So, with the fixtures having been released everybody has now had time to discuss and debate their views on what is set to be tough road ahead. Now it is time to finally look to the season ahead and the article below going to include a brief overview of Arsenal’s possible route through the season.
August
As any season, a good start is crucial if Arsenal are going to signal their serious intent on becoming title contenders. The opening weekend sees Arsenal entertain Aston Villa in front of 60,000 supporters all eager to see their side obtain three points. For Arsenal it is probably a dream start as they will more than fancy their chances against a Villa outfit. The opening game is a match that will allow Wenger to utilise his new signings and for the remaining players to hit the season firing on all cylinders.
The following week sees Arsenal making a short journey across London to Craven Cottage. What must not be forgotten is that this fixture is sandwiched between two UEFA Champions’ League Play-Off ties meaning Arsenal must start the season in peak physical condition.
After the second play off tie and a fixture that all Arsenal supporters would have immediately scanned the fixture list for in search of is the first of the two infamous North London derbies, the first of which is at home. If Arsenal can pick up six points from their first two games and manage to successfully qualify for the UEFA Champions’ League group stage then momentum will be in full flow, giving Arsenal a good mentality heading into the first derby.
September
September involves Arsenal playing Sunderland (A), Stoke City (H) and Swansea City (A). These three games will provide Arsenal with a stern assessment which will surely test the physical nature of the Arsenal team as the three opposing teams have a very physical presence to them.
Amongst these three fixtures Arsenal will also be initiating their cup campaigns in both the UCL and the League Cup.
October
October is very much a combination of league and cup games as the season begins to kick into life. Arsenal will play West Bromwich Albion (A), Norwich City (H) and Crystal Palace (A). Looking at these three games from an objective perspective any football fan would expect Arsenal to guarantee themselves maximum points during October. Arsenal will also have to play two games in the UCL as well as Round 4 of the Capital One Cup.
November
As winter approaches the fixtures soon intensify and become more difficult with the first game of November being against Liverpool (H) and then the second, a trip to Old Trafford, also with a European fixture squeezed in between. These fixtures will enable all to see just how far the Arsenal team have improved, or not, from last season. Arsenal then host Southampton before yet another UCL group stage match. Arsenal end the month of November with a trek out of the country and into the capital of Wales to play newly promoted, and Championship Winners, Cardiff.
December
Christmas is nearing and the annual fixture pile-up begins. With eight games in store, fans will not have to wait much more than four days, on average, between the matches in December before the boys in red play again. Arsenal kick off the month with a game against Premier League newcomers, Hull City (H). Hull will not have forgotten this fixture during 2008 when from one-nil behind, Geovanni instigated a City comeback after a spectacular effort from outside the box. Four days after playing Hull, Arsenal remain at home and invite an Everton side under new management to The Emirates. Next up is the final game of the UCL group stage where Arsenal will hopefully have secured a place in the knockout phase, commencing after the New Year. Arsenal continue the tricky Christmas period with an away game against Manchester City and if Arsenal make it as far, then also a Quarter-Final league cup match. Three days after will see Chelsea welcomed to The Emirates before the yearly Boxing Day fixture, this year, away at West Ham United. Last season’s Boxing Day fixture against West Ham was postponed due to poor weather conditions but this season both sides will be hoping the game goes ahead to prevent any extra fixture congestion. The Arsenal team will have had little rest, one day in fact, before they travel up to the North-East to end 2013 with a tough match at St James’ Park.
January
The Arsenal players’ New Year’s celebrations will be put on hold until having played Cardiff (H). January also features Arsenal’s FA Cup journey that gets under way, just three days before a possible Capital One Cup Semi-Final 1L. Contained within this possible cup fixture’s two legs is an away game at Villa Park and a home match against Fulham. On the assumption that having made it to the League Cup Final, Arsenal will also be hoping to advance one round further in The FA Cup as round 4 is negotiated. January concludes at St Mary’s.
February
The month of love gets underway and just as well as Arsenal will need all the support they can get as they will be looking to pick up as many points as possible with games against Palace (H), Liverpool (A) and Manchester United (H). Following this tricky trio of games is Round 5 of the FA Cup and Arsenal’s first game in the knockout stages of the UCL. Arsenal play Sunderland at home before heading into March.
March
The Britannia Stadium is where Arsenal start the month, prior to a potential Capital One Cup Final. Then the FA Cup quarter-finals take place before Swansea arrive at The Emirates where Michu will be searching to replicate last season’s brace at The Emirates that saw him secure three points for Swansea. Soon after Swansea, Arsenal begin what must be described as their toughest run of games. Five consecutive fixtures starting with the second leg of the UCL, followed by a flurry of games including Tottenham Hotspur (A), Chelsea (A) and Manchester City (H). In a month where title challengers’ hopes are either crushed or strengthened, these games will prove vital in Arsenal’s hopeful league campaign. If Arsenal were to obtain six points from nine then it must be said that it is a job well done.
April
Entering the penultimate month of the season and Arsenal begin the month in a similar fashion to how they ended the previous month in terms of difficulty of opponents. A game at Goodison Park is positioned in the middle of two possible UCL quarter-final legs. Three days later sees Arsenal take on West Ham before competing in a potential FA Cup semi-final. Shortly followed is a trip to the KC stadium and then a home tie against Newcastle United which is also situated in the centre of a hopeful two UCL semi-final legs.
May
After a season of mixed emotions of highs and lows the season draws to a closure within its final month. A month where Arsenal will be looking to take advantage of a home game against West Bromwich Albion before travelling to East Anglia on the final day of the season to take three points away from Carrow Road, hopefully having been crowned Champions if not before. With the prospect of two finals – the FA Cup and UCL – May promises to be a very glorious month if Arsenal make it that far.
So to summarise, the season is full of “possible” and “potential” outcomes which very much symbolises the unpredictable events that are soon to unfold in front of our very own eyes.
Written by James Harrod (@gooner_score)
Blog: http://goonerscore.wordpress.com/
August
As any season, a good start is crucial if Arsenal are going to signal their serious intent on becoming title contenders. The opening weekend sees Arsenal entertain Aston Villa in front of 60,000 supporters all eager to see their side obtain three points. For Arsenal it is probably a dream start as they will more than fancy their chances against a Villa outfit. The opening game is a match that will allow Wenger to utilise his new signings and for the remaining players to hit the season firing on all cylinders.
The following week sees Arsenal making a short journey across London to Craven Cottage. What must not be forgotten is that this fixture is sandwiched between two UEFA Champions’ League Play-Off ties meaning Arsenal must start the season in peak physical condition.
After the second play off tie and a fixture that all Arsenal supporters would have immediately scanned the fixture list for in search of is the first of the two infamous North London derbies, the first of which is at home. If Arsenal can pick up six points from their first two games and manage to successfully qualify for the UEFA Champions’ League group stage then momentum will be in full flow, giving Arsenal a good mentality heading into the first derby.
September
September involves Arsenal playing Sunderland (A), Stoke City (H) and Swansea City (A). These three games will provide Arsenal with a stern assessment which will surely test the physical nature of the Arsenal team as the three opposing teams have a very physical presence to them.
Amongst these three fixtures Arsenal will also be initiating their cup campaigns in both the UCL and the League Cup.
October
October is very much a combination of league and cup games as the season begins to kick into life. Arsenal will play West Bromwich Albion (A), Norwich City (H) and Crystal Palace (A). Looking at these three games from an objective perspective any football fan would expect Arsenal to guarantee themselves maximum points during October. Arsenal will also have to play two games in the UCL as well as Round 4 of the Capital One Cup.
November
As winter approaches the fixtures soon intensify and become more difficult with the first game of November being against Liverpool (H) and then the second, a trip to Old Trafford, also with a European fixture squeezed in between. These fixtures will enable all to see just how far the Arsenal team have improved, or not, from last season. Arsenal then host Southampton before yet another UCL group stage match. Arsenal end the month of November with a trek out of the country and into the capital of Wales to play newly promoted, and Championship Winners, Cardiff.
December
Christmas is nearing and the annual fixture pile-up begins. With eight games in store, fans will not have to wait much more than four days, on average, between the matches in December before the boys in red play again. Arsenal kick off the month with a game against Premier League newcomers, Hull City (H). Hull will not have forgotten this fixture during 2008 when from one-nil behind, Geovanni instigated a City comeback after a spectacular effort from outside the box. Four days after playing Hull, Arsenal remain at home and invite an Everton side under new management to The Emirates. Next up is the final game of the UCL group stage where Arsenal will hopefully have secured a place in the knockout phase, commencing after the New Year. Arsenal continue the tricky Christmas period with an away game against Manchester City and if Arsenal make it as far, then also a Quarter-Final league cup match. Three days after will see Chelsea welcomed to The Emirates before the yearly Boxing Day fixture, this year, away at West Ham United. Last season’s Boxing Day fixture against West Ham was postponed due to poor weather conditions but this season both sides will be hoping the game goes ahead to prevent any extra fixture congestion. The Arsenal team will have had little rest, one day in fact, before they travel up to the North-East to end 2013 with a tough match at St James’ Park.
January
The Arsenal players’ New Year’s celebrations will be put on hold until having played Cardiff (H). January also features Arsenal’s FA Cup journey that gets under way, just three days before a possible Capital One Cup Semi-Final 1L. Contained within this possible cup fixture’s two legs is an away game at Villa Park and a home match against Fulham. On the assumption that having made it to the League Cup Final, Arsenal will also be hoping to advance one round further in The FA Cup as round 4 is negotiated. January concludes at St Mary’s.
February
The month of love gets underway and just as well as Arsenal will need all the support they can get as they will be looking to pick up as many points as possible with games against Palace (H), Liverpool (A) and Manchester United (H). Following this tricky trio of games is Round 5 of the FA Cup and Arsenal’s first game in the knockout stages of the UCL. Arsenal play Sunderland at home before heading into March.
March
The Britannia Stadium is where Arsenal start the month, prior to a potential Capital One Cup Final. Then the FA Cup quarter-finals take place before Swansea arrive at The Emirates where Michu will be searching to replicate last season’s brace at The Emirates that saw him secure three points for Swansea. Soon after Swansea, Arsenal begin what must be described as their toughest run of games. Five consecutive fixtures starting with the second leg of the UCL, followed by a flurry of games including Tottenham Hotspur (A), Chelsea (A) and Manchester City (H). In a month where title challengers’ hopes are either crushed or strengthened, these games will prove vital in Arsenal’s hopeful league campaign. If Arsenal were to obtain six points from nine then it must be said that it is a job well done.
April
Entering the penultimate month of the season and Arsenal begin the month in a similar fashion to how they ended the previous month in terms of difficulty of opponents. A game at Goodison Park is positioned in the middle of two possible UCL quarter-final legs. Three days later sees Arsenal take on West Ham before competing in a potential FA Cup semi-final. Shortly followed is a trip to the KC stadium and then a home tie against Newcastle United which is also situated in the centre of a hopeful two UCL semi-final legs.
May
After a season of mixed emotions of highs and lows the season draws to a closure within its final month. A month where Arsenal will be looking to take advantage of a home game against West Bromwich Albion before travelling to East Anglia on the final day of the season to take three points away from Carrow Road, hopefully having been crowned Champions if not before. With the prospect of two finals – the FA Cup and UCL – May promises to be a very glorious month if Arsenal make it that far.
So to summarise, the season is full of “possible” and “potential” outcomes which very much symbolises the unpredictable events that are soon to unfold in front of our very own eyes.
Written by James Harrod (@gooner_score)
Blog: http://goonerscore.wordpress.com/