Team Preview-Arsenal V Manchester United

I think I am right in saying that every Arsenal fan has a responsibility to purge August's 8-2 debacle at Old Trafford from their minds as we approach Sunday's match.  Mercifully, we have a much stronger team now, and the challenge will be to keep the Red Devils off the scoresheet and try to recover from two straight defeats.
Despite having a much better team than in August, there are still a plethora of personnel issues, particularly at the back.  While the hope is that Thomas Vermaelen will be back for Sunday's match, Bacary Sagna remains out, while Johan Djourou is suspended.  If Vermaelen returns, he will likely play left back, leaving either Ignasi Miquel or Sebastien Squillaci to join Per Mertesacker in central defense; if not, Miquel will stay at left back and Arsene Wenger may have no choice but to play Squillaci.  Laurent Koscielny will probably move to right back, a position he's played before, to offset the loss of Djourou.
In the midfield, Mikel Arteta will hopefully re-enter the starting lineup after missing the match at Swansea City with a calf strain.  Aaron Ramsey has played a lot of games lately, and I believe he needs a rest.  Yossi Benayoun played a fair game at Swansea, and so did Tomas Rosicky, and either one should be in contention for a start if Arteta can't go.  Robin van Persie and either Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be near-definites for the starting 11, but the left wing remains open and could be occupied by Andrei Arshavin, Benayoun or even Thierry Henry, but the Frenchman will likely remain a substitute even against United.

Player to watch: the entire back four/five.  Wojciech Szczesny has, for the most part, been the replacement for David Seaman and Jens Lehmann we've been seeking, but injuries and suspension have left the defense in something of a shambles.  If the fullbacks in particular have trouble, Arsenal's wing play will suffer.

Prediction: Arsenal will keep the score lower than 8-2, but I will be bold and predict at least a 2-2 draw between the two rivals.  Arsenal's woes at the back cannot be ignored, and the United wingers like Nani and Ashley Young will try to exploit them.

North London derby preview

Tomorrow's North London derby at White Hart Lane will be a key factor in both Arsenal and Tottenham's championship aspirations.  As well as being a huge victory over a local rival, victory will catapult either team to even higher realms of confidence.  That said, let's get to the preview.

PRE-MATCH ANALYSIS:
Arsenal enters Round 7 coming off two huge victories: a 3-0 triumph over Bolton last Saturday, and a mid-week Champions League win over Olympiacos.  Deadline-day signings Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker are acclimating well to the Gunners' style, and 18-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has added an extra element of speed on the wing.  However, they still remain suspect defensively despite Mertesacker's arrival, and Laurent Koscielny will need to hold his position instead of rushing forward like he did against Bolton; it may work against 10 men, but with Tottenham's speed, it's not advisable.
For Tottenham, who are also coming off two straight wins, Togolese striker and former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor is living up to the considerable hype that always seems to accompany him, and his half-hearted apology for his celebrations two years ago when he was with Man City will put him under the spotlight during the match.  Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart will continue to create problems for their markers, and a probable defensive pairing of Younes Kaboul and Ledley King will make it tough for Arsenal to attack directly.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
ARSENAL--Robin van Persie: RVP is enjoying a good run of form, and often does well during the NLD. He will have to link up with Arteta and the wide players for Arsenal's attacking play to be a threat.
TOTTENHAM--Emmanuel Adebayor: the former Arsenal man will have something even bigger to prove now that he's at Spurs.  Expect quite a few crosses sent his way as he attempts to exploit a shaky Gunners' defense.

KEY MATCHUP:
Adebayor V Arsenal's centre-half pairing.  Mertesacker has the height to deal with Adebayor, but is still not the most physical defender.  Koscielny is the probable other choice, and will need to use his own physical nature to try and overcome Adebayor's considerable size advantage.

PREDICTION: expect a flurry of goals from both sides, but Arsenal should be able to score the one extra goal to give them the three points. Arsenal 4, Tottenham Hotspur 3

Arsenal V Liverpool-BPL Round 2 Preview

PRE-MATCH ANALYSIS
For the first time in a long time, I've got a negative outlook on this fixture.
The Emirates Stadium has long been a place where Liverpool F.C. have found trouble; last season's match saw England stalwart Jamie Carragher go off with a suspected concussion.  But this season, Liverpool have bolstered their squad with solid signings in the last two transfer windows, including former Blackpool captain Charlie Adam, Uruguayan striker Luis Alberto Suarez and England international Andy Carroll.  Arsenal's transfer signings, outside of Ivorian winger Gervinho, have mainly been youth-oriented investments in the form of Finnish defender Carl Jenkinson, eighteen-year-old winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell.
Obviously, the probable sale of wantaway midfieldman Samir Nasri and the end of the Cesc Fabregas transfer saga have dominated the headlines, but Arsenal's injury problems are a talking point for this match.  Wingback Kieran Gibbs and centre-half Johan Djourou will not play, nor will midfielder Tomas Rosicky.  Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby are also out with injuries, while Alexandre Song and Gervinho are unavailable through suspension.  On a positive note, Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi is in the squad after being granted a work permit, and Emmanuel Frimpong will probably cover for Song in defensive midfield.  Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey will likely retain his place in central midfield, probably partnered with Andrei Arshavin.
On the other side of the ball, Liverpool will seek to create havoc both on the ground (via Suarez and Dirk Kuyt) and in the air (Carroll).  Newcomers Stewart Downing and Adam will cause havoc for the Gunners, and the Reds' back four should have a relatively quiet day unless Theo Walcott, et al, can create chances up front.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
ARSENAL--Aaron Ramsey: fully recovered from his devastating leg injury, Ramsey will likely have to emulate Jack Wilshere in his midfield play on Saturday.  How he handles the role will probably determined his long-term spot in the Gunners' starting XI.
LIVERPOOL--Luis Alberto Suarez: Barring his penalty miss, Suarez had a very good game against Sunderland last week, and he should be able to cause problems for Arsenal's shaky back four all match long.

Prediction: Liverpool will score at least once in the first half, and then hit for a second near the midpoint of the second.  Arsenal will get their goal toward the end, before Liverpool cuts them down with a final, decisive score.  Liverpool 3, Arsenal 1

Welcome to The Jersey Gunner

Hi and hello, and welcome to The Jersey Gunner, a new soccer blog written by a college kid. I figure there's a lot of blogs about soccer, so who'll be against another one?
I'm James, a 20-year-old college student.  Most of my life has been spent following and playing soccer, so it's only fair to say that the game has become a part of who I am.  I've been looking for a way to express my opinions on the game, and this appears to be the best way.
As the title may tell you, I am a serious fan of Arsenal Football Club.  This blog will cover not just Arsenal, but most major topics in the world of soccer.  I will critique many of the games involving the teams that I follow, and maybe blow off some steam when it comes to those I can't stand (Barcelona and Rangers, look out!).  Mixed in will be some of my perspectives on teams' histories, and my motivation and reasoning for following certain clubs.
Some clubs I will discuss: Arsenal F.C.; Real Madrid C.F.; Celtic F.C.; F.C. Internazionale; Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (when available); Derry City F.C. (when available); et cetera, et cetera.
So have a look-in when a post comes up, and check out some new (sometimes strange) perspectives on the world's game.