While Arsenal would obviously like to be 11 points ahead of Leicester City in the Premier League table rather than 11 points worse off, there is something to be said for chasing, as the pressure is different and the Gunners have shown time and again in recent years that we do not perform too well when expectations are high but we can often produce when backs are up against the wall.
As well as having that extra fall back of a game in hand over the Foxes and our north London rivals Tottenham, Arsenal have the benefit of playing first this weekend. Our game against Watford is on Saturday at 3 o’clock while the spuds do not face Liverpool at Anfield until the evening and Leicester host Southampton on the Sunday.
All this means that an Arsenal win cranks up the pressure on our title rivals and that might just be enough for them to falter. On the other hand, any slip ups from Arsene Wenger and the lads really lets the two teams above us off the hook and would effectively end our lingering championship hopes.
But will Arsenal take this perfect chance to pressurise and play like the Arsenal that beat the Hornets 3-0 in the league or will we see the limp Arsenal that were knocked out of the FA cup a few weeks ago?
I can see the spuds and Leicester dropping points this weekend, So if we can’t beat Watford at Home then Wenger and the lads can go fts’s!
If our players cld not feel the urgency against swansea and the likes when the gap was reasonable then what is to be expected now when the gap is even bigger.most of us are addicts of FANTASY STUFF!!!
I cant help wondering whether these Xhaka rumours have any truth to them. I must admit that Iv never seen him play or cannot remember at the very least. I watched Switzerland a couple of times but that was because of who they were playing and I didn’t especially notice this fellow.
Everything I read about him sounds ideal, especially now that we have Elneny who might be able to cover for Coquelin in the future, hell he could probably do it now. A strong rivalry between Coq & Elneny, and then someone to fight with Cazorla before replacing him in two seasons time sounds rather good to me. I know we need strengthening in other areas maybe even more so than this one but we must not forget what happened when Cazorla got injured and then Coquelin too, Ramsey is no CM in my opinion unless he plays in a three man centre.
Like I was saying, I’ve read allot about him which was all good but I don’t think you can believe everything you read. Journo’s often big up mediocre players and have every new kid sounding like the next big thing, so I don’t know how much of it is true. However, if he’s coming from Gladbach and he’s worth over 40m well then he really must have something about him.
Whenever I read people describe him I am immediately reminded of M Verratti, they have him sounding very similar. What I cant get over however is how Arsene has just signed someone for this position and has only spent seven million doing it. Now we are to believe that Wenger is going to spend Ozil type money on a defensive slash ball playing midfielder. I do find it difficult to get my head around. But I am also of the opinion that the board and Wenger have allot of making up to do because of how our last few windows have gone coinciding with some bad performances. People are restless and they want a statement of intent, and quite frankly the board would be unwise to ignore the fans this time around.
Sky Germany seems to think there’s something to it and nobody has come out denying it, the boy has said it’s his dream to come to England. Though Iv never seen him play I want us to nab him, he’s been likened to a young Sweinsteiger which can only be a good thing, the word leader was used and to be compared with him it would have to be.
Xhaka seems to be a typical Wenger purchase. He’s nothing more than a “supertalent” that faded away, then now has come back with one notably good season. And we’re going after him for €40M? He’s the right type of player, but not exactly the quality we need.
Some interesting fixtures this weekend. It looks like we should bring our A game and try crank up the pressure and then hope that both or at-least one of the others find it difficult to pick up a point. But you cant rule out the opposite happening, we struggle for a point and they bring their A games.
I mentioned about seven or eight games back that normally Leicesters form would have them fighting for a CL place at most, but no, you would have to say that they look like real contenders, and over the most difficult part of the season. Now I believe if it was a normal season themselves and Chelsea would be duking it out. Credit to them, it’s not because everyone is playing well below par, it is because they are playing like champions.
Don’t underestimate Watford
Both Ighalo and Deeney are dangerous
If healthy I would start Alexis, Ozil, Campbell or Iwobi and Welbeck
Put Walcott and Giroud on the bench for this match. Reward consistent players and give Giroud and Theo some time to get hungry for goals again