After a frightening loss in the first match of the season, Arsenal seemed to be flying high until our players began to drop like flies. Injuries can be expected and frustrating, but the major concern causing the anxiety for supporters is something else, momentum. We are on the brink of losing it after taking just two points from the last nine. With November behind us, Arsenal must be determined to regain confidence going into the Christmas period.

I joke that we can be confident that Sunderland and Villa are equally as beatable as West Brom and Norwich.  Hopefully, a hard-fought three points last weekend will push us through Villa with a head of steam for City.  It is imperative that we take what we have learned from what is basically a new system (due to injury), and solidify the application before the match on December 21.

On a personal level, I saw some glimpses of hope as well as some weakness last weekend and Manchester City have the capacity to be stunned.  I plan on previewing the match, as there’s always the possibility of me furiously burying my phone in the back yard and running into the ocean to hide after a big game.

Looking forward, Southampton are a respectable side but ultimately look beatable this season.  Leicester has taken the reins as the above-average mid-table team that plays an appealing game, yet I am still hearing the votes for Koeman as a successor to Wenger, like the Laudrup and Martinez in seasons past.  If all goes well, the players will have forgotten the 2-0 defeat the last time we faced Southampton and can barrel through on form to meet Bournemouth.

While the injury situation is dire, and the December schedule is thick and fast, the Arsenal has the potential to kickoff against City on a two-game winning streak.  A win there, and we could, COULD, be looking at a very confident side with a nearly perfect month entering the January window.