Beautiful. Just beautiful. Here I was, getting ready to write an insightful and lucid piece on the positive influence one Andre Clarindo dos Santos has had on our beloved Arsenal and, wouldn’t you know it, he plants his foot wrong on a nothing play in a nothing game and is out injured.

Yes, I had it all worked out. I was going to highlight how the squad has only lost once since the Samba man was introduced to the Premier League in a 2-1 victory versus Sunderland.  I was going to talk about how, in that span, the squad has averaged over two goals per game including the five-goal barrage at Stamford Bridge, three goals versus Stoke City and West Brom, and four goals versus Wigan this past weekend.

Of course, it’s nothing new to have a Brazilian left back make a team more dynamic offensively – that’s about as surprising as a pair of scantily clad hips gyrating at a Carnival parade. But what is surprising is that Santos’ marauding ways have seemed to have a positive effect on the defensive side of the ball.  Simply look at the fact the team has only shipped out 10 goals over their recent run of form (with three coming in the win over Chelsea) and you see there is an argument to be made.

I imagine many of you reading this will cite the bedding in of the other new boys or the return of Thomas Vermaelen have had more to do with our defensive turnaround. Well, these certainly have had a positive effect but it’s tough to look at 1.3 goals per game in games between Sept. 1 and the Sunderland game to not see Santos’ insertion has had more of a positive effect. Furthermore, an impressive four goals allowed in six games since Verm’s return indicates a further strengthening of a team instead of an all-out turnaround.

Now I’m not saying he is some sort of shut down left back who smothers the opposition – although I do think his abilities defensively, especially his timing in the tackle, are underrated.

Where I do think Santos has helped is the calming affect he has had on the squad. Unfortunately there are no stats to back up this argument but all one has to see is how comfortable this man is when he is on the ball; he’s like Marvin Gaye – smooth.  He just oozes confidence, persists playfulness, and simply exudes this out to the rest of the team. And if a team is able to hold the ball longer and with more confidence then it’s harder for the opposition to score. Pretty simple, eh?

It has been a long time since we’ve had this element in our game. This is no offence to our previous first choice left back, Gael Clichy, but over the last several years our left side was known more for calamitous errors instead of easy on the eye, two-touch football. Let’s be honest, Clichy on the ball was like a hamster on a wheel with the Cheshire cat looming over him; he was going as fast as could be without going anywhere and handled the ball as if it was a grenade with the pin pulled. Now we can admire neat one twos with the star striker, clever darting runs through the middle of the park, and even the odd goal.

Of course this all could be a moot point now that our Brazilian is on the sidelines.  There has been no word on his status although Santos apparently announced on Twitter he would be out for three weeks. But be cautious as players are often optimistic of their recovery periods and I’m thinking worse case scenario when it comes to this injury; that’s what being a Gooner is all about.

But perhaps we’re (the team and fans) different now. We all have more confidence, and have stopped believing that the football boogey man is out to get us. Furthermore,we now have a more collective strength to get through adversity and we now know we’ll make do while we have to and Santos will be back sambaing in no time.

We gotta believe! Come on the Arsenal!

Latest: