Arsenal’s main men

Tuesday, 22/11/2011

by Richard Leighton, Shoot's Arsenal blogger

The feet of Arsenal’s players must have more holes in than Swiss cheese.

Once again at the weekend we shot ourselves there but this time it didn’t prove costly as Robin van Persie again came to our rescue in the 2-1 victory at Norwich City.

Maybe we need to practise the art of thumping the ball into row z because that was all Per Mertesacker needed to do in order to avoid conceding on Saturday. Instead he dithered, hesitated and was subsequently punished.

We already had enough defenders who had perfected this particular art form before we added the big German to the squad so it was annoying as much as anything to see him at fault for the goal.

However, we turned it around through the guy who always turns it around for us. Van Persie’s form continues to be frighteningly good, and with every goal his value to this team increases.

Arsène Wenger says he hopes to persuade to sign on and indeed finish his career at Arsenal. We will have to wait and see on that front but my feeling is that he will stay.

He seems to have grown into his role as club captain and as long as he believes in what the manager is doing I think he’ll realise he’ll get more satisfaction out of leading this team to trophies than getting it with someone else.

Wenger caused a bit of a stir himself over the weekend with some quotes in the French media about his own future. I don’t think there is any chance that he will walk away at the end his contract after the busiest summer of his Arsenal reign.

His project, in terms of the playing squad, is more of a short term one than before but that doesn’t mean his vision for the future of the club has changed in the long term.

The ‘thanks Arsène, but it’s time to go’ brigade have piped down thanks to six victories on the bounce and for the first time since about February there is almost a feeling of calm about going to watch Arsenal.

I admit early in the season, I couldn’t envisage how this team would put any sort of run together. Every opponent looked stronger than us, our defence was more of a joke every week, and in my mind we’d be playing Championship football next season. Well, almost.

So we’re on the up and up at the moment, the international break didn’t appear to have too much of detrimental effect on our run, so roll on Wednesday night and let’s secure a place in the next phase of the Champions League.

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