The Arsenal have done remarkably well. They have done far better than most critics would have anticipated. The loss at The Emirates to Aston Villa followed by the introduction of the German maestro, Mesut Özil, seems to be the catalyst of this unbeaten streak in the Premier League.
An ambitious Borrusia Dortmund may have caused a hitch in their Champions League quest but the Gunners showed resilience in their 10-man match against a fiery Crystal Palace, emerging victorious with a 2-0 win. Having lost Mikel Arteta due to a questionable red card against former Gunner, Marouane Chamakh, they showed character in forcing a win in the absence of their skipper.
Wenger’s men might have won the battle at Selhurst Park but the war still rages on. The game against Crystal Palace took its toll on Wenger’s boys as anchorman Mathieu Flamini was forced out of the game in the early minutes with a hamstring injury confirmed to put him out of action for three weeks.
The Frenchman was the core of the defensive midfield in that Arsenal centre and his injury couldn’t have come at a worst time. It will be interesting to see who Arsene Wenger will field from here on out.
After battling it out with The Blues in the Carling Cup, Arsenal will face Liverpool on a weekend fixture this Saturday. The Gunners go into the tie as favourites with betting site Bwin.com, but their opponents have been on an impressive run of form so far this season, and are sure to be up for the match. The match has been scheduled to be one mouth-watering clashand it promises to be a classic. Pundits cannot wait to see how the tiki-taka-Barcelona-esque midfield of Arsenal would pair against a formidable and feisty strike partnership of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.
Three very crucial points will be up for grabs, but deep down we all know this match is about bragging rights. Just when you thought the fun was over, Arsenal have a Champions League return leg to Bundesliga side, Borussia Dortmund on 6th November. It gets even more interesting as the immediate next fixture is a date with current EPL champions, Manchester United at Old Trafford on the 10th November. Critics have argued that tough fixtures are the only way to gauge Arsenal’s capability, resilience and ambition. Wenger was quoted saying that this was the season his team would fight off with The Red Devils and the rest to claim the trophy at the end of the season. The match against Liverpool will be one of many tests to see if they can hold on until the end of the league. Come December, Arsenal’s squad depth will be put to test as fixtures come thick and fast due to the season’s festivities. Will injuries pile up as they have been over the rest of the other season? The thought of January and its transfer window is one Wenger must surely have his mind on. When asked whether he would add more steel to his squad, he brushed the issue aside and claimed that his main focus at the moment was seeing his team flourish. It’s quite clear that with the likes of Özil in the mix, he will still have to invest in a couple of players to compensate the injured ones (which inevitably will happen). As for now, The Gunners are cruising and thwarting everyone who stands in their way. But, with a winning streak, comes great responsibility; maintaining it. Will they hold on and fight off the other big guns or will they crumble? Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
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