Who would have guessed that an early November game away to a team expected to be fighting against relegation would feel like a must win game? Not me for one but that's where we are.
After an over-whelmingly disappointing performance against Newcastle at the weekend it's time for the real Arsenal to step up and be counted. Players like Fabregas, Clichy and Arshavin need to find the form that they have been lacking lately. We know that everyone of our players has the ability to be world class but at times I feel that our players think the game has been won before it begins.
Wolves are in form at the moment beating Manchester City and very nearly getting a deserved draw at Old Trafford. We on the other hand are not in form at all suffering two defeats in our last two games and only scrapping past West Ham in the game before. Arsene has expressed the importance of the game, he said:
“We do not want to lose this game. Especially after the games against Shakhtar and Newcastle where, because of our quality, we feel we should not have lost. So it is important we become efficient again and the confidence remains there.”Our team drives on confidence and dropping points today will only bring more bad form. We do need to remember though that if we beat Wolves and Man City can beat Man Utd then we return to second in the league five points behind Chelsea (assuming Fulham don't nick a result at the ridge) and in my opinion being in that position after a run of bad form can only excite us when we think of the position we'll be in when we strike a spell of good form.
We will travel without Vermealen, Ramsey and Diaby through injury and Koscielny because of suspension after the appeal against his red card was thrown out but the good news is Robin Van Persie looks set to continue his return but probably only from the bench.
Our defense will pretty much pick itself. Arshavin put in more effort during his cameo against Newcastle than I have seen over the rest of the season so if he comes back into the team then I hope he will continue that work rate for 90 minutes tonight, I've said many times before that if AA23 can combine his undoubted skill with a decent work rate over 90 minutes then he could be one of the best players in the world. Chamakh has experienced a run in the team that was much longer than he expected so early in his Arsenal career and as a result is understandably shattered so I expect him to take a place on the bench tonight but who will replace him? Options are Bendtner, RVP or a wilcard option of Theo. as I said, I think RVP will start from the bench so the decision rests on how fit Wenger deems our great Dane to be, I'd love to see Walcott start in the middle but expect Bendtner will get the call-up. If that is the case then we get back to the Walcott/Nasri choice for the right of our attack.
Goonerfish's line-up:
Fabianski
Sagna - Djourou - Squillaci - Clichy
Song
Fabregas (c) - Wilshere
Nasri - Arshavin
Bendtner
Score Wolves 1 - 3 Arsenal
I think that our players realise that these games our not 3 points in the bag anymore and we need to fight for every point. I think it will be a tighter game than 3 - 1 suggests but reckon we'll nick a third in the last 10 minutes as Wolves chase a point.
Wenger has stated that great teams do not lose three games in a row, he is right and it is up to our players to show we can be great.
Apologies again for the short and sweet preview but time has not been my friend today.
Till next time,
Goonerfish.
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