Early season mind games from Wenger attempting to influence referees before a game? Possibly a very clever ploy, Blackburn will be physical - as ever this is the only way Allardyce teams choose to play "football" (and I use that term loosely), while Wenger is well aware how his keepers fold under pressure - expect Almunia to fall over at the faintest touch at any set play.

I fully expect us to win comfortably - with Cesc and RVP to start, another clean sheet would also be nice. A big weekend for Theo Walcott, can he build on last week's hat-trick? Hansen's critique of Walcott on Match of the Day was astounding. Notably any time Hansen has these infamous rants he is proved badly wrong ("you win nothing with kids...") so here's hoping.

Welcome Mr Squillaci, an experienced rugged defender who likes to get stuck in. Time will tell whether this is one of the missing pieces in the jigsaw that will end our wait for silverware. Certainly paying £6.5m for a player with Champions League experience and titles around Europe suggests that it is another Wenger bargain, albeit he is 30. The prices quoted for those with less experience such as Cahill and Jagielka to name a few seem astronomical in comparison. Anyone thinking that we will sign the Fulham goalkeeper in the very last minutes of the transfer window?

The Champions League draw was nice and straightforward, I am sure Eduardo will get a warm welcome back. Mixed feelings about the Clock End returning - great as a piece of history/tradition but it does look rather odd. Kind of like when you move house and buy new furniture, everything looks great until you add that really old piece that you cannot bear to part with, and it doesn't quite go.

The Blackpool game was a fun rout - 6-0s do not come along often - but I don't think it told us much about the campaign going forward. Some of you may have missed the story of Bendtner parting ways with his Danish physio... worth a google if you have some time. It smells much like the RVP horse placenta story from last season. Importantly it strikes the question of the exact role of the medical staff at Arsenal, and quite disturbing that highly paid players - assets to the club - continue to pursue clandestine paths to cure their ailments.