Back on the bandwagon

"Anfield is another game, another competition, a chance for Wenger to show us that he was right to rest Nasri, Song and Arshavin so that he could beat Liverpool and finish third. That's what he did. It was seriously bizarre, but that's what he did."

- Myles Palmer, Arsenal News Review

Myles Palmer made a good point today. 

He said that Wenger rested his form players (Arshavin, Nasri and Song) to keep them fresh for the game against Liverpool. He said that Wenger is prioritising gaining 3rd place in the league over winning the FA Cup. There's a certain logic to it. 4th place will land us a qualifying spot against possibly a very strong side (Bayern Munich, Ajax, Atletico Madrid, etc.). 3rd place will mean automatic qualification. 

I'd be sad if it was true, though. Football isn't supposed to be about sensible options. It's supposed to be about the vainglorious pursuit of everlasting fame and shiny trophies. If Wenger dropped an FA Cup semi-final to pursue something as dry as automatic CL qualification, it's really sad. I'd much rather believe that Wenger is prejudiced against short people. 

Still, maybe it's time to let it go. After the pessimism and woe of the FA Cup, it's time to get back on the bandwagon. We're up against Liverpool, and we're being written off.  The Merse doesn't give us a chance. He thinks we've nothing to play for and Liverpool will be desperate to win the Premier League. He's thinking a 3-1 win to Liverpool. 

I beg to differ. Arshavin, Nasri, Walcott, Fabregas and Song will be playing. No one's going to be rested for this game - we're going to play our strongest team possible. We've picked up a couple more injuries, but Gerrard's still out for Liverpool. Something tells me that we're going to win tomorrow morning. The Liverpool team better wear underwear during the match, because they're heading for a thorough de-pantsing....

C'mon the Arsenal.