Arsene Wenger has urged his Arsenal squad to keep their focus in the second half of the season warning them that momentum is easily lost in football.
The Gunners are on a good run of form having won eight of their last ten games in all competitions, but with rival clubs suffering shock defeats in the FA Cup he touched on the danger of complacency.
“We have a good momentum but let’s keep the urgency level very high and we know how quickly the momentum can die in football if your quality drops a little bit.
“We have a good opportunity to finish well this season so we have to show that we can compete in every single game now and earn our right to win the games.
“I think the results yesterday [on Saturday] was a bit of a subconscious warning for us. It wakes you up a bit and you think, ‘okay it’s a Championship team’ but you know that the players in lower-level teams are prepared now.
“They come out of the academies, do not make it in the Premier League but they are not far from it. They can maintain the pace for 90 minutes and in these kinds of ties they never give up. Even if you look in League One, you look at the games and the teams play good football. If you’re not ready, you can lose.”
The Gunners’ attention now returns to the Premier League where three games in ten days, starting on Sunday against Aston Villa, could prove vital in the race for a top four finish.
We’ve left ourselves with a lot to do going into the last 16 games but with silverware up for grabs in Europe and the FA Cup there’s still much to play for.
On that note, the draw for the FA Cup 5th Round takes place this evening at 7.20pm. The following teams are in the draw:
1. Crystal Palace
2. Cambridge United or Manchester United
3. Blackburn Rovers
4. Bradford City
5. Derby County
6. Preston North End or Sheffield United
7. West Bromwich Albion
8. Aston Villa
9. Reading
10. Liverpool or Bolton Wanderers
11. Leicester City
12. Arsenal
13. Rochdale or Stoke City
14. Sunderland or Fulham
15. West Ham United
16. Middlesbrough
I really think yesterday’s game proved beyond any doubt that Flamini is not anywhere near the level we need in the DM position.
Coquelin is now the default DM, it’s just a question of whether Wenger sees a longer term target as necessary.
Coquelin is right to play some hardball before signing a new deal as he wants to see what his future holds at Arsenal. I can see Wenger trying to get by next year with Arteta and Coquelin while Belik develops, but as well as Coquelin has played lately I would prefer to see a top level DM like Schnederlin come in over the Summer. I can’t see Flamini coming back and Arteta will probably be back for one more year, but not sure what role he would be able to play at his age next year.
what I’d like to understand is why can’t coq BE that top level talent that was developed in house?
Yes, exactly. I dont think we need another DM to be honest with you.
As well as the Coq has played over the last few games, I think we shouldn’t forget how badly we needed a Word class DM till he actually came back. He needs to establish himself more firmly with consistent performances before we can write off buying another DM.
Also Wenger plnas on converting Chambers to a DM over the next few seasons so that might influence the decision.
He can be, but he doesn’t have to be the only one
What are you on about? Our midfield is packed enough already with so much competition and there are very few players in the world that can replace Coquelin with the form he is currently in. Right now, IMHO we don’t need to sign any more players. If we get a CDM now then Coquelin will be stolen by another top club, no doubt. Hope he puts pen to paper ASAP.
Coq has done well, but look who we’ve been comparing him to – Flamini. He certainly brings a bite to the midfield and holds his position well, but certainly is not at the level of Schnederlin. Not saying he can’t get there, but we have competition for every other position and everyone is always clamoring for upgrades at various positions so why would we not want an upgrade at DM. Where else would be the priority to upgrade this Summer other than keeper?
Once you see Ospina and Coquelin play shit, then talk about replacing them.
I hope we let Flamini and Diaby go at the end of season. Bielik and a summer signing in like Schneiderlin, along with coquelin, should provide more than enough defensive midfield service
In the long term i think Wenger is looking at the new signing Krystian Beilek as one of our main DM’s alongside Coquelin in a Petit- Vieira type partnership. But i can’t see him starting to get to grips with the intensity of the premiership until the beginning of next season. I agree re Flamini and would worry about Coquelin’s fitness bearing in mind we are still in three competitions at this moment.
Akpom though.
I like the look of him. Twice Brighton had to cheat to deal with his skill, pace and directness. Exciting prospect indeed.
Couldn’t say it any better. Keep the momentum going lads and even CL will be ours.
I want Cambridge Utd in the next round.
A home draw is the most important, doesn’t matter who.
MEDIA WATCH
Arseblog hails Tomas Rosicky’s performance in the 3-2 win at Brighton
Full Story: Arseblog
Good stuff Blogs.
MEDIA WATCH
Arseblog hails Tomas Rosicky’s performance in the 3-2 win at Brighton
Full Story: Arseblog
After a long time in darkness, stadium debt and suffering on player leaving, finally we have two complete squad to fight for 3 Trophies this year.
Can I dream we do treble this year, yet?
We always have a strong second half of the season during the late wenger era when we aim for that coveted fourth place (bar last season).
With our current squad, I say now is the time to believe in our team, just like how last year fa cup pan out. Treble is definitely a possibility.
We are gonna get bradford… You heard it hear 1st.
I dont care who we get. Last year we had alot of tough teams. On our day we can beat anyone…..but also lose. If they can keep their focus i cant see why we cant have a gd end of season. A trophy and top 3 would be a gd season
Just as our rivals are rocking abit
We’ll probably draw chelsea then. Oh wait
With all those teams out at the weekend it looks like we could get quite a good draw tonight. COYG, let’s get more silverware!
I just got this nasty feeling we are gonna get ManUtd or L’pool.
But hopefully they lose their game…and it would plain sailing to another trophy. 2 in 2 years!! Not bad ah
united would be fine. they fluked a victory over us and it would give us the chance to set the record straight there. we’re better than them, no point being afraid of them any more.
Actually this is what I’m secretly hoping for. We’ve started to exorcise our demons and would love nothing better than to gloat over eliminating united. Given the crap they’re playing I’d really like our boys to go to work on them. COYG!
You are right. We need to show them that next time we play. Get one more monkey off our backs.
Oooh, look at those teams left in the competition. Crystal Palace, Blackburn, Bradford, Derby, Preston or Sheffield Utd, West Brom, Aston Villa, Reading, Leicester, Sunderland or Fulham, West Ham, Middlesbrough… The only three potential ties that would really test our best 11 are away to Liverpool, Man Utd or Stoke – if they can get past Bolton, Cambridge and Rochdale first, that is.
This is very winnable again.
Don’t forget Wigan took us to the wire last year, we might be better off with one of the ‘bigger’ teams with the way we brushed them aside.
A little minnow team at home please. I want to see more of our fringe players rotated in, especially since we had no League Cup run this year.
Akpom looked very pacy.
I prefer to avoid Man U and Liverpool at this stage. Unless i’m mistaken, the 5th round takes place during the same week as our games v Monaco while the Mancs have no such distractions.
round 5 is to be played on 14feb between leiecter and palace, CL tie with monaco is on 25feb, but you are right if we draw a tough team and we draw the game we could have unwanted replay between the second league vs monaco, so nice home draw against the lower league teams would be great, chance to rotate the player and more game time for the players that are coming back from injury to hit top form in time for the CL tie vs Monaco.
I think both Arse and Gunner Blogs made a very succinct point that the whole issue with us letting in goals at BrightonHA atest to the fact that it is not an issue of anything other than an unsettled back line this season makes for a calamitous defensive record. It isn’t like some would prattle on that Per is a poor player and slow as mud because Koscielny when given a less familiar partner has his own deficiencies exposed. The case with Ospina and Szsc is similar. There was nothing wrong with Szsc last campaign but given the unfamiliar backline… Read more »
Erm, you want to see the flamster spit roasted? That escalated quickly…