The Game

It is funny how whenever our title hopes are dead and buried, points are dropped by those leading us in the table and suddenly, it’s game on.

But, as I look at the English Premier League table, I just can’t ignore the fact that if we lose tomorrow’s game we will not only wave goodbye to the title but we would only have seven points more than Tottenham Hotspur with them having a game in hand.

Before analysing the game, I wanted to start by asking a simple question: Am I the only one believing some are being a little harsh on Emmanuel Eboue after what happened on Sunday?

I mean Emmanuel is not what one would call a “defender”, he is more dangerous and more of an asset when he pushes forward down the right, something that he did exceptionally well throughout the whole game. Then he made a mistake, granted, opting to stay very close to Lucas instead of just pushing him wide waiting for the final whistle.

But is he the only one to blame? Of course not. Why is it that few or nobody is talking about Wojciech Szczesny’s clearance that started the move that led to the foul on the edge of the penalty box? Or the way Alex Song cleared Raul Meireles cross? Or Laurent Koscielny’s pathetic attempt to clear the danger or the comical way these two tried to block Jonjo Shelvey first and Lucas then?

Bacary Sagna is back but please let’s not forget that Emmanuel Eboue – who was back in action after weeks without playing – did very well against Blackpool and Liverpool and it’s unfair to blame him for the dropped points against the Reds, because, as I said, it was a “collective” mistake that saw us concede such a late equaliser.

As for tomorrow, there’s no “What do these footballers all have in common?” from me, it’s not in my style, I will just say that I expect a response from the players although it will be very, very difficult to leave White Hart Lane with all three points.

We all know Spurs, they will run and fight as if it’s the Champions League final and knowing that a draw or a defeat would kill our slim title hopes, well, it’s not difficult to predict how determined they will be.

Although having said that, we rarely disappointed in big games this season and that is basically the reason why I am confident that we will play a big game, will hopefully get all three points and then wait for Manchester United to drop points, because, I’m afraid, that’s the only way for us to be crowned Champions at the end of the season.

As always, my favourite line-up is below. Remember you can submit your own at Arsenal Interactive and then share it on Twitter and Facebook.

Favourite line-up

Call me crazy, but both Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri didn’t impress in their last two games, especially the newly-crowned PFA Young Player of the Year and with Arsene saying that “Wilshere played many games”, I wouldn’t be surprised if he agrees with me and starts him on the bench.

As for Samir, it seems he lost a little that start-of-the-season magic and with Andrey Arshavin initially rested against Liverpool, I expect him to start.

Wojciech Szczesny should start in goal with Bacary Sagna back in the defensive department with our manager also saying that both Manuel Almunia and Denilson are fit but will not even be on the bench. It seems that these two, as many have been predicting for months, will indeed leave in the summer.

The Gunning Hawk Coverage

As always, tune in for team line-ups, streaming links, half time and full time reports, post-match thoughts, video highlights and what the press is writing. And of course, do contribute if you want to by making use of the comment box available at the bottom of the post as it’s always nice to hear your opinion. And as a final note, if you want to go one step further than just leaving a comment and want to have your articles published on our website, take a look here for more information.

Arsenal Interactive

And of course, don’t forget you’re still in time to pick your preferred team for this game. And when the final whistle blows, don’t forget to rate the players, comment on their performances and share your personal ratings with your friends. All this and more, available at http://www.arsenal-interactive.com.