Coming up: six Arsenal games in 18 days. Just bring it on « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger in all he does

By Walter Broeckx

After the midweek internationals (stupid as they were friendly internationals) we get back to the real thing. Arsenal and football.

At first sight not many players have come back in pieces it seems. So that is some good news. No, change that into real good news. The only concern looks to be Jack Wilshere who is having some trouble with this back. So lets hope he gets fit and if not that it only will be a short time injury. Do we have those kind of short time injury at our disposal at Arsenal? Sometimes it really doesn’t look that way as days become weeks and then become months. Ain’t it Thomas?

But to confirm my view on needless and stupid friendly international games you only have to take a look at our fixture list in the next 18 days.

• Arsenal – Tottenham,
• Braga – Arsenal,
• Aston Villa – Arsenal,
• Arsenal – Wigan,
• Arsenal – Fulham
• Arsenal Partizan Belgrade.

All to be played in 18 days. 6 games in 18 days. One game every 3 days.

And only then we have a little break as our game at United has been listed on Monday evening so we can get some rest then after our Wednesday CL match.

So a heavy schedule ahead for the players and it will be a very important time to show how strong the squad really is. We just have to hope for no injuries but even without injuries the whole squad will be needed and called upon. I don’t think it will be possible to play with only 11 players when the games are coming this fast.

And I must say that I really feel very confident about these next weeks IF we don’t get a suddenly and massive injury blow to many players. So far we have coped rather well  even with a lot of injured players being out. I also think that we will see that in this period of time we will get players that have been out with an injury for a while back to getting some more game time. The likes of Robin Van Persie, Theo Walcott, Nicklas Bendtner come to mind.

But for us the fans this really is a period to look forward too. With the day before the game feeling, the day of the game experience, the day after the game feelings taking usually three days in total it will mean that we will go from game to game without getting a rest ourselves.

And it may look a hell to the players, but for the fans it is heaven. And I do think it is an important period also. If we can get through this period in good shape and still be around the top of the league, qualify for the next CL round and qualify for the Carling cup semi final anything can happen.

In the list there are not easy fixtures (have you been listening to Radio 5 Walter? – Ed). Simply because I don’t think there are any easy games anymore. So the players should continue like they did in the last two away games. The only thing I would like to ask them is to kill off the chances a bit more so that we can not only relax a little but also enjoy the game even more. Winning a game when you have to fight really hard is very satisfying  at the end, but very nerve racking during the game. Certainly when you get a bit older you wished they would just finish their chances early on,  so you can really sit back and enjoy our beautiful football even more.

But to win with big score lines you have to be in splendid form, have a bit of luck also and all your key players have to be in good shape both mental and physical. So let us hope they are. And again this is why I hate these friendly international games so much as they usually get a few players out like Liverpool found out this time around. It’s not because we for once don’t suffer that I enjoy it when other suffer. Okay, I admit,  only  just a little bit..

And then I would also remind the fact that a lot of our best players (they all are good players) like Cesc and Van Persie, Walcott have been strugling all the time this season or have been out injured. And still we are second in the league. Not a bad job I would say.

If we would win all 6 games it would be great. We can do it, but it will be a hard job. It would mean that we win our group in the CL and get to the semi final in the Carling cup. And most of all I think it could mean that we could be top in the league when we play our game at Old Trafford on December 13. I do have the feeling that Chelsea look a bit flat for the moment and can be punished as their squad looks thin and has lost important players. Going to Birmingham City is not the nicest place to go when you are short of players.

And for now let us take each game as it comes in the next 18 days and let us just support our Gunners each and every minute. Just bring it on.