Swap Clichy and Arshavin for Gibbs and Wilshere

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
14 Aug	3:00 PM	P	Liverpool (A)	1	1	Draw

It's all in the title. I'm not necessarily suggesting it as a long-term plan, but certainly for the next couple of games.

Clichy has been poor for two years now, and for some reason ends up being used as an attacking outlet far too often, even though he can't cross a ball to save his life. The same could be said of Sagna on the other side, but the problem there is there's no real alternative for the right-back slot.

At left-back, however, Kieran Gibbs played a great game for England in midweek. If not for his injury last year he'd be first choice by now. I see no harm in starting him against Blackpool and giving Clichy something to think about; too many players seem assured of their place in this team and that's never healthy.

Which brings me to perhaps the biggest sinner of all: Andrei Arshavin. What has happened to this guy? Such an inspired signing when he first arrived, bringing new life to a miserable team heading for fifth in the league, now looks slow and disinterested.

But he's another one of those players who could believe a goal or two against Blackpool would make up for it, like Walcott's crazy celebration of a goal against mighty Burnley last season.

Wilshere had a decent game in central midfield yesterday, but he could prove a better option wide on the left than the Russian at the moment. Arshavin would benefit more from knowing his place is under threat than from a couple of goals against a newly promoted side.

Apart from that, all that remains to be said is the obvious:

1. We need Fabregas and van Persie back as soon as possible, because Nasri plays far too slowly and seems to refuse to play any inventive or lobbed passes.

2. Don't let Reina's clanger hide the fact that our goalkeeping situation still needs looking at. Almunia was lost on corners yesterday. First when he ran out, missed it and the ref blew for an inexplicable foul, and second when he ran out, missed it and Clichy cleared off the line. Reina's mistake might be the only high profile error he makes all season, but Almunia or Fabianski will make plenty.

3. Koscienly nearly got badly injured by Joe Cole, and later got sent off. He had a good game, but it serves as a reminder that it only takes seconds to lose a player and suddenly we're without a defence. It's an unfit Djourou or midfielder Song partering Vermaelen next week unless we sign someone. Here's hoping.

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