Written by Paul Williams on Friday, November 6, 2009

As Arsenal move ever deeper into the month of November, such is the quality at Arsène Wenger's disposal that even with ten members of the first team squad- yes Liverpool fans, we are also minus ten at the minute - missing in action, we don't seem to have been unduly disrupted. I say "don't seem", of course what I actually mean is that we haven't been disrupted at all.

One of my favourite moments of the Alkmaar game, apart from the delicious football, was the sight of Andrey Arshavin trotting off to be replaced by Tomas Rosicky, who joined Samir Nasri in midfield. The manager is looking for Nasri and Rosicky to energise what could become a jaded midfield this month. With Theo Walcott and Denilson expected to return after the international break, the options for the manager are extensive. It even looks to me like, whisper it, Cesc Fabregas - perhaps not in the form he's in now - would not be missed if he was unavailable for any time.

Not that I would want that to happen, you understand. But even without him you could have a midfield of Song, Rosicky and Nasri."The Legend" Rachid has a dream of seeing a midfield containing Cesc, Rosicky, Arshavin and Nasri. We may not be far away from that scenario, although I don't think we'll be seeing it tomorrow.

Staying with the manager, he has hailed Robin van Persie as the best striker in the league, citing his link up play as the winning factor. I think that if the manager had Didier Drogba, then perhaps he'd be calling that cheat the best striker in the league. But he doesn't, even if he did it would be understandable. I don't know if I'd pick Robin above a striker like Drogba or Torres, but one thing is clear, the improvements he has made this season and his current form, do demand a touch more recognition than he has been shown.

One football website highlighting the fact that whilst Rooney and Drogba were lauded for their performances in their sides victories at the weekend and Torres was lauded for being, well, Torres, Robin's matchwinning display in the NLD was ignored by the MotD team. Actually, you could make a case that Arsenal's performance in that match was basically ignored by MotD, what with it being 4th on the bill. Which is fair enough, but one wonders where the Lineker fronted programme would have placed it had Tottenham managed to change the habit of a century.

Annnnyway.

I mentioned Cesc earlier and he was one man who was clearly not going to get carried away with one of the most breathtaking expositions of Arsènal style on Wednesday night. It was quite a funny interview post match as whoever interviewed him was obviously trying to draw him into the kind of statement that saw Robbie Keane's ugly face covered in eggs last week - I will stop mentioning that eventually, I promise - but Cesc was having none of it. To the point where I was sitting there willing him to crack a smile.

I don't know how many of you saw it, but I do agree with the sentiment, "Nothing is done now, we will talk when we win something". That kind of attitude might guarantee the growing feeling that something special might just be around the corner in N5. It is also the attitude that the captain will be leading his team out in Wolverhampton tomorrow night with, which will hopefully guarantee that we avoid any Stoke style surprises and climb ever closer to the Premier League summit.

Mick McCarthy reckons Wolves are going to have a go at us, citing the manner of our setruction of Alkmaar as evidence that it's pointless trying to stop us in such a negative fashion. Whilst I welcome that as a refreshing change in attitude from a manager at the wrong end of the table, I do wonder if that's influenced by the fact his team will be at home and whether he might rethink closer to kick-off. Either way, I say bring it on.

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