Arsenal faces a huge 3 days ahead – but some perspective is required

Over a 72 hour period, we face two massive games that will go a long way to defining our season but even if we lose both games it will not be the end of the world.

If we were to lose to Watford on Monday night and somehow contrive to lose a 2-0 advantage in the Europa League to Napoli on Thursday evening it would for sure be a devastating turn of events that would deliver a hammer blow to our Champions League qualification aspirations – but it would not be terminal.

We would face an uphill task, there is no denying that, but the situation would not be irretrievable. Our competitors are almost certain to drop points themselves. Certainly Chelsea or Man Utd, who have to face each other, and most likely Tottenham who still have to play Man City at the Etihad.

Now, it would be a disaster if we were in a situation where we are relying on others to drop points as opposed to having our destiny in our own hands, I am not for one minute suggesting that all would be rosy in the garden if we were to suffer a double loss this week, but some perspective is required about our current situation.

Let’s flip the scenario for a second, what if we were to win at Vicarage Road and progress Thursday evening to the Europa League semi-finals, hardly out of the question, in fact, in my opinion, that is what will happen, can you imagine the effect that will have on our closest rivals, imagine the effect on our own confidence?

We can be cautious but there is no need for full blown negativity either, and even in the event that all does go wrong this coming week, we will still be smack bang in the middle of the battle for a top-four finish and our season will still have a lot of life left in it.

21 Comments

  1. Irrespective of likely results elsewhere in the top four race, we are likely to need 13 points for our 6 games. Lets assume we win both home games – not a given but lets assume- we then need minimum of seven from 4 away games , which is 2 wins and a draw. Burnley are in top six form of late and all the other away games are top ten sides. I do not see it happening to get 13 points. To make top four with fewer than 13 points is possible as we all know but it needs to fall in our way as to who beats who or who draws with who; Chelsea v United and so on. SORRY BUT TRUTH AND REALISM WILL ALWAYS GET IN THE WAY OF ANY NATURAL BIAS I MAY FEEL. I try never to lie to myself and recommend certain others try to do the same.

    1. I agree with you Jon and am not optimistic about top four. The way spurs are playing they could even beat city. Our away form has been terrible for a couple of years and we have to play Wolves and Burnley on their turf (no pun intended) where both teams are very strong. Watford is almost like a local derby and as you say, winning our home games is not a given.
      Perhaps I’m being too negative but I’ve supported the Arsenal long enough to have seen this all before.

      1. Hopefully the players realize that with only 6 games to go in the EPL until the end of the season, the final result of playing in the Champions League next season is in their hands. If they dont have the courage and commitment to give everything and leave everything on the pitch, they should not have a future at Arsenal.

        1. I know we had a few injuries & a suspension to deal with, but I can’t help but think the players should have thought about that last week at Goodison. It was really disappointing… to go down 1-0 like that…

        2. …and by showing a turn around in our desire to win these remaining away fixtures we’ll show we [deserve] to be playing tuesday nights or wednesday night football rather than making a cameo in the nil-razzmatazz europa league on a thursday night.

      2. Burnley should be easy as it is the last game

        Just worried about the Wolves because they are strong at their turf

        1. Why should a game be easy because it’s the last game?
          Also, by your logic it could also be easy for Burnley.

      3. I’d Be a lot happier if I knew Arsenal were going for winning each and every game.
        What concerns me is the focus on European success as our means of getting back in to the Champions League.
        We need to be do the boring thing and concentrate on winning our next game.
        Potentially 10 Cup finals to go…Do it ! Win !

  2. We sometimes say players lack confidence but we fans are worse. With the players that played Napoli this past Thursday we will finished in top four and get to the final of Europa league.
    How fantastic are the remaining teams we are to face in PL? Am not sure we are not going to win 2 away matches.

    1. Yes but we can’t play all the players who played Thursday because Sokratis is banned for two games. We’ve also got other players a booking or two away from a ban.

  3. I don’t want to even ponder losing one let alone both matches. Whatever happens happens. But we need to focus on beating Watford first, then after that fixture focus on Napoli

    And no point thinking about where we will finish because anything can happen. Just the fact that it is possible to finish in the Top 4 is good enough for me

  4. I think arsenal are a darn good cup team, but league wise they’re too inconsistent. Emery probably reckons the same and is prioritizing the Europa league. I don’t see us in the top 4 come end of the season to be honest but I wouldn’t particularly be disappointed by that if and only if Arsenal lifts the Europa league cup. That would be a massive success for Arsenal I don’t care which way the media spins it. Firstly it would do wonders for Emery’s confidence and reputation as an elite manager, 4 Europa that would be for him. Secondly the boys will have tasted victory and going into next season with the champions league and new signings coupled with a manager who’ll be assured and confident in his role as coach of arsenal and I think we’ll be a force. Especially considering how well we play against top sides nowadays, I’ll actually be looking forward to a Bayern or Barca for once lol

    1. Yes, it would be great basically kicking off this new era with some players having tasted success. Never really thought about that part but it would do wonders for our mentality and confidence and so forth. We just need the lads to believe that they are better than the other team and try not to dwell on away task part of it, man for man just earn that right to play then we know the players can do it.

      1. True that B.O.T, I also think emery needs to get to the root of the away performances and sort it out before next season. This has been a dark cloud hanging over us for the past two seasons and we really don’t want it to carry on. This could become a mental block and really hinder us away from home in future

    2. ordinarily …the only thing between arsenal and lifting that europa league cup is… chelski who also appear to be the only factor between us and 4th place in the prem.

      1. A Europa final with Chelsea would really be something special. A good old London derby and the boys would be really up for it.

    3. As a club and a supporter winning Europa League would absolutely massive!

      With result in first leg v Napoli I believe we need to prioritise that competition… Having this in my mind I accept that Emery will consider resting couple of players tomorrow.

      But resting a couple of players doesn’t mean the ones playing can have a rest!

      Hopefully we can have right application and bring home 3 points as this would still keep us in the run for top four!

      1. We need to have our Strongest lineup on Monday Night, then our Strongest lineup on Thursday even if it meant putting out the same starting 10 or 11. Is that too much to ask for?? I can play everyday if I’m given 10% of their salaries.

  5. all said and done football results are dependent upon ability to score more goals than we concede. More usually than not this team (of ours) is inclined towards scoring a goal or two which is not the case with what remains of epl opposition.

    Yes watford, wolves, leic are all good tests, but none are more inclined to weigh-in with goals than the arsenal strikers. All that remains of those teams we have to face have proven less competent in front of goal than the arsenal – thats why they are positioned where they are in current placings.
    Other than Leicester City and Burnley, provided we keep 11 on the field (for 90mins), i truly expect arsenal to score more than the opposition in what remains of the 2018/19 campaign to make Top 4

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