Judgement Day for Arsenal against Liverpool

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
12 Nov	4:00 PM	P	Liverpool (H)	3	0	Win

First of all, Arsenal can still win the league even if they lose against Liverpool. Nobody looks like putting in a wonderful unbeaten run till the end of the season so 10 points is not an impossible gap.

The reason why it's Judgement Day for Arsenal is because psychologically, the mountain that Arsenal will have to climb would be almost insurmountable if they lose. If they win on the other hand, it will be a massive psychological boost. They can let all the frustration out.

Rosicky is injured. Players get injured easier when they are tired or not playing in the "zone". Nobody at Arsenal is playing comfortably in their zone. Touré is changing partners regularly; left-back and right-back are temps (Clichy and Eboue are back).

Everyone is changing in front of Lehmann and the midfield is playing a new system with a new player and the attack is not functioning. It's well known that when a team is uncomfortable, its players get injured easier. If things don't turn round for Arsenal right now, then we could be in for a long winter with more injuries from stress and bad winter pitches.

We have complained about players but the majority of Arsenal players are working extremely hard. Hleb, Fabregas and Rosicky have been doing a lot of running. When we are chasing a win like we have been doing in the past couple of games, players work even harder to get that win but are usually less effective. When you are winning, you work hard but not under stress and you are more efficient. In a sense, winning almost becomes easier.

The unbeaten season provides one of the best references for football studies because they are the only team to have done what they did and if you bought the DVD of that season you will see just how efficient winning can make a team and just how psychologically strong and stubborn a team can get. They never worry about losing, they only think about winning.

The game against Liverpool is also heightened because of the West Ham incident. What has Wenger done in the week that he has had? How will the team respond? If a team does not respond in the right way after 3 weeks of frustration and a mega-outburst, with the press on their backs and the world looking at them; at their own ground and with a big game opportunity to put things right, then it will be right to wonder if the team can respond at all on time.

Tomorrow for me is not really all about the result. The result is desperately important but a draw will do. Tomorrow will be about the response and character of this squad, missing one of its best players, and the character of the manager.

I will be watching!

User Comments

Junialum

Posted on 13 Nov, 2006 at 07:49 AM - Reply

3-0 and we're singing!

Rain Dance

Posted on 12 Nov, 2006 at 01:39 PM - Reply

Bravo! Another on the spot article

I think for this game (and any other) that it is important that Arsenal doesn't concede first, with the pressure on their back. Concede first and it all about mental from there.

Glory Arsenal!

662

Posted on 12 Nov, 2006 at 11:06 AM - Reply

Wow. This is the first time I have read an article by Joel Che and I am impressed. Very thorough and well written through a true believers eyes, he calls it exactly how he sees it. I will be following from now on...

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea