We Don’t Have to Play Stoke Again, So That’s Good.
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Thank fuck they’re gone for a bit eh [/caption]
When I order a 10-piece McNugget meal, I always count the pieces of chicken. There are never nine, and never 11. Just 10. I don’t deserve to be disappointed, because it’s exactly what I ordered. And yet, I still count the pieces every time.
It’s because, sometimes, I just expect a bit of undeserved dumb luck. Maybe I caught the fry cook in a good mood, or maybe because I was polite to the cashier, they pushed a special button on their console that said “make sure this one gets a little something something on the side” on my order. I don’t know.
That’s exactly how I felt about our result. At times, there was some level 4 Wengerball, and all was good at the Emirates. But then Debuchy hurt his shoulder. Not the end of the world I suppose, but it just tells you that nothing is sacred when you’re playing Stoke. We just got the boy back, and now he’s probably going to be in a sling for three weeks, stuck doing Arsenal Player segments on his favorite ice cream flavours. We were going to win that match without incident, so why did Debuchy have to get hurt? That’s a bit crap.
Still, it’s not all bad. After all, nothing makes me happier than seeing Geoff Cameron, Jonathan Walters, and the rest of those meandering knuckleheads absolutely miserable.
For the first time in a while, we made someone play our game, and it was beautiful. Forward passes fizzed between the lines, thanks to the industry and quick feet of Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla, and Alexis Sanchez.
Even Giroud looked up for the occasion, giving Ryan Shawcross what can only be described as a good ole “fuck off” shove right in the throat. Good stuff, Oli.
I think this is his breakthrough season. Not in the sense that he’ll hit 30 goals, but that he’s finally become a striker worthy of leading our line. When the ball reaches him, I know there’s a good chance he won’t waste it. Gone are the days where you groan at his every touch.
Giroud has reached the point in his career where his limitations have influenced other parts of his game positively. He now knows what he can and cannot do, within reason. I’ll give you an example: When was the last time you saw him try to take on his man? It’s little things like this that make us a better team, one that knows it’s strengths and weaknesses.
Much like Giroud’s new found groove, there was a general air of comfort and competence in the team’s performance that we haven’t seen in a while. Everything just worked. Coquelin and Rosicky were disciplined in the middle of the pitch, pressing and organizing the team well. Santi and Alexis ran rings around Stoke’s back line. The Ox was taking on men for fun. Laurent Koscielny showed his value as the team’s best defender, and Nacho Monreal went about the the game with a quiet effectiveness that naturally goes unnoticed.
Aside from the aforementioned positives, my favorite part of the match was the brief period of having Theo, Alexis and Ozil together on the pitch. How deflated would you be if you were three down away from home, only to see Mesut Ozil being introduced, and Aaron Ramsey finishing his stretches?
Overall, this is a team on the up. I just fear that we’re in for a rude awakening next week when we face Manchester City.
Anders
