I point, 2 Must Win Games, 4 Trophies: Arsenal Vs Stoke City

It is a full diary for Arsenal at this point of the season. With February coming to a close, the football diary is packed and as the season enters its final third, these are the times often referred to as the business end.

Has the Russian Picked at The Right Time?

Image: Zimbio.com (February 21, 2009 - Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images Europe

As much as I dislike the term- business end- as it is a misnomer at the very least; indeed these are important times for Arsenal lest come April, the infamous 2-1 triumph over The Great Barcelona in the first leg sweet 16 Champions league tie at the Emirates remains as Arsenal’s only cheer this 2010/11 season.


That aside, the air is already pungent with excitement as the showdown at Wembley against Birmingham in the Carling cup final nears. Gunners around the world are justly excited at the chance of witnessing Captain Cesc Fabregas loft the trophy high into the air under the rain of champagne, balloons and that paper stuff that is blown to celebrate victors.

So high is this fever that in the minds of a host of fans, mistakenly so, it is already a done deal. However, the cup form of our designated challengers speaks otherwise as the guys at Alenxander Helb’s adoption home are already in the quarter finals of the FA Cup.

This, in my eyes, speaks highly of their cup credentials and thus shouldn’t be taken lightly as Arsenal have already witnessed with Leeds and more recently lowly Lyton Orient. They say such probabilities are the essence of cup competitions.

Speaking of Orient, Arsene had cautioned that the biggest task at this time of the season is the switching of minds to deal with the different demands of each competition. Tonight facing Stoke City at home in a tie postponed from December following the disrupting effects of The Big Freeze, Arsene Wenger’s words of caution come to prominence once again.

Not many Arsenal fans can stomach the abrasive approach adopted by xxxxx boys. In fact, to admirers of the beautiful style such as the legion of Arsenal fans around the globe, there is no chance that Stoke City play football. I desist from calling it rugby as I find it an affront to a game I equally hold close in esteem.

Rugby prides itself as the gentleman’s game. Having played rugby, I concur with this claim even though I got my ankle smashed- effectively hampering my career- however, the injury not following a Shawcross kind of tackle. Even in a contact sport like rugby, Aaron Ramsey’s kind of misfortune has no place.

Speaking of Ramsey, the lad has been recalled from his second loan spell and should soon be available to challenge for a place in midfield. Meanwhile, Abou Diaby continues to be sidelined with a calf injury, while Robin Van Persie and Koscienly also miss tonight’s match through injury.

Even without the two, the team today ought be strong enough to overcome Stoke as Arsenal welcome back the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Nasri, Wilshere, Song, Walcott and Clichy and Sz at goal- Sagna expected to be the only survivor from the much changed side that faced Orient in the FA Cup.

Hopefully RVP and Koscienly will pass the fitness test over the weekend when we travel to White Hart Lane to face a confident Tottenham. These two games four days apart represent a critical step in claiming the league title from the faltering Chelsea.

A win tonight gets Arsenal within one point of Manchester United who have the small matter of facing Chelsea.  You will agree with me in wishing that Torres starts to repay the millions splashed out to lure him from the Reds. More importantly, it would be key to turn on the burners at this point of the season as the finish line approaches. Thank god that the Russian seems to have shaken off the flu.