Good to be Back

Top of the morning to yall

First of all, it’s good to be back blogging, secondly, apologies for being away for so long. As my National Service year came to an end, I became more involved in a lot more activities that really took a lot more time that I could imagine. Glad to have all that out of the way now and I have a shiny new certificate to prove it.

Right down to the Arsenal, after going through a January full of speculation about who would join or not, followed by 2 catastrophic first half performances against Manchester City and Chelsea, we finally got some oil in our gear by earning a creditable draw against Liverpool. Then all the drama of the transfer window was laid to rest as Nacho Monreal was signed from Malaga on transfer deadline day after Kieran Gibbs picked up a six weeks injury.

The new lad seemed to settle in quickly as the team earned a deserved win against Stoke and an even more impressive win away to Sunderland after playing most of the second half with 10 men and Bacary Sagna played CB and Aaron Ramsey played RB.

Then we moved onto this week, where it was one of those weeks where the hopes of the season rested on 7 days. Blackburn in the FA cup and Bayern Munich in the Champions League and didn’t we blow that first part in a spectacularly typical Arsenal fashion. It was one of those games where you watch the first 30 mins and one feels like tearing ones hair out at the staunch lackadaisical manner with which they approach the game and when the goal was scored, I be like ‘oh dear, here we go again’

Its funny how we can be having a couple of good games and after just one defeat, the whole world seem to be coming down. Its like we are a defeat away from crisis every time. I had no problem with the team selection on Saturday, and like Arsene said, we had 11 internationals on the pitch, my problem as with many Arsenal fans is with the attitude of the team to matches. Especially the supposed smaller teams. They seem to believe that all they had to do is show up at the Emirates and victory was assured. Remember Bradford?

Am not sorry to say this but Gervinho has proven time and again that he is NOT Arsenal quality and should not be an option even from the bench not to talk of starting for the club while Alex Oxlade Chamberlain needs to prove to the fans that he indeed has what it takes to play for the club. After an impressive debut season, he has found the going really hard this term. Szczesny’s role in the goal scored shows how desperately we need a backup goalkeeper that can really challenge him for the first team spot. He seems to be too relaxed in his job sometimes.

We play Bayern tomorrow in the Champions’ league. Our only remaining hope of any silverware this season. its our last shot, and we just have to go for it. No one expects us to go far or win it but the team just have to quit being sorry for themselves and do this for the fans. If we don’t win the champions’ league, we would have played 32 consecutive competitions since 2005 without winning and no matter which way you look at it, it’s a terrible record for a club like Arsenal.

The Real Romford Pele believes that Arsenal Can win the Champions’ League this season while Jack Wilshere wants the team to emulate the exploits of Chelsea in the competition.

I think that was an inspiration for everyone, They weren’t having a good season and they got a bit lucky in some games but showed great character.

We need to do that now. We need to come together as a team. We’ve got good leaders here. We’ve got a good team atmosphere here and I think that’s going to help us now.

They actually are not alone in this line of thought. I have a friend who vehemently believes that come May 25th, Arsenal would be crowned Champions’ League winners in Wembley. I have tried hard to convince him its mission impossible but the weed he smokes is from Jamaica and he just wont be discouraged. Only God knows how secretly I wish he is right.

Be back on Wednesday for a review of the Bayern game. Follow on twitter @nigeriangunners and I would be glad to follow back. God bless the Arsenal. iree o