We've reached the stage of the season where any interview conducted with a Premier League manager is almost certain to contain variations on the theme of "the Christmas fixture pile-up". This may just be a casual stating of fact, or laying the foundations of a thin excuse for poor form over the next couple of weeks. I haven't the inclination to check or care about how the situation looks for other teams, but for the Arsenal this year they would be well advised to not mention it, get their heads down and get some wins.

In terms of match days coming up, after this Saturday we have over a week without a game before playing Sunday, Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday before another eight days off. Take a look at the fixtures across the rest of the season and this supposed congestion is no different to any other month. You could even say it's more relaxed: by 17 January, Arsenal will have had two eight-day periods without a match. Luxury.

Now, look at the fixtures: Hull (H), Villa (H), Portsmouth (A), an FA Cup match against West Ham (A), Bolton (H), Everton (H). Then it's Bolton (A) and hopefully another FA Cup match before the sh*t really hits the fan with Villa (A), Man U (H), Chelsea (A), Liverpool (H).

Let's not hear of problems of playing too many games. Let's not talk about there being lots of injuries. The members of Arsenal's squad that still have the ability to walk are more than capable of taking 15 points (I'm sure we'd accept 13 to allow for a draw somewhere) from the next five league matches along with dumping West Ham out the cup. The team have at best gained ground or moved away from many of the teams around them in the last week, so whilst everyone else gets upset about the Christmas pile-up, why don't Arsenal just stay quiet and win a few games?

Easy? Or am I being too casual because it's Christmas lunch day at work...