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Arsenal to host Palace on opening dayArsenal’s first game of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season

Arsenal to host Palace on opening day

Arsenal’s first game of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season is at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, August 16. The Gunners then travel to Goodison Park to face Everton, before finishing the month with a trip to newly-promoted Leicester City. Arsène Wenger’s side host Manchester City on September 13, before taking on Tottenham Hotspur in the first north London derby of the season two weeks later. Seven days after that they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Boxing Day fixture will see Arsenal host Queens Park Rangers at Emirates Stadium, before travelling to Southampton on New Year’s Day. The Gunners are away at Manchester City (January 17) and Tottenham (February 7) at the start of 2015, while April will see them host both Liverpool and Chelsea. Arsenal finish their campaign with a trip to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United before hosting West Bromwich Albion on the final day. Scroll down this page for the full draft fixture list. To add Arsenal's 2014/15 fixtures to your diary, use our calendar import PLEASE NOTE: All fixtures and kick-off times are SUBJECT TO CHANGE. In addition, fixtures selected as live TV matches are likely to be announced soon. Barclays Premier League fixtures 2014-15 AUGUST 16 Sat H Crystal Palace 23 Sat A Everton 30 Sat A Leicester City SEPTEMBER 13 Sat H Manchester City 20 Sat A Aston Villa 27 Sat H Tottenham Hotspur OCTOBER 4 Sat A Chelsea 18 Sat H Hull City 25 Sat A Sunderland NOVEMBER 1 Sat H Burnley 8 Sat A Swansea City 22 Sat H Manchester United 29 Sat A West Bromwich Albion DECEMBER 2 Tue H Southampton 6 Sat A Stoke City 13 Sat H Newcastle United 20 Sat A Liverpool 26 Fri H Queens Park Rangers 28 Sun A West Ham United JANUARY 1 Thu A Southampton 10 Sat H Stoke City 17 Sat A Manchester City 31 Sat H Aston Villa FEBRUARY 7 Sat A Tottenham Hotspur 10 Tue H Leicester City 21 Sat A Crystal Palace 28 Sat H Everton MARCH 3 Tue A Queens Park Rangers 14 Sat H West Ham United 21 Sat A Newcastle United APRIL 4 Sat H Liverpool 11 Sat A Burnley 18 Sat H Sunderland (or FA Cup S/F) 25 Sat H Chelsea MAY 2 Sat A Hull City 9 Sat H Swansea City 16 Sat A Manchester United 24 Sun H West Bromwich Albion

Wenger to hold Balotelli talks

The Frenchman is set to meet with the striker's agent, Mino Raiola, on Saturday to discuss a deal to bring the Italy international back to the Premier League

Arsene Wenger will meet with Mario Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola on Saturday as Arsenal close in on the €31 million signing of the Italy striker, Goal understands. Wenger is currently in Brazil working as a pundit for French TV and will hold talks with Raiola in an attempt to broker the Gunnders' first major deal of the summer. Having seen Bacary Sagna leave on a free transfer to Manchester City and resisted the temptation to activate the buyback clause in Cesc Fabregas' Barcelona contract, Wenger is now primed to make use of the €122 million warchest it was revealed he would have at his disposal this summer. Wenger is ready to spend up to €31m on the 25-year-old former Manchester City striker, who has scored 28 goals in 51 appearances for AC Milan since returning to Serie A in January 2013. The Gunners boss is understood to be in the market for a marquee striker again this summer after missing out on the likes of Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain 12 months ago, leaving Olivier Giroud as the club’s only recognised senior centre-forward. Raiola revealed earlier on Tuesday that "anything is possible" regarding the possibility of Balotelli signing for Arsenal during the close season. "Arsenal are a fantastic club," he told Sky Sports when asked about the report. "Only eight or 10 clubs in the world can afford Mario Balotelli - like all premium players, and he is one of the greatest. "[Will the move happen?] Anything is possible." Balotelli was on the scoresheet for his country against England in Manaus, netting the winner as the Azzurri got off to a strong start in Group D.

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TRANSFORMERS 4: AGE OF EXTINCTION - Official "Payoff" Trailer #2 (2014) ...

'If you love football, just watch him play' Wenger praises Cazorla masterclass

'He's come in to the Premier League and taken it by storm - he's our conductor. His goal was fantastic - I don't even know what-footed he is, to be honest!' says Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and Theo Walcott were united in their praise of Santi Cazorla after Arsenal's 3-1 win at West Ham today. The Spain midfielder scored a stunning left-footed strike after strikes from Olivier Giroud and substitute Walcott had overhauled Mohamed Diame's opener. And Walcott told ESPN: "He's come in to the Premier League and taken it by storm - he's our conductor. "His goal was fantastic - I don't even know what-footed he is, to be honest!" Wenger added: "It was an outstanding performance. If you love football, just watch him play - it's a delight to watch him." Giroud was relieved to score his first goal since joining the Gunners from French champions Montpellier in the summer. "I'm so happy to score my first goal and assist my friends in the team," the France striker told ESPN. "Everyone was talking about this goal, saying 'don't worry, we trust you, keep going, concentrate'. I stayed confident." Wenger said: "He scored at the right moment, Theo came on and scored and Santi scored a great goal. "Theo has that in him. One or two years ago when he got in front of the keeper, he did not always finish the chance." Reflecting on the result, which had looked in doubt after his side trailed to Diame's superb finish, Wenger said: "I am very happy. "It was a game at a high tempo, with their first shot at goal they scored and they were dangerous in the box but in the second half we got our game going in a convincing way." Walcott added: "It's always a tough battle here, West Ham are strong under Sam. "It was a bit nervy in the first 15 minutes but in the second half we were much stronger. "We know where we want to be this season, we want to be right up there at the end of the season. We showed, coming back today, that we can definitely have a good push." West Ham forward Ricardo Vaz Te could miss up to 12 weeks after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the 3-1 Barclays Premier League defeat to Arsenal, manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed.

Arsenal beats Olympiakos 3-1 in Champions League

LONDON — Arsenal maintained its perfect start to the Champions League on Wednesday, with Gervinho, Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey scoring in a 3-1 victory over Olympiakos. Gervinho’s 43rd minute-opener was quickly canceled out as Kostas Mitroglou headed the Greek champions level before halftime, but Arsenal was back in control after the break to ensure it stayed top of Group B. Gervinho turned provider in the 56th, picking out Podolski in the penalty area and the German’s shot went straight through the legs of goalkeeper Balazs Megyeri into the net. Ramsey made sure of the victory in stoppage time, dinking the ball over Megyeri as Arsenal made a lightning attack. “The second half was better, in the first half we were sloppy sometimes with the passing, we lost a lot of balls,” Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen said. “We started well but the first half was not great.” While Olympiakos is pointless at the bottom of Group B, Arsenal has a maximum six points after beating Montpellier 2-1 two weeks ago. “It gives us more confidence to have two wins from two,” Vermaelen said. “The most important thing is to win your home games. We want to keep it going.” The Gunners were looking for an immediate response to its first loss of the season on Saturday at the hands of Chelsea — and they got it. Pressing with verve and conviction inspired by Cazorla from the start, it was the Spanish midfielder who came close to giving Arsenal an early lead. A free kick was destined for the top of the net until Megyeri produced a fingertip save. Megyeri’s opposite number Vito Mannone to be alert, though, to block a low strike from Mitroglou from the edge of the area. An edginess has returned to Arsenal’s defense after a solid start to the season, and looked like being exploited again. A cross from Giannis Maniatis was allowed all too easily to find its way into the penalty area. Arsenal was only rescued by Paulo Machado’s poor finishing, with a scuffed conenction and the resulting shot scooped over with the goal at his mercy. “We started well, with a high tempo and that was great but then we dropped a little,” Vermaelen said. But Olympiakos’ defense was breached first as Gibbs and Lukas Podolski combined down the left flank and ball reached the edge of the penalty area where Gervinho seized the ball and struck it into the net. The visitors immediately pushed for the equalizer, but Machado was too rushed as he shot from distance and Mannone easily collected the shot. They succeeded, though, a minute later. Lenadro Greco sent with precession from the right flank into the penalty area where Mitroglou rose between the center backs to plant a header into the net. Arsenal’s first chance to go back in front in the second half was squandered when Cazorla missed the target after Gervinho did the hard work, cutting the ball back to his unmarked teammate in front of goal. But after Gervinho’s interplay with Cazorla on the right, Podolski put Arsenal in front, with a shot through the legs of Megyeri, which the goalkeeper also helped to divert into the net. “Today he had two or three good saves and when it comes to the goal, in football you can always only do the best you can,” Olympiakos coach Leonardo Jardim said through a translator. Mannone started the move that led to the third, with a long throw flicked on by Olivier Giroud to fellow substitute Ramsey. The midfielder went past captain Giannis Maniatis and cooly lifted the ball over the onrushing Megyeri. “The result doesn’t represent Olympiakos ... but this result has given us a lesson that in this competition it’s very important to take your chances,” Jardim said. © Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Arsenal vs Chelsea Preview

Suddenly, we have reached the stage where the Premier League might just start to reveal the path it will follow over the next nine months. Both managers on Saturday at Emirates Stadium - Arsène Wenger of Arsenal and Roberto Di Matteo of Chelsea - will rightly deny the negative significance of a defeat. And, publicly at least, they would temper the inevitable over-enthusiasm borne from a victory. But surely, deep down, it would appreciably strengthen the belief that their side can challenge for the title. Both could do with the boost as neither side were truly involved last season. Arsenal recovered to finish in a creditable third place while Chelsea slipped to sixth in the end. Albeit, Wenger argues, they were preoccupied with two other competitions. "Yes it was the first time for a long time they dropped out of the top four," said the manager. "They had a very successful year in the cups and of course a disappointing one in the Premier League but at some stage, when you are in both cups, it can affect your League chances as well. "Maybe the fact that they went so far in the Champions League had an impact. "Certainly you expect them to be fighting again to be in the title race this year and that's why the results against your direct opponents are always so important. "I believe in our potential but we have to show that we are capable to deal with all the kind of problems that consistency demands. "We'll know more about ourselves, certainly a bit more, on Saturday afternoon - but much more after 10 or 15 games." Ironically, Wenger's newly-modelled Arsenal side showed the first signs of cohesion in the second half at Stamford Bridge last season when they stormed back to win an eight-goal thriller. "Yes, of course, the 5-3 had a good psychological impact on our season," said Wenger. "But I knew before the game we were capable to do that." Both these sides enter this game unbeaten. Arsenal are fifth and Chelsea are top but perhaps Wenger's side have picked up more convincing results in more difficult places. That's why the manager himself described his club as having a ‘feelgood' factor right now. Conversely, Wojciech Szczesny is still troubled by an ankle problem so Vito Mannone will continue his run as No 1 for a couple more weeks at least. Thomas Vermaelen is back after missing the draw at Manchester City with flu. The return of the skipper leaves Wenger with a choice to make a centre back. Laurent Koscielny deputised well last week at the Eithad Stadium and struck the leveller late on. However three into two does not go and, as the manager rightly states, Per Mertesacker has been exceptional in recent weeks. "He has his own [special] qualities, for example his positional play, but we have centre backs where I can mix the formula a little bit and adapt it to the opponent we play against. "For me all three centre backs are doing well and, even on Wednesday against Coventry, Johan Djourou and Ignasi Miguel were very, very good. At the moment I will just choose the two centre backs who for me are the best suited to face the team we play against." Chelsea have dropped only two points this season - the goalless draw at QPR. Di Matteo's side are a different flavour to last season's Champions League winners. Certainly in terms of style and, to a less extent, in terms of personnel - with one departure being particularly significant for Arsenal fans - and those centre backs. "Yes, Didier Drogba killed us at times," admitted Wenger. "But not only us because he was a great striker remember. He was decisive in every round in the Champions League for Chelsea last year. "But it's a new chance for Fernando Torres now, because when you have Drogba behind you, you're always under pressure. Certainly Torres will enjoy that opportunity. He looks to have found form again and is very mobile. Of course we will have to keep him quiet in a game like this. "Overall Chelsea have changed their style. They are a team with a bit more caution defensively and I believe we will need to play at a good pace with a good rhythm to win this game and that is what we are prepared to do." Perhaps this is a battle of who has changed more since the start of last season. Wenger would argue - and the statistics would prove - Arsenal's form has been up there with the top two pretty much since that win at Stamford Bridge 11 months ago. This term, the additions of Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski have just stylishly built upon the platform put in place 12 months ago. Their football is stable, consistent and of the highest quality. Last Saturday's squeezed-out 1-0 win over Stoke is Chelsea's only win in their last four games in all competitions. While it is dangerous to underestimate the European champions and Premier League leaders, there is a sense that they are still settling down after upheaval during and, at the end of, last season. Even though they have been highly successful during that period. That said, the Arsenal fans are confident at the moment - and rightly so. In recent weeks, their team have done nothing to dispel the burgeoning belief at Emirates. And a victory there on Saturday would only see that multiply. Team news Arsenal: Szczesny (ankle), Fabianski (back), Sagna (leg), Rosicky (tendon) Chelsea: Lampard (doubt - ankle), Sturridge (hamstring)

Arshavin - I hope I’ll have more chances soon

Andrey Arshavin admits that he has found himself in an unfamiliar situation early in the 2012/13 season. While the Russian forward starred, and scored, in Wednesday night’s 6-1 Capital One Cup win over Coventry City, he has had to bide his time for Premier League action - making just one appearance, as a substitute, in the opening-day draw with Sunderland. He told the Official Matchday Programme: “It’s been very difficult for me - my first time in this position, really. Of course I really want to be playing, but I still try to keep in as good a condition as possible and I hope I’ll have more chances soon. It was very good to score against Coventry, I enjoyed that.” The 31 year-old’s fitness is certainly giving cause for optimism, with his physical performance in training at its highest level during his time at Arsenal. “My figures are the best ever!” he said. “This summer I felt very good physically, it’s true. All of my exercise, especially the endurance side, has gone better than ever. We’ll find out how important that’s been when I’m playing.” While Arshavin is desperate to be unleashed on top-flight defences once more, he accepts that the Gunners have made a strong start to the season all over the pitch - and pinpoints what he believes the primary factor to have been. “The difference between this year and last year, in my opinion, is that we are playing more collectively,” he said. “I think we are helping each other more on the pitch defensively - last year it wasn’t up to this level. I haven’t seen the exact statistics, but I think we’re playing a more compact game. “My aim is to be part of it, to play football and focus on Arsenal. I think that, if I have the chance, I can do well.”

Jenkinson - ‘I’m sure my grandad is looking down at me’

Carl Jenkinson has revealed the story behind his message to his grandfather at Armoury Square. The right back hails from a family of lifelong Arsenal fans, and completed a dream move to the Club from Charlton Athletic in July 2011. However, his grandfather was not able to see him play in the famous red-and-white shirt, so he decided to leave the engraved message instead. “I just wanted something for my grandad,” Jenkinson told Arsenal Player. “It has always been a bit of a regret that he has not been able to come to my games since I’ve been at Arsenal. “It is well documented that my dad is a massive Arsenal fan but grandad was just the same, and I was very close to him. “It's a regret that he has not been able to watch me, but I am sure he is looking down at how things are going for me and the fact I’m playing for Arsenal.” Jenkinson’s message lies among hundreds of others at Armoury Square and he feels an strong affinity with the Club’s fans. “I am a fan of this Club and that will never change,” he said. “I am just lucky enough to have been given the ability and the chance to play for my club. “I was going to watch Arsenal the same as the fans were and [now] just count myself very lucky to represent them as a fan who has become a player. “It doesn't come around very often and I just feel privileged and honoured to be that person.”

Sign or be sold: Wenger hints that Walcott could be available in January

Liverpool will bid for winger who hasn't started for Arsenal since rejecting a new £75k per week deal, while City and Chelsea fancy him on a Bosman Arsene Wenger has given Theo Walcott a two-month ultimatum to sign a new deal - or risk being sold in January. Walcott is being frozen out at Arsenal, and will not start at Manchester City on Sunday as his contract stand-off drags on. It will increase the likelihood of Walcott leaving Arsenal - Liverpool will make an offer in the winter window, Manchester City are lining up a mega-bucks contract for a summer Bosman and Chelsea also fancy him. Walcott has not started a game for Arsenal since stalling on a £75,000-a-week contract offer, and Gunners manager Wenger admits that the next couple of months will be crucial and will decide the player's future. "I haven't picked him, it's true, and it's quite a good question," said the Frenchman. "I still hope to sign him and the next two months will be vital because, after that, the longer this situation lasts the more difficult it is. "Let's hope we can find a solution in the next two months but the fact he doesn't play regularly at the moment is right, but it's not necessarily linked with his contract situation." Wenger insisted Arsenal can afford to go beyond January, but the Mirror understands Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will bid - and that any offer is likely to be entertained by the Gunners, rather than the alternative of potentially losing him for free. City and Chelsea would rather wait, and a better personal package is likely to be on offer if Walcott is a free agent next summer. When pressed on whether Arsenal would sell in January, Wenger said: "It will depend on the needs of the team and the club. We can afford to go to the end (of the contract) if needed. "No player is happy when he doesn't play. "At the moment, Koscielny doesn't play. He's just extended his contract and still doesn't play because the defence is doing well. "That's only temporary because by the end of the season they will all play."

New Hobbit Trailer announced

Arsenal hit pointless Southampton for six

Arsenal stormed to a sensational 6-1 win over Southampton at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Before the victory at Liverpool last time out, Arsène Wenger’s side had been accused of being goal-shy having failed to penetrate the defences of Sunderland and Stoke in their opening two games of the campaign. Today, they laid that particular ghost to rest with a three-goal salvo inside five minutes late in the first half. Arsenal already led through Jos Hooiveld’s own goal before Lukas Podolski planted an expert free-kick past Kelvin Davis in the 31st minute. That would be followed quickly by Gervinho’s first of the season and another self-inflicted wound, this time from Nathaniel Clyne. Southampton were stunned but Daniel Fox did fire home after Wojciech Szczesny’s slip just before the break. They rallied somewhat after the restart but Gervinho’s second ended the argument 19 minutes from time and substitute Theo Walcott stroked home a sixth at the death. This result was as satisfying as the scoreline suggests. Arsenal have looked controlled and efficient all season - only now they are getting the results to match. In the past few weeks, Southampton had pushed both Manchester clubs all the way but they were no match for Wenger’s men this afternoon. Arsenal are up to third in the nascent Premier League table and it is starting to look like they will be in that position all season. Or maybe higher. Wenger made two changes from the side that had won so handsomely at Anfield a fortnight ago. The manager erred on the safe side with Abou Diaby and omitted him because of a muscular injury. Francis Coquelin replaced his compatriot but in a holding midfield role which allowed Mikel Arteta to push further forward. The other change was Gervinho for Olivier Giroud and this was a straight swap. Somewhat surprisingly, the Ivorian was used as a central striker so Podolski would once again attack from the left. Southampton were better than their rock-bottom position suggested. But then Arsenal had not even conceded a goal this season, let alone looked like losing. They had oozed composure and confidence at Liverpool. The only concern was that the international break would affect their focus. Very quickly that fear would be allayed. And by the half-hour it was utterly extinguished. In the opening stages Arsenal were full of intent. Podolski stung the hands of Davis, then Santi Cazorla lifted an effort over the bar from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross. The two new signings caught the eye once again. Cazorla had been outstanding at Stoke and Liverpool but Podolski was prominent today. The German’s tenacity was at the heart of the first goal after 11 minutes. He refused to lose the ball in midfield before spreading it wide to Gibbs on the left. The full-back’s low shot was half-saved by Davis at the near post but the ball trickled away from him and Hooiveld nudged it into his own net. Arsenal were ruling supreme. Their control in this game was a steel fist in a velvet glove. They were sharper, stronger and more fluent than their opponents. After 20 minutes, Gervinho darted through to win a corner. Kelvin Davis failed to gather Cazorla’s ball in but the keeper recovered quickly to clutch Per Mertesacker’s powerful header after he had been set up by Coquelin’s clever chip. It was simply all Arsenal. They just needed the goals to reflect their dominance. And those would arrive quickly and in great number. The avalanche began in the 31st minute. Steven Davis clipped Coquelin 25 yards out and Podolski curled home a ferocious free-kick. Two minutes later, Arteta lifted a pass down the right-hand channel for Gervinho to race onto. He slammed his effort past Kelvin Davis at the near post. After another two minutes, Arsenal got their fourth. Again the supplier was Gibbs, only this time his swinging cross was turned into his own net by Clyne. The Southampton defence was now on a hat-trick. However, the visitors would show a little bit more at the other end as half-time approached. Jason Puncheon fired their first real shot of the game just wide in the 39th minute and, on the whistle, he supplied a hanging, far-post cross for them to score. Szczesny spilled the ball on to the head of Carl Jenkinson and it sat up nicely for Fox to slam into the unguarded net. It was a disappointing way for Arsenal to concede their first goal in five-and-a-quarter hours of football this term. Nigel Adkins had made one change during the first half. He made another at half time – debuting big-money signing Gaston Ramirez. Southampton improved and, in the 56th minute, Rickie Lambert had a super chance to pull his side back into the game. But he slid the ball past the far post. Arsenal were still the better side – Gervinho was still dangerous and Oxlade-Chamberlain bundled an effort wide – however, the gap had now closed. Wenger saw it and changed things. Aaron Ramsey replaced Coquelin and, within 10 minutes, had cleverly set up a fifth for Gervinho to poke home. It put paid to any chance of a Southampton comeback – and the visitors' second-half display had at least re-introduced the possibility. Arsenal scented blood once more and Oxlade-Chamberlain lashed a cross-shot at goal. Kelvin Davis just about batted it wide. In the final minute, the home side did find another. Thomas Vermaelen’s effort was blocked and Walcott thumped home the rebound. The former Southampton striker barely celebrated the goal and, along with Oxlade-Chamberlain, another ex-Saint, saluted the visiting fans at the full-time whistle. That pocket of around 3,000 supporters sang their hearts out all game but it was the remaining 57,000 who went home much the happier.

The Hobbit Trilogy titles and release dates

The final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, now titled “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” will be released worldwide on July 18, 2014. The title of the second installment in the franchise will be “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and the film will be released on December 13, 2013. The first film in the trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” opens this holiday season, on December 14, 2012. Shot in 3D 48 frames-per-second, the trilogy of films will be released in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3D, other 3D formats, IMAX and 2D. From Academy Award®-winning director Peter Jackson, the trilogy of films is set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Under Jackson’s direction, all three movies are being shot in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Additional filming, as with principal photography, is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

Wenger ready to sign a new contract with Arsenal

Wenger will be offered a new Arsenal contract, Gazidis confirms :-

Arsenal are set to offer manager Arsene Wenger a new contract, chief executive Ivan Gazidis has revealed. Wenger's current deal expires in 2014 and Gazidis maintains that the French coach, who took over in north London in 1996, is "written into [the club's] DNA". The American expressed his confidence in the direction of the club despite their current trophyless run and insisted that the values Wenger had instilled since taking over would continue to be their foundation. "It's not a sense of sentimentalism, not a reward for our services, it's a belief that we have an incredible manager who loves this club and is the best man to lead us forward," Gazidis told the Mirror. "We're really confident about the direction that the club is heading. We're coming through strongly and we believe we're really well placed. We hope and believe that Arsene will be a part of that as we move forward. "At the same time, as a club, we have to make sure that all of the things that Arsene has brought to the club are enshrined in our DNA to make sure that when the day comes when Arsene decides it's time to hang up his boots - I don't know what the expression is as a manager - that we are in a position to take his ideas and work forward. "The values that Arsene has brought to the club together that the values the club had before Arsene are what will inform us - and I don't want to give any indication that this is happening - and give us the framework as to who might take over from him in the longer term." Gazidis went on to hit out at the suggestion that the Gunners had failed to show the ambition needed to claim their first silverware since they won the FA Cup in 2005. "We get accused of a lack of ambition or complacency because, apparently, the board are only interested in the top four - that is absolute rubbish," he claimed. "To me, this is the most ambitious football club I know. "We're trying to win. In fact, we try to do more than that, we try to win with style - we have a certain way of playing football that we take pride in. So again, it's a high ambition. "I know we haven't achieved that in recent years. There's no-one at this football club that doesn't feel the pain of not being able to do that in recent years but absolutely that's what we're trying to do and we want to do it on a sustainable basis going forward. "We're very optimistic about this season, even through the loss of a player as important as Robin van Persie. "We went through some major challenges last season and yet still came near the top of the game. But it's not what we're aiming to do. We're absolutely trying to win silverware and we're trying desperately hard to do it this year."

THE KOHLI METHOD

The Kohli method :-

How Kohli accelerates in ODIs --- Overs 1-15: Faced 1728 balls in 68 innings (average of 25 balls per innings) and scored at a run rate of 4.12 Overs 16-30: Faced 1813 balls in 55 innings (average of 33 balls per innings) and scored at run rate of 5.00. Overs 31-40: Faced 754 balls in 32 innings (average of 23 balls per innings) and scored at 7.01. Overs 41-50: In the final ten overs (played 17 innings), he has faced 12 balls on average per innings and scored at 9.07. When they first donned the Indian colours, the likes of Ms Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh were self-assured, resilient, fiercely talented and more. Today, though, Virat Kohli seems to have outmoded his predecessors in a manner that has made him the face of Indian cricket's next generation. He has scored 13 centuries in 90 ODI matches. Those are phenomenal numbers by any yardstick. Look closer, in a comparative framework, and the numbers hit harder. Kumara Sangakkara, for instance, has scored 14 hundreds, 11 of those from No. 3 or higher, in 333 ODIs. Virender Sehwag has scored 15 in 249 matches, and Gautam Gambhir has 11 in 139. These stats, striking as they are, tell us a thing or two about the sort of prospect Kohli is for Indian cricket. If one goes by the exterior - the spiky hair, tattoos, the swagger and arrogance of a confident young man, Kohli epitomises 21st century Indian youth. But the way he bats, especially in the first half of each innings, he seems the antithesis of how young cricketers in India like to bat in this day and age of T20 cricket. These days most young men prefer to go after the bowling right from the beginning, and to keep hitting it till they last. It takes your breath away when it comes off, and looks woeful when it doesn't, but taking a bit of a risk seems to be the new way of living. Kohli, on the contrary, is old-fashioned when it comes to constructing his innings. Regardless of his personal form, familiarity with the attack and the conditions, he always starts slowly, albeit confidently. At the beginning of an innings, every batsman is slightly edgy and likes to get bat on ball and score a few to get going. This urge to get on with the game is even stronger if you are in good form. It must take immense self-control for Kohli to resist that temptation every time he walks out to bat these days, and to stick to his original plan of biding time. His self-control at the beginning of every innings is the primary reason for his consistency. Exercising this self-control would be a lot easier for someone who doesn't have as many shots as Kohli does, which makes his self-denial more creditable. His ability to plan meticulously and then diligently follow the plan is the common thread in most of his innings. Conventional wisdom suggests that the bigger the arc one's bat creates, the more power one generates. The arc starts from the top of the backlift and finishes with the follow-through after playing the shot. The best way to ensure a bigger arc is to allow the top hand to remain in control for as long as possible and extend the arms fully (elbow not bent) after playing the shot. Kohli's bat-swing, however, is not quite how the coaching manuals say it ought to be. He has a relatively short backlift, and an even shorter follow-through. But he generates phenomenal bat speed by flicking his wrists at the point of contact, which in turn generates immense power. The flip side of such a bat-swing is that he is a bottom-hand-dominated player. Once again, though, by delaying his strokes, he has found a way to be equally fluent through the off side. When I saw Kohli for the first time, I was a little sceptical about his short front-foot stride. To make matters more complicated, that short stride was going far too across. While the short and across front-foot stride allowed him to whip balls pitched on middle through the on side, it also made him slightly susceptible to full-pitched swinging deliveries, or when the ball deviated appreciably off the pitch. During one of our conversations while playing for Delhi, I told him about my observations. He assured me that he had found a way around it, which was by allowing the ball to come to him. I saw merit in his method of dealing with the shortcoming, but I wasn't fully convinced that it would work at the highest level. By scoring 13 ODI hundreds while batting at No. 3, he has certainly proved that his solution works just fine. It also proves that technique is slightly overrated at times. In fact, Kohli's method of overcoming his technical deficiency is his biggest strength: playing very late. By allowing the ball to come to him, he is able to find the gaps more often. Playing the ball right under his eyes also ensures that he misses fewer deliveries, and so the perils of the short front-foot stride are taken care of. He may still find it slightly difficult when the ball is pitched up in seaming conditions, but considering the way he has evolved as a batsman, I don't have any reasons to believe that Kohli won't find a way around that too.