I had the privilege of taking the journey up to Sunderland on Saturday and frankly it was worth every minute of it. Its moments like the one that occured in the final minute on Saturday which make football such a special game and to be in attendance was fantastic.
The three points were vital on a week where Chelsea dropped yet more points. We couldn't carry on losing when they lost and we needed to gain some ground, if just to give us a boost going into some slightly harder games. We were obvioulsy very unfortunate to go behind, of course you can't blame the BFG for getting injured but its just awful luck. I have to say though Mert did look very odd when he went down, hes just so tall it looks strange to see him curled up on the floor, like hes curled up but still the full size of an Arshavin.
Speaking of Arshavin I thought he was fantastic when he came on. Theo had done the square root of sod all for 85 minutes. Arshavin came on and was dynamic, looked to challenge the defenders and put crosses in the box, which eventually got us the winner. I wouldn't go with him for the Milan game just because I think pace can often scare Italian defenders and Walcott has that in abundance but certainly for the next FA cup game, again away to Sunderland, I think he should get a start. People have criticised him, me included, a lot this season but I think when he does put in a match winnning cameo he has to get praise that is due.
Arsene's substitutes as a whole were brilliant as well. Henry came on for the Ox (66), Ramsey came on for Mert (72) and Arshavin came on for Theo (87). Ramsey scored our first, Henry scored our second set up by Arshavin. It would have been the simple and easy option to stick on Gibbs at left back when the BFG went off but Arsene went for the game. He knew this was make or break time and he knew he needed someone who could provide a genuine goal threat. Ramseys finish was delicate and precise, hitting both posts and trickling over the line and the Henry goal was something special to win in a place that has been very difficult to win at in recent times.
Gervinho returns for the FA cup game and it will be great to have him back. Some people are saying he'l he depressed and a shadow of his former self when he returns because he missed a pen in the ACN final but I think he'l deal with it. Drogba missed one in normal time anyway and Kolo Toure also missed in the shootout. Plus when he gets back he'l have the great Thierry Henry to console him. He'l add some much needed depth to the squad, particularly when Henry leaves but it also gives the manager one of those 'nice headaches' about who to drop. Right now on current form it just has to be Theo. He is far too inconsistent and the Ox and Gerv on the wings feels like a menacing prospect, with Theo coming off the bench for impact, maybe even playing up front in a 4-4-2 for twenty minutes at the end of a game.
Slowly our injury crisis is easing, with Gibbs returning to the fold. We now have the option of selecting what is probably our first choice back four, a rareity this season. There is a test on Jack next week and we can hope for good news but I doubt we'll be seeing him anytime soon. When you get a recurrence of an injury like he got during his rehabilitation, its always pretty bad and hopefully, if he is out for the season, he comes back fresh for next season, preferably not playing in the Euros.
Our next six games are -
Milan (A) (CL)
Sunderland (A) (FA cup)
Spuds (H)
Liverpool (A)
Milan (H) (CL)
Newcastle (H)
This is a vital period we are going into and we may just have a clearer picture on our position at the end of this. The three premier league games are vital. Newcaslte and Liverpool so they dont catch us and Sp*rs because it would be brilliant to haul them back into the fight for top four places. The Milan games are obvioulsy important because we want to stay in, and get as far as we can in the Champions League. Sunderland is clearly another big game because the FA cup is our only realistic chance of silverware this season and with both Manchester clubs out its one I feel we should really fight for.
Anyway,
Thanks for Reading.
Lick my Arse.
@Arse_Licker
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