FAr from over!

Just a few hours to go before the Arsenal team shows that they can achieve something this season. We take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Lights, where the pitch looks like an aftermath of "2012". Although, it must be quite familiar to the team having played there just 2 weeks ago. For a PL side to have a pitch like this is pathetic and just below par! Sometimes I just think that this "pitch" thing happens quite often against Arsenal, given our style of football, just speculation. We can't have that as an excuse though, no way, not acceptable at all.

The team has to leave behind the massacre that was the Milan game, and look forward, isn't it what this 125th anniversary year is all about? Wouldn't it be good, to win a 140 year old competition in the 125 anniversary year? I know Arsene doesn't have much admiration for this competition, but I bet that he'll happily accept a domestic cup to another barren season. But even that is not a piece of cake, we have seen in the past the enthusiasm and zeal of the teams from lower leagues having defeated their PL counter parts in this competition. The Chelsea vs Birmingham game is already on and already Chelsea are a goal down in the middle of the 2nd half. I am sure the Arsenal team will want overcome this barrier with all their might and leniency is simply not acceptable.

As far as the team news is concerned, there is some definite bad news and I am sure will definitely impact our rest of the season even further. Mertesacker is almost certainly out for the season having had his ligaments reconstructed. AW says that,

Unfortunately he has had surgery and we have lost him for a while. How long I don’t know. He had reconstruction of his ligaments. So it will be long term.

Even though he mentions no time frame for his return, we do know enough what this means. Losing Per is going to be a heavy blow given the condition of our defense. I am struggling to recall the last time we had every member from our defensive Arsenal, completely fit. Which means we were back to Kos+TV at the back, with Gibbs back to his regular position and TV back to his. But again, Kos has had a small knee injury and Arsene has assured,

He had a scan yesterday and the news is quite good. He will be out for hopefully around a week. He will miss the Sunderland game. But he should be back for next week.

And I sincerely hope that he returns next week for the Rottenham game, because that's going to be another mental block to be cleared. That leaves us with Djourou for tonight's game. Frankly speaking, I am not a big fan of him, I would give him 5 out of 10 in defense, which is just not Arsenal's level. But Arsene's faith in him has seen him persist at the club and sign a new contract. Yes he did quite alright last season with TV out with injury, but the jitters I had when he face Ibrahimovic in Milan just make me go cold. No offense, I will take him over Squillaci any day!

The good news is Gervinho is back, and I hope he has recovered from his penalty miss in the final of the ACN. Last thing we need is another nervous player on the pitch. And if Arsene has learnt anything, anything at all this season, he'll start Ox straight away instead of Walcott. If anything, he could be called up for that "impact" in the last 15minutes or so, maybe even Arshavin.

There should be no other changes, even Gibbs is "physically" fit to play. I have just got some crazy feeling that maybe Arsene might play Coquelin at left back or maybe Miquel. Just a crazy thought!

Arsene talked about the Milan-choly, to Arsenal Player,

It never gets out of your system because you take it with you until the last day of your life.

I don't care if he never forgets, the damage is already done. What I care is how much is gained from that experience and if anything will be done to avoid such defeats. If that, then I am pretty sure that he'll have no qualms about it on his deathbed. #touchwood I hope he outlives Brad Freidel!


-Image Courtesy: http://www.thomaslyte.com/images/content/silver/gallery/facup/3_1.jpg