As an Arsenal fan with strong links to Rangers when my football interest goes north of the border, I knew all about Daniel Cousin.  The mercurial striker brought Rangers fans much frustration and I had a hunch that Fate would give me a neatly wrapped present.  Unlike some slightly naive sections of Arsenal fans, I was not expecting a walkover when Hull visited the Emirates.  Just like our good old man of steel Kolo Toure, I am more nervous about games against the likes of Hull than games against the rest of the Big Four.

When Arsenal come up against fellow members of the oligopolistic Big Four, Arsenal can perform.  The skill and quality of the opposing team and the knowledge that the Premier League is essentially between you four teams is enough to cause any one of the Big Four to raise it’s game.  When the likes Hull City come to visit, Arsenal are overwhelmingly expected to win.  Now despite claims that the Gunners were not complacent coming from the likes of William Gallas, it is a claim that I fail to believe for one second.  Whether it was realised or not by the team, Arsenal shut down.  The team went into stand-by mode, and as Arsene Wenger correctly stated, “Perhaps subconsciously we thought we would make it. After we went 1-0 up, we were a bit careless in not pushing on to score the second goal.”

It was this subconscious complacency that really killed us off.  While pushing for the elusive second goal, the team seemed to show Shootaphobia and had to take turn after turn before their subsequent shot was smothered by a ubiquitous Hull defence.  Then, came the bolt from the blue.  It was unfortunate that such a loss had to come in such spectacular fashion and Geovanni’s screamer had to come when Arsenal were pushing hard (and coming excruciatingly close) to a second.  The Brazilian’s strike was more than enough to steal any shred of momentum from Arsenal and give Hull more confidence than an egotistical teenager who’s just had his braces removed.  Cue our old friend the corner kick and Gallas’ perplexing nonchalance then game over.  And I do believe a certain wise man’s complaint was justified in the form of Arsenal missing a series of simple chances.

However there are reasons for some post-Hull optimism (demolition of Porto aside).  The reason that an Arsenal fan can use all too often to justify defeats is injuries, but the fact that reason is used very frequently as a semi-excuse is because of its reality.  Our big-money signing (don’t laugh), Samir Nasri, was still out, and the absence of our quasi-defensive midfielder Abou Diaby is beginning to become a lot more evident.

With the return of these players, the squad rotation that Arsenal so sorely need becomes possible.  Denilson, Diaby and Song can rotate the central midfield partnership alongside Cesc Fabregas.  Despite the chances of Gallas being dropped being microscopic, the defender is on his last warning and Johan Djourou must get his chance to usurp the lazy captain’s position, being 6ft 4in also helps his cause.  This squad depth that Arsenal do possess (when players are fit) is enough to maintain a successful system of squad rotation that must be at the forefront of Wenger’s mind following Saturday’s defeat.

The weekend’s humiliating defeat could not have come at a better time.  Although the team currently sits in fourth place on the table we are only two points off the lead and a point ahead of Man U (assuming they win their next Premier League match).  Considering we have lost twice in six games, it’s impressive that we are still in touch.  There is no doubt that we should have gone top at the weekend, but looking at the current pattern of Arsenal’s league games, things can only get better.  After defeat to Fulham, Arsenal upped their game and wracked up three consecutive and convincing wins in the Premier League.  The defeat to Hull is much worse than the Fulham loss and it breached the armoured fortress that was the Emirates, but this could work in the team’s favour.

The reaction to this defeat has to be bigger, better (Exhibit A: Porto match) and last much longer, before we leave another game with nothing to show for it.  As for apocalyptic cries that Arsenal are already out of the titles race, just look at last year’s champions.  Manchester United were beaten 5 times overall last season, only once by a member of the Big Four.  Chelsea, Bolton, West Ham and Man City (twice) all felled the champions yet still they marched on.  Losing to both Fulham and Hull, although infuriatingly frustrating, does not destine Arsenal to Premier League failure.  Losing to Hull is infinitely better than losing to a Big Four club, as it is them, not Hull, who we are competing with for the League title.

Adebayor and Van Persie are also yet to hit full power but have still racked up five goals a piece in the Premier and Champions League.  There is no doubt that the two front-men need to move up a gear and take more of their chances, but it can only bode well that they are still scoring without hitting their top performance plateaus.

However, these reasons shouldn’t be allowed to paper over prominent cracks in the team that still need to be addressed whether the team in winning 4-0 or losing 2-1.  Arsenal can consider themselves lucky that yet another goal this season wasn’t conceded from a corner kick, which Gael Clichy clearing off the line after some statuesque defending, from which Porto really should have taken the lead.  As well as making our defence on corners air-tight the team also has to provide a much more concise threat to the opponents goal when we are gifted corners.  Adebayor’s scruffy header against Porto was the first goal Arsenal have scored this season from a corner.  Overall this season, in the Premier League and Champions League group stage, Arsenal have had a monumental 69 corners, and scored only 1 goal from them.  That is simply not good enough.

The finishing from the team is still poor, regardless of the amount of goals we have been scoring recently and that is of paramount importance.  For me, it’s a matter of when, not if, the finishing efficiency returns and only then will my screaming at the likes of Adebayor and Van Persie cease.

At the end of the day, as the enlightened Emmanuel Adebayor said “losing to Hull is not like a crime.”  The defeat to Hull has provided the team with a much louder wake-up call than Craven Cottage did and with the return of Nasri and hopefully Diaby in the next few weeks, the depth is returning.  After the scintillatingly swift destruction of Porto in the Champions League, transferring that confidence and fluidity to the Premier League is priority No. 1.  I’m not sure about you, but I believe.

Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner has won Gooner Talk’s Player of the Month award for September after his fantastic contribution in the Arsenal side.

Bendtner – who struck up a magnificent strike partnership with Mexican Carlos Vela – joined Arsenal from FC Copenhagen during the summer of 2005.

In August 2006, he moved to Birmingham City on a season-long loan, but returned to the Gunners in time for the 2007/08 campaign after impressing at St Andrews.

He scored his first league goal against arch-rivals Tottenham in December 07, and continued his impressive development for the rest of the season.

How Nicklas won the award

Nicklas started the month rested after sustaining a knock whilst on International duty for Denmark. He quickly bounced back from that and made an impact after coming on for Robin van Persie against Dynamo Kiev.

Little did he know, Bendtner’s biggest impact was to happen in the next two games. Against Bolton Wanderers, the 21-year-old capitalised on some slack defending to tap home past Jussi Jaaskelainen. Earlier on in that game, he set up Emmanuel Adebayor who subsequently smashed his shot straight onto the post.

Next up, was Sheffield United at home in the Carling Cup. Out came the young Guns and Bendtner was welcome back into the side along with strike partner Carlos Vela. The latter grabbed a hatrick while Bendtner scored a brace, the first with a placed finish outside the box, while the second was scored after a neat backheel from Aaron Ramsey.

Arsenal’s defeat to Hull City was the worst result of the season so far, and Nicklas managed to catch the eye with some decent passing and play, unfortunately the score didn’t change and the players went in disappointed after a poor days work.

Against Porto, Nicklas came on and immediately made an impact by winning a penalty. Freddy Guarin hacked down the Dane and up stepped Emmanuel Adebayor who finished with aplomb.

A fantastic month for Bendtner, and there’s surely more to come from the young Danish starlet.

Not going to talk about the embarassing display on the pitch. We all know it was sh*t and not good enough.

Aside from the match, I am angry, really angry about the ticketing situation that saw two Hull muppets get seats in the middle of the North Bank upper yesterday.

When Hull scored, they showed themselves and it kicked off. There were only two of them, but they were obviously up for it and determined to bring a bit of Championship support into the Premiership. Obviously a few Gooners stepped in, gave them a slap and then the Stewards got them out the ground. The Stewards did a good job. The Gooners who gave them a slap did a good job. HOWEVER…

WHY WERE THEY THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Ticketing and the HUGE increase in touts outside the ground is getting worse. Half the touts had Millwall tattoos yesterday and obviously couldn’t give a f*ck who they sold to, or are maybe happy to encourage trouble in the ground.

Its a disgrace that neither the club or police are stopping this, resulting in law abiding home supporters getting into fights/trouble in the home support end as trouble makers from opposition fans take advantage of a ticket from a tout.

The person responsible for buying the original ticket (ie, the season ticket holder, or silver member or red member) should be banned. The touts need to be arrested and Arsenal season ticket holders in that area deserve an apology from the club.

If the club wants to charge premium rates for the tickets, they need to give a premium, safe, atmosphere to watch it in. With touts selling to anyone outside the ground the club cannot guarantee this.

Finally, what will happen if either Sp*rs or Manwho trouble makers decide to do the same thing this season?

Article by Robsy – Proud member of The Online Gooner Forum

Porto got back to winning ways in the league by beating Pacos de Ferreira 2-0 Friday night with goals by Raul Meireles after a great assist from Lisandro Lopez (pictured above, right), and Hulk after being set up by man-of-the-match Meireles.

Jesualdo Ferreira decided to rest star man Lucho Gonzalez ahead of the Champions League clash against Arsenal in the middle of next week and replaced him with fellow Argentine Tomas Costa.

The start of the game saw a strong Porto with fast passes create several goal chances, and it was no surprise when Meireles opened the scoring with an emphatic finish after some excellent wing play from Lisandro.

Meireles did his best to return the favour shortly afterwards but the Argentine striker fired wastefully over the bar when put clean through by the midfielder. The first half was the story of Porto domination against a Pacos de Ferreira team lacking creativity.

In the 2nd half Pacos came out with a different attitude and created some dangerous situations, with Helton doing well to save a Ricardo effort.

Jesualdo did not like what he saw and made 2 substitutions, entering Guarin and Candeias for Sapunaru and Farias.

Later on the Porto coach replaced Lisandro with Brazilian striker Hulk, and the forward made the game safe by scoring his second goal of the season after a neat interchange with Meireles.

Arsenal will have their work cut out on Tuesday evening, as Jesualdo Ferreira’s side look to captalise on the Gunners’ defeat at Premier League newcomers Hull City, with what would be a marvellous Champions League scalp.

With thanks to Portugoal.net

Premier League leaders Arsenal take on surprise package Hull City at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Gunners are flying high at the top of the Premiership and take on top-flight debutantes Hull on the back of a 6-0 destruction of Championship side Sheffield United by their youngsters in the Carling Cup, but expect manager Arsene Wenger to bring back senior players for the visit of the Tigers.

Tigers boss Phil Brown faces his toughest task yet in the Premiership in trying to come away from the Emirates with something to show, but his Yorkshire side are unbeaten in their travels away from the KC Stadium this season and continue to surprise the many people who tipped them for relegation straight back down to the Championship.

Wenger is set to recall senior players like Cesc Fabregas and top-scorer Emmanuel Adebayor for the clash at the Emirates, but is still without long-term absentees Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Eduardo (broken leg) along with Abou Diaby (thigh). However, Arsenal could welcome back French International Samir Nasri from a knee injury, with new signing Mikael Silvestre possibly in line to make his Gunners debut.

Hull’s only injuries are to striker Craig Fagan (broken leg), and Anthony Gardner (thigh), with Daniel Cousin set to partner Marlon King in attack again for the Tigers at Arsenal.

Predicted Starting XI

Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Eboue – Fabregas – Denilson – Walcott
Adebayor – van Persie

Match Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Hull City

Catch all the post-match reaction and player ratings here on Gooner Talk seconds after the final whistle.

Leave your views and predictions of tomorrows game in the comments section below.

Arsenal midfield maestro and Euro2008 Champ Cesc Fabregas believes he will have to raise his game after the performances of Arsenal’s young guns on Tuesday night.

Arsene Wenger used a squad with an average age of just 19 for the Carling Cup clash with Sheffield United at the Emirates, but still saw his talented men put in a masterclass display as they dismantled the Blades 6-0.

Fabregas – himself the yougest-ever player to appear in the Gunners’ first team – admits the performance left him on the edge of his seat, and believes it won’t be long before the pretenders to his crown will be knocking on the door.

“I was really excited on Tuesday – it was sensational. You can see all the players have ambition, they want to show how good they are,” the 21-year-old told The Sun.

“I cannot go to sleep as one day or other they will want to play more and more and the manager will want them to play more.

“I will have to be better and better. Wilshere, Ramsey, Merida — they all play in my position. This is great for me. I love competition.”

And Fabregas, who joined the north Londoners as a 16-year-old from Barcelona in September 2003, believes nobody is better for giving youngsters a chance than Gunners boss Wenger.

“He doesn’t care how old they are and it’s amazing. It’s why we have so many good young players. It’s the club’s policy,” said the Spaniard, who is expected to return for the club’s Premier League clash with Hull City tomorrow.

“Even if you’re 14 or 15 he always looks relaxed to you and instils confidence in you. For what he does with young players, no one compares with Wenger.”

Gooner Talk will provide all the build-up towards Saturday’s 4pm kick-off against Hull City and a match report will be posted up immediately after the full time whistle – stay locked, on the #1 site for all of Arsenal’s first team news and views.

Arsenal’s French defensive duo Gael Clichy and summer signing Mikael Silvestre are fit for Saturday’s Premier League match with Hull City.

Clichy, 22, was on the receiving end of a strong challenge from Bolton’s Kevin Davies and was immediately driven to hospital with what looked like at the time, a broken leg. Luckily for the former Cannes youngster, he only sustained bruising to the shin.

As for Silvestre, the ex-United defender looks set to play a part in the game after recovering from a mixture of thigh and ankle injuries since joining early last month.

“I am really pleased that Gael is available,” said the manager. “He had a training session today for the first time and he should develop well in the next 48 hours.” said Wenger.

“However Mikael Silvestre is available and we did not have any injuries from last week [against Bolton]. The likes of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott have recovered fully so everyone is available.”

Cameroonian International Alex Song took a knock on his hip during the latter stages of Tuesday’s Carling Cup mauling against Sheffield United and remains a massive doubt.

“Alex has a fitness test tomorrow,” said the manager. “He had a kick on his hip [in midweek] and it is very tender.

Saturday’s opponents Hull City have injury problems of their own. Neither Greek legend Stelios Giannakopoulos nor Anthony Gardner will take part in the gamel.

Gooner Talk will provide all the build-up towards Saturday’s 4pm kick-off and a match report will be posted up immediately after the full time whistle – stay locked, on the #1 site for all of Arsenal’s first team news and views.