So here we go. Things are about to get busy. The start of the Champions League means the games come with greater frequency, and so too the challenge for the manager about how best to keep his squad fit and fresh.
With Chelsea on the horizon this Saturday, I suspect Wednesday’s game might well be one where he decides to rotate a little. Some might say an away trip in Europe is not the time to tinker, but unless we find a way of incorporating the guys on the bench then our ‘First XI’ is going to be knackered, and quickly. Anyway we can talk about that a bit more as the week goes on.
Still, the manager is stressing the importance of a good start in the Champions League, saying:
You can be quickly out of the Champions League and we want to start well and we know we have a battle first to qualify with Bayern Munich. I think it is important to start well because the hunger of a team is shown as well in how well you go in every competition.
Backed up by Nacho Monreal who is urging focus:
You don’t play too many games so if you make a mistake you pay for it. You have to be really focused in each game and the level is higher. The difference is small but we have to be really focused.
There was, during our good run in the second half of last season, a long period of just one game a week, so it’ll be interesting to see how we cope now that the schedule is more hectic. There are obvious pitfalls, more games = fatigue, perhaps players being a bit more susceptible to injury, but on the other hand it can allow you to build genuine momentum if the results are right. We’ll find out soon enough.
In all the post-match discussion of Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud yesterday, it was pointed out to me that Alexis Sanchez didn’t seem to come under the same scrutiny, which is a fair point. I suppose there are some mitigating factors though. Firstly, his summer was truncated due to his involvement in the Copa America and as such the opening weeks of the season have essentially been his pre-season. The other two had their holidays, the carefully managed training, the fitness work and so on.
Secondly, he’s not under the spotlight as much because there was no clamour for Arsene Wenger to go out and buy somebody to replace him. His debut season was superb and although we have to see him do it again, he doesn’t really have anything to prove in his position on the left, whereas Walcott and Giroud have the weight not being WORLD CLASS STRIKER on their shoulders, and performances are, rightly or wrongly, judged thus.
Nevertheless, when you look at his numbers you can see how he might impact this team in a positive way when he does find his range. In the 5 Premier League games he’s played in so far (remembering he was a sub against West Ham on the opening day), he’s taken 28 shots, 8 of which have been on target. As @7amkickoff points out in his By the numbers piece for Arseblog News, he sees a lot of his efforts blocked.
Part of that is because he’s a player who will try and force it by shooting from a position that doesn’t really lend itself to a shot. Sometimes a pass would be the better option, but when you hear the crowd bellow ‘shooooooot’ at Francis Coquelin 40 yards from goal, you can understand why he might have a go from closer in. Chances are the shot is going to be charged down, but it’s not always a bad idea. The ball can bounce around, ricochet, and cause danger, and I don’t see any real problem with it – it beats yet another sideways pass as we probe for an opening.
He came close to opening his account on Saturday against Stoke. The first chance – the header – was actually going in but for a fantastic touch from the goalkeeper, something that I didn’t see at first viewing, while the second was an inch or two away from being the right side of the post. Fine margins.
I think, however, there’s almost a pecking order of forgiveness. Alexis’ brilliant first season, his infectious way of playing and his desire to make things happen means people will give him much more leeway when a chance goes begging. Walcott divides people, no question, but again there’s a willingness to explain/understand his misses that certainly isn’t there when it comes to Olivier Giroud.
When he fluffs a chance it’s like flashback territory – everybody’s thinking ‘Monaco Monaco Monaco Monaco Monaco Monaco Monaco’, and he, much more than the other two, becomes the lightning rod for frustration about our lack of efficiency in front of goal. He’s feeling it too, you could see it in the way he reacted to his goal on Saturday. No doubt delighted to have scored, but fully aware that the one he dragged wide will be more to the forefront of people’s minds than the one that went in.
However, while there’ll always be those whose opinions are fixed, regardless of facts and evidence, it’s possible to change people’s minds with performances. Arsene Wenger had little choice but to publicly back his forwards after the transfer window closed, but that there was a lack of desperation to our summer business suggests he has plenty of faith in them, knowing full well what the reaction would be to a closed wallet on deadline day.
Again it comes back to efficiency. The chances are being created, if these guys can convert more of them, perhaps perceptions of them can change. And that would be a good thing if it happened.
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James and I will be here later this morning with an Arsecast Extra. If you have any questions or topics for discussion, please send to @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra and we’ll do our best to get to as many as possible.
Until later.
