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The life of an Arsenal fan requires patience, an open mind, belief and did I mention patience? Every season turns into an emotional roller coaster, but unfortunately for Arsenal fans, that emotional roller coaster has been unable to reach anything more appealing than a Champions League spot in the last eight years.
Once again, the 2012/13 campaign is coming down to the wire, and Arsenal fans are hoping their North London neighbors will once again throw away what once looked to be a commanding and comfortable lead.
On paper, Arsenal has more than enough talent to brush aside a team like Reading with ease, but that can be much easier said than done. Looking at their previous two meetings this season, Arsenal should enjoy a high scoring affair, but with Nigel Adkins now in charge, things could be different.
Arsenal fans will be hoping and praying that the Gunners can stay in the same form that saw them defeat Bayern Munich in Germany, and then they went on to grab three vital points at the Liberty Stadium against Swansea. How does Wenger keep the momentum with most of his players coming back from international duty?
Growing up I always heard people say, do not fix what is not broken. Well Mr. Wenger, you also should live by that phrase. The Gunners were flying high before the international break, and if they are going to keep this momentum and pile pressure onto Tottenham, they will need to take the same approach.
Rejuvenated Fabianski Is A Must
Starting from the back, Fabianski has to start. After stating that Szczesny was having some issues before the Bayern Munich match, his Polish teammate stepped up and for now, has stolen the show.
Whether you like him or not, he has dealt with the pressure very well, and everything that has been thrown at him in the last two matches, he has done his part to keep it out of the net. Two cleansheets in two matches, both away from home speaks volumes for a side that only has five cleansheets all season, across all competitions away from the Emirates.
Vermaelen Viewing From The Bench
The back four anchored by Koscielny and Mertesacker should also not change. Vermaelen may not enjoy the view from the bench, but if he is a true captain and has Arsenal's best interests in mind, the view that should count for him should be in the league table.
Getting results is fundamental and at the end of the day, that is all that matters, regardless of who plays or does not play. Vermaelen came out and defended Wenger's choice to bench him, while he also stated that it is natural for players to go through some good and bad phases. At the moment, he is not at the top of his game, more reason for Koscielny and Mertesacker to help the Gunners to their third successive cleansheet and victory.
Make Space For Podolski
The German forward has missed out on some games as of late, but Walcott's slight injury while with the English team should give Podolski a chance to get back into the squad. His determination and ability to drive the team forward is a must in a match that will feature a Reading side who conceded 12 goals in two matches against Wenger's side.
Reading should not pose too much of a threat to Arsenal's back four, so Podolski will not have to defend as much as he has done in previous matches. That will give him a chance to display some of his dazzling creativity on the offensive side of the ball, not to mention his ability to strike the ball from distance, something Arsenal player's do not do enough.
Should Arsene Wenger keep things simple and put out the same side that featured in their last two matches? Will Gervinho get a shot at the starting XI again or will Podolski and Giroud get the nod?
