Reading 1-2 Arsenal (AET): Through to face Villa in the final

#RFCvAFC

We made hard work of it but eventually saw off a brave and battling Reading, thanks to two goals from Alexis. They weren't great goals, but Alexis has the determination that we so desperately need in these kind of tight games, and the directness that we so often lacked last season. While Alexis' opportunism got the goals and drew the attention of the pundits, I was impressed by the performance of Özil. While Reading were determined to give us as little time on the ball as possible, Özil was great at finding space and seemed to have the awareness and speed of thought to make the right decisions under pressure. Both Alexis and Özil are really beginning to look at home in this team, whether against the top teams or when battling against teams lower down the league(s).

Let's not believe our own hype just yet

#BFCvAFC #Bellerin #Walcott

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of reasons to be positive at the moment, but the media would have us believe we're right up there with Chelsea competing for the title, when the reality is that we're still 7 points behind having played one game more. The moment we start believing that the hard work is done and we've arrived, is the moment we go to Burnley thinking we've already won just by turning up. There are, however, no easy games in the Premier League and, as Wenger stated recently, we need to match Burnley's work rate if we are to win this game.

Expectations shifting again, as we emerge from a turbulent November and December

We began the season with high expectations, having won the FA Cup and gained 79 points in the league last season. On top of this we made some excellent signings, including Alexis, who could provide the cutting edge and directness that we lacked, so it felt like we had the foundations on which to build a genuine title challenge.

And yet, only a few months on, having had our worst start to a season many years, it was becoming harder and harder to defend Wenger's decision not to strengthen the squad in defence and defensive midfield. We began the season with only 6 defenders in the squad: Debuchy, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal and Gibbs. Suddenly, our expectations had shifted from potentially challenging for the League, to having to really raise our game to retain hope of finishing fourth again.

Arsenal conclude transfer business with Gabriel, having let four strikers go

#WelcomeGabriel #WelcomeBielik #AFCvAVFC

At last we've signed a defender! Gabriel is a 24 year old Brazilian who cost £11.2million, from Villarreal. His arrival, along with that of Bielik, a young but physical midfielder, and the recent emergence of Coquelin, has gone some way to addressing the weaknesses in our squad in central defence and defensive midfield. Having also let four strikers (Podolski, Sanogo, Campbell and Afobe) leave, our squad is now looking a lot more balanced and less top-heavy. Hopefully one or more of the loaned out strikers can still return, more experienced, to make the break through at Arsenal.

Thoughts on Man City 0 - 2 Arsenal, and predicted line-up against Brighton

#MCFCvAFC #BHAvAFC

So, after a turbulent couple of months, things are beginning to look up again! How quickly expectations have risen as we demonstrate the discipline required to fell one of the giants.

Arsenal 3 - 0 Burnley: Alexis the main man again in improved performance

#AFCvBFC

Arsenal line-up: Szczesny; Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs; Arteta, Flamini; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis, Cazorla; Welbeck

That's now three good results on the bounce, and it was nice to see a half-decent performance for a change. Our last two performances against Anderlecht and Sunderland have been very poor, but this demonstrates that it is getting the three points that is the most important thing. Despite poor performances, good results give the team confidence, which then leads to better performances, hopefully allowing us to build further upon this sequence.

Anderlecht 1-2 Arsenal: Alexis wasn't celebrating after that shambolic performance!

#ANDvAFC

Arsenal line-up: Martinez; Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs; Flamini; Alexis, Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla; Welbeck

This game was in contrast to both of the last two games against Hull and Chelsea. This was the worst performance of the three, and yet the best outcome, putting us in a strong position to at least qualify for the next round of the Champions League. Wenger considers it important to win your home games, and then pick up one or two results away from home too. So far we are on track to do this, although at the moment it's impossible to see us getting a result against Dortmund, even at home.

Spurs (H), Gala (H) and now Chelsea (A). 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1? Predicted line-up.

#CFCvAFC #COYG

Chelsea away is arguably the toughest Premier League game we will face this season, and follows a draw and a win in our last two games against Spurs and Galatasaray. This is a massive opportunity to show that we've improved compared to last season, particularly away from home against the big teams, and put to bed the demons still lingering from the equivalent fixture last season. It is also, however, a chance to go 9 points behing the leaders after just 7 games, effectively waving goodbye to our title aspirations already. There is a lot at stake here, to say the least.

Finances looking good ahead of Villa game - predicted line-up

#AVFCvAFC

We've just announced profits of £4.7m for the year ending 31 May 2014, with turnover increasing to over £300m. I'm intrigued that, while profits are just £4.7m, our cash reserves have increased from £119.6m to £173.3m. In delving deeper, this seems to be because we received payments for transfers that had previously been agreed, so this increase in cash didn't count as profit. Also, we have credit arrangements on some player purchases, meaning that some of this cash is already spent, and therefore misleading.

Arsenal 2 - 2 Man City: Thoughts on Özil, defenders and 4-1-4-1

#AFCvMCFC

So the six first team defenders we had, to cover the back four positions, has now become five, following a nasty looking sprained ankle for Debuchy. We don't yet know how long he'll be out, but Chambers is an able deputy for Debuchy, which actually makes us better prepared for an injury at right back this season than we were last. However, a further injury at right back, or any injury at centre back, will force us to call upon the 19 year-old Bellerin to play at right back. Having recently broken Walcott's club record for sprinting 40m, Bellerin certainly doesn't lack pace, and is effective going forward, but he has next to no Premier League experience.

Predicted starting eleven against Man City

#AFCvMCFC #COYG

I can't wait for this game! After an international break it always feels like it's been way too long since the last Arsenal game, and what a game to come back to. We've had tests and chances to show that we've improved this season, but this is the biggest yet. Beating Man City 3-0 in the Community Shield was really satisfying, and yet there still remained some doubts. Yes, we played well, but the impression I was left with was that Man City either weren't quite ready yet, or didn't really take the game very seriously. That will not be the case this time.

Transfer Review: Ins > outs in best transfer window for a while

#WelcomeWelbeck

It's times like these that I become so much more aware of how my Arsenal bias, and hatred for anything to do with Man Utd, affects my views and opinions. I've spent the last few years trying to justify the viewpoint that Welbeck isn't any good, and then he goes and signs for us, forcing me to rethink my opinions in a more objective (or pro-Arsenal) way! While Danny isn't the high-profile striker of the calibre of Cavani or, dare I say it, Falcao, he does have some qualities that will add to our striking options and will provide genuine competition and cover for Giroud.

Post-Leicester thoughts on formation and transfer jealousy

#LCFCvAFC

 So, after a disappointing result away to Leicester, it's transfer deadline day, and calls for Wenger to sign a striker have reached fever-pitch.

Firstly, some thoughts on yesterday's game:

Starting line-up: Szczesny; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Flamini; Alexis, Ramsey, Cazorla, Özil; Sanogo

So it seems that 4-1-4-1 is here to stay, and Özil remained on the left side, despite revealing in a recent interview with the Telegraph that he feels strongly that his best position is the 'number 10' playmaker role, through the middle. He also mentions that he prefers the right, where he has played for Real Madrid, to the left, where he was positioned for Germany in the World Cup. This makes Wenger's insistence on Özil playing on the left all the more strange. Some possible explanations are that Özil is just positioned there while he is regaining full match fitness, that Wenger wants to make space for both Wilshere and Ramsey to play in the two central midfield positions, or that Özil is positioned on the left as this allows Arsenal to break more quickly when we regain possession of the ball in our own half.

Predicted starting eleven against Besiktas, with thoughts on Sanogo and Alexis

#AFCvBES #COYG

 So, right on cue for our most important game of the season so far, Giroud breaks his foot and won't play again until the New Year. Alexis started as the central striker in our last game against Everton but was replaced at half-time by Giroud, with the latter proving to be much more effective in the role. It has been clear for well over a year now that we need backup for Giroud in the squad, but it's still unclear what Wenger's plans are. In such a high stakes game, we will see what Wenger considers to be his strongest available eleven, and therefore gain insight into what his plans have been for this eventuality.

Everton 2 - 2 Arsenal: Match thoughts and a defence of @_OlivierGiroud_

#EFCvAFC

 I went into this game hoping for more than a draw, as this was our first real chance to demonstrate that we've improved from last season, away from home against a top-five team. Having watched the match, however, I feel that this is a point gained rather than two points lost. I'm not sure that our performance demonstrated much improvement, but in the same fixture last season we got thoroughly beaten. We certainly demonstrated some heart and desire to get anything from this game, and I'm left wondering whether we had one eye on the more important Besiktas fixture on Wednesday.

Starting line-up: Szczesny; Debuchy, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal; Flamini; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil; Alexis

Prospect of centre-half pairing of Chambers & Monreal giving me nightmares

#VermaelenFCB

 Firstly, let me wish our former captain, Thomas Vermaelen, the very best of luck for his future at Barcelona. It's very hard to hold anything against him when he gave 100% in every game, took lower wages to avoid going to a rival Premier League club, and didn't involve himself in any media speculation. He really is a true professional; he has shown the utmost respect to Arsenal and will be remembered fondly. While causing us some problems in defensive cover, the deal also represents good value for Arsenal. In comparison to our £30m spend on a 25 year old Alexis Sanchez, receiving £15m for a 28 year old Thomas Vermaelen, with just 1 year remaining on his contract and unable to get into our first team, seems remarkable.

Change to 4-1-4-1 offers new solidity in Man City victory

#CommunityShield #AFCvMCFC

 How good does it feel to come away with a 3-0 win against a top Premier League team?! The main thing that we need to improve from last season is our results against the top teams, having been on the wrong end of some severe drubbings last season. On that front, this latest result is undoubtedly a step in the right direction and that, for me, is more important than the fact that we picked up our second piece of silverware in 3 months.

While beating any Man City team is no mean feat, there is no doubt that they were missing several top players, including Aguero, Kompany and Fernandinho, among others. What had a bigger impact though, was that Man City didn't look at all interested! It's difficult to tell if this was due to Toure and Fernando being overrun in the middle of the park (us playing well), or City not being ready.

First our hopes are raised. Quickly followed by questions!

#EmiratesCup #Sanogoal

So it's difficult to read too much into friendly games, but it's always nice to get a taster of how the new players might fit into the team, and how existing players might change their roles for the season ahead. It's also our first chance to see us against first-class opposition.

On seeing the team-sheet for the Benfica game, I was excited about seeing how the new players would perform - Chambers, Campbell, but also Sanogo, Bellerin and, to a lesser extent, Martinez in goal. However, the main things that struck me were that Monreal was playing centre back, we were lined up in 4141, without the double-pivot of 4231, and that Oxlade-Chamberlain was positioned on the left. It seems to me that in our first 11, Ozil will start in the CAM role, with either Giroud or Sanchez up front, and the right will be taken by Walcott or Sanchez. Our left-sided forward position is up for grabs with neither Podolski or Cazorla entirely convincing in the role last season. So the main question for me, going into this game, was whether the Ox could make this position his own.

Ospina and Sanchez signings signal a change in demographic

#WelcomeOspina

I'm delighted with the news that Arsenal.com have officially confirmed the signing of Ospina from Nice. While Fabianski had worked hard to finally overcome a reputation of being prone to making mistakes, I believe that replacing him with Ospina represents an improvement in the squad. It remains to be seen how Ospina will respond to playing second fiddle (initially at least) to Szczesny, but he is three years younger than Fabianski and performed admirably for Colombia in the World Cup.