Form is against Arsenal but we BELIEVE! by SB
Amidst the Gunners new-founded hope to overtake the league leaders Chelsea or a respectable first 2nd place finish in 10 years, Arsenal visit Stade Louis II with a difficult task and an uphill battle. Before the game on Tuesday comes to life, let’s put things in perspective from an Arsenal point of view.
Stade Louis II has received a lot of criticism from opposition managers and fans cause their car park is directly below the pitch. Though their car park pitch is of grass yet it has the appearance of a cabbage field. The Emirates has the one of the bestestly (sic) perfect pitchs if not the best. That pitch shall be our first problem.
Monaco Home Form
AS Monaco are now unbeaten at home in their last five games* and their biggest home loss was a 1-2 loss to FC Lorient in the opening week. Even PSG couldn’t score in their away match against Monaco, let alone win. Monaco’s biggest loss at home anytime in their history was to Girondins De Bordeaux in 2007-2008 season where they lost 6-0. But since Jardim Leonardo (who incidentally won the Second Division Champion in Portugal with Beira-Mar in 2010) has now steadied their ship. Despite losing their best players in James Rodriguez and Falcao they are sitting at 4th place trophy spot in Ligue 1.
Monaco’s last five home results:
3-0 vs SC Bastia
0-0 vs PSG
3-1 vs Stade Rennais FC
0-0 vs SC Bastia
0-0 vs Olympique Lynnais
Arsenal away form
Out biggest away win this season is in this competition against a clueless and toothless Galatasaray side where Gunners won 1-4. But looking back at the Premier league we have been poor in away games.
Everton 2-2
Chelsea 2-0
Swansea 2-1
Stoke 3-2
Liverpool 2-2
Southampton 2-0
Manchester City 0-2
Tottingham Thursday 1-2
These results highlight our season and why we should be worried on Tuesday night.
BUT, there are some positive boys, just some. Since January we have added much needed defensive cover, and look better defensively (Monaco at home not withstanding). Also Arsenal has 21 different goal scorers (yes you read it right- Sanchez, Giroud, Welbeck, Cazorla, Ramsey, Podolski, Koscielny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Ozil, Arteta, Chambers, Debuchy, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Sanogo, Walcott, Wilshere, Bellerin, Monreal and Flamini) and we have players returning to form. Mesut Özil won Arsenal Player of the Month in February with 33% votes, tells you a story doesn’t it? Ramsey is looking like he might be bouncing back. Gabriel could be back from injury. And Giroud is in rampant form front of goal, while Sanchez can make the difference with his industry.
Wenger’s take on the Monaco tie was, “First you got to believe that you can do it, if don’t believe you can do it than you can’t do it.”
And I quote from Thierry Henry, “If you don’t believe you are the real deal, you might as well stay home.”
I believe. COYG. Go get them!
Soumya
VIDEO – Wayne Rooney getting knocked out cold at home!