Nice! We run onto a huge Xmas period of tough games! by Koss
Now that Arsenal have given themselves a good chance of qualifying into the last 16 of the UCL, after a disastrous start by losing our first 2 games in the competition, I think some of us are still nervously assuming that we have been here before (whatever stage) and don’t want to get our hopes up, understandably so! We have had this same scenario a few times over the last few seasons. We mess up the first half (first 3 games, first legs) of the ties. Munich, Barca, Monaco and the Group stage this year – but the 2nd half we play out of our skins just to fall short. BUT in this occasion we have another bad omen. This team… especially away… Olympiacos!
We have travelled there 3 times on Matchday 6 and have picked up absolutely nothing… though in saying that, and rightly so, we had qualified already so have mostly fielded a weakened side. This time feels a bit different as we are actually going there to bang a few goals in to make sure of entry into the last 16. With injuries slowly coming back and quite possibly Ox, Walcott, Rosicky, Rambo and Bellerin (the latter 2 just back) all available for the game in Athens, I believe we will go right at them from the 1st min with the handbrake firmly off for this one.
The task is straightforward: Blueprint of the Man United game! Get at them from the start, get an early goal and by end of first half 3-0 up. But, its Arsenal we are talking about, and understandably, so fans, pundits and players have their doubts over our credentials to pull this off… I do too, but the way our injured players might just be back, and the way Ozil,Giroud and Alexis are playing, I believe we can bang in at least 3 goals in Athens!
Then the League;
Still only two points off the top so I’m not going to go into past failures and let it all go! Our season starts from now and to be honest, all arguing aside, we are in a nice position with the next three games – all must-wins (9points) if we are to challenge, especially with the Xmas season fixtures coming soon!
Norwich Away this weekend – then a weeks rest until next game v Sunderland at Home. So a good rest will be got by our players for the big game in Athens… followed by Villa away. All winnable matches, and a nice run of games, before the big one at home to City – as the next set are looking hard enough after that:
Southampton (A) draw
Bournemouth (H) 3points
Newcastle (H) 3points
Liverpool (A) ??
Stoke (A) 3points
Chelsea (H) ??
Southampton (H) draw
I don’t see us winning all these games (or the City one) but with injuries coming back and our form we can at least not lose any if possible – if you get me. If we can’t win them, get a draw at least!
That brings us to New Year in the hope that we will see a few new faces at the the club to push on in the title race. And if in last 16, give it a right go, as we will finish 2nd in the group and we all know because it is Arsenal and the norm, we will have one of the big boys!! We don’t want Real Madrid or Barca, and we can’t play Munich, so the rest I would be happy enough drawing for the last 16. Lets start this with a big win on Sunday.
COYG
Koss the Boss