Things that change quickly.
1 – Traffic lights from green to red when you’re in a hurry
2 – A schoolboy after being taught swimming by Gary Glitter
3 – Things in football.
Shortly before 5pm last Sunday Aston Villa were 2-0 up on Stoke and, seemingly, about to open up an 8 point lead on Arsenal. Then Stoke scored two late goals and that gap was 6.
On Tuesday night we went to West Brom and won 3-1. The gap was three points although Villa had a game in hand. That game in hand was last night and they were beaten 2-0 by Man City.
So from a position from which it would have been very difficult to claw back enough points to get into the Champions League, we’re now just three behind. If Villa lose their next game and Arsenal win we move back into the top four on goal difference.
Amazing really. Villa’s recent run of form is poor. In their last six games in all competitions they’ve lost four and drawn two. Their upcoming fixtures in the league are Sp*rs (H), Liverpool (A), Man United (A), Everton (H), West Ham (H).
Our corresponding fixtures are Blackburn (H), Newcastle (A), Man City (H), Wigan (A), Liverpool (A). So there’s plenty of scope for things to change even further and the next few weeks are going to be crucial. Especially as we face United and Chelsea in the final weeks of the season. However, the pressure is right on Villa now, they have to arrest their poor run of form and perhaps their squad, which is quite small, is finding the going a bit tough now.
So while we can keep on eye on Villa the players have to focus on just getting the results. According to Bacary Sagna:
At the moment we are only looking at Arsenal. We try to play game after game and give everything, take the maximum points and we will see. We have to stay focused and we have to work.
Of course we have other distractions too. The Champions League and the FA Cup, neither of which trouble Villa who bowed out of Europe quite deliberately last week. You just hope that the players we have coming back from injury will provide the squad with the bit of freshness it needs to cope with the extra games.
Andrei Arshavin has been speaking about the adaptation he’s making to English football. He says:
I watched the matches that were broadcast in Russia whenever possible. But to tell the truth it seemed less difficult on TV. Only now do I understand how dynamic and hard the football is here.
He has been impressive since he arrived, showing his creativity with some excellent passing, and he has an assist under his belt for Kolo Toure‘s goal against West Brom the other night. The only thing left for him is to find the net but that will come soon enough. I seem to remember a couple of high profile Arsenal signings hitting double figures in terms of appearances before they got on the scoresheet so there really is no pressure on Arshavin at this moment.
The Daily Mail says that Theo Walcott has asked to be included in the squad for the FA Cup game against Burnley on Sunday. He’s been back in training since Monday so it might be a push but I suppose the sooner he gets some match action under his belt the better.
And from the same article:
Wenger has opened talks with Emmanuel Eboue over a new contract for the midfielder, whose career at Arsenal appeared to be finished when he was sent on as a substitute and then replaced in injury time after an embarrassing display against Wigan last December.
The Ivory Coast star was also sent off against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, but Wenger believes Eboue has done enough to earn a new deal.
Mmmmmmfff. Phhffhdhffff. Ahghfgfgf. Trrtjgjhghgg. Azzzdgdgaa. AHdhyryrtd. Asdkasdhasd. 1237. asdhasdas.d. asdjaksdhjasd. qwe. tuerewre. sdahldalsd. asdad. utut. ggggggg.
And that is the extent of my reasoned analysis to that news. Perhaps it might just be a Daily Mail person saying “Let’s just stick this in down the bottom for a laugh. Imagine their faces … hahaha”.
Although that would credit somebody in the Daily Mail with a sense of humour and I think we all know that couldn’t possibly be the case. I suspect, however, that there’s not much truth to it.
If you haven’t been following it Goodplaya’s survey results are interesting.
Right, that’s about that. There will be more tomorrow, of course, along with an Arsecast.
Till then.
