For us, tomorrow will be a time to push on and maintain our good start to the season. For Hull, it's a big test of their character. They're no supposed to win. We are. They are here to spoil the party and we've got to make sure we've got the music turned up loud enough to drown them out.

Metaphors, hey?

Arsenal v Hull City
Barclays Premier League, Emirates Stadium
Saturday, September 27, 2008, 17:30

Today’s game kicks off at 5.30pm and like most of our games this season, it’s live on Setanta.

Team news sees Clichy recover from the injury from last week and should start with a pretty much unchanged back line. Although Mikael Silvestre is back from his injury, I’d be surprised to see the Frenchman start the game. Talking about Frenchman, young Nasri is out of the game as his injury seems to be taking longer than expected, but the unexpected form of Eboue should keep minds at rest, as Nasri is nurtured back in time for Porto… let’s take a look at the possible line up:

As you can see, the likes of Adebayor and Cesc should be back in the team and Van Persie and Walcott back from their rest.

I’d expect to see Fabianksi, Djourou, Song, Silvestre, Ramsey, Vela and Bendtner on the bench.

Arsene was full of praise for the new promoted side as he said:

“You must take your hat off to Hull. What they have done up to now is fantastic. They are the surprise package. They beat Fulham and were 2-0 up at Everton – those are both good sides. These results will be a good warning for us. We know this Arsenal side will have to be at their best to beat them. It has not been like a classical Premier League competition for the last 10 years. The Championship is always so close. And with the play-offs even if you finish sixth you still have a chance to come up. That is why you always have different teams promoted.”

In terms of how we’re approaching this game and the season, he commented on his methodology.

“[To win it this season] would be a reward for a long-term job. And a long-term job in this career becomes more and more unusual and difficult now. Nobody has time to work and produce and nobody has patience. But I believe deeply that there are different ways to be successful in the job. And it is not only necessarily linked with the investment. Of course it’s better you have money but it’s not the only way. You can have a longer term plan and it can work.”

I’ll be down at the Grove tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it…

Come on you Gooners…]]>