Hello everyone.
We face Swansea at Liberty Stadium tomorrow and it will be our last game before the Interlull.
Injury update
And this Interlull could not have come at a better time. This two-week break will allow us to get back some of the walking wounded. I'm mostly talking about Olivier Giroud (who starts training next week) and Serge Gnabry (though it's hard to fathom how the German might make even the bench). Debuchy also shouldn't be too far away, if only not ready right after the international break.
The most grim (and, potentially, the most damaging) piece of news is that Koscielny isn't close to full fitness:
“He has not started running outside so you cannot think he will be available in two weeks’ time. Then, you have to see how he responds to going outside and running. He is not there yet anyway. He cannot run. He will not be available for three or four weeks.”
Given the dearth of options at centre-back (a deficiency we couldn't have solved during the summer. Oh, wait...) and the simple fact that Arsene doesn't trust Bellerin to start games, we'll have to muddle along at least till Debuchy returns. And before that happy moment we'll have to play the minimum of four games (Swansea, United, Borussia and West Brom), in which (surprise!) we'll have to garner points. With Monreal at centre-back. Brilliant. Don't get me wrong, I think the Spaniard is a very good defender, who, at the start of this campaign, had a strong run in his preferred position. But Monreal is very obviously struggling in this new and unfamiliar role and given the quality of the opposition coming our way, it may prove very costly indeed.
The situation is further exacerbated by Arteta's absence. Fortunately for us the Spaniard has suffered only a grade one hamstring strain and thus will only miss two weeks. UNFORTUNATELY for us, he's set to miss tomorrow's game, which means we'll most definitely have little to no organisation in the middle of the park.
However, Theo is ready to start games, while Wilshere is available once again. With that sorted out, a guessing game is in order.
The back five
I'm starting to consider just copying and pasting this part from my previous posts, cause nothing is changing. Debuchy and Kos are out and Bellerin doesn't have the trust of the manager. Oh, Ospina is also out, for whatever this piece of news is worth. This means the same back five as against Anderlecht. A daunting prospect, considering how it collapsed along with the rest of the team in the last half an hour, but there's nothing we can do to change it. Apart from slapping Mert in the face for losing two aerial duels, one of which lead to their equaliser. Moving on.
The midfield
With Arteta out, Flamini well below par (just let him leave when his contract expires at the end of the season and buy a proper DM. The second bit should be done in January, preferably) and Ramsey having completely lost his head, I suggest a Wilshere-Cazorla base.
Both players are very good going forward through the middle, and both have the legs and the energy to track back. Cazorla, as a more experienced guy, should be able to organise the midfield. Definitely better than Ramsey or Wilshere.
However, I have a sinking feeling Ramsey will start once again, presumably alongside Jack. Arsene's quite public urge for Ramsey to get back to basics before the Anderlecht game was ignored by the Welshman and for that alone I'd drop Ramsey without giving it a second thought. But I'm pretty sure AW will do no such thing. So I expect Aaron to start and the only thing I can hope for is that he will do his job properly this time around.
Further up field it should be Sanchez once again. The Chilean is one of the few up to scratch right now:
"He was one of the very few who was at his level. He was involved in the three goals. He was one of the two or three players who were at their level."
Five goals in three games and one hell of an impact through the middle. Alexis definitely should play, he's about the only one who works his socks off for the team. However, if he scores and we still won't win I won't hold it against him if he personally slaughters every one of his teammates.
The attack
Welbeck is set to start up top once again, though I have a hunch it will be his last start in quite some time if he doesn't score. With Giroud back in training next week the Frenchman will definitely be viewed worthy of a couple of starts, especially since Welbeck looks exhausted. If, on top of that, the Englishman also turns out to be useless in front of goal (for now, at least), Giroud can start right after the international break.
The flanks are, once again, less obvious, but so what? We need quality, not quantity and right now we are not getting the most out of our flanks. Oxlade is good and works hard, but Cazorla is far from impressive on the other side. That's one of the reasons I'd prefer to see him shifted back inside, though I'm pretty sure it won't happen. At least tomorrow.
If, however, by some miracle, it WILL happen, then Walcott is the obvious replacement. Theo on the right, Oxlade on the left, Welbeck centrally. And Alexis under the striker. Imagine the pace.
The main problem right now, however, is not at the attacking side of the pitch. We need to sort our defense out, if we don't, we'll continue to drop points.
The verdict
Stability, we need defensive stability:
"It all has to harmonise well from the build-up through the back, and after, getting you to find the players who have the quality to give a good ball. After that as well, the guys that can make the runs and finish."
The main reason why I think Arsene persists with Monreal is that he wants a stable back four. We enjoyed a very good spell last year because we fielded a consistent defensive unit, which coincided with Ramsey walking on water. This time around the balance was disrupted early on when Debuchy went down in a heap against City and then when Kos's condition needed lengthy treatment.
So the manager had a choice: play Bellerin every three days in the hope of him making the grade, or give Monreal a run at centre-back. Both options weren't ideal, but we can only blame this situation on ourselves. We were incredibly lucky not to suffer a lot of injures at the back last season, this time it didn't work out. And so we have to adapt.
Honestly, I don't know what to expect of the game anymore. I'd really like us to put in a shift at the back, like we did in 2012-2013. Yes, it wasn't particularly pleasant to scrape out wins by a one-goal margin, while holding on for dear life in stoppage time, but at least we got the job done.
This defensive focus was also down to us not having the personnel to thrive up front. We didn't have Ozil, Welbeck and Sanchez back then and had to find other ways to win games. We just couldn't be these slick guns a-ho guys and thus adapted. Now there's no need for such conservative performances, but we have to start somewhere to get back our defensive solidity. The end of 2012-2013 campaign can serve as a blueprint.
That's it for now. Keeping everything I can crossed for a win tomorrow and then the Interlull will provide us with a breather.
Until later and c'mon you Gunners
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