We go into this weekend without any football. There is also no mid-week football and no football next weekend.
It is 17 days until our next game – Newcastle at home on a Monday night. So there really will not be too much to talk about over the next 2 weeks. Therefore some of you might be delighted to know that I will take a short break from blogging.
I will only come out of hibernation if something worth writing about happens, but I have always thought there is no point blogging for the sake of it. These people that write about them opening a box with an Arsenal shirt in it. It is content for contents sake. Just after a few more pennies.
Firstly we have an FA Cup weekend and that is followed by an international break.
So what are my plans for the next three weekends?
Plenty of gardening.
My grass needs a cut (have not yet cut it this year), hanging baskets need creating, a fence needs repairing, a fox killing and the decking needs a hose down and sweep. Hopefully the weather brightens ups and over the next 2 weekends I can get the garden in order for the summer.
I am also off to the Copper Box to watch the Charlie Edwards fight and will see Gerry Cinnamon at the Forum in Kentish Town.
The break probably comes at a bit of a bad time for Arsenal.
Unbeaten in the last 5 league games – with 5 wins and a draw – Arsenal have turned a 10 point deficit against Tottenham into a 1 point deficit. It would have been a 2 point lead if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had not missed that last minute penalty. But let’s not dwell on the past.
It is not just Arsenal’s good form but also Tottenham’s poor form that makes this mid-season break frustrating.
Tottenham are now 4 games without a win – losing 3 and drawing 1. The wheels have well and truly come off.
For part of the break, Arsenal are off to Dubai for a bit of warm weather training.
We are due to play a friendly whilst we are out there. Some have claimed this is money grabbing, that we should not be playing a game. However with a 2 and a half week break we need to play a couple of games to stay sharp.
Whether these are full 90 minutes behind closed doors amongst the squad, or using local sides. We would have played a game out in Dubai regardless, we have just decided to monetise it instead of having it behind closed doors.
The advantage of a 3 week break is it allows the likes of Laurent Koscielny to rest his weary bones before the run in.
Koscielny has been immense recently. Putting his body on the line for the cause of the AFC. At the age of 33 he is clearly on his way out, so the break will give him the energy for the last push in the Europa League and Premier League.
A few wrote him off earlier in the season. I would keep the old dog about.
Next season I would not want him as first choice central defender. I want us to go into the market and buy a top class left sided centre back. I also want us to cash in on Calum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi.
That would leave Koscileny as 4th choice centre back behind Sokratis, a new signing and Rob Holding. There is life in Koscielny and next season it would be useful to have him in the League Cup team alongside Zech Medley or Dan Ballard.
Yesterday we had the Europa League draw. Arsenal face Napoli. Probably the worst away day we could have asked for bar Chelsea.
Enjoy the next couple of weeks.
Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFCGardening, Gigs and Boxing
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