Originally posted on www.Goonersphere.com
Many sticks have been chosen as the ‘Chief Stick’ that is used to beat our team. A worrying tendency to lose concentration in winning positions. Defensive naivety – nay – tactical ignorance, that has served to see us run with the also-rans in the League. An alarmingly blinkered approach to reinforcements. All are fair reasons when it comes to our mediocre League position. The branch that lords it over his twig-like colleagues though – is injuries.
Shad Forsythe was heralded as the man who would bring in a raft of new-age changes that would revolutionize our approach when it came to recovery and recuperation amidst a hectic and debilitating schedule.
Tony Colbert’s reign of terror and his ‘if it hurts, run it off’ approach was coming to an end. Even though Colbert has been at the club for nearly all of Arsene Wenger’s tenure and was also held aloft as a genius of his field. Hell, even Le King has vouched for Colbert and thanked him for his work ( http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2012/01/10/2840605/thierry-henry-hails-arsenals-fitness-coach-tony-colbert )
No matter. Shad be the man now. Or at least he was for about a week. Now, because our injury list is longer than an Oscar acceptance speech from a teary eyed starlet, Forsythe also appears to be a handy scapegoat. Despite evidence stating that our injury lay-offs are decreasing ( Giroud and Ozil? ) Shad obviously is failing because our penchant for injuries is still prevalent. No fitness specialist is responsible for preventing injury. That is impossible. They are hired to aid recuperation and get them back on the field as rapidly as possible. In that respect, Shad is turning the tide. Also, injuries picked up during training is also down.
Instead, we now have evidence that Lady Luck – that tempestuous mistress – has taken umbrage with something we have done ( perhaps she is a spurs fan ) and rained merry hell upon our beleaguered squad. A football kicked at Giroud’s foot causes him to break a bone in his leg. A petty shove from a random orc ( Arnautovic, I vow to never forget your flagrant act of thuggery ) has seen Debuchy given a three month respite. He has now missed 17 games already this season, which is more than in his entire spell at Newcastle ( thank you @SimplyEnigmatic for this fantastic stat ). So our lady friend is evidently pissed. She has also stopped us from seeing something that is oft-talked about but never seen.
Shad cannot be blamed for this either. When the planets align and the sun is in the 7th house, a remarkable and astounding thing happens. A combination so powerful, so awe-inspiring, that there can be no answer to its mastery. Rumour has it that to look upon its sacred beauty is to blind oneself. Its vision is not meant for lowly eyes.
Sanchez, Ozil and Theo.
In all honesty, any paradigm or paradox that you can envision in regards to breaking down an entrenched defence – can be answered emphatically by an attacking triumvirate so thoroughly perfect, so virile – that all fans who bear witness to this scarce sight will instantly fall pregnant instantly.
It has been bandied around social networking that this trinity of attack will be the answer to our sporadic malaise. Unfortunately, thanks to injury – we have never borne witness to this spectacular sight.
Let me whet your whistle.
Sanchez, having had half a season which has been more successful than any other debut in the Premier League. No matter who his allies are in the side, it matters not if chemistry has not been forged. He has dragged our team to the cusp of the Top 4 by sheer skill and bloody-mindedness. He has 18 goals already plus an impressive amount of assists in a team that has seen more changes than a Claudio Ranieri wardrobe.
Mesut Ozil. The man with the vision. A player so potent that his departure from Real Madrid prompted an outcry from Cristiano Ronaldo. A man who still had the most assists in 2014 despite missing a large chunk through injury and struggling with a vastly different League. We all know he struggled at times in his first season but the positives are undeniable. If he can adapt to the physical climate of the Premiership – and upon seeing his frame last weekend it would appear he has bulked up – then he would be ready to wreak havoc. Ally this to the fact that he was laying through balls to a striker that prefers the ball to his feet. No runners that could be found with a methodical sweep of a German foot. Slot Mesut into a team that has Sanchez and Walcott included and we will see the Assist Machine back in business.
Next, we come to Theo. His last full season, he bagged over twenty goals. That was in 2012/13. Since then, Theo has had to overcome seasons of sporadic appearances as injuries bit deep. Fans have not forgotten what he is capable of though. Many are still aware of the goal threat that our number 14 carries. If his eye-watering pace hasn’t diminished and he can regain the touch he possessed in front of goal, then he will once more resume his reign of terror upon opposition defences.
Now just imagine those three players in the same team. It more than whets the appetite. It makes you ravenous for the potential damage they could cause. No other team possesses a threat so evident as this. City, Chelsea, Utd et al would look upon our team with a mixture of jealousy and cold fear.
Gooners haven’t been privy to this since they all signed. The day is perilously close though. Sanchez is a warhorse who won’t be stopped. Theo is starting to make appearances. Mesut is now back. Give it a few games and soon the whole of Europe will know the threat we carry.
As long as they don’t get injured. Ahem. If that happens, I blame Shad Forsythe.
Up The Arsenal 