The Emirates Cup is quickly turning into an indicator that the serious football is about to begin, and having managed to snare a ticket to day one, I’ve had an earlier than usual look at our squad situation, in the flesh. And despite Milan coming back to snatch a 1-1 draw, I’ve come away feeling extremely positive about the season ahead. Here’s why:

1. Chamakh. Wenger’s first signing of the year looks to be a belter. Looked lively throughout, scored a composed goal, and the standing ovation he was afforded when substituted in the second half said it all. But his end product was only half the story - I spent a few minutes just watching his movement, the way he was dragging Milan defenders this way and that, and any opponent of his is going to be in for a tough time this season. We knew he was good in the air, but he is intelligent, calm, and decent on the deck too, capped by one outrageous piece of skill where he controlled a forty yard pass with a Cruyff turn. Not bad for a free transfer.

2. Koscielny. Prior to the game, all I could focus on was how scrawny our new centre half is. And while true, watching him in action makes you realise that although he needs hours in the gym, he could become a terrific defender once his physical stature improves. And to be fair, he was biting into tackles in a way that made him seem more imposing than his slight frame would suggest. Excellent reading of the game, pacey, and on this evidence, first choice. Wenger still has time to demote him with a new signing, but he appears to be ahead of Djourou in the pecking order, and capable of forming a solid partnership with Vermaelen.

3. Cesc is staying. I cannot for one second agree with anyone who thinks we would be better off with a boatload of cash.

4. Much of our forward line is still to return. Milan are known for their defensive tenacity, and while some of that discipline is missing in pre-season, it was still very encouraging to see how often we stretched them without Cesc, Van Persie and Bendtner available. Bear in mind that the trio, along with Arshavin, were expected to create everythinglast season, and you can see the shift. That said, we could do with Van Persie or Bendtner firing early in the season to take some of the pressure away from Chamakh – once he was taken off, we looked lightweight up front.

5. Nasri looks ready to step up. It is easy to forget that the Frenchman had no pre-season last year, missing the early stages of the campaign with a broken leg. But his performances over the last couple of weeks, coupled with some from early in 2010, suggest that this year could be his breakthrough year.

6. Wilshere is not going out on loan. Confirmed by Wenger, the 18 year old will now be given chances in the first team that many believe are overdue. There is no doubting we’ve been careful with young Jack, and rightly so, but having impressed with Bolton last season, he has proven himself ready for Premiership action. Had Joe Cole been signed, another loan may have been on the cards, but at ten years Cole’s junior, Wilshere is the long term option.

7. Competition for places. I should caveat this point by saying injuries may dictate the team, but it is an oft spoken truth that you need two players for every slot in the team. Gibbs and Clichy look set to battle for the left back berth, a fit Djourou will be itching to play, Eboue will challenge Sagna, Frimpong was excellent again and may have moved ahead of Eastmond to be Song’s understudy, and the wealth of attacking midfielders will all be looking to stake their claims. Up front, we have three able to lead the line, and even more to play just behind. Any position without injuries will be hard fought.

Plenty to be positive about there, but there are still some concerns. We are only just heading into August, so any issues have time to be resolved, but a few things still worry me:

1. Defending set pieces. You could see it coming, and Milan aren’t even as proficient from set plays as many we will face this season. But once again a simple ball defeated three defenders, and a free header was planted past Fabianski, who I feel was blameless. It is a weakness that persists, and to resolve it we need to stop allowing strikers to make the runs they want. Pato was free to do as he pleased.

2. The keeper situation. In fairness, Fabianski did nothing wrong, but then he actually had nothing to do – no chance for the goal or when his crossbar was struck, and no other notable saves to make. More and more it seems he may become our first choice, and while I’ve backed him vigorously in the past, that still makes me nervous.

3. Lack of centre halves. To be fair, I’m less concerned about this because Wenger himself acknowledges the need to strengthen, but we need to get any new player in quickly because otherwise we are left with Vermaelen, aninjury prone Djourou and Koscielny, who could still be raw (asking him to make Vermaelen’s instant impact is unfair). For me, we need someone powerful to prevent the likes of Stoke running amok, and quickly.

Overall, I’m feeling hugely positive. Two out of three issues can be solved with the pair of signings we all want – centre back and keeper – and an improvement in both departments may also help eradicate our weakness against set pieces. In addition, the presence of Chamakh means our keepers finally get practice against a striker who is a real threat in the air. They’ll need it.

Next up, Celtic.

I’ve been getting increasingly frustrated reading the press and blogs this week. Certain consistently reasonable sites excepted, there has been a glut of unnecessary complaining, ranging from us being merely Barcelona-lite (hardly the most pointed insult) to demands for a complete squad overhaul.

Some would have you believe that our season is over already, and are already going through the process of deciding who we should buy and sell in the summer. Hang on a second. We’re three points off the pace in the Premiership – we have plenty left to play for. Isn’t the summer madness long and painful enough without starting a month early?

I haven’t done one of these lists for a while, but I decided to because a) they don’t actually take that long and I’m pushed for time tonight, and b) I wanted to remind people why there are plenty of reasons to stay positive. Here we go.

1) We got as far in the Champions League as any English club, further than Chelsea and miles beyond Liverpool.

2) We may have been ultimately outclassed by Barcelona, but we gave them a scare, which is more than most, and we did it by playing football, not by using underhand tactics. They are the likely, and deserving, champions.

3) On Wednesday, we could celebrate St Totteringham’s Day at White Hart Lane. Having won the league there a few years back, it would be another reason to chuckle at the expense of our neighbours.

4) We have had more injuries than last season, yet have improved domestically. What does that say about those that stayed fit? How much have they improved?

5) We have a manager with class. Tony Pulis can continue his personal vendetta by spouting all sorts of nonsense in the press, but his team are filled with players who break legs and fight with each other, so what kind of moral code do you expect? Wenger, rightly, is keeping quiet and letting our football do the talking.

6) No matter how bad things get, put yourself in Liverpool’s shoes. Having spent far more than we have, they are sixth in the Premiership, they lost in the League Cup to our kids, to a Championship side at home in the FA Cup, went out of the Champions League in the group stage, and have warring owners. Oh, and a manager who is probably off in the summer.

7) Van Persie, Djourou and Gibbs may all play before the end of the season.

8) We are signing a player in the summer who keeps scoring crucial goals for Bordeaux, both domestically and in crucial European games. And we aren’t paying a penny for him.

9) Our financial approach is sustainable, and our debt manageable, unlike the rest of the Premiership’s top brass.

10) We have a team spirit this season that hasn’t been matched in some years, largely because certain negative influences (here’s looking at you Adebayor) have gone. The fight is there for all to see.

No-one is pretending that everything is perfect. I know certain things have to change, and my guess is that Wenger does too. But the way some people are talking, you would think that we were tenth in the league, not in with a chance of lifting the title. I guess some people prefer to moan than look at the obvious evidence in front of them that says we’ve improved dramatically in a year.

Stay happy. We’ve got Spurs to teach a lesson to on Wednesday.

1. The governing bodies have finally succeeded in stacking the deck so firmly in favour of the major footballing nations that it is almost impossible for them not to qualify. Portugal won just two of their first seven games, but still managed to reach the playoffs simply because over the course of such a long group, they had time to recover. Now that FIFA have decided to seed the playoffs (at the last minute), they are firm favourites to qualify, undeservedly.

Italia 90 was my first World Cup, and I remember the old format – groups of four with one qualifier, groups of five with two, and since there was a lack of genuine minnows (no San Marinos back then), all the games were tough. France, Denmark and, ironically, Portugal failed to qualify despite having far better records against far tougher opposition than the Portuguese have managed this time around.

2. If the European system is bad, then the South American is a joke. Argentina lost six games and still qualified. How can a small nation possibly overachieve for eighteen games and qualify?

3. Argentina might have qualified, but under Maradona they are no threat for the World Cup itself. They look utterly disjointed, lacking in any tactical plan, and reliant on a couple of individuals to fire them through. Look at their team on Wednesday – some of it was excellent (Messi, Mascherano, Higuain), but the rest aren’t likely to scare anyone. Romero, Otamedi, and di Maria are all inexperienced, Veron will be 35 in March, and Guiterrez is hardly lighting up the Championship with Newcastle. And with Maradona in charge, there is always scope for crazy selections – Aguero wasn’t even on the bench.

4. David Beckham looks like an idiot. Seriously, what is with the caveman look?

5. Mind you, he can still play a bit, and will surely go to South Africa. But giving him the man of the match award for a half an hour appearance is a slap in the face for the rest of the players.

6. What has happened to Romania? Once a force in world football, they ended fifth in their group, sandwiched in between Lithuania and the Faroes, having been hammered 5-0 by Serbia at the weekend. Gheorghe Hagi must be despairing.

7. Croatia have fallen a long way since Euro 2008 too, where they were seconds away from the semi final. Ukraine’s inevitable victory over Andorra put them out, and to add insult to injury, neighbours Serbia won France’s group and even Bosnia have made the playoffs.

8. Egypt are doing their best to continue their woeful qualifying record – they haven’t played in the competition since 1990, despite winning the African Nations Cup three times since (twice, ironically, in the year of World Cups they failed to reach – 1998 and 2006). They must now beat Algeria, their undefeated group leaders, by three goals in the final match to qualify. A two goal victory would actually see both sides finish with identical records, and a 3-1 victory would cancel out the scoreline Algeria won their first meeting by, and would result in the drawing of lots.

9. The FIFA World Rankings are a joke. Looking at the top 25 to see who had surprisingly failed to qualify, you’ll find Croatia in ninth, which is a fair reflection of their recent success, the Czechs in 18th after a woeful campaign, Bulgaria in 19th, and then, in 22nd, Israel. Israel??? Fourth behind Switzerland, Greece and Latvia (who are, incidentally, way down in 47th, two places behind Gabon) in the current group, they also came fourth in qualifying for Euro 2008, and haven’t played in a major tournament since their one and only appearance in the World Cup in 1970. Why are they up in 22nd?

10. International fortnights stretch on painfully. Okay, we already knew that one.

At last, it is over, and from tomorrow, the real football returns. I’ll be previewing that later. Until then, enjoy your Friday.

I’m finding it increasingly difficult to take this transfer window seriously. Other than a couple of stories with potential, it seems that the media are either making up outlandish rumours, or rehashing the stupid ones they used a year ago. Here are ten Arsenal rumours that bear no relation to reality:

1. Eboue to Inter Milan. Starting with one that the media are blameless for, we have Eboue, having a terrible season but apparently coveted by Inter. Now, all Mourinho probably remembers Eboue for is breaking John Terry’s foot, and that alone isn’t likely to appeal. This seems to be a classic case of an agent making a player believe he is a lot better/more desired than he really is.

2. Yaya Toure from Barcelona. Brother already at the club – check. Plays in a position we’re short in – check. Perfect story! Except for the fact that if Wenger had ever wanted the younger Toure, he would already have him. He’s had plenty of chances to sign Yaya, including a trial a few years ago, and this story is just pure media laziness.

3. Charles N’Zogbia from Newcastle. “It’s my dream to play for Arsenal”. Big whoop, it’s mine too, but unfortunately, I’m a bit rubbish, and so are you, Charles.

4. Tevez from MSI. If United don’t intend to buy Tevez, some are saying he’ll leave in January. First off, why would he leave in January when his loan runs until the summer? And secondly, if United don’t want to pay 32 million for him, there’s no way we will.

5. Cesc and RVP to Barcelona for 45m. Another classic media syndrome – when journalists continue to out do each other until the lie is so fanciful it is reported as a ’story’. Snore.

6. Diaby to Inter. Another apparent exit as part of the ‘crisis exodus’, Arsenal are apparently going to sell a man they are currently showing a lot of faith in. Okay then.

7. David Villa from Valencia. Yes, they’re in financial trouble, and yes, they probably will sell. But not until the summer.

8. Walcott anywhere. There are various rumours flying around that Walcott will walk at the end of the season for free, so will instead be sold early. This is frankly ridiculous.

9. Wenger to Real Madrid. What genius keeps thinking of this one? Wenger loves the stability and backing at Arsenal, and constantly says how managing Real would not be for him. So why the constant rumours?

10. Okay, so there are only nine.

I was sorely tempted to add Arshavin in as number ten, because I find myself having serious doubts as to whether we’re actually that interested. I wouldn’t be surprised if Spurs or Man City came in with 18m-20m and snapped him up, and I’m not even entirely sure Wenger would be that fussed.

But as for the rest, it strikes me that the press can’t even be bothered to make up new stories anymore. I’m slightly surprised we haven’t had more stories about Frey, Given, Buffon and Trezeguet.

February can’t come soon enough.

1. Arsenal managed 71 points from 38 games played in 2008, with 36 from the last 18 of last season, and 35 from the first 20 of this. 71 points in a league season has always been comfortably enough to finish in the top four, which suggests that we are well on the way to Champions League football next season. Chelsea had the best 2008, with 86 points.

2. Despite many predicting that Villa will break the Big Four hold, they actually only managed 58 points in 2008, far fewer than the big teams, because they amassed only 20 points in 18 games at the end of last season. Given that their squad is no bigger this time around, and that their European interest is still strong, it would not be a surprise for history to repeat itself and their challenge to fade.

3. Statistics would actually point to Everton being the closest challengers to the big teams this season, after amassing 64 points in 2008. They’ve done it before, back in 2005, but have to come from behind to do it this time, unlike that season.

4. We have kept clean sheets in only fourteen of 38 games, only around a third, which is plainly not good enough. Proportionally however, we managed the same in the first half of 2008 as the second half, which actually suggests that the oft-mooted reason of Flamini leaving in the summer may not be the whole story.

5. We have failed to score four times in 2008, against Wigan last season, and Fulham, Villa and Man City this. Four in 38 is not too bad, but the opposition the shut outs have come against have been a surprise.

6. Fourteen times in 2008 we scored in a Premiership match but didn’t win it. On three of those occasions we managed two goals without winning, while that match against Spurs saw our four goals still not bring the points home.

7. Of the fourteen matches we scored in but did not win, we actually led in nine of them, but could not hold on to the advantage. No other big side lets leads slip as often as us.

8. The often spoken points target of 40 points to avoid relegation is now a myth. Last season six clubs failed to reach the magic number, while 36 was enough to save Fulham. This season should be similar, with Bolton 11th and still only heading for 43 points. 36-37 should be enough once again in the closest relegation battle in years.

9. Perhaps the biggest unheralded success story of 2008 has been Wigan. In the drop zone this time last year, they have managed 52 points in the calendar year and in only 37 games. If they keep that up they’ll be in Europe next term.

10. Arsenal finally managed to win again at Stamford Bridge, and mirrored the 2003/04 success by coming from behind to triumph 2-1. And that season’s team did okay, really…