City Review

Again apologies for missing the City game this time but I just never got around to drafting something up. Overall I think we showed some resilience and picked up what could be a vital point come the end of the season especially with Everton breathing down our necks. 

I'm not going to lie going into the game I didn't expect much from us in fact I expected the worse and after 18 minutes, I expected it even more. The match started lively and actually would have been a good game for a neutral to watch, both teams were attacking but when Silva broke with City the deadlock was soon broken. The tricky Spaniard looked to shoot but instead squared it to Dzeko who hit the near post but much like at Old Trafford the rebound fell to Silva who put it away. Lucky? Maybe, but when your charging to the title you need luck and Silva had the instinct to follow it in.

The half went on in a tit-for-tat kind of way with both sides creating the odd chance. Mathieu Flamini put the ball in the City net but it was rightly ruled out for offside. The half drew to a close but there was some optimism around the Emirates for the second half and for good reason, the second half started and Arsenal immediately looked better. 

There was more urgency and more drive to Arsenals game as they began to pull the City defence across the field. Then 7 minutes in, we struck. Displaying the patient play on the edge of the box that we so often do, found Podolski on the left hand side of the box. The German looked up and curled the ball towards an onrushing Flamini who guided it past Hart. It was a big goal and you could really see what it meant to the Frenchman who as proved to be a phenomenal piece of business from Wenger.

The rest of the game was all Arsenal and moment later we probably should have been 2-0 up. Some clever interplay with Cazorla found Podolski again but this time inside the box on the left with Hart to beat. I thought almost certainly he would fizz it across the face of the goal and into the far corner, but instead he tried to put it between Harts legs but the England keeper got the lucky with the ball brushing off his heel and wide.

That was really the best chance we fashioned for the rest of the game but credit to Wenger, I expected him to throw on some more defensive players as the game progressed but he went for it bringing on Alex OC and Sanogo but it just wasn't to be. After a bad week a big point against Man City was much needed ahead of our final game of the dreaded run we've had to endure.

The game next weekend is without a doubt the biggest of the season. We sit 4 points ahead of Everton who have a game in hand. Assuming they win that, there's a point in it meaning that we have to go to Goodison and get a result. A draw isn't ideal but a loss is catastrophic. If we lose it's out of our hands and we rely on other teams at this silly stage of the season to save us.

I'd just like to take a moment to remember that 13 years ago today, Arsenal lost David "Rocky" Rocastle to non-hodgkins lymphoma at the age of just 33. For those who saw him play, many will never forget his unusual combination of flair and power. For those who didn't he lives on through the stories passed down from fan to fan. RIP Rocky.

The end of the 2012/2013 season

Football is a game of agony and ecstasy. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Yesterday was definitely one of the highs. A moment where finishing above your rivals, denying them Champions League football and securing your own place in Europe's top tier rested on 90 minutes of excruciating football. But we did it. 

 

In all honesty we offered very little in terms of threats, in the first half there was a wayward header from Koscielny who ultimately scored the winner (again and was easily MOTM) and one of the worst efforts from Cazorla I can remember but I'll let him off because he's been sensational this season. Apart from that Newcastle looked like they were going to score and there were warning signs. We went in at the half 0-0 as did Tottenham. 8 minutes into the second half the breakthrough came when a Walcott delivered free kick was nodded goalwards by the Poldi and similarly to last season Koscielny hooked it, rather nicely, over the line.

The remainder of the match was horrific, Newcastle had fits and starts at goal. One of the many moments of brilliance however was when pictures from SHL emerged with their fans celebrating falsely believing Newcastle had equalised, thank you Lord Sugar for that. Then of course the news we all new was coming MonkeyMan at scored for the spuds and we had to hold on, seconds after that we should have wrapped it up when Theo went through one on one after beating 2 men and managed to hit the post. I genuinely feared the worst then but we held on and the celebrations began.

All the drama and celebration of yesterday aside ultimately for me this has been a disappointing season, particularly in the domestic cups. The fact that last season there was a 20 point gap between us and the champions and this season there is a 16 point gap shows virtually no improvement in the league either. Gary Neville for me hit the nail on the head yesterday he said that the players deserve to celebrate and they should celebrate because they've earned their place, but this summer we need to just go for it.

For now though, before the summer of stupid rumours, stupid money moves and no doubt countless links between everyone and Arsenal, we should ENJOY this moment. These are the moments we follow football for. I'll be back at various points throughout the summer when the transfer mill goes into overdrive but for another season NORTH LONDON IS RED! 

QPR (A)

After a draw with United last weekend, we sit a point ahead of Tottenham but a point behind Chelsea who both have a game in hand against each other. We have 3 games left this season and if we win all 3 I think we'll be there. That starts against QPR this weekend. QPR as I'm sure you're well aware have been relegated and therefore have nothing to play for, that said Redknapp would love nothing better than to spoil our run in. 

It won't be an easy game but we should have more than enough to beat a QPR team who have been poor so far this season. We start again with Podolski upfront as Giroud serves the second match of his ridiculous ban. I thought Podolski was so-so on saturday but he's really the only dangerous striker we have, regardless of just how fit he is. I expect the team to be the same, Rosicky should retain his starting place after playing well on Sunday. The only position that might change is left back where Monreal will give Gibbs tough competition.

As for QPR they have Zamora returning from a suspension that saw him attempt to take Jordi Gomez's head off his shoulders. Samba is the only doubt though after missing the game with Reading. QPR will be dangerous going forward with Remy, Taarabt and Zamora playing upfront all of whom have 5 goals this season. However with 3 in their midfield we should look to dominate the game in the middle of the park, despite the power of M'Bia. If we can boss the midfield then hopefully we'll be able to play our football and do our thing.

Chelsea play United on Sunday and if we can get 3 points, we'll put the pressure on them to get a win at Old Trafford and with any lucky, they'll slip up. COYG!

Prediction: QPR 1-2 Arsenal

West Bromwich Albion (A)

They say there are no easy victories in football, however Reading on Saturday was an easy victory. I was very pleased with the performance the team put in against Reading and although the look no more than a Championship team we made them look that bad with out very tidy performance. Now many people will be fully aware that I am no fan of Gervinho and when although I suspected he'd start, I could feel the universal disappointment at the Emirates when his name was read out.

However he played his socks off at the weekend and although we saw the man who can slip past 2 defenders before blazing the ball over the bar, we saw glimpses of what he really cant do, his goal was a tap in but fair play to him for seeing it. But the stand out moment for me was when Sagna (who was superb) lifted the ball over the top of the midfield and Gerv charged onto it. He was on his own against 3 defenders but held the ball well, drew them all in and then slid it across for Giroud who drilled the ball in. There were a lot of really good performances, Cazorla was unreal as were all the midfield actually. Fabianski had a good game and it was good to see Giroud getting back amongst the goals.

I'd also like to touch on the fantastic display of support on the 7th minute of the match for a man who graced our number 7 until his very premature death. David Rocastle was a fan favourite at Arsenal and with a unique blend of flair and power he was exciting to watch and a very effective player. Sadly on March 31st 2001 David lost his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma aged just 31 and will always be sorely missed, but will never be forgotten. 

Anyway that game is gone and we need to keep our momentum in the run is as Chelsea slipped up against Southampton. Tomorrow is going to be an odd game. We play West Brom who are by all means a decent team and will be very hard to beat but on the flip side of that, they have nothing to play for. They're sitting comfortably in mid table and aside from a Europa League place will go nowhere. That said they will still provide a stern test for our team who are still battling for a place amongst Europe's elite next season, and although people will say the run in is with us, we have to do our job before we count on others.

Team news for us is looking positive, although we are still without Jack and Theo, they are aiming to be available for selection next weekend. After colliding with the post and going on against Reading, Monreal is available which is good because although Gibbs came on to replace him its clear he isn't quite ready just yet. So with this in mind I think the team will be identical to the one that started against Reading. Fabianksi, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Gervinho, Cazorla, Giroud.

West Brom have a strong team and with Lukaku upfront on loan from Chelsea having bagged 13 of their goals this season. After Odenwingie's antics on deadline day he hasn't been selected (surprise, surprise). Brunt will sit in the gap behind Lukaku and they will have threat from Morrison too. They are however without the powerhouse Mulumbu in the middle which may give us the edge to to run the game from the middle of the park.
 
West Brom are a tricky team to beat but if we want to keep our charge for the top four on track they are a team we have to beat. On our day when the Arsenal play in the way we all know they can we should be beating West Brom but sadly we all know Arsenal far too well to expect this to be a bump free ride, we do like to make things hard for ourselves.

Until next time. COYG!

Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Arsenal