At the start of yesterday’s transfer deadline day, a tweet was doing the rounds, raising half-hearted smiles of recognition from Gooners up and down the country.  There were various versions, but it went something like:

“Being an Arsenal fan on deadline day is like being in detention at school and watching other kids play outside!”

Quite funny, quite clever. In this instance, however, it’s also quite incorrect.

Being an Arsenal fan on this deadline day was like turning up at a party of which you already have fairly low expectations, only to discover Roman Abramovich and Kenny Dalglish leading an Eyes Wide Shuts-style masked orgy.  Yes, like ITV’s Biggest Loser, there’s something horribly fascinating about it that means you feel compelled to watch, but it’s primarily disconcerting, disturbing, and leaves you feel like a bad person simply for observing.

£50 for Fernando Torres is excusable.  £35m for Andy Carroll is downright insane.  Andy Carroll is now the eighth most expensive footballer of all time.  A recent example for comparison: he cost more than Man City and Barcelona paid for David Villa and Edin Dzeko.

But then this is a day on which Charlie Adam very nearly became a £14m player, surpassing the amount we paid Marseille for Samir Nasri.

What unites Carroll and Adam, and raises their price beyond reason and in to the ridiculous?  Merely their Britishness.  The tax on domestic players has reached preposterous levels, and Liverpool are fools to have succumbed to it.  It makes no sense.

Yesterday, however, was not a day driven by sense.  It was driven by posturing and pride.  Liverpool suffered the humiliation of losing their talisman, and spent silly money to appease their supporters.  The idiots burning their Torres shirts can pretend they’re not stung by the Spaniard’s defection but it fool no-one.  They’ll hail Carroll and Suarez as reasonable replacements, not the successors to Duncan Ferguson and Mateja Kezman they appear outwardly to be.

For our part, we’re better off out of it.  It’s telling that the Premier League’s elder, saner statesman – messrs Ferguson and Wenger – stayed well clear of the madness that unfolded.  If Arsene had found a centre-back at a good price, he would’ve bought him: he didn’t.  As for Alex Chamberlain, the player’s desire to join the club means that a deal is not pressing.  We can wait till the summer.

I understand fans wanting the squad to improve.  But days like yesterday are not the way to do it.  Not for us, anyway.

There were a couple of players who went out on loan.  Gilles Sunu joined French club Lorient, whilst Kyle Bartley switched Sheffield United for Glasgow Rangers.  Ryo Miyachi’s permanent deal was announced, and in the very same press release it was confirmed that he’ll spend the remainder of the season with Robin van Persie’s former club, Feyenoord Rotterdam.

A bit of a footnote to the day was the departure of Nacer Barazite, who joined Austria Vienna on a permanent deal.  Barazite was well thought of a few years back: a tall, elegant player with an eye for goal.  Sadly, he’s failed to make the grade and has now moved on.  It should bring a bit of perspective to the enormous expectations our young players sometimes find themselves subject to.

Tonight we face Everton at home.  The good news is that the visitors are due to be without Tim Cahill, who played in the Asia Cup Final on Sunday.  We should bring back a swathe of players: I expect Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, and Clichy in defence.  Song, Wilshere and Fabregas remain as the core midfield trio, whilst Van Persie and Walcott will return upfront.  Samir Nasri’s injury means there will be a place in the side for one of Bendtner, Arshavin, or even Chamakh.

United are at home and will expect to pick up three points, so we must do the same.  After the events of yesterday, Chelsea might just be capable of turning this back in to a four horse race.

Arsenal 2 – 1 Huddersfield (Bendtner 21, Lee 66, Fabregas (pen) 86)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

We ought to begin with crediting Huddersfield…
They were outstanding at the Emirates, and can rightly feel aggrieved to have lost.  There was a period in the second half when we were as under the cosh as we’ve looked this season, and when they equalised there appeared to be only one probable winner.  But then we introduced Cesc Fabregas – and the rest is (admittedly very recent) history.

There is a chasm emerging with the squad…
…between those that are first choice, and those that are not.  The eleven players who were picked to face Chelsea around a month ago have gone from strength-to-strength, boosted by the catalytic effect of that crucial victory.  However, their excellence means that when we do rotate, we suffer by comparison.  Yesterday the ‘squad players’ failed to impress yet again.

We look particularly weak in defence…
That won’t be a surprise to anyone, but whilst our attacking options remains fairly interchangeable, it is imperative that our first choice back four stays fit.  Sebastien Squillaci’s return ended in a red card, and he hardly put a foot right before that.

There are problems at full-back too.  Emmanuel Eboue may play to the crowd by giving his shirt and shorts away at the end of every appearance, but it doesn’t hide his deficiencies – he isn’t even close to challenging Sagna as first-choice.  Worryingly, I believe a suspension to Sagna means Eboue will start the first leg against Barca.  Brace yourselves, readers.

Kieran Gibbs, meanwhile, is in an awkward position – it’s hard to see how he can develop without getting regular games, yet we’re too reliant on him as back-up for Clichy to let him go out on loan.

Marouane Chamakh needs a goal…
In the first third of the season he was absolutely outstanding.  Now, he suddenly finds himself getting less game time than Nicklas Bendtner.  Being withdrawn at half-time to cover for Squillaci’s sending off won’t have helped his confidence – he needs to add to his tally of 10 for the season as soon as possible.

Nicklas Bendtner has the confidence every striker needs…
I understand some of the criticism of our Danish dumpling.  His first touch is occasionally heavier than the weight of expectation his own words emburden him with.  However, his confidence – arrogance even – is essential for a player in his position.

I spent some time last week with former Liverpool and Wales striker Ian Rush.  On the subject of goalscoring, he stressed the most important thing was never to let a miss bother you – you just move on to the next chance.  Michael Owen, he said, was such a great striker because he didn’t give a you-know-what about missing chances.  He just got up, and waited for the next one.  And so it was for Bendtner yesterday: when Nasri found him with a beautifully clipped pass about six yards out, he completely missed the ball.  Within moments, he was celebrating.  Such is football.  Such is Bendtner.

It was nice to see Almunia back…
He might not play many games between now and the season, but it’s good to have a senior member of the squad involved with the first-team once more.  It’s important to remember that whilst you might doubt his capabilities as keeper, he is a well-liked and ultimately very loyal member of the squad.  Alienating him entirely would not be a smart move on Arsene’s part.  What’s more, he did make one outstanding save.

Cesc was just brilliant…
When Huddersfield got their equaliser, I looked at the ten men in red and white.  Every single one of their heads were down.  There was no communication, no rallying, no urgency.  Then Cesc came on, and the whole dynamic of the game changed.  Huddersfield were terrified of him, and rightly so – within moments he had provided Bendtner with a couple of opportunities to run at their defence with beautifully-placed through-balls.  The penalty was calmness personified.  The man (for he is no longer a boy) is a winner, through-and-through.

The goal was followed by a fitting tribute to a much loved Arsenal man, Pat Boyle…
After tucking the penalty away, Cesc grabbed the ball, said a silent prayer, kissed the corner flag and pointed to the sky in honour of a man who carried out his duties at Arsenal with humility and class, right until the end.  RIP to a true Gooner.

Losing Nasri is a huge blow, but…
…there’s no point criticising Arsene for the decision to play him. It could have happened at any point, in any game. There is an onus now on Andrey Arshavin to step up and replace him. Fortunately, his performance yesterday had some signs of a return to form – including one hugely surprising last-ditch tackle inside our own penalty area.

Orient away is a fantastic draw…
A London derby at League One Orient’s Brisbane Road (capacity: 9,271) should be a fantastic occasion and a thrilling cup-tie.  What’s more, all things being even, we should win it.

I don’t expect any transfer activity today…
Ryo Miyachi’s loan move to Feyenoord could be confirmed, but other than that I expect it to be a quiet day on this side of North London – unlike on the other side, where Harry Redknapp appears to have found the cheat on Championship Manager and is throwing money around like a monkey playing monopoly.

I failed to mention the other day that Carlos Vela had joined West Brom – in slightly shady circumstances, mind.  Hopefully he’s able to make an impact there and returns a better player.

Arsene says he’s still interested in securing a centre-back on loan, but if he hasn’t found one so far he’s unlikely to suddenly discover one today.  As for Alex Chamberlain, who looked tidy enough against Manchester United at the weekend, I think that one might wait until the summer.

Of course, if anything DOES happen, you know where you’ll hear about it: follow Gunnerblog on Twitter.

At last: we have more than two centre-backs

Don’t get overexcited: we haven’t signed anyone. Instead, Sebastien Squillaci is back from injury. It ought to be good news, but memories of some of his timid displays prior to succumbing to hamstring knack mean it fills me more with trepidation than triumphalism.

Abou Diaby will also make his customary ‘comeback appearance’, look quite good, then limp off clutching a random part of his leg.

In seriousness, it’s good to have them back. I hope we don’t need to see Squillaci out there too often, but Diaby could have an important role to play and give Jack Wilshere a vital breather every now and again.

Arshavin: It’s All In My Head

Various quotes from Andrey Arshavin have been floating about the internet over the past couple of days, like those bits of cellular debris you sometimes see in the corner of your eye. The diminutive Russian has spoke out about his form, which has been at best about as patchy as John Terry’s strange unfinished haircut.

The first thing to say is that it’s apparent in the Russian original article that the comment about “getting old” is intended as a joke. Though he may have mistakenly hit the nail on the head – in the attacking third of the field, that half-yard of pace is absolutely crucial.

I think, however, that this decline has been too swift for it to be physiological. It’s all in his head. His confidence is shot and he needs something to kickstart him. Perhaps his two assists in the week could provide something of a fillip. It’s no secret that I am in love with a big fan of the little Russian, as is Arsene. I think he’ll get more playing time at the weekend – Arsene did talk about using ‘shorter rotation’, after all…

More Loan Rangers

With the serious business approaching, Arsene has let several more fringe members of the squad go out on loan. Craig Eastmond has joined Millwall – if that doesn’t toughed him up nothing will – whilst Benik Afobe has extended his spell with Huddersfield Town. According to this article on Arsenal.com, he hasn’t been given permission to play in this weekend’s FA Cup tie, which is odd because Sanchez Watt was allowed to do so when we faced Leeds. A suggestion, perhaps, that we rate Afobe as a brighter prospect than Sanchez.

Young Guns has a story about Ryo Miyachi joining Feyenoord on loan. That’d be a good move for him, assuming he got any game-time. We’re still waiting for Carlos Vela to choose between Bolton and sunny Spain. I’ll repeat: if he leaves England now, he’s probably gone for good.

Arsenal’s Twitterati

What with it being 2011, which is basically The Future, more and more Arsenal players are now over on Twitter. In recent weeks, Bacary Sagna, Robin van Persie, and Samir Nasri have all joined the mass ranks of chattering.

However, one man is conspicuous by his absence: Emmanuel Eboue. Reportedly the dressing room’s most natural entertainer, the public should not be denied the presence of this man in their social media landscape. Yesterday I gave birth to the hashtag: #eboueontwitter. Let the campaign begin.

Cesc You Can

Hop on over to Gunnerblog’s elder, swearier brother arseblog and you can have a crack at winning one of the new Cesc We Can t-shirts. Watch out though: the questions a real head-scratcher.  Alternatively, if you are a) impatient, or b) famously unlikely to win anything ever, then why not just buy one by clicking the fancy banner below?

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That’s yer lot for today. Happy Friday, Gooners.

Arsenal 3 – 0 Ipswich (3-1 agg) (Bendtner 61, Koscielny 64, Fabregas 77)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

A change is afoot. Beating Ipswich was expected – necessary, even – but this feels bigger than that. Arsenal are on the verge of something they haven’t done in more than five years – lifting a trophy – and possibly at the edge of something even more significant.

As things stand, we’re still in contention for all four competitions on offer. It’s a feat unmatched anywhere else in England. We have tough competitors in each, particularly the Premier League and Champions League, but you get the sense that for the first time, Arsenal are not afraid.

Take last night. In years past a nervy Arsenal would doubtless have thrown men forward early on, leaving them vulnerable to Ipswich’s counter-attack. But last night, the team showed remarkable patience, waiting until the 61st minute for the goal which leveled the tie up and began to turn the tide to an onslaught of red and white.

When the breakthrough came, it showed something else: class. Wilshere’s lofted pass, Bendtner’s dragback and curled finish all spoke silently of the quality that underlines this current Arsenal squad.

If the second goal was unusual – a Koscielny header from Arshavin’s corner – then the third was even more quintessentially Arsenal. Cesc Fabregas broke from the halfway line before finding Andrey Arshavin in space. The Russian had had yet another one of ‘those’ games, but showed the intelligence and awareness to drive elegantly inside before slipping a reverse ball back in to Cesc’s path. The finish was inevitable.

If the goals brought relief, full-time brought jubilation. The critics will say, “it’s only the League Cup Final”. Tell that to the players. The relative ranking of this competition among our priorities hasn’t changed, but our attitude fundamentally has. The second we decided we wanted to win this competition – really wanted to win it – the stakes were raised.

There’s just no such thing as “only Wembley”. Whether it’s West Ham or Birmingham that we face, we’re all guaranteed a grand day out on February 27th. It’ll be our first final in the new stadium. It goes without saying that it’s been too long coming.

Arsenal need this. Pundits keep saying Arsenal need to win a trophy to get over their fear of losing. They’re wrong. Arsenal need to win a trophy to understood how good winning feels.

Winning is an addiction. Ask the 37-year old Ryan Giggs. Once you experience the elation of victory you just keep coming back for it. Win the Carling Cup and its yours for a year. But the long-term effects on the likes of Djourou, Song, Wilshere and Walcott could be beneficial well in to this decade.

Leading them out that day will Cesc Fabregas, and there won’t have been many prouder moments in his young career. After the same, Arsene picked him out for special praise:

“You could see in Cesc’s attitude that he’s hungry for it and overall I still believe that Cesc is a winner, a born winner who wants to win every day on the training pitch. It has a lot of meaning for him.”

For a man who is a “born winner” to have just one major club honour (the 2005 FA Cup) to his name simply isn’t right.

Between now and the end of the season, Fabregas and his cohorts have a chance to set that right. The Wembley Final falls bang in the middle of two titanic clashes with Barcelona. Get a decent result in the first leg, and what better fillip for the second could their be than raising some silverware above your head?

The team, club, and fans are united now under one banner. Hope. Believe. Achieve? Cesc We Can.

Oh, and there’s a t-shirt too.

It’s a new variation on an old design that proved particularly popular. Get yours now so you can be wearing it at Wembley. Or on your sofa, watching Andy Gray and Richard Keys Jamie Redknapp and some other mug on Sky.

I hope you like it. And enjoy today: bit by bit, this club is getting back where it belongs.

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IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling, 1895
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Come On You Gunners. Time to end the wait.

Arsenal 3 – 0 Wigan (Van Persie 21, 58, 85)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

It’s not an original headline, but it remains an apt one.  Robin van Persie now has six goals from his last three appearances.  His record for the season reads eight starts, eight goals.  His performance yesterday prompted Gabriele Marcotti to wonder on twitter just how highly he’d be regarded were it not the injuries which have so hampered his career.  Arsenal fans will be hoping that between now and the end of the season, we might just find out.

Although yesterday was undoubtedly Robin’s day, his goals were the result of an awesome team performance.  It’s no exaggeration to suggest that were it not the heroics of Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi, we could have emulated Spurs’ nine goal haul against the Lactics a year or so ago.

The team selected constitutes our current ‘First XI’: Szczesny in goal; a back four of Clichy, Koscielny, Djourou and Sagna; Wilshere and Song; Nasri, Fabregas and Walcott off Van Persie.  Lukasz Fabianski and Thomas Vermaelen would have a claim to be in that team were they fit, but as things stand these our the men in possession.

It’s easy to see why.  Good teams are comprised of a series of effective partnerships, and those exist throughout the side.  Koscielny and Djourou continue to develop an impressive understanding – yesterday brought their fourth consecutive Premier League clean sheet – and Wojciech Szczesny is becoming such a regular feature on the team-sheet that I have almost learnt to spell his name without googling it.  If/when Lukasz Fabianski comes back in to the side, Szczesny will have cause to be disappointed.

On the left, Gael Clichy looks an infinitely better player now he has the hard-working Samir Nasri ahead of him rather than the luxuriant Andrey Arshavin.  On the other flank, Bacary Sagna and Theo Walcott work tirelessly to cover and support each other, whether attacking or defending.

Alex Song and Jack Wilshere are becoming an increasingly complimentary pair.  It’s taken them some time to get the balance right, but these two very different players have now moulded in to one super-effective unit.  Song, in particular, was outstanding yesterday: his use of the ball was superb, particularly with the ball to set up the opening goal.

Up top, we all know class of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.  A glance at our second goal yesterday underlines the quality of the two players.  And such is their ability, they can link effectively with all of our Arsenal of talent: they can play neat one-twos with Nasri, or find a penetrating pass for the runs of Walcott.  Keep them fit, and we’re guaranteed to score goals.

When Marouane Chamakh was in a rich vein of form at the start of the season, I openly questioned Van Persie’s value.  In the last few games, he’s exposed me as a mindless cretin, and demonstrated his quite awesome natural ability.  Take a glance at his hatrick yesterday: hardworking and intelligent though he is, I’m not sure Chamakh could have scored any of those goals.  The missed penalty was a rare blemish on an outstanding display.

If the three goals, three points, and three cheers for Robin put Gooners in a good mood, Aston Villa’s toppling of Manchester City lifted spirits even higher.  We’re now a point clear of third place City, with a game in hand.

Transfer News

The closer we get to Sebastien Squillaci’s return to fitness (he’s currently about a fortnight away), the less likely the prospect of Arsene Wenger signing a centre-half.  At this stage I’d be quite surprised if anyone came in at the back.

There’ve been some moves out on loan.  Henri Lansbury has extended his spell at Norwich, whilst Aaron Ramsey and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas have both joined Cardiff.  Cardiff are currently second in the Championship, Norwich third: clearly Arsene is trying to balance out Arsenal’s influence in the race for promotion.  Lansbury’s pedigree at that level is well established; Emmanuel-Thomas has the bigger task of turning potential in to pedigree.  Ramsey, meanwhile, is only at Cardiff for a month or so, in which period Arsene will be hoping he gets more game-time than his ill-fated spell at Notts Forest.

The Daily Mail, Mirror, and a few other sources seem convinced we’ve swooped for double-barreled Southampton sensation Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.  I’ll be speaking to journalist and Southampton fan Simon Peach tomorrow to find out a bit more about this Walcottian Wonderboy.  Check back for more on that then.

Site News

Lots of exciting things going on.  Since my services ceased to be required at work, I’d have a bit more time to work on the site, and we’ve finally got plans for a redesign underway.  We’re also back on the t-shirt bandwagon – ahead of the rematch with Barcelona, it’s time once more to belive that with Cesc, We Can.

Leeds 1 – 3 Arsenal (Nasri 5, Sagna 35, Johnson 37, Van Persie 76)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

That was a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment…
Credit to Leeds for battling away and making it an engaging cup tie.  Credit to Arsenal, however, for a mature display in the face of a hostile crowd.  We were in complete control of the game, even when Bradley Johnson’s screamer threatened our dominance.

ITV were more diappointed than the Leeds players…
I understand that the neutral will inevitably favour the underdog, but in doing so you stop being, well, neutral.  ITV’s coverage of the game was outrageously biased, manifested most plainly in the commentary booth.  When Samir Nasri skipped through to tuck in the opener I thought Peter Drury might throw down his headphones in a strop and leave in a tearful huff.  Back in the studio, Adrian Chiles appeared to suggest that Arsenal were “soft in the head”, which was rich coming from a man whose head looks like a freshly baked potato.

Nasri’s confidence is sky-high…
When he went through on goal, there was no doubt about the outcome. His finish was cool, calm, and precise.  I don’t think there’s a more obvious candidate for Footballer of the Year.  But then again, he’s not British.  So Gareth Bale it’ll be.

Bacary Sagna remains an awe-inspiring athlete…
Having him back in the side at the expense of Eboue immediately made us more solid at the back, as well as providing an added threat on the overlap.  His goal was a bit of a stonker too.  The softly-spoken Frenchman is comfortably the league’s best right-back.

Andrey Arshavin tackled back…
…yep, you read right.  Nothing came off for the Russian in the final third, but he finally showed the kind of application his critics have demanded.  If he keeps putting himself in the right positions, eventually one will go in off his sizable arse, and a return to form can commence.

The Denilson/Cesc ‘spat’ is a non-story…
When arseblog first posted the video, the quotes barely even registered on his radar.  A man so closely attuned to all things Arsenal would have made more of a fuss about them if there was even a hint of controversy.  The two players are good mates, and have been for some time.  There is nothing in this.  Move on.

The David Wheater signing doesn’t mean Gary Cahill is coming to Arsenal…
Bolton have one of the Premier League’s smallest squads, and desperately need to flesh it out – hence their interest in taking Carlos Vela on loan.  I maintain that we’re unlikely to spend big money on a centre-back, instead looking for a short-term cut-price option.

Rarely have news reports from Belgium garnered so much interest.  Yesterday, in an interview with website Sporza.be, Thomas Vermaelen confirmed that he is due to have surgery on his achilles and is unlikely to return before March.

Now, until we hear it from the club it’s far from 100%.  Surgery is certainly one of the options on the table, though I’m not sure if a definitive decision will have been made yet.  If Vermaelen does go under the knife, however, we’d be looking at March at the very earliest.  It’s possible it could rule him out of competitive action for the rest of the season.

That leaves us with the injury prone Djourou, the inconsistent Koscielny, and a wavering Squillaci.  People tout Alex Song as a centre-back option, without facing up to the fact that would mean having to start with Denilson in midfield.  It’s a price I consider too heavy to pay.

The latest from Arsene suggests he’s looking at a short-term solution.  Which is odd, considering this has been a long-term problem.  Koscielny and Djourou are both decent defenders, but neither can really be considered senior or reliable.  At the highest level, they remain inexperienced and untested.  And if Sebastien Squillaci isn’t good enough now, then I’m afraid he never will be.

I understand January is a difficult time to buy, but with Vermaelen set to be ruled out for a longer period, signing someone has become a necessity – whether as a short or long-term solution.  Matthew Upson would bulk the squad out, but I’m not sure he’d improve it.  Ideally I’d like a defender who could come in and make a real case to start alongside the Belgian when he returns from injury.  If not, then we still need a dependable body: this next month or so will certainly take its toll on Koscielny and Djourou and we need the opportunity to rotate. As soon as possible, really.

Over to you, Arsene.

West Ham 0 – 3 Arsenal (Van Persie, Walcott)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction

66% possession away from home tells its own story…
We were completely dominant.  Whilst I don’t want to downplay our own performance – ESPN did quite enough of that yesterday – West Ham were dire.  I say that as someone who has a few connections at that club and takes little pleasure from their plight.  Yesterday, they were without key players Parker and Piquionne, and lost Mark Noble to injury after just 20 minutes.  The players who played in their stead lacked ability and, crucially, belief.

The possession stat demonstrates that West Ham simply didn’t apply enough pressure high enough up the pitch, enabling us to get our passing game going right from the back.  Possession alone can’t win you games, however, as we’ve found out to our cost in the past.  Fortunately…

We were more efficient than in recent games…
Bringing Nasri and Van Persie back in to the side gave us a sharpness in the final third.  Crucially, we managed to get the second goal before half-time, rendering the final 45 something of a no contest.

The attacking trio had great balance…
Van Persie had the touch and awareness to find the two players either side of him, Nasri and Walcott, who both provide very different threats.  This article by Zonal Marking showcases the variation in their movement: Nasri moves in to the middle to link with Cesc, whilst Walcott stretches the game and looks for space both inside and outside the full-back.

Walcott destroyed Wayne Bridge…
The loan ranger from City could well have ben Man of the match on his debut – only for the wrong team.  A hatrick of mistakes contributed to each one of our goals.  First he gave Walcott too much space to cross for Van Persie, then played the Dutchman onside and allowed Theo to get the wrong side of him for the second.  Finally, his foul for the penalty was clumsy and needless.  Still, thanks to Bridge and indeed Manchester City for making yesterday quite so leisurely.

Wilshere was outstanding in central midfield…
It seemed that playing against the team he supported as a boy fired him up even more than usual.  Rather than the over-the-top tackles we saw at the start of the season, he channeled that in to a driving performance alongside the steady Alex Song.  Wilshere has a great ability to receive the ball, turn and face goal all in one movement, which is perfect for launching quick breaks from deep.

Djourou appeared to be playing in roller-skates…
After his recent run of form he was due a bad game, and yesterday’s nervy performance seemed due as much to a poor choice of footwear as anything else.  Still, it was infuriating listening to Chris Waddle describe Djourou as an ‘out of position midfield player’.  Djourou hasn’t played regularly in midfield since he was in his mid-teens.  It was such an odd comment that I almost wondered if he’d confused the Swiss giant for the injured Abou Diaby.

Whilst Djourou’s eggy display may well have been a one-off, such performances are only going to become more likely if he and Koscielny are forced to play every game in this congested period.  The signing of a centre-back looks more necessary with each passing game.

Szczesny made one vital save…
…to deny Carlton Cole after one particularly loose Djourou back-pass, standing up strong a la Schmeichel.  He remains an outstanding prospect, and whilst I feel Manuel Almunia has been a little unfairly treated, I’m glad to see Szczesny getting the games his talent warrants.

Some of these guys need to play at Leeds…
On Wednesday we travel to Elland Road for what will be a very tricky replay indeed.  I’d love to see the likes of Song, Nasri and Fabregas in that team so we can go all out for a win and keep our positive momentum.

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Right, off to cheer on Spurs now.  It’s an odd, odd feeling.