I must admit that my cautious
attitude towards the team’s chances of silverware this season are starting to
change, and moving towards optimistic, and a little faster than it probably
should after just six premier league games. But I’m finding it hard to keep my
aspirations grounded, I mean it’s been so long since I have even entertained
the notion of Arsenal being in the title hunt that, so many seasons of
accepting that champions league qualification and possibly competing for a
domestic cup was a great season that maybe I am entitled to?, I don’t know, but
when you’re seeing the journalists and pundits say you have a chance, the same
ones who have slated us over the past 5 or 6 years, and also man Utd supporting
friends backing your team to win, you can’t help but just want to go with it,
because that’s what you want to believe. As a football fan part of the romance
is always believing your team can be champs, we all share it, no matter who you
support so I’ll make no apologies.
But over the weekend, after
digesting the results I decided to have a good think and try to put some logic
to it. Defensively we are pretty solid, still conceding more than we like but
that’s due to the fact we are attacking with more freedom than last years end
of season run. When backs are to the wall and we need to see a game out we can
do it. I am pretty confident we have the best midfield in the premier league,
and also we have an embarrassment of riches in terms of the numbers we have in
this area, the players are versatile, interchangeable and even versachangable.
But you look at the plethora of strikers that Man city, United, and even
Tottenham have compared to us and you realise we are a another top striker away
from being able to match the big boys.
So I came to a conclusion,
that Arsenal should send Dick law to Swansea with brief case full of Cash, slam
it on the desk, tell Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins to ‘clean yourself up’ and
Bring Michu to the Emirates. It’s clear for everyone to see that the guy is no
‘one season wonder’. The Spaniard who set the premiership alight last campaign
with 22 goals in his debut season has started impressively again with 5 goals
in 11 games this campaign. He is a similar player to giroud, He holds the ball
up, brings his team mates into play, he is a clinical finisher with excellent
movement. And I think with him and the Hunky Frenchman leading the line we
would have enough firepower to push all the way this season. I know the other
have more typical centre forwards in terms of numbers, but you can only play
one at a time in the formations we play. And you would like to think that if
Arsenal put the right offer on the table then Swansea would have to sell, maybe
include Bendtner as part of the deal. I know many fans will say they crave
another signing the calibre of Mesut Ozil, but Michu is premiership proven, He
would fit our style perfectly and he sounds like a Pokémon, what more can you
ask for?
Tonight we host Napoli, and
we know the qualities they possess after seeing them up close in the pre-season.
I know we will all be taking a big gulp should Higuain get the ball in or
around the 18 yard box, but I feel we will beat them. This team is far more cohesive than the mix
and match line ups we put out in pre-season and if we can take 6 out of 6
points in the ‘group of death’ then it takes a lot of pressure off the team and
you would have to fancy our chances of qualification greatly. As of now there
are no new injury concerns and the little Mozart from my adopted 2nd
country will be included in the squad. Thomas Rosicky is always a big plus when
he is fit, Wenger rates the Czech International highly and says:
“He can play in all the offensive positions and I'm very
happy that he's back because he is very influential in our game. I haven't
decided who will start and who will not start. But I'm very happy that he's
back in the squad”
I don’t see a lot of rotation from the team that started at
the weekend, Maybe Arteta for Flamini is a luxury we can afford but I think the
manager will be inclined to stick with the same 11 the re asses his options for
the weekends premier league game with West Bromwich Albion.
I’ll catch you later in the week, Likely Thursday, in the
meantime here’s a great blog I discovered today highlighting amongst other
things what a tool Michael Owen is and how somebody at BT Sport needs firing
for Hiring the worlds blandest commentator/pundit.
http://goonerhead.com/is-michael-owen-right-about-arsenals-title-chances-my-thoughts/ from @yommys01
