Vermaelen see's red but Arsenal still in hunt for the title

Arsenal returned to the top of the table for 24 hours last weekend when they played West Ham last Saturday at the Emirates. Arsenal won 2-0 much to the relief of the fans.

West Ham had the first chance of the match but Franco failed to connect properly and it fell into the hands of Almunia.

Arsenal then had a chance and they managed to convert it after good work from Arshavin and Clichy down the left. Clichy crossed but his ball was headed back out of the box by Upson but straight to Denilson who played a lovely one-two with Bendtner and then fired past the despairing Rob Green.


Arsenal continued to pressure West Ham and they got a great chance. Eboue ran down the right and dinked the ball into the box and found Bendtner who headed it down to Fabregas who then chipped the ball over the defence to Denilson but only managed to fire his shot into the ground.
Another chance Arsenal got involved Eboue and Bendtner again down the right hand side. Eboue crossed but it flashed across the box and the attack was over.

Just before the break West Ham got a penalty after Vermaelen nudged Franco in the back and went down. Vermaelen was sent off. Diamanti took the penalty but Almunia produced a great save to keep his effort out.

The score at half time was 1-0 to Arsenal.

Arsenal got an early chance in the second half but Arshavin could only head over.

West Ham had a few chances. Diamanti shot wide and glorious footwork from Carlton Cole managed to work a shot but the ball hit the outside of the post.
It was turning out not to be West Ham's day at all.

On 82 minutes Arsenal got a penalty after Matt Upson handled in the box. Fabregas took the penalty and slotted home to give Arsenal a 2-0 win.

Arsenal V Barcelona:Draw for the Champions league quarter final

Why, oh why, oh why did we have to get Barcelona? Tell me one reason why we deserved to get Barcelona? I mean Inter have got flipping CSKA Moscow! What an easy draw!

I watched Barca play Stutgart in mid week and Barca were unstoppable! Messi was imense as he always is and scored 2 so I cant see us winning at all!

My friend said that i should write a letter to UEFA demanding a redraw, but there would be no point and probably end up with a team like Inter or Man utd.

I know as an Arsenal fan i should not be this down just because we got Barcelona in the quarter finals of the Champions League. The first leg is at the Emirates so I really hope Barcelona don't grab an away goal. After all this rubbish I have said I actually think we could win this tie and progress to the semi's.

It is the first time they would have played each other since the 2006 final in Paris which saw Arsenal lose. Henry should get a nice homecoming at the Emirates, but I just hope that wont be the only cheering we will do at the Emirates.
The draw in full for the Quarter and Semi finals of the Champions League is:
The Semi Finals are:

Bayern Munich or Man Utd V Lyon or Bordeaux

Arsenal or Barcelona V Inter Milan or CSKA Moscow.

Bendtner Scores late on to seal all 3 points for the Gunners

With Manchester United not playing until Sunday Arsenal had the chance to move up into 2nd place in the table. They managed to do that but only just against Hull City at the KC Stadium.

The game did not start very lively but Hull got the first chance of the match when Jozy Altidore skipped past Sol Campbell but failed to hit the target. Arsenal then had a few chances but failed to score until Andrey Arshavin squeezed through two Hull defenders and fired home to give the away side the lead on 14 minutes.


Nothing much happened after that until Sol Campbell fouled Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in the box to give Hull a penalty. Hesselink appeared to be offside in the build up but the linesman did not flag. It was up to Jimmy Bullard to give Hull the equaliser. He did and smashed the ball into the top right hand corner of Manuel Almunia's goal.

Arsenal kept possesion well and a dangerous tackle with studs showing on Denilson saw Dawson booked. Wengar looked concerned but Denilson was luckily not hurt. Bendtner and Boateng also were booked for an incident after the tackle.

In the dying minutes of the first half George Boateng of Hull was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Bacary Sagna. Referee Andre Marriner had no choice but to give him a second yellow card.

The score at half time was 1-1.

The second half did not start very lively either. But Arsenal had a feast of chances. Mainly through Andrey Arshavin. Unfortunately for the Gunners he could not convert them, just as Bendtner had failed to finish easy chances against Burnley last week.
Hull were still clinging on and getting forward with Altidore and Zayatte. Zayatte was convinced he was fouled mid way through the second half when a well timed aggresive tackle from Sol Campbell was put in but the referee made the right desicion and turned the Hull players away after much protests from them.

Arsenal finally got their winner in the third minute of added time. A powerful shot from Brazilian Denilson was turned straight back into the box by Hull keeper Boaz Myhill, where Nicklas Bendtner was waiting to prod the ball home from close range to give Arsenal a very important goal. That goal means it is turning out to be a very close title race.

Arsenal moved into second position for at least 24 hours and are now level on points with Chelsea.

Sorry I could not do a match report of the Porto game in mid week but I could not watch it and did not see the highlights. What a result anyway as that saw Arsenal into the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Walcott Shines as Arsenal grab an all imprtant win

With Chelsea playing in the FA cup this weekend Arsenal had a chance to move level on points with them. They managed to do that with a 3-1 victory over Burnley at the Emirates.

Arsenal had early chances through lots of players. The first came through Theo Walcott but he fired wide. Eboue and Fabregas were linking up well aswell and a nice give and go between the two almost resulted in a goal but Fabregas fired it across the face of the box.

Arsenal finally got their goal after continuous pressure on the Burnley Defence. A lovely chip from Samir Nasri on 34 minutes found Fabregas on six yards to slot the ball under the legs of Brian Jensen in the Burnley goal.

The score at half time was 1-0 to the Arsenal.

The start of the first half saw Arsenal put Burnley under pressure straight away. A great run from Theo Walcott on the right delivered a lovely ball into the box where Bendtner was ready and waiting for a free header but he missed the target when he should of scored.

Arsenal then came under pressure from Burnley when a Clarke Carlisle header ended up in the feet of David Nugent who put it into the top corner of Manuel Almunia's goal.

1o minutes later on 61 minutes Walcott dashed down the right hand side and then cut inside on to his left foot where he slotted the ball into Brian Jensen's right hand side.

More chances fell to Arsenal but they failed to convert them. A great chance fell to Bendtner on six yards but he put it wide after great work again from Walcott on the right.

Arsenal got their third on 90 minutes after Andrey Arshavin danced through the Burnley defence and then fired into the bottom left hand corner.

Arsenal won 3-1. They stay in third place but 2 points off the pace and level points with Chelsea.
The bad news was Fabregas taken off at half time because of a hamstring injury.
My man of the match goes to Theo Walcott for answering his critics for playing for England at the World Cup in South Africa with a great performance on the right for Arsenal.

I hope Arsenal can go on and win the title to do it for Aaron Ramsey!