- Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh is facing showdown talks with a furious manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger is furious with Chamakh after the striker was pictured holding a shisha pipe hours after Arsenal's defeat at QPR.
The Morocco forward was snapped with fellow countryman Adel Taarabt, who had earlier scored against the Gunners, with pipes on Saturday.
Smoking shisha is not illegal in the UK; nevertheless Wenger is angry with the behaviour of his striker given his side - minus the out-of-favour Chamakh - had slumped to a surprise 2-1 defeat.
- Arsenal ace Robin van Persie says the top four battle will bring out the best in the players.
Van Persie claims having to face Manchester City next Sunday and with Chelsea also to come to the Emirates will bring out the best in Arsenal.
Van Persie said: “We have seven more games to play and I believe we can come third. It won’t be easy, everyone is fighting for every point and our opportunity is next week against Man City. We have to go for it and believe and we will.
“It is a shame we have to wait eight days for the game against Manchester City but it is how it is. It is a big blow but we have to look forward and the next one is a big one.
“Even last week when we were three points ahead (of Spurs) with eight games we never thought it was done. Chelsea won and came closer but we have to look at ourselves.
“Everyone is disappointed but towards the end of the week I am sure the spirit will be how it was. We’ll have a couple of days to be disappointed but after that our focus is on Manchester City.
“They are second but drew against Sunderland so they will need the points. We have seven big games to play but if you look at the big name teams then we have City and Chelsea. As a fan of football I always like to play those games and one of them is next week.”
- Arsenal’s Theo Walcott believes Ryo Miyaichi will benefit greatly from his loan spell with Bolton.
The 19-year old Japanese winger has already made nine appearances for the Trotters in both the Premier League and the FA Cup and has impressed with some dazzling displays which have netted him one goal and two assists.
Walcott admits Ryo may have been negatively affected by the recent incident involving Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba who suffered cardiac arrest a few weeks ago but suggests the short-term deal at the Reebok Stadium will only make him a better player.
“Ryo has done very well at Bolton,” the in-form Walcott said.
“It is hard for such a young kid to go there and do what he is doing, showing no fear with everything that happened at Tottenham [with Muamba]. It is hard and it has probably hit him definitely.
“He will be a better person for it, a better player and I can see him coming back here next year and playing a lot more regularly.
“The way he is playing, there are full backs out there now who are thinking, 'I don't want to play against him this week'.”
- RENNES midfielder Yann M'Vila has issued a come and get me plea to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
The talented 21-year-old will snub big money moves to Inter Milan and Real Madrid to join Wenger at Arsenal.
The £35m-rated midfielder believes Wenger would be the man to help him achieve international stardom.
He said: "If the coach calls you and tells you he wants you to make you play, especially a French coach, it changes everything.
"The important thing for me is getting playing time for the France team."
M'Vila has three years remaining on his Rennes contract but manager Frederic Antonetti has already admitted the player was likely to leave this summer.
"Yann M'Vila won't be a Rennes player next season," he said.
M'Vila could join Lukas Podolski at Arsenal, with the striker understood to have agreed the formalities of an £11million move from Cologne.
- Arsenal reserves coach Neil Banfield was delighted with Conor Henderson's return last week.
Henderson returned to action last week in a friendly against Reading after eight months out with a knee injury.
"Conor came on for Abou Diaby and it was nice to see him playing again," Banfield said. "It is always hard after a cruciate injury but he did fine.
"He will have more involvement over the next few weeks and is working towards getting ready for the Newcastle game [on April 10].
"Conor has been a prospect for some years, but he has been hindered by these injuries. It is tough to take at the time, but he will have come through it stronger and hopefully he will have an injury-free career now."
- Esperance Tunis midfielder Youssef Msakni says he does not know much about proposed interest from Arsenal.
The 21-year old, who has confirmed interest from French giants Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, suggests that any links between he and
the Gunners are merely speculation.
"The club president here told me that PSG have shown an interest," he said.
"He has not told me if there is an offer or how much the club want for me, so I am trying to stay calm.
"I have also heard that Lille are keen, but again there is nothing concrete.
"To go to Arsenal would be fantastic, but I have only read about that in the newspapers."
