Damn friendlies. Hopefully he is OK but if he is not then we could have some problems with Bendtner out… If its a long term thing we may have to buy someone (Chamakh/ Dzeko?) in January…

I think it is understandable to be so nervous specially when 2-0 up. We all have seen games after games, not just Arsenal, but a whole host of teams let their nerve get the best of them if the opposition scores one. Finish out the game as if they got nothing to lose. I believe we tried to do this at ManCity, unfortunately we couldn’t finish our chances.

By the way, does anyone know the extent of Diaby’s injury? As soon as he starts showing a sign of his ability to defend, he got injured. I feel sorry for him.

All too well I remember the result at home against Spurs last year, the gifting of two points to Villa around Christmas, the constant fear (and occasional reminders) that a two-goal lead is not enough. When we went two up against West Ham and collectively took our feet off the gas a little bit I considered the dropping of points inevitable. For the four days between AZ Alkmaar and Wolves I was a bundle of nerves, acutely aware of the fact that three points at Molineux was vital if we were to gain ground on United or Chelsea, and simultaneously terrified of complacency.

As Fabregas slotted in the third after a simply beautiful piece of linking from RVP, my first thought was fear that we would see the job as done, and come out in the second half and start making silly mistakes. I hate to tempt fate by saying that the lesson of West Ham has been learned, but on Saturday there was never the hint of a clue of a way back into the game for Wolves, and this is how it should be. Away games at such venues, as has been said, are where the title may be won or lost, and to see us winning so convincingly makes all the nerves worth it.

On to my main gripe however, and related to my condition as a particularly nervous fan. The dreaded international break. These seem designed to be played at the least convenient times for Arsenal, and always seem to occur just as we are on a run of great form. The prospect of injuries to key players (many playing in meaningless friendlies) is a worry enough, but these breaks also serve to disrupt our flow.

An away trip to Sunderland is a tricky enough fixture, but having two weeks to consider it beforehand only makes it trickier, in my opinion. What a team on form wants after a convincing away win is to get straight back into another game, not to fanny around in Qatar or wherever for a week and then get round to preparation. My nerves, too, will suffer over the next two weeks, as, again, Sunderland away is the kind of fixture title bids can be built on, and we really, really want a result going into the Chelsea match on the 29th.

Oh God, why did I remind myself about the Chelsea match?

He changes his mind more than I change my socks. And I do that at least four times a week.

Every week I look forward to reading his column because he makes me laugh. The problem for Stan is that his weekly ramblings are not meant to be funny.

He loves to have a pop. Especially at Arsenal. Around a month ago Collymore said the top four are all poorer than they were this time last year and that the halo of invincibility which has surrounded the four teams in recent years is certainly over.

So what you say?

Well in the same article Stan Collymore wrote about the top fours failings and he said of Arsenal; Arsenal for their part have lost Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City and I can guarantee Arsenal will be looking over their shoulders.

Looking over their shoulders at the emergence of Manchester City I presume.

Fast forward a month and Stan the man has changed his mind about Kolo Toure. Now instead of City being stronger and Arsenal being weaker, and these are Stan’s own words, Manchester City have paid ridiculously over the odds for Toure and that he is simply not up to the job.

So what is it then Stan?

Are Arsenal weaker without Toure and Manchester City stronger with him? Or are Manchester City weaker with Kolo?

I’m sure he will change his mind next week and maybe he should think before he writes his articles in a national newspaper because people like myself read the little digs about Arsenal and remember them.

I suggest Collymore goes back to the woods and cracks on with dogging because thats all he appears to excel at. Oh wait, he got caught doing that too.

Denilson is a good player, I just don’t know why people hate the lad so much.