Arsenal are climbing back up the table, and after a great week when we knocked Tottenham out of the League Cup and then ended Leicester’s unbeaten run, we are showing signs of growing belief and confidence. Per Mertesacker thinks that the Gunners can keep improving ahead of Manchester’s United’s visit to the Emirates next weekend.
“We were quite happy after the win in midweek,” he said on Arsenal.com. “We took some of that confidence with us today and you could see that.
“There is a little room for improvement but I think we should take more confidence into the game on Tuesday in the Champions League [against Olympiacos]. Obviously it is very tight but we want to continue next weekend against Manchester United, too.”
After playing four away games in a row, it should be a relief to play a couple at home in the coming week, although our facile beating of Stoke is our only home victory so far this season. Now we will have the chance to put that right against the current League leaders.
Theo Walcott, who scored our equalising goal yesterday, is also expecting some more improvement for himself in the centre-forward position. He was asked if he thought the Leicester game was his best display in that role. He replied: “It will be up there since the knee injury and, before that, the Tottenham game. I have always said I want to play up front. When I get the opportunity I can improve and learn the position a little more. The manager has had faith in me and I just want to repay him.”
I have a feeling that Giroud will start against Olympiakos and Walcott will be back for the Man United game.