Wouldn't you know it, I'm traveling and was unable to see any of these two games live. What I've watched of the highlights, and read from recaps, gives me a lot of hope for Arsenal's chances to accomplish things this season. Granted, City looks pretty good and has a five point lead in the league, but there's a long way to go and we look downright awesome these days.
It seems a long time ago that the Gunners rode their luck for three points against Southampton and looked awful in a 1-1 draw in Paris. But impressive road wins against inferior opposition and dominating home wins against usually formidable opponents have infused players and supporters alike with confidence. Theo Walcott of all people is probably the poster boy for this turnaround. He has rededicated himself to the game, renouncing his intentions to be a central striker and working harder than ever before to be a complete winger. And goals! He and Bellerin are clicking on the right side. It has to be nerve-wracking for opposing mids and defenders to see two of the fastest players in the league making themselves available on one side for assist machines like Ozil and Cazorla--and with Alexis buzzing around the penalty area combining with his teammates beautifully too. We're creating so many chances that it hardly matters that most are wasted.
Of course, the clean sheets help there. The four goals Liverpool scored against Holding and Chambers were an aberration. Koscielny and Mustafi are already working well together, their fullbacks are very cognizant of their defensive duties, Coquelin/Xhaka/Cazorla/Elneny shield the back four very well, and we have a superb goalkeeper--two, really--between the sticks. 13 - 1 in our last four games...I don't care what the opposition is, that's impressive.
Back to Walcott. He's being very modest about his offensive production, saying all the right things about the past being irrelevant and focusing on improving in the next game. Theo has always been enormously talented, capable of scoring some fabulous goals. It was his consistency and his commitment to defense that was deficient. He seems to have made huge strides in those departments. He has nailed down the right wing position in the important games. On the left, Iwobi has taken full advantage of the opportunity afforded him by Wenger's odd insistence that Alexis is a center forward, and is doing things players his age are not supposed to do, like combine on lovely flowing attacking moves. Ozil does not always play at his best, but he's having some really good games this season and is popping a few into the net. Alexis is his usual devastating self, as happy to flight perfect crosses or slot great cutbacks to teammates as he is to fire shots at the net. And boy does he terrify center backs who don't get rid of the ball quickly enough.
I don't think there'll be a letdown at Burnley. I will watch that game. If Coquelin, Ramsey, and Giroud become fit, we'll be nearly at full strength. Shad Forsythe magic? I don't know about you, but I figured Lucas Perez would be starting in Giroud's absence. Instead, he's warming the bench. We need to stay alive in the League Cup if only to give minutes to players like Gibbs, Ramsey, Perez, Giroud, Elneny, Gabriel, Holding, and others a chance to stay sharp. I think AOC may have played himself out of the manager's plans, but we shall see.
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