A Kick Up The Arse

Just a few post match thoughts but well, I have to say I’m more than a little miffed. I was fairly confident that we were going to win today. But then I thought that we’d start with Giroud who was filled with confidence after a good performance mid-week and Mert would slot back in at center back alongside the Verminator. Keep things going in the league and then use rotation for Champions League midweek. Yes it’s easy in hindsight to say this is what was needed, but em….. that’s what I felt was needed to win today. Go direct against a Chelsea back four who don’t particularly like it and against a Chelsea midfield who, besides Mikel, don’t defend too deep. We have a midfield who like to pick up on loose balls and a direct system today would have suited us more. While I really hate losing to ‘them’ I don’t think today will do us any harm. It allows questions to be asked – why did we not want it as much as Chelsea? If we have any leaders in the team and we do – then questions need to be asked of the Ox and Ramsey who both became a little too sloppy in the second half. Experienced heads need to be able to say the right things after a game like that to wake the younger heads up. It’s good to have a performance like this early on so that the players can have their little arguments and alert each other to the fact that unless everyone is giving 100% in every game – that you won’t beat teams like Chelsea. I’m sure Wenger and Bould will be happy to point this out to them too. Yes defeat against ‘them’ leaves a crusty, sour taste in the mouth, but those defeats are the ones that should hurt more and give the team more fire in the belly.

On a positive side – like last week we created enough chances to win the game. Don’t forget that this is still a team in the making. We’ve seen that when they click, they’re fecking impressive. When they all work 100% for each other, they’re very organised and dam difficult to beat. It’s days like today that the Vermaelen’s, the Arteta’s, the Poldi’s, the Mert’s – the real leaders of the squad – today is the day that they help focus the younger members to the required work ethic: 100% hard work. It’s easy to do against the Southampton’s and the Coventry’s when you’re a few goals up and you have a tired opposition. It’s another matter when you’ve a team of winners in the opposite eleven. The Ox and Gibbs will learn from days like today.

I’m hopeful that today was nothing more than a slight blip. One that the team will bounce back from starting on Wednesday against Olympiakos.

Come on you Gunners!