Because of all the injury problems Arsenal have been beset with recently, including to Mesut Ozil and young Serge Gnabry, the Gunners have just two Germans in the match day squads at the minute. Both Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker were involved in that unlikely last minute win over Anderlecht, with the striker scoring the crucial winner.
And both of our German stars have been fairly honest in their assessment of the game, admitting that the performance was not really good enough and that we only got the win with a large slice of luck. Both they also think that the players can use this result and push on to get the season back on track.
Podolski has told Arsenal Player that the win now gives the Gunners a fantastic chance to book our place in the Champions League knockout phase once more when the Belgian club comes to London for the return fixture in two weeks, but that we must not take anything for granted.
The 29-year old forward said, “It was a dramatic game for the fans and for us as well but at the end we have the three points.
“If we lost today it would have been difficult. It was important that we won and went back to London with the three points.
“I hope [we can gain momentum]. We had 25 shots on target against Hull City and we drew. Today was not the best game but it’s important that at the end you get the points and we have the points.
“Sometimes you have to be a little bit lucky and today was the day. When the ball is on my left foot I score 99 per cent of the time. It was a good moment for me and the fans because they support me all of the time.
“We still have three games left and nothing is certain yet. We have an important game against Anderlecht at home and if we win that then I think we can go through.”
Our BFG has played a lot more minutes on the pitch this season and he tried to find an explanation as to why Arsenal have struggled with performances and results so far, as revealed in a Daily Star report. Mertesacker also believes that this could be a turning point for the team, but he knows that it will not just happen but will need a concerted effort from the players, both in training and on the pitch. And he accepts that his own form needs to improves as well as it has not been right since the World Cup finals.
The defender said, “Everyone knows that it was a difficult start for us and our confidence is not that much how we wanted it.
“The character is good, the mentality is good, but football-wise, we lack a few things.
“Our passing game is not as efficient as last year.
“We are not at our best. We have to admit that, be honest with ourselves and train harder.
“Personally it is difficult at the moment because that was really a long season last year and to come back from that World Cup and get the motivation back.
“I am nearly back, but you can feel there is something missing at the moment.
“With those games, the belief and the mentality is there, but the motivation will come back.
“We didn’t even have time to celebrate [the World Cup win] properly, that was the first thing, but you realise month after month what happened.
“I am still not there [taking in] what happened in Brazil, maybe in five or 10 years you can really realise what was going on there.
“We came back to Berlin, got on the stage, waved our hands, showed the World Cup and then everyone disappeared to their families to get some holidays, some rest and calm.”
So will this lucky result against Anderlecht inspire Arsenal for the rest of the season?
We have quality, but not quantity. We need both if we want to seriously challenge for the title.
Btw I know im a gooner, but my goodness, dat Lamela goal 😛
The Lame – laugh goal.
I expected something
amazing but just a rebound !
I wasted x amount of minutes
I wanna refund 🙂
give credit where it’s due
I think wenger doesn’t get enough credit for his successful substitutions,
Yesterday he had good substitutions which won him the match..
He is only criticized for his wrong subs, so he should be praised for his correct ones.. Well done you 65 year old stubborn tightas* old far*..
@Arsenalgenes.
What brilliant substitutions?
He simply removed one of the many ACMs he loaded the team with in the first place, and brought on wingers he should have started with in the first place.
He realized he was gonna lose the match so he quit the ‘wilshere experiments’ and returned to the basics.
Wilshere is killing the progress of ramsey.. Rather Wenger is killing them both..
Funny thing, when we signed Poldi and Giroud at the same time, I was way more excited about Poldi! Now Giroud starts every game (when fit) and Poldi doesn’t start at all…
Poldi has not been right for ages, wenger said this and that he feels is he is close to coming back to match fitness. For poldi I say keep working hard in training and stop whining. Stop focusing in the arsenal website cameras and focus on getting your head down. Come jan if you are still not happy tthen ask to be sold and go. On per dont get me started. The guy has no place to comment. Again he needs to get his shi* together. Hes looked all over the place this year, slow as ever and the few areas he did do well, (aerial duels, positional play) have been awful. Get yourself right and playing well and leave the rest of the teamto wenger. Per misses kos who has adapted his game over the years to predict and cover for pers misgivings. No suprise no kos no defence! Stop taking selfies, stop pi*sing around on the training ground and stop making outrageous quotes when interviewed. Work hard and get serious, all team members must realise that the performances and results are an aeea for real concern and show that they are working hard to turn things around, us fans deserve nothing less. Rant over 🙂