Its back to business in the EPL for us after what seems an age since we last saw Arsenal in action. Quite a lot has happened since last Sunday's win against Tottenham..both Good and Bad.. i.e (Bad): We lost one of our key players for the rest of the season in the person of Theo Walcott (Good): We welcomed another player back from injury Alex Oxlade chamberlain..plus, the boss hinted that Rosicky might stay with us for the foreseeable future (yaay!) . So a bit of a mixed week you might say but as i type this write-up (Sunday night) we have been temporarily deposed from the summit of the EPL following the week 21 games that have been played this weekend .Chelsea and Mancity now sit above us following their expected victories over Hull and Newcastle respectively. I fancied them to annex all 3 points before those games anyway so i'm not surprised. Meaning we go into the Aston Villa game in 3rd position and in need of a win against them to move us back to the summit. In the light of their recent form at their home stadium, getting the win we need may not be exactly mission impossible. Here's a look at how they've fared at Villa Park. They've won 6 games all season with 4 of those wins coming at home. They always seem like a team with a lot of individual talent but yet, flatter to deceive with underachievement every single season. Boasting dangerous attacking talents like Benteke,Weimann,Agbonlahor,and Marc Albrighton you wouldn't be wrong to suggest that 10th position isn't where Villa should be found. But as they say the table never lies, and its their patchy form that has been their albatross. Anyway, they have managed to beat Manchester City at home this season and that game demonstrated how they love to set up against teams who look to dominate possession. They sit back and soak pressure against such teams, then seek to exploit their pacy players and hurt the opposition on the break. This was the ploy they used to devastating effect at the Emirates in August and we will have to be very careful this time around.
However, it has to be said we are not the same team we were in August. Right now, we are considerably more formidable than 5 months ago when an Ozil-less Arsenal without the boost of any significant summer signing got smashed at home 1-3 nearly triggering off Armageddon. We played naively after taking the lead on that occasion..without any holding midfielder like Arteta or Flamini we found ourselves exposed via runs from the speedy Agbonlahor and Weimann. Not forgetting the ref on that day was a muppet but still the lesson learnt on the day was that neither Wilshere nor Ramsey can be effective defensive midfielders. Both tried to interchange and share the holding role in midfield but found their natural offensive instincts to strong to curb leaving us exposed time and again. Recently we have evolved a style and balance to our play that sees us less ball hungry and more willing to allow the opposition more of the ball deliberately. I think this ploy is to give the other team the encouragement to feel less threatened and attack us. We have also learnt how to keep it tighter at the back now so Villa will also find life difficult breaking us down..On twitter all the talk is about avenging that humiliating defeat,which in my opinion is irrelevant. All we need is 3 points and not an ego massage against a mid-table club.
We will likely see the return of Olivier Giroud back in the starting lineup after his much needed rest, then in Walcotts' absence my guess is that Gnabry one of the heroes of last Sunday might be rewarded with another start on the right, while Cazorla whom he combined with beautifully goes left. The middle will see Arteta, Wilshere and Ozil while the ever reliable back four will be the usual suspects..
Szczesny,Sagna,Gibbs,Mertasacker, Koscielny,Arteta,Ozil,Wilshere,Gnabry,Giroud,Cazorla
The boss talked up the striking prowess of Podolski and tipped him to play a crucial role in the season run in. while answering questions as to the continued absence of the German Forward, he replied that the player was not yet at the required physical level to compete in the Premier league after being out of action over the last 4 months with a hamstring injury. But he did extol the virtues of the ''Smiling'' German and described him as one of the ''best'' finishers he has ever seen. High praise indeed coming from a man that gave the world George Weah, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires..having said that though he's absolutely right when he said that Podolski is probably the best man you want to see in a shooting position in front of the opposition goal. Fans of the German like me, can only hope we see him in action again at some point during the game tomorrow. Our throne at the top of the league beckons, here's to 3points tonight so we can slap Mancity out of it..back with a review
However, it has to be said we are not the same team we were in August. Right now, we are considerably more formidable than 5 months ago when an Ozil-less Arsenal without the boost of any significant summer signing got smashed at home 1-3 nearly triggering off Armageddon. We played naively after taking the lead on that occasion..without any holding midfielder like Arteta or Flamini we found ourselves exposed via runs from the speedy Agbonlahor and Weimann. Not forgetting the ref on that day was a muppet but still the lesson learnt on the day was that neither Wilshere nor Ramsey can be effective defensive midfielders. Both tried to interchange and share the holding role in midfield but found their natural offensive instincts to strong to curb leaving us exposed time and again. Recently we have evolved a style and balance to our play that sees us less ball hungry and more willing to allow the opposition more of the ball deliberately. I think this ploy is to give the other team the encouragement to feel less threatened and attack us. We have also learnt how to keep it tighter at the back now so Villa will also find life difficult breaking us down..On twitter all the talk is about avenging that humiliating defeat,which in my opinion is irrelevant. All we need is 3 points and not an ego massage against a mid-table club.
We will likely see the return of Olivier Giroud back in the starting lineup after his much needed rest, then in Walcotts' absence my guess is that Gnabry one of the heroes of last Sunday might be rewarded with another start on the right, while Cazorla whom he combined with beautifully goes left. The middle will see Arteta, Wilshere and Ozil while the ever reliable back four will be the usual suspects..
Szczesny,Sagna,Gibbs,Mertasacker, Koscielny,Arteta,Ozil,Wilshere,Gnabry,Giroud,Cazorla
The boss talked up the striking prowess of Podolski and tipped him to play a crucial role in the season run in. while answering questions as to the continued absence of the German Forward, he replied that the player was not yet at the required physical level to compete in the Premier league after being out of action over the last 4 months with a hamstring injury. But he did extol the virtues of the ''Smiling'' German and described him as one of the ''best'' finishers he has ever seen. High praise indeed coming from a man that gave the world George Weah, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires..having said that though he's absolutely right when he said that Podolski is probably the best man you want to see in a shooting position in front of the opposition goal. Fans of the German like me, can only hope we see him in action again at some point during the game tomorrow. Our throne at the top of the league beckons, here's to 3points tonight so we can slap Mancity out of it..back with a review
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