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A muted week in which a Eastern European Champions League trip ended with another disappointing Eastern European result - a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kiev. The Boss railed against DK's tactics when it came to young Mr. Walcott, but Theo reportedly handled himself well.

My disappointment with the CL result was mitigated by a surprise arrival - a new No. 8 Gunners jersey that arrived with a friend returning from an England trip. It's a beautiful shirt. I'll be wearing it tomorrow as I watch the Gunners dismantle (I hope) Bolton at Reebok Stadium (though, I'll be at home watching on TV, of course.).

Recap Thoughts On Newcastle

Yea, I know I'm a week late - I've been busy!

So, I'm glad I called the suicide hotline after the Fulham game and they talked me into choosing life. I got to stick around and see a resurgent Arsenal demolish Newcastle. Everything I love about Arsenal was on display: flowing, intricate passing that boggles the mind, spirited defense, a midfield that owns more Emirates real estate than Stan Kroenke, two of the best fullbacks in the game heading so far into the attack you thought they might be rushing off the pitch to catch a cab outside...and Cesc! Good to see that young man back on the pitch. He played great, working hard defensively and showing his great vision and passing touch. I take back everything I said about Denilson. Having Cesc back made him a different player. While he lost a few too many passes for a regular first-teamer, he was awesome in defense. The play in which he scored was a beaut, too.

While Ade didn't score, he worked like a Calvinist on speed. RVN was great. Nice to see him bag a brace, though the injury had me thinking he just isn't durable enough for the English game. As one commentator said, he could sprain his ankle tying his shoelace.

Eboue redeemed himself. If keeps playing like this, I take it back; he can stay.

And the new kid, Nasri, is the real deal. He runs at defenders, great vision and ball skills. He's got nuts, too. I loved his response to Punky Brewster (aka Barton). He plays on the first team like he's been there for years. I think he's only going to get better.

Arsenal Lay Big Stinky Egg At Craven Cottage

If you were an Arsenal fan, today's game at Craven Cottage was a game that could put you off football for life; or make you a devout Buddhist, seeing nothing but suffering all around you; or, you could start to think that Arsene has been living too lucky a life with his coupon-clipping transfer policy, and we are now about to witness the chickens coming home to roost with a long season of bad football.

Not me. No, the glass is half-full. Despite today's horrible, awful imitation of an Arsenal football match, there are only better days ahead. How, I ask you, could we not improve on today's match? No, it's only upward from here on out.

A couple of random thoughts from the day's embarrassing 0-1 loss: Arsenal can't win with Toure and Gallass as the heart of the defense and Gallass proved that with his poor imitation of defending a corner, leaving that massive beanpole of a Fullhamster wide open for the easiest goal of his career.

I know Toure has been ill, but man, he looks like he has gained considerable weight. I know I said we needed big central defenders, but not this way.

Is the Theo Walcott experiment over? Pace is a great commodity but you have to bring something else to the pitch. While watching Theo today, I found myself repeatedly thinking wistfully of his high-octane run up the pitch against Liverpool last season. Sadly, I'm beginning to think that's the last excitement he'll give us...

Denilson. He has left me underwhelmed before, but today he was awful. How bad a central midfielder was he? Well, he led the Fullham team in passes to white jerseys. Seriously. He gave away so many balls today, I thought it was some sort of promotional scheme.

Which leads me to...the midfield duo of Denilson and Eboue. You might as well just play 2 men down. On that note, isn't Eboue a fullback? He certainly isn't a midfielder.

I have never seen an Arsenal midfield so thoroughly outplayed. Fullham made quick work of our mids, with the exception of Samir Nasri. Fabregas and Rosicky can't get back quick enough.

Bright spots: Adebayor played reasonbly well in the absence of anything remotely resembling good service. Nasri looks to be the real deal. Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy were mostly outstanding, as usual. Almunia had nothing to do with the goal. Other than that he seemed reasonably ready for service. The hairdo, it's got to go.

Arsene Wenger has quite the challenge in front of him bringing the club back after this debacle...

More On Today's Win

Footymad has a game day report on the West Bromwich Albion match today.

Top of the Table on the First Day!

Well, it may be early, early days, and the Gunners may indeed have a long wait for silverware ahead, but gosh darn it, I woke up this morning and the Gunners were top of the table after a 1-0 victory over the Baggies. That's a good thing worth celebrating.

The goal winner came from newcomer Samir Nasri (nice duck breakage on the first match, Sammi)
and there were plenty of other chances created. However, the match sounded like a bit of a tale of two halves as the 2nd half Arsenal took their collective foot off the petrol pedal (or plain tired out?) and let the Bagsters control much of the action.

Whatever, it's a first match win.

Yoinks! Arsenal Squeak Past FC Alexander Hamilton

In a game that's sure to press the anxious-buttons on many a worry-wart Gooner, Arsenal were lucky to get past Dutch side FC Twente in the Netherlands. It sounds like the defense - still absent Kolo Toure, to be sure - was the worry that I've been harping on for months. Maybe Gallass and Toure can work miracles, but I'm not going to be surprised if we leak goals this year.

It sounds like Arsene's New Youth Crew was less stellar than last year's gang of youngsters, but it's early yet, and there are plenty of first teamers, like Cesc Fabregas, who weren't in the line-up. Still, I'm guessing we're going to need to score goals by the bucketful to have any hope of winning league. I hope I'm wrong on that point.

Gunners Victorious in Netherlands

Maybe Emanuel Adebayor will start winning the hearts of Gooners again. Against Ajax in the Amerstam Cup, the lanky Togolese started the late 2nd half comeback from a 2-0 deficit, with a header to start the scoring and an insurance goal near the end of time. With the Almonst Great Dane, Nicklas Bendtner, scoring in between, Arsenal emerged 3-2 winners.

Good stuff, but we've got to fix the leaky defense before Wednesday's CL qualifier.