In just a matter of weeks, Arsenal has made several transitions from weekend Premier League fixtures to mid-week Champions League and Capital One Cup football. Arsenal’s form has been very shaky recently, and the latest result against Fulham doesn’t bring any fond memories.
Funnily enough, Arsenal fans aren’t too surprised with their team’s recent capitulation against a Fulham side that has a very appalling record at the Emirates. This is a team that won a game despite being 4 – 0 down this season and you need no reminder about that fateful game in St. James Park two seasons ago.
The star performer from an Arsenal perspective was Olivier Giroud, that has finally stepped up the plate in his bid to fill those big boots vacated by that Judas with the little boy inside him. Giroud netted in two neat headers and was very close to getting a hat-trick of headers had he directed Bacary Sagna’s inch-perfect cross goalwards.
It took Giroud a while to find his feet at the Emirates and he has stated that he never doubted his abilities through his trying period. Like van Persie before him, Giroud has spoken about his newly found telepathy with Theo Walcott,
“Theo was instrumental. He made two decisive passes. I get along very well with him. There are other players with whom it works well but especially him. He begins to know me and so too does Bacary.
“I have more affinity with the right side for the moment because there have been changes on the left side. That being said, Lukas (Podolski) knows me well.
“When the ball is centred, I’ve more opportunity to show for it. It’s not just in front of goal, in my general participation in the game, I feel better and better.”
With Giroud hitting top gear in the right time, this could be a catalyst for a great run of games, as Arsenal’s fixture list has games that are winnable on paper. At least, his dynamism and threat he poses in the air offers Arsenal a Plan B, instead of passing the ball to find that perfect goal which makes no sense, because we will concede afterwards.
Arsene Wenger shared his emotions after the game, revealing his frustrations as his team had chances to kill off the contest, Mikel Arteta’s bad day in the office and his team’s terrible defensive showing. When Arsenal kept three clean sheets in its first four fixtures, echos of Steve Bould’s influence reverberated around the football world but it’s fair to say that it’s still a classic case of same ol’ shit, different season.
However, Wenger remains unfazed by Arsenal’s worst Premier League start in eons and still remains adamant that his squad can compete for the title this season.
YOUDUNMEANIT (-___-)
More recently, the boss has spoken about how his team needs more belief and he wasted no time in airing his views about this unwanted interlull that is upon us.
Well, it’s time for another set of meaningless friendlies again and Arsenal has as much as 10 players travelling to different destinations all over the globe to play for their respective nations.
The happiest of them all will be Carl Jenkinson, that has been called up by Wily Ol’ Woy Hodgson, alongside Jack Wilshere, for England’s friendly match against Sweden. To cap up a fairytale week for the young lad, he has signed a new five-year deal worth £32,000 a week.
It’s no less than he deserves for such an outstanding start to the season. Sagna’s return to full fitness has seen the young Finn Englishman relegated to the bench, but he’ll get another stint at first-team football when Arsenal play Bradford in the Capitol One quarterfinal.
Wilshere on the other hand, has caused a stir, as his manager clearly feels that it was a bit too early for the young lad to be drafted back into the international squad, after almost an eternity out of action. On the bright side, Hodgson understands Arsenal’s perspective on this matter and he has declared that Wenger trusts him to do what’s right for the player.
Elsewhere, first-team regulars like Santi Cazorla, Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Podolski and Per Mertesacker were called up as well. Even Fabio Hitler has tipped Andrey Arshavin to make his Russia comeback after his recent encouraging cameo performances.
We are just two months away from the winter transfer window and the media Vultures have wasted no time in linking players in and out of Arsenal. The only player tipped to leave the Emirates remains Walcott, as a shroud of mystery still clouds his contract issue. According to the Metro, Chelsea is planning a January swoop for the forward.
Despite featuring sparingly for the Gunners this season, Walcott leads the scoring charts and he’s getting better with each passing game, but Arsenal’s stance on this matter clearly shows that Walcott isn’t indispensable, and many fear that he could be sold if the club is shown the greens.
On potential arrivals, Team Talk has reported that Arsenal is fighting hard to sign that Belgian ruffian with a Lice Haven on his head, Marouane Fellaini. The Everton powerhouse has spoken about his intentions to leave the club and this is a move that I’ll welcome with open arms, but I have a hunch that he’ll cost a fortune.
Hey, you can’t even get him for cheap in Football Manager.
Then there’s the hilarious bit Soccer Souls published, revealing that Arsenal wants to sign Napoli’s hitman, Edinson Cavani. The expression I let out after reading this article was no different from Admiral General Hafeez Aladeen of the Dictator when he was addressing the Wadiyan public that his weapons-grade Plutonium would be used for peaceful purposes.
Finally, there was still time for two Wenger-esque speculations, as Arsenal has been linked with Real Madrid Castilla starlet, Alvaro Morata and PSV’s 16-year-old wonderkid, Riechedly Bazoer.
Let’s hope that our Arsenal ambassadors return unscathed because we can’t afford any more injuries before the North London Derby.
Sayonara.
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