Morning all.

Arsene Wenger was fired the ever repeated question again yesterday about when was he going to sign a contract. Someone even asked if that day might before before Christmas to which he responded:

Why? Do you treat that as a present? The fans don’t need to question my commitment to this club. I just want do well and focus on that.

After our difficult start to the season, I want to make sure I am doing the best for this club. I am relaxed about the situation.

I don’t know about other fans but it’s certainly a question which I’d love to know the answer to. Is he planning to stay or has he finally had enough and is looking to leave in the summer. I really can’t see it being the latter as I’m sure those players who recently signed new long term contracts would have wanted to know his plans before signing on the dotted line, as of course would Mesut Ozil when he made his big move in the summer.

Surely he’s staying…… as I hope is Bacary Sagna.

Off to Wales today and a trip home for Aaron Ramsey for the first time since he made his move into the big time.

No new injuries, Gibbs returns and that’s all your statistics done!!

This going to be tough, very tough and anyone who watched Cardiff fight tooth and nail for their point against Manchester United will agree. If that isn’t enough of a warning to Arsene Wenger and his players then maybe a viewing a re-run of earlier fixture against the blue side of Manchester would do the trick, that’s one in which Cardiff did earn maximum points.

I use the word ‘earn’ because that sums up Cardiff in my opinion, they may not have a squad of players whose names stand out in the Premier League but they work hard and give everything from start to finish. They won’t be any different today that’s for sure, they’ll be out to get all three points.

And it seems, Arsene Wenger is very aware of the threat Cardiff present:

They look to have good solidarity, good togetherness [and] fantastic support as well. They are all on the same wavelength in the team and are very efficient at home on set-pieces.

Even on Sunday when they were 2-1 down against Man United, many teams could have thought ‘OK, it’s Man United, we will not come back.Β But you always had the feeling that they don’t give up. You could feel that they would come back. They have that special attitude and belief in the side, and that makes them dangerous.

It is fantastic what [Mackay] has done. I watched their game last Sunday against Man United and that is what has changed compared to 10 years ago: the teams that have come up from the Championship fight with the top teams in the Premier League on the possession front. That shows you how much the game has improved in the lower divisions.

They beat City at home. They played a very good game against Man United where possession was 50:50. That’s the challenge for us; to do better than these teams.

And of course we have the warning of their performances against the big teams, so we are in a position where we have a difficult challenge but also a very exciting challenge because we can do better.

So everyone at Arsenal are well aware of the level the team need to be playing today. Cardiff are no Marseille and they won’t be rolled over as easy as the French side were. They like taking points of the so-called ‘big teams’ but they have dropped points against other sides like Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa and that tiny club called Tottenham so they are beatable.

We have the players, we have the talent and we have the flair. With the right commitment, passion, desire and fight added to those qualities and three points can be ours…

Oh, and a bit of pace, width and clinical finishing…..

That’s your lot for today, let’s hope it’s a good one….