Happy Saturday to you all, it’s a bit of a rainy, miserable one here in Dublin.
So, all eyes on tomorrow’s game against the Mugsmashers. We know just how important it is. A win keeps us in the title race, lose and we’re probably too far behind to even havevague notions about closing the gap, and a draw is … well … a draw.
Whatever happens Arsenal cannot lose this game. Not only do we not want to fall behind the leaders we have to look at the table a bit more realistically, we don’t want to fall any further behind Aston Villa. That’s really where we should be looking at the moment.
The mood in the camp seems bullish though. Some choice quotes from Arsene Wenger:
Some people say it is a three-horse race but let them talk all they want. Let us show they are wrong.
It is a must-win game for us and, from now on, we must keep taking maximum points. But we’ve beaten Manchester United and Chelsea, so we know we can do it.
And Robin van Persie, who is using last season’s Champions League exit as motivation:
I know how their team are playing and what they did against us before and how they hurt us. I always take that with me. Our only chance of winning the title is to win the big games. If we beat Liverpool it becomes five points and anything can happen.
So confidence appears to be high, which is a good thing. Our record in the ‘big’ games this season is good, it’s what’s keeping us alive, and we need another one of those days tomorrow. That said the smashers have beaten both Chelsea and United this season too so it’s not going to be easy by any means.
We have to hope Nasri is back and fit because he, at least, offers us some width and craft in midfield. What he plans to do for the right hand side remains to be seen but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eboue play tomorrow. That leaves him with a choice of Diaby, Song and Denilson to partner Cesc which is like being asked to pick one from Curly, Moe or Larry.
Amy Lawrence writes in the Guardian about how Arsene must be regretting not spending the extra couple of million on Xabi Alonso in the summer. He’s having a fine season and while he wasn’t everyone’s choice I don’t think anyone can deny he would have added experience and quality to our midfield, attributes which are in short supply for us at the moment.
It’s an impossible game to predict. We have been so inconsistent that the only consistent thing about us is our inconsistency. We could play out of our skins and win the game, we could have another tepid off day, it’s just impossible. From what’s being said though the players know just how vital this game is, especially when the next fixture sees us travel to Villa Park.
Away from Liverpool and the boss says the boardroom goings-on won’t affect the players in any way. I’ve always wondered about how what happens at that level can possibly affect players at a football club, unless it has something to do with them not being paid. As long as that’s not an issue nothing that happens up there should affect players. He also spoke about possible spending, saying:
They let me do what I want to do. I know how much money I can spend and I will try to do it in a wise way.
He then outlines his opposition to the transfer window, which makes sense to me, and then talks about how clubs should be made live within their own natural resources. Again that makes sense to a certain extent but the sugar-daddy owner has always existed, it’s just gone to the next level now. Well, it’s gone to a level none of us can even really comprehend.
There’s a definite difference between somebody like Jack Walker who made a fortune and ploughed millions into the club he loved, and the likes of Abramovich and the new owners of Man City who see football clubs as toys.
Still, I don’t know what you can do about it. If the man who owns your club is willing to spend his money on it then who is anyone to stop him?
Arsene also talks about how he wants to win the Champions League. The draw yesterday wasn’t too bad and leaving aside the fantastic trip back to my old hometown Barcelona wasn’t necessarily as kind in a footballing sense as Roma. We beat them back in 2002-3 I think it was – an Henry hat-trick in one of the ugliest Arsenal kits I have ever seen. That horrible blue away shirt, I think we had to play in white shorts that night too because of Roma’s dark shorts, and white socks. Fashion nightmare!
They’re struggling a bit at the moment in Serie A, they had a woeful start to the season but seem to be getting themselves back on track with 5 league wins in a row. By February/March who knows where they’ll be. For that matter who knows where we’ll be or how our squad might have been improved.
Danny Fiszman has reiterated that there’s money for Arsene to spend in January as well as his own commitment to the club. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of the Lady Nina stuff either. I’ve been sitting here this morning wondering where I saw an article which had some new info but I’ve just remembered I dreamt it. Pfff, stupid brain.
Right, that’s about that. More tomorrow.
