Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 3

Arsenal bounced back from their disappointing performance in midweek at Dortmund with a convincing 3-0 win against second-placed Aston Villa. It was a great team effort, but the two players who were under severe scrutiny earned plaudits. In particular, Arsenal's club record signing, Mesut Ozil answered his critics with a stellar performance, by scoring one and setting up another. Danny Welbeck scored his first goal for Arsenal and the Gunners kept a clean sheet. Best of all, they came away with the all important three points. It was a perfect afternoon for us, Gooners.

To make the weekend even better, all results for our title rivals went our way. Man City and Chelsea shared spoils. Liverpool suffered another shock defeat by the hands of West Ham, while Everton were beaten by Crystal Palace at Goodison Park. Our north London neighbours were also the victim of a surprise loss at White Hart Lane, beaten 1-0 by West Brom who went into the game bottom of the table. Manchester United played out an entertaining 5-3 loss to new boys, Leicester City. As a result, Arsenal finished the weekend fourth in the table, closer to the position where we want to be than the previous weeks.

Arsene Wenger made three changes to the side that started in Arsenal's 2-0 defeat by Dortmund. Calum Chambers replaced Hector Bellerin after having fully recovered from tonsillitis. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla started in place of Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere. This meant that Ozil was deployed in his favourite No.10 role. Also, the 4-2-3-1 formation with Ramsey and Arteta as double pivots looked better balanced than a 4-1-4-1 system that Wenger had been using this season in order to accommodate both Wilshere and Ramsey in midfield. On the bench, Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby were alongside David Ospina, Tomas Rosicky, Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, and Lukas Podolski.

Asked if he had ever considered not playing Ozil after the Dortmund game, Wenger answered after this match that he played Ozil despite all the criticism in order to show his faith in the German playmaker. The Frenchman's response to Ozil's weak performance so far this season proved right. The boss played the World Cup winner in his favourite position instead of dropping him to the bench. Ozil looked sharp and full of drive, covering more ground than any other Arsenal player. He even dropped deep to collect the ball at times. Some argue that where he starts does not really affect his game as he keeps interchanging positions with other midfielders, but his body language had totally changed in this game. It was great to see him actually enjoying a game again.

After Ozil's outstanding performance, a question was raised if he and Alexis can play together, but the real question is whether Ozil can retain his favourite No. 10 role when Wilshere comes into the side. So far, Ozil was shunted to the wing every time when Wilshere and Ramsey were played together and Wenger made it clear that the England midfielder is now in the stage of his development where he needs to play constantly after overcoming serious ankle injuries. Hopefully, Ozil's display has convinced the boss that Arsenal should build a team around the £42.5 million star and for that he needs to play in his favourite position.

One thing for sure about combinations is that Ozil and Welbeck pairing started looking very exciting. Between the two, they created two goals in this game. When they start developing better understanding and looking for each other on the pitch, hopefully more goals will come.

It was a strange game. Going into the game, Aston Villa was unbeaten, taking an impressive 10 points from the first 4 games of the season, with their confidence riding high on their 1-0 defeat of Liverpool at Anfield the previous weekend. Although we had favourable head-to-head stats, in particular at Villa Park, nobody predicted such a comfortable win. Even former Gunner and now pundit, Paul Merson predicted a 1-1 draw.

Both sides started brightly, but Arsenal could not get the final ball right until the 32nd minute, when Ozil was put through by Welbeck's perfectly-weighted pass, after sharp one-touch passing. Three goals in less than 4 minutes virtually put the game to bed. Arsenal controlled the game in the second half, while Villa looked like giving up on attack. Perhaps, under the circumstances, it was a damage limitation tactic taken by a virus-stricken Aston Villa side. We are pleased to see Arsenal see out the win without risking a clean sheet.

Overall, it was a perfect afternoon for us Gooners. Hopefully this is the beginning of Arsenal's winning streak. An ever-important north London derby is looming at the weekend, but before that, we have a Capital One Cup tie against Southampton to deal with. It will be interesting to see some of the first team players who haven't been given playing time feature in the game, including David Ospina, who are yet to play his first game in Arsenal coulours after the successful World Cup.

Players ratings

Szczesny: 7
Made some outstanding saves, especially one to deny Aston Villa's best chance by stopping Clark's header point-blank. On the other hand, one of those super saves was only to make up for his poor clearance.

Chambers: 6
He was lucky to stay on the pitch after receiving an early yellow card. Gave away some needless fouls.

Mertesacker: 7
Solid. 3 interceptions and 5 clearances. 

Koscielny: 7
1 tackle, 4 interceptions and 4 clearances.

Gibbs: 7
Had a good game probably because he was not troubled defensively too much. His effort (whether it was a shot or cross we don't know) led to Cissokho's own goal. If it hadn't been diverted by the Villa defender, Gibbs would have earned an assist as the Ox might have latched on to the end of the ball.

Arteta: 6
Some of his tackles left much to be desired. Continues to give away fouls in dangerous positions.

Ramsey: 6
Poor game by his standard, which was set high last season. He has been trying to do too much this season. He needs to go back to the basics and make his game simple. In this game, he couldn't even complete some of simplest passes. One of those passes gave away a cheap corner kick to Villa. On another occasion, he had to commit a foul, which earned him a yellow card, after losing possession. That said, he still made those advancing runs and gets in great positions. He was involved in build-up plays leading to the goals. He doesn't deserve harsh criticisms, but his body language worries us. Something is not quite right with him at the moment either mentally or physically.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: 7
Worked hard. Made an important block.

Ozil: 8
Scored a goal with great composure and delivered a curling low cross to evade two Villa defenders to set up a close-range finish for Welbeck.

Cazorla 7
Creative.

Welbeck: 7
Stats-based Whoscored.com's Man of the Match with a 9.14 rating. He has started to look a very good signing with his pace, mobility and work-rate, especially teamed with Ozil. His finishing will improve as his confidence grows (Ramsey is a good example).

Subs

Wilshere: 6
Part of the triple substitutions brought on in the 78th minute. Replaced Ramsey.

Rosicky: 6
Replaced the Ox in the 78th minute.

Podolski: 6
Replaced Welbeck in the 78th minute.

Everton 2 Arsenal 2

This game was Arsenal's first acid test of their title credentials as they visited one of the top six for the first time this season. The manager and the players alike were all aware that they had to make improvement on those games in order to mount a serious title challenge this season.

Arsene Wenger made 4 changes from the side that started in the goalless draw in Istanbul. The return of Per Mertesacker, combined with injury to Mikel Arteta, offered an intriguing option of Calum Chambers deployed as a defensive midfielder role. However, the boss decided to give Laurent Koscielny a breather ahead of the crucial Champions League qualifier on Wednesday. The French centre-back was carrying an Achilles injury that almost ruled him out of the midweek game. As a result, Chambers was paired up with the BFG in the central defence. In  midfield, Wenger opted for a more conservative option of playing Mathieu Flamini in place of the injured club captain. Mesut Ozil came in for Santi Cazorla, who started from the bench. After arguably Giroud's worst display in Arsenal colours, few was surprised to see the French striker dropped to the bench. The Ox was slotted in on the right flank as one of the front trio, with Alexis Sanchez moved to the centre forward position.

This Arsenal side was set up for counter-attack, which was not a bad idea, but the problem was that it was executed poorly. Transition from defence to attack was too slow to take advantage of Alexis' pace. In the first half, we saw the same old Arsenal: no penetration, too many intricate short passes around the box and reluctant to shoot. Arsenal finished the first half with only 5 shots on goal, all by the Ox, none of which were on target.

Giroud made a significant difference when he replaced Alexis at half time. The change was widely interpreted as Wenger's admission of the failed experiment of using the Chilean forward as a central striker. Arsenal found the focal point of their attack in Giroud and a clear-cut chance arrived as quickly as within 60 seconds of the second half, when the Ox's curling ball found Giroud at the far post. However, the French striker spurned the glorious chance by blazing it over the bar from close range. It was a game-changing moment.

Wenger made double substitutions in the 74th minute, bringing on Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell. Both substitutions were effective. With 7 minutes of normal time remaining, Santi found himself some space on the left side in the area to deliver an incisive low cross for onrushing Ramsey, who converted it from 5 yards. The Welshman didn't celebrate his second goal in as many league games. Instead, he carried the ball to the center cycle for the immediate re-start of the game. The Gunners piled pressure and in the injury time, Giroud finally redeemed himself by scoring an equaliser. Nacho Moreal did very well to keep Ramsey's over-hit ball in play and whipped an inch-perfect cross for Giroud to head home.

As Arsenal ended the game on the front foot and considering the fact that Everton's second goal should have been ruled off-side, we felt that we deserved more than a point. The officials' decisions were poor throughout the game. In the build-up leading to Everton's second goal, Lukaku fouled Mertsacker before carrying on his run. Replays showed that Naismith was clearly off-side. It's difficult to comprehend why such an experienced assistant referee got his call wrong.

Did Arsenal do enough to prove their title credentials? Their performance was still far from convincing. The defence looked to remain vulnerable against counter-attacks, while the attack lacked the cutting edge. They made the same mistake of conceding goals early. However, Arsenal's tenacity and determination attracted plaudits as one of the champions' traits. The team showed their character for the second time this season. Considering that we had only just had two of our key players back and a few players are still not up to speed, there will be more to come from this side. Besides, Walcott's imminent return will add more pace and different attacking options. In fact, the bench already looked decent, bar defensive options. Rosicky could have come off the bench to make a difference.

It was a good point to take away from home. Prior to the game, a 1-1 draw seemed to have been the most popular bet. If a 2-2 draw had been offered at half time, we would have happily taken it. It was an improvement over last season's corresponding fixture, in which we were well beaten by 3 goals to nil. A point is always useful against your rivals as it also means that they have dropped 2 points. In this case, Everton must be feeling exactly that.

Now we have a massive game Wednesday night. If we can get our job done, it could help wrap up some transfer business before the dead-line day.

Players ratings

Szczesny: 6
He could have done better to stop Everton's first goal going in as he got his hands to Coleman's shot and it was at a good height

Debuchy: 6
Caught out of position a few times but showed good pace going forward

Chambers: 5
It was a difficult game for him, with Arsenal put under a severe pressure in the first half and against a good counter-attacking side. Being paired up with yet another different partner, who had just returned to competitive football, didn't help. He had been outstanding before this game, which proved that he still has a lot to learn. Hopefully, once the Kos-Mert partnership has been up and running again, the 19-year-old can continue his development (as a cover for Debuchy or a holding midfielder) at his own pace.

Mertesacker: 6
Struggled with Arsenal's high defensive line, but was fairly decent, considering that this was his first game back from the World Cup.

Monreal: 6
A mixed performance. He struggled defensively, but he didn't give up running forward and his tenacity was rewarded with an important assist for the equaliser.

Flamini: 6
Did his job OK. Made 53 passes with a 92 passing success rate. A yellow card was extremely harsh.

Ramsey: 7
He continued to demonstrate his ability to pop up in the right place at the right time. Made more passes (69) than any other player on the pitch.

Wilshere: 5
So far Wenger's persistence with the England midfielder has been obvious. In order to accommodate him as a box-to-box player, Arsenal have been playing a 4-3-3 formation. No successful tackle recorded in his name was pretty poor as a box-to-box player (and he was shown a yellow card for his late challenge). It's interesting to see how Ozil's return will affect Jack's future. Replaced by Cazorla in the 74th minute, which turned out to be a good move, but this was likely to be a move with the anticipation of Jack's involvement on Wednesday night. He needs to step up his game to fill in suspended Ramsey's boots against Besiktas.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: 6
Lively and he looked like the only Arsenal player to have shots, but was wasteful at times. He failed to convert a great chance, when Coleman cleared the straight to him. 93% passing success rate was a massive improvement.

Ozil: 5
Totally anonymous in the first half. He was guilty of loosing his mark, which led to Everton's first goal. Nevertheless, good to see him complete 90 minutes in his first game back. His second-half performance was a bit better, finishing the game with 65 passes with a 86% completion rate, creating 2 chances.

Alexis: 5
Made 26 touches, no shots, and 1 key pass with a 63% accuracy.


Subs

Giroud: 7
Replaced Alexis at half time. Had 5 shots, 2 of which were on target (although the other was a fairly tame attempt). It was a positive that he scored in a big match away from the capital as his goalscoring record outside London was pretty meagre.

Cazorla: 7
Came in for Wilshre in the 74th minute. Set up for Ramsey's goal.

Campbell: 6
Brought on in the 74th minute to replace the Ox. Involved in attacking movements and showed his hunger to impress. Encouraging debut to his Premier League campaign.

Arsenal 0 Monaco 1 (Emirates Cup)

As Valencia beat Benfica 3-1 in the early kick-off, Arsenal only needed a draw to claim the first Emirate Cup win in four years.

Team: Szczesny, Debuchy (Bellerin 90), Chambers (Miquel 46), Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Wilshere (Flamini 73), Cazorla (Zelalem 73), Sanchez (Akpom 73), Giroud (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46)

Monaco was expected to present a sterner test and Wenger responded to the prospect by fielding a strong side. Replace Monreal with Gibbs, and this could be a starting line-up to face Crystal Palace in Arsenal's Premier League opener as Mertesacker, Özil and Podolski are set to miss the start of the season.

The previous day's euphoria was quickly fading as Arsenal started the game at a pedestrian pace. Debuchy, Koscielny, Giroud and Sanchez only joined training this week, while the other players were still physically recovering from Saturday's high-tempo game against Benfica. Arsenal struggled to create chances. The best of those half chances fell to Giroud and Chambers, but the former tumbled when he had only the keeper to beat and the latter blasted high. Giroud was not ready at all by his own admission  and the manager. In the 37th minute, Monaco took the lead through a free-kick, which was given as a result of Jack Wilshere's lunge that also saw the England midfielder booked. Unmarked Falcao headed home from close range. This was the second time we conceded from set-pieces in two days. Some blame zonal marking for this, but it seems that miscommunication or in fact, a lack of communication seemed to be the problem. Whoever  Chambers or Miquel pairs up with Koscielny in central defence before Mertesacker return, somebody (naturally, more experienced Koscielny) should take a leadership and organise defence against set-pieces.

The introduction of the Ox in place of Giroud livened up the game in the second half. The English midfielder injected what the team needed, "some penetration and some power" according to Wenger. This was a cue for Alexis to play through the middle. Wenger explained that he had to take Giroud off at half time as he was not fit, but his post-match interview on the previous day suggested that Alexis playing a centre-forward role at some stages of the Monaco game was always part of his plan. Alexis was more involved in his new position after playing on the flanks for 45 minutes.

The major talking point of the game was the ref's decision. As Zelalem's pass sent a lively Chuba Akopm clear, the young English striker was brought down by the Monaco keeper Subasic. The referee, Martin Atkinson initially pointed the spot, but an assistant referee contradicted his decision. Replays showed clearly that the contact was made inside the area. We were cursing our luck all through last season, asking what would have to happen for Arsenal to be given a penalty, but if you don't get a right decision in your favour in your home tournament, what chance have you got? Arsene Wenger also questioned the referee's final decision to change his mind as the referee was in a better position to witness the incident but he still allowed his assistant referee's decision to overrule his. A 1-1 draw would have seen the north London leapfrog Valencia with 10 points and win the first trophy of the season. Still, if this was all the bad luck we get this season, we would happily take it for a pre-season friendly defeat.

This was our first chance to watch Mathieu Debucy in Arsenal colours. In the press conference prior to the Emirates Cup, Wenger looked back at those financially restrained years. The move to replace Bacary Sagna with a proven Premier League right-back signals Arsenal's new era and indicates Wenger's intent for title challenge. In those days, the Club would have resorted to "internal resources"(i.e., giving a chance to a young player or converting a player to the required position). The former Newcastle right-back's performance was not eye-catching, but he didn't put his foot wrong, either. It was a solid display in his first appearance as an Arsenal player. He suffered cramp towards the end of the game and clearly he was not 100% fit. Arsene Wenger assured fans that he would be better next week, so let's hope the boss will be right.

Jack Wilshere has shown some improvement over the previous game. He was one of the worst players on the pitch on Saturday along with Mikel Arteta, but at least Wilshere got himself in great positions in this match. Wenger's post-match interview suggests that the English midfielder might be at the stage where Aaron Ramsey was two seasons ago. After fully recovering from a serious injury, he now needs playing time. But where do you play Wilshere? Who would you bench in place of him? Wenger made it clear that he will not use Wilshere as a holding midfielder, so that's a relief. Hopefully, we are still looking for a defensive midfielder. 

Calum Chambers had another solid game. Aside from the argument as to who should have been looking after Falcao in that set-piece, he kept the £53million striker fairly quiet after that. Wenger described the 19-year-old defender's performance as one of the biggest positives from this pre-season tournament.

The result was disappointing, but it's only a pre-season friendly. Hopefully, the players will be in a better shape in one week's time and more understanding among the players will have developed by then.

Emirates Cup DAY 1

Arsenal 5 Benfica 1 (Emirates Cup)

Arsenal hosted an annual Emirates Cup competition again this year after failing to lift the trophy for the past 4 years (in 2012, the tournament was suspended due to the London Olympic Games). The competition offered us a chance to watch Arsenal play at the Emirates for the first time since May 1 and in the new PUMA home kit for the first time. Also, we were excited to see new faces in action after refreshingly busy July in terms of transfer activity.

Team: Martinez, Bellerin, Chambers, Monreal (Miquel 73), Gibbs, Ramsey (Arteta 59), Flamini (Coquelin 59), Rosicky (Wilshere 59), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Cazorla 46), Campbell (Sanchez 73), Sanogo (Akpom 73)

As a new signing, David Ospina was ruled out of the competition through a minor thigh problem (a typical Arsenal player already), Damian Martinez got the nod. What raised our eyebrows was the central defence. Monreal has already played as a centre-back in the pre-season, but pairing with a new signing, Calum Chambers, who is equally unfamiliar to the position looked highly experimental. Nevertheless, it confirmed our belief that Wenger thinks the 19 year-old new singing's future is in the centre back. Interestingly, Arsenal.com's online poll this week revealed that almost the same proportion of fans believe that his future position could be either right-back, centre-back, or central midfield (centre-back is marginal more than the other at 35%). As Per Mertesacker is not likely to play any competitive game before the Champions League qualifier and Vermaelen is officially "injured" at the moment, a centre-back cover is an urgent agenda at the moment. Another new face in the starting line-up was Joel Campbell. This was his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt. After his impressive World Cup adventure with Costa Rica, we were itching to see how he would fit into an Arsenal side.

There were chances on either side at the beginning of the game. Nacho Monreal saw an early yellow card when Benfica looked to break quickly. This was an ominous sign, but Arsenal started commanding possession, the defence was not too much of concern. The hosts gradually found their rhythm and they were knocking on the door. In the 26th minute, Yaya Sanogo finally opened his goal account for Arsenal. Campbell followed the suit in the 40th minute. Thanks to two more goals from Sanogo, Arsenal were 4-0 up at half time. Sanogo added his fourth to the tally in 4 minutes into the second half. But Benfica improved and a number of substitutions on both sides interrupted Arsenal's flow. The introduction of Alexis Sanchez was met with a warm reception from the home crowd, to which the Chilean responded with a smile. Arsenal still managed to keep the pressure on in the latter stages of the second half. Alexis showed flashes of his quality in his cameo appearance, while Ignasi Miquel's header hit the crossbar and Francis Coquelin's effort was denied by the post. 

The team as a whole played well. Arsene Wenger expressed his delight in the post-match press conference. The team played the way he wants them to play. The Frenchman's side attacked en mass. There were always plenty of options in the box. Aaron Ramsey made runs forward from deep, while Hector Bellerin was always involved in attack. One of those runs the Spanish right-back's made led to the second goal via his incisive lofted cross to Campbell.

There are three stand-out players among the team: obviously Sanogo, Campbell and Bellerin. Campbell was lively, posing a constant threat to the Benfica defence. His display was strong enough to convince Wenger. After the match, the Frenchman made it clear that he has no plan to let the Costa Rican striker go on loan again and he wants to keep him at Arsenal.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying afternoon, but with hindsight, if Arsenal had been more ruthless, they could have won the Emirates Cup on Day 1. They took 8 points from this game (3 points for a win plus 1 points from each goal), which appeared to have put the hosts in pole position to lift the trophy, but it wasn't enough.

Emirates Cup DAY 2

Boreham Wood 0 Arsenal 2 (Pre-season Friendly)

Arsenal got off to the winning start after Kris Olsson's goal and Benik Afobe's penalty sealed a 2-0 victory against their local friends, Boreham Wood. Arsenal struggled to break down the Conference South side's well-organised defence. Boreham Wood didn't look like scoring, especially in the second half when Damian Martinez had no save to make. The hard-fought victory was disappointing, but as Arsene Wenger pointed out in his post-match interview, the most important thing was to get everybody up to a good fitness level without getting anybody injured.

As well as the youth players who are hopeful of breaking into the first team, a few senior players also had points to prove. The signing of Mathieu Debuchy meant that Carl Jenkinson had to show how he deserved regular starts and Nacho Monreal was in the same situation for the left-back position as he fell down the pecking order last season. Abou Diaby had to prove his fitness, while Mathieu Flamini needed to show his worth as the the Club is reportedly looking for a new defensive midfielder. Francis Coquelin might be in an even more desperate situation after his unsuccessful loan spell at Freiberg last season amid the speculation that he might be sold this summer.

What we learnt from this game is that Arsene Wenger is unlikely to change his formation this season. He deployed the same 4-2-3-1 shape for both halves with a lone striker up front (Chuba Akpom mostly operated on the left wing). That said, it's probably too early to come to any conclusion yet. As many of the regular starters are still on holiday after World Cup duty, the line-up was far from what it will look like at the start of the new season. In particular, we had no senior centre-backs as Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, and Thomas Vermaelen were yet to return to training.

First half team: Szczesney, Jenkinson - Ajayi - Haydon - Monreal, Ramsey - Coquelin, Zelalem - Toral - Willock, Sanogo

As Aaron Ramsey led the starting XI as captain, he was a massive presence in the first half. Szczesny expressed his huge admiration for Manuel Neuer during the World Cup and the Germany goalkeeper's influence on the young Pole was clear when he rushed out of his area to head the ball out of the Boreham Wood player's path (If he continues to play a sweeper role like this, we will have a nerve-wracking season). Coquelin was arguably the most impressive player in the first half, mopping up loose balls in midfield. But it was only against a Conference side. Weather his performance was enough to convince Wenger to keep hold of him is still to be seen. Gedion Zelalem was somewhat disappointing as we were hoping to see him replicate last pre-season's display. Perhaps it's because he was played out of position, but all the outfield players have to play on the wings at some stages of their career at Arsenal unless you are an established centre-back. Having said that, Zelalem showed a glimpse of his potential when he made a clever lofted pass into the box, to which Sanogo could not beat the defenders. Jon Toral appeared to have grown physically, but he should have scored when his effort hit the woodwork after receiving Sanogo's lay off in a great position. Sanogo got in great positions on numerous occasions, but his first touches let him down.

Second half team: Martinez, Bellerin - Pleguezuelo - Miquel - Gibbs, Flamini - Diaby, Olssson - Rosicky  Akpom, Afobe

In the 68th minute, Kris Olsson broke the deadlock as he dinked the ball in one-on-one with the keeper after being released behind the defence by Tomas Rosicky's perfectly weighted through ball. The 19-year-old Swede was involved in everything good Arsenal have created. Hector Bellerin was lively going forward, delivering a few good crosses into the box. The Spanish right-back's defensive reputation has not been brilliant, but he had little to do defensively this afternoon and when he was called upon at the back, Olsson helped him. Bellerin made a few good interception, too. Perhaps his loan stint at Watford was beneficial. Chuba Akpom caught the eye with his trickery and quick feet, posing a threat every time he went near the box. He was unlucky not to score when his effort forced a fingertip save from the Boreham Wood keeper, James Russell. After his wonderful run into the box, beating two defenders, his tempting cross led Luke Garrad to bundle Benik Afobe, resulting in a penalty. Afobe converted it coolly. Abou Diaby showed a flash of what a fit Diaby would be like when his fierce drive from outside the box was tipped over by Russell.

Wenger didn't give his assessment of the players in the post-match press conference and the media were more interested in off-the-pitch issues. The Frenchman's comments made the headlines on the next day on several points: Arsenal's transfers are far from done yet. He is working on more signings and another goalkeeper is a cert. He was not so sure about Thomas Vermaelen's future, though, stating that he cannot guarantee that the Belgian defender will stay at the club and should he go, the boss will certainly bring in another centre-back. The Frenchman wouldn't comment on Jack Wilshere's smoking incident until he has spoken to the England midfielder. He is going to speak to him in the following week. Asked about the claim that Cesc Fabregas did not want to rejoin Arsenal (made by Jose Mourinho, apparently), the boss only commented that the former Arsenal captain "landed where he wanted to go".

This week, some of the players who participated in the World Cup will return to training: namely, Wilshere, the Ox and Santi (and Joel Campbell reportedly). Then later this week Arsenal will fly to New York for promotional events and a friendly against Thierry Henry's New York Red Bulls. The second pre-season friendly is expected to be more competitive.

The 2013/14 Season Review (3) - Players

In the final part of our season reviews, we look back at our individual players' performances.

The player of the season

Aaron Ramsey

Although he missed a large chunk of the season (14 weeks to be precise) through a thigh injury, he deserves to be named as our player of the 2013/14 season because of his influence on the team. He was already an instrumental part of Arsenal's strong run-in last season, but he became irreplaceable this season because of his goal-scoring form and tireless forward runs. Ramsey scored 10 goals in the Premier League, 5 in the Champions League, and an extra-time winner in the FA Cup final, becoming Arsenal's second top scorer only after Olivier Giroud. The Welshman also provided 9 assists. Newly found confidence was an important factor behind his improved finishing and decision-making in the final third.

Ramsey's impact on the team was obvious as his return from injury coincided with Arsenal's resurgence after the devastating run of form in the February-March period. It has already been enough talked about as to what if Ramsey had been fit all season, so we don't repeat it here, but we just say that his drive and runs beyond Giroud were sorely missed. We need to keep him fit all through the season or find a sufficient cover in order to sustain our title challenge throughout the next season (Jack Wilshere provided a temporary cover and did his job well for a short period but he is yet to be of the same calibre as Ramsey's and he fell the victim of injuries himself unsurprisingly). 

The most improved player of the season

Per Mertesacker

The German centre-back featured in more games (52) than any other Arsenal player this season. Since he established a central defensive partnership with Laurant Koscielny in the latter stages of the last season, Arsenal have enjoyed stability in defence and the pair achieved an impressive feat, an unbeaten run of games since 22 January 2012 until 8 February 2014, when both of them completed 90 minutes. It was good news that the 6 ft 6in defender signed a new long-term contract, which he described as a "reward", in March 2014 and Koscielny followed the suit in May 2014.

His disciplinary record was also excellent. The BFG conceded just 12 fouls all season in the Premier League. When he had uncharacteristically given away a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final, he strove to find a chance to redeem himself and for the team to come back into the game. His never-say-die attitude was rewarded in the form of his 83rd minute equaliser. As the club captain Thomas Vermaelen has fallen in the pecking order, the BFG wore captain's armband for Arsenal on a few occasions this season, when vice-captain Mikel Arteta was not available. His leadership quality has also started to be recoginised.

The German defender grew in stature this season. He often took criticism in the previous seasons because of the notorious lack of pace, but his intelligent reading of the game made up for it, helped by a complementary partnership with a pacy defender, Lolo. The BFG was a runner-up in Arsenal Player of the Year, followed by his defensive partner.

The young player of the season

As Arsene Wenger opted for the experience of older players in the crucial time of the run-in, there were no stand-out young players this season. However, some young players had their moments.

The Ox's season was plagued with injuries. He missed the first 5 months due to the serious knee injury he sustained during the opening game against Aston Villa, while his run-in was disrupted by a groin injury. However, in between those spells on the sidelines, he shone in a clash against Crystal Palace, scoring two goals from his future position in central midfield. He was also outstanding in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup 4th round and causing the Bayern Munich defenders all sorts of problems in the first leg of the Champions League round of last 16.

Serge Gnabry scored his first senior goal against Swansea in September. In the absence of injured Theo Walcott, the German teenager was deployed on the right wing and his physical strength and technical ability caught eyes. The highlight of his season was arguably his fearless display against Tottenham in the FA Cup 3rd round. At one time, there was a talk about the prospect of him breaking into Germany's World Cup squad, but his season tailed off as Wenger opted for experience, combined with the German teenager's knee injury in April. As he was awarded a long-term contract in October 2013, we will hopefully see more of him next season.

Gedion Zelalem made his senior debut against Coventry in the FA Cup 4th round as the first player who was born after Arsene Wenger took charge. His vision and passing rage captured the fans' imagination in the pre-season. As a result, he was dubbed as the next Cesc Fabregas. The German-born 17-year-old signed his first professional contract with the Club in March 2014, but his first-team action was limited this season.

We discuss Yaya Sanogo's season later. Another youngster worth mentioning was Thomas Eisfeld, who scored a dramatic equaliser in Arsenal's penalty shoot-out win over West Brom in the Capital One Cup 4th round.

Ryo Miyaichi's season was utterly disappointing despite his promising display in the pre-season. Wenger planned to loan him out in the January transfer window, which never materialised. The Japanese forward's season was cut short by a hamstring injury in March.

New signings

Mesut Özil

His first season may have not lived up to our expectations or his price tag of the club record of £42.5 million, but it was not an unsuccessful season by any means. He scored 7 goals in all competition, but what distinguishes him is his ability to create chances. As he is dubbed as the King of Assists, he was Arsenal's top assist provider this season, setting up 9 goals in the Premier League, 2 in the Champions League, and 1 in the FA Cup.

The signing of the German playmaker excited the fans and the players alike, while it raised a question among critics about the massive spending in what seemed to an area where Arsenal had plethora of talents, when a striker was more urgent agenda for the north London club's transfer activity. Still, we thought his silky touches and elegant moves were worth every penny. He was simply a joy to watch. However, his form dipped in the mid-season and his confidence registered all-time low after his penalty miss against Bayern Munich. After suffering a hamstring injury in the second leg of the Champions League round of last 16 in March, he was sidelined for 7 weeks. When he returned from injury, however, he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the Gunners' 3-0 win over Newcastle.

Hopefully, in the next season, Özil will be more adapted to the Premier League's physical requirements, including the absence of winter breaks. Also, he is expected to benefit from Theo Walcott's pace and runs behind the opponents' defence, when the England winger has fully recovered from a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Mathieu Flamini

Amid mounting expectations for Arsenal to make a marquee signing last summer, the majority of the Arsenal fans were initially underwhelmed with the news of the re-signing of the French midfielder, who had been allowed to train with Arsenal after his contract with AC Milan came to an end. Arsene Wenger described the signing as a no-brainer, but we were somewhat apprehensive about what the 29-year-old midfielder could bring to the team. We didn't have to wait long to find the answer as he showed what he could offer the team in his first appearance for Arsenal in the five years: a steel. He also provided a much-needed vocal leadership and organisation. He was soon to be heralded by the fans as the best signing of the season, especially when considering how much it cost us to bring him back to the Emirates.

The highlight of his season was arguably his equaliser against Man City at the Emirates. He also scored a screamer against Cardiff. On the other hand, one of the lowest points of his season might be scoring an unfortunate own goal against Swansea in the last minute when we thought Arsenal had secured all three points they desperately needed, after coming from behind. Also, his sending-off in Arsenal's draw with Southampton at the end of January ruled him out for three matches during Arsenal's injury crisis and subsequently forced Arsene Wenger to bring in Kim Källström on loan on the January transfer deadline day. He was also suspended for two games in April after picking up his 10th booking. We love the French midfielder's no nonsense approach to defending, but we have to admit that he is often found wanting in technical prowess. For some reason, the boss seems to prefer Arteta, whenever the Spaniard is available. As a result, Flamini's playing time was limited to substitution appearances in the final part of the season.

Yaya Sanogo

Then 20-year-old French striker joined Arsenal in July 2013 from Auxerre, on a free transfer. With his bad reputation for injuries, which led the French second division outfit to release him, we suspected that he could turn out to be another Abu Diaby. He made his debut as a late substitute in the 3-1 victory over Fulham in late August, but a back injury he suffered during international duty in September kept him sidelined for more than 5 months. Nevertheless, he showed a glimpse of his potential against Liverpool in the FA Cup 4th round and against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League round of last 16, when he led the line. He made a positive impact in the FA Cup semi-final and final, when Arsene Wenger played him alongside Olivier Giroud in the rare 4-4-2 system. He desperately needs a goal to build his confidence.

The 2013/14 Season Review (2) - Games

In the second part of our season review, we reflect on the highs and lows of the 2013/14 season, focusing on individual matches.

The best moment of the season

Arsenal 3 Hull City 2 (AET), FA Cup Final at Wembley, 17 May 2014
Team: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla (Wilshere 105), Özil (Rosicky 105), Podolski (Sanogo 61), Giroud
Goals: Chester (3), Davies (9), Cazorla (17), Koscielny (72), Ramsey (109)

The FA Cup victory was arguably the best moment of Arsenal's 2013/14 campaign, ending their 9-year trophy drought. Arsenal FC also helped us, supporters, make the FA Cup final a special event for us, dispatching a commemorative banner, flags, and clappers to all the official supporters club around the world. The match certainly lived up to the expectations full of drama, intensity, and determination.

Arsenal fell behind as early as in the 3rd minute. After a shock start, things got worse quickly in the 9th minute, when we found ourselves 2-0 down. Furthermore, had it not been for Gibb's off-the-line headed clearance, the game could have been beyond our reach. However, Santi's free-kick, a 30-yard screamer, changed the whole dynamic of the game. Arsenal didn't look back from there and an elusive equaliser had finally arrived through Koscielny's close-range shot from a corner. Arsenal continued to look for a goal, but they had to wait for it until 10 minutes from the end of extra time, when Ramsey slotted home Giroud's astute back-heel pass.

At O'Neill's Bar in Los Altos, we celebrated the first trophy in 9 years emphatically. It was the best moment of the season for us.

The most important game of the season

Wigan 1 Arsenal 1 (2-4 pens), FA Cup Semi-final at Wembley, 12 April 2014
Team: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Monreal (Gibbs 63), Arteta, Ramsey (Källström 112), Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo, Podolski (Giroud 68)
Goals: Gomez (63 pen), Mertesacker (81)

The match itself was not something that was likely to stay in our memories for a long time, apart from Fabianski's penalty-shootout heroics, but the psychological consequence of the win was immense. Just imagine what would have happened if we had lost this game. Another disheartening loss after a humiliating 3-0 defeat by the hands of fifth-placed Everton who were breathing down our necks. Needless to say, another year ending without silverware. One may say that the prospect of playing in the FA Cup final kept our players going. Arsenal went on to win all the subsequent matches, including the FA Cup final, after this match. This game was arguably the biggest turning point of the season.

Where the title was lost

Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1 at Anfield, 8 February 2014

Team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal (Gibbs 61), Arteta, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Özil (Rosicky 60), Giroud (Podolski 60)

Goals: Skrtel (1, 10), Sterling (17, 52), Sturridge (20), Arteta (69 pen)

Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 at Stanford Bridge, 22 March 2014

Team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny (Jenkinson 46), Gibbs (s/o 17), Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Flamini 46), Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski (Vermaelen 23), Giroud

Goals: Eto'o ('5), Schurrle (7), Hazard (17 pen), Oscar (42, 66), Salah (71)

Everton 3 Arsenal 0 at Goodison Park, 6 April 2014

Team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Monreal, Flamini (Oxlade-Chamberlain 66), Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski (Ramsey 67), Giroud (Sanogo 71)

Goals: Naismith (14), Lukaku (34), Arteta (61 og)

There is a certain pattern here. Per Mertesacker blamed lunch-time kick-offs away from home for these losses against our title rivals. In that sense, perhaps a 6-3 defeat to Man City should also be included in the same category, but we think the loss at the Etihad was a bit different as we could have beaten the hosts 6-5 had all the ref's decisions gone our way.

Nevertheless, what we have learnt from these games was that Arsenal cannot beat top teams by sticking to Arsene Wenger's attacking football philosophy. Even Aaron Ramsey said that the team had to be more "streetwise" in the big games. The Gunners were too open against these teams. In the modern football and Arsenal's 4-3-3 formation, the full-backs' bombing down the flanks is essential but it often leaves the centre-backs exposed, which is suicidal against top clubs. Arsene Wenger has to learn how to change his tactics, depending on the opponents and their tactics. In the reverse fixtures at home, Arsenal beat Liverpool, and drew with Chelsea, Man City, and Everton. In fact, the Gunners even knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup just a week after the humiliating defeat at Anfield, by beating them 2-1 at the Emirates. The facts clearly indicate that the team's quality was not a problem, but how they approached these games was. Wenger needs to address the issue next season. After all, these games are six-pointers in the title race.

On the other hand, Arsenal maintained their consistency against bottom-half clubs, where they traditionally dropped points. They say that you need to win the big games to win the title, but Chelsea proved this season that games against lesser teams could cost you a title.

Regrets

Arsene Wenger cited losing at home to Dortmund in the 82nd minute in the group stage of the Champions League as one of his regrets. Arsenal were too eager to find a winner in the latter stages of the game. As a result, they made themselves vulnerable against counter-attacks and Lewandowski did not fail to capitalise on the fragility.

However, the biggest regret for us, Playa Flamenca Gooners, was Arsenal's failure to beat Manchester United in the defending champions' record-breaking season. While so many other clubs beat the Manchester giants for the first time in their history this season, we were unable to do the same, losing 1-0 at Old Trafford and ending up with a goalless draw at the Emirates.

North London derby treble

Arsenal 1 Tottenham 0 at the Emirates, 1 September 2013
Team: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere (Flamini 43), Rosicky (Monreal 78), Cazorla, Walcott (Sagna 90), Giroud

Goal: Giroud (22)

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 0, FA Cup 3rd Round at the Emirates, 4 January 2014
Team: Fabianski, Sagna, Vermaelen (Mertesacker 45), Koscielny, Moreal, Arteta (Özil 75), Rosicky, Wilshere (Flamini 71), Cazorla, Walcott, Gnabry
Goals: Cazorla (32), Rosicky (62)

Tottenham 0 Arsenal 1 at White Hart Lane, 16 March 2014
Team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Rosicky (Flamini 69), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Vermaelen 85), Cazorla, Podolski (Monreal 77), Giroud
Goal: Rosicky (2)

Arsenal achieved a treble against their local rivals this season, scoring 4 goals in total without conceding any. Compared with the previous two seasons's identical scorelines of 5-2 at home and 2-1 away, this season's outcomes look less exciting, but Arsenal's performances underlined their grit and improved defensive solidity. As the red side of the north London spent the most of the season top of the table or thereabout, we didn't have to hear any of that annoying "Mind the Gap" phrase this season from the Tottenham supporters.

Back in the summer of 2014, the Spuds supporters were boasting a number of their new signings all through the summer, while we were frustrated with the reports of Arsenal's failed attempts to sign a new striker. The first north London derby came as the third game of the season. Its highlights were Giroud's superb one-touch goal at the end of a sweeping team play and the Gunner's dogged defensive display thereafter. In fact, too many new signings turned out to be a problem for Tottenham with a long time required for the team to gel together. On the next day, Arsenal confirmed the signing of Mesut Özil, much to the excitement of the supporters and the players alike.

A comfortable 2-0 win over Tottenham in our path to the FA Cup final will be remembered forever with Theo Walcott's famous 2-0 gesture, which earned him an Arsenal legend status instantly. It was an impressive performance from the Gunners, leaving no doubt in a gulf between the two north London sides. However, the game was overshadowed by an injury to this day's star performer, Theo Walcott. Unfortunately to the England speedster and Arsenal, the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained during the game ended his season prematurely and dealt a significant blow to Arsenal's title challenge.

The highlight of the last north London derby this season was Rosicky's stunning strike in the 2nd minute. In the second half, Arsenal repeated their first derby day's gutsy defensive performance to complete the treble against Tottenham this season.

The most accomplished performance of the season

Arsenal 2 Napoli 0, the group stage of the Champions League at the Emirates, 1 October 2014
Team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey (Monreal 88), Rosicky (Wilshere 63), Özil, Giroud
Goals: Özil (8), Giroud (15)

Arsenal were at their fluent best in the first half, especially in the first 15 minutes, when the club's record signing, Mesut Özil, scored his first goal in an Arsenal shirt and set up Olivier Giroud for the home side's second goal. An in-form Aaron Ramsey was deployed on the right wing in order to accommodate the double pivot, with Mathieu Flamini assigned with a specific task to keep Hamsik quiet. Despite playing out of position, the Welshman ran the game in tandem with Özil. The Gunners were breathtaking in attacking. However, what earned even more plaudits was their solid defensive display in the second half. It was a game of two contrasting halves, but equally satisfying for the Gooners. This was arguably the first stern test for Arsenal's credentials to challenge the titles and they passed it with flying colours.

The 2014/15 Premier League Fixtures

The Premier League fixture list was published on 18 June. Arsenal will kick off their 2014/15 campaign with a home match against Crystal Palace. Hopefully, it will be a lot different outcome from the last season's opening game, a shock defeat to Aston Villa. We are hoping that Arsenal will extend their unbeaten run of home games since that day into the new season. At the other end of the fixture list, it's good to end the season with the lap of appreciation in front of the home crowd for the first time in the last 5 years.

The fixture list looks better than last season. OK, everybody has to play everybody else home and away at some time of the season, but at least there is no repeat of last season's February-March fixtures, when we had to play against our title rivals in succession in addition to the two-legged the Champions League round of the last 16.

The first of those so-called big matches is a trip to Goodison Park on 23 August. The game comes between the two legs of the Champions League play-off. It is expected to be a tough game, but we need to win this to get off to a good start. Hopefully, the squad will be strong enough to cope with the busy start of the new season, which will begin a week earlier than usual due to Arsenal's involvement in the Community Shield.

North London derbies are always the first fixtures we look at in the calendar. In this season, we will face our local rivals on 27 September 2014 at the Emirates and 7 February 2015 at White Hart Lane.

The focal point of our Benidorm trip next year could be a home game against Everton as this fixture falls on the last weekend of February, which is our usual date for the annual event. Last season, the Sunderland game at home offered us an ideal party feel with a comfortable 4-1 victory, but this fixture looks a bit tricky. Having said that, it will be another story if we are in the Capital One Cup final next season, which will fall on the same weekend.

The fixtures that attracted the attraction of the media include a clash with Chelsea at the Emirates in April and Arsenal's visit to Old Trafford for the penultimate game of the season. The former will give a chance to see how the former Gunner Cesc Fabregas will be received at the Emirates, which the press are eagerly awaiting. The mid-May date with Man U is tipped as one of the possible title deciders. Let's hope Arsenal will be still in the race as late as that next season.

We welcome three newly promoted sides, which are Leicester City, Burnley, and QPR. Leicester City will make their return to England's top-flight league after a decade's absence. QPR and Burnley have more recent experiences in the Premier League, with QPR only missing one season. With QPR coming back to the Premier League and Fulham relegated, we have the same number of London derbies as last season.

With no major competitions to be held in the summer of 2015, the Premier Season season will stretch to 24 May (The FA Cup final is scheduled for the following weekend on Saturday 30 May). It's going to be a real marathon. All the more we need to manage the fitness of the players well. Hopefully, the newly signed fitness coach will make a difference in the new season.

Please see below the Arsenal FC DRAFT fixtures for season 2014-2015, but don’t build your life around these dates as we would expect there to be many changes for TV, Cup games etc. We will update our fixture list on this blog from time to time throughout the season.

AUGUST 16 Sat H Crystal Palace 23 Sat A Everton 30 Sat A Leicester City SEPTEMBER 13 Sat  H Manchester City 20 Sat  A Aston Villa 27 Sat  H Tottenham Hotspur  OCTOBER 4 Sat  A Chelsea 18 Sat  H Hull City 25 Sat  A Sunderland  NOVEMBER 1 Sat  H Burnley 8 Sat  A Swansea City 22 Sat  H Manchester United  29 Sat  A West Bromwich Albion DECEMBER 2 Tue  H Southampton 6 Sat A Stoke City 13 Sat  H Newcastle United  20 Sat  A Liverpool 26 Fri  H Queens Park Rangers 28 Sun  A West Ham United JANUARY 1 Thu  A Southampton 10 Sat  H Stoke City 17 Sat  A Manchester City  31 Sat  H Aston Villa FEBRUARY 7 Sat  A Tottenham Hotspur 10 Tue  H Leicester City 21 Sat  A Crystal Palace  28 Sat  H Everton MARCH 3 Tue  A Queens Park Rangers 14 Sat  H West Ham United 21 Sat  A Newcastle United  APRIL 4 Sat  H Liverpool 11 Sat  A Burnley 18 Sat  H Sunderland (or FA Cup S/F) 25 Sat  H Chelsea MAY 2 Sat  A Hull City 9 Sat  H Swansea City 16 Sat  A Manchester United  24 Sun  H West Bromwich Albion