Cazorla wide, Jack is back and some motivation

There is sunshine behind the dark clouds.

Sorry I have not written this week but inspiration has been hard to come by and you all know by now I only write when an idea hits me and not for the sake of it.

It has been a tough week to be a Gooner of course but as the old saying goes. When the going gets tough….the tough get going!

This applies to the players and coaching staff, of course it does, but it also surely applies to us fans. Now is the time in pubs, on social media and in the stadium to show a united front.

We cannot control whether Podolski is playing with a knock, or whether Santos is a stone overweight but we can control how we respond to two awful performances by rallying around our team. All I know is that this is the same side that should have won at Manchester City, outplayed and out smarted Liverpool and ground out a fabulous result at Upton Park.

Our season will not be defined by 2 bad results but by how we respond to those 2 bad results and Arteta and Mertesacker have been wheeled out by Arsenal to make the right noises.

Mertesacker – “We have had a difficult week, our results were kind of an accident, now we have to find our game again,” the defender said. “The international break was kind of a killer for us. We have to find our strength again quickly.

Arteta – “We have to put this night behind us. We have a very important game on Saturday against QPR. We have to bounce back after two defeats. There’s not any question about that.”

This begins at the Emirates on Saturday and in seeking inspiration I feel it is time to take a gamble on Jack Wilshere. He has at least 4 matches under his belt and 2 full 90 minutes. I am not saying this because he is the saviour of our season, but for 2 other reasons. Firstly I feel his presence will give the team a lift it badly needs and will inspire those around him both on the pitch and in the stands. Secondly I feel his selection and a responding tactical change will surprise Mark Hughes and QPR. I must credit Tommy Dean (@TommydeanOncePM) for planting this seed of an idea when suggesting Santi and Ramsey should have switched on Wednesday. Thanks Tommy.

A running style attacking midfield for a new dimension?

There is little doubting the talent and vision of Santi Cazorla but there is some evidence that teams are getting wise to how much of our early season creativity came through him and him alone. ‘If you stop Cazorla you stop Arsenal’ is an expression I am increasingly hearing. So due to other injuries and for the reason above, I would like to see Jack playing ahead of Arteta and Coquelin (one of few to come out of Wednesday with credit). With this selection, Wenger can move Cazorla wide right or wide left which will pose differing problems for QPR. Having Jack at CAM with his running with the ball style and quick give-n-goes, will re-create the rhythm and intensity we had from February last term with Rosicky in the attacking berth. Santi may enjoy the new freedom and his complete two-footedness will pose serious problems for the Rangers fullbacks (or centre backs playing at full back,) who will never know whether he will go outside and look to whip in a cross or cut inside to link play.

Santi on the wing for Villarreal

I would love to take this whole debate further and look at a formation change but perhaps that is for another day. Wenger will not change for tomorrow. If either Ox or Theo is passed fit, I would like to see one of them play wide on the opposite flank to Santi. Lukas Podolski is quite obviously struggling with the rumoured foot injury and it was his uncharacteristic lack of working back and support that left Santos’s limitations so horribly exposed on Wednesday particularly. If neither Ox or Theo are ready, I would stick with Gervinho but certainly out wide and select Giroud centrally.

Anyway I always say I don’t do match previews or reviews and this is becoming dangerously like one and others do it so much better than I. What I wanted to do today of all days is inspire readers, make them think and to actually put things into perspective. No silverware is won or lost in October and no signings can be made until January so now is the time to back our squad, back our coaching team, back our manager and roar our team back to winning ways, starting tomorrow.