Put Yourself In Sam's Shoes

It must be some time since we went into a home game with a side from outside the other big three with so much at stake, and with so much nervousness about the outcome.

Just for a moment consider you are in Sam Allardyce’s shoes as you prepare for a visit to the Grove that could propel your side into a Champions League place.

Just how badly are Arsenal playing? Actually aside from the debacle at Anfield that followed the international break they haven’t played badly anywhere. Before you look at me with incredulity let me point out there is a subtle difference between playing badly, and not playing well.

The stats he will be looking at will be telling him the Gunners continue to have the lions share of possession and goal attempts every time they take to the park, apart from that one woeful afternoon.

The lack of goals will hearten him, and yet worry him at the same time. He will be concerned that Adebayor, scorer of two goals at the Reebok in Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph in February, is long overdue another goal or two. An all too infrequent strike from midfield is also surely just around the corner.

He may also care to consider further that replay on home turf just a couple of months back. Arsenal were without Henry, Van Persie, and Walcott (an unused sub). Wait, I hear you ask, isn’t that why we can’t score now? Well we won 3-1 that night, and missed two penalties!

We were also missing Eboue, Gallas, and Senderos from the back-line (as well as Lehmann), and tomorrow Sam’s opposite number has probably a full selection at his disposal.

Fabregas and Flamini were also absent from the midfield, and again Wenger could have a full pack to shuffle.

“We don’t have the same fears we used to about playing at Arsenal” says Sam boldly. He has to be strong in front of his players and fans. I would argue the opposite applies. He knows well that Bolton’s occasional successes against the Gunners in recent years have come when they were strictly underdogs.

This time around opinion is divided about the outcome on Saturday after last Saturday’s astonishing defeat to West Ham (29 shots to 2, score 0-1). Arsenal may enjoy silencing the doubters.

As Clint Eastwood may well have said to Sam about now, “Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya?”