The main news since ‘the cooks’ post yesterday is that Adebayor has committed himself to Arsenal by signing a new long term contract. Wenger has now asked us to back him and I’d do the same. Contracts aren’t really worth the paper they are written on but Adebayor will certainly be an Arsenal player for 2008-2009 and if YOU want Arsenal to win anything this season YOU need to get behind the players now. That includes Adeabyor. Remember Fulham away last season? I for one could do with a repeat this Saturday. Come on Gooners, Ade-bay-ooooooooooooooooor- Ade-bay-ooooooooooooooooor - Give him the ball and he will Scoooooooooooooore!

Great news for Nacer Barazite he’s gonna get some first team Championship football. He’s following Nordveit out of the door and Gibbs is sure to follow. It’s great for these young guys to make this step up and I think all 3 have a chance of making the first team squad for next season, it gives them something to work for, good luck to them all.

Arsene is also out to protect young Theo. It’s good for Theo to get some positive feedback in the media. He’s had a couple of off games recently and I think we all want him to fulfill his potential as soon as possible. His style of play suits Arsenal and if he can down the wings and get a few crosses in on Saturday Adebayor will be laughing his socks off. Cesc looks set to miss Saturdays game so the midfield could be the same as it was against West Brom. So long as Nasri makes it back. Hopefully this injury is a ‘miss the international break’ one, or he’s the new Rosicky, God I hope not!!

Right, all the lads playing in International tomorrow, look after your bloody selves. Especially Billy Gallas and Gael Clichy. We need you fit for Saturday. Good night Gooners.

Well, after a whole summer off, I found myself really hating football again by 3pm on Saturday : A few pints and the craic in the Rocket beforehand, and seeing everyone for the first time in a few months, and then the team put on an appalling performance, and scrape over the line to get three points on the board. I am a big fan of the  ‘play shit but win anyway’ tactic however!

It is all forgotten now though, as the win was the important thing. I have been a big critic of Bendtner, but was slowly coming round to him after some decent recent performances ; But on Saturday, it was obvious to see that most of our attacks broke down as soon as he got involved : Still not ready for the starting role I think.

It was strange to see Adebayor dropping back so deep in the first half, although I put this down to him thinking that’s where the real money is, having heard about Fat Frank’s 150k per week deal. Adebayor had a great chance to put Nasri through for a tap in on about 65 minutes, but he amazingly went for goal from a tight angle : This brought about an astonishing reaction from Block 6, and he got terrible stick : You still have work to do Ade, to get us all back on your side : Your song was conspicuous by it’s absence all through the match, and we don’t even have that many player songs!

A few months of no football, an early kick off, yet still thousands have left the ground before 90 minutes were up, never mind injury time. X Factor isn’t on until 7.30, and I know Cheryl Tweedy is amazingly fit (despite being married to the world’s worst human being), but where the hell are you going so early??? Here’s a tip to miss the crowds : STAY AT HOME AND WATCH ON TV!!!

A few beers back in the Rocket afterwards, and a good old chuckle over Spurs losing their first game of the season yet again. Ha! I know Hoyte was introduced to the Boro fans before the game, so that was extra sweet. Cheerio Justin, you were……..spectacularly average…….but thanks anyway : watch out for that smog.

I’m on the Boat trip for Fulham next week : Four hours of drinking in the sunshine, on the river, before the game. What could possibly go wrong????

All in all us gooners have got to be happy with the first week of the season - it was absolutely vital to pick up 2 wins, and with the injuries we have at the moment we have to take the wins however they arrive.  There were more positives as well - Nasri clearly looks like a class player - intelligent, skillful, but also looks strong for his size.  Denilson and Djourou are other positives, these 3 players are key to our season - if they manage to find some consistency for the majority of the season (a big ask I know) then our ‘problems’ will be answered.

Justin Hoyte has had his move to Middlesbrough confirmed by the club.  He was a proper gooner, it’s quite rare that you get someone that obviously loves the club like a fan these days so I’m sad to see him go, even if he was never going to be first choice.  The rumours are that the fee was £3m, which adds to the pot that can be reinvested in this midfield signing that Arsene has been hinting at.  I have no idea who this could be - the timing of it suggests that the signing is either dependant on us qualifying for the CL proper (which now looks very much odds on) or more likely, the player is currently at the Olympics.  Anyone been watching the matches?  Who’s dominating the midfields apart from our man Song?!  I know Block19er doesn’t agree, but I would still like to see Alonso come, however unlikely that is.  If only for the 70 yard goal attempts, he tried another one yesterday that wasn’t far off.  Our fans would love that - some muppets scream ‘SHOOT’ when players are about 40 yards out as it is!

I’ll be back next week after Fulham away, hopefully the atmosphere will be better in the away end that it was at the Grove yesterday - it really was embarrassing.

Three points to kick off the season. That’s all you can really ask for on any opening day. With the current injuries we’ve got I’d take 9 points from the first 9 and then start looking at the performances after that.

We kicked off today with Eboue partnering Denilson in the centre of midfield and with Walcott on the right and Nasri on the left. Bendtner also started in front of Van Persie up top and Djourou was covering at centre half for Toure.

It was quick and slick football from the off culminating in a goal within 4 minutes. West Brom really couldn’t cope with Clichy and Nasri down the left and Adebayor was looking hungry from the off. It was Clichy who found Denilson who then whipped it across the box for Nasri to come in and riffle it home. Already Nasri was having a bigger impact than Hleb did last season.

A great moment for Nasri on his home league debut and a great moment for Denilson who is establishing himself in the Arsenal midfield. Arsenal really had control of this game and from then on West Brom were only to challenge Arsenal a couple of times late on. Before half time Nasri & Adebayor could have scored, but shot of the half went to Billy Gallas who unleashed a wicked drive from 35 yards, it was a couple of inches from finding the net.

The second half was more laboured. Arsenals flow didn’t quite return and West Brom managed to knock us off the ball quite a bit. Djourou and Gallas gave the team a solid platform to build on and we certainly have the two best full backs in the World. Mr. Clichy is a really unbelievable player and you could virtually put him down for the man of the match award every week at the moment.

Adebayor should have really grabbed a couple of goals as the half went on, as for Eboue, concentrate on breaking up play and rolling the ball to Denilson, the two of three shots he had were wildly wide. On as sub Van Persie was the player who got us all out of seats, he performed miracles to stab a shot just wide with outside of his left boot, it would have been an amazing goal.

West Brom were then to put our hearts in mouths. Paul Robinson sent a shot past Almunia but it was Johan Djourou who was back clearing it off the line. Djourou is certainly the man in possession of that centre back position and is fighting hard to retain it. I’ve been really impressed with him so far and I think he is starting to fulfill some of that potential.

Arsenal will go on to better things than today but it is encouraging we can hold out for these 1-nil results. I’m not sure you have been able to say that too much about Arsenal in recent seasons. The lads will go off for International matches lets just hope all of these players come back fully fit. No more injuries please.

Another bonus for today, Tottenumb were beaten by old boy Mido at Middlesbro’, priceless - Champions league your ‘avin’ a laff!!

Arsenal:Almunia, Sagna, Clichy, Djourou, Gallas, Nasri, Eboue, Denilson, Walcott (Toure 73), Bendtner (Van Persie 69), Adebayor. Subs not used: Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Randall, Wilshere.

Goals:Nasri 4.

Booked: None.

Att: 60,071

Ref: Howard Webb