due to Flamini's recent form, and to Abou Diaby who should replace Fabregas in the creative spot. Oh wait, he's injured too. It seems like Lassana Diarra may finally get his chance to start a Premier League match at Arsenal, although Neves Denilson may steal the spot from the Frenchman.

In any case, Gilberto should be good cover for Flamini and Fabregas' goalscoring shouldn't be missed too much with Robin van Persie likely to return after a lengthy injury spell. We will miss the brilliant Spaniard pulling the strings in midfield, but its always nice to see some of the younger players getting a chance and we shouldn't be relying on Fabregas too heavily against a team like Wigan anyways.

Watch out for a preview of the Arsenal vs. Wigan game coming tomorrow or Thursday

Video: Top 10 Arsenal Goals This Season

Here's a video of Arsenal's top 10 goals this season, courtesy of www.footytube.com

Update: I'm working on getting the film back up and running

Goals number eight and six are pure Arsenal class, while Adebayor's cracker for number one is probably the finest strike ever by the lanky Togolese striker.

Another thing to note is that last season a similar video would have been dominated by Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry. Now, though, we have Fabregas, Toure, van Persie, Walcott, Diaby, Denilson, Eduardo, and Adebayor all making the list. 10 goals, 8 players.

That's the new Arsenal. The goals come from everywhere. That's the Arsenal that can challenge for the Premiership.

Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League today, despite a disappointingly boring show against Slavia Prague in the Czech capitol.

An undermanned Arsenal squad failed to hit the heights of their 7-0 drubbing of Slavia Prague two weeks ago at the Emirates in what proved to be by far the least entertaining of Arsenal's games this season. It was also the first goalless match played by the as yet undefeated Gunners - but the rest of their displays this season were in a completely different league than today's.

Lineups:
Slavia Prague: Michal Vorel; Erich Brabec, Frantisek Drizdal, David Hubacek, Marek Suchy, Matej Krajcik; Daniel Pudil, Vladimir Smicer, Michal Svec, Mikael Tavares; Zdenek Senkerik

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Lassana Diarra, William Gallas, Alex Song, Gael Clichy; Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby, Gilberto, Denilson, Eduardo; Bendtner

As you can see, Arsene Wenger opted to play what was essentially a Carling Cup side, with Manuel Almunia, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy the only players who remained from the weekend's 2-2 draw with English giants Manchester United.

The Arsenal manager also chose an unorthodox 4-5-1, despite the fact that neither of Arsenal's top two strikers were playing. Eduardo and Theo Walcott, who both regularly play as strikers, were played on the left and right wing respectively, where both failed to have much of an impact.
This was the gaffer's 100th Champions League game at Arsenal, but the play was far from the usual flowing football Arsenal fans have been spoiled by during the Frenchman's tenure at the head of the club.

The first chance of the night fell to the home side after 15 minutes, when Mickael Tavares met a corner in the box, but failed to steer the ball on target. It would foreshadow the rest of the night - a night during which the Arsenal and Slavia goalies were forced into action only once and twice, respectively.

After 36 minutes the hosts got their second chance of the match, and their first shot on target as Zdenek Senkerik forced Almunia to tip his shot acrobatically over the bar.

The rain was pouring down in Prague as the teams went into the tunnel after a disappointing half and neither the downpour nor the low level of play changed for the better after the break.

Slavia had a penalty appeal in the 50th minute when Lassana Diarra hauled down Senkerik in the box, but the diminutive Frenchman got away with what TV replays showed to be a clear penalty.

The Czech team once again had the next chance, as a pass from substitute David Kalivoda appeared to catch the entire Arsenal defense wrong-footed. Almunia rushed out of his goal to make another crucial save though, denying Slavia a win at home.

Arsene Wenger brought on Emmanuel Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue in the 77th and 81st minutes but it was too little, too late. Adebayor latched onto a corner soon after his introduction, but his tame header was easily saved by Michal Vorel as Arsenal undeservedly extended their undefeated streak to 26 games.

Sheffield United vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Match Preview

Arsenal's youngsters came out 3-0 winners at Bramall Lane, following an impressive performance from the club's up-and-coming stars. A brace from Eduardo and a goal from Neves Denilson wrapped up a Carling Cup game which had been completely one-sided.

Arsenal had sixteen shots to United's six, and had an equally lopsided share of possession, controlling the ball for no less than 68% of the game.

The Gunners have booked themselves a berth in the next round of the competition where they could end up playing the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Everton, or cross-town rivals Tottenham.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianski; Justin Hoyte, Alex Song, Kieran Gibbs, Lassana Diarra; Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby; Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo da Silva, Theo Walcott

Sheffield United: Ian Bennett; Chris Armstrong, Leigh Bromby, Chris Lucketti, Chris Morgan; David Carney, Nick Montgomery, Steven Quinn, Michael Tonge; Billy Sharp, Jonathan Stead

The first five minutes of the game started relatively slowly, with neither side troubling the other's goalkeeper. That all changed, though, as Nicklas Bendtner played Eduardo into the box in the eighth minute.

The Croatian goal machine launched an unstoppable drive into Bennett's top left corner, showing some of the finishing that prompted Arsene Wenger to pick him up in the Summer.

Arsenal almost picked up a second soon after when Theo Walcott passed to Nicklas Bendtner who teed up the ball for Denilson. The Brazilian midfielder completely botched his shot though, sending the ball into the stands.

Lukasz Fabianski was rarely troubled in goal, but the young Polish keeper looked less than convincing as he punched at a ball that it seemed he could easily have caught. Nonetheless, the Blades couldn't put one past the Pole, and it was once again Arsenal who were the biggest threat in the second half.

Some slack defending was taken advantage of by the young Kieran Gibbs who's splitting pass fell perfectly into the path of Eduardo. The Croatian striker once again finished clinically, putting Arsenal 2-0 ahead after fifty minutes.

Theo Walcott almost grabbed a goal when his pace took him around Bennett, but the young England international could only hit the post from a tight angle.

It wouldn't be too long before Arsenal's third though, as Denilson made up for his earlier mistake, scoring from 25 yards out. The shot took a deflection and looped over the head of Bennett who could only look on in horror as Arsenal hit the back of the net for the last time of the night in the sixty-ninth minute.

Arsenal still pressed forwards and Eduardo was denied a hattrick by Bennett before being taken off in favor of Nacer Barazite. Henri Lansbury and Fran Merida also came on as late substitutes but the game was already over as the current table-toppers put away Sheffield United's Carling Cup hopes.

Sheffield United vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Premier League leaders Arsenal take on the Championships nineteenth placed team, Sheffield United, this Wednesday in the fourth round of the Carling Cup. The Premiership giants were lucky to avoid drawing against the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea, but the Blades will not be nearly so happy to have to face Arsenal.

Arsenal played twice against United during the Blades brief one season stint in the Premiership, and while Arsenal demolished United 3-0 at the Emirates, the Blades will take some solace in the fact that they were able to defeat Arsenal 1-0 at Bramall Lane - the locale of Wednesday's fixture.

On current form though, Arsenal are far superior. Arsenal's first team is on a run of unbeaten games dating back to last April against West Ham. This season, Arsene Wenger's young guns went on a streak of twelve straight wins which was broken on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal are at the head of the Premiership table with eight wins, two draws, and no losses so far this season.

Sheffield are not faring nearly as well in their return to the Championship. The Blades have won only three of their thirteen games this season, the other ten consisting of five draws and an equal number of losses. United have conceded twenty-one goals this season, the second highest in the Championship, and will have to play extremely well to defeat Arsenal's young side.

Sheffield United will be given some encouragement by the fact that Arsene Wenger always plays young sides in the Carling Cup, but Arsenal's youngsters are as good as any team outside the top four, as seen in 3-1 and 6-3 victories over Liverpool last season.

This season, Arsenal's young players have managed to defeat Newcastle 2-0 in the Carling Cup third round, following impressive periods of dominance from the young gunners.

Wenger will most likely field a lineup completely different from the one which played against Newcastle, due to injuries to Philippe Senderos and Eduardo da Silva. Emmanuel Eboue is also unlikely to play on Wednesday, although he may be injected into Arsenal's depleted defense.

Lukasz Fabianksi will almost surely start in goal, as Arsene Wenger is keen on giving the promising youngster a few starts this season.

In front of the Pole will most likely be Justin Hoyte, Alex Song, Armand Traore, and Kolo Toure. Toure may have to feature in the place of the injured Philippe Senderos, although Arsene Wenger may choose to play Lassana Diarra in the defense as well. Because of the Senderos injury, Wenger may even choose to give promising young Norwegian Havard Nordtveit his senior Arsenal debut.

In the midfield Neves Denilson will likely play alongside Abou Diaby. Depending on how much Arsene Wenger trusts his youth, these two could be complimented by any number of their peers. I would love to see Kieran Gibbs and Fran Merida or even Henri Lansbury or Mark Randall feature, but I feel that Wenger will be keen on making it through to the next round so his young players can get some more experience. For that reason, the likes of Mathieu Flamini or even Gilberto may be brought in to add some experience to the young Arsenal side.

Up front, Arsene Wenger's obvious choice would be to start Nicklas Bendtner alongside the electric Theo Walcott. Walcott could soon break into the Arsenal first team following his impressive performance in the 7-0 drubbing of Slavia Prague. If he can play well on Wednesday he may even start against Manchester United next Saturday instead of leaving Emmanuel Adebayor as the lone striker.

With an impressive midfield and attacking lineup, I can't see Arsenal losing this game. I'm not going to predict any scores because they could vary greatly depending on the team that Arsene Wenger decides to field, but I think it is safe to say that Arsenal are heavy favorites in this fixture and it would be very disheartening to see them drop out at this stage of the competition.

I would be disappointed by anything less than a comprehensive victory.

Four Players Doubts For Arsenal Champions League Clash

Arsenal have four players who are doubts for tomorrow's Champions League game against Steaua Bucharest.

Alex Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby, and Emmanuel Adebayor are awaiting late fitness tests before Arsene Wenger names his squad for the away tie. All four have made the trip to Romania, but it is yet to be seen if any or all of them will play tomorrow.

"Alex Hleb will travel," Wenger told Arsenal.com. "We tested him for a check on his bone and a decision will be made tomorrow over whether he will play or not.

"Emmanuel Adebayor will travel but we will make a decision on him as well. It looks a little less good than it did. Mathieu Flamini has a knock on his groin. Abou Diaby has a knock on his ankle so we need to check on them.

The injuries to Hleb, Flamini, and Diaby will leave Arsenal light in the midfield, with Cesc Fabregas and Gilberto the only fit midfielders who usually receive spots in the starting 11. If none of the three are fit for tomorrow's game, Wenger may be forced to start Eboue and Denilson alongside Fabregas and Gilberto.

Walcott could be another option on the wing, but with Eduardo and Adebayor out he may start the game up front with Robin van Persie. Another option (since )it is unlikely that Nicklas Bendtner will start) would be to play van Persie as a lone striker in a 4-5-1 including Walcott on the flank.

The 1-0 win over West Ham had quite a toll on our players, but I am optimistic about winning this match even with a depleted squad.

Arsenal vs Newcastle: Match Review

Match Preview

Arsenal dominated today's games for long spells, despite only managing to put the game away 2-0 in the final 10 minutes. An 83rd minute header from Nicklas Bendtner broke the deadlock, and Neves Denilson put the game beyond doubt with a superbly taken strike from 20 yards out. Arsene Wenger's younger players have once again proved their worth and will go into the fourth round full of confidence despite Wenger's commitment to playing a second string side in the Carling Cup.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianksi; Emmanuel Eboue, Justin Hoyte, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Neves Denilson, Lassana Diarra, Alex Song; Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo da Silva, Theo Walcott

Newcastle: Shay Given; Habib Beye, Sanchez Jose Enrique, David Rozenhal, Steven Taylor; Abdoulaye Faye, James Milner, Charles N'Zobgia; Shola Ameobi, Obafemi Martins, Alan Smith

Sam Allardyce's men created the first clear cut chance of the match when Enrique sent in a dangerous cross from the left wing. Alleged Arsenal target Obafemi Martins headed the ball goalward, but a fine save from the young signing Lukasz Fabianski kept it out of the back of the net.

Nicklas Bendtner had a similar chance after a 17th minute cross from Armand Traore, but the tall Dane couldn't steer the ball goalward, powering it high over the crossbar.

Eduardo soon had his first chance at goal, after some good work from newly returned Emmanuel Eboue, but the newly signed Croatian striker was just unable to send the ball towards goal. He was able to get alone with Shay Given, but was shut down by the Newcastle keeper just in time to keep the scoreline 0-0.

Arsenal enjoyed another chance when Emmanuel Eboue forced a great save out of Given after powering a low drive goalwards from 20 yards.

Both goalies kept their teams clean sheets for the first half, but Arsenal came out the stronger in the second.

Given was called into action again as he made a fine reflex save from Theo Walcott.

Arsenal had another great chance when a blocked shot from Eboue gave the gunners a corner. Eduardo headed the resulting corner towards the goal, but Charles N'Zogbia cleared the ball off the line.

Newcastle then had a penalty shout turned down as Philippe Senderos appeared to bring down Martins in the box.

It was not the last chance Newcastle would have, despite Arsenal going on to dominate the rest of the game. On 83 minutes Traore crossed the ball to Nicklas Bendtner who made no mistakes in powering in his header.

Obafemi Martins had a chance to equalize soon after as he rounded Lukasz Fabianski, only to see his shot brilliantly cleared off the line by a sliding Senderos.

The game then finished beyond doubt, as Neves Denilson unleashed a superb strike from 20 yards out to seal an appearance in the 4th round for the young gunners.

Watch the goals (and Senderos' clearance) here

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Preview

Tomorrow will see Arsene Wenger's young guns take on Big Sam's Newcastle side in the Carling Cup. Wenger confirmed that he will continue to play youngsters and players "who need to get up to full speed" in the Carling Cup, despite the fact that Sam Allardyce always plays his strongest squad even in the 'lesser' of the English cups.

Arsene informed Arsenal.com as to some of the players we will be seeing tomorrow.

“You will see Bendtner, Diarra, and Denilson. Maybe Eboue (ankle) will be coming back as well.

“You’ll see Justin Hoyte and Alex Song maybe Eduardo and Diaby. Then there is Armand Traore and Lukasz Fabianski who we have not seen a lot of so far. We have sold out and we will put out a good team. We want to give the opportunity to our fans to see some unfamiliar faces.”

After Wenger saying that both Hoyte and Bendtner will stay at Arsenal, it is great to see the young pair finally get some time on the pitch.

It would be nice to see Bendtner starting a match, as the youngster has great promise. He complained about not seeing enough action in the start of the season, despite his impressive performances, and the Carling Cup could be the perfect opportunity to let the tall Dane show off his skills.

Hoyte also has considerable talent, and as he can play either left or right back he could be a great squad player for Arsenal in the future.

Diarra, Denilson, Eduardo, and Diaby are all players on the fringe of regular first team action, and good Carling Cup performances might see some of them getting more time in the Premier League as well. Diaby and Diarra in particular impressed in the 5-0 drubbing of Derby on Saturday, the former scoring the first goal, and the latter registering some impressive mazy runs.

It should be great to see our young players play, but it will be quite a test against the Premiership's 5th place team. Allardyce is likely to play such big names as alleged Arsenal target Obafemi Martins, former Manchester United striker Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and the impressive young Charles N'Zobgia.

Newcastle's impressive front line may cause trouble for the young Traore and Hoyte, but with Kolo Toure in the center we may be able to hold off Big Sam's strikers. Scoring goals shouldn't be a problem with Eduardo and Bendtner in the lineup, and the home advantage will help as well. I fancy our side will just manage to pull out a 2-1 victory in a tight match.

Tottenham vs Arsenal: Match Preview

Arsenal's return from an international break will begin this Saturday, September 15, as the gunners face Tottenham at White Heart Lane in the North London derby. The derby between these fierce rivals should be a good game, despite the Spurs abysmal start to the 2007/08 season.

Arsenal have begun the season well, coming into our 5th match tied on points with leaders Liverpool, despite having played a game less than Tottenham, Chelsea, and last years Barclay's Premier League champions, Manchester United. The only 2 points that Arsenal have dropped were due to an error from Jens Lehmann against Blackburn, and otherwise Arsenal have beaten Fulham, high-flying Manchester City, and Portsmouth.

Tottenham, who were supposedly going to challenge an Henry-less Arsenal for a Champions League spot this year, find themselves in 14th place, with only 4 points from 5 games. Arsenal should have an easy time defeating a team which has already lost to Sunderland, Everton, Manchester United, and drawn against Fulham. The only team that the Spurs have managed to beat is arguably the worst team ever to ply their trade in the Premiership, Derby.

Speaking of Derby, this is the first derby of the season for Arsene Wenger's boys, and the outcome here will be important in silencing critics of the young Arsenal squad. It could also be an important game for Martin Jol, as rumor has it that the Tottenham manager will be fired if he fails to win at White Heart Lane on Saturday. Justin Hoyte spoke out on how the players love this game, and the fans do as well, as a drubbing of the Spurs always cheers up an Arsenal fan.

Arsenal will be able to field a fairly complete squad on Saturday, with the only doubts being William Gallas, Emanuel Eboue, and Jens Lehmann. Philippe Senderos will also miss the match due to suspension after his red card in the game against Portsmouth. However, with Gilberto likely to start in a central defensive position and Bacary Sagna returning from injury at right-back, Arsenal shouldn't have too much defensive trouble.

A leaky Tottenham defense which is still missing Ledley King should prove to be Martin Jol's downfall, especially considering the recent scoring spree of Arsenal's midfielders. Jol may be forced to play a not-yet-fit Aaron Lennon in an attempt to score more goals, but I still doubt that Tottenham will score more than 1 goal. Classy Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov will be the Spurs' greatest threat, but even he will have trouble scoring against an Arsenal defense that has let in only 2 goals in all competitions this season (both coming from Jens Lehmann blunders.)

I would like to see Eduardo start in his first North London derby, but even after scoring 3 international goals for Croatia during the break, I fear that Arsene Wenger may start the hard-working but inconsistent Emanuel Adebayor alongside Robin van Persie instead.

Gael Clichy and Kolo Toure will make up the rest of the defensive line (alongside Gilberto and Sagna). In the midfield, the fabulous Cesc Fabregas will start along with Alex Hleb and Tomas Rosicky. If Gilberto is played as a central defender, I would like to see how Lassana Diarra does in his holding midfield role, and I think it is likely that Wenger will opt to play him over Flamini or Denilson.

Our makeshift back line shouldn't cause any problems if our midfielders and strikers continue to score, and the return of Bacary Sagna will strengthen our defense. The atmosphere of the North London derby will spur on the Spurs though, so while I would like to predict a clean sheet, I would have to guess that the game will end 3-1 in the favor of Arsenal.

Edit: The game did indeed end 3-1. Click here for the Match Review