From Rhys Jaggar : And Arsenal are where?
1. 6th in the League, but only 3pts behind 4th. Increasingly distant from 3rd (currently 5pts + game in hand for Spurs, 7pts Utd). 11pts off top with Citeh playing Liverpool today. They are basically competing for 4th until such a time as lots of wins again changes that.
But hey, 16pts from 18 is hardly something to cry about.
2. They are learning the value of surging runs into the box and a quality cross. Walcott to Vermaelen yesterday.
3. They may need to rotate a bit.
Wenger said his players were ‘leggy’ yesterday. Well, if they were, he’s saying Park, Chamakh, AOC, Frimpong etc aren’t good enough to start.
If not against Fulham, when, pray?
4. They have their Euro-bonus and won’t draw Real or Barca.
So they have a real chance of going through. Not a certainty, but a real chance. Another £5-10m in the bank then.
5. RVP didn’t score and Arsenal struggled. Time for others to step up to the plate too.
I wonder what side he will put out against Citeh?
I’d wager something like this:
Fabianksi; Djourou, Miquel, Koscielny, Vermaelen/Santos; Frimpong, Diaby; AOC, Arshavin, Park, Chamakh
Subs: XXX, Song, Walcott, RVP, Coquelin, Yennaris, Afobe.
3 youngsters, some squad players, some experience. Experience on the bench with a few youngsters.
Tuesday will show how seriously Wenger and Mancini are taking the Carling Cup.
What chance Clichy, Nasri and Toure all start?