oh mai, where is everyone? Thread is a bit quiet tonight. Game starting boys, lets give them our support.

oh wow. 7th minute, and already Walcott create a good cross for rvp only for alhabsi did a fine save at point blank. Almost score!

GOAAALLL!!!!! RVPP!

oh yes, we've created million of chances. I hope second half we won't be too complacent.

ok, I'm a bit jealous of Man Utd. They've already killed the game for Birmingham in the first half. They scored 3-0. C'mon Gunners! Win this game and kill it early.

I wouldn't say our team are not sharp, otherwise they wouldn't be able to score 3. I know everyone said they could have score 6,7 goals in that match, but I'd take 3 points for any scoreline. Yes, I'm still jealous of Man Utd drubbing birmingham 5-0, but good news is that the table shifted tonight. And its in our favor! Hope we'll creep up to 1st place soon enough.
As for lining up our strongest squad, I think we all have to be fair to the rest of the squad. For one, there are a lot of games needed to be played, so its only fair arsene to rotate the team fairly. Otherwise, there will be a lot of dissatisfaction among the players, which will impose a negative impact on the team as a whole.
Of course, this time in the season Arsenal is in a lot of crucial games. Basically, we can't lose anymore games. To be fair, Arshavin, Denilson, Vela, Bendtner, Rosicky and all the other second string players have a lot to provide, regardless if they're a shadow of their former self. Hopefully, our winning streak are motivating everyone to fight for glory and victory by the end of the season.

hahaa...yea, I noticed that too. I guess he didn't mean to aggravate the fans. What a pro attitude.

oh mai, I didn't know you watch the other 'football'.

These two are the one who need to be rotated more often.

Also, his dad got a good point saying that Arsenal has a better way of raising youth through the ranks than Man Utd. Of countless youth in Man Utd, how many actually made it to first team successfully? Probably quite a few, but its incomparable to Arsenal.
Its good though that at that age, he has two good choice to fall back to.

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Added on January 25, 2011, 12:02 pmI'm not staying up. Rather I'll sleep early and wake up around 4am to catch the game. At my age, I can't stand to stay up so late, but I can wake up early.

This post has been edited by funnyTONE: Jan 25 2011, 12:02 PM

It could be either Birmingham or West Ham. I speak on behalf of the vast majority of North Londoners that wish the CC final to be an all London affair. Yes, a morale boost it is, definitely! One that is realistically achievable this year. Everyone can see that by the strength Arsene laid down to play last night.

Man Utd future is looking bright indeed. Rafael/Fabio da Silva, J. Hernandez, Chris Smalling, Kuszczak, Rooney, Valencia, Obertan and Nani. These are definitely going to be the next prospect for Man Utd. The only position lacking is a playmaker. However, the biggest stumbling block for the team is replacing that certain someone Sir Alex Ferguson. Look at Chelsea, Liverpool or even Inter Milan. Missing their prolific manager does seem to drag down the whole team down. The only manager that would make a smooth transition at Old Trafford would probably be Jose Mourinho, but I don't think he is a one-man club kind of manager though.

Back to Arsenal, I'm hoping Arsene will utilize Chamakh again in the future games. Its a pity that he is down the pecking order once RVP hit his form again. I seriously love how Chamakh contribute to a different approach to our games prior to RVP return.

that's a sunderland away socks alright. But who is the international player with a clean cut image?

I really confuse. What's with all the hate? Arsenal won, and still a lot of complaints going about. Regardless of how bad they played or how terrible denilson/diaby played, they are the gunners. I will support them through and through. I think us fans are a pampered lot. Are we going to be like Real Madrid fans?

I do admire a fan who are very objective and constructive in this thread. Unlike some one-liner remarks against the players. Though I understand your frustration, I personally feel that Arsenal puts a different perspective in terms of sustainability in competing with the best teams in the world. Obviously, the standard rule these days is that money buys success. Its proven. Its proven in Real Madrid. Its proven in Barca, Man Utd, Chelsea and soon to be proven Man City.

Strangely, Arsenal choose a different path. A method of homegrown youth. It will take years definitely. Its a big risk, and more often it doesn't produce immediate results. But then again, when I look at Arsenal at the moment.....hmmm. That's weird, we're 2nd at the league table. We've made through the last 16 round of champions league. We're going into the finals of the Mickey Mouse cup, one that even the other Big 4 team failed to come through. Except for FA cup which Man Utd and Chelsea has a chance still. We're doing pretty good at the moment.

You're speaking of the future. One that you predict that our team may crumble down due to the lack of depth and defense. Hey, its all part of the game. No team is invincible in the long run, especially in the ever-challenging english premier league. You see man utd losing their top scorer in wayne rooney and tevez, but Berbatov stepped in. You see andy carroll injured at the most crucial time for newcastle, but they hang on to their position still. Real Madrid lost Gonzalo Higuain but still they maintain their 2nd position in la liga. I call this as team work. A single individual may not change the luck of any team simply because he is worth millions in the market.

A good team carries each other when there are difficulties. Look at how our captain stepped up to the plate when everything else fail. Without assist from that emo-arshavin, he wouldn't have scored the last time. Seriously, I think Arsenal has a good balance of team spirit and individual talents to go through all the competition this year. I think what is more affecting a team performance is in the dressing room itself.

If we start buying expensive talents, the disharmony in the group may just be the push to take Arsenal out of every game we ever fought for. So in the end, I do hope that Arsenal players will realize the uphill task they're in for. They should prove everyone that these are the players that has matured for the past 6 years and that they will show that they deserve to be put on the same stage with the other expensive players.

To hell to what the pundits are saying. They're merely journalist and people paid to talk and critic about everything in football. If you want to hear honest comments, listen to what the other managers are saying about Arsene Wenger and his youth policy. I'd like to point out that majority of football players have nothing but praises to what Arsene is building in the squad as well.

like I said before, its up to Man Utd to lose the trophy. Arsenal should find consistency and keep putting pressure to the leader.

omg, thats hillarious!
Wish some epl players have the balls to twit this away.

valentine is coming soon. I'm expecting a funny gif/jpeg of ABUs soon.