There’s so much to go through today, I don’t even know where to start!

How about the revelation that Cech’s super-awesomeness and ability to make save-after-save appears to be entirely down to Rock Band, for which I’m sure the good folks at EA are delighted with, as they now have an angle for marketing in to the football community. “Become the next Lev Yashin kids, just play our video game and you’re halfway there!”

I have to admit to a bit of jealousy in the youth of today. When I was growing up and learning my trade, all I had was a hard back colour edition of ‘Peter Shilton: the basics of goalkeeping’. That’s probably why I’m writing about Arsenal instead of playing for them. I just didn’t have the access to the technology of the kids of today…

Anyway, enough about my failed career as a ‘keeper, or Cech’s aspirations as the next Mick Fleetwood. How about we focus on the other musical analogy by Le Boss this week, which was in reference to the majestic Mesut Özil, who plays the right notes all of the time. I’d go as far as to say that he’s always played the right notes ever since he joined the club. The only problem he’s had is that people haven’t been listening to, or appreciating, the subtle notes that are in the background of the song that has been played. Özil has assisted on a regular basis ever since he joined. He’s been retaining possession we’ll ever since he joined. The only element to his game in which he is being recognised for now is that he’s scored goals. But guess what? He’s been doing that ever since he joined. But he’s doing it now at big moments, at moments in which the Sky or BT cameras are around, to which the result is the praise he’s been getting has been intensified. 

I probably am a little biased and perhaps I’m giving him a little more slack than most with my red-tinted glasses, but I have always had a soft spot for him, so perhaps I’ll always go easy on him. I’m just glad that even non-Gooners are now saying “ahh yes, turns out he isn’t nicking a living after all”. 

As you can probably tell, I’m in a jolly good mood today, and not just because it’s Friday. A week is a long time in football and two weeks feels like an eternity. Two weeks ago on Sunday I was cursing our luck with injuries, our lacklustre performance against Norwich and the whole goddamn month of November. Today I wake up with a work Christmas party ahead of me, an Arsenal team who are through to the knockouts of the Champions League, but more importantly perhaps, an Arsenal team brimming with confidence, as Theo mentioned. For me, the manner of Wednesday night’s victory is all important ahead of a busy and difficult winter period, because as Walcott explains this time in the season could determine our league challenge. It starts with Villa on Sunday, then gets rough with a home game to City and an away one to Southampton who if I’m right in saying this, we haven’t beaten on their patch since they got back in to the Premier League. So having a massive confidence-boosting result like that will be brilliant for the players. Hearing Walcott talk about how the dressing room were all buzzing is enough to make a grown man make high pitch noises of excitement, I tells ya.

In terms of who we might get in the next round, I’m really not fussed. The games won’t take place until February, it’s the Premier League I want us to win and we will no doubt play Barcelona again anyway, so who cares? 

We’ll no doubt get Arsène’s take this morning, for which I will read, re-read and watch a few times over the next 24 hours, but I expect him to be in fine spirits and ahead of the trip to Villa I just hope he’s got good news in terms of injuries, i.e. no new ones!

And on that ‘note’, I think it shall say cheerio to you and yours, and hope you have a good Friday.