By Boris Mellor
January 14 2006

Earlier this season Arsenal pulverised Middlesboro for 40 minutes but forget to score. This slight oversight led to the poorer side winning. It was one of the most irritating fiascos I have watched since Charlton beat us 4-2 at Highbury.

There was no way we should have lost that one either; the Gunners were not out muscled, outplayed, or out anything else. They were just on a quest for the Holy Goal. The great Herbert Chapman once said the team who scores the most goals wins. Bleeding obvious ain’t it? Well it wasn’t that obvious to the Wenger boys at the Riverside. So now Boro are back, and since beating us, and Man Ure, they have done very little else.

So it should not be that difficult to win, but keep in mind the Arsenal penchant for reviving teams in inexorable decline. According to the press we are not doing that well in the Premiership, only 8 points out of last 12, and with only 7 wins, I draw and a loss at home it makes us the underdog.

We have just completed 4 clean sheets in a row but unfortunately we have now seen a back four that includes, Opta player of the week, Cygan, disrupted by injury and the Africa Cup. Campbell is out and Kolo and Eboue are away. Other injuries include Robin van Persie (toe) and Gael Clichy, Kerrea Gilbert (knee) and Dennis Bergkamp (sickness) are also doubtful. Cole will be in the squad, but will probably be on the bench. He will get a full game in the reserves midweek. Johan Djourou will probably be drafted in for his Premiership debut.

So the only strikers available will be Reyes and Henry, our new striker is on his way to the Africa Cup. But Boro have their injury problems as well, with Southgate out due to injury. They are probably one of the few teams with a worse away record than us, with no away win in the last five. If Viduka plays Arsenal fans will abuse him and the pieman will score. Let’s just ignore him eh?

So hopefully a makeshift defence can hold firm until the cavalry return. Henry has had a good rest and needs 3 goals to match Bastin’s 150 league goals. Come on Henry get that record under your belt.

Don’t forget to make your prediction before 3 pm (Predictions League top left menu 4^th link down). Top the league at the end of the season and win twenty  pounds of Arsenal merchandise.