Graham Perry
Ed’s Note – Graham Perry sends out his views on matters Arsenal to an email list and happy for us to reproduce them for a wider audience. What follows is the text from his email sent out yesterday…
Context is everything
First, a draw at home to THFC, a defeat at the Hawthorns and a draw at Norwich – adds up to two points out of nine. Once again a bad November
Second, the injuries – Cazorla and Sanchez – both missing a number of games to add to Welbeck, Wilshere, Rosicky, Arteta
Third, the rise of Liverpool and THFC unsettling our hopes for a challenge for the title
Fourth, a revival at Sunderland under the provocative Allardyce
Fifth, the big match at Olympiakos on Wednesday.
Forget that AFC are in the top four and Sunderland are in the bottom four. That is static analysis. Football is about movement and trends and most of all results.
Sunderland with four wins in six are against AFC with no wins in three (Dinamo Zagreb excluded)
So it is not a surprise that we are nervy and anxious and unsettled.
We were there for taking – another setback was on the cards with us sliding out of the top four as we head for Greece.
The result was a real triumph. There was fight and determination and no sacrifice of the passing game for long balls to Giroud.
The team kept to their ways, played the passing game and came out on top 3-1 with three good goals – including a classic Ozil pass for Campbell to slip through the keeper’s legs
Of course we were nervy – the players knew things were not going well – they were anxious – we were anxious - and Sunderland had their chances on their quality counter-attack.
As Wenger has so perceptively said – in football confidence comes slowly and goes quickly.
Like golf, like cricket, like politics, like life – everywhere it is the same – everyone, individually and collectively, needs self-belief – even more so when things are going wrong.
That is why it was such an important result and such a good result. To come through all the negatives and all the doubts and end up with three goals and three points is just what was needed.
There were other positives – Ramsey back in his best position. OK he missed chances but he was there to miss them if you get my meaning and then at the end he was rewarded with the conclusive third goal.
It was important to have the Ox and Theo back as well with Theo playing a part in the third goal. Bellerin is struggling after his return from injury and needs time to work his way through an off period. Campbell – so often seemingly lightweight – took his chance and scored the opener.
It all adds up to a significant Saturday – now to Villa and then City with Olympiakos first.
We need to remind ourselves again and again that there are no easy matches. Anyone can beat anyone.
Football has changed – lower Clubs have more funds from TV and buy better players – eg Stoke.
Garde will stir Villa to give their best eager to get one over his mentor and when the time comes in two weeks City will be keen to land a knockout blow.
And with the injuries we remain stretched – football is faster than when McLintock played 60+ matches a season – more demands are made on the muscles and rotating the squad is so important.
Can we get through December without further injuries – possibly – Can we welcome back Jack and Welbeck and Rosicky and set us up for a real title challenge?
How great that would be.
But first Olympiakos – I won’t repeat what was written in Arsenal Circular 109 but Olympiakos, like Liverpool at Anfield in May 1989 will be caught in no man’s land not knowing whether to attack or defend.
0-0 at half time will be fine for us.
Anything can happen in soccer and we could be a penalty down and ten men after 15 minutes. Hold on to your nerves – it will go all the way to the end and we can certainly do it.
Whether we want a Champions League commitment as we make a challenge for the Premier title is another matter.
I cannot hope that we fall short on Wednesday – I do want us to win but if it goes wrong we will have a freer hand to go for the title.
Ed’s note – Graham has responded to the comments made to his previous circular last week after the Norwich game. His responses can be read on the comments at the bottom of the relevant page here
