It's been a little why since I wrote about the Arsenal and I guess the truth is that no news has been good news. We've settled nicely into fourth position in the league table and have seven wins in ten games. The Gunners are still so far back of Chelsea and Man United that there's no point in talking championships, but in the past five days Arsenal have gotten to play Liverpool, the next best team, twice. And wouldn't you say the result of those games, even if they were both cup matches and not league fixtures, would have something to say about our where our lads intend to wind up?

I don't intend to get too deep into a match reports in this little bloggy but in Saturday's FA Cup Third Round match we got the chance to show Liverpool what things can be like when our top men are hanging around. In fairness to the Reds, who since having a rocky start, have run off the most clean sheets in the league on the backs of their solid back four, they really gave us a beating in the middle of the field for much of the game. Gerrard and Alonso seemed like they were everywhere. Henry had to play for the second time in a week, even having just returned from injury, and Rosicky was only in his second game back as well. But if you remember my early rants about those two, you'll see I got the prophet's call this weekend. Rosicky scored two goals in five minutes during the first half. One was a wicked dipping shot that caught the goalie unaware and the other was one of his smooth slithering runs with a low shot in the corner. Liverpool was stunned but their crowd was cheering them on in their brutish manner and their boys responded by continuing their chain whipping of us in the middle. It was like the Leonard-Hagler fight, with us as Sugar and them as Marvin. Midway through the second half Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt, who's kind of like Rutger Hauer in Soldier of Orange, flicked in a Tim Crouch flick on to bring them back to 2-1. The crowd went bananas, the announcer cried "game on" and what with the momentum the way it was I got a sinking feeling. Tim Crouch is just dominant in the air. Period. And Gerrard is so very tough. Liverpool poured it on, but Arsenal started to put things together again. Gilberto and Hleb looked very good and Kolo Toure is a philosopher with legs. But the hero call had to go to Henry, who was passing and moving very sharply. With ten minutes left he picks one up at the center circle and makes an long incisive through pass to... himself. It's an impossibly long run and he goes after it with everything, just losing the race to the ball. The thing is he goes into the tackle firmly without fouling, the tired defender wipes out, and Henry picks the ball up and continues to goal with his gazelle's stride. Deep in the box he cuts inside and finishes under Dudek. The goal combined vision, intelligence, effort, and physical prowess. We win 3-1 and Liverpool is out of FA!

Okay so then we have to go back to Anfield and play the Carling Cup Tie and by now they are hopping mad, having gotten smoked by us twice this year already. Both teams have to play different combinations of players because they've had so many games in the stretch. Liverpool wants a win, and they play Fowler and Bellamy and wind up bringing in Alonso, Luis Garcia, and Carragher in late, which basically means they had their best team minus Crouch. Wenger plays his Early Headstart team, all the babies he can muster: Walcott, Song, Aliadiere, Hoyt, etc. He also gives the start to Julio Baptista aka The Beast, the Brasilian we picked up from Real Madrid in the off-season. Wenger has been talking about unleashing the Beast all season, but he's gotten injured, he's looked out of synch, and he hasn't scored at all. The guy has a very impressive physique and he combines accurate long passing, with incredible ground coverage, tackling, and Brasilian feet, but I have to admit I've been regretting the bill of sale for most of the year. I have to come clean about not seeing this game since I couldn't figure out where the Carling Cup games are televised. But let me just tell you in short what happened. We won 6-3 at Anfield and The Beast scored four times (even missed a penalty). Liverpool hasn't given up that many goals at home since before the War.

Arsenal is slowly starting to get healthy. The injuries have meant that the depth of the roster has gained experience. We can basically play two completely separate teams and outclass nearly everyone in the league. Walcott and Hoyt are starting to look good, our lickle British boys. Adebayor is coming back soon. Von Persie is leading the team in goals. Henry is back. Rosicky is scoring. And the Beast has been unleashed. In the old days other teams used to just chant "Boring Arsenal" when the Gunners came to town, and it was enough said. The Wenger Principle has changed all that. Where's your Adebayor jersery? Mine's on order.