It's almost new kit time.  We simply must have a change of the home shirt as I believe it is the absence of total white sleeves which is responsible for our horrendous luck and performances this season.  Vote here for your favourite home shirt and send a message to Arsenal (not that they'll read it) that WE WANT OUR WHITE SLEEVES BACK. 

Is this our new away shirt?:

I hope not, but it's (slightly) better than the green one which is being found floating ominously around the internet and looks like this:

It looks like a goalie top.  I suppose playing 11 keepers would help our defence. What's wrong with yellow & blue, or the white & redcurrant?  Why don't you people just leave things alone!!!  Just move the badge a millimetre or something - we'll still give you our money!

Sigh.

Moving on to football matters, which I know some of you might think are slightly more important than the kit, and here is today's list of players we are linked with:

Yuri Zhirkov, Pavel Pogrebnyak, Mathieu Coutadeur, Micah Richards, Xavi Alonso, so that's five more players we can add to list of 'not joining Arsenal.'

Menawhile, the one who we all want rid off has said that he is only interested in the money. I find it surprising, given the total commitment and effort the 25 has shown in the season's when he has not been looking for more money from Arsenal.  There's rumours that if Ancelotti takes over at Chelsea he will try and buy Adebayor for £27 million.  Anyone have a problem with that?  I sure as hell don't.  Wouldn't you love to see Wenger take that money and buy Tevez.  But that's about as likely to happen as them signing me.

There was a rumour flying about that Pat Rice was considering retiring at the end of the season but he's not.  It provoked a mixed reaction within me.  One the one hand, we cannot doubt the commitment Pat has shown to the club, but perhaps Wenger needs a fresh head beside him, one who will challenge him a bit more. Who would we get to replace him? Anyway, it's a moot point (just for you RAWD) as he's not retiring.

In case you are wondering, I am deliberately not mentioning the Man U-supporting Baboon who wants to pay off some of our debt.  It makes me feel sick and dirty. Sorry if I have offended any baboons in the comparison.  Elsewhere on the board, Kroenke is said to have sanctioned a £40million transfer-kitty. While Gazidis thinks we shouldn't over-react and there are plenty of teams who'd be happy in our position (about 16 in the Premier League I'd say).  He says it's good we're disappointed, but I don't think it was meant to sound like that!

Away from Arsenal, and Gerrard has been named as the Football Writer's Player of the Year. Pfft.  Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney came second and third respectively.  While I'm not suggesting there is an Arsenal player that should have made the top three, there are other players out there (Arteta and Jagielka to name just two) that have played better than at least two of the three picked.  But then what do I know.  It's a Liverpool/Manure love-in. At least there were no Chelsea players picked (though Giggs better than Lampard this season? Hardly).

It's all pretty blah, blah, blah out there....

Morning all, here's your news that I promised you yesterday...(if you can call it news).

As if in response to my blog yesterday, Kolo has responded to my declaration of love, explaining that he just didn't feel loved enough and that's why he considered his future. WTF Who didn't love him? The fans always have, and the manager played him even when he could have rightly dropped him.  Did we not send enough flowers when he malaria? What's going on?  If I 'felt the love' coming from my boss, I'd be seriously concerned - there's laws against that sort of thing for a reason you know!

Elsewhere, the man who hasn't yet committed his future to Arsenal, is telling Arsenal not to let anyone go.  Set the standard VP, sign your deal if you want others to stay. Simples.  The language he uses is promising though, talking about 'we' and 'next season,' hardly the language of a man who is on his way out the door.  Stranger things have happened, but I reckon he'll stay.

A lot is being made of Arshavin's comments regarding his role on the left. I think there is more than a little mischief-making going on out there in the media (shocker).  When I first read it (I know I have a tendency to read what I want to see rather than what is actually there) I thought he was talking of the surprise he had at his own ability to play left-wing.  Everyone else seems to think he is moaning about playing there.  What do you think? I'd be interested to hear the actual interview because if he was picked up wrong and said:

“I still can’t get used to the idea that I am capable of playing there and I'm baffled I can do it". 

Instead of what the Sun printed which was:

“I still can’t get used to the idea that I am capable of playing there and, frankly, having to do it keeps me baffled." 

Do you seriously think Arshavin said frankly? 

This article has now morphed into 'Arshavin unhappy at Arsenal and considering his future.'  Watch the smile on his face on Saturday and then tell me how unhappy he is. Load of bollocks if you ask me.

The madness that is the summer transfer window is well underway and I, for on, am looking forward to it.   We know we're going to buy, and it's going to be mental, but there's no reason we can't have a bit of fun with all the names who are linked with us compared to the nobody's Wenger is bound to sign (think Sagna before you slag that tactic).  If we signed Tevez I think I might wet myself.  Admit it, you know you would too! £20 million for Bolton's Cahill? Told you it was mental.

Inter and the not-so-special one want Cesc. They'll even give us £40million for him.  What part of 'I'm happy at Arsenal' does the Portuguese Prick not understand?

Meanwhile, this blog suggests five players we should buy, and I agree with four of them.  I'd forget about Upson, there's better to be had out there. A shopping list that Wenger should definitely consult.

But before we can get into that too deeply we have to remember that we have Man U at Old Trafford on Saturday.  We might not have anything to play for, but they sure as hell do.  Win against Wigan tonight and Manure will only need a point against us to win the league.  Who here wants to be on the pitch when that happens?  Maybe it would be a good thing, show the Arsenal players what they could get if they sorted out their attitude? 

Anyway, we have to focus unless we want a proper spanking.  Though it would just be like us to go up there and get a result as all the fans are expecting a hefty battering.  Who didn't think against both Man U (champions league) and Chelsea (league and cup) that we were going to get something out of the matches?  Most of us did on some level, but earlier in the season when we first played them, we feel as we do now - that there is no hope. One last twist to close the freak season that has been 08/09?

I can but dream eh?

We all know that we have scored something like two league goals in the past six months, so it is quite reassuring to hear Wenger speaking about how the team are ready to start scoring goals again.  I didn't know it was something you could just switch on and off, you learn something every day.

Despite the fact that Ade has reverted into Ade-cant-score, he is always the man for matches against the poultry mongers so let's all close our eyes and pray for a double hat-trick before half-time.  I was at the Emirates for the 4-4 and there is revenge to be had.  The rat-faced one will be suspended for them which is good because all though he is useless, he is that particular type of useless that crops up to score spectacular freak goals against us.

I would be very doubtful if we can keep a clean sheet tomorrow, Robbie-I'm-Only-Good-Enough-For-A-Bottom-Half-Team-Keane is almost guaranteed a goal, so that means we need at least two (a draw is NOT good enough).  Have we scored two in a league match since we beat Man U?  It won't be easy, but no matter what we think of our team, we know for a fact that it is one that should be beating a team like Sp*rs.  I'll settle for one from Ade and one from Arshavin, even if either of those are a rebound of their arses.  O, a clean sheet would be nice but with so many arses about it's not very likely.

Eboue is back (o woohoo), Diaby is out.  We knew this.  This means a dandering Song in the middle of the park and a diving right-side of midfield...it could almost make it to the West End.

Superb news in that Cesc could be back for the home leg against Roma.  Add that to the fact that Walcott could also be back, Eduardo will have played by then (for Croatia if not us) and Rosicky is on his way and all of a sudden we don't look quite so fragile - re-inforced glass as opposed to fine-bone-china.  Did we buy a wizard instead of a Dr. during the transfer window?  Whatever it is, the magic lotion and sponge seem to be doing the trick so fingers crossed. (I'll be over for the Roma match so if anyone fancies meeting up just give me a shout).

So that's your lot for today, I'll blog tomorrow after we spank Sp*urs.  If we don't spank them, I'll try and write the blog when I stop crying....

Coffee time...

It's that quiet out there that I'm sorry I'm resorting to quoting an article from the Sun where Arshavin is reported to have said:

"If I had it in my power to introduce a ban on women driving cars and to withdraw all their licences, I would do it without thinking twice."

He continued: "In my opinion a woman and a man are two absolutely different creatures."

Doesn't he know that the stats support the fact that men are actually more dangerous on the roads? 

I don't know what this story is supposed to achieve other than fill pages in the Sun, and I know that a players individual beliefs aren't relevant to his playing ability, but imagine if he had said this about black players? Or Jewish or Muslim ones? It seems in football, as I have experienced in my time, sexism is allowed to proceed without any restraint.  I know because there has been many a time that men have refused to even have a conversation with me about football simply because I am female, even though I had probably been to more matches than they had by a factor of around a thousand, have been a football fan for 29 years, been going to matches since I was 4, and would have been playing football since then too if it hadn't been for the fact that there was absolutely nowhere for women or girls to play football in Northern Ireland until I hit my 20's by which point I had given up on sport and started partying instead.

I'll shut up now, it just winds me up that there are a number of prejudices which are rampant in football and no-one gives a sh*t.

(there really is that little Arsenal news out there lol)

I'm off today but yet I still find myself awake...perhaps that's why I'm grumpy!

On a positive note, it seems that yesterday's meeting of the Premier League has put to bed the grumbles of Arshavin's signing for Arsenal.  He's our player, he was signed in time, and everybody else is just sh*t stirring.

Perhaps there'll be more tomorrow as it's the day before we demolish White Hart Lane.  Until then, I shall fill myself with coffee and look at all the poor sods having to crunch their way through the snow to get to work....it's a tough life!

Is there any news? Nope, there's nothing new floating about at all.  Arshavin is moving his girlfriend to London.  Which she's probably pleased with.  Who knows.  Gazidis is happy to stay at Arsenal, which is also good seeing as he's just arrived.

It's snowing like crazy here in Belfast which is about the most excitement we've had since it snowed last year.

They're making me do work this morning for some reason so if anything new pops up later I'll try and do a proper blog, but as it stands, I have a funny feeling there will only be 'filler' pieces popping up between now and the weekend.

Glad to see Liverpool come unstuck at Everton, and to see Mad Rafa's decision to sell Keane being punished so soon as Gerrard limped off after 15 miniutes with a pulled hamstring.  It's nice when Karma gets it right.

Til later....unless I get snowed in....

This blog was supposed to come at 5pm yesterday.  But there was still no deal.  No deal at 6, or 7, or 8...and then Wenger spoke to Sky Sports News but by that point I knew if I blogged then I would have nothing to say in the morning..  I didn't hear the words coming out of his mouth directly and past experience has taught me nothing if not to wait until I can see his lips moving for myself. 

I haven't heard the words from Arsene so I realise I'm setting myself up to look like a proper twat if this all falls through (the Premier League said it was too late last night to confirm that Arsharvin transfer could be ratified so they weren't making a decision until after this was being posted - I've waited long enough)

I'll have to be honest, I didn't think I was that fussed on if we signed Arshavin or not.  Until yesterday.  Then I got extremely excited at the prospect, probably not helped by the frenzy Sky Sports News where whipping up as the deadline approached.  And then it passed.  And I was still waiting.  And waiting.  And waiting.  When the news broke that AP were saying it was all off my heart sunk.  I was actually dissapointed.

Bloody typical.

And then it might not be off.  Not only did I have to wait for an official confirmation, I had to watch Sky Sports News drooling over Robbie Keane for hours. Player goes back to club after two minutes away and failing to do anything of note. What a story!

Seriously, there were 33 days in this transfer window, why does it take til the last 33 minutes before anything starts happening? And why do I expect it to be any other way? It's insanity. And the fact that it snowed so it dragged on that little bit longer...if there is a god, he's a sadistic fecker - I had this blog ready for hours and was just waiting on the elusive official confirmation.

After fees were agreed between Arsenal and Zenit, and terms agreed between Arsenal and Arshavin, Zenit were holding out for Arshavin to repay some of his signing on fee back.  Has anyone else heard of this happening?  I haven't, but does that could just mean that other clubs are better than Zenit at keeping their mouths shut?  But from what I can gather, most people are saying they have never heard of such a demand being made.  To be honest, it all smacks of vindictiveness on Zenit's part.  We know they didn't want to lose him, and let's face it, it's not like they need the money. What other reason could it be?

But, finally, the most drawn-out, up-down, hokey-kokey transfer story in living memory has been completed and we have our new player.

His former manager has been quoted as saying 'Arsenal do not realise how good Arshavin really is.  He will blow the Premiership away' (or something like that, I'm not very good at quoting people - that requires that I pay attention).

Arshavin will reportedly wear the number 13 shirt, and, while there is a stupid superstition around that number in the UK, 13 is a lucky number in France (Arsene's seat pitchside is number 13).

We didn't sign any oompa loompas or 'unknown talent' as professionals prefer to refer to them as, so its just Andrei.  Anyone want to bet he gets an horrifc injury within a month?

So what do we know about our new boy?

Personal information
Full name	Andrei Sergeyevich Arshavin
Date of birth	29 May 1981 (1981-05-29) (age 27)
Place of birth	Leningrad, USSR (now Saint Petersburg, Russia)
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder, second striker
Club information
Current club	Zenit St Petersburg
Number	10
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2000–	Zenit Saint Petersburg	238 (51)
National team2
2002–	Russia	041 (15)

 (yes, I stole it from Wikipedia)

Let's hope his performances are nothing like his transfer, or we'll have another Eboue on our hands. We've signed him until 2012.

And if you find yourself getting down about this season, think of next and say the following: Fabregas, Walcott, Eduardo, Nasri, Rosicky, Van Persie, Vela, Arshavin.....Clichy, Toure, Djourou, Sagna......a holding midfielder and we're set. (I'm ignoring the need for depth part as it doesn't fit with the point I'm trying to make)

Other transfers:

Keane back to Sp*rs (LMAO) - you just know that wee sh*t will score against us on Sunday. 

West Bromwich Albion have signed defensive midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu on loan from Paris St Germain until the end of the season. Good for them

Newcastle United have signed Ryan Taylor from Wigan Athletic, with Charles N'Zogbia the other way along with £6M

Fulham have signed Olivier Dacourt from Inter Milan on loan until the end of the season.

It is believed that Arsenal have made a signing, although the press black-out regarding the matter has left it hard to establish exactly who it is.  Unsubstantiated rumours hint that it could be Zenit's Andrei Arshavin.  It is believed that he will arrive at the Emirates on a White Stallion and proceed to score 300 goals between now and May, while he will set-up around 1,000 for his grateful teammates, who, until now, have been unable to do anything for themselves.

The fee, thought to be the highest in living memory, is only a partial down payment on his right foot, with the remainder to be paid in daily installments of £2million for the next 16 years.  It is believed his hands are an optional extra which Arsenal are exploring the true market value of before making a decision.

It is also believed that Zenit have asked Arshavin to return all food and drink he had consumed while at their training grounds, and also asked him to re-lay every piece of grass he may have flattened while he was their player.

The Arsenal fans have reacted in a nonchalant manner, many of then stating they have never even heard of a player named Arse Shaving, believing this was some new meterosexual trend in West London.

Wenger has refused to comment, but stated that it was highly unlikely that Arsenal would sign anyone over the age of 16.

Confirmation of the above to follow

(spot position of tongue-in-cheek in case you missed it)

I thought about doing a blog this morning, but then figured as it was the deadline day for the transfer window I would wait til 5 and do a round up then....but what would I have to put in tomorrow's blog?  Oh, the dilemma!. 

So, i'll do a quick blog at 5pm when the window thankfully slams shut, and we'll see if the Russian weather has brought with it a Russian playmaker.  I doubt it though as Sky bet have slashed the odds of Arshavin (I know I'd been spelling it Arsharvin, it was an 'inside' joke, but apparently it unsettled a few people ffs) joining Arsenal from 1-8 to 6-4, that's a pretty big cut.

Til this afternoon and the end of this madness then....

Toothless.  That's what we were against a West Ham who came to do nothing but defend and try not to lose.  How many saves did Robert Green make? One I think, and that was one I could have made.  Adebayor, again, gave no indication that he was going to score anytime soon, Bendtner was, well, Bendtner (the bad one who starts matches, not the good one who comes off the bench).  Van Persie started on the bench, Djourou got dropped, and we could have played to christmas and wouldn't have got close.

Diaby, who played relatively well (note the use of the word relatively) before being stretchered off with what looked like it might be a serious injury.  Eboue was replaced early in the first half as he damaged a toenail or something and that was a blessing as he was useless.  Will this force Wenger to buy Arsharvin or play Wilshere?  Probably not, we'll just see Song dandering about in midfield until they're back.

But Villa didn't win, and with Liverpool playing Chelsea later, at least one of them will be losing points.  We may not have gained any ground (on fourth, not Utd, they're out of our league and we need to accept that fact), but we haven't lost any and that's been the weird thing this season.  All the top four contenders have dropped points around the same time (we just happen to be better at dropping more).

Here's to a fantastic draw at Anfield later on.

Ok, so it hasn't 'officially' gone through, but it's closer than I ever thought it would get.  When Sky Sports asked Dick Advocaat if they could film Arsharvin at their training camp in Dubai they were told he wasn't there, when asked if they could film him at the hotel Dick's response was apparently along the lines of 'do what you like, he's no longer my player' (source Sky Sports News TV).  Add that to reports that Wenger has confirmed we have applied for his work permit, and that he wants a decision on the player before tomorrow's match, with a little bit of this story with Arsharvin reported to have refused to train with Zenit, you start to think this might actually happen.

But there's football today, and if his signing is announced before the game it can only serve to lift the team and fans.  What effect will it have if we fail to sign him?  It should galvanise the team, knowing that they have to do this themselves, but who the hell can judge how these things turn out.

Ahead of the game, Wenger has hinted that Toure may be back as he looks to rotate the squad.  We all know that the Toure/Gallas partnership just doesn't work, so Djourou should keep his place.  Silvestre will miss most of February, Rosicky is, well, Rosicky, Walcott and Cesc are still some way off, but will Eduardo get a few minutes?  I so want him to play.  NOW.  What a lift to everybody just to have him on the bench, hell, I'd even name him as number 7 sub, the one we never use, just to have him involved.  At this point we need all the help we can get, and anything that helps raise the volume at the Grove, and in turn, fire up the players gets my vote.

So we're likely to see Eboue 'playing' alongside Denilson, Diaby and Nasri in the middle, Van the Man with can't-be-Arsedebayor up front (what effect will Eduardo's return have on the the big man's attitude?  Will he even notice?), and a back four consisting of Sagna, Djourou, Toure, and Clichy.  If you need me to tell you who'll be in goal I'm going to have to seriously question your Arsenal-following credentials.

Away from the football, and back to players who talk too much and improve too little, Bendter has been speaking about why he knew he needed to improve.  That's a tough skill that, being able to watch yourself on TV and see how useless you are, so we should give him credit for all the blood he sweated working that one out. Has he improved?  Time will tell, but let's face it, it would be hard for him to get much worse.

So it's into the breach once more we go.  Anything less than three points will see us confirm that we are destined for the Europa League next year.  Who the f*ck names a competition after the most-bombed hotel in Europe?  Oh yeah, those 'special' people at UEFA.  Idiots.

Can we have three points please.  A performance would be nice too, but I've learned this season not to be greedy so I'll settle for the points.