So where does that leave us?
Thinking about the last couple of games, are we any the wiser as to how the season is going to shape up? Well no. Blindingly obvious really considering the number of games played compared to the number yet to come. So let’s not draw too many conclusions now huh?
However the next few days will give us some kind of pointers. The AGM today will no doubt be carefully managed as will the questions to Arsène. Maybe we will get a few suggestions that we should buy Rooney, or questioning why we haven’t yet bought a ‘world-class’ goalie. If driven by money and ambition the first is not going to happen. We have enough to prove to ourselves before others will take us seriously. The second, I can’t be bothered to go over again. Hopefully we will have confirmed that yes, Arsenal is a well-maintained and tightly run ship, and that yes indeed our primary business focus is still winning footie trophies.
Come Sunday however we will learn something entirely more important. Once more the players are saying that they have to perform, I suppose I’d prefer if they consistently played as well as they talked. If we go to Al Citeh and win then we are putting a marker down and that marker says we are serious contenders. Hopefully we won’t get this season’s broken leg. Since he now seems less fragile than a very fragile thing he once was, I’d like to see a bit more of Tomas on Sunday. He is playing as well as I remember him ever doing, and at least he’s willing to take a shot from further out than six yards. Do the other players never watch old DVD’s or at least YouTube compilations? We’ve always had a few who were willing to leather it without concern at missing. It’s gotta be well past time for a thirty yard screamer surely?
Thing is that though I hate to admit it, it is more than possible to buy success and it looks like Citeh are well on their way. It’s not that I am jealous of their dosh, it just seems unfair that they can spend with no regard as to the consequences. It has been reported that their wage bill is higher than their gross income. Complete lunacy. Who knows if uefa will actually do anything other than speak loudly and turn their backs.
I suppose there’s a lot of little teams that look at Arsenal’s position and think it unfair in the same way. Our defence would be that we have earned a place in the top echelon, not bought it. And speaking of little things, the small-mindedness of Pulis continues to amaze. Give it up man. You’re the one who is keeping the debate going, we moved on ages ago. Likewise with the whole Eduardo thing. No-one in their right mind could honestly compare the Taylor challenge and Jack’s. Both were red cards, but that’s were the similarity ends. The danger with a small club we-never-get-the-breaks-against-the-big-boys mentality is that it can backfire and give your team a sense of inferiority before the game starts. Which means the players go in harder, cause more injuries, get booked more, etc. Self defeating.
Couldn’t possibly finish without a small chortle at the Spuds. I won’t be buying their DVD of their second half ‘win’, but I do expect a certain Welshman to wonder what the rest of the team were doing whilst he played his best. And whether it’s worth doing it in that club week in week out. There may be an opening oop t’North shortly.
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