David Ospina has called on the Arsenal squad to maintain their focus as they look to further close the gap on second place Manchester City.
Yesterday’s 2-0 victory over Everton means the Gunners have picked up six wins in their last seven Premier League outings, a run of form that has seen them cut the gap on Manuel Pellegrini’s stuttering reigning champions from 11 to four points.
While Chelsea seem destined to pick up their first league title in five years Arsene Wenger’s men know that the race for a top four finish remains as competitive as ever.
“It is game after game,” Ospina told the Press Association after the Gunners seventh consecutive win at home in the league.
“We know we are close to them (Man City) now, but we need to concentrate on ourselves and not think about them. We will keep doing our job, picking up points and then see what happens.”
“We were not nervous, we were sad after the Monaco result, but in football you have to pick yourselves up quickly. Obviously it was a tough night on Wednesday, but you have always got to bounce back and this result was a great way to show that we had done that.
“After what happened against Monaco, the only thing that was important was to win the next game to continue increasing our confidence and keeping heading up the league. Now we are already thinking about the next one, which is QPR.”
Further to yesterday’s comments about the victory being driven by a ‘back-to-basics’ approach, Arsene Wenger has underlined how important it was to secure three points against the Toffees.
Speaking to Arsenal Player, the boss noted: “It was a test of character and it was a mental response that was important. It was a mental victory to respond to what happened to us on Wednesday night.
“To win the game is just vital. We did it in a very convincing way. We know that we can do better with the ball but we were focused on just winning the game and I like that aspect of the team as well.
“There was a big tension and I can tell you that in the last four days the tension was massive as you can imagine. At the end of the day, it’s down to the response and the result and I’m convinced that is important and the three points will be vital for our confidence.”
Our run-in is good so we definitely have a chance. City must be dispirited that they didn’t get closer to Chelsea.
A long way to go but would be great to get second.
If chelsea lose away to Westham and we win at QPR we are suddenly 6 points behind them with them coming to emirates, yes they have game in hand, but it will be different pressure for them two teams closing. But we have to not think about city or chelsea or the teams below us we just need to concentrate on our games and wining one at the time, we need to concentrate only on winning the next 3 point.
Let’s just focus on QPR, as you say one game at a time. We *SHOULD* be able to get 9 points over the rest of March, but we all know that this Arsenal side knows how to make things hard for itself…
You are right. We got the momentum and incentive to catch Citeh and have a strong finish to the season. We need to at least finish 3rd come May and automatically qualify for the CL.
Losing to Monaco was a big mental blow. It was a poor display from all involved (fans, players and management). But the team is improving so we shouldn’t let that defeat dishearten us too much. Lets get behind the team we love and have a strong finish to the season.
Ooooooooospina!
I felt really sorry for Szczesny when our fans were doing that at goal kicks. I really hope that he gets a chance and regains the number 1 slot. All young goalkeepers seem to go through a loss of form and confidence. Look at Joe Hart last season. Ospina is doing a wonderful job though so long may that continue.
We have been (to quote Walcott) ‘consistent in patches’.
While the CL performance and result was a massive disappointment, the run in the League has been better, punctuated by some underwhelming performance and results.
Oooooooooooospina!
Whenever I hear this I can’t help but imagine Sczcers on the bench like “Bastard! I never had my own song when I kicked it out.”
Wooooooooooojciech! ?
Wooooooooooo-shit, he’s scuffed it again -_-
Szczszczszczszczszczszczszczit, he’s scuffed it again.
Looool!!! You made my day with that comment
Szczesny’s distribution is generally better than Ospina’s (Ospina barely makes it to the centre line), so I don’t know where that is coming from. Look up the passing stats and you’ll see that Szczesny’s success rate is higher, despite kicking the ball a good 20 to 30 yards further.
United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the run-in…
… along with eight crap teams, almost entirely from the bottom half of the table. And two of the three more difficult matches are at home.
Compare our run-in with those of Chel$ki, Schitty, and Man Ure. Ours is by far the least difficult.
Liverpoo, ManUre and Chelski in the run-in… I’d be happy with 4th and not losing those games by comedy score lines.
While that maybe a worry, looking at the squad we are strong enough to take 2nd and laugh at Na$ri!
Not to forget, laugh even harder when we get to see RVP on the bench on Thursday nights playing in Europa League or whatever its called these days (difficult to follow a tournament that we have never played in).
Pretty sure we lost a final in that unfortunate competition.
When it was more meaningful cup winners cup, not the farcical champions league B that it is today.
Stop making fun of chinless lesbians. its offensive.
Two at home…
We will beat Liverpool and draw with Man United and Chelsea. Our other remaining league matches will all be wins.
We will beat united and pool, then we’ll draw Chelsea though I very much would like for this to turn out to be the season where we manage to pick up 3 full points each from the rest 3 of the big four..
Add West Ham and Swansea to it. Though at home these are potential banana skins..
Had to blink when I saw we were 4 points behind City. Can’t help thinking what might have been had we not lost to Sp*rs, Swans, and Saints. And not dropped points to Hull, Leicester earlier in the season. Oh well
Also if we had won every single game we would top by 21 points. Blast those other teams that want to win as well.
Especially Spuds and Swans as we were in front. Also the loss to ManU and draw against Pool. Instead of us looking behind it would have been Chelsea looking at us and worried.
Which is where this season has been a bit disappointing as across the two transfer widows arguably we did all the right things.
What I like about Arsenal fans is optimism and confidence in the team…(sarcasm)
I actually think many of the comments which are not wax lyrical about the team is so because in a long time the squad is as good as any in the league.
In a long time its a Q of how do we keep everyone happy rather than we need this players in this position or that position.
So it’s more a Q of we can do better!
We can be lucky that the PL never has been this shite.. A league in which a team with Arsenal’s performance is battling for 2nd place isn’t good. Wouldn’t happen in the Bundesliga or in Spain right now.
The collective failure by PL teams in Europe would suggest the PL Is lacking in quality at the very top. but I think it has to be said the PL Is the most competitive league, where even the lower teams can give anyone a game on their day and very rarely do you see teams throwing in the towel. And all this takes a toll. Towards the latter part of the season PL teams seem to fatigue. If a cream is doing well in all competitions they are actually penalised by fixture congestion and the demands of TV companies to… Read more »
Yeah, but whenever anyone makes this type of comment – ie EPL teams fail in the CL- they never, literally never mention that the EPL has no winter break and plays a hectic schedule Christmas through NY.
Meanwhile the rest of Europe enjoys a month long break.
How about all CL teams playing the same schedule? If they did, most of them would be collapsing mid January let alone the end of February.
Walcott and Welbeck on Weds , surely! It would be madness to play Ozil…..we can’t have him dozing off on the pitch. QPR will be well up for it….and Ozil never is.
Proof! I’ve found it! Ozil is shit! Look: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_Bpse-UoAARO3W.png
Also, last match he covered the most ground of any player on the pitch. (Irony, Hyperbole and pure BS to follow) Yes, he’s obviously a slacking wanker and should be covering 2x as much as the next player. Every other big signing on every other big club does that why shouldn’t ours. Example A – Real Madrid – Last Match Ground Covered Modric – 10.5KM Bale – 21KM Ronaldo – 42KM Example B – Barcelona – Last Match Xavi – 10KM Neymar – 20 KM Messi – 42KM (over and above, had to keep up with Ronaldo, right?) Example C… Read more »
So he runs arrraaaand which all the defenders of ozil say is what shit players do.
Please come back with how many tackles won or how many he even bothers to attempt?
50/50s – again how many does he win or even attempt,
headers – does he go up for any? Does he win any?
Instead of pass accuracy please show me how many times he loses the ball, I.e. gets bundled off it?
He isn’t a DM or CF.
Ronaldo complained when Ozil came to us, he wanted him to stay there at Madrid.
Enough said.
Arseblood is Michael Owen in disguise. Yes michael I understand the jealousy as he played for Real Madrid instead of just being sat on the sideline watching them.
QPR are dead buried. Just you wait and see what happen. We’ll win 2-0 again.
Here is the actual run-in for us and the clubs around us in the table. We still have: WHU (h), Liverpool (h), Chel$ea (h), Swansea (h), Manure (a). Man $ity: Palace (a), Manure (a), WHU (h), Spuds (a), Swansea (a), Southampton (h). Manure: Spuds (h), Liverpool (a), Man $ity (h), Chel$ea (a), Everton (a), Palace (a), Best Team In The Land (h). Liverpool: Swansea (a), Manure (h), Best Team In The Land (a), Chel$ea (a), Palace (h), Stoke (a) Southampton: Palace (h), Chel$ea (a), Everton (a), Stoke (a), Spuds (h), Man $ity (a). Manure have a tougher run-in, but Man… Read more »
Though we have a lot of home matches, has to help.
Possibly, depends whether the fans at home are a help or a hindrance!
Our home record says there are a help.
Emmanuel Eboue begs to differ.
City have a comparitably easy run in. Manure’s is the hardest.
Lets see the spirit of 98 and go on a winning streak for the remaining games of the season and win the league!!
OOOOOSSSSSSSSSpina
The most important thing for Arsenal these days is a couple of goals for Sanchez so that he regains the high level of confidence he got earlier in the season. We will need this to finish second.
and a couple of goals for Welbeck and Ramsey. I will not hesitate to give them penalties to put ’em on the score sheet… Their confidence will be vital in the run in. COYG!!
Ha ha citeh has the easiest run lol. Remember what Burnley did to them? Also Boro lol wait till the geordies finish with them this weekend. They are so unpredictable.
Can someone wake up blogs and let him know that Men in Blazers did a breakdown of his commentary on NBC tonight?
And when you consider City lost to Liverpool (which is frankly not better than Monaco), puts in perspective this whole media nonsense about Arsenal being a fragile team.
We are not far off City. Surely that should mean our form in the PL is better than 17 teams below us including the oft vaunted Liverpool and Spurs (not to mention United).
Consider the Liverpool, they have not been regularly in Europe for quite a while.
Spurs could not bring in the frankly useless League cup.
We aren’t as bad as some would like to suggest in the media.