For What We Are About To Receive...

Let’s face it, we know what’s coming at the Reebok don’t we? Big Sam sending his boys into battle with the words of Corporal Jones ringing in their ears, “they don’t like it up ‘em”

Faye, Campo, Nolan, Davies and Diouf are hardly going to transform into beautiful swans overnight. They have one proven tactic against Arsenal, copied by so many these days. Then there is l’enfant terrible himself, Anelka, gearing up to put one over his former employers.

So pay-per-viewers can look forward, if that is the right description, to ninety minutes of run, close-down, kick, nudge, and hoof. Yet for the neutral it is the classic David versus Goliath battle with the giant possibly expected to come a cropper. In other words, gripping entertainment, if you’re not a Gooner.

So are we about to witness Arsene’s solution to the curse that cost us so dearly last season? Could it be 4-5-1 for starters in order to contest the battle in the opening phase and earn the right to play later in the game? Will we ignore the opposition and try to impose our quick passing game on them regardless?

Like a Christmas dinner, the anticipation is usually better than the main course, unless a tasty stuffing is served up! In the words of one good friend, to whom I am indebted for a wonderful analogy, “my sphincter is twitching like a rabbit’s nose!”

Losing Van Persie through suspension is unfortunate, but there are good signs for Arsenal fans though. Cesc is showing an eagerness, maybe over-eagerness, to stick his foot in these days. Gilberto should be fresh and ready for the tussle ahead. Kolo Toure showed against Hamburg he is more than willing to beef up the midfield if he sees the need to venture forward. Then there is the possibility of an outing for ‘the Beast’. Julio Baptista, welcome to the Premiership!

It’s a big few weeks coming up, and there would be no better, or more timely, lift than a victory at a bogey ground. A lot may depend on the referee’s interpretation, but given an even playing field I’ll plump for a 2-1 win to the visitors. For no reason other than I would love to see Fat Sam’s post match interview when we’ve put it up him!