Goodbye Andrei!

Give him a ball and a yard of grass,

He'll give you a move with a perfect pass.

Give him a ball and a yard of space,

He'll give you a pass with godly grace.

I am going to miss Andrei Arshavin. He might have left Arsenal distraught and overweight and the club most probably won’t suffer because of his departure. But I will miss him nonetheless.

I am not going to discuss what went wrong with his Arsenal career. Maybe it was because he was played out of position. Maybe he was uninspired by Arsenal’s slump. Maybe he was past his prime.  Or maybe it's because he was just plain lazy.

I don’t care about that anymore.

The reason I love Arshavin so much is this. There are many players who I keep wishing Arsenal would sign up. But the Russian happens to be the only one from that list that Arsenal actually went ahead and signed. For a club record!

I first saw him play for Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup final. He set up both goals in the 2-0 win. Then, at the Euros, where he dazzled everyone with his pace and imagination. Holland were favourites till Arshavin singlehandedly ripped them apart in the quarterfinals. After shining at the international stage, a move to England or Spain was imminent and there were rumours of a January bid from Arsenal. I never thought it would happen though.

I still remember how the transfer deadline was extended because of the unrelenting snow and how, against all odds, the little Russian put pen to paper and joined Arsenal. I remember the first interview too, where on being asked about Arsenal’s recent goal drought, he cheekily said, “I am here now!”

Things didn’t pan out too well for him. After a promising start, he fell out of favour. Initially making headlines through goals and assists, feints and dribbles, it was his refusal to track back, his lack of application in training and his expanding waistline that later made the news. But I still didn’t give up on him. I’ll tell you why…

When Arsenal desperately needed a goal and there were 20 odd minutes left on the clock, bringing Arshavin on was never a bad move. (In the Manchester United game, his entry wasn’t booed; the fans were protesting Chamberlain being subbed off). Arshavin could be out of form or returning from injury or on a goalless streak, but you still wouldn’t be surprised if he set up a goal or scored it himself.

Face it! If it wasn’t for Arshavin’s precise cross, Thierry Henry wouldn’t have scored that late, late winner against Sunderland. Arsenal wouldn’t have had the much needed 3 points. And Henry wouldn’t have had his fairy tale finish to his EPL career. Yes! In his last Arsenal appearance, Arshavin came on in the 87^th minute and still managed to set up the winner.

The departure is untimely but it is ironic too. For someone who arrived after the transfer deadline, it is only fair that he should leave after it too. His stint at Arsenal might not be the most memorable but it had its moments.

He scored some real beauties in an Arsenal shirt. His maiden goal against Blackburn. The four against Liverpool.  The long ranger against Manchester United. His fifth at Anfield. The late brace against Atletico Madrid. And of course, the winner against Barcelona.

Goodbye Andrei. Thank you for all the memories!

Shut the **** up!

There's nothing worse than the feeling of utter helplessness. Knowing you're the better side and still being at  the wrong end of the scorecard. As the away crowd jeers and boos your lot. Anger welling up inside you.

But there's nothing much you can do about it. Time is running out. Faith seems to have done so a long time ago.

But then again, how much time does one need for a moment of magic. If that's all it takes to silence those bastards, why not? Ask for the ball, take a touch, feint past one marker, get past another, take one more touch and let rip. Wait for a second to watch it sail into the far corner. Before you wheel away in goalscoring glory.

Then comes the customary finger to the lips as you approach the enemy. STFU, y'all!

It's up for grabs now!

Hours remain before Arsenal take on Birmingham City at Wembley. Their first final since that fateful day in Cardiff in 2007. Six summers have passed since Patrick Vieira's last kick in Arsenal colours gave his side their last taste of silverware.

For a man who has won 3 Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups, Arsene Wenger has unfortunately had to spend a good part of the last half a dozen seasons baring the brunt of Arsenal's inability to win trophies. It's high time that stopped and just like his players, he will be desperate to get his hands on the trophy.

A cruel game football is as Cesc Fabregas will not get to captain his side for a cup final having pulled a hamstring in their previous tie. Theo Walcott, who opened his Arsenal account with a goal in the aforementioned final in 2007, is also out with an ankle sprain.

In Cesc's absence, Robin van Persie will lead his side out with a chance to finally win something. He will be flanked by the back-in-from Andrey Arshavin and Nicklaus Bendtner, who replaces Walcott. Birmingham will be especially wary of van Persie who is enjoying his best form in Arsenal colours with 12 goals in his last 12 outings. Arshavin's last goal was a winner against Barcelona and it doesn't take a goal to boost Bendtner's confidence.

Jack Wilshere and Alex Song will keep their place in the midfield while Samir Nasri will fill in for Fabregas. Wilshere, in his first full season, seems unfazed and has been in sparkling form and will look to put in another assured performance while Song will look to assert his influence in the midfield. While it is no mean feat to replace Fabregas, if there is anyone who can do it, it is Nasri, Arsenal's topscorer and best player this season.

Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny will continue at the back and will be supported by Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy. While the former two are steadily turning into a formidable defensive partnership, Sagna has been one of Arsenal's most outstanding players this season and Clichy kept Pedro Rodriguez quiet for 90 minutes just 10 days ago, something that will bode well for him in the final. Wojciech Szczesny will keep his place in goal. From playing for Brentford to taking on Barcelona in the space of a season and following it up with a cup final appearance ten days later is no ordinary feat for a 20-year-old, but then again this is no ordinary 20-year-old.

Arsenal have plenty of experience on the bench and if required can call up on the services of Marouane Chamakh, Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby, among others.

Birmingham play a physical game and will look to hoof the ball to their forwards. Cameron Jerome and Nikola Zigic are their two best players while Obafemi Martins lends more venom to the attack. Their midfield will have three former Arsenal players, Alexander Hleb, David Bentley and Sebastian Larrson. Each of them will have a point to prove to Wenger. Defenders Stephen Carr, Liam Ridgewell and Lee Bowyer will look to taunt the Arsenal players and nothing needs to be said about Ben Forster in goal.

Arsenal have already beaten Birmingham twice this season and despite the jitters of playing in a final, should make it three out of three. A win over Stoke City, another physical team who primarily attack with long balls, in their previous tie should hold them in good stead.

The recent inability to cross the final hurdle and the six-year barren streak will affect Arsenal mentally. They will also be weighed down by the favourites tag while Birmingham will relish being the underdogs, having last won a trophy in 1963. But if Arsenal keep their nerves, the obvious divide in class between the two sides will take them to victory.

Much has been said about how in these interim years Arsenal's maturity and resolve has  increased and how they believe that now they can go all the way. There has been a lot of talk about the evident potential in the youthful squad and how one trophy would unlock the doors to impending success in coming years. But the time for talk is over.

It's up for grabs now!