This has been a good week for us, with two successive victories in the past seven days. However, we need to be in the best of form to avoid a third straight home defeat today against Fulham. This has never ever happened before in the club’s history so let’s pray that the lads will not under-perform as they did at home in the month of November. Last month, we played five league matches at home, winning three away from home but losing the other two that were played at the Emirates.
Now that we have put November behind us, I am a little bit more optimistic about the result of this tie. Fulham has only one victory this season and a whole lot of draws (a characteristic of team managed by Mark Hughes). The Cottagers are also coming into this match with an Arsenal-like injury situation, missing at least 4 keys players in Dembele, Salcido, Senderos and Zamora. They have also not beaten Arsenal away from home for the past 30 odd years so it’s even more reason to be optimistic.
As for the Gunners, we are not missing any players other than the ones we already know in Fabregas, Diaby, Vermaelen and Almunia. Nasri and Squillaci who were rated doubtful for the match has been pronounced fit by the Boss and will likely take their place in the starting eleven. Chamakh will continue up-front as Van Persie is unlikely to start two matches in a row at the present moment.
With the cold front sweeping over England, there is a worry that the match will not go on. If it does, we would again have the opportunity to go to the top of the table if we can better whatever Chelsea does against Everton, as the Blackpool vs Manchester United’s game has been called of.
Probable Line-Up: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Chamakh.
Submitted by The Arsenal Kid
