We have seen in recent years that Arsenal can be a little bit guilty of looking over our shoulders and either worrying too much about the teams chasing us in the Premier League or perhaps allowing a little bit of complacency to creep into our game.
Our acting captain and centre back Laurent Koscielny even suggested recently that Arsenal were punished for getting a little too comfortable after a long unbeaten run when we lost back to back games at Everton and Man City. Well there is certainly no chance of that happening at the minute, because instead of looking back to the chasin g pack it is the Gunners doing the chasing.
As Arsene Wenger alluded to in an Arsenal.com report that means that all the players can do is to focus on our own games and be aware that no more slip-ups can be allowed. It is not ideal, of course, and the Arsenal fans would obviously prefer to be nine points clear at the top instead of nine behind the current leaders Chelsea, but in a way I think the situation will help the lads focus on football and perform well.
Wenger said, “What’s happening in this league is that at the moment all the big teams win against the smaller teams. That was not always the case, but since November it is like that.
“So the only moment where the teams drop points at the moment is when they play against each other, but that can change again so right now Chelsea win every single game.
“We just have to hang on, try to win our next game and hope that at some stage the results turn in our favour. That’s the only thing we can do.”
It is an important thing as well though, but can Arsenal do it?
Bob.
“It is an important thing as well though, but can Arsenal do it?”
Can Arsenal do what?
Win the league? Win the champions league? Win the FA cup? Win the Grand Prix? Win the decathlon?
In another post, I asked why play Lucas on the right and Sanchez on the left, and folks said it’s so they can cut in. Well that’s true, but only a few wingers are able to do this. Examples:-
1. Walcott was rendered useless when Wenger played him on the left wing last season. Other than the stunning goal against Manchester City he did little else.
2. Sanchez got found out by defenders when played on the left wing as well. All defenders figured out that once Sanchez gets the ball, he’ll cut in and shoot. Surprisingly (or maybe not), Sanchez began to play better and assist more when Wenger switched him to the right. Please google this article “Arsene Wenger: Moving Alexis Sanchez to right helped him return to form” to find out more.
The fact is, cutting inside is not the usual way wingers play. So I ask the question again, why play Sanchez and Lucas as inverted wingers, when you have a target man like Giroud who thrives on crosses? As Lucas is new to the league, wouldn’t it be better to play him in his most natural position before he settles down in the league?? Why set your players up for failure???
Walcott doesn’t cut in from either side, he doens’t take players on. Atleast Perez and Sanchez and also with Welbeck coming back they can beat one defender before deciding to shoot, cross, cut back.
Most of Walcotts goals this season have been near or inside the 6 yard box. He has been poaching this season.
I’m talking of Walcott playing on the LEFT wing, not the right wing mate. Using this season’s Walcott is irrelevant as he’s playing in his correct position.
I always feel the same as an Arsenal fan, hoping, and praying our rivals slip up, because I know Arsenal (with Wenger in charge) are not good enough to just go out there, and win it. That’s why last season was so painful, and a damning indictment of Wenger, because ALL our rivals did everything in their power to help us win the league…and not only could we not win it, we didn’t even get close!
So it is very tough for us Arsenal fans. Knowing Wenger will find a way of messing it up, even when our rivals hand it to us on a plate. I also have to mention all of the managerial changes at the big clubs over the last few years, because that has been a huge advantage for Wenger, especially considering every player is HIS signing.
Again, as always, we’re all hoping another team starts dropping points (Chelsea this time), because we’re playing catch up. Why can’t Arsenal be 9 points clear once, or even more?
We’ll know more after tonight’s game. If we can win it well then we’ll sit back and watch Tott v Che. We’ll need to be really on it though, because if we give these boys the time they can hurt us. Hopefully Coquelins itching to show a full throttle performance, like with us it is their midfielders that like to play, most teams I suppose.
That is a tough game for Che, also very tough for Tott, which tells me it can go either way. The way we used Bellerin in our last game, I think that would be something to think about when playing Che. We hit some very decent cross field balls out to Bellerin, who stayed wide and controlled ball well. Against Che I think that would be good because if you could by-pass the midfield, I think you could really get at that Che defence.
All I request of the players tonight is Win please. However it comes just win it!!!!
Great to see Iwobi playing number 10 again. He was awesome last week 🙂