And just like that, we wake up and it is another game day.
Facing Chelsea is never an easy task, no matter what form they are in.
As Mikel Arteta said in his pre-game press conference, we need to “keep doing what we’ve been doing, focus on the game, on the task.”
Whilst some of us might already be glancing towards Sunday’s North London Derby, we need to get past this Jekyll and Hyde Chelsea team first.
Chelsea have lost just 2 games from 8 against Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Man U and Tottenham – 2 wins, 4 draws, 2 defeats. They certainly seem to up their game in these bigger matches.
Reports are that Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto are out injured, but my feeling is this is just Mauricio Pochettino being cagey on his team selection. And ultimately they have 3209572057 players to choose from so having a couple out will not make much of a difference.
Arsenal seem to have no new injury issues. It was only Jurrien Timber that Arteta spoke about yesterday, ruling the Dutchman out of Sunday’s game against Tottenham.
Last night, Timber played his first game since August – starting left back for the U21s. If you have been living under a rock, he opened the scoring within 9 minute with an absolute worldie.
Oleksandr Zinchenko has got some criticism this season for his defensive frailties, with many calling for a new left back to be signed this summer. This is wrong.
Arteta recognised last summer that Zinchenko would be better utilised further forward and centrally, and pushed for the signing of Timber.
I am fairly certain that had Timber been fit this season, the Dutchman would have spent much of his time at left back, and we would have seen Zinchenko replace Granit Xhaka in that left hand 8 position, with Declan Rice in behind. Who knows what we might have gone on to achieve?
Considering how long he has been out for, and how little of the season there is left, it is unlikely that Timber will start a first team game this season.
What is more likely is he gets on the bench for Bournemouth and Everton and has a 10-minute run out at the end of both games if we are comfortably winning.
With the focus back on today, we just need to start fast and maintain that intensity. Win and the momentum is back with us.
UTA.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 