Put Down the Pitchforks, Angry Villagers...

Week 2 of the international break continues and I frankly, can’t wait for it to be over.  I used up my interest in the international game with the World Cup and I will renew it when the Gold Cup comes around again, followed by the Euros, but until then I will sit impatiently and watch the new NHL season which is getting underway.  Of course, as a Carolina Hurricanes fan, that usually causes my blood pressure to rise.  It is not good for my health to be a fan of both Arsenal and the Hurricanes.  Add into that deadly cocktail, equal parts Cleveland Browns and Indians and I will be surprised if I make to my 30th birthday.

This blog will be shorter than usual as I do not have much to say in this interlull, but let’s get the important talking points nailed down:

Injuries:  Mesut Özil, Laurent Koscielny and Tomas Rosicky were added to the list that is now pinned with a ka-bar combat knife to Shad Forsythe’s door in London. 

Daily Fail: English media is at their old tricks again, (no surprise there) with the rumor that Özil is unhappy at Arsenal and is looking for a switch to Bayern Munich.

Defense: still light in defense and in defensive midfield

Starting with injuries and the defensive problems, our squad is now missing: Arteta, Rosicky, Welbeck (should be back for Hull), Ospina, Özil, Ramsey, Sanogo, Giroud, Debuchy and Walcott.  After typing that list, it may have just been easier to list the players who are healthy.  Arsenal has always seemed to have an injury problem but this season has been absolutely ridiculous with not just the number of injuries but also the severity and length of absence.  What compounds the problem is that we are already light in defense and two of our starting defenders are on that list.  I said that loaning Jenkinson to West Ham would come back to haunt us and it seems that prophecy is coming true.  We are down to the bare bones in defense and we could have used the experience he had to get us through this rough patch.  Now we have to rely on the youngsters in the reserve side to do a job that will not be easy.

It would be unfair to lie this at Shad Forsythe’s feet and blame him for our injury woes.  We could gather pitchforks and torches and storm London looking for him like the villagers after Frankenstein’s monster or we could act like adults and try to analyze what is it that Arsenal are doing that causes these issues.  It could be the training methods or the lack of a clear break between the World Cup and the start of the season.  No matter what we believe it is, we just don’t know and the uncertainty is more terrifying than the reality. 

Finally the media is stirring up the transfer rumor soup by announcing a story that Özil is unhappy in London and wants a move to Bayern Munich, plus Arsenal are willing to sell him at a loss.  I don’t know whose idea it was to print this but the track record at Daily Mail (Fail) is not good.  He may not be in the best form but to suggest that Arsenal are willing to offload Özil to Bayern at a loss after a season and a half is ludicrous.  That is not the Arsenal way and it is especially not the Arsene Wenger way.  Wenger is loyal to players that he believes in and he trusts Özil immensely.  We all should know that this is nonsense but it goes to show you just how moronic the media gets over transfers and non-issues.  This has been a slow news week for the sport and the media needs to stir the pot to get readers on their website and print.  What better way to do this than to print loads of garbage about Arsenal. 

Arsenal seem like an easy target based on our trophy record over the last 10 years, plus the amount of players that have left, and the injury woes we face every season.  We endure this drivel every year and frankly I have had enough.  We need to break out of this rut and prove to everyone that we are the top club that we truly are.  What better way than to get a nice win against Hull this weekend.  We can then follow it up with several wins to get our season back on track and show the fighting spirit in this team.  Let’s light the fuse on that cannon and fire the warning shots across the premier league.

Come on (what’s left of) you Gunners!