Morning Gooners,Today is a another huge day in our season. It's scary that we have already had so many 'huge days' for our club this season, we're only at the second league game and as fans we're already feeling the pressure that our season could live or die by our next fixture.
Udinese was a truly massive game for our club as our future in the Champions league depended on it. That challenge is still not over but the pressure the return leg comes with can wait just a few more days, today we have to concentrate on our first test against a big club - and yes Liverpool are still a big club.
We will welcome Liverpool to Ashburton Grove with a squad that would normally resemble a Carling Cup squad, through injuries and suspensions we are down to a bare minimum squad with little experience and the inevitability of more than one player playing outside of their natural/normal position. On top of this we will certainly be relying on the young additions to our squad that Arsene has brought in.
We will approach the game knowing that Gervinho will take no part thanks to his rash actions slapping Joey Barton around the face. We are also missing Alex Song thanks to his display of stupidity against Barton in the same game last weekend. Song is fundamental to our formation and the importance of his role deserves a cooler head. That cooler head for the next three games will have to be Emmanuel Frimpong. The youngster needs to step up to the plate and show he can challenge Song for the DM role in our line-up and when two of those three games are Liverpool and Manchester United there is no time for learning or growing into the role, he needs to hit the ground running and succeed immediately.
Injuries to our defence have already crippled us and we're only two games in. Gibbs looked set to begin establishing himself as our first choice left back until his injury curse struck again and he will be missing for the next few weeks. Traore was an easy replacement to choose as he's the only other left back we have at the club but it seemed Gibb's injury was contagious and Traore will join him on the sidelines. It would seem Wenger's next choice would be to have Kos and Djourou in the middle with Vermaelen on the left but as Djourou decided nine minutes was enough for him in midweek and proceeded to leave the pitch with a hamstring injury of his own Jenkinson looks likely to get his first Premier League start.
The other problem for Wenger's selection is the central midfield. As I said before, Frimpong will certainly be Song's replacement, Ramsey will continue to show his growth as he sits nicely in the middle of the park but with Wilshere and Rosicky both out the big question is who will complete the central trio?
Arsene Wenger has been very defensive of Samir Nasri in the build up to this game which could suggest that he's going to get one final appearance for the club before he parts for the cash bags of Man City. I really, really, really do not like the idea of that money grabber getting to wear the shirt I love for a single second unless it follows an announcement that he's signed a new four year contract and we all know that is highly unlikely.
The other option we have is to move Arshavin into the middle. The little Russian was quite vocal about playing in the 'Cesc' role when he came to the club and although it's a few years on today could be the perfect oppurtunity. He could produce plenty of creativity in the middle of the park but I do wonder if his final pass is good enough to pick out our attackers.
Today could be a fantastic opportunity for another youngster to make his impression on the league. Today could see either Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Ryo Miyaichi make their Arsenal debut, in fact I'd expect at least one of them to do so. I'm excited to see what the pair can bring to the team and with Ryo coming on with his pace, skill and trickery for the final 15-20 minutes against a tired defence we should have that fear that teams used to have playing us in the last quarter of a game back into them.
Here's my line-up:
Szczseny
Sagna - Vermaelen - Koscielny - Jenkinson
Frimpong
Ramsey - Arshavin
Walcott - AOC
RVP(c)
That is just my guess and I actually have every suspicion that Nasri will start in the middle with Arshavin out wide but can't bring myself to put him in my own line up. Again if he starts after signing a new contract he will have my full support as a committed member of our squad but until that day comes I don't want him to wear the badge.
Liverpool have definitely had a more active summer than ourselves bringing in Henderson, Adam, Enrique and Downing in addition to Carroll and Suarez seeming to finally settle in they are in a much stronger position than ourselves and I find it hard to believe they come into this game as anything other than favourites to take all three points from us. Carroll will be a handful as always and our defence will have to control him to prevent him having the same effect at the Emirates as he did when Newcastle visited last year.
Last season this game ended 1-1 but for what it's worth I actually feel that we will win tomorrow. I think we will see a united front between our players, we will see players fighting for each other and a team that fight and battle together to put in a performance that will produce a gritty and well fought for victory.
I leave you now to enjoy the game as best as you can so at least for 90 minutes we can worry about something that isn't transfer related. Support the players we have, whoever they may be. Our team needs our support more than ever at the moment so it's our jobs as fans to do our bit and make Liverpool wish they hadn't bothered make the trip to Ashburton Grove, raise the roof Gooners.
Till next time,
Goonerfish.
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