The dust has settled on Death Cluster 1.

We have played Liverpool away in the league and at home in the Cup. We have entertained the reigning champions of England and of Europe.

A busy week or two, all in all.

When I wrote about our two Death Clusters in late January I said this: “Let’s look at Death Cluster 1: if we win or even draw at Liverpool then beat ManUre at our place (getting that particular Bale off our back at the same time) the confidence and togetherness in the squad – which is already excellent – will get even better.

“Then we have the 5^th Round of the FA Cup… Then it’s Munich at home. If we avoid defeat in that game we will have come through Death Cluster 1 in great shape. Crucially, good performances and/or results against Liverpool, ManUre and Munich will put us in great shape to face Death Cluster 2.”

As is my wont I was overoptimistic about our prospects.

Far from “winning or even drawing” up at Anfield in the league, we didn’t even manage a defeat (by which I mean a regulation, acceptable defeat by one or two goals). Instead we had our posterior handed to us on a platter

Next up was Manchester Untied at THOF. In most circumstances we would have beaten this current ManUre team who have fallen faster than Felix Baumgartner*, but after the Liverpool debacle the emphasis was on not losing (as I advocated in a Post before the game).  The 0-0 was frustrating for us supporters but made sense in context.

Then came ‘Pool in the FA Cup – a game in which we managed to dish out sweet revenge.

Against Bayern – well, we went toe to toe with them until the Szczesny sending off under a rule which is so monumentally stupid that even Michel Platini feels it’s wrong. After that we did well to keep it to 0-2.

If I just look at the results from DC1, it’s a pretty uninspiring picture (like most art since Claude Lorrain hung up his brushes a little before 1700).  Played 4, won 1, drawn 1, lost 2. And yet…

In sport, as in life, context is all. The problem with DC1 is that we started so badly that subsequent results can only fairly be judged in light of the drubbing at Anfield. Were it not for Anfield, I’m sure we would have beaten the red Mancs. But after the Scouse hiding it became more important to NOT LOSE than to WIN when we entertained the Band of Moist.

In any case, we regrouped enough to beat the Scousers in the Cup and to start against Bayern as if we were the Champions of Europe, not them.

Strangely enough, I feel that we have exited DC1 in very good shape. Our thrashing of Sunderland on Saturday reinforces that belief.

The league game at Liverpool was a huge kick up the Arsenal and I believe our team has learnt from it.  They will also have taken heart from the performance against Bayern, despite the result.

Next we have Stoke away (no pushover, but I completely expect us to come away with three points) then we start on Death Cluster 2:

Saturday March 8^th: Everton (H) – FA Cup 6^th Round.

Tuesday March 11^th: Bayern Munich (A) – ECL

Sunday March 16^th: Spuds (A) – EPL

Saturday March 22^nd: Chelsea (A) – EPL

Saturday March 29^th: Man City (H) – EPL

I’m no mystic, but I’m 100% confident about how these games will play out. The results will be as follows:

Everton – we win.

Bayern – we get knocked out (probably with a draw).

Spuds – we win.

Chavs – we win.

Man City – we draw.

And if I’m right, the title becomes ours to lose.

The one result I’m most sure of is the game at the home of the jumped-up, money-bags outfit in West London. In the run-up to that game we will hear a lot about how no Wenger team has ever beaten a Mourinho team; and about Chelsea’s amazing home record. Well my friends, jus lap it up and bite your tongue. This is one game we will not lose and will almost certainly win.  You may doubt me now, but bookmark this page and revisit it after the Triumph at the Bridge.

So to summarise – Death Cluster 1 turned out not to be the tough, grinding test of our footballing abilities that seemed likely. Instead it became a test of our character. In the first game we played a Liverpool team for whom everything that could go right did go right (including opening the scoring with an offside goal).  I watched the Scousers against Swansea yesterday and they were lucky to get a 4-3 win. Unlike in the game against us, most of their efforts on goal were inaccurate or gave the ‘keeper a decent chance. Against us, they just had one of those days where everything went right.

But the way we rebuilt our character after the Liverpool defeat was impressive and it leaves us in good stead for the remainder of the season.

There is something strange about this EPL season. No-one fancies us, but it appears that we fancy ourselves. And when it comes down to it, that’s the only thing that really matters.

I never though I’d catch myself saying this, but maybe Terry Mancini Hair Transplant is being a bit conservative about our prospects…

The Ghosts of the Thirties are Up and Jumping…

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f-K-XnHi9I

RockyLives

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

“Overall, we could have won it – it was a game of few chances. Our defensive focus was extreme as we conceded so many goals on Saturday.

“In the end, either side could have won 1-0. Manchester United are a good team, so when you go forward they can catch you.

“It is important to recover physically and prepare for the next game as we want to stay in the FA Cup. The title race is absolutely open for many teams.”

I don’t usually start a post with a comment by our manager but I got the feeling that not to lose was the priority last night.

Games between these sides in the last twenty years always had that bit of extra ferocity but overall this was a tame affair.

The game started and within a minute Arteta had an Anfield moment and gave RVP a gilt edge chance which he fluffed and then the game started to even out with misplaced passes by both teams and then we saw a glimpse of magic from Wilshere,threading his way into the box which on another occasion might have been a goal.

Neither team went gung – ho and all in all it was a tame first half.

We certainly started the second half with more momentum but not for the first time on many occasions we took that extra short intricate pass and the move broke down.

Giroud had two or three chances to work de Gea but the nearest we came to scoring was a header from Koscielny which was headed off the line by Valencia. Santi upped his game and at least was trying to test de Gea which he did twice but the keeper was equal to it and in a rare breakaway Szczesny produced a wonderful save from RVP yet for most of the game we were as predictable as ever,and that concerns me, as one can watch the game and nearly always know what the next move will be.

Often stated but where is Plan B? Subbing players like for like doesn’t work against the better teams especially with a squad lacking depth, but there were a few positives for me.

Ozil really showed his class and was forever looking to probe United’s defence but where was the support?

Koscielny was a rock yet again and Szczesny showed how much he has improved.

Gibbs, every time for me, has to play as opposed to Monreal.

Many will argue that an in form Ramsey and Walcott would have made a difference especially against ageing defenders such as Vidic and Ferdinand, but we can only play with the players available.

There is no point in criticising various players though I have said that if Giroud is meant to lead the line and lay the ball off, all well and good, but then he must have support instead of repeatedly being isolated.

Verdict : Two points dropped which may have a significant bearing to the run in as the gap between the top five narrows.

Written by kelsey

Following the howls of derision at Salford FC at full time on Sunday, where the mid table home team conceded a late Fergie time equaliser to bottom of the table Fulham, David Moists’ charges travel to the homeland of their support, London, tonight to put their Europa League qualification campaign back on track.

Having said that the Arsenal themselves have to wipe out the memory of the worst performance of the season so far at Anfield, even though that defeat was the first in the League since the 6-3 reverse to the Northern oilers back in mid December.

Thanks to the Baggies draw with the Southern oilers last night (are cracks appearing in The Specious one’s kingdom?) a win will take us back to the top of the table; further incentive if any were needed.

Our (totally un)worthy opponents have lost three of their last six and scraped two wins and a valiantly gained the aforementioned draw in their last dirty half dozen of games. Injury wise there’s no Jones, Fellaini or Jonny Evans so we face them more or less at full strength but potentially low on confidence.

Temporarily turning away from the unsavoury topic of the opposition and back to the good guys, we all know Theo, Rambo and Vermaelen are injured and Flamini unavailable, together with two more we didn’t expect to see anyway for differing reasons, Diaby and Källström.

A wild card in squad selection is Sanogo, who played 60 minutes for the stiffs last week, and is available even though I suspect it’s doubtful he will play any more than a bit part in the game if any at all.

Going by Moist’s very clever tactic of pumping cross after cross into the area for the giants Hernandez and Shrek to get on the end of, one hopes Wenger has made heading practice a priority for BFG and Kozzer.

Speaking to a ManUre fan of my acquaintance (Hounslow born and bred, of course) recently it was felt if you deny their midfield space, Carrick especially, they’d be unable to play and the front players would be starved of service.

The other facor is the arrival of Mata, nothing would encourage the eye gouger to congratulate himself on his ploy of selling a world class player to a team CSKA Fulham bus stop would no longer play this season.

With those options available and given the performances of the starting XI on Saturday team selection may not be as straight forward as in the past, however Wenger tends to send players who had a bad game out to make amends on the pitch so I am going with Wenger’s selection to be:

Personally I would have Tomáš Rockin’ Rosický in place of Arteta and maybe Podolski given a rare start so Özzy can come on later, although not necessarily as late as 65 minutes.

A hugely important factor in tonight’s performance is the help the crowd can give to the players from the off. Groans and squeals if a few early passes go astray will not help so we need the crowd to unite behind one common factor that will bind the home support together, namely this “person”:

An understated goal celebration.

Yes, this man and his deranged, eye-bulging rabid celebration after scoring against us at old Toilet, should remind us just what our opponents are all about and why I hate them so much.

What did he say when he sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver?

“I always listen to the little boy inside of me in these situations – when you have to make the harder decisions in life. What does he want? That boy was screaming for Man United.”

Of course the little boy inside would say that, yet what would this little boy have said?

Fast forward to 2011 and we get this from Bouchra’s husband:

“The bottom line is that I want to win trophies with Arsenal, not with anybody else. I know you can win trophies in many countries and in many ways, but I want to do that in our way and in an Arsenal shirt.

“I’m sure I could win things at another team in another country, but would it feel like our trophy, my trophy? I’m not sure it would. Anything we win here will come from the heart and that’s what I want.

So proof positive, the little boy inside has no heart and if any of the Surrey glory hunters are still with me at this point (and if so why are you still with me? Just bugger off already!)and accuse me of being bitter my answer is:

“Yes I am…next!”

Bitter, but happy to see the grey haired turncoat returning to the perma crock we knew so well from his extended spells on our treatment tables whenever we needed him to be fit. I suggest his Christmas time injury spell was due to a sulk-induced overly protruding lower lip.

Every kick he takes should be met by our disapproval coming in any form possible; I believe every gooner should make every second he is on our turf a painful experience.

What’s that I hear about crossing the lines of what’s banter or not? We all know which are the teams whose fans love to sing “that” song about Wenger and one of those are our opponents tonight.

A spiky, vociferous home support is what is needed to give the good guys that extra push; and making the away fans match day experience as miserable as possible is every gooners duty, go ahead and goad with whatever you can come up with, here are a few suggestions:

“Show us your oyster cards!”

“Is he still the chosen one?”

“Europa cup, you’re having a laugh!”

Send them back to Caterham, Redhill and Carshalton heads bowed in defeat.

We need a big show from the crowd and the team need you tonight more than ever.

UTA !

By ChärybdÏß1966 (on Twitter @charybdis1966)

It’s becoming a familiar pattern, isn’t it?

Stage One: the team is over-achieving in a way we never imagined at the start of the season; we supporters are beginning to dream; we face a “big test” against a good team; we get thrashed.

At which point we segue into Stage Two: the manager says that “what we do on the pitch now is what matters”; the fans are miserable; some are very angry; scapegoats are identified and pilloried; the media writes us off again.

This week’s scapegoats seem to be primarily Arteta, Ozil and, as always, Arsene Wenger.

Personally I think people are judging Arteta and Ozil too harshly. Mikel has not been playing well for a few games but the rush to write him off as being over the hill is premature.  All players (regardless of age) go through bad phases and to consign last year’s player of the season to the scrapheap for three bad performances – one of which was a disastrous effort from the whole team – is unfair.

As for Mesut, he was poor against Liverpool, but no worse than several other players including Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and the likes of Rosicky and Podolski when they came on.

Which is not to say I don’t understand the anger and the desire to point fingers. But the defeat happened: we were awful and Liverpool played as well as they can play.

It’s one game, three points lost and a result that will only attain a greater significance if we let it. If we win our next three league games, this defeat will be quickly forgotten.

We can start on Wednesday against Manchester United by demonstrating that we are capable of putting it behind us.

But how do we avoid this sort of situation and performance happening again?

To me the answer is obvious: we have a wonderful blueprint for what the squad needs to do to be successful between now and the end of May.

Better still, it’s a blueprint that has already been tried and tested by the manager and by most of the players currently in our first team squad.

I refer to the way we played last season after losing in the league game at the N17 Public Convenience.

After that defeat – when our defence was all too easily pulled apart by Totteringham and we were ridiculed by dumber and dumberer on Match of the Day – we refocused and went on to win eight and draw two of our remaining 10 games – a run that powered us into the Champions League spots against all expectation.

I remember those games well. Very few were easy victories. In most games we ground out results by being hard to beat. We started every game with the mentality of “let’s not concede soft goals, then see what happens.”

It was incredibly effective and the platform of confidence it gave the squad has been there for all to see this season.

Contrast that with how we approached the game at Anfield on Saturday. If we had taken to the field thinking “OK, Liverpool are flying at the moment and are at home: they’re going to come at us hard so let’s make sure we are really tight at the back and take the wind out of their sails for the first 20 minutes,” we would not have had the debacle we all witnessed.

For a start the first goal would not have happened because Sagna would not have been miles up the field channeling his inner Theo when Liverpool broke; in which case The BFG would not have had to fill in at right back and find himself in a speed race with Luis Suarez; and if that hadn’t happened he would not have had to foul Suarez, there would have been no free kick and that ugly bloke would never have got his porcelain bonce on the ball in our six yard box.

Instead we started that game as if we thought we were Manchester City: “we won’t worry about defending – we’ll just showboat a bit and we’ll probably score five or six.”

We got what we deserved.

It’s like we started to believe that because we’re top of the table we’re so absolutely fabulous that we don’t need to concern ourselves with the boring, workaday bits of the job.

The table doesn’t lie, but sometimes it tells jokes. And on the evidence of Saturday, us being the best team in the country is straight out of Les Dawson’s pocket book.

Now it’s time to put aside any ideas of grandeur and start thinking like we did in the last 10 games of last season.

Constant hard work; relentless pressing of the opposition when they have the ball; total concentration; playing for your team and your team mates… we have done all of this and more before so we can do it again. We know how to do it.

If Arsene Wenger and Steve Bould can put the players back into that mindset we’ll be fine.

And I want to see it starting on Wednesday against ManUre. Despite Saturday’s humiliation I do not want to see us charging at United like the Seventh Cavalry.

Let’s start with a safety first approach, gradually take control of midfield then wait for the goalscoring chances that will inevitably follow.

It’s not as if we don’t know how to do it.

Of course, following the defeat at the Tiny Totts last year Arsene made some selection changes,  including dropping Szczesny and Vermaelen.

Perhaps he’ll do the same this time round, although it’s less likely because (a) we are limited by injuries and (b) the players who failed so badly on Saturday have all being doing well for the most part.

Roll on Wednesday. We need to get back in the saddle…

RockyLives