This time it's personal

With what is undoubtedly the biggest game of our season so far just around the corner I think we would all like some improvement on last weekends debacle.

Internet chat rooms and websites have been littered all week with disappointed, angry and growingly impatient gooners. That is of course because we all care deeply about our club and don't like to see its proud history stained by a gut-less performance against our competition. Anything less than an angry response from the fans would be disappointing as it would signal a white flag. Anything less from our players and management in their first chance to show what they thought of last Sunday would be criminal.

With the news that Eduardo is out for the weekend filtering through it places more importance on Bendtner quickly getting back into the swing of things. Should John Terry be stripped of the England captaincy the last thing he will want to face on Sunday is a rampant and aggresive Bendtner taking him on in the air and giving him a little tour of his own ground. Added to that the fact that it is time again for our little Russian wizard to stop talking with his mouth and start talking with his feet we should see a different Arsenal on Sunday.

Since the arrival of Guus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge Chelsea have been getting the most out of Florent Malouda. He will have looked at the recent performances of his compatriot Gaël Clichy and licked his lips in anticipation. The best way to stop someone playing is to keep the ball away from them. It is here that Denilson and Song and possibly Diaby will have to be at their best.

Two break away goals from United showed up our so called defensive midfield shield, its all well and good attacking when we have the ball but if you are too lazy to get back as fast as you can then maybe we should head you for the exit door as fast as we can.

I still maintain that a draw here won't be all bad but it had better come at least off the back of an Arsenal performance containing all the bells and whistles. We need to get angry and get in amongst them. To use a phrase not too unfamiliar at The Emirates these days lets see if they like it up 'em.

When plotting a game plan to get past the current day Arsenal squad you can be pretty confident that our entire 11 players will get a touch on the ball before someone decides to have a shot. It might be nice to get flappy the Spanish waiter to throw it to Arshavin / Fabregas / Nasri and start an actual break where we move the ball from one square to the other as fast as we possibly can. I know who I'd back in a foot race between Terry, Carvalho, Nasri and Arshavin. If nothing else it will give them something to think about and might even encourage John Terry to think about it before he ventures into someone else's box looking for a handy score.

Finally I am going to stick my neck on the line and call this as an Arsenal win. I really can't imagine any of our players being so bereft of self pride that they won't be focused and determined come Sunday evening. I also think that despite they are our weakest players Almunia and Denilson may very well do us a job. They're not professional for nothing and someone can only sink so low. In sport when you think something is certain then that's the time to expect a surprise.

By 6 PM on Sunday we'll know if I can tell the difference between blind optimism and something relating to football knowledge.

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