Five days to go, two days to go first

 Im still wondering if our season has started; of course it has. On the eve of the new season it appeared our Arsenal was anything but ready. Well, the results and goings on in the club has not helped matters at all. Here we are in the brink of suspensions, injuries and departures of Home Sick trophy hungry Fabregas and Money Loving Nasri, a draw and a defeat and well on a brighter side Champions league qualification.

The boys were magnificient on Wednesday. Like I twitted later that night, 'they let the real talking be done on the Pitch'. Who says we still need a goalkeeper? Wojciech Szczesny looks set to be number one several years to come and what an awesome defender TV5 is. Well-done boys; I danced all night. 

Back to the present, our squad looks thin, Arsene has promised to strengthen my question is when? Now we face defending champions united on Sunday and the squad looks awfully thin. Any injury to Rosicky(who did well against Udinese on Wednesday) would be woeful. So why is Arsene not buying? Honestly I’ve defending him to the point that I cant anymore. It is however not the end of the window yet but it will soon and well we believe the additions will come pretty soon; in say five days. Well, I still think he is the best man for the job and our duty is to support him this weekend and always.

United know that Arsenal cannot be written off with or without Samir Nasri or Cesc Fabregas. Lets hope the boys do the playing again on the pitch like they did on Wednesday and salvage some good result. I guess I will be crowned the most optimistic gooner to predict an away win. Why? Because that’s what I want! Enjoy the game from wherever you watch it from.

God bless Arsenal

Welcome to the New Season.

Welcome to the New Season.

It’s a new season. Did you hear that? I said it’s a new season. It’s a new premiership season but hey to me it doesn’t really feel that way. I believe perhaps I am the only one feeling this way but honestly it doesn’t feel like the new season has started. Why? Because for the very first time, I don’t feel confident neither am I looking forward to this season. For the very first time, I am trying to learn what faith in a human being is. Most times I say things like ‘Keep the Faith’, ‘In Arsene we trust’ but honestly this is not giving a good feeling at all.

We were promised major signings in the summer and well; Gervinho, Alex Chamberlain and Carl Jekinson have all arrived and guess who left or are leaving? Not just the 41 year old Jens Lehmann only but Clichy, Denilson, Eboue, Bendtner, Alumunia, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, what should I say? Nothing but ‘well, lets see what happens’. Our first team is good enough maybe when all the players are fit and injury free but we know that hardly happens with Arsenal. I’m sorry I’m going into all these especially seeing that this was supposed to be a preview of our Newcastle game. Ok, I’m going to sound as positive as I can. We have Ryo Miyaichi, Aaron Ramsey, Frimpong, who else, yes Thomas Vermaelen who all look like new signings. Enough Sam!!!

We head to Newcastle and what a comical start of the season we have. It appears that the media, the fixtures, our fans and our opponents are all standing against Arsene and his boys. We are headed back to the stadium we ended a 4-0 half time lead at 4-4 with a referee who is (I’ll use a native tongue) onye iberibe. It’s time the boys prove their worth and stand up against the opposition coming from all corners. We love this team and we can only hope we will achieve something beautiful this year with or without the departing stars.

The team should pick itself but the notable absentees would be Fabregas, Nasri, Wilshere meaning Ramsey, Rosicky and Gervinho should all start with the younger of our Polish keepers in goal. Van Persie and Vermaelen were all passed fit to play. I’ll predict a 2-0 away victory for us. I will watch from my home in south eastern Nigerian State of Abia today hoping for nothing but the very best. I’ll keep muttering it under my breath, In Arsene We Trust.

God bless Arsenal.  

What a Summer

Its easier to join the bandwagon of Arsenal fans, friends and supporters in whining of the team’s performance at the just concluded Emirates Cup at the weekend. Its been kinda quite on this blog because we are keenly watching the Transfer activity and pre season patiently waiting for the curtain raiser in the next few days.

The biggest concern with Arsenal fans ahead of the new season and the performance at the Emirates cup is largely on the fact that it appears we are unable to hold onto leads, kill games off and well, defend like other teams. From what I know of Arsenal, we have not really been a very defensive team. Unlike perhaps the 2006 Champion’s league season where we still hold Champions League clean sheets but in the league, we are a club that ever so often gifts the opposition goals. I remember the Leicester Arsenal game that ended 3-3. This team surely would concede goals but the right focus should probably be to score more and put the points in games beyond the reach of the opposition.

From the way we play; teams most of the time sit back and defend. We probe and probe, trying to find gaps and almost all the players are involved. If however at some point we lose possession of the ball, there is panic because all of a sudden we are on the back foot, certain players are out of position and probably are not even aware of their defensive duties. As this season starts, there is a lot of pressure on manager, board, players and some of us true gooners. Arsene has promised to buy but a closer look will let you see that there are a number of promising youngsters itching to play. Worthy mention is our own goal scorer last Sunday; Kyle Bartley. A player I admire a lot and was very excited as he entered the fray on Sunday. What a sour baptism he had, but ‘hey don’t let that get you down buddy, you will come good I’m sure’.

I will advise gooners to do just what I am going to do this season- Have a little faith. Let us support our team and the club because in reality, no one else will do that for us. It will be a good season with our without Fab and Nasri.

God bless Arsenal.