Arsène Wenger and Mikel Arteta have spoken about how the team want to come back with a far better result but we’ve heard this before only to hear in the next post match interviews how the team were nervous due to the previous result. Interviews have been minimal, so much so that post Chelsea and pre Swansea press conferences have been abandoned. That is truly how Arsène feels about the Chelsea result so there is no point in listening to his ‘accident’ claims in the press and then crying about it. His actions speak far louder than words.

I have to say, I still feel rather scarred about what happened at Stamford Bridge. It has been pretty difficult to stomach and this is coming from someone who is pretty good at dealing with defeats and moving onto the next game. Not this one, it is still very much festering inside myself and I guess a lot of Gooners.

But the best way to digest defeat is to win your next game. Luckily we do not have to dwell on defeat for too long as the Swans erm fly into Emirates (get it? fly Emi… never mind) this evening. Swansea City have not had a great time of things lately and have nose dived since last season. The Swans are currently in 15th place in the league which is only 5 points off the bottom club.

While you would expect nothing less than three points, I don’t think you can quantify what kind of effect the weekend result can have on a squad.

Arsène Wenger and Mikel Arteta have spoken about how the team want to come back with a far better result but we’ve heard this before only to hear in the next post match interviews how the team were nervous due to the previous result.

Interviews have been minimal, so much so that post Chelsea and pre Swansea press conferences have been abandoned. That is truly how Arsène feels about the Chelsea result so there is no point in listening to his ‘accident’ claims in the press and then crying about it. His actions speak far louder than words.

His job as a manager is to pick up his players and instill some belief as there are still very important games to come starting this evening.

As for the team selection, it is a difficult one. You would expect some changes to be made for example I don’t see Oxlade-Chamberlain starting in the middle any time soon. Ah yes, speaking of the Ox. The FA have gone from suspending both players to suspending none so that is good news.

I expect Mathieu Flamini to come back into the team to give the middle some more protection. We could also see Yaya Sanogo replace Giroud and give that area a bit of freshness. Apart from that we don’t have a great deal of other options to choose from at present. Laurent Koscielny is injured so Thomas Vermaelen will finally get a chance to have a run in the side.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up:

I have no idea how we will line up but there is a rumour doing the rounds that Fabianski will come into the team ahead of Szczesny which would be an interesting decision if that did happen. Szczesny has made errors in his last two games as well as his Bayern one but for the most part he has been one of the bright spots this season. It might be different if Lukasz Fabianski was here beyond next season but he won’t be unless of course Arsène was to play him from now until the end of the season and then announce him as our first choice keeper, that could well convince him to sign but I don’t see that happening.

Needless to say only three points will do tonight, not to hang onto this title race or to avoid being caught in fourth but to lift the players and fans. That has to be the short term goal the rest will sort itself out if we can find our best form.

Let’s defend properly as a team and play with some intensity. Do that and we can have a positive end of season.

Check back later for another Q&A session from some more Gooners. My post match piece will be up either tonight or tomorrow at some point.

COME ON ARSENAL.