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Arsenal have not scaled the heights this week- they struggled to see off a resolute Hammers side last weekend, and slipped to their first Champions League defeat of the season on Wednesday night, as a number of young players tasted Champions League football for the first time.

In the blogging world this week; Arsene Wenger has a potential problem on his hands as one of his young prospects has begun firing from the hip. There are also discussions of Wenger’s long-term future as well as an analysis of why football needs the Frenchman’s managerial approach to succeed.

We also have a look at Arsenal’s best stories on the web.

Featured Articles

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Should Arsenal really bow to this upstarts ultimatum?

Why Football needs Arsene Wenger to succeed

The Spanish solution to Arsenal and Manchester United’s pending problem

Walcott and Bale finally fulfilling the hype

The strike duo to fire Arsenal to success?

Who provides the engine in the ‘Ultimate Premier League XI’?

A Chance for Clubs to Take the Power Back

8 games that could define Arsenal’s season

Has Jack Wilshere highlighted a flaw in Wenger’s policy?

The Van Persie Poser

Transfer Madness: I’ll have 1 defender and 2 midfielders please

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Click here to see the Best ARSENAL BLOGS around the Web this week

Best of the Web

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Rooney’s running atmosphere at Arsenal stadium– Online Gooner

Diaby isn’t the player he was, so why play him then? – Le Grove

Glad Fab stayed, or still think we should have sold him? – Highbury House

Arsene’s privacy, contracts and van Persie – A Cultured Left Foot

Remember, remember the whole month of November – Online Gooner

Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas has stated that his side are looking to progress to the latter stages of the FA Cup and Champions League, as he tries to defer criticism away from the club’s poor league form.

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-0 by Everton on Saturday to see them slip down to fifth place in the standings, in what has been a poor season for the London side.

However, the Portuguese coach is eager to make amends by excelling in other competitions.

“There are two different competitions now ahead of us and two competitions where we want to show a different quality,” he stated to The Daily Mail.

“We have one week to prepare for Birmingham and then Napoli. They are two competitions where we are in a very good position and we have to rebuild confidence.

“We are in the last 16 of the FA Cup and we hope to continue to progress. That shows the spirit and resilience in a different competition,” he stated.

Villas Boas also took responsibility for his team’s defeat at Goodison Park, with preparation and selection issues to consider.

“I will reflect hard on my preparation and I will take full responsibility for the defeat.

“I think the players did everything they could to try to affect the result. Maybe I will have some retrospective of what I did and think about the preparation.

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“I will reflect hard with my technical staff on my decision-making,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Alex McLeish insists he is capable of leading Birmingham straight back to the English Premier League after they were relegated on Sunday.McLeish’s men were beaten 2-1 by Spurs at White Hart Lane, with a Roman Pavlyuchenko brace doing the damage for the Londoners and meaning Birmingham finished one point short of safety behind Wolves.

It was a season of contrasting fortunes for Birmingham, with their Carling Cup win over Arsenal at Wembley in February the undisputed high point.

But their league form dropped off badly after that triumph to see them become the first side since Norwich in 1985 to be relegated in the same season in which they lifted the league cup.

Nevertheless, McLeish insists he is the right man for the job and said he will rise to the challenge of life in the Championship when asked if he plans on staying at St Andrew’s.

“I don’t see why not,” McLeish told Sky Sports.

“I’ve been knocked down today but it’s not fatal and I’m going to rise to it again and pick myself up.”

“It’s going to be a pretty horrible few days – and whole summer I suppose – but I’ve got to get down to work to try and get Birmingham back into the Barclays Premier League.”

“I’ll chat with the chairman (Carsen Yeung) in midweek and see where we go from there. We know to get back (into the Premier League) we have to maintain the quality factor.”

“The players have got to fight on and rise to the next challenge. It’s not fatal. They’ve got to pick themselves up again; we as a club and a team have to do that as well.”

Spurs boss Redknapp, meanwhile, has hailed a terrific campaign from his men that saw them finish fifth in the league and enjoy a fantastic debut in the Champions League, progressing to the quarter-finals.

“It’s been an incredible season – the European adventure, beating Arsenal (away) for the first time (since 1993), going to Liverpool and winning.”

“We’ve had great games and this has been far and away the best season in the Premier League that Tottenham has had.”

“We have had an amazing season – it won’t get any better, enjoy it. This is good as it can get.”

“We have got to try again next year. We have got to improve the squad and go again next time but no one can complain at what they’ve seen.”

“Anyone who has got any brains will know it’s been an amazing season at Tottenham and that we’ve played great football. Anyone that does not enjoy it should go and support someone else.”

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has left both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres out of his squad for Thursday's Europa League clash against Napoli.

The former Fulham manager has also decided to omit Raul Meireles and Lucas from his 20-man squad as he attempts to juggle his team with Sunday's Premier League clash with Blackburn Rovers in mind.

Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger are not available for selection, but Christian Poulsen returns to the squad after missing Sunday's Merseyside derby defeat to Everton.

Meanwhile, Hodgson insists his players are in a good frame of mind despite their desperate start to the campaign, saying:"The players are very upbeat.

"The training session was very good – the intensity and concentration was as good as one would wish to see at any stage in the season. That, in itself, is very commendable when you are down.

"You can't deny that we are down. We are down because we aren't doing what we want to do, because the fans are angry and disappointed in us. We are down because we are at a great club and should be doing better.

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"Unfortunately the reason we aren't doing better is down to a number of factors. But it was great that we all rose above it and got out there and started playing again. Now we badly need that result or run of results that will at least take us into a safer position."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Tuesday’s defeat to Aldershot compounded what is a disappointingly tempestuous run of form. Although successive wins over Gillingham and Crewe may have alleviated fears that a slump was about to derail any hopes of a top three finish, Southend are now quickly running out of games to reinforce their promotion credentials.

Arguably the most concerning factor is how different an unchanged side can look in little more than a fortnight. The side that lined up against Aldershot was very much the same side that outfought and out-thought Gillingham earlier this month, yet there was simply no parallel in the two performances.

The Gillingham performance was typified by the steely determination to grind out a win. Liam Dickinson toiled up front on his own with little support, whereas Bilel Mohsni worked tirelessly in order to ensure the win. Mark Phillips’ return to the side added the defensive prowess that had been missing in his absence, and the midfield looked markedly more assured with both Michael Timlin and Jean-Paul Kalala involved.

Compared to last night, however, and all reports suggest that the performance could not be more removed.

Paul Sturrock has commented that the display against Aldershot was gutless and that changes would ring through the side, but the problem is that the players on the sidelines are just as out of form as those on the field. Anthony Grant, for example, has looked a continually decreasing shadow of his former self this season. Although previously combative and imposing, Grant has failed to take a single game by the scruff of the neck this campaign and has rightfully sat most of the season out.

In defence, Pat Baldwin arrived in January to sure up an increasingly fragile defence, but his lack of match fitness only served to further that fragility. Chris Barker has shown signs of decline, so getting Pat Baldwin fit and into the side to partner Mark Phillips must surely be one of the Sturrock’s top priorities as the season enters its climax.

Perhaps most importantly, however, has been the frugal manner that the team’s attacking influences have taken into recent games.

Failing to muster a single shot on goal in a game is unacceptable, and will surely be a cause for concern. Ryan Hall’s exclusion from the side has made sense, he’s often been the target of opposition defences and his influence from the wings has been limited, but it’s now time for him to re-enter the fold. Bilel Mohsni, whilst effective, has not proven effective enough from wide positions to warrant inclusion ahead of the likes of Hall and Martin, so should either be dropped into defence, or dropped altogether.

Providing his injury isn’t too serious, it may also be time for Neil Harris to be welcomed back into the side. Although patently not the best in a targetman role, his movement and awareness were key in opening space and creating chances before Christmas, particularly for the likes of Hall and Timlin to run into. Providing Sturrock can trust his defence once again, moving to a 4-4-2 formation with Harris partnering Dickinson could well prove our best option.

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Disappointingly, there appears to be a great need for scapegoat for Southend’s poor form. Sturrock’s tactics have been criticised, but they’ve been proven to work time and time again. Tara Brady’s departure has also been rather preposterously highlighted as the turning point, but the players must shoulder a significant proportion of the blame.

By Southend blogger Liam Stoker 

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Tottenham Hotspur’s problems in the final third have been so well documented that I’m sure even Osama Bin Laden knew of them in his hideout in Pakistan; these problems have caused Spurs to be linked with every player under the sun, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised tomorrow to be reading “’Arry plots £10 million raid for Dean Windass”. The latest striker to be reportedly on Redknapp’s radar is £12m rated Espanyol’s Pablo Osvaldo. (Don’t worry, I thought the same thing as you, “who?”)

Osvaldo is of duel nationality, Italian and Argentinian, an incredible blend of nationalities with a sound footballing pedigree. After averaging a goal every three games for Argentinian second divison club Atletico Huracan, the forward joined Serie B side Atalanta. He earned only three appearances but still managed to bag himself a goal, yet after this relatively disappointing season Atalanta agreed a co-ownership deal with fellow Serie B side Lecce, and Osvaldo achieved a very healthy 18 goals in 31 games, catching the attention of Fiorentina, who signed the Italian Argentine for 4.5 million Euro’s. Osvaldo repaid them instantly with a brace on his debut, however, after two seasons and only five goals later, Osvaldo was on the move again to fellow Italian side Bologna, where he failed to even beat his Fiorentina tally of five goals and was quickly loaned out to La Liga outfit Espanyol. Finally, after years of living out of a suitcase, Osvaldo found his ‘footballing home’; seven goals in 20 games meant that Espanyol snapped up the chance of a permanent move for the striker and the former Lecce ace continued his loan form on, so far this season having scored 11 goals in 20 games. This level of quality and consistency is why the boys down White Hart Lane are said to be interested in obtaining his services.

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Should media reports be true (cough cough) that Osvaldo is all set for a move to White Hart Lane, where would he fit, if at all, into Harry Redknapp’s starting eleven? Tottenham’s frontline is no doubt in need of a shake-up, and with Redknapp apparently at the end of his tether with his forwards, especially Pavlyuchenko, who may be collecting his P45 very soon, there is definitely place for Osvaldo at ‘The Lane.’ Spurs’ manager, though, isn’t looking for another ten goal-a-season striker, and, let’s be honest, the stats demonstrate that Osvaldo is merely that.

Verdict: Look elsewhere first Harry.

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Stoke City hope to have Ricardo Fuller back in action sooner rather than later, after initial tests confirmed that the striker did not suffer a broken shoulder in the 2-1 win at Newcastle United.

Fuller did sustain a dislocated right shoulder, but the Potters now hope that the damage to ligaments will be minor and that the talented frontman could be back in action in around a fortnight.

Manager Tony Pulis had said before learning of the likely positive prognosis:"We're just keeping our fingers crossed that they will be able to just pop back it in.

"When Ric dislocated his shoulder a couple of seasons ago he was only out for ten days, so we're hoping that will be the case again.

"If he is out for any longer, then it will be a massive blow to us because he is a game changer.

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"In a situation like this when a game opens up, he's as good as anyone at coming on and making a difference – he was bright and fresh before the injury."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Kenny Dalglish has backed Liverpool’s stance on fighting racism in the game, after the club came under scrutiny for their support of Luis Suarez.

The Uruguay international has been banned from action for eight matches and fined £40,000 for a racist slur aimed at Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, whilst an Anfield fan was arrested after racially abusing Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi in Friday night’s FA Cup clash.

Despite criticism by anti-racism sports organisations of late, the Scottish coach has backed the Merseysiders’ conduct.

“Over the past few weeks there has been a perception that the football club isn’t doing what it should be doing, but I don’t think the football club would ever go down that road,” Dalglish told the club’s official website.

“We will always support the official campaigns related to racism.

“Obviously there was a big issue with Luis. The players showed support for Luis, which was fantastic, but then some people interpreted that wrongly as the players saying they’re not interested in the fight against racism.

“That is totally and utterly rubbish.

‘If we can help to eradicate racism or discrimination from any part of the society, with the help of anybody at Liverpool Football Club, then that help will be forthcoming,” he confirmed

Meanwhile, in the latest incident of racism in the game in England, Everton striker Louis Saha has been insulted on his official Twitter page by a disgruntled fan, who wrote a racist comment on the social networking site.

Everton have confirmed that the authorities are investigating the incident.

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By Gareth McKnight

At sports.coral.co.uk they have all of the latest football betting odds from games taking place all over the globe, so why not come on over and check the site out today!

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Steve Kean has insisted he will not quit as Blackburn manager, despite speculation surrounding his future.Since Kean took over the club, Rovers have dropped down the table and are now just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Kean has been criticised in the press for his lack of experience but insists he will remain in charge.

“Do I think about quitting? Not for a day, not for a second. It just makes me more determined to go out and win,” Kean said.

“I think the criticism has been harsh. There was little written or said when we got a point at Arsenal.”

“Then the whole world is going to end because we have drawn a game at home to Birmingham.”

“It has been difficult to take. It’s in your face all the time and even the local paper is negative.”

“The lads don’t like it. David Dunn and Phil Jones are from around here and they feel it is harsh.”

“I can understand the frustration of the fans. We are sharing it too. But we are going to use it and harness it in our favour.”

“There have been too many draws but it is very fine margins and we have more points away from home than we did last season.”

“The flak goes with the job. You have to have broad shoulders and hopefully the fans will see we mean business from the first whistle.”

Forward Junior Hoilett should be back after recovering from a hamstring strain which kept him out of last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Everton.

Kean said the 20-year-old has been a revelation during his time in charge.

“He’s exploded onto the scene this season with dazzling performances at times,” Kean said.

“We are going to sit down and talk with him about his future – but I mentioned to the directors and the owners of the importance not to take the focus away from the games and his performances.”

Midfielder Michael Carrick is happy to bide his time despite finding himself out of the Manchester United side during the opening weeks of the new season.

Carrick, 29, has started both United's two opening Premier League games on the substitute's bench.

The England international also found himself on the bench during the closing weeks of the last campaign.

However, despite appearing to have slipped down the Old Trafford pecking order, the former Tottenham and West Ham United midfielder is not overly concerned.

He told the Manchester Evening News:"It's obviously frustrating not playing football, but it's a long season and I'm well aware of how strong a squad we've got.

"It's about being patient and trying to force my way back into the team. The manager trusts the squad he's got and we trust each other.

"It's important that we have the experienced players in the squad who have done it all before but that doesn't count for an awful lot going into the new season.

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"It's going to be tough, as it is every year, but that's the challenge and that's why we're all at a club like United.

"Going into a new season, we're always confident we can go and win every competition we play in."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email