Arsenal vs. Blackburn: Match Review

Arsenal went five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table after defeating a hard working Blackburn Rovers side. The win also ensured that the Gunners have goal differential equal to that of Manchester United. Mark Hughes' Rovers failure to win any points saw them slip down to 9th falling behind Portsmouth, who beat Bolton on Saturday.

Arsenal won an early lead through Phillipe Senderos after a corner from Eduardo, but an inspired performance from Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel kept the Rovers in the game for the majority of 90 minutes. However, Blackburn could not grab a goal back. A late strike from in-form forward Emmanuel Adebayor guaranteed three points for the Gunners in second half stoppage time.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Jens Lehman; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Alex Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas, Gilberto Silva; Eduardo, Emmanuel Adebayor

Blackburn: Brad Friedel; Stephen Warnock, Andre Ooijer, Bruno Berner, Zurab Khizanishvili; David Bentley, Brett Emerton, Tugay Kerimoglu, Steven Reid, Benni McCarthy; Roque Santa Cruz

Arsenal rushed out of the gates with a flurry of early forays, eventually resulting in a corner kick. An unmarked Philippe Senderos easily headed home after a good corner from Eduardo.

The opening was just what Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wanted, and the Gunners could have doubled their lead only a few minutes later when Emmanuel Adebayor headed wide after a free-kick from Eduardo.

Mathieu Flamini should have added another for Arsenal after 22 minutes, but the defensive midfielder could only shoot straight into the legs of American goalkeeper Brad Friedel after some impressive buildup play from Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor.

Blackburn took note of Arsenal's inability to kill them off though, and it soon looked as though the Gunners would be in for a long night, with former Gunner David Bentley spraying crosses into the box. None of Bentley's good work could lead to a clear-cut chance for his team though.

Rovers had their best chance of the first half when both Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz failed to get any meaningful contact on a cross from Brett Emerton. The South African striker seemed to take the ball off of the head of the incoming Santa Cruz.

The half ended with Blackburn on the ascendancy, as Santa Cruz skied a shot well over the bar after a cross from Stephen Warnock.

The second half began much the way the first had ended, with Blackburn on the offensive. David Bentley nearly embarrassed Jens Lehman when he sent a free-kick around Arsenal's defensive wall. The German keeper managed to get down just in time to clear the ball instead of making yet another defensive blunder.

As the Arsenal fans cheered for a second goal, the Arsenal squad regained their footing, soon coming close when Alex Hleb hit Friedel's post. Adebayor nearly grabbed a second for Arsenal minutes later, but once again shot straight into the legs of Friedel.

Fabregas came close after a pass from Adebayor, but drilled his shot just wide in the 67th minute.

Adebayor kept Friedel busy though, twice forcing him to save at his feet. Hleb then came close with a fine dipping effort which was well-read by the American. The deadly combination of Hleb and Adebayor could not be held off forever though, and Arsenal's second breakthrough finally came in stoppage time when a pass from Hleb put Adebayor in pole position to rifle a shot into the bottom corner of Friedel's net.

The win put Arsenal on a good track to win their first title since the 'invincibles' of 2004. United now need to make up five points in twelve games to catch up with Arsene Wenger's young Gunners.

Arsenal vs. Blackburn: Match Preview

Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers travel to the Emirates this Monday to face off against league leaders Arsenal. Blackburn, who are currently in 8th place in the Premier League, have already faced Arsenal twice this season, taking two points off of the Gunners in a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park, and losing 2-3 at home after taking a Carling Cup tie into extra time.

Arsenal's recent form is impeccable, with the Gunners having scored three goals in each of their last four Premier League matches. Arsene Wenger's squad has responded very well to a 5-1 Carling Cup loss to arch-rivals Tottenham, winning their next three matches in a row.

Blackburn, on the other hand, have not won in their last three games, instead drawing against Everton, Aston Villa, and Middlesbrough. With injuries to defender Andre Ooijer and midfielder Steven Reid, a Blackburn victory seems improbable. Manager Mark Hughes will be fielding a relatively inexperienced squad as key midfielders Morten Gamst Pederson and David Dunn and center-back Christopher Samba are also set to miss the match due to suspensions.

Arsenal are facing there own injury crisis as well, though. Phillipe Senderos, Mathieu Flamini, and Manuel Almunia are all doubts, while none of Johan Djourou, Robin van Persie, Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby, and Neves Denilson are going to feature due to injury. Alex Song will be playing in the finals of the African Cup of Nations on Sunday, and Ivorian defensive pair Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure are both likely to feature for their country on Saturday in the 3rd/4th place playoff game.

Jens Lehman is ready to replace Almunia in goal if necessary, and injury-free defenders Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy will be full of energy up and down the flanks. However, Wenger is facing a crisis in the center of defense.

William Gallas is Arsenal's only fit center-back, and Arsene Wenger has claimed that he may even attempt to get Toure back in London for the game against Blackburn. The other options are to play the inexperienced Justin Hoyte or holding midfielder Gilberto, who may be needed to replace Mathieu Flamini. No matter who Wenger decides to field, we will have our hands full for a full 90 minutes against Roque Santa Cruz.

Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb are certainties in the midfield, and if Mathieu Flamini is unable to feature he will likely be covered by the aging Gilberto. Tomas Rosicky will be more difficult to replace with Abou Diaby and Neves Denilson out. This leaves just Theo Walcott or Eduardo to play on the left wing, although Eduardo has finally been getting used to playing up front alongside Emmanuel Adebayor.

Adebayor is sure to feature in the Arsenal strikeforce, although his partner will be more difficult to predict. Eduardo has been starting in the absence of Robin van Persie, but his guile might be needed on the left flank with Rosicky injured. This would leave Adebayor with another tall frontman, Nicklas Bendtner.

Arsenal's injuries are disturbing, but I feel that the Gunners will prevail against a Blackburn squad with a similar amount of absentees. I predict a 3-1 home victory, moving Arsenal five points ahead of title rivals Manchester United.

Arsenal Fitness Boost As Trio Return From Injury

Blackburn Rovers were already in for a tough match at the Emirates on Monday, but the returns of Mathieu Flamini and Manuel Almunia to the Arsenal squad will make victory even more improbable for a hapless Mark Hughes.

Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was injured in training ahead of Arsenal's match at Manchester City last Saturday. The keeper was replaced by a capable Jens Lehman, but after yet another blunder by the 38 year-old German, Arsenal fans will feel much safer in the hands of the consistent Almunia. 30 year-old Almunia should recover from his twisted thumb in time to face Blackburn.

Mathieu Flamini was taken off of the field due to injury this Tuesday. The holding midfielder had received his first senior international start, but had to be recalled after picking up a thigh injury. The knock seems to be less serious than first feared though, and Flamini may be ready as soon as Monday.

"It is just a little tight spot behind the right thigh," he said.

"It is nothing serious, I hope I will be ready for Blackburn."

Gilberto is also likely to return to the squad by Monday, although Tomas Rosicky, Robin van Persie, and Johan Djourou are still on the road to recovery.

In other news, Kolo Toure seems to have recovered from a knock picked up while playing at the African Cup of Nations. The stalwart central defender started for the Ivory Coast today in the Nations Cup semifinals against defending champions Egypt. It was at first feared that Toure would miss a large part of the remainder of the season, but it now seems as though the 26 year-old will be able to feature as soon as he returns from international duty.

Fulham vs. Arsenal: Team News

Arsenal travel to the Craven Cottage tomorrow to face Fulham. The reverse fixture at the Emirates, the first game of the season, ended up a 2-1 win for the Gunners after conceding an early goal to David Healy through a Jens Lehmann blunder. Arsenal will be looking to keep a clean sheet this time around, while Fulham, a team mired in the relegation zone, would be happy to take a valuable point out of the match.

Arsenal
Arsene Wenger will be without injured duo Robin van Persie and Johan Djourou. The club's three African players, Kolo Toure, Alex Song, and Emmanuel Eboue, will also miss the match on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. Lassana Diarra is also out, after transferring to Portsmouth earlier this week. However, Tomas Rosicky could return in the place of Theo Walcott after missing last week's disappointing draw against Birmingham with a virus.

Van Persie will be out for an estimated two to three weeks, and will be flying back to his native country of Holland to rehabilitate. The Dutchman has only featured in 8 Premier League games this season, but still sports an impressive 5 league goals. Djourou, who featured in the Carling Cup match against Tottenham, is also out for a few weeks.


Fulham
Recently instated Cottagers manager Roy Hodgson will be without new signing Brede Hangeland, who has not yet received clearance to feature for Fulham. Impressive full-back Paul Konchesky is also out due to suspension, but Jimmy Bullard could make his return for the Cottagers in the place of Moritz Volz.

Paul Konchesky will be sorely missed as the defender has been one of the few bright spots in a defense that has already allowed 39 goals this season. Hangeland's ineligibility could also play a key factor in the match as Hodgson is hoping that the 6 ft 5 in central defender will finally plug Fulham's leaky back-line.

Arsenal Transfer Rumors

As a big club with a big transfer kitty, Arsenal are constantly linked with talent from across the globe. During the transfer season, these rumors tend to increase in volume but decrease in validity. Nonetheless, on yet another slow news day, I will bring you some of the latest transfer "news" to circulate around the web.

A few news outlets are reporting that Torpedo Moscow defender Vyacheslav Dmitriev has signed for Arsenal. The Russian teenager should be coming to the Emirates during the Summer. A highly rated 17 year-old, Dmitriev could grow to become a feared Premier League defender. It remains to be seen if his signing is fact or fiction though, as the club's official website Arsenal.com have yet to report the news.

Arsenal have also reportedly completed a transfer for Andre "Dede" Ayew from Marseille. The 18 year-old Ghanian can play either on the left wing or up front. A reported fee of £5 million coupled once again with a lack of mention on Arsenal's official site mean that this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt.

Other possible transfer targets include Spanish U20 and Deportivo La Coruna B goalkeeper Fabricio. 23 year-old keeper Carlos Kameni, a regular for Espanyol and Cameroon, is also on the list of future Jens Lehmann replacements.

In terms of exit news, Lassana Diarra could be leaving for Portsmouth on a £5.5 million deal which would see the holding midfielder getting a sizable paycheck of £60,000/week. Seems a bit much for a player who can't even deal with not breaking into the Arsenal first team within months of his arrival.

Elsewhere, Theo Walcott could move to West Ham on loan in what would be a beneficial deal for both of the clubs involved. West Ham, a club which always seems to have injured strikers, would do better with Walcott up front than with Carleton Cole, and it would be good for the 18 year-old to get some regular playing time in a Premier League side. I doubt Arsene Wenger would let it go through, though.

Lehmann's Dortmund Move Falls Through

Contrary to earlier reports, Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will be staying at Arsenal until the Summer. I reported on Wednesday that the keeper had all but signed a deal with Borussia Dortmund with only minor details to be sorted out. However, Lehmann has decided to stay in the Premier League, promising to fight for a starting spot rather than be ensured regular first-team football in the Bundesliga.

The decision may affect whether or not Lehmann keeps his international place, as Germany coach Joachim Low warned that he may not feature in Euro 2008 if he isn't his club's number one goalkeeper.

Lehmann apologized for having inconvenienced Dortmund fans, and stated that the deal fell through due to 'personal reasons.'

"Although it would have been a very attractive challenge to play for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga once again, I have decided against taking this step due to personal reasons," he said.

"I am sorry, particularly to disappoint the people responsible at Borussia Dortmund, who have tried very professionally to convince me to move and gave me sufficient time for consideration."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was pleased that the 38 year-old had chosen to stay with the Gunners and has promised to continue using Lehmann as a squad player.

"Lehmann will be on the bench [against Birmingham]," said the Frenchman.

"The indication I can give is that I am happy if he stays because he is an important player in the squad, like Gilberto also.

"We have such a young squad that these players have a big weight in the dressing room and a big input in the team. I am happy if they stay."

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.

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.

Jens Lehmann Free To Leave Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated that Jens Lehmann is free to leave the Gunners during the transfer window, but maintains that the veteran stopper has not yet decided on his future.

Rumors had it that Borussia Dortmund, the player's former club, were set to announce Lehmann's signing yesterday, but the day passed with little transfer movement of note, and Lehmann still at Arsenal.

"When I extended the contract for Jens, I opened the door that if he does not play [for us] and has a chance to play in the European Championships, then I would not stop him from leaving in January," said Wenger. "If he does not play, that means somebody else can get in front of him.

"I have heard that Dortmund made a press conference and they did not announce Jens but they are hopeful. The door is not closed for Jens, but at the moment we have not reached any agreement. I do not even believe he has made his mind up.

"He still thinks he should play, and I respect that. On one side you cannot want a player to give 100 per cent every day to be the best and then accept he is not the best. They do not work together.

"But what I respect the most is he is a player who comes in and does his job 100 per cent and does not talk too much. That is what he does at the moment."

Personally, I'm not too sure about that last part. Lehmann lost his first-choice place in large part due to the fact that he could not stop criticizing Manuel Almunia, and even at times Wenger himself.

I am keen to see the club cash in on the German. He performed well for Arsenal in past seasons, and I commend him for that, but his recent dip of form, in conjunction with his volatile personality makes me hope that he leaves sooner rather than later.

Wenger Cautious About Arsenal Exit Rumors

Key squad members at Arsenal such as Gilberto, Mathieu Flamini, Lassana Diarra, Abou Diaby and Jens Lehmann have all been linked with moves away from the Emirates during the January transfer window. However, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted to being cautious over allowing anyone to leave.

The Gunners will be missing first-choice center back Kolo Toure, as well as Emmanuel Eboue and Alex Song for much of January and February as they fight for glory in the African Cup Of Nations. This means that Arsenal will be facing a shortage of defenders during these months.

Wenger feels that although Arsenal have a fairly large squad, due to the volume of competitions the Gunners are still fighting for, there is no need to unload any players.

"At the moment, I have to take care of the season," he declared. "We are in a good position and want to win every competition.

"You need a big squad and what looks a big squad can quickly look very short.

"At the moment we have not too many injuries, but with the number of games we play and the intensity of the games we play, I have to be cautious not to let too many players go."

Burnley vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Arsenal travel to the Turf Moor on Sunday to face Championship side Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup.

The Pride of Lancashire, who have been under the management of former Falkirk boss Owen Coyle since late November, will likely face an understrength Arsenal side, as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger tends to blood young players in England's cup competitions.

Burnley, though, will be well aware of the threat, especially after an impressive young Arsenal side defeated Blackburn 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the Carling Cup last month. The Arsenal squad, who's average age was under 20, showed some impressive determination to beat Blackburn in overtime.

Wenger has stated that the squad to face Burnley will be a mix between the fringe players of the Carling Cup and the full squad which are currently in first place in the Premier League.

Jens Lehmann, who has long been linked with a move away from Arsenal, has been tipped by Wenger to be involved in the clash.

Arsene Wenger was tight lipped about the rest of his squad, although Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, who will leave soon after the match for the African Cup of Nations, are set to feature along with Bacary Sagna.

"I can’t really tell you too much about the team at the moment because I have to check my players," said Wenger.

"I think Jens Lehmann will be involved. But Kolo Toure, Eboue and Sagna will all play. A few of the players who featured all over Christmas will be rested and a few will come in. It will be a mixture.

"We do have a little problem with Adebayor on his hamstring but, if really needed, he could play. Robin van Persie is still injured and will not be involved. But it is very short for him now. The next deadline could be Birmingham or just after."

No matter who is involved, Arsenal will be confident of a victory, keeping the Gunners in the competition so they can continue to blood their pool of up and coming talent.

200% Professional Lehmann May Leave In January

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has lost his starting place at Arsenal due to two mistakes in the first two games of the season, and an early-season injury.

Since then Manuel Almunia has started every Premier League game, with Lehmann, the former first-choice keeper, relegated to the bench.

The German keeper has been incredibly critical of manager Arsene Wenger and Manuel Almunia, going public on his feelings that he is by far the better keeper at Arsenal.

Nonetheless, Arsene Wenger claims that he has a chance to break back into the team before January.

"If the situation is still like this in January we will see. We are still in November. November and December is plenty of time to win his place back," said Wenger.

"He is up for the challenge because he is 200% professional."

I don't think too many people would agree that Lehmann is professional, but it's not too hard to understand his frustration.

Germany coach Joachim Loew has told Lehmann that he needs to regain a starting spot before Christmas if he wants to continue to be Germany's number one. Lehmann will therefore look for a way out of Arsenal if he hasn't regained his spot by January.

"Given what the Germany coach says, I will have to see how things are in December," said Lehmann.

"I definitely want to play at Euro 2008. Playing there has always been my aim.

"The Bundesliga is always attractive and is an option, and maybe the German second division is too," he added.

However, he still hopes to dislodge Almunia before the transfer window.

"The situation is as it is. It is only important what the manager decides and I am using this phase to train intensively every day.

"The manager knows I am highly motivated. I would like to play again soon and expect that I will do.

"I would be very surprised if that was not the case."

Personally, I'd be very surprised if he did get his place back. As far as I'm concerned I'd rather see him leave.

Gilberto to finish career at Arsenal

Brazilian holding midfielder Gilberto Silva wants to finish his career at Arsenal despite spending most of this season on the bench.

At 31, the Brazil captain is well past the age at which Arsene Wenger usually encourages players to move on, but Gilberto would like to lengthen his Arsenal contract (which still has more than a year to go).

"It is not just down to me, but it would be great if I extended my contract with the club and finish my career here," Gilberto said. "We will see if the club has the same feeling.

"I am not thinking about leaving the club now. I prefer to think that I have the condition to get back in the team. I will do my job; do my best to achieve that. This is what I have in mind."

Gilberto was one of the brightest spots in Arsenal's disappointing fourth place finish last year, but he has spent much of this season on the sidelines following the impressive form of Mathieu Flamini.

Because of this, the Arsenal vice-captain has been linked with a move away from the Emirates, with Juventus and Valencia both wooing the player. These links to Spain and Italy were compounded by media reports that Gilberto had fallen out with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Gilberto rubbished these reports.

"This is not true. If I have said something to Arsene, it would never come out in the papers," Gilberto said. "I would go to him and speak to him face-to-face; we have great respect for each other.

"Everyone knows I am not 100 percent happy to be on the bench, that's normal but I am being professional and doing my job.

"I respect everybody in the squad, I respect him and I respect his decision. It's the only thing I can do."

Gilberto is a great professional, and Jens Lehmann could certainly learn something from the Brazilian. I hope that he stays true to our club, as his experience could prove to be invaluable in what seems sure to be a tough title challenge.

Lehmann out, Eduardo in for Bolton Clash

Arsene Wenger has announced that he will stick with Manuel Almunia in goal for tomorrow's game against Bolton despite the return of Arsenal's former first-choice keeper Jens Lehmann from injury. Fans are beginning to question whether Lehmann has a place at the club any more, as Wenger has completely left him out of the squad, keeping Lukasz Fabianski as the second choice goalkeeper.

"Jens Lehmann played very well for Germany," Wenger told Arsenal.com. "But Almunia will play against Bolton. He must be patient and fight for his place.

"Patience is not his best quality and Jens will fight every day to be back in the team but I have three world class keepers here now.

"In our job you must always fight hard and be able to cope with any situation that you deal with.

"At the moment he must be strong enough to deal with it."

Eduardo da Silva, arguably Arsenal's biggest Summer signing, is set to take Robin van Persie's place for the Bolton clash, after the Dutchman was injured in the Netherland's midweek win over Slovenia.

The Brazilian-born Croat will have to play well to keep his spot when van Persie returns, as Emmanuel Adebayor and van Persie have both been in fine form of late. Theo Walcott is also slated to get a chance as a central striker, but Nicklas Bendtner will be disappointed to find that he will not play alongside Adebayor in van Persie's absence.

"Eduardo, it could be time for him,” said Wenger at a Friday press conference. “He has started very well.

"He is certainly intelligent enough to fit into the side, Walcott will too. Walcott will get a chance in this position because I feel now he is ready to play through the middle.

"We are in October and Theo has already played a part. He made a big impact last time he came on and you know things change quickly. In football you have always to be ready, and it’s a good opportunity for him as well, not only for Eduardo. If he is strong, he will play.

"Bendtner will [play] as well, but he is more in Adebayor’s position than someone to play with Adebayor."

Almunia vs. Lehmann: Round Two

In a previous article I argued that Jens Lehmann should be Arsenal's first choice goalkeeper. Other than his early blunders this season Lehmann has always been a sound 'keeper for Arsenal, and two errors are not enough to forget about a man who has spent four years with our club. When I polled the readers of this blog, however, the results differed from my beliefs - 58% of readers claimed that Manuel Almunia was the better keeper.

Nonetheless, with Lehmann on the verge of a return from injury, I maintain that the German hothead should be Arsene Wenger's number one. Almunia is a great backup, and he has produced some good performances in Lehmanns absence, even holding clean sheets for 5 consecutive games prior to last Sunday's clash with newly promoted Sunderland.

However, a clean sheet does not verify the skills of a goalkeeper. Our defending has been very solid this season, and many of the teams we played against were admittedly wasteful with their chances. The truth of the matter is, Almunia has not been forced to make many saves - and he has not made any saves of the caliber of a world-class keeper like Crazy Jens.

In fact, Sunderland's second goal was very stoppable, and in my match review I even mentioned that I thought Lehmann would have made the save. Our defense was partially at fault for letting up the pressure on Kenwyne Jones, but I still feel that Almunia should have at least gotten fingers to Jones' header.

Not only does Jens have the better reactions, but the German is also more experienced and is better at dealing with crosses and long balls. While he may be a bit volatile, Lehmann is by far the oldest and most experienced player on a young Arsenal team which needs a backbone. Also, whereas Almunia is often seen completely missing punches, Arsenal fans could always feel assured when Lehmann went up for a ball in the box.

As the best of Arsenal's keepers, Jens Lehmann deserves the starting berth against Bolton after the international break. At the very least, doubters should watch to see how he plays for Germany over the weekend before shastily tossing him out in favor of Almunia.

Whomever is chosen to play against Bolton, they better play well, as rumors state that Arsene Wenger is looking into buying Robert Green or Almenning Jarsteina in January.