It is the short rain season though in the most part of this 21st century, the weather has been a tad erratic with seasons lasting longer than expected or shifting in terms of timing in the year. In the northern hemisphere, my friends tell me that the cold winds of change are blowing too.
November is a month of change. That is, if the events at Arsenal in the trophy dry gone five years are anything to by. To many pundits, this is the time of the year when the often bright start to the season by Arsenal starts to wobble under the battery of a congested fixture list before it finally sinks- usually in January when we get kicked out of the FA cup and soon after knocked out of the Champions League in Febuary/ March.
The trouble with November is that with shift in European times, football pitches courtesy of weather changes become less suited for Arsenal's exquisite passing game. The players struggle with the turf withering Arsenal's influence on the game. The end result is often dropped points, a full treatment room and a mountain to climb in terms of catching up with the table topping team.
This November, 2010/2011 season, the script is in some regards flipped. Instead of players heading to the take up positions in the team of injured players, it is the welcome news that the phenomenal RVP and budding Aaron Ramsey are set to join the fray somewhere along November.
However, the pitch situation is not expected to change neither will the fixtures be less crucial.
Arsenal November Fixtures
03 Wed UEFA Champions League [A] Shakhtar Donetsk
07 Sun Barclays Premier League [H] Newcastle United
10 Wed Barclays Premier League [A] Wolverhampton W.
14 Sun Barclays Premier League [A] Everton
20 Sat Barclays Premier League [H] Tottenham Hotspur
23 Tue UEFA Champions League [A] Braga
27 Sat Barclays Premier League [A] Aston Villa
30 Tue Carling Cup [H] Wigan Athletic
Up first this November, is the Champions league clash away in Ukraine at Shakhtar Donestk.
This tie is important, not entirely because with a win Arsenal secure top spot in the group, but also the ramifications its has on the upcoming trophy hunt.
In the favored scenario where we triumph at the Donbass Arena-a ground at which Arsene reckons the league topping Ukrainian champions are unbeatable- means that the boss will have the lee way to tinker with the team in the remaining Group H games, giving the likes of JET valuable experience and still remaining with a full first choice team to sustain the premier league challenge.
That said, precaution- which seems to be the guiding mantra this season at Emirates Stadium, will see captain Cec Fabregas [hamstring], the defensive duo of Denilson [groin] and Cameroonian Alex Song [calf], and Andrei Arshavin [Flu] not travel to Ukraine.
Theo Walcott looks set to start, Jack Wilshere returns while talk is that Craig Eastmond could be Jack's partner in midfield. Starting Bendtner and Chamakh upfront with one of them patrolling the left wing may unbalance the team so Carlos Vela could get the nod on the left. Rosicky is likely to start stepping in for Cesc Fabregas both as Captain and as the orchestra conductor.
With Bendtner more effective off the bench, the Moroccan can start but should ideally rested early to give Bendtner some 30mins on the pitch.
Samir Nasri could start on the bench just to rest him and also have some ammunition on the bench.
With injuries to Gibbs and the need to give Djourou some game time, Clichy, Koscienly, Djourou and Sagna should start at the back. Fabianski should continue at goal as with the contract situation with Szczesny it would be gamble to bet on his mental match fitness.
I would like to see JET and Eboue also get a run somewhere along the game.
Looking at the squad in Ukraine the reservations among fans, pundits and fellow bloggers is understandable. In all fairness, Shaktar Donestk will be a different animal all together. The home support notwithstanding, the 5-1 Emirates score a fortnight ago is not the complete story as far as their credentials go.
Their ability to move the ball around, on a three game winning streak without conceding , recent UEFA cup success, the potency of Eduardo all well known to Gunners and the venom of rightfully hyped Da Costa set to be unleashed, the bets on a draw as the most favorable outcome has some solid ground to stand on.
It's an unspecified feeling this Wednesday night: The fever like spikes of eager optimism inter-spaced with butterflies somewhat similar to those of a parent about to see their child do their first public performance at a school's parents day.
A feeling so common on those Carling Cup ties where the young guns take on a premiership opponent.
Then there is the all well to known maddening excitement of a Champions league night. .
What Arsene Had To Say On the Shakhtar Game
"Shakhtar are one of the strong sides in Europe, it will be an exciting game, no matter who is not here from our squad.....they dominate this league. Certainly they are an unbeatable team here, at least locally - but we have a chance to beat them, so let's try to get the best out of our performance tomorrow {today...I felt the game at Emirates was tighter than the score indicates....The pitch is good for the two teams, who will both attack, so should be a good game...we can win anywhere in the world, we have done it - we can win everywhere."
Talk back to us in the comments section below.Enjoy the game!
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