Written by Mean Lean on Friday, 18 November 2011 22:38

Thank goodness for real football ey? Apologies to those who are still gripped by the joys of international football but for me it is a virus, a nasty virus that Arsenal have to deal with every so often and hope that it goes away quickly.

It appears as if this November interlull has been unusually kind to us on the whole, as a vast majority of our squad who have been gallivanting around the world have returned to London Colny without a limp in sight. Ironically, it is those who have stayed at home that have come across physical difficulty.

The position crisis has moved from striker, to central defender and now has landed at the doorsteps of the fullbacks. Young full backs Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs have been ruled out for the medium term due to a stress fracture in the back and a hernia operation respectively. With Bacary Sagna out for the longer term after suffering with a broken leg at Tottenham it leaves us rather short on numbers in that department.

All eyes turn to our central defenders as other alternatives. Johan Djourou has been given the nod at right back this season when our current right back first choice duo have been out but that was before Thomas Vermaelen was fit and ready for action. With the extra experience given by Mertesacker in central defence, Wenger could move Koscielny as the more positionally defensive full back, giving Santos a licence to get forward and support the attack a little more from the left. I suppose this all depends on how Arsene feels about the Koscielny and Vermaelen partnership at center back. He may well want the Kosmaelen or the Vermielny partnership to stick together and grow as a unit for a length of time. If that is the case then Johan will be drafted in at right back and Per will remain on the bench.

The rest of the team should be pretty straight forward unless one of his starters is nearing the now famous red zone.

This trip to Carrow road is pretty exciting. It takes me back to when Norwich were last in the top flight and I somewhat took them under my wing as a second team type thing, which was all very exciting at 16 years of age. The likes of Jeremy Goss, Ruel Fox, Chris Sutton along with their passing style made them a very likeable team back then. I am looking forward to watching the contrasts of bright yellow shirts against the famous red and white of Arsenal.

Norwich have started the season superbly and have given a very good account of themselves in most of their games so far. Arsenal's biggest hurdle could well be themselves rather than the opposition. Finding our momentum and rhythm after international weeks has been a problem for not just last season's team but for many teams under Wenger's reign.

My theory is that our game is more difficult to find due to the nature of our football. Wenger ball is about understanding and combinations between partnerships. When that is out of kilter then our game lacks the fluency needed to score goals and kill off teams.

I am hoping that this is less of a problem now with the spine looking very stable. Szczesny, Vermaelen, Song/Arteta and van Persie give the team a great platform to build upon even if the game is scrappy.

I don't know why this is but I have had a great feeling about this game, a chance for the team to continue to show how much it is improving. A chance for our front three to cause endless problems to Norwich. This is not to underestimate the fine work that Paul Lambert is done so far this season and the impressive displays against the top sides.

I hope to see our rhymn maintained from the West Brom game a few weeks ago and hopefully Alex Song and Mikel Arteta can continue their good work in midfield. If that can happen then I am putting my virtual money on our two wide speedsters doing the damage and given us the three points.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

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Comments (6)

• 19-Nov-2011 08:56 | | Anonymous
  

  

• 19-Nov-2011 09:48 | | swai fadhil
  

  With dat formation arsenal z a deadly weapon. Good luck gunners.

• 19-Nov-2011 09:49 | | Page
  

  This could be the best Arsenal line-up as for now.

• 19-Nov-2011 11:12 | | Anonymous
  

  u sure kosciely can play right back

• 19-Nov-2011 15:12 | | richie  - Line Up Spot On ML
  

  We weren't at our fluid best, a continued legacy post Internationals. But I just loved the way the team responded to going behind. The sudden urgency the team showed reminded me of something I haven't seen since the 49'ers. After Mertasaker screwed up it looked like his team mates decided to right a wrong. Why our German colossus didn't deal with the situation is up for debate, too much time? Too slow speed of thought? Still not enough prem expirence? i.e. typical continental trying to play out from the back? Maybe a combination of all of the above.
  
  Not that we shouldn't have been long over the horizon by then had we taken our many chances. Another legacy of the Interlul perhaps? Theo looked sharp, Gerv less so, RvP? Well Robin is still our boy wonder. Right place right time for the 1st, and a sublime chip for his/our 2nd. The 3 away points are far more important to us, as it keeps us on a role and the team confidence high. Next up another proper International not this friendly inter country BS.

• 19-Nov-2011 17:51 | | MeanLean
  

  Richie, I am loving the structure of the team right now. Even when we are not playing well, we still look like a proper team. We have missed that for a while now. Last season's team would have melted once the Norwich goal went in. We looked solid and more than anything worked so hard off the ball. Ramsey, Arteta and Song ran around like crazy people to pressure Norwich and it makes all the difference. Long may that continue.
  
  Imagine how effective and dangerous Gervinho would be if he improved his finishing and decision making. Deadly.

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