Arsenal have almost played 1/3 PL games and so we should be able to come to some early conclusion about our chances this season. The Spuds and Aston Villa are hanging in there, but I expect the title race...
Arsenal have almost played 1/3 PL games and so we should be able to come to some early conclusion about our chances this season. The Spuds and Aston Villa are hanging in there, but I expect the title race to become a three-horse one over the next 8-10 games. Pool have almost got identical stats to Arsenal, with just one more goal scored (27 v 26), equal number of goals conceded (10) and equal number of games won, lost and drawn (8-1-3). Citeh are one point above us with nine wins, one draw and two losses. They scored six more than Arsenal but also conceded two more.
Citeh have to play Pool, Spuds and Villa in the next three rounds, and this may give us an opportunity to move above them. Of course there is no such thing as an easy game in the PL, and the best thing to do is simply focusing on our own games on an OGAAT basis. Pool, who have a decent set of games coming up after they have played Citeh on Saturday, have, like Arsenal, a good opportunity to collect a lot of points in the next six+ games. They may well become our nearest rivals for a while.
After three inter-lulls, the season will now truly start and it’s Hammer-time as they used to say in F1 races when Lewis Hamilton had a car he could compete in. Arteta and the boys will need to get the bit between their teeth and power forward.
The first 12 games have shown that we can defend very well, although for some reason we have let in goals at home too often. If the team can get this right, then the defence is as strong as any in the PL, and give us a real edge. I thought they were awesome and against the Oil-dripping Barcodes this month.
Midfield is getting stronger and stronger and Rice-baby has just been a joy to watch. A fit Thomas Partey would be very, very welcome, especially when we play Pool at the end of December. Jorginho adds a lot to the team and I somehow feel that Kai will start settling in next month. The big question is whether the Ode can get back to his best and shrug off his injuries now: let’s flipping hope so!
Attack has been a bit of an issue at times. We lack a bit of bite up-front at times, or is it fluency? When Jesus plays we certainly have an extra dimension to our attack; something Eddie just struggles to offer to us. But Gabriel looks now injury-prone and a title-winning team needs a CF who can play week in, week out. Eddie has still done a very good job, and so has my favourite, the versatile Trossard. If we can add a fine CF in January then that would be the icing on the proverbial, of course.
Finally, I would like to talk about Arsenal finest guns on show: Bukayo and Martinelli. They have not had as good a service as they got during last season with Odegaard and Xhaka just brilliantly spreading the ball as they saw fit. This season, at times, we have looked static, lack creativity and are too slow as a result. Still, Saka and Martinelli have given us an edge in almost all games and the better the service they will get – and that includes movement and continuous threat from our CF – the more they will shine.
So my question to you, fine fellow Gooners, is what would you like Arteta to do to get the balance right in our attacking game so we can start scoring more goals (especially against the park the bus/ low block teams)?
TotalArsenal