As I was reflecting on the game yesterday evening, I so much kept on comparing this 1-2 away win with last season’s win at Stamford Bridge with the same scoreline. That one was a game which we could have easily lost but luck(Robin’s first goal in an offside position) and then magic(Robin’s second goal) saw us battle past Chelsea.

Yesterday’s was a very similar game where luck(the own goal) and then magic(Andrey’s strike) made sure we take full advantage of Saturday’s results and I would be a hypocrite if I’d say I’m not happy for getting all three points, but at the same time, I’m very worried for the near future as I see the same worrying signs I saw last year after that Chelsea win.

Massive Win

Regardless from which angle you look at it and regardless how it was achieved, this will go down as a massive win, a massive morale booster and a massive signal sent to all those who thought we were out of the title race after the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea.

As always, though, it’s all about understanding what went wrong in those first 45 minutes so as to avoid making the same mistakes again. Aaron Ramsey seems to be the best option for the midfield and should start ahead of Denilson and Abou Diaby, although my fear is that Aaron may not be compatible with Cesc. Also, if Theo Walcott is not yet ready to start, he should be kept on the bench and used when the game is put to bed.

I like Theo, I like his speed, the way he twists and turns, but at the moment he’s not ready to start. Yesterday, Samir Nasri on the right and Carlos Vela on the left would have been a much better option to start with and with December’s busy schedule, I hope to see such changes on the wings.

Andrey Arshavin

Last year it was rumoured that Arsenal paid £16m for the Russian, a fee which we’ve rarely seen Arsene Wenger pay in the last year or so, yet unfortunately, in today’s football, if you want to buy quality, you have to pay. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Arsenal’s mentality not to spend like crazy the way other clubs do, but sometimes you need to put your hand in your pocket and accept the rules of the game.

I don’t know who Arsene should sign this January but I do know we need a strong, physical presence up front. Make no mistake, if Nicklas Bendtner recovers from injury and stays fit, then maybe he can be the one, but if not, someone needs to be signed and therefore money should be spent, just like last year with Andrey.

Looking Forward

Will Arsenal underestimate Burnley? Well they did underestimate West Ham(after taking a 0-2 lead) and Sunderland away from home so Wednesday’s is a game we should not take lightly. I’ll be back, as always, with the preview.

Until then, take care.