Alexis Hammer & Basel Preview

   A Late late Review/Preview this is. What a spanking response from the boiz over the weekend. A dark cloud hung over the Team after the listless performance against Southampton that saw Arsenal bow out of the EFL cup.  We asked for the perfect response in form of an excellent performance at Westham and the gunners duly delivered a 5star one ….or make that 4 ½ star for that goal conceded, a silly one at that when you consider that the whole team froze after Dimitri Payet’s freekick struck the upright, the whole defence forgot to play to the refs whistle. I wouldn’t want to gripe too much about this as It was the only blemish on that performance. Sanchez was at the heart of it all, setting up Ozilla for a tap in at 1-0, then came a flurry of “what a save”  “aaahs ohs” and “almosts”. Sanchez then decided that enough with the kidding around, taking the game by the scruff, he ended up with a hat trick and of course the man of the match award to booth. All nice and dandy but we need these kind of performances from the gunners more and more consistently if they are to win anything of note this season, thank God the carling cup is out. On that note I would say one less distraction to worry about. I see Mourinho’s men are already in the semis, taking cups seriously as always despite Man United’s far from progressive play in the league. Man City and Liverpool losing was a lovely bonus if I must say, Liverpool’s own jeeez reminiscent of the old Arsenal, how they lost that game beggars belief….still a Klopp fan shaa.  

   Anyway tonight is about the final group game in the Champion’s League, Yep! Arsenal go away to FC Basel in Switzerland for a game that almost may not have any consequence on who qualifies but on who gets to top the group. Well I have to say after the draw with PSG in our last home game, chances for top spot was out of Arsenals hands. PSG entertain Ludogorets, it would take a mammoth miracle for them to drop points against the Bulgarian side who gave them a run for their money back in Sofia. PSG lost over the weekend, could there be vestiges of a hangover from that loss against Montpellier? I guess we would have to wait and see, I wouldn’t be holding my breath for that though. This years champions league is such that you do have some “Big Teams” sitting in second Madrid, Bayern anyone? Maybe, just maybe coming second might not be so bad after all.

Since we have gotten our bogey month if November done and dusted, it would be nice for the gunners to keep the winning form going, a tough line up of matches await us during the festive period and the matches come in every three days, it’s an endurance test. Lets kick it on with another win away at Basel. Resting Sanchez and Ozilla with other ringing changes, my Team sheet will look like:

Subs: Cech, Sanchez, Ozil, Jeff, Oxlade, El Neny, Giroud, Monreal.