Back to the wobble - can Gunners keep focus?
The Coach
By Boris Mellor
February 22 2008
Like a dog returning to its vomit Arsenal now have to return to the scene of the January wobble, but this time it is away, and after a tough midweek CL game. The draw against Birmingham on January 12 now seems ages ago; most pundits, and even some fans, got hysterical, the implosion had arrived. Arsenal's championship charge was finished, Man U were the champions elect.
De ja vue
Arsenal Times, and the Bank posse, argued it was just a wobble, and so it was, until the next one in the FA cup. Once again, the same old cry went up that it is a psychological blow from which the Gunners will not recover. Don't they get tired of writing such rubbish (Probably not as they don't write it, but just change the date on old articles. Ed)? Nonetheless, at this stage Arsenal lead by 5 points with a chance to push the lead to eight.
Birmingham were very poor for their draw at the Grove, but Arsenal were stupid, they lost concentration. Birmingham are dour, they will bore you into submission. They are not the kind of team you want to play after a tough midweek match, but the Gunners have no choice, so they will have to focus and forget about AC Milan.
True the Brummies have failed to win six out of their last seven home games, but that is the kind of stat that makes me nervous. Arsenal played some great football against Milan, but this time around any old win will do, defend well and nick a goal.
Indeed it might have to be Nick as Adebayor has a neck strain (apparently did it hitting the ball at the bar), and is doubtful.
If Arsenal can shrug off any hangover from Wednesday, and be lifted by the thought of an eight-point lead then three points should be in the bag.
Once again, the injury list grows with Toure out for at least a couple of weeks, and Ade doubtful. Eboue is suspended, and, apart from Almunia and Song, there are no new recoveries.
Stop Press
Adebayor and Hleb have both been given all clear for tomorrow's squad
Possible squad:
Almunia, Sagna, Senderos, Gallas, Clichy, Walcott, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb, Adebayor, Eduardo, Lehmann, Bendtner, Denilson, Gilberto, J Hoyte, Traore, Song
This is being described as a test for us because we did not win on Wednesday.
How many "big tests" have we had this season?
We started the season with win after win but obviously that meant nothing as we had played no-one as Seville & Spuds (away) didn't count. So Liverpool away was the first big test. Only drew 1-1, but played them off the park so that one was passed.
ManU at home would sort us out they said. Wrong.
O'Neill's Villa then. Perhaps not.
How would they recover from losing against Boro? Here we go, Chelsea next game. They'll crumble now. I think not.
Big test on Boxing day against a big, strong Portsmouth team down there. Didn't play well but comfortable 0-0, should have won it. Poor result many said. But have Chavs, Mancs & Liverpool won down there this season? No.
Then Everton away. They're 'on fire' are Everton. Arsenal can't play against tough teams from up North, especially when it's cold. That'll be 4-1 then.
Here it comes then. Arsenal will suffer badly from the ANC and especially after only drawing at home to Birmingham. Just watch ManU run away with it now.
Now look at that, Arsenal lost badly at Tottenham. It's all gone t*ts up for Arsenal now.
ManU Champions elect, no problem.
So here we are 5 points clear after ManU crumble amid a couple of ridiculous excuses while their manager can't bring himself to talk to anyone.
Yet we lose badly to ManU in the FA Cup because we only pick 4 first teamers, 2 of whom aren't 100%, because our manager allowed our players to consciously or sub-consciously dismiss the FA Cup and suddenly we are in crisis (again) having to face the World & European Champions.
We drew 0-0 having outplayed Milan and unlucky not to be 2-0 up. ManU play sh*te and scrape a lucky 1-1 draw in Lyon yet are the ones with the momentum according to many.
And according to Ray Wilkins amongst others even Chelsea have a better chance than us of winning the league as our players will crumble as they are not winners.
Look at the League table Ray. What team has had to pass all those tests, and has? Which team has only lost once?
All these "experts" are hoping it's just a bad dream.
Man U lose its a bad day at office.
Arsenal lose its implosion.
Arsenal draw it is a crisis.
How many prem games have we lost? One - must keep on testing because we havent played any hard games yet.
So the more they lose, the better chance they have of winning the League.
And the more we win, the more likely we are to lose the League.
It's obvious.
--------------almunia---------
sagna-------gallas-------senderos-----clichy
walcott--------cesc------flamini------hleb
--------------adebayor---eduardo
and did you guys read matt le tissier's preview on this game? still thinks senderos is not good enough
what does everyone want him to do? score goals? we have only conceded 1 goal since he replaced toure and when he didnt play we conceded 4 goals against manutd
Senderos has a couple of shakey games against Drogba at the age of 20 or so and no matter what he had done before and has done since, he "is an accident waiting to happen".
Ferdinand, however, can play as badly as he likes and people still call him world class, despite having never done anything that would put him remotely in that category in the first place or since.
Swiss has got the right attitude. He just gets on with it.
I no longer get annoyed.
Warning: Supporting Arsenal is not for the faint at heart... It requires hard balls...
Arsenal must give the brum game 100%, if they do not and we drop points then our critics may have a point, cos if the team can not see how important this game is then it is hard to see how we will remain ahead of the chasing duo
