Is Wenger All Of The Problem With Arsenal?

It's such simple arithmetic...

It's over 48 hours since I watched us lose our opening game of the season at home to Aston Villa. Enough time to lose all the vitriol and invectives that I might have used if I had made the attempt to analyse what exactly went wrong at the Emirates last Saturday. A game that started so brightly with Giroud scoring in the fifth from a trademark Arsenal breezing move ended with Villa thumping us  3-1.

Pundits and analysts alike have taken the game to bits to understand how it all went awry so I won't waste too much time on that. The referee on the day was blamed for some of it. Szcezney's tizzy goal-keeping got some of it and our defence line's inability to contain Agbonlahor got some but most of the blame was contained in a small square placard held up by an angry fan as the game wound down. It simply read, "SPEND SOME FUCKING MONEY!"

Why I Welcomed This Interlull | The Squad Gets Deeper After The Break

I usually hate the international break with the kind of passion that I only reserve for bad breath and BO but this time I welcomed it with a loving bear hug and hoped to hibernate for the two weeks that it will last.

I welcomed the break because I saw Gibbs limp off against West Ham last Saturday and after watching his replacement, Santos for the rest of the game I was convinced that he isn't the ideal cover for Gibbs. I really am fond of that cheerfully disposed Brazillian but whatever else Andre Santos may bring to the team, defending isn't one of them. I will be glad to see Gibbs back, fit and ready to man that left-back position; the international break will afford him time to rest and get back to first team duties. He was on England's list for their two games during the international break but that injury against West Ham put paid to that.

Taking Stock After The Internationals | Played Fifa13 Demo Yet?

On song for France

The last of the international games were played yesterday evening; thank goodness for that. Now we can all turn our attentions to some real football this weekend.

Before we do that though we need to take stock and assess the state the boys who left to do battle for their countries have returned in.

I guess everyone's biggest worry was Abou Diaby; he was mine. After what I saw him do against Liverpool in the last domestic game before the international break, I believe he's an integral part of this team and it was with trepidation that I watched him go off to play for his country. The France game against Finland was not aired in my neck of the woods but I monitored it closely and was glad to hear he scored the game's only goal. I was even more glad to hear that he came out of it unscathed.