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After one of what was admittedly the more welcome international breaks in recent memory, at least health-wise, Arsenal are back at it this weekend, heading to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom and, if they win, take sole possession of that part of the table labeled "top", at least for a couple hours.
As our very own fbj0 reported yesterday, Hector Bellerin will be back in the thick of things tomorrow, and the rest of Arsenal's crocked players are also very close to returning. Kos and Olivier Giroud, understandably, will be checked close to game time, and if they feel up to it, they'll play. For West Brom, Gareth McAuley is out with a red card suspension, but otherwise Tony Pulis has a full drawer to pick from.
West Brom have lost their last two games, while Arsenal are unbeaten in six; this game also starts a stretch of games for Arsenal in the league that doesn't see them face a team in the top half of the table until the Manchester City game on Dec 21. This game tomorrow, then, is a great chance to start stockpiling points before the stupid holiday fixture pileup.
I believe the current term of art for what Arsenal will face tomorrow is a "fully committed" side - it's a Tony Pulis team, so it'll be a mix of MMA and rec league soccer, but "fully committed" seems to be the PC way to say it. Either way, Arsenal need two results tomorrow - one with points and one that keeps the training room empty. Against a Pulis side, neither is a guarantee, but Arsenal are rested and ready, and that's all we can ask. That and a Liverpool win.