Wow, Arsenal look like they could just about enter the championship race. With all their rivals faltering, at one point with a deficit as much as 11 points, they are now 4 points from the summit with a game in hand, and allied to a very impressive home form of 8 wins out of 9 with 28 scored, this team may just mount a challenge on the home front.

Starting without their captain Fabregas who was on the bench against a strong Aston Villa side that won in London last year, Arsenal showed their good and bad. The passing ability is one of the best, up there with Barcelona-Benfica-Roma, the angles they can create and ability to think 3 moves before getting the ball is impressive. However as in the past, without shooting, Arsenal will not score, and for 45 mins, they passed Villa to submission, but couldn't break down the final barrier of the Villa defence that sat deep.

Fabregas came on at the 58min mark, and by the time he was withdrawn at the 84 min mark, he had secured 3 points for his team. On 65 mins, he drew a foul, and from outside the box, curled the ball into the bottom corner to make it 1-0, the second, he somehow managed to keep pace with Walcott who fed him, and he curled the ball around Friedel to make it 2-0. His hamstring went again, but with it went Villa's hopes in the game.

Diaby netted an impressive 3rd to seal the deal. Arsenal are very lucky indeed to have Fabregas, few players can come on and be so decisive and take responsibility, and as much quality as he has, it will be a big fight to keep him in London. Those who think he won't leave to sit on the bench for Barcelona should think again, on this form, even if he starts on the bench, it is a matter of time until he pushes the incumbents for a starting role, and who wouldn't want to play with Messi? Awesome, but worrying times indeed for Arsenal.

As for Villa, they need a genuine Plan B. Plan A of sitting deep and counter attacking works when you have a lead, but once they went behind and had to take risks and build attacks through passes, they couldn't. They need more passers and not just counter attackers, they have 3 target men, they need a creative striker, they have many crossers on the flank and lately Milner in the middle, they need a 'Fabregas' or 'Diaby' type who can power through or spot a pass. if they do not find that Plan B, they run the risk of Liverpool and Manchester City eclipsing their good work so far this season.