Arsenal may have managed to keep the damage done by the traditionally negative month of November to a minimum, but so far December is not exactly proving to be a festive time of the year for us Gooners. What Arsene Wenger and the players must do now is to see out the rest of the month without any more slip ups and the forthcoming fixtures suggest that we should be able to do that.
Even if we do manage to win the next two Premier League games, at home to West Brom on Boxing Day and then Crystal Palace on new years day, I do not expect us to make up any ground on the league leaders, as Chelsea also have two very winnable home games against Bournemouth and Stoke City.
After that, however, things could get interesting and Arsenal fans will be hoping that January is a much better month for us. For one thing we should be able to welcome back the likes of Mustafi, Mertesacker, Ramsey and Welbeck. For another the fixtures that the current leaders have start to look tougher.
We really need Chelsea to slip up and hopefully one setback will lead to another, as it tends to do. Chelsea’s second match of 2017 is away to our north London rivals so Arsenal fans will be hoping that Tottenham can at least stop Antonio Conte’s team from winning.
January also sees them travel to Leicester and Liverpool so we can reasonably hope for them to drop some points and that could be crucial ahead of our trip to Stamford Bridge at the start of February. That match, if January goes as we hope, could be huge in the context of the season and any hopes of Arsenal getting our hands on the EPL trophy.
January also sees us enter the FA cup with hopefully a 4th round game after the 3rd round trip top Preston, so will the start of 2017 see our chances of a trophy get stronger or fall away altogether do you think?
Bob.
our bets hope of a trophy is the fa cup
Yeah, but I’m getting tired of that, we need a trophy that matters.
so AW can become Messiah again and pretend he saved us from his own messes? Rather go trophyless and Wenger LEAVE. Too bad there’s no guarantee of this. Arsene Wenger is his own boss. Sad.
How did Xakha get a 6.0 rating in previous article?
Did he even make a pass?
I just saw a headless chicken giving ball away.
80 percent passing rate, mate.
Next time watch the full match instead of highlights 10 minute lowlights.
Xhaka and Coquelin is working good, perfect complementary tandem.
Holding, England and Arsenal’s future CB and captain, should start until Mustafi is back.
omg… passing rate!! Wow! City players were ghosting past him the entire 2nd half. He was horrible.
Seriously shut up dude. Don’t act like you saw everything that day. Coquelin was the only one doing something. Coquelin’s job is to break up play and recovery of the ball. And then feed it to his more skillful partner. Which is Xhaka’s job. To distribute the ball. To carry and hold it and bring others into play. He failed to do that. We all know Xhaka is no swift footed midfielder who can move pass players, play and one two or carry the ball. Don’t fool yourself mate
Look Wenger has no doubt made Arsenal the global brand it is, but at this point he is making the club stagnant.
We need new coaching staff and manager with fresh ideas, we may struggle initially, but we will bounce back.
I am not worried a bit about the losses at Everton and City. You remember I have said I’d bite your hand if you give me two points before these games started. Obviously, I was dismissed by the real fans, not fickle like me. Told you only people who really thought Arsenal could win a title are worried about the 9 points gap. The only real expectation for this Arsenal is a place in the top 4 (with the occasional title if and only if all things go our way, just like Leicester). Why can’t we win a league title? It is money? I doubt it. Leicester proved it last season even if they had every decision for them. So yes, it is the top four. The football gods decided that no matter who we play, no matter what players we buy, no matter how we play we will get at the Table Of Four. Yes, I get you, you fear and some do hope we will not be invited this season at The Table but somehow we will manage it. And this proves my point. No matter how $hyte we are we will get there. Say it isn’t so. It’s our destiny.
I realized this first time after we thrashed a 4 goals lead at Newcastle. I didn’t believe it at first. But then we threw a 3 goals lead against Anderlecht and then a 2 goals lead at West Ham. These are not simply coincidences. Something must break, must snap so hard that we can start afresh and with toned down expectations. The sooner we accept it, the better your health.
Oh, and this is exactly why I am not worried A BIT whether Sanchez or Ozil will sign an extension. It will simply be the same, if not worse. It does not matter. Yes, we can change the manager and this is what probably will happen but just like me, you know that 2007 was the last season where we mounted a real challenge for the title in a decade. A new coach will need his own vision and his own players. You think Chelsea will walk the league now, I get it. Wait and see if the luck changes (you do agree with me there was a lot of luck in their wins at Etihad, Sunderland and even against WBA) because there are 5 teams who can breathe on your neck at any time.
This is why I am having a relaxed Christmas folks. I accepted all these things in the chain of life and I know I have no power to change them.
Arsene, please write a book.
It’s clear you’ve suffered a lot Budd. How does a Sunderland fan feel like? I wonder
Actually you are bang on the money. I have suffered. But I have decided this has to stop. I can’t run my life around Arsenal, I can’t be Paul Ashworth. I don’t want to be him when we live in such interesting times. How a Sunderland fan feels? Feels exactly as I felt in 1986 in the middle of a 17 years barren run for the team I decided to support for life. That’s how it feels.
I’m in the same boat as you Budd. I get called a pessimist, but so be it. I know these things are going to happen. Difference is they still piss me off, haha. Just get the manager out, and I’ll be a happy gooner again. And I am also willing to go through a rough adjustment period. It is inevitable anyways. Some Gooners need to realize at some point Wenger is going to retire anyways. Let’s make it happen sooner, because he’s going exactly nowhere.
Wenger should be flexible in his tactics. There should be times when our wide players and full backs should cross the ball more for Giroud. He gets goals with his head. Play quick counter attacking football. Don’t always have to play through the midfield. Too many passes and slow build up is killing our attack.
Lucas should be given more game time. 433, 4231 and 442 formations should be used depending on the opposition and available players. There are times when Ozil should be benched.
Bellerin Kos Mustafi Monreal
Coq. Xhaka
Walcott. Sanchez. Lucas. AOC
Sanchez given a free role and Lucas the target man.
Lucas is a food finisher.
AOC and Walcott running and putting the opposition full backs under pressure.
A lofted ball from Xhaka to our wide men and quick counter attacking football with real pace.
Against Man City for instance, Wenger should have brought in Giroud and Lucas immediately After Sane’s goal.
Lucas and Giroud are both fit. It makes no sense having both on the bench at the same time. Iwobi/Sanchez to rotate the Number 10 role with Ozil while Lucas gets more game time.
Ozil needs to be benched a times.
Wenger is not flexible and is so predictable. I hope this is his last season at the club.
To me dreaming about catching Chelsea is naive. I hope Chelsea will beat both Spurs and Liverpool since we are competing with them for a top 4 spot.
Come back to reality and give up on the PL and join us who are hoping for a top 4 spot. Top 4 is far from a given this season.