Champions Win Ugly

Good evening, Gooner Nation

So, come tomorrow morning we've got Arsenal traveling to newly promoted Wolves. In New Mexico, we call the wolf by its spanish name "Lobo". Most Lobos roam harmlessly around the local communities, only ravaging weaker prey. If you haven't seen the clip already, a University of New Mexico Lady Lobo recently thugged her way into the nation's headlines for her brutal "play", and has subsequently been dismissed from the team. I'm sorry but I can't help but laugh when I watch the plays over and over and over. In fairness, I bet one bird got mad at the other bird and it just escalated throughout the match and since the officiating is poor everywhere it just went on and on and now we have headlines. It's really a shame to see this girl get away with at least six questionable fouls and stay on the pitch. But, hey, that's part of the sport...isn't it?

My reason for bringing up this story is that sometimes players lose their mind and take matters into their own hands. If the ref does nothing to combat the behavior then someone gets hurt. How many time have we seen the lesser teams in the Premiership tackle our Arsenal players late, or not even play the ball at all? Blackburn as well as Bolton come to mind. But on more than one occasion I have seen top 4 teams do the same e.g. Fletcher murdering Arshavin in the penalty box without a foul being called. Usually, teams that aren't particularly skilled take out their frustration on the players who are, well, better both technically and tactically. Call it cheating, call it unfair but if the ref doesn't curtail the behavior it's part of the game.

Now, moving to tomorrow's match-up I worry about traveling to these lessers teams' home grounds. Anxious, rabid fans can exacerbate the behaviors of the less-quality players on the pitch and if the ref does not control the players than rash tackles can go unpunished and injuries occur. I worry because the matches to these weaker teams are often harder to win because no team has any fluid possession. For example, Cesc may be dribbling down the pitch ready to release Arshavin to his left, to be clobbered and receive a direct kick. The play stops. The flow ceases. Upon restart, Cesc chips a lovely ball to RVP who, anticipating a rash challenge, fluffs his shot harmlessly over the goal. Then the goalkeeper hoofs the ball all the way down the field to Arsenal's backline for the play to start again. Repeat. These matches are terribly frustrating because even if the ref protects the players from harsh, dirty tackles the fluidity of the match is killed. Basically, damned if Arsenal gets protection, and damned if they don't.

It will be really important for Arsenal to score early and convincingly and take the fans out of the match. Eventually, Wolves supporters will go quiet but they will not if the match progresses and their team gives them hope. Truthfully, it won't be the Lobos de UK who give them hope but Arsenal if the match isn't put to bed early.

In matches away to the Mudders it is assumed that tackles will fly, and refs will be poor. I gave up on thinking it would be any different years back. I hope that Arsenal responds not with timid whimpers and concession to the hard, physical play but with equaled steel and crunch. I want to see the Arsenal backline hold strong and send a message to the other side that if they venture into the Arsenal defensive third they are subject to just as much physicality as on their side of the pitch. In years past pundits and skeptics alike have called Arsenal's middle soft, and our willingness to get stuck in passive and absent. Tomorrow is a good opportunity to send a message to the league that one, Arsenal can kill teams off early and away on any Mudders' ground; two, Arsenal will beat these teams at their own physical game if there is refusal to play properly.

ArsenaLOS