Are we mammals? Are we human? Do we have a vertebrate?
Saturday will confirm our suspicions. Injuries or not, how we withstand the predictable onslaught from Chelsea post our abject abdication on Tuesday will tell us all we need to know about Arsenal.
We could lose this game and still, come the end of the season, end up with a top 4 position. That’s not the point. (or no point). What is the point is our infamous mentality. Are we willing to fight for a point (or more)? Or will we be run over. If the later then I fear we will lose a lot of our fans and that will not bode well for AW. And I’m not interested in a “courageous” performance where we lose 1-0. Or we give up an unlucky goal in the last minute to lose. Anyway, I think I’ve made my point.
We are still more than capable of having a successful season – top 4, F.A.Cup run and progress in the CL. But the issue here is more about the attitude and appetite of this team. Is it capable of fighting through adversity. And I don’t mean against a Burnley or Bournemouth. We should and will be judged in our performances against the other top 6 teams. Playing Chelski, Sp*rs and Liverpool away might not determine whether we make the top 4 but will tell us fans whether this team has a backbone.
The last time we started the Ox in midfield at Chelski we got hammered. It was AW’s 1,000 game. I’m not convinced the OX is ready for Kanti and Automatic but we have little choice. At least though, without AR8 it will be less predictable. I’m sure we’ll get positional challenged in the midfield. The Ox will have to concentrate for the entire game and I’m not sure he’s capable of that. Unlike Tuesday (and Saturday) he’ll have to restrict those long balls – there were too many against Watford. This game will tell us a ton about his future. This is what he’s been pinning for. Now we’ll see if he’s ready. To be fair – see, I’m such a nice person – it’s a little tough on the Ox; he’s had very few opportunities to play this position and now he’s thrown in against the best team in the EPL against the strongest midfield in the EPL. But then, this was the only way he was ever going to get this type of opportunity. If he (a la Ar8) comes off injured after 20 minutes that will tell us a lot. Can he fight through and stay out there for 90 minutes?
How will Koz and Mustafa cope with Costa. It will be very physical and bruising. Will these two be up for the inevitable fight? Given the presence of Hazard you’d imagine that Bellend will be back in the team. Let’s hope we get the original Hector and not his more recent imposter.
We know Alexis will be fully committed. Alongside him our delicate Giroud is unlikely to play. At least that means we’ll have more speed and movement (assuming we have the ball at our feet). So that should mean Theo will start with DW to come on later. He was (and by no means the only one) very indifferent against that powerhouse Watford team. Let’s hope he’s rediscovered his mo-jo. I’d actually like to see Perez out there but, again, I think he’ll come off the bench at some point. This is Ozil’s chance to assert himself in a big game (aside from the odd world cup final). With our weakened midfield I’m sure we’ll see him drop back further to pick up the ball. I don’t mind that. But I do worry about both him and Alexis dribbling around the half-way line and losing possession. That would be a super soft way to give up a goal. Look how one single thrown-in resulted in the 2nd goal against the world- beating Watford team.
The good news is that there will be no Mike Dean. This time it will be Martin Atkinson.
I don’t go into the game (not that I’ll be playing) optimistically but I at least expect us to show some fight. Some backbone.
-LB7