I was looking at the photographs of yesterday’s training session on Arsenal.com and it got me to thinking. Shouldn’t the club photographer get a winter break? Is it really fair to expect him to work on Christmas Day, away from his friends and family, missing out on Eastenders and the Queen’s speech? Isn’t there a danger he’ll suffer burn out from too many photocalls in the middle of winter when his fingers are at their coldest and his equipment is vulnerable from the rain and the wind? The ill judged composition of the shot of Calum Chambers with another player’s head seeming to grow from his left shoulder and a poorly placed horizon line breaking the rule of thirds is surely a sign of a photographer taking pictures in the red zone.
From these obvious and serious concerns it was but a small step to realise that bloggers too deserve a break over the festive season. I type with two fingers. That’s perhaps why so often I seem to be saying a massive fuck you to the football establishment, media and referees not to mention many of our fans. Those two fingers are getting worn down and I fear that three matches in a few days is asking far too much of my sadly over exercised digits. How can we expect to attract and keep the best writers in the world if we don’t give them a break when the days are short and the house full of discarded wrapping paper? It makes you think.
The other group of people trying to rouse themselves from their festive torpor today are the players. Arsenal travel to the south coast to face a side they’ve not beaten there since December 29th 2003. Last season we went there on new year’s day and suffered a two nil defeat at the hands of a Southampton side who were in fine fettle and good for their win. This time around Ronald Koeman’s men have not had such a great time of it and it is my fervent Christmas wish that their indifferent form continues for at least one more match.
Today will, I believe, be a test of resilience. A sorely depleted squad desperately in need of big performances from a supporting cast and with just a whiff of a hangover from their stoicism against a resurgent second half Man City will be up against it today. The last thing I’d want to see is another long backs to the wall defence of a slender lead.
If it should come to that of course we can be sure the players will be up for it. The one thing we know for certain about Arsène Wenger’s teams through the ages is that they have guts. Rightly famed for their silky skills and fluid passing his sides have always shown equal measures of fight and determination. Just because the clichéd script of the hacks in the television studios and the chip wrappers refuse to recognise this doesn’t mean it isn’t true. If they can summon the energy for a couple more performances of courage and endurance then we will end the year on a real high and the ludicrous fixture schedule which has blighted the holiday season will suddenly not seem such a stupid idea.
I know it’s traditional and I know that some people look forward to it as the best part of Christmas but I look at the number of games our first eleven is navigating without much respite and I fear for the health and well being of a squad which simply cannot afford any more injuries. On the flip side of that coin Calum and Kieran are getting a bit of game time these days and should be able to slot in more comfortably if called upon so to do. Also, we can expect some of the wounded to return soon, if not soon enough to make a difference to our end of year schedule.
Santi is effectively gone from the equation and the length of time out for Danny and Jack will surely see them eased in very gently when they are fit. I’m picturing a similar scenario to that we witnessed with Theo’s return last season. Maybe one or both will be able to make an impact in one or other of the cup finals but we can’t expect them to play a major role in winning the league.
Still, like that new mountain bike you didn’t get for Christmas there is no point in griping about the things which cannot be changed. Some might suggest the boss and Ivan can alter things in the upcoming transfer window but new faces take time to bed in and it is fanciful or at the very best blindly optimistic to expect anyone bought in to make an immediate impact.
So it’s a case of fingers crossed. Or if you lack the belief in such precautions against the ravages of cruel fate, que sera, sera. Maybe the Saints will be suffering from a surfeit of Christmas pud and come stumbling from the blocks without the panache they showed around this time last year. Maybe Mathieu’s hamstrings can twang on happily for a few weeks yet and Per’s long legs continue to be planted in the right place at the right time without suffering any nasty knocks.
I said during the pre season on these very pages just let Mesut and Aaron remain fit for the duration and we’ll be all right. Well I haven’t been granted that wish with our Welsh wonder already spending time in the MASH tent so I’m going to amend it and ask that they remain in harness for the rest of the campaign.
As Francis and Joel have shown us last season and this help can come from unexpected quarters when most needed. I firmly believe there is enough ability and mental strength left in our squad to keep up with Leicester City’s fabulous start to the season. Whether we will have enough in the tank to overhaul them at the end remains to be seen but if we can just stagger through against the two south coast teams then the Foxes will feel our hot steamy breath on the backs of their necks. This is the hardest pressure of all when there is no one in front of you to aim at and the baying hounds are at your heels. Will they be able to withstand it? If not we need to be in a position to pounce.
Whether I’ll be able to think of anything to write on Monday and how the club photographer will find time to develop his film are other matters all together. At the moment my left index finger is showing signs of a small blister, but I’ll tell you this – if birthday boy Aaron Ramsey can keep running the length of the pitch to the very last whistle then it would be churlish of me to complain so I’ll keep applying the Germolene and just pray that Andy Nic has enough ribbon in his Remington to write another glowing review of another famous victory come Sunday morning.
Positively Arsenal 
Anyone else think Hector is under instruction to curb his attacking instincts lately? Seems to start out on runs then turn back at the half way line quite often. Maybe since we lost Coqelin and Santi?
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COYG!!!!!!
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Scrappy start really from both sides.
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Amazing pass from Ramsey fro Nacho
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..could well be Steww, Nigel Winterburn had a lot to say about that not so long ago, once or twice Wenger too has been a bit vocal to him. Great player Hector. Will be interesting to see if he changes his game once Santi and Le Coq are back.
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Monreal shoots straight at the keeper after good build up play
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shag.
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COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Fuck me – that was a hell of a strike. Fair play to the bloke.
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poor clearance by Per and Martina hits a wonder goal from 30 yards, why the fuck do so many wonder goals be scored against us.
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COYG!!!!
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Just as I was thinking Per gets himself in the right position again and his header goes straight to Cannonball Craig. Nothing anyone can do about those.
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If we can nick an equaliser in this game the Saints confidence will crumble.wil take a Wenger HT talk though…
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The Arsenal player commentators have just brought up your point Steww re Bellerin.
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COYG!
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better…
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phew. FOYS!!!
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same old Arsenal always cheating? Same old Southampton always bleating.
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Per hesitates and Long puts the ball in the net, but its ruled out for a foul on Per, Long booked for kicking the ball away
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Arsenal slightly off their game so far
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Theo with a weak shot after a good run at the southampton defence
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getting better…
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it never ceases to amaze me how so many pro footballers at the highest level of the game are so totally shit with their weaker foot.
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phew.Sweaty Betty.
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Long shoots over when one on one with Cech, Long got in behind Per a bit too easy
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FOYS,
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HT: Southampton 1-0 Arsenal
AFC not been anywhere near their best so far, defense shaky, midfield passing been poor and not enough created up front. Need to step it up big time in the second half.
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Well we havent got going so far. But the second half will bring a different story. Im off for a cup of hot water.
See you for the second half lads.
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We are 0-1 down to a fluke goal.
From twitter you’d swear HMS Hood has been sunk.
We do have some really shit fans.
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COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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phew. Come on Arsenal!!!
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FOYS. get thee back to the championship where ye belong.
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shagenfackinfurter. get the Ox on.
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Little bit disappointed with the ref there.
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for fucks sake, long trips Koscielny in the build up and so ends up being free to score, Moss is a fucking prick of a ref
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Rambo warming up a bit then.
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30 minutes left to pull this out of the fire,
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Come on the Ox.Time to rip them apart mate.
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63 minutes, Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Campbell
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COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Arsenal’s passing has been shit tonight, a lot of it seems to be due to the players being just a little flat footed or lacking in energy. then to cap it all off the officials have been very poor, and very much homers
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poopenwanglerwankenshaggenfurter.
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Moss clearly has had a bet on Southampton winning this.
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shit defending from the non-existent corner and its 3-0 to southampton
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FOSYFC
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how does this team do this? is there a ban for them going top? I just don’t get what warrants this type of performance.
the saints are getting away with lots of fouls but… everyone is scoring their first goals against arsenal
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Kŷlö Ręñ #MANDM @HectorBeIIerin_ 1m1 minute ago
I don’t give a shit how bad we’ve played. Goal 1 was offside. 2 was a foul. 3 should have been a Goal-Kick.
End of.
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Good day for Man City today then. Write this one off and move along. Mel’s guts are seldom wrong.
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Come on Callum, three goals please mate.
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for fucks sake Wanyama gets away with a two footed lung on Ramsey and squaring up to him without a yellow, if ever there was any more proof needed that Moss is being one sided all night, that is it.
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