After over a year of being messed around by the company this blog is hosted by, it is finally on the move. This will be the last article posted here, bar reminders of the move, but the new site is ready to go, so please come and visit at http://thebeautifulgroan.com.

If you read this blog through Feedburner at http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheBeautifulGroan, don't worry, I've already updated the feed to point to the new site, so come to think of it, if you read that way, then you won't be reading this.....Ahem.

If you read through the RSS feed, you can redirect to http://thebeautifulgroan.com/feed/

Soon, this site will point at the new one, so any links should transfer automatically.

Hope to see you over at the new site. Until then, thanks for reading.

Arsenal 1 (Toure 86) Middlesbrough 1 (Aliadiere 25)

Ouch. For the fourth successive game, two points have been dropped in the sort of match that championship winners gobble up towards the end of the season. Birmingham, Wigan, Villa and now this.

Playing at home to a side who played three days earlier, and have not a lot to play for, when you've had a week to recharge, is exactly the sort of fixture you want before a run of quickfire top games. As it was, it proved to be a case of deja vu. Again.

It could have been so different, Adebayor scoring a perfectly legal goal after only a few minutes, when played through by Boateng. It is easy to slam a referee when you've played poorly, but this sort of thing isn't helping at the moment, especially when United went top earlier in the day with a late and offside goal of their own.

And it got worse, Aliadiere gaining the dubious benefit of the doubt this time to put Boro ahead against the run of play. But the static nature of the defending deserves more of the ire than the officials, with the old adage of playing to the whistle being criminally ignored. And how ironic that Aliadiere, having not scored a Premiership goal for us in five years, should get it now.

And although we had most of the play, we didn't create a lot, Eboue of all people looking the most dangerous, while still managing to infuriate by flopping in the box. Really, Wenger has to sort this troublesome idiot out - he must know that Eboue dives, and he must also know that his reputation has got to the level where he just isn't going to get penalties. Cut it out.

Up front, we were struggling, Adebayor having understandably lost some form with the burden he has been shouldering for much of the season, while Van Persie was equally understandably rusty. As a result, it was one of those games we just wanted to nick, there are too many players off the pace to blow teams away.

It took until Toure scored, slightly fortunately from a header, with only minutes to go to even salvage a point, and it's hard to say that we deserved all three. The result means United go top with a game in hand, which they'll play on Wednesday night against Bolton, who are unlikely to repeat their favour from earlier in the season. And then it's the start of the big run on Sunday.

There is no doubt that the momentum is slipping away, but it is equally frustrating to see the reactions of some fans aiming anger at Wenger for not strengthening in January, probably the same fans who predicted doom in the summer and then went quiet for the first few months of the season, only to resurface after defeats.

This league is far from over. Liverpool are firing at the moment and who would bet against Torres making an impact against United next weekend? We'd then have to chance to go top, and if there's one thing the last two seasons have taught us, it is against the top teams we play to our best.

So perhaps it's a good thing that we've got so many difficult fixtures coming up. My only real concern is that every single match will be incredibly intense, and I'm not sure our squad can cope with playing that sort of game every three days. Hleb and Adebayor seem tired, Flamini must be, while Rosicky's knack of taking three or four games to get back to form may mean he's peripheral for the rest of the season.

It is a concern. But we're still in the two competitions we want to be in, which is a massive improvement on last season. Now we just need to end this blip.

Wenger wanted a non-Premiership team, I wanted a non-Premiership team, but it was not to be, with Arsenal drawing Liverpool in this lunchtime's draw, leaving the clubs playing each other three times in a week at the start of April, bringing back memories of last season's back to back cup ties with the same opposition.

All of this means that after this weekend, our fixtures looks like this: Chelsea (a), Bolton (a), Liverpool (h), Liverpool (h), Liverpool (a), United (a). And all squeezed into twenty days. Talk about make or break.

If we get past Liverpool, you can almost certainly stick a couple more Chelsea fixtures on the end of that list, after they got their predictable soft draw of Fenerbahce. But we can't look that far yet - Liverpool may be miles behind in the league, but they haven't been close to Chelsea in a few seasons and still manage to consistently dump them out of Europe. With Torres in ridiculously good form, it could be a cracker.

Some people are dreading this run of matches. Not me. This time last season we were out of Europe, and without any motivation for the rest of the league campaign. This time, so much hinges on every one of these titanic battles, and it's the same for our rivals, with everyone at the top still due to play everyone else.

Let's get Boro out of the way tomorrow, have a week off, and then go at this with everything. April should be fun.

Hello from sunny California.

It's pretty difficult to get much in the way of football news over here. Baseball, ice hockey and poker seem to filling every channel, and the hotel internet is painfully slow. But there we go.

Having been in the dark about the Wigan game until about 24 hours after it happened, I spent most of Monday wishing that it had stayed that way. Eminently missable was the verdict I've heard most often.

So the question is - does this hand the initiative to United? Possibly, given that a win in their game in hand will see them go top now, and in fact after Chelsea's predictable demolition of Derby, they can pull back to within two points with a win in theirs. All three clubs now have destiny in their own hands, thanks to the fact that all will play each other.

But there are plenty of twists ahead. Sometimes you get to this stage of the season and wonder where the top clubs are going to drop points. But here's a neat fact for you - the only fixture the top five don't have to play against each other in Everton-United. All nine other combinations are left. And United still have to play Villa and Blackburn.

Any of those matches are dangerous. Dropped points are inevitable given that everyone has so much to fight for - and that's before you take into account the fact that relegation threatened sides tend to pull out the odd incredible performance at this stage of the season.

It is mid table sides you want to be playing, and that's where we'll start, trying to avenge our only Premiership defeat of the season when Boro come to town on Saturday. The good news is that we have no fresh injuries, and the return of van Persie means some of the weight is off Adebayor's exhausted shoulders. And speaking of freshness, Boro may be short of it having had to play Villa tonight in a tough game.

We haven't won in England since February 11, and a victory on Saturday is crucial given that four games that follow it - Chelsea, Liverpool and United wrapped around our usual joyous trip to Bolton.

Buckle up, this is what championship chasing is all about. It isn't supposed to be easy.

Short one today as I've not got much time.

After a tremendous week, it's back to the league, and while Wigan may feel like a comedown, it's an equally important game. Win, and we have the psychological advantage of a four point lead over United, who are tied up with the FA Cup. Drop points, and they'll know their game in hand can see them go top. It's big.

Walcott and Diaby have picked up knocks this week, and none of the injured parties are now available, so Rosicky, Toure and co all stay at home. Van Persie is still in the same position he was in on Tuesday - available but short of match practice, but he may start regardless, especially with 4-5-1 rendered impossible due to not having five fit midfielders.

But I'd expect a team of Almunia-Clichy-Gallas-Senderos-Sagna-Hleb-Gilberto-Flamini-Cesc-Bendtner-Adebayor with Van Persie coming off the bench. The pitch at the JJB is appalling, so it probably isn't the best game for the Dutchman's return.

I'm off to the States on Sunday, so will actually be in the air at the time of the match, unable to find the result until Monday. Bad planning all round.

Here's hoping I arrive to some good news. Until then.

Afternoon.

It is the day after the day after the night that was, and there is still a wonderful feeling of achievement around, after the vanquishing of the European champions AC Milan on Tuesday night. Instead of reflecting on what might have been, we are now looking forward with determination, first to Wigan this weekend, and then on to the Champions League quarter finals.

So far, Arsenal, United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Schalke, Fenerbahce and Roma have qualified. Liverpool will most likely join them, leaving the Premiership with four representatives, and no other league with more than one.

And it is a strong lineup. Schalke and Fenerbahce are the obvious weak links, so Chelsea will undoubtedly draw one of them, but are they really who we want anyway?

Two seasons ago we performed heroically against Real Madrid and Juventus, before scratching past Villareal and raising our game again against Barcelona in the final. Last season, the modest PSV, who Spurs will likely beat tonight, knocked us out before being exposed by Liverpool in the next round.

And this season, we supposedly got the hard draw in Milan, before dispatching them with a ruthless and fantastic performance on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Sevilla, our group winners, crashed out to Fenerbahce despite being strong favourites.

The Champions League is an unpredictable beast, and it seems Arsenal play to their best whenever the match requires it, especially against the top opposition. There is something about an illustrious opponent that you have yet to defeat that makes you raise your game to unprecedented levels. On the flip side, a stubborn but inferior opponent can force you out of your stride and unexpectedly send you packing.

So for me, Fenerbahce and Schalke aren't necessarily the dream draws. Of course we'll be favourites if we get one of them, but to me it is more important to avoid another of the Premiership sides. All three potential opponents from our domestic league would be difficult in Europe, even Liverpool with their stuttering domestic play. Give me a choice between Barcelona and a Premiership side, and I'd take the Spaniards.

With all four English representatives likely to be present in the quarter finals, them being kept apart is unlikely. Let's hope we avoid the inevitable combination.

Schalke won't win it. Fenerbahce won't win it. Roma aren't really good enough either, so Barcelona are now probably the only side capable of stopping a Premiership side lifting the trophy. When you consider that we are top of that particular league, you can see just why we are a true contender.

Give us Barca, I say.

Meanwhile, David 'odious' Bentley has decided to pitch into the club he claims to have left behind, by suggesting that Theo Walcott might have to leave Arsenal to save his career:

"If he is not getting the minutes at Arsenal, he's going to have to look elsewhere."

"Your career doesn't start and end at Arsenal. It can flourish somewhere else."

He's right, it can. But on the other hand, if you want to be part of something special, you won't run from the big club because you can't face the competition, you'll stay and become the integral part of a magical puzzle that the manager wants you to be.

Walcott is 18. He is in the best club in the world for promoting youngsters. Sure, he could shine at a lesser club, but how will he be a better player than if he sticks it out at Arsenal and waits for his moment? Anyone who has watched him recently can tell you that it is coming.

And it could've done for Bentley too, if he'd grown up and had the patience to wait for Pires and Ljungberg to step aside. He wasn't in their class, and he still isn't. Walcott, on the other hand, has a massive future at a massive club. Bentley has a future in midtable, which he unconsciously acknowledges:

"You want to play football for a start and you want to make money as well."

Ah yes, money. No mention of trophies, achievements or team accolades, which the top players strive for. No, he wants regular football and money. You're not missed, Bentley, don't worry about that.

Milan 0 Arsenal 2 (Fabregas 84, Adebayor 90)

Gone are the days when English sides run around like headless chickens in Europe, scaring their opponents for half an hour with the blistering ferocity and pace of the play, only to tire and get picked off by their more technically adept adversaries. Welcome instead to the days when controlled pace and skill wear down experienced campaigners until they buckle under the unrelenting pressure.

This was European football at its best, its classiest, and that is an accolade normally reserved for the now vanquished AC Milan. They are the experts, or at least they were until last night.

Attacking Milan in the San Siro whilst knowing that one slip, one mistake, and you could be facing the exit door against perhaps the best defence is Europe is an enormous ask. But Wenger talked about bravery and spirit, and it was there in abundance last night.

Once the first fifteen minutes had been negotiated, in which Cesc cleared a header away from the line and Milan looked threatening from set pieces, the Arsenal midfield took control. Flamini, Cesc, and more surprisingly Hleb were biting into tackles and fighting for every ball, and when Adebayor was needed as an outlet, he was able to outfox his markers for long enough to receive support, no moment more noticeable than when he somehow wriggled around Nesta before feeding Diaby, who shot wide.

As the half progressed, the home fans grew frustrated with the lack of possession their team was enjoying, while Fabregas began to spray the passes around with great effect. All too often though, Milan were getting the last ditch tackle or block in, so Kalac had little to do until Cesc cracked the bar with a superb swerving shot. Shortly after, Adebayor tested the big keeper with another rising drive.

While Arsenal were in total control of possession, Milan still had the players to threaten on the counter, and once Kaka had fed Pato, hearts went into mouths, but the young Brazilian chose not to smash home, instead trying to lift the ball over Almunia and making a mess of the execution. It was to be the best chance they got all night.

Arsenal didn't want half time, but if anything, the second half display was even more dominating. Senderos connected well with a half volley from a corner but struck it straight at Kalac, before Eboue fired wastefully wide when he was, for once, afforded the space by the otherwise excellent Maldini. As the match entered the last quarter, it was effectively a next goal wins scenario, and having missed so many chances, you wondered whether Milan were going to sneak it in true Italian style.

They wouldn't. After good work from Hleb, Cesc got the ball just past halfway, ran with it, and without much of a backlift fired from distance. Kalac hadn't set himself, was slow in getting down, and by the time he flung out a desperate hand the ball had skidded off the greasy surface and into the corner. A great strike, but the keeper will be disappointed with himself.

Nonetheless, it was the very least Arsenal deserved, and Milan were instantaneously killed off. The second and icing on the cake goal was almost inevitable, and it was suitable that it was Walcott setting it up, storming past Kalahdze despite giving the Milan man a huge headstart, and Adebayor finishing it off after Theo calmly slid it across goal. 2-0 was a fairer reflection on a masterclass performance.

The match, and the tie, was won in midfield. Every time Milan won the ball after an Arsenal attack, the advanced trio of Flamini, Cesc and Hleb were seen chasing back and beyond the counter attack, before winning the ball and charging forward again. Their energy was boundless, and it was no wonder Hleb looked exhausted when eventually substituted in the dying seconds. He'd given his all.

Eboue was better defensively, but offered little going forward and his shot was woeful, and while Diaby did his best on the left, you can't help but feel the returning Rosicky will be better suited there in future rounds.

The defence were magnificent. Senderos and Gallas stood tall and withstood everything thrown at them, while Clichy and Sagna gave classic wing back performances. Superb stuff, and that back four are looking extremely solid at the moment.

The referee was abysmal, and as I realised I would be writing that I hoped even more that an Arsenal win would prevent the predictable 'sour grapes' response. He really was dreadful - on so many occasions he refused to play a clear advantage, blew up for nothing, booked Hleb for diving when he was clearly fouled, booked Inzaghi and Clichy for nothing, got throw ins and corners wrong, and generally loved the sound of his own whistle. That such an open game was possible despite his frequent interruptions is a credit to both times. He could easily have ruined it.

But today is a day for positives. Those same pundits who were writing the team off days ago are now predicting league and European doubles. Their fickleness is transparent and while the talk of implosion was premature, so must the feet stay on the ground today. It was a wonderful night, but let's make it a wonderful week and go four points clear at the weekend.

And a final mention for Milan too, who lost with class. Their fans stayed behind to applaud the Arsenal players, and since then both Ancelotti and Kaka have admitted they were simply beaten by a better team. There is much respect there, gained through the course of two matches, and flowing both ways. I hope they qualify for next season's competition.

Enjoy your day after the night that was.

In the small matter of five hours, Arsenal will be taking on the European champions Milan in a delicately poised Champions League knockout match. That tells only a small portion of the story.

Arsenal are struggling for form domestically, but then Milan have been poor in Serie A all season too. Either side can step up their performance levels for these sorts of matches, as we saw in the first leg. Arsenal attacked with verve, Milan defended with class. It was one of the more fascinating goalless draws you'll see.

And it sets tonight up perfectly. Milan sometimes break away from their defensive and patient mindset (see their extra time victory over Celtic last season after 180 goalless minutes) to destroy a side in quick bursts, as they did in the opening stages against United last season. However, they did that safe in the knowledge that they had two away goals from the first leg - a United counter attack goal then would have caused less of a disaster than an Arsenal one would tonight.

If Milan score early, they have the expertise to defend and counter attack and Arsenal will be in trouble. If Arsenal score early, Milan will need to score twice and will open themselves up to speedy Arsenal counter attacks, which would stretch their ageing defence.

It is a common cliche that the first goal is crucial in big matches. But with both sides preferring to counter attack tonight, it is more vital than in any match in recent memory. In fact, I'd go as far as to say the first goal will probably win it - Milan can't batter our defence without conceding on the break, and Milan would probably be too canny if we had to do the same.

Team wise, it looks like Eboue will come in for Walcott, with Hleb operating at the front of a five man midfield, behind Adebayor. Van Persie is the impact sub, but don't expect too much from the man - I feel his real contribution will come after tonight. That said, if we get a free kick, right of centre, about 25 yards out.....

I'm backing Cesc to score in the first twenty, and silence the San Siro. Why? I think he's set up for another coming of age moment.

Enjoy it, wherever you are, if you can.

Barcelona could be such a great club. Hordes of attacking talent, some of the best players in the world, and a style of football that at best is breathtaking.

But off the pitch, the are the most egotistical and arrogant club around. Barely a day goes by when they, and the Spanish media that the can control, don't tap up one world star or another. We all know how tiresome it was with Henry, and as soon as he left we knew Cesc was their next target.

After numerous comments in the press about how he 'had a responsibility' to return, they finally seemed to have grasped the point - he is Arsenal through and through. But instead of reacting maturely, they've sunk to the level of a kid who isn't invited to a friend's birthday party, and retaliates. When asked whether Fabregas would be welcomed back, technical secretary Begiristain had this to say:

"There is always a risk when you decide to leave Barcelona and the fact is that he cannot return"

Has he given any indication of wanting to return? He left Barca, remember, joining a club who would play him regularly from a very young age. He signed an eight year deal which handed power to his employers and became a true Gooner. But that doesn't stop the bitterness:

Arsenal 1 (Bendtner 90) Aston Villa 1 (Senderos og 28)

So much for a backlash. Arsenal's performance yesterday was extremely poor, while Villa looked strong, quick and clever, and to their credit attacked with numbers whenever possible. Credit to their team, that is, rather than credit to their fans, who let themselves down with some appalling Eduardo chants, vile and unnecessary given how most clubs have wished the Croatian a speedy recovery.

On the pitch, Walcott started up front, and forced good saves from Scott Carson at the start of both halves, but other than that the opposing keeper had little to do - Hleb forcing a routine save and Cesc missing a chance that Adebayor tried too hard to supply to his right foot were about the sum of things.

And by then, Villa were ahead. The goal was unfortunate on Senderos - Agbonlahor's cross hit his shins and rebounded in, with Carew lurking behind the Swiss defender to apply the finish if necessary. But Villa were causing havoc on a regular basis, with their pacey forwards counter attacking with real menace whenever they had the ball, and Almunia was making impressive saves to keep the deficit at one.

As the second half wore on, the situation became more and more desperate, and it was a surprise when the equaliser finally came, four minutes into injury time. Clichy's cross was aimed at Adebayor, and for once the Villa defence slacked, too many men got drawn to the big man, leaving Bendtner free to slot home his knockdown. To say the point was merited would be stretching things - in reality Villa probably deserved all three points.

But having been so cruelly denied in the last minute last week, it is incredible to witness the different scenes when you are the ones who score so late. This point not only keeps us ahead of a resurgent United, but it might just give the players the lift they needed. Getting Van Persie, Toure and Rosicky back is also important, because our squad is not as deep as United's, and many more injuries, in creative positions especially, and we could be in trouble.

Perversely, it might help our league challenge if we went out on Tuesday night. But on the flip side, the season was reinvigorated with a victory in the Bernabeu two years ago. What price another one, in the San Siro this time, providing the launching pad?