I was more impressed by the fight than the performance!

Have that Phil Brown. Have that right in your fake-tanned, frazzled, oompa loompa face! Did you see him? Trying to header an imaginary ball? Twat!

Sorry, rant over. I just don't like Phil Brown.

What a crucial win that was. After seeing Manchester United lose, and lose quite heavily, Spurs, Villa and Manchester City win, that was a very pleasing three points to earn.

The pressure was on the boys and they responded. It shows character and maybe in the past we haven't showed that kind of character often enough. We did it last week when results went our way but then flopped against Burnley so we do have it. We just need to show it more.

Speaking of character I was very impressed by the fight in the match. Now don't for one second believe that I am a hooligan who loves to watch a brawl. That's only on a Tuesday. I was impressed by the way the players stuck together and really looked after each other.

Now, Nasri proved himself to be a right little git by stamping on that Hull City players foot but the way he went down was embarrassing wasn't it? It was like a sniper from row Z took him out. I swear if someone in my Sunday or Saturday football team went down like that we'd have left him there.

What followed gave me a little happy feeling in my stomach. Hull players larged it, especially that midget Hunt and former Spud Barmby, but the Arsenal players responded and immediately raced in to stick up for their pal Nasri. The melee that followed was hand-bags really and it continued down the tunnel at half-time.

Now you may say Wrighty, you are out of line here, how can you give the thumbs up to that kind of behaviour? There were kids watching. My reason? It's because we have been accused of being softies and it showed that we have a lot of fight in the team. It proves that we have players willing to defend each other and stick together.

It's times like this when you know who your mates are and this whole Arsenal team proved to each other that they have got each others backs. How quick was Silvestre to race in? That's good stuff. He has his critics but I think people have a stubborn on view on Silvestre. Le-Grove think so too. And I agree with them that he had a very good game yesterday. I also agree that this game in hand has become a farce. It was cancelled in August for Jebus Christ.

So we were written off by almost everyone and in truth we have always been right bang in the mixer. What can annoy me is that it's only December and people are quick to write us off. Even Gooners do it.

Of course I can understand the frustration at times and it seems a little silly to say be patient because we have been for five years now! But we have to believe we can win the title. I do. If we can create that feeling throughout everyone then we have a fantastic chance.

Get that feeling spread around and it will show through to the players. Then maybe they will believe even more too. The fight we showed yesterday proves to me this squad have the bollocks, lets show some bollocks too and get right behind them.

Keep it Goonerish....................

Wenger you fool! Phil Brown and Tony Pulis achieve their season's targets and Le Boss to Manchester City?

Here we go again. The usual suspects are coming out in force to have a pop at Arsene Wenger. There is nothing new there really is there?

The lame-brain dimbalow's like Phil Brown and Tony Pulis were just biding their time and now they have achieved their season's target and it aint even Christmas yet!

And I'm not talking about avoiding relegation either. No, their campaign target is to have a go at Arsene Wenger because amongst the BHWB* it is the most popular thing to do.

The likes of Mark Hughes, Tony Pulis, Fat Sam Allardyce, Harry Redknapp and Phil Brown can't wait to get the claws out and dig them deep into Arsene Wenger's back. I can imagine them all having a lovely cup of British tea discussing when is the best time to strike.

Mark Hughes had a go during the game against Manchester City and did after the match too, while Tony Pulis and Phil Brown have opened their gates over Wenger's comments about fixture congestion and weakened sides. As it happens, Fat Sam aint said anything yet but I can imagine him shit-stirring the others into doing his dirty work.

Harry Redknapp? That baggy-eyed bastard can't even control his players. Here

What Pulis and Brown do not understand is that Arsene Wenger is a very clever man and he has reason's for coming out with such a barbed comment. He spoke about fixture congestion and weakened side's because he knew that it would cause a reaction; thus taking the attention of the fact we only drew at Burnley.

It's called taking the heat off your team!

Of course we can't expect the slightly dim for not realising this. But then again Phil Brown isn't the brightest spark is he? Too many sunbeds have frazzled his brain. Phil would rather hit the head-lines for the wrong reasons. He loves the lime-light and if his team suffers then so be it. Remember his half-time talk on the pitch? That just embarrassed professional football players and put his name in lights.

Tony Pulis? I think he is just trying to follow the British trend that the likes of Fat Sam, Brown and Hughes have set. In case Pulis' case, he is new to the BHWB and is just trying to fit in. Brown served his apprenticeship under the leader Fat Sam, Hughes likewise with Fergie. Fergie has retired from the BHWB.

These donuts should just concentrate on their own.

Also I read today that Manchester City have targeted Arsene Wenger. That would make him even less popular amongst the BHWB! Imagine Wenger taking one of their jobs!

Could you seriously see Arsene Wenger at Manchester City? He turned down Real Madrid for crying out loud. Not only that, Wenger has always spoken about morals and he believes that the way City are doing things is immoral.

I don't really care how Manchester City do things really. They have money so they spend it, they have every right to spend it. But could you imagine Wenger at City?

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan - 'Arsene, you have billions to spend. Why don't you use it?'

Wenger - 'Because it is immoral and I believe in this young team.'

Nuff said.

*BHWB-British Hate Wenger Brigade

Keep it Goonerish........................

A cold Wednesday night in Burnley? These are the nights that worry me!

Tonight, in my opinion, is a bigger test than Liverpool were on Sunday.

On paper you would say that Liverpool at Anfield would be a harder game than against Burnley at Turf Moor but football is not always that straight forward!

An away game against the likes of Burnley in the cold month of December is one that Arsenal have struggled with in recent years. To prove that we are genuine title contenders, and I believe we are, we have to win tonight.

Nothing other than a win is acceptable. I'm not saying that Arsenal have a divine right to win, and I know for a fact that Burnley will make it extremely uncomfortable, but it is no good getting a fantastic result at Liverpool and losing or drawing tonight because it makes that vital win at Anfield pointless.

Burnley will be up for this. Games against the likes of Arsenal are their cup finals and we have to match their commitment. If we don't then I shudder to think what could happen.

In recent times I've always worried about Arsenal when we face games like the one tonight. We have been vulnerable.

I hope the Arsenal players don't turn up and think that just their very presence is enough to win the game because we have made that mistake in the past and paid for it. We have to want the win and want it bad.

I've backed this squad from the beginning and I thoroughly believe that come the end of the season we will still be challenging for the Premiership crown. Despite title's not being decided in December, tonight will provide a real test to this Arsenal side's title credentials and it's a test we must come through.

Keep it Goonerish..................

If Wayne Rooney/Steven Gerrard were foreign they would be hung, drawn and quartered!

If Wayne Rooney was called Wolfgang Roonio or Steven Gerrard was named Staffan Gerard then I should imagine that reactions throughout the English media may have been a little different over the last 10 days or so.

Remember earlier in the season when our very own Eduardo, a foreigner, dived against Celtic? Of course you do, and will for a long time. Probably because the onslaught from the English media became a massive witch-hunt.

Arsene Wenger was criticised for defending Eduardo at the time but looking back you have to make him right. I know Eduardo did go down easy against Celtic, in fact, he dived. The reaction following the incident though was unbelievable.

What I would like to know is, why haven't Rooney and Gerrard suffered the same vicious campaign as Eduardo did? The obvious answer is because both are English and when English players dive then a blind eye is turned.

No wonder Arsene Wenger felt the need to defend Eduardo.

The silence following Gerrard and Rooney's dives over the last 10 days has been deafening. Both incidents have almost been wiped off the face of the earth and the worst thing is both players have previous and yet still nothing is said.

The Eduardo situation was the first time that I have ever seen him do anything like that. People may argue but the fact is Rooney and Gerrard are serial divers. Just type in 'Wayne Rooney diving' or 'Steven Gerrard diving' on YouTube and you will see so much footage.

For a change Rooney was caught out and booked for yet another blatant attempt to con the ref at the weekend. Had he got away with it again I'd have really felt for Aston Villa because we Gooners have been cheated out of games not once, but twice by Wayne Rooney theatrics.

Steven Gerrard will probably feel harshly done by at Anfield against us on Sunday. My immediate reaction was that he dived. Replays show that the Gallas tackle could have gone either way really. Perhaps the ref had the Gerrard dive against Blackburn from the previous week fresh in his mind.

If Theo Walcott, an Arsenal and England player of course, dived and the media failed to pick up on it, like they have with Rooney and Gerrard, then I would question it. The fact is both have got away from a public mullering when really if they were foreign, like Eduardo, they would have been hung, drawn and quartered.

It stinks of hypocrisy and the smell of something else wafts stronger too; Xenophobia.

Keep it Goonerish...................

He's free, he's class, let's sign him before we regret it!

The other day, unless I'm mistaken, I'm sure heard Le Boss say that we needed a striker. Now I didn't clean my ears properly that day but Wenger also said the player had to be free and world class.

Now forgive me if I'm wrong but there are not a lot of players out there who really come into that category. It's kinda clutching at straws. One player who has crossed my mind, and many times over the years, is the Brazilian striker, Adriano.

Adriano is available on a free transfer. He has proven in the past that he is world class and I reckon that Arsene Wenger should take a gamble and sign him for Arsenal. After all, Wenger took a gamble on Amauri Bischoff so why not Adriano?

People will say that there aren't that many clubs after him, and that clubs like West Ham are interested in him so he isn't good enough for Arsenal. I say take a chance. If we don't we may well regret it.

What happens if he signs for West Ham and plays like his old-self? Give it a year and he'll be signing for Manchester United for £15m and Wenger will be saying that we had a chance to sign him when he was free. I've heard that before!

I believe that clubs may not take a gamble because of his bad-boy reputation. Who else is better than making players believe in themselves and getting them back to their best? Look no further than Arsene Wenger.

Players in this Arsenal squad would benefit hugely from having a talent like Adriano in the team. Its a win-win situation. And all for nothing?

Sometimes you have to take a gamble. In the summer I said that maybe Arsenal should make a move for Micheal Owen, who was a free transfer at the time. I was slated. Around 2-3 days later he signed for Manchester United. Now I know that he hasn't set the world alight there but he was worth a gamble and look how he repaid United the other night.

It's World Cup year and Adriano will want to go. He has a point to prove. Imagine how he will play for the remainder of this season. Out of his skin I suspect.

Some will say I'm playing Football Manager with this one. I'm just summing up what Wenger has said and I'm suggesting a target. In my eyes it's an opportunity that cannot be missed.

Strong, lethal in front of goal, good in the air and all for nothing. Come on Arsene, sign him up!

Keep it Goonerish..............

Arsenal AND Liverpool still in it

Neither Arsenal or Liverpool go into this game in the best of form but it has to said that both clubs always seem to react when their backs are against the wall.

Everyman, his dog, uncle, nan and carpet have written both clubs off. Looking at the amount of defeats we and Liverpool have suffered in the league you could understand why they may all have a point. Even the dog.

Okay, Arsenal and Liverpool have lost more times than Manchester United and Chelsea but I don't write either off. It may sound mad, it may sound that I've lost my marbles but in my crazy mind I honestly don't believe that the race is just between United and Chelsea.

The current top two are well beatable and that has been proved already this season. Of course ourselves and Liverpool have proved we are beatable too but I reckon that you could probably allow for 6-7 defeats and still be crowned Premiership champions.

It's so open this campaign and it's only Arsenal and Liverpool's inconsistancy at crucial times that is preventing us both from being closer to the top of the table. We have already gone on a long unbeaten run this season and I see no reason why we can't do it again. Liverpool haven't really been on a run as a such but you know that they are more than capable of stringing together a sequance of unbeaten games.

People will always say Manchester United and Chelsea have the strongest sides on paper. This is another thing that I disagree with. Full strength Arsenal and Liverpool sides can match those two all day long.

I hate to use injuries as an excuse but how can you not when you see the decimated squad that Arsenal have? Sometimes injuries can be dealt with but when it's at such a crucial period of the season and not forgetting the amount we have had to content with, you can understand why we have hit this bad run of form.

Liverpool have suffered too and playing a big part of the season without their two most influencial players in Gerrard and Torres haven't helped their chances. Both are available for Sunday and that's why I reckon that playing Liverpool, right now, is a dangerous time to go to Anfield.

As it happens, I fancy this one to be very tight. I expect Arsenal to play Liverpool off the park as is the case when Arsenal play most sides! My only hope though is that we actually take/create enough chances to win the game. We are always vunerable at the back and with Gerrard and Torres playing you have to say that Liverpool pose a big danger.

There will be goals. Liverpool haven't had the best record at home this season and if Arsenal were flying, like before the last international break, then I would say Liverpool were there for the taking. Le Grove believe there couldn't be a better time to play Liverpool whereas I'm slightly more cautious!

I'm reckoning a score draw is on the cards. I'd take 4-4 and Arshavin to score all eight but I doubt it will be that many this time around.

A point is always regarded as a good result at Anfield and I'd settle for that this weekend. We can build on that and get our season back on track. Liverpool can too.

Keep it Goonerish.....................

Imagine the impact?

Whilst it can feel safe and secure having familiarity surrounding you, sometimes a little change can be good. It's a bit like me. I love a Coors Light and a Silk Cut. Sometimes though I can get a little wild and have a Peroni and a Benson and Hedges Silver. Its just the way I am.

Today I've read, and I can read, that Dennis Bergkamp has claimed Arsene Wenger wants him back at Arsenal. Not in a playing sense as the experienced striker we all want, that would be silly, but to join the coaching set-up.

What are you waiting for Dennis??!!

Of course Dennis Bergkamp is currently at Ajax, as the youth team coach. Ajax, like Arsenal, will always have a big place in Bergkamp's heart and the Ajax fans may love the Dutchman but I doubt that they love him like we Gooners do!

That's why I'm calling for 'God' to come back home now. Imagine the impact that bringing the Ice-Man back into the fold would have at the club? Not only would it raise the players but it would raise us Gooners too.

Over at Le Grove the guys talk about the impact the likes of Arshavin and Vermaelen have made with Arsenal. I totally agree. Of course as players they have an influence on and off the field but imagine the influence of someone like Dennis Bergkamp on this squad. The man has been there, done that and done it some more.

An Arsenal legend, if these players couldn't learn from him then who could they possibly learn from?

A change behind the scenes may do Arsenal some good too. It's been pretty much the same set-up for a while now and the arrival of someone like Dennis Bergkamp would freshen things up a little.

Bergkamp has said that he and Arsene Wenger share the same vision, that's great because we Gooners have become accustomed to a very familiar type of football nowadays. What Bergkamp will bring is different ideas and that will only benefit our boys.

Ajax churn out player after player of quality who play football the right way. Arsenal do too. The next step up for Bergkamp at this stage of his career would be to join Arsenal sooner rather than later.

It makes sense. Come home 'God!'

Keep it Goonerish................

I hope Steve Gerrard stays on his feet this Sunday!

Let me start by saying that this isn't a pop at Steve Gerrard! In my honest stinking opinion I reckon that he is the England national team's best player by far. Frank Lampard? Wayne Rooney? They couldn't lace Gerrard's boots.

But doesn't he go down a little easy??

Now Liverpool supporters will say 'What a cheek!' especially when there was the Eduardo incident earlier this season. Liverpool themselves have had the same with N'Gog. Pretty embarrassing for both clubs I might add.

But back to Gerrard, against Blackburn he went down very easily again. He does it quite regularly in fact. I've seen a You-Tube clip and I have to say that the Liverpool skipper goes down easier than Paris Hilton.

If he was from Southern Europe, played in the Premiership and did this as often as he does then he would be classed as a diver. If he was from Southern Europe, played in Southern Europe and did this as often as he does he would be seen as clever.

The fact is he is plays in the Premiership, goes down often but this is often overlooked because he is English. Pure and simple. The Match of the Day presenters laughed off what he did against Blackburn. Is this fair?

My concern is that he does the same against us at Anfield on Sunday because I have no doubt that the referee will give a penalty. It happened in the Champions League with Ryan Babal.

This a massive game for us and Liverpool. Despite people saying both clubs are out of the title race I disagree. Both are still in the race.

I just hope that another massive Anfield match between us isn't decided another dodgy penalty decision.

Keep it Goonerish.................