Just a little further

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
26 Sep	3:00 PM	P	Fulham (A)	1	0	Win

So with news that Arshavin, Carlos Vela and Theo Walcott are fit for selection against Fulham and that Robin van Persie is expected to pass a pre-game fitness test are we on the cusp of seeing the fruition of Wenger's planning. While we are still without our theoretical No.1 goalie, our first choice reserve centre-half and of course Samir Nasri, who for me was our best player last season, are any of them guaranteed to make it straight back into the starting eleven when they return. Almunia is obviously the strongest candidate however if Wenger's comments about starting Wojciech Szczesny instead of Mannone are acted upon then maybe, just maybe, Average Al will have to fight for his starting spot.

Wenger's next hurdle to cross is to somehow keep our array of attacking talent fit, happy and enjoying their football. Its an almost exact reverse of where we stood at times last season when a player in the senior squad could be selected purely because he was fit. It is now quite possible that we replace 4 outstanding attacking talents with 4 other players who are almost, or at least will be, as good. Andrey Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky, Robin van Persie and Francesc Fabregas for Carlos Vela, Theo, Eduardo and Ramsey. I'm not suggesting that Vela is currently as good as Arshavin for example but were we to need to mix things up or bring some fresh legs to the fray then he is certainly an able deputy and someone who could fill the Russian's shoes when he moves on.

Fulham are next in the cross-hairs and I wouldn't bet against a 3 goal-winning margin. Considering how the corresponding fixtures went last season, 4 points dropped and no goal scored, I would imagine Wenger will have a bee in his bonnet about our London neighbours. Personally I'm hoping for another shut out at the back, an aerially commanding performance from our centre half's and goalie and no new injury worries for the champions league game mid week. Oh and Santa I almost forgot. Can we please also have a victory?

With the ongoing tit-for-tat between Wenger and Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud being played out via the newspapers I am left wondering why would we want him now that we are in a situation where we haven't enough room for the attacking players we have but were Gallas or Vermaelen to get injured we are forced to play Silvestre, enough said, or Senderos, who was available to buy this summer if anyone was bothered.

Allied to that were Alex Song to pick up a knock, or when he goes to the African Cup of Nations in January, are we to carry on seamlessly without a like for like player. If it were me, and thank God it's not, I'd be looking to find someone out there who can fall in to central midfield and has a talent to tackle.

I think that's almost all of my weekly ramblings out in the open. In a week were there was more youth teams masquerading as a senior team in the Carling Cup another of Wenger's ideas has caught on and looks like staying. I didn't get to see the game in full but it is good to hear reports that our conveyor belt of talent shows no signs of slowing up. Following on from his call-up to the bench for the Standard Liege game Sanchez Watt caught some attention with a well taken goal. Whether he becomes another Theo Walcott or David Bentley we don't know however either one will be a win win situation for Arsenal. We either get a first team member or the spuds get a dud and we get their cash. Happy days. Who we play next in this competition won't be known until tomorrow lunch time but I would hope for some positive reviews from both Francis Coquelin and Gilles Sunu who have been turning heads in our academy.

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