Arsenal team, It may seem a little early to judge but it looks as if we have a squad of experienced players who are good enough to stand toe to toe against the leagues best. London Colny feels a little like a tube journey from Oxford Circus to Finsbury park in the middle of rush hour such is the abundance of players we have actually on the pitch rather than being shared by our treatment facilities.
It took me back down memory lane, I remember being frustrated at our manager for dropping an aging but quality Davor Suker who had scored roughly a goal in every 2.5 games for his new club but instead moving a left winger into center forward, a left winger who didn't exactly look like a goalscorer. I didn't follow the rest of that guy's career so I'm not quite sure how that move turned out for him.
Robin van Persie is more than due a goal from open play as he hits his first rut of the season and it will be interesting to see how he combines with Gervinho. When Gervinho replaced the hamstrung Walcott last weekend, he looked sharp and immediately gave us a link from the right of the pitch, something that Theo was struggling to do in that game.
The left attacker is the only position in which I have to guess Arsene's selection. Against Everton at Goodison park, Arsene chose Aaron Ramsey to add that extra bite, that extra body in the middle of the pitch to win the midfield battle. Against Aston Villa at home, Arsene played two natural wide attackers as I am sure he was confident enough of dominating the ball. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is another option but I am guessing that it will be between the former options. Gervinho put in a superb defensive performance against Aston Villa
I remember first paying attention to Alex Song's delivery when he chipped over a pass to Eduardo to score that back healed volley but it has become a little more than a holding player contributing a few assists for his team. It is almost becoming the strongest part of his game and I wonder if that side of his game should be utilised more than it already is. Currently the midfield rotates and they all take turns in supporting the attacking trio but given how we press further forward I wonder how Alex would fair spending more time in what is
It was Aaron Ramsey that made the decisive killer pass. Reading Walcott's inwards movement, the young Welsh captain pinged a fizzing pass inside the full back into Walcott's path. With the goalkeeper coming out to close down Walcott's angles, I thought the better option would have been the cut back but as it turned out his shot rebounded into the path of van Persie to stab in from close
Aaron Ramsey had played a lofted pass onto the chest of Gervinho who had darted into the box but the goalkeeper nipped in and grabbed the ball from Gervinho before the ball could drop. That was the dress rehearsal before the live show just before the half hour mark. Aaron Ramsey who was looking sharp after his recent rest, clipped a lovely chipped pass into Gervinho who did very well to check his
Theo Walcott has been passed fit but we are still waiting to hear if Gervinho will be passed fit, I am hoping that it is mind games from Arsene Wenger just to keep Redknapp thinking. If we are to do well then I truly expect Gervinho to be the player to cause them the most amount of damage. If we have to start the game without Song in midfield and Arshavin on the left then I would worry about our