@ Mc Reggae....Arsenal always play with a lone striker (RVP), so yeah the team depends on him to score the goals. Sasa you want to imply ati Arsenal are a one man team because RVP scores most of our goals, C'mon....at some point last season Berbatov was doing the same for Man Utd. Why aren't we hearing the same from Barca (Messi) and Real Madrid (Ronaldo) they score almost 80% of the goals for their clubs.

Last season RVP played only a handful of matches (from January 2011) which he scored in almost all but before he came in we were still one of the top scorers in the league. When we lost 8-2 to Man Utd and 2-0 to L'pool he was still our lone striker but we didn't have Gervinho and Song who were both suspended. Look at the impact they had in the matches against Udinese away... Arsenal rely mostly on its midfield players, if they fail then RVP would be totally ineffective.

I think you should first of all look his stats (Passes, Assists etc) before making any declarations. I would not hestitate to agree with you and @Smano if RVP was a playmaker....although he's still our best player.

Overheard......Asenane is not a one man team, there is also Vermaelen.

Most teams have a player they depend on and whose absence leaves them a bit below par. It is almost natural that this role is taken up somehow. If RVP was to leave the Gunner, I bet someone will rise up.

I agree with you @Taz, it is easy to recognize the player who scores the most for the team as the most important player and we all have those players in each team - and with good reason, a team playing good football and not scoring is good for nothing.

Berbatov was our highest scorer last season but is not the most important player in the team - that accolade is reserved for Wayne Rooney. Every team has that one player whom when he's not playing, the team are a totally different outfit, I don't know that player is for your team but for Man Utd, without a doubt, is Wayne Rooney.

CR7 should come close to Messi this time for the ballon dór this time but I think overall Messi deserves it for a 3rd straight year. As for coach of the year, Guardiola stands out based on trophies but I would also condsider Jurgen Klopp, Dortmund were amazing last season

Those players are called TALISMEN. Does the names Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira ring a bell?

@smano....asenane talisman used to be Fibreglass. He is yet to get a replacement. Huyo mwingine alifunga two easy tap-ins against chelsea and everybody is now full of praise. And even the third goal by him was a blunder by cech.

Seems everyone is noticing .....link

I think Arsenal will always be criticised no matter how they play or how they win. As @ Smano said every team has a player who the rest depend on. Where would L'fools be without Suarez and why hasn't anyone called them a one man team...Man Utd have Rooney, Man City have Silva and Chelsea have Mata. If you rest these kind of players you will be punished.

Last season we had Nasri, year before that we had Cesc, you cannot expect the whole team to score goals ati ndio useme its teamwork. RVP is not a playmaker he's a STRIKER who in almost all matches plays alone in front of goal so chances of him scoring in any match are very high. Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs all play with two strikers thats why you have different players scoring in matches. I'm sure if RVP was to leave Arsenal someone else within the club would rise to the occassion and be our saviour, that's how it works.

So many pundits predicted that Arsenal would cramble this season because they didn't buy "quality players", now that we seem to have recovered wana anza story ya one man team....si RVP is still our player. Did you notice how they all went quiet after City demolished Man Utd at OT?

Arsenal vs West Brom - 3:1
Blackburn vs Chelsea - 0:2
Liverpool vs Swansea - 2:0
Man Utd vs Sunderland - 2:0
QPR vs Man City - 1:4
Fulham vs Tottenham - 1:1

I expect gunners recovery to continue, the blues will be too much for Blackburn away notwithstanding. Liverpool should also easily win ditto manure. Man city QPR.....surely expecting QPR to beat or draw against the citizen is asking too much...Tottenham may falter at Craven Cottage...not sure which game may surprise us..

The old man about town, after 25yr and has no indication of retiring?? I think he has achieved enough and need to allow some younger man somewhere rise to the occassion..ama atakufia hapo kama mugabe.

Man Utd are without Cleverley (f*** Kevin Davies for that), Smalling, Young, Giggs and even Anderson is now a doubtful after picking u an injury in the Otelul game, no wonder he played crappy like that.

He should start Park and Fletcher in the middle of the ball park with Wellbeck and Rooney upfront, use Chicharito as an impact player. I understand Evra's bro died and he was given time off but I prefer Fabio nowadays at left back, great runs plus he falls back as required of a left back...Evra is too nonchalant letting in crosses from opposing wingers!

Rafael is also back in training but he should stick with Jones, Vidic and Rio/Evans.

I hope we've seen the last days of Carrick, I really don't know how Fergie bought the guy for 17M pounds!!!

Yet another weekend when Man U,Chelsea and asenane play at the same time. For this to keep happening, it looks like SOME CLUBS/MATCHES HAVE BEEN DOWNGRADED.