I thought I’d have a read of a few Arsenal blogs to get me in the mood for the game this afternoon – and after seeing their optimism simply rain down the computer screen I’m rather wishing I hadn’t.

You would expect a side that has endured some patchy league form and slipped alarming down the table to the extent they are in a real dogfight just to qualify for next season’s Champions’ League to be a little restless, perhaps nervous. The fans that is – the players should always believe in their ability.

Not a bit of it. Wrighty thinks Fulham could be in trouble.

I think an early goal could be key. If we get a quick goal the Emirates and the players will be buzzing and confidence will be high.

Someone is due a hiding from Arsenal. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at a scoreline and thought to myself, “have that!”

Fulham are difficult opponents but I think an early goal, plenty of Arsenal pressure and Arsenal wanting to atone for that defeat early in the season could result in Fulham being in trouble today.

It seems Arsenal Vision has been reading the same tea leaves.

I expect an early goal for a change and that will change the game all together for both teams, once we have goal then the team can relax and the confidence will come flooding back into the players.

I like the idea of Arshavin nipping in between defenders to poke the ball past the keeper for the first goal of the game, a kinda Ljungberg goal of old creeps into my mind.

Right that is just about the size of it for now, here is to three points and hopefully some slip ups from Villa and Chelsea.

A Cultured Left Foot wants a repeat of our trip to Old Trafford.

Andrei Arshavin will return to the side following his midweek rest, perhaps more prepared for a longer turn-out than the sixty minutes or so he got against Sunderland. Certainly, he will hoping for a more productive outcome for the team. That will not necessarily be so straightforward although it would be nice if Fulham rolled over in the same manner that they did at Old Trafford recently.

And East Lower thinks we’ll be ultra defensive.

So what can we expect? I reckon it’s pretty obvious. Fulham won’t take us on at our own game, they’ll bring their Routemaster and slot it in front of the goal, and who can blame them? So we’ll need to find a way of breaking them down, preferably upping the urgency before the 75th minute.

They might be right, of course, but Roy won’t care if his tactics as perceived as negative. He’s said that he’ll be playing with two strikers and AJ and Bobby Zamora have really gelled as a partnership. I’m confident we’ll create chances – it’s just Arsenal haven’t stuck a few past anyone in a long time. Today could be their day. In that case, we’ll have to take everything that comes our way.