Myth Arsenal poor after international breaks. Marathon ahead

I hate International breaks, like all Gooners I fear the injuries that always happen. Once again we have not been proved wrong, after all there is an injury list as long as Adebayor’s arm, and that’s very long. Arsenal had built up a good rhythm before the break, especially Arshavin and Nasri, and even Diaby, now the latter two are injured.

 RvP might not have been scoring before the break, but he was certainly assisting. Eduardo has also suffered a groin strain, and he had already gone away with an injury, or at the best just recovered.

 

However how bad is the team after breaks? Well it’s hard to remember how many there have been this season, but the two major breaks that meant a two week gap in the programme had no detrimental effect. After one major break Arsenal beat Blackburn away 4-0, and after another break Everton 3-1 at home.

 

So there is not a lot of evidence that International breaks do that much harm. Nonetheless, we have lost a lot of players this time. However, on the plus side the break has allowed Fabregas and Walcott to recover. It also allowed Adebayor to get a game in. Clichy didn’t play for France, so he has had a holiday. So it’s not all bad news.

Rhythm 

So players have been lost, and players gained, it means enforced rotation, but there would have had to have been rotation anyhow. For in the month of April Arsenal have eight games in three competitions. Eight games to glory or failure, there is certainly a lot riding on the month of April.

 

Wenger, players and fans need to stop worrying which are the best possible eleven, and do their best with the eleven best players that are available. Now that we have Fabregas back, and Arshavin at the club, there is enough talent to put a winning team together whoever is missing (within limits). No point in looking too far ahead. Tomorrow is a chance to go six points ahead in the league and that will be the best way to deal with the momentous month ahead.

 

The last game Arsenal lost in any domestic competition was Manchester City; it’s a good chance to show it was a fluke. City play poorly away from home, in the last fixture they were on a poor run, the Gunners pathetic display briefly revived them. Arsenal should avoid that mistake tomorrow.