I’m still laughing about the Pie-Eaters seeing off Spuds at the Lane on Saturday following our win up at Ewood Park. The Mackems beating Citeh yesterday was chuckle-inducing too. 

Unfortunately Chavski and United had to go and rain on our parade by winning. Still. Nothing’s perfect. A bit like our defending which is FAR from ideal. 

Having stuttered and played quite poorly at Anfield on the opening weekend, being gifted a point courtesy of a goalkeeping howler, albeit induced by our pressure; we’ve bounced back quite nicely. 

Big Fat Sam Allardyce – detested by a majority of Gooners but respected if disliked by me – and Arsčne Wenger clearly can’t stand the sight of each other, so any meeting between teams managed by the two is always going to see the players well motivated. We rocked a bit in the first half and the Blackburn player went past Laurent Koscielny far too easily for their goal. Whoever was meant to be marking Diouf (No. Not him. The other one) also lost him for t’Rovers tap-in goal. 

Courtesy of an excellent goal from Theo Walcott from an equally good pass from Robin van Persie and the winner from Andrey Arshavin after excellent work by Bacary Sagna down the wing and a good off-the-ball run by Theo Walcott which cleared Sagna’s path, we returned to London with the three points and sit second in the table (just) from Manchester United. 

It might seem churlish to be complaining given the decent start we’ve had, but I’m in that sort of mood so I’m going to. We’ve conceded two goals in three games for an average of .66 against per match. That would equate to a goals against tally in the League of around 25-26 at the end of the season. This would represent a considerable improvement on last season’s 41 conceded, an average of a goal a game. 

That said, we’re still loose as a team when not in possession. Blackburn opened us up like a can-opener for their goal on Saturday. We really don’t want to let in too many more like that. 

All that said  it’s hard to complain at seven points from three games with two of our more difficult away games out of the way. I was quite favourably taken by how well we stood up to the Blackburn blitzkrieg after going ahead 2-1 on Saturday. 

We will know by tomorrow evening whether our squad will stay as it is until at least January. I won’t indulge in speculation. There’s little point. We’ll all know soon enough. 

Before kick-off up in east Lancashire we learned our fate in the third round of the Carling Cup. Away at the Lane. Not the draw we wanted. What we certainly don’t want is a repeat of the last time we played at the Lane in the semi-final second leg of the same competition. We were awful that night. A supine surrender. Let’s go down there at least let them know they’ve been in a game. 

After the game at Ewood Park, young Jack Wilshere got himself in a spot of bother with the Babylon following some sort of ruck in a club in the early hours of Sunday morning. Wilshere had his collar felt by Plod before being released on bail. I’m not going to condemn the lad. We’re all entitled to rest and recreation after work. I also have no idea exactly what went on other than what I’ve read and seen in the media. I just hope the lad has the brains not to go down the path of mindless media celebrity trodden by too many Premier League players these days. 

Trust me mate. I was nineteen once, a very long time ago.  A good-looking  and willing partner, a nice restaurant, good food and wine, followed by a night in playing hide the sausage is a lot more fun than spending a few hours in the local nick. A lot more relaxing too. Sooths away all the aches and strains of being booted up hill and down dale in Lancashire. Give the nightclubs a rest except for highdays and holidays until your football career is behind you. 

Finally, congratulations to Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs for their selection for England’s forthcoming games against Bulgaria at Wembley and away to Switzerland in Basel in the European Championship qualifiers. 

Keep the faith! 

vic@arsenalinsider.com

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Vic Crescit