Anyone at the 8-2 result in this weekend's corresponding fixture last season will know that the Arsenal team that took to the field that day would have also struggled to beat our fringe players.
We did manage the double over them last season. but the Gunners pose something of a different threat this time round.
They have the best defence in the league---something that Arsenal have not been known for lately, and pose a deadly combination of attacking prowess in their midfield in Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta. The midfield is where we're weakest as a team so it will be interesting how the manager lines up his team to curb that particular threat.
Last weekend saw Fergie play largely to our strength and it worked wonders as Chelsea, for all their strengths, had their weakness at our strongest point---the wings.
Over time, the manager has devised means of playing against Arsene Wenger's team as we have fathomed a decent record against them lately. Given that their style never changes, you do hope that Saturday lunchtime will be a case of more of the same from him.
We rested just about the entire team that should start tomorrow, so we should be as fresh as ever to take on Arsenal. It's a home game, and therefore a must win game. Victory takes us to the summit of the league for the first time since Everton made it 4-4 at OT last season while anything but will see us undo the achievements of last week.
I have blogged in the past that our inability to hassle teams in possession against us makes us very susceptible to conceding goals. Granted, Sir Alex doesn't read this blog but I do hope that somehow we adjust to merely falling behind the ball when we lose possession. Arsenal are one of those teams that will hurt you real bad if you back off them and yet they are one of those few teams that will crumble when you get in their faces.
Hopefully, the lads will be up to speed with the challenge tomorrow.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
Labels: PREVIEWS
