Distracted by the weekend clash vs Utd but Gunners must focus on finishing the Hoops off first!
I’m so excited by the early start. So far we have played 3 and won 3. That is pretty good by itself. And then I tell you we’ve scored 12 goals. An average of 4 per game. How good does that sound! And our defence has been largely solid as well.
Of those 12 goals, only 1 has been scored by a striker. Eduardo got the 6th at Goodison Park. RVP and Bendtner, employed in the 4-3-3 formation have yet to open their account. It won’t be too long before these guys get going also. My hunch is that they are saving themselves for the match at Old Trafford next weekend.
There, I can’t help think of that match when we have a match before that. We might be leading 2-0 against Celtic but complacency has ruined many teams and I hope our Gunners don’t get that in their system. When the Hoops appointed Mowbray I was surprised.
Yes, his teams always play attractive football but does he have the tactical nous to get results? I found my answer when his team overturned a deficit to win in Moscow. Given the horrible away results previously, it certainly gave Celtic more credibility as a team.
They might be down 2-0 but never underestimate an opponent in the CL. I remember once, AC Milan scored 4 against Deportivo La Coruna and thought they were safe. They only then went on to lose the return leg 5-0. These are freak results, but it can happen and we must guard ourselves against complacency.
Skipper Fabregas was withdrawn against Portsmouth in the 2nd half and will probably not play against the Hoops. He was targeted by the men in green and white at Celtic Park with some rather “fierce” tackles as Wenger put it. So it might be a blessing in disguise that he isn’t involved.
It means that someone else, and it looks like Diaby, will get another opportunity to enhance his impressive start to this season. I would also rather see Fabregas rested so that he is given enough time to make a possible recovery to play against United.
It seems to me that Ramsey is seen as a Fabregas clone, similar to how Clichy was Ashley Cole’s understudy. When Cesc plays, Ramsey is shifted to the right wing but when the skipper is absent, Ramsey is in central midfield trying to do that Cesc does best. I think Ramsey has much to learn from Cesc with regards to distribution.
The pre-season friendlies showed how the midfield struggled when Ramsey replaced Cesc. Perhaps this match against Celtic gives Ramsey the ideal opportunity to start a game in a crucial match albeit in less pressured circumstances.
Our defence has been largely resolute so far although against Pompey I saw an Arsenal side that was slightly more loose as a defensive unit. This needs to be addressed for home games as in the away games, such looseness was not so evident. Gallas has continued his goal-scoring start and long may it continue.
When defenders and midfielders are scoring like that it lessens the expectations on the strikers, who lets face are doing their bit by setting them up. Eduardo’s set up for Diaby was truly special. It was something different, a moment of true magic.
