This is the perfect time for Arsenal to blow it, isn't it? It's right there. Despite just three points out of a possible twelve, we are somehow still the masters of our own destiny. And yet, and yet...
Our record in cup finals over the last few years has been poor. Last year's Carling Cup debacle has done little to falsify the claim that Arsenal lack "bottle". We have our midfield maestro, Arteta, sitting on the sidelines, watching us make defensive error after error, with his hair still startlingly perfect. We can't win without him - it's as simple as that, really! His composed passing is what we always hoped for from Denilson. He gives Song the license to venture forward so Alexandre can take all the time he wants to complain to the referee while he silently covers.
Our defense has been found lacking in the last couple of weeks, and not surprisingly, it has come right when Thomas the Verminator is struggling to put a foot right. The old Vermaelen (the Vermaelen of old?) and of course, Arteta, have been missed. And with Sagna injured, Walcott will have little support on the right hand side. What's that? Coquelin, you say? Well, he's good, but he's not nearly as brilliant as Bacman.
Wow. I really don't give us a chance, do I?
I confess - I am nervous about Sunday. I wish I could be sure that we will win, that everything will be alright with the world. But with this team, you never really know what to expect! Sometimes they are magnificent, playing like their lives depend on winning the game, and then other times we are just not interested (as I write this, I realize that this is a point I've made multiple times before. So, it's obviously very true)! It is impossible to predict which side will decide to show up.
On paper, we have a lethal attack. Gervinho was (apparently) great in the Norwich game, and Walcott's return will give us that added sting going forward. Perhaps van Persie won't be as isolated as he has been recently. Rosicky is playing like he's in his prime (he is just 29 because of all the injuries, remember?), which is obviously great. I won't even attempt to put in a line on what Robin adds to our team.
Alexandre "Songinho" Song. He is a bit of an enigma, is he not? Some of his passes are magnificent, magical, exquisite. They remind me of this guy called Cesc Fabregas. But in his quest for the "killer" pass, he often forgets that his primary role is still to guard the back four. That worked okay when we had Arteta, but without him, well...
Ramsey does not quite have the same positioning intelligence. His natural instinct is to move forward as well, and he does not quite have the maturity to take over the Arteta role. He is also having a nightmare second half of the season. Ramsey has talent. That much is undoubted, I feel. He just needs to get this season done with, relax over the break, and come back and see what he can do next season. There have been cries to send him out on loan, but I don't think that's a real possibility. He has learnt to play and doesn't need match experience. He is going through some very difficult times, as Wenger himself said, and needs a break.
For that reason, I sincerely hope he doesn't start tomorrow. There were whispers that the Ox that is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might start in midfield on Sunday. That is very positive news, but it means that Song will have to curtail his forward runs. The Ox will give us a push in midfield, and his pace will certainly unsettle the WBA defense.
Speaking of West Brom, they're going to be missing a few players themselves. Odemwingie is a "doubt", although not a very serious one I gather. Him missing out will boost our chances - his pace has troubled us in the past, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did that again tomorrow. Jerome Thomas is a doubt as well, and so is Chris Brunt - their captain. It seems like West Brom are a little light in terms of attacking options.
It is their defense, though, that is worth applauding. Like any Roy (or is it Woy?) Hodgson side, they are a well organized unit at the back and will be hard to break down, especially at the Hawthorns. They have won four and drawn one of their last six at home, keeping three straight clean-sheets in the process. That is pretty respectable, to say the least.
On the balance, though, we should have enough arsenal to overcome the Baggies.
The importance of this match cannot possibly be stressed enough. This match is not only worth the 25 million pounds that come with Champion's League qualification, but is also key in keeping hold of our captain. Rest assured, it will be goodbye Robin if we don't finish top 3. We have to assume Chelsea will win the final in Munich, no matter how much pain that thought brings.
But I think the players know this. Add to that, this will be Pat Rice's last match with us, and everyone wants him to sign off in stye. There can be no excuses on Sunday. The referee doesn't give us a penalty, fine. They have ten men behind the ball, fine. They have a pathetic pitch, fine. We just need to go there and play our football, and have the will to win.
Losing is simply not an option, and the consequences of that are too excruciating to get into. The club is attempting to rebuild itself in terms of personnel - both on and off the field. But it all starts with this one match - it's a classic everything-or-nothing situation.
I look back at the beginning of the season, and it fills me with hope. Amidst all the drama, and all the negativity, we still managed to pull off that two-legged win against a good Udinese side. Sure, Szczesny had to save a penalty to keep us in it, but we did it. We found that will to win. And I'm confident that we can do so again.
It's the perfect time for Arsenal to show what they're are made of. It's right there. Let's grab that third spot!
Our record in cup finals over the last few years has been poor. Last year's Carling Cup debacle has done little to falsify the claim that Arsenal lack "bottle". We have our midfield maestro, Arteta, sitting on the sidelines, watching us make defensive error after error, with his hair still startlingly perfect. We can't win without him - it's as simple as that, really! His composed passing is what we always hoped for from Denilson. He gives Song the license to venture forward so Alexandre can take all the time he wants to complain to the referee while he silently covers.
Our defense has been found lacking in the last couple of weeks, and not surprisingly, it has come right when Thomas the Verminator is struggling to put a foot right. The old Vermaelen (the Vermaelen of old?) and of course, Arteta, have been missed. And with Sagna injured, Walcott will have little support on the right hand side. What's that? Coquelin, you say? Well, he's good, but he's not nearly as brilliant as Bacman.
Wow. I really don't give us a chance, do I?
I confess - I am nervous about Sunday. I wish I could be sure that we will win, that everything will be alright with the world. But with this team, you never really know what to expect! Sometimes they are magnificent, playing like their lives depend on winning the game, and then other times we are just not interested (as I write this, I realize that this is a point I've made multiple times before. So, it's obviously very true)! It is impossible to predict which side will decide to show up.
On paper, we have a lethal attack. Gervinho was (apparently) great in the Norwich game, and Walcott's return will give us that added sting going forward. Perhaps van Persie won't be as isolated as he has been recently. Rosicky is playing like he's in his prime (he is just 29 because of all the injuries, remember?), which is obviously great. I won't even attempt to put in a line on what Robin adds to our team.
Alexandre "Songinho" Song. He is a bit of an enigma, is he not? Some of his passes are magnificent, magical, exquisite. They remind me of this guy called Cesc Fabregas. But in his quest for the "killer" pass, he often forgets that his primary role is still to guard the back four. That worked okay when we had Arteta, but without him, well...
Ramsey does not quite have the same positioning intelligence. His natural instinct is to move forward as well, and he does not quite have the maturity to take over the Arteta role. He is also having a nightmare second half of the season. Ramsey has talent. That much is undoubted, I feel. He just needs to get this season done with, relax over the break, and come back and see what he can do next season. There have been cries to send him out on loan, but I don't think that's a real possibility. He has learnt to play and doesn't need match experience. He is going through some very difficult times, as Wenger himself said, and needs a break.
For that reason, I sincerely hope he doesn't start tomorrow. There were whispers that the Ox that is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might start in midfield on Sunday. That is very positive news, but it means that Song will have to curtail his forward runs. The Ox will give us a push in midfield, and his pace will certainly unsettle the WBA defense.
Speaking of West Brom, they're going to be missing a few players themselves. Odemwingie is a "doubt", although not a very serious one I gather. Him missing out will boost our chances - his pace has troubled us in the past, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did that again tomorrow. Jerome Thomas is a doubt as well, and so is Chris Brunt - their captain. It seems like West Brom are a little light in terms of attacking options.
It is their defense, though, that is worth applauding. Like any Roy (or is it Woy?) Hodgson side, they are a well organized unit at the back and will be hard to break down, especially at the Hawthorns. They have won four and drawn one of their last six at home, keeping three straight clean-sheets in the process. That is pretty respectable, to say the least.
On the balance, though, we should have enough arsenal to overcome the Baggies.
The importance of this match cannot possibly be stressed enough. This match is not only worth the 25 million pounds that come with Champion's League qualification, but is also key in keeping hold of our captain. Rest assured, it will be goodbye Robin if we don't finish top 3. We have to assume Chelsea will win the final in Munich, no matter how much pain that thought brings.
But I think the players know this. Add to that, this will be Pat Rice's last match with us, and everyone wants him to sign off in stye. There can be no excuses on Sunday. The referee doesn't give us a penalty, fine. They have ten men behind the ball, fine. They have a pathetic pitch, fine. We just need to go there and play our football, and have the will to win.
Losing is simply not an option, and the consequences of that are too excruciating to get into. The club is attempting to rebuild itself in terms of personnel - both on and off the field. But it all starts with this one match - it's a classic everything-or-nothing situation.
I look back at the beginning of the season, and it fills me with hope. Amidst all the drama, and all the negativity, we still managed to pull off that two-legged win against a good Udinese side. Sure, Szczesny had to save a penalty to keep us in it, but we did it. We found that will to win. And I'm confident that we can do so again.
It's the perfect time for Arsenal to show what they're are made of. It's right there. Let's grab that third spot!
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