Villa preview + Smalling - Wilshere loan and more ...

A veritable feast of stuff to keep us going this morning so no hanging around talking about unimportant stuff, such as hilarious tightrope walking monkeys playing banjos or world hunger.

The first of four incredibly tough fixtures takes place tonight as we make the jaunt to Villa Park. The fixtures have been a bit weirdly shaped this season. Back to back games against Bolton, we only played Villa a few weeks back and it'll be the same against Liverpool too. Villa were turned over 3-0 at our place thanks to an unforgettable cameo from Cesc Fabregas. Personally I'm hoping he scores two goals and the entire Villa team tears their hamstrings, it's only right and proper.

Team news is that Sagna returns to the first XI while Samir Nasri makes a Lazarus Ramsey style recovery to take a place on the bench alongside Nicklas Bendnter who is in the squad for the first time since the North London derby at the end of the October. It's good news on both counts but Bendtner in particular brings something to the squad we've been lacking - a dedicated centre-forward. His height, aerial ability and physical power should allow us to be a more compact unit up front and no longer will we have to watch the pitiful sight of teeny-tiny Andrei Arshavin trying to win headers against centre-halves a couple of feet taller than him.

Quite what we can expect from Bendtner in terms of performance is another thing. The manager was at pains to ask for patience for Theo Walcott, quite reasonably suggesting it's a lot to expect a player who has been out for 2 months to come back and be 'outstanding' straight away. So what level of expectation should we have of one who has been out for 3 months like the big Dane? Arsene he hasn't brought in a striker because he hasn't found a player who would improve us but clearly he's got Bendtner in mind as a player who can do the job up there. It's just a worry that on one hand we're being told to lower expectations about one player while hoping another can get back into his stride as quickly as possible.

We can't afford to carry passengers in these next four games so fingers crossed that both Theo and Bendtner can find some form and make a contribution quickly. Of these games Arsene says:

It is an exciting period for us, because we are in a very good position. We have a good level of confidence and know that with so many big games, psychologically it is important to go in with a high level of confidence, so every result has an influence on the next one. We have taken 23 points out of the last nine games so let's keep our momentum going. We are on a strong run and we have a good opportunity to extend it and strengthen our position in the league tomorrow night. We want to take advantage of that.

Villa will be tough tonight. We know they work hard, at home their record is good and they've only conceded 7 goals there all season. Bizarrely Birmingham and Fulham have better records with just 6 (the best in the league) but our record of 25 goals away from home will certainly worry them. In terms of the rest of the team I think he'll play Eduardo, Arshavin and Rosicky up front with Ramsey starting in midfield. The back four will be as expected. As much as goals are going to be important, and it'd be nice to see Arshavin and Eduardo in particular start to find their range going into this crucial period, how we defend is equally so.

Villa like to get the ball wide and with players like Carew, Agbonlahor, Heskey and the two big centre-backs they pose a threat in the air. Stopping the supply as best we can is the first task, one which requires a serious amount of defensive discipline and not the tame effort we saw for Stoke's second on Sunday, and then dealing with the high balls when they do come in the second. These games are really going to test our defence, the Gallas-Vermaelen partnership in particular and we need Almunia to snap out of his nervous-nelly phase and at least try and be commanding. 

So, it's a tough job ahead but with Fabregas pulling the strings in midfield and a bench that is beginning to look quite a bit stronger then there's no reason not to be quietly confident tonight. If we really want this league then this is the kind of game we have to go and win. It's not on the telly so I think I'll do the live blog thing a bit later on - check back after 5pm for the new post and details on that.

Now, the other 'big' news story from yesterday surrounded Fulham defender Chris Smalling. News emerged early in the day that a Man United bid had been accepted and I told you on Saturday they were sniffing around. From what I'm told Arsenal reacted and have also had a bid accepted. Now, both United and Fulham made statements on their respective website saying terms had been agreed between the clubs but crucially neither of them confirmed the actual signing of a contract by the player. From what I can gather it's now down the player to decide where he wants to go. Fulham boss Woy Hodgson reckons he's going to United but nothing has been signed yet.

Whatever happens it's a metoric rise for a young man who just 2 years ago was sitting at home playing FIFA 08 or something. And perhaps it says a lot about how desperate we are for a signing that we're biting our fingernails over a player who has barely played a couple of Premier League games. Is it another Ramsey situation where United have jumped the gun or did Sir Alex ensure Gary Neville had no contact whatsoever with the player to put him off signing for his club? We shall see.

Jack Wilshere will be going out on loan and we should find out today or tomorrow where. It seems that Owen Coyle has not burnt his bridges completely with Arsene Wenger and the smart money is on Jack going to Bolton. Which is kind of disgusting really, what with them being a bunch of pox-laden clithammers, but obviously the manager has received some assurances from Coyle about Wilshere's chances of playing.

Philippe Senderos on leaving Arsenal. A realistic appraisal from the man and unlike many others who have left the club there's an open appreciation about what Arsenal have done for him. Good luck, Phil.

The boss on young Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny who he reckons can be Arsenal's number 1 some day. He's doing well at Brentford on loan, is a bit of a nutter by all accounts, and given the state of the goalkeepers currently at the club he could make a Casillas type rise to the first team and be the best goalie in the world by December. I'm just keeping it optimistic here. I mean, Arsene also said Fabianski was an 'outstanding' keeper so there's absolutely no reason to doubt him regarding Szczesny, is there? Come on Wojciech!

And that's about that. Here's to three points later on, a remarkable win for Birmingham as they knock 8 past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and a return to the top of the table of us. Live blog will start around 7.30, till then.