Hello.
Tonight we take on Merseille in the Champions League and a win, coupled with Borussia dropping points will see us qualify. It's hard to tell, what the odds of Borussia losing points are, but they definitely have a more complex task at their hands, than we do.
Marseille is sitting at the bottom of this group having acquired a grand total of zero points, but that doesn't mean we should underestimate them. They have lost only one game by more than a goal margin at the final whistle, so they are no pushovers. Marseille can consider themselves quite unlucky, in fact (and rightly so), because under different circumstances they would have been fighting for qualifying from the group. A harsh draw ensured they'll go out, but no one can say, that they did so without a fight.
At this level, basically any team can punish you for becoming complacent. Wenger and Cazorla are both right, when they warn their teammates against taking the opposition lightly. In order to achieve a necessary result we should give our all. Marseille have nothing to lose and this makes them dangerous. They are a quality side, after all, so it's not like they can't hurt us. We shouldn't fool ourselves by thinking that just turning up for the game will do the trick.
But I don't think we will. Wenger and Co are right, when they point out our defensive maturity. We know we can beat literally anyone, when we are on our game, but it's the other component, which has been missing for years, that now seems to be there. Namely, what we do, when our game doesn't click. Over the last couple of seasons, too many points have been lost, when we found ourselves unable to find our usual rhythm. Now, however, we retrace our steps, defend in an organised and disciplined way and just wait for our chance to come along. When we cannot win a game, we set out not to lose it. And it works. Time and again. Sometimes we do not win, but the number of times we have lost a game, while adopting this style of play, since Bayern encounter is minimal.
I see no reason though, why we shouldn't click tonight. We have a strong starting XI, a packed bench and no one out from our Saturday game. With Flamini back, Bendtner will be our weakest link in this squad. And he's not that bad.
I expect the Frenchman to start the game alongside Arteta (who is, mercifully, all right), with probably Ramsey out wide. It's not that obvious, though, cause Whilshere had a very good game. And let's not forget about Walcott, who's much more of a flank player than Ramsey, Whilshere or even Cazorla. A selection headache for Arsene, but of a pleasant sort, for a change.
So here's for the three points later today and, should results go our way, qualification from this nightmarish group.
Back tomorrow (Thursday, at most) with a review. Until then