As the current season hots up and enters one of the busiest and most important periods, for clubs like Arsenal that are still in the Champions League and the FA cup that is, Arsene Wenger knows that each game takes on more importance and a bad performance or two could really damage our hopes of success.
Sandwiching a tricky looking FA cup quarter-final away to Manchester United are the home and away games with the French Ligue 1 club Monaco. A week or so ago the draw that all Arsenal fans were so delighted with was not looking quite so juicy, as Monaco were on a formidable run of form.
Despite a poor start to the season that had left them in real danger of missing out on European football altogether next season, Monaco were doing their best to recover and had won ten and drawn one of their 11 games since their last defeat in November. That had seen them safely into the semi-finals of the Coupe de France and of course ensured that they topped their UCL group by beating Zenit in the final game.
So they were looking to be in worrying form heading to the Emirates, until their last two league games that is. A disappointing goalless draw at home to Lyon saw their march up the table falter and then they lost away to Guincamp without scoring. And last week they were denied the chance to bounce back at home as their game was postponed.
Now they have an away game with Nice on Friday night before heading to the Emirates. If they fail to win away on Friday, that confidence that they had built will be seriously dented just in time for the Gunners to take advantage. Come on Nice, get stuck into them!
