Weekend preview and a petition to sign

First things first, I would like to draw your attention to this, which is a petition for the government and the FA to closely examine the joke that is the current ‘fit and proper person’ test for controlling members of football clubs.

I would urge you to consider putting your name to it, as the problem of shady individuals getting involved in the running of a football club, for reasons potentially far more sinister than enabling eleven men to be more successful, is growing, and not just at Arsenal.

It is a worry that stretches beyond Arsene Wenger’s concern that English football is losing its soul, and is becoming more pertinent by the day as we receive news that Usmanov has raised his stake in the club to 23%.

Looking forward, however, and the weekend sees a return to Upton Park, where we lost poorly last season to a West Ham side who have since improved, and are seemingly playing more as a team this time around. Add to that the excellent Dean Ashton, who is coming back to fitness with a couple of goals, and a win would be a fantastic result.

But the way the team are playing at the moment, they’ll be disappointed with anything else. A draw wouldn’t surprise me, although at the back of my mind I am aware that a rested Van Persie is ready to win us matches again.

It is one year ago this weekend, that RVP scored that volley against Charlton. I know the date, because I happened to be getting married at the time, and caught the goal on a good friend’s mobile phone shortly after the final whistle. If you’ve forgotten just how good it was, enjoy this: