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Some interesting quotes from Per Mertesacker have been floating around over the past day or so, and the headlines have mostly focused on his bizarre assertion that Arsenal will petition the FA to avoid 12:45 away games next year (might tell them to avoid away games against decent teams too!). But there's something more fundamental buried in the big defender's quote. Take a look:
We wanted to start very strong and show people we are good enough, but they scored the two very early goals. We lost some balls when we tried to keep it desperately. They then caught us on the counter-attack. We tried to avoid that. But we missed it completely.
-Source: ESPN.
Interestingly, this is exactly the same mistake that Tim Sherwood and Tottenham Hotspur made against us in our 4-0 win a couple of weeks ago. That insecurity, the need to prove something despite by dominating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge... well, it just plays into our hands. The only setbacks we've had at home in the league have come from teams giving us space and packing the box, taking advantage of the fact we don't have anyone who can really bully a deep line. So why go at us?
Arsenal's arrogance simply played into our hands. Against top teams away from home, going all guns blazing is suicide. Having a chip on your shoulder is rarely a good idea.
