Just Arsenal News

Arsenal will play host to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, with the winners getting a place in the quarter finals of the FA cup. For Arsenal, with an extremely difficult double header in the Champions league against Bayern Munich, this competition surely represents the best chance of finally adding another piece of silverware to the Emirates’ trophy cabinet.

Arsenal are also involved in the battle for a top four spot in the Premier league and a place in Europe’s top competition next season. Blackburn, however, are in a similar struggle in the championship. They travelled to play-off rivals Brighton last night sitting just four points outside the play-off positions, as they seek to bounce straight back to the Premier league. .......Read the full article here

I know that lots of Arsenal fans will disagree with me when I say that Olivier Giroud is starting to grow into his role at the club and even starting to replace Robin van Persie. Some will point to games earlier in the season and chances that he has missed. As recently as the FA cup match against Swansea at the Emirates he was guilty of squandering chances, but so was Theo Walcott on the night. .......Read the full article here

Aaron Ramsey has got a new lease of life at Arsenal, and seems to have finally won over many of his doubters and started to find the form that Arsenal fans feared he had lost forever following his horror injury. The 22-year old Welsh international has had his fair share of problems, but he has shown admirable determination and resilience to overcome them.

Ramsey had already put in a few good performances in his usual role as an attacking box to box midfielder when he was called on by Arsene Wenger to play the holding role. Injury to Arteta and then to Coquelin gave Ramsey the opportunity, and most would agree he has done really well. It adds another string to his bow, and makes him an important and versatile member of Wenger’s squad. .......Read the full article here

Theo Walcott scored the winner for Arsenal yesterday to beat Brighton and see the Gunners through to the last 16 of the FA cup. It was not the best performance of the season, but there were plenty of moments of true quality. When you consider that Arsene Wenger made six changes to the team, it was very encouraging to see the fluency and creativity in the game. Walcott and Wilshere made us even more dangerous when they came on, causing Gus Poyet to rue the 23-year old’s introduction.

“The only way to stop Theo is to shoot him.

“Giroud was outstanding. He’s big, powerful, can take the ball on the run and oozes class.” .......Read the full article here

Arsenal travel to Brighton tomorrow for the fourth round of the FA cup, and Arsene Wenger knows that the game will not be easy. The current manager of the Seagulls, Gus Poyet, has done great things for the club since joining them just over three years ago. He got them promoted from League one in his first full season and was voted manager of the year.

Poyet has produced a good footballing side at Brighton and they are currently just one place off the play off positions. He is hoping to inflict another cup upset on Arsenal tomorrow, but has his sights set higher than that. Poyet hopes to manage the Gunners one day, and hopes his playing career at Chelsea and Tottenham does not mean that the Arsenal fans would never accept him. .......Read the full article here

Arsenal may have to face Brighton away in the fourth round of the FA cup on Saturday without captain and central defender, Thomas Vermaelen. The Belgian international should only miss one game at the most, but there is no need to risk him because the Gunners have an ideal replacement in Laurent Koscielny. Wenger does not seem overly concerned about the knock to Vermaelen.

“Vermaelen has an ankle problem. He got kicked and twisted a little bit. He is a doubt for Saturday but it is nothing major.” .......Read the full article here

I think it is safe to say the the Arsenal number 12 Olivier Giroud is a player who thrives on confidence, at least when it comes to scoring goals. He definitely has the talent, in my opinion, to be a great striker for Arsenal. His physique is ideally suited to the Premier league, he works really hard and is great with his head. For a big man he is also surprisingly good technically and with his feet.

Giroud’s first goal last night was finished in a similar way to his first Premier league goal against West Ham back in October, a near post deft finish. He is producing quite a few assists as well with his cute flicks in behind the defence, which last night led to Cazorla’s goal. .......Read the full article here

January was always going to be a crucial month for Arsenal, and it has definitely not gone according to plan so far. In the league, a draw against Southampton and defeats by Manchester City and Chelsea have left Arsenal adrift of the top four in the Premier league. After Everton’s game tonight, the Gunners could find themselves six points behind Everton in fifth and seven behind Tottenham in fourth. .......Read the full article here

Two reasons to be thankful by Twig

Back-to-back defeats against City and Chelsea have shattered whatever is left of any hope that Arsenal could challenge in the 2012/13 EPL season. Manchester United’s draw at Spurs means the gap between us at the top is a massive 22 points! I don’t think it has ever been this bad, but yet, there are two reasons why I think Gooners should still be thankful. .......Read the full article here

Is it the start of our happy new year? by John M

Many Arsenal fans will have woke up this morning with at least a bit of happiness this morning after our 1-0 win against Swansea last night in the FA Cup 3rd round.

It was an all round different performance against what has been difficult opposition of late with a 86th minute winning goal from Jack Wilshere. Swansea will always be dangerous with their direct attacking and pace but we worked as a team to close them down and ultimately eliminated them from the game. .......Read the full article here

According to bookmakers, Arsenal are only the fifth favourites to win the FA cup this season, behind Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Everton. All of those teams except United are already through to the next round, so you can understand it in a way, but it shows that they are not too confident about our chances.

The Gunners can be backed at 10/1 to win the cup this season, which is a very generous price, especially when you think that Arsene Wenger seems to be actually trying to win it this time. The manager has finally realised just how desperate us fans are for a trophy. He proved that by putting out the strongest side possible against Bradford in the Capital One Cup, although that didn’t turn out too well. .......Read the full article here