While Arsenal could really do with the clubs above us and around us in the Premier League table having a few slips and dropping some points, the only thing we can really do ourselves is to keep winning games in order to keep up the pressure and to put ourselves in the position to take advantage if and when they do, which makes our away game against AFC Bournemouth tomorrow another must win match.
It is not likely to be easy though, especially after the Cherries won their last match by 3-0 and will have had an extra day to rest and recover. It may only have been against the EPL’s bottom club Swansea City but it will have given our opponents a nice boost as it keeps them in the top half of the league and was their third win in six games and a rare three points on the road.
At home Bournemouth are better and have recorded famous victories over Liverpool and Leicester in the last month, while they also held Tottenham to a draw earlier in the season, so Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players must be ready for a tough test on the south coast or we could easily come up short.
Bob.
They’re tough… But at home they’ll surely attack which will leave us counter-attacking opportunities. I’d like to see the Ox have a start, I think this game should suit him.
I think Scorpion King needs to sit this one out. Like the above comment says there will be opportunities for quick breaks. Alexis will play and is showing no signs of tiring, unless his few strops in last game was due to mental tiredness, but you still think like how can he keep going like that. I think Ox will play, so it’s the far wing I’m not sure who will start. It could be Perez again, unless Ozil is fit, then you’d reckon Iwobi.
We have to win this game, simple as that and we need to fight for 90+ minutes. We should look to be clinical and start fast. There is a risk we might tire in the second half so a slow start would be risky. We also have to rotate cleverly to bring some energy into the squad. If Ozil is still not available we should consider Ramsey behind Ox/Iwobi – Sanchez – Perez.