Alex Johnston

After all the pre-season worries and murmurs from fans, Arsenal have started the season brightly. The Gunners currently sit in 3rd place, 2 points off top and with the best goal difference in the league, helped by only conceding 1 goal so far. The new signings have bedded in with a varying degree of success; Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla have become integral parts to the side already, Olivier Giroud still needs a goal that will get the fanatical hype-driven …

Arsenal left the Britannia after a battling display with a well-earned point, but will be disappointed at not having bagged a goal and the 3 points. A point away to Stoke is a valuable one however, with the Potters only defeated at home a few times last season. Stoke started well and managed to put the ball past stand-in keeper Vito Mannone, but the goal was ruled offside. This appeared to wake Arsenal up and they began to dominate proceedings, …

Arsenal kicked off life without Robin Van Persie and Alex Song with a rather dull draw against a disciplined Sunderland. Lukas Podolski started up front and battled hard but to no avail. It could be possible he has rarely faced such a packed defence, playing the majority of his football for a team who were battling relegation, and as a result he struggled. He only managed 2 shots and looked to link-up play more often than not. Santi Cazorla was pushed …

Germany won the classic against Holland rather comfortably, with Mario Gomez bagging a brace. With Holland the home of total football, arguably it was Germany who embodied that philosophy more, with every player responsible for and capable of everything. Holland struggle with the division between defence and attack; Van Bommel and De Jong found themselves unable to cope with the alternating runs of Schweinsteiger and Khedira as well as Özil's fantastic movement. Midfield Movement Özil once again had a good …

Germany got off to an uninspiring start at Euro 2012 against a well organised but toothless Portugal. Jogi Low opted to start Mario Gomez and Mats Hummels ahead of Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker. Gomez was rather quiet and accused of laziness by some, but he is capable of pulling a goal from nowhere and his header into the far corner of Rui Patricio's net was inch-perfect. Boateng started at right-back and performed well against Cristiano Ronaldo, who yet again …

Germany qualified for Euro 2012 with a 100% record in their qualifying group, finishing 13 points ahead of 2nd placed Turkey. They are many people's favorites to win the tournament with the likes of Gomez, Özil, Schweinsteiger and Lahm in their ranks and are expected to be there or thereabouts in Kiev for the final. They faced no real challenges in their qualifying group, however, and there were a few close calls. This relatively young squad with new tactics and …

While Arsenal fans begin to implode with silly season in full swing, the signing of Lukas Podolski has seemed somewhat forgotten under rumours of M'Vila, Llorente and the vicarious obsession with the Eden Hazard transfer special. 'Prinz Poldi' as he is lovingly dubbed by many in Germany, will be 27 by the time he joins up with the Arsenal squad after the Euros, further evidence of Wenger's shift away from the youth policy. Podolski began his career at FC Köln, …

A look back at Arsenal's 2011/2012 season continues with a look at the midfield trio we've deployed throughout the season and the changes in the front 3. Articles on the defence and mid-way point in the season are on the site as well. Midfield There were plenty of changes in the midfield with the departure of Fabregas and Nasri along with Wilshere's season ending injury, the return of Ramsey and the new-guy in the form of Mikel Arteta. We also …