Joe Rice
It was really pleasing to see us control a game as much as we did on Saturday. Others have gone into details about the tactical and footballing aspects of the match; suffice it to say that West Brom are not as bad as we made them look. It was an accomplished, mature performance from a team that is slowly growing in confidence. There was absolutely no sense at 2-0 that we might concede a goal and revert to our oft-seen panicky selves. Perhaps this calmness is partly due to the return of Vermaelen - something that all Gooners will be hoping lasts.
As I said, that game has been analysed elsewhere. What I want to focus on is the importance of maintaining concentration over the forthcoming two weeks: the dreaded international break. We are now in a position where we have won nine of our last eleven games. We are unbeaten in seven since the loss at Spurs. In the league, we have won four in a row for the first time, I think, in two years. In other words, we are in a vein of form the like of which we haven’t seen since the period before the Barcelona game. We’re doing the simple things right. We have finally built some momentum. What better time, then, to send all of our players off to get injured in useless friendlies?
I have yet to be convinced that FIFA don’t schedule these breaks for when they predict Arsenal will be in good form. Conspiracy theories aside, they always seem to fall just when we need them least. This time is no different. Robin van Persie will have two chances to pick up a season-ending injury: against Switzerland this Friday, and against Germany next Tuesday. I will be watching both games with fingers firmly crossed (the latter clashes with England vs. Sweden, and I know which I would rather watch.) More or less all of our starting eleven will be involved in these internationals to varying degrees, Arteta and Jenkinson being the only obvious exceptions.
It is not only injuries that worry me in these foolish friendlies. When it comes to maintaining form, concentration is obviously a key factor. There is finally a sense around the club, and the fans, that we are a team on the way up again after a pretty horrendous seven months. The win against Chelsea was clearly important and cathartic, but that against West Brom was just as pleasing in a different way; no drama, just points. The efficient nature of our victory was the mark of a team full of confidence that is now gelling just in time for the vital run-up to Christmas. Now, instead of getting on with our busy fixture schedule, the players are sent off to various corners of Europe and the wider world to satiate FIFA’s desire for international friendlies. They will be around different team-mates for ten days. Inevitably, at least one will be injured. All will come back and struggle to get into the winning mindset that we have started to cultivate over the last few weeks. Hopefully, not all of the good work will be undone, but these international breaks are an inevitable step backwards for a team in form.
With our next four league fixtures looking - I hesitate even to write it - ‘winnable’, I am hoping that the damage done by this stupid interlude will not be too great. The pessimist in me, however, can’t help but envisage long-term injuries to van Persie, Ramsey and Vermaelen, followed by a festive pre-Christmas slump.
Fingers, and everything else, tightly crossed.
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