Morning gooners, how we all doing today then, eh? Counting down until Friday’s showdown with City?
Can I let you in on a little secret? I’m actually not that worried about this game on Friday at the Etihad. That is not out of some misplaced arrogance that we’re going to get a result, but rather I am hoping that Arteta uses it as an opportunity to rotate some players and give other players an opportunity to get some minutes in their legs, ahead of what is going to be an intense second half of the season in which we will be playing every few days.
We’ve won the FA Cup more than anybody else. We’re away from home against what is being argued to be the best side in the country (behind ourselves of course) and we have been given the single most difficult tie of the round by playing them away from home. Pep will rotate on Friday, of course, but his rotation given the resources he has at his disposal, is very different to what we can do and so I’m almost looking at this game as a free hit. If we go through, then ‘great!’ and we’ve knocked out one of the most difficult teams in the division. But if we go out, then my hope is that the home game against Everton that was postponed earlier in the season, could potentially be moved to when the fifth round matches are being played, which would be in between the Leicester and Bournemouth games. But it would mean less congestion for us and also mean that we aren’t playing a team in Everton who will have had time off, as they will have to play other Premier League fixtures when we play. I think the fact United played Palace in midweek last week gave us an extra 1 – 2% of energy over them in the latter stages of the game and in elite football that 1-2-% can be a massive advantage. So to have that cancelled out because we aren’t in the FA Cup could potentially have long-term benefits for our attempt at going for the league.
Listen to me, already talking like somebody who believes we can do it, and not like somebody who has spent the whole season saying “focus on getting top four, don’t think about the league, the disappointment when it doesn’t happen will only be more painful. But this is the problem; with every passing game, each time we overcome another hurdle, each time we win a football match, the feeling of “what could be?” grows bigger and bigger. I am fighting against myself right now to stop this tide from overcoming me. It is becoming harder and harder to ignore the fact that we are in at least with a shout of winning the league. I fight myself to stop thinking it, but it is becoming more and more difficult.
And despite the fact we’ve made a couple of additions in the last week, which inevitably makes our squad stronger, deep down I think we all know that fighting on three fronts deep in to three competitions (League, FA Cup and Europa League) is probably a little too much for us right now. We need to think carefully about priorities and I think if I’m being honest with myself the priority order is:
- Premier League
- Europa League
- FA Cup
Don’t get me wrong, I love the FA Cup. It has given me some of my best football memories. I live about 20 minutes on the tube from Wembley. Every day I go in to the office I go past it on the tube. Even now as I type I’m about 15 minutes away from Wembley Park tube station where one gets off to walk along Wembley Way. We’ve had some great memories of the FA CUp and we remain the most successful team in the competition. So yes, I LOVE the FA Cup and if there is some way we can fight for it as hard as we want to fight for the league, then fine. But I just wonder whether that, plus the league, plus the Europa, might be a step too far.
And I place the Europa League above the FA Cup because winning European trophies has been a difficulty for us as Arsenal fans. We’ve won the old Europa League back in 1970, then in 1994, then that’s it. The rest of the time has been cup final disappointment as recently as a few years back when Chelsea won it in Baku. That is why I want this Europa League; I want to be able to get myself to a European Cup final and I’ve been to Budapest before; it’s a great city.
So for me if we need to bow out of the FA Cup but it means we are fresher in the long run for the Premier League and the Europa League games, then so be it.
Elsewhere in the world of The Arsenal, let’s take a moment to tip our caps to Granit Xhaka, who won the Switzerland player of the year award on Monday evening. He flew out to grab it, flew back yesterday morning and is now back in training. What a revelation he’s been this season, eh? If you’re a regular reader of my nonsense then you’ll know I’ve always been a fan of Xhaka, but his form this season has surpassed every expectation and it would be wrong of anyone to dismiss just how big an impact he’s had on our form so far. He was even on the assist sheet on Sunday with his cross for Eddie for the first goal. He’s finding space and creativity on the pitch that I’ve always thought he had, but only now is he really showing it in full view of all the Arsenal fans. I think what I’ve heard quite a bit is things like “why can’t we get the Xhaka that plays for Switzerland in an Arsenal shirt?” but I think what we’re seeing this season is exactly that. Long may this good run of form continue.
And on that note of positivity for one of the leaders in our team, I’m going to take my leave for today. Catch you wonderful people all tomorrow.
Have a good one.
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