Two easy 4-1s inside a week, both featuring the now customary silly goal scored by the opposition at the death – Everton, Alkmaar (twice) and Wolves … but we are second, could be top soon, and we are on target for over 100 goals in the league this year.

However, I was planning some work trips for early 2010 the other day and decided to make sure I was not away for vital Arsenal games.

Consulting the fixture list at the end of January and early Feb, I was somewhat shocked to realise that, FA Cup apart, we will face Villa (A), Manure (H), Chavski (A) and the Rafa’s rabble (H) in under a fortnight. That will be the time when our season will be defined I feel. Who knows who will be injured them, off-form, suspended (for us and our opponents), but there seems no doubt in my mind that this will be the critical period of our season.

Let’s hope Wenger ensures we have proper defensive midfield cover by then for Song’s absence. The idea of Craig Eastmond filling in for our new defensive rock is fanciful (Mr Palmer please note), so a message to our CEO; our manager won’t want to sign anyone (he won’t want to be charged with killing his kids), unless he is forced to, so start working your charm now, and get him to bring back PV4, or ask AC Milan if we can loan Flamini back for 6 months.

Tell him that patricide is one thing, guiding your kids through a difficult period of their education is quite another. You wouldn’t expect your kids to do well in exams without enough support and guidance, so don’t create a situation whereby they are left exposed without enough experience and understanding when the situation can be avoided quite easily.

And get a move on.

Please.