I fully expect Bayern to knock out Arsenal, but in terms of the battle for fourth, it is very much on. Arsenal are still a good Premier League team. Yes they have considerably dropped from what they were in the last decade or so. But we are only competitive with them, not miles ahead by any stretch of the imagination. Offensively they will be able to cause us a lot of issues at the Lane if we are not 100% up for it.
The midfield trio might be lacking that tenacity without Song (Although Wheelchair has some for sure), but the quality of Arteta, Cazorla and Wheelchair is in no doubt. Walcott has shown in the past he can always cause us problems. Podolski has genuine quality. And Giroud has scored a fair few and can be a handful.
They suffer from a lack of a leader, much like us at times. But without Bale, I think they would be perhaps even comfortably better than us right now. That's probably on how we are currently performing offensively. What we need is a game where we are all switched on from the go and really at them. I really do hope we will be a team desperately wanting to right some wrongs and in particular the 5-2 trouncings.
I really hope we play Holtby in this game. I feel with him being his tenacious self, it will allow us to really compete v their 3. Parker, Holtby and Dembele should be quite ferocious. Holtby wouldn't allow Arteta time to settle on the ball which is important.
I really do hope Benny and Walker don't have one of their self destruct games. If we keep Walcott and Podolski in check then I feel we are free to cause them absolute mayhem the other way, which I know we absolutely can. If Defoe is back, I do wonder what AVB will be thinking. Whether to go 2 up top. I hope he plays Ade. I remain confident that he will prove a lot of people wrong in this game.
Weeks away, and I'm already buzzing for this NLD.
