Arsenal – Page 15 – Bergkampesque

Santi/Ozil dictate, Cech adds PRESENCE, Ollie and Theo create havoc: Eight positives from a ‘friendly’

July 18, 2015TotalArsenal

Arsenal – Everton: 3-1 (Theo, Santi, Ozil – Barkley)

Wow, I did not expect that. I went to the pub to watch the game, and, like in a tacky dream, nobody was there, except the barman, who did not even know the Arse were on. The pub can easily hold 200 guests and especially during rugby matches the place can be heaving. But there I sat with a pint of Kronenbourg 1664, a packet of C&O crisps, and the single best seat in the pub, watching the Arsenal.

What I did expect to see, was a relatively slow, well-polished performance with plenty of possession, and both teams showing lots of mutual respect and having some decent chances, with the game finishing 1-1 or so.

How wrong I was. Arsenal meant business, and just as Villa had been outplayed during our last meaningful game, the Toffees were not given a chance (other than a ‘gift’ by the Ox) during the entire match either. The boys played with hunger and focus, and above all a maturity and togetherness I have never witnessed before during our previous preseasons. It is early days of course, but the first signs are very promising.

Here are my eight positives from the game:

Giroud and Theo were played together and it added another dimension to our play. Together with Wilshere they moved all over the attacking part of the pitch and made it very hard to defend against us. We had a holding pivot in Ollie and a deadly penetrator in Theo; but they were also prepared to switch roles – Giroud even did a bit of impressive wing play, getting past his man and getting the ball into the box on more than one occasion. Our midfielders had options when in possession and initiating attacks, and it must have been a nightmare for the Toffees to defend against a ‘three-dimensional’ Arsenal today.
Santi Cazorla was fantastic. The deeper laying role suits him very well, and with two fine assists – especially the first one was an exquisite, perfectly weighted ball over the top from the centre of midfield for the eagerly anticipating Walcott – and a clever goal, he was without any doubt the man of the match.
Ozil’s face at the end of the match said it all: knackered but very content with his own performance. A fine, coolly taken goal and a dynamic, hungry finish to the game will have done him a world of good. Together with Santi, and Ramsey and Wilshere, he powered the midfield on and dominated the sorry Toffee midfield for ninety minutes. He was inventive with his passing, always looking for the best possible next move; and to me it looked like his fellow players are starting to read his intentions better… even though rusty first touches and finishes kept us from getting more reward from the dominance and creativity in our attacks. It was also good to see our Captain, Arteta, back.
Cech in goal: calmness, character, confidence, and a brilliant reflex-safe from what looked a certain goal (even though it was offside). Bigger test will come, but having Petr in goal is the equivalent to playing with an extra man at the back.
The FBs, Bellerina and Gibbs, provided the team with great width and penetration, allowing the multi-disciplined midfielders to combine with them and get them, or themselves, behind the Everton defenders, as well as stretch and penetrate them with fine, deadly triangles that led to very good opportunities throughout the game. Our FBs will play a great role this season and we are blessed with four very fine players in these positions.
Chambers had a good, calm game next to our first warrior Koscielny. Again, bigger tests will come but it was nice to see him play well again. Ramsey played with discipline and high levels of energy to protect the defence and link up with our attack: a very impressive performance.
Ox, despite a (still characteristic) costly loss of possession that led to the only Toffee goal – a fine, diagonal, long-distance shot by Barkley – added renewed thrust to our team when he came on. He had the guts and confidence to take players on at high speed and create good opportunities inside the opponents’ box. The final ball still needs improving, but the hunger and focus were there for all of us to see: good signs.
The team cohesion, hunger and professionalism were a joy to watch. Even more than the individual performances highlighted above, this is what we should get really excited about. There was a collective ‘presence’ in the team: a strong focus with high levels of concentration and determination. The Gunners played as a team that wants to become champions this year, seemingly realising that every game needs to be treated with that goal in mind. We now also have healthy competition for places in all areas on the pitch, but yet there appears to be ever-so-vital togetherness, perhaps based on the realisation that we need a fit, wide squad in order to compete for the PL, CL, and indeed the FA Cup again, this season.

Still early days, but this was a very impressive ‘friendly’ performance by the Gunners. Bring on the Chavs in two weeks! 🙂

By TotalArsenal.

Cech between the poles, Toral LM, Walcott RM: Arsenal v Everton Line-Up & Preview

July 18, 2015July 18, 2015TotalArsenal

Preview for Arsenal vs Everton (KickOff Saturday 8.30pm SGT, 1.30pm BST, 8.30am EST)

Thanks to www.Arsenal.com for training picture — Thanks to http://www.Arsenal.com for training picture

Most likely line-up for Arsenal:

This match will be an important one for Le Prof to win, as he gears his team to two more games in the Emirates Cup before the Community Shield; thus, he will field the strongest team possible.

I believe that Everton will do the same, and Martinez had started his first team on Wednesday, thus they are better prepared (albeit more tired) whilst our first team (minus defenders) would play the first game of the season.

So this will be a tight match, and I feel that we are better equipped with Santi (definitely fantastic with his on the pool heading skills) and Ozil taking the playmaker roles, and the playful Giroud leading the front-line.

Everton were not that good in the midfield area on Wednesday, from what I saw in the second half against a Stoke team less resilient than they usually are. If they manage to shake off the cobwebs and the passing mistakes, it will be a good test for the Gunners. Stones and Tim Howard are the better Everton players in my opinion.

Back to our lads. On the left midfield area we are a little short: I am not sure about Wilshere starting as he played quite a fair bit on Wednesday. Toral has a good left foot and vision, thus he might be given the nod.

As this is a must win game for the lads (to get momentum), I expect a faster game from the first team, and hope that the cobwebs stuck to the Everton players stick to them for the whole game.

Your turn guys 🙂

By JK

Iwobi, Akpom, Ox Impress: Singapore Select XI v Arsenal Review

July 16, 2015July 16, 2015TotalArsenal

Singapore Select XI v Arsenal Match Experiences: JK Was There!

Singapore Select XI: Izwan Mahbud (C), Nazrul Nazari, Madhu Mohana, Baihakki Khaizan (Shakir Hamzah 81’), Shaiful Esah (Faris Ramli 53’), Safuwan Baharudin (Fazrul Nawaz 80’), Izzdin Shafiq (Zulfahmi Arifin 65’), Nicolas Velez, Shahdan Sulaiman (Shahril Ishak 72’), Sirina Camara, Khairul Amri (Rodrigo Tosi 58’).

Arsenal Formation: 4-5-1: Emiliano Martinez (Wojciech Szczesny 46’), Mathieu Debuchy (Hector Bellerin 73’), Per Mertesacker (C), Gabriel Paulista, Nacho Monreal, Francis Coquelin, Mathieu Flamini (Chris Willock 64’), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Gedion Zelalem 64’), Jack Wilshere (Dan Crowley 64’), Alex Iwobi (Jon Toral 73’), Chuba Akpom.

The underlined players are the ones that did not feature in my starting line-up: I was 3 players wrong wow!

The game started strongly, with both sides playing fantastic football. The foreign Singapore Select XI players were impressive, while the local players, still in their Ramadan fasting month – meaning they did not have any lunch – were good in the first half; but, all had their tyres punctured (local lingo) in the second half.

Fast flowing football was the first half. Second half was more about Arsenal keeping the ball, as both teams were tired: Arsenal from the heat, Singapore team from the fasting month.

Players who showed that they are good, include: Nicolas Velez, Izwan (Izwan is his given name, Mahbud is his father’s given name), Baihakki Khaizan, Madhu Mohana, Faris Ramli (he did well when he came on and managed to get the only shorts on goal) and Sirina Camara from Singapore team. Iwobi, Akpom, the all-conquering defence, Ox, and Mathieu played well for Arsenal. Ox showed us how fast he can be, and, together with the trickeries from other players from both teams, this made the game an entertaining one. Pity that Shaiful Esah, the left back from Singapore, went off injured as his pace and left foot is on a par with Monreal.

Zelalem came on late in the second half and had a decent game, with his known pin-point passes, speed and trickery. When Bellerin came on to play at right wing, the game became faster for a short while; but after that, the game became a training and walking game with occasional bursts of speed.

Overall, the atmosphere was quite electric in the first half, and quiet by the last 15 minutes, with more than half the stadium filled (about 30,000 spectators watched the match live in a 50,000-seater stadium). We had occasional Arsenal chants and the Kallang Wave, which is similar to the Mexican wave.

As a Singaporean I am proud of how the Singapore team played attractive football in the first half; and as an Arsenal fan, I am proud to see the lads play exciting football just a week back in training.

That’s all from me. 🙂

By JK

The Singapore Select XI v Arsenal | Preview and Background Info

July 14, 2015July 14, 2015TotalArsenal

Bergkampesquers, we are very lucky to have a resident of Singapore commenting regularly on our blog who has now written a fine pre-view for our very first game of the season, including a rare insight into how football lives in Singapore..

An overview into Singapore local football scene:

Singapore has its own professional league: the S-League. Formed in 1996, the league has seven local teams and three foreign teams, with each team playing 27 matches in total.

Since 2011, a professional under-23 team named Lions XII joined the Malaysian Super League, after they left the Malaysian cup in 1994.The standard of the teams is similar to the English Championship, each with about 5 foreign players. For Singapore, football is the number 1 sport: it is the most watched and most played sport here.

However, S-League has its own ups and downs. Lately, attendance to a local league games averages about 100 to 200 spectators per game. For Lions XII games, average attendance goes up to 5000.

This makes such a poor case for local football scene; and it is because we prefer to watch Man***, Liv, Arsenal, Chelsea and other EPL teams, as they play better football and it’s more entertaining.

Our matches are always played around 7.30pm, due to the high humidity and temperature (27 degrees C to 32 degrees C, 80% humidity) throughout the whole year. Foreign teams mostly struggle in this heat and humidity, but the EPL players (Gunners, Everton and Stoke) should be able to adapt to this heat as the weather in the UK is not too dissimilar.

For me, watching Arsenal games has been all on TV. Most of us cannot afford the time or money to fly over (but some of us did, like a local supporters’ group went to North London to catch the FA Cup final). So to watch the game live in a stadium will be fascinating. I somehow cannot put it in words how excited I am waiting for them and seeing them all flesh and muscles.

Taking this post as a preview to the game in Singapore on Wednesday evening Singapore time, the below is a recap of the Arsenal squad that travelled to Singapore on Sunday.

Arsenal squad (subject to change):

Chuba Akpom (Tuesday) Mikel Arteta Hector Bellerin (Tuesday) Santi Cazorla Petr Cech Calum Chambers (Tuesday) Francis Coquelin (Tuesday) Dan Crowley (Tuesday) Mathieu Debuchy Mathieu Flamini (Tuesday) Gabriel (Tuesday) Kieran Gibbs Olivier Giroud Alex Iwobi Laurent Koscielny Emiliano Martinez Per Mertesacker (Tuesday) Nacho Monreal (Tuesday) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Tuesday) Mesut Ozil Aaron Ramsey Jeff Reine-Adelaide (Tuesday) Wojciech Szczesny Theo Walcott Chris Willock Jack Wilshere (Tuesday) Gedion Zelalem (Tuesday)

The players indicated with ‘Tuesday’ in brackets are most likely to start the match according to Le Prof.

This is the preferred starting line-up, filled with mostly young players:

Formation: 4-5-1

GK: Martinez DEF: Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal MID: Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Zelalem, Coquelin, Wilshere, Ox-Chambo ST: Chuba Akpom

It might end like this:

GK: Cech DEF: Debuchy, Mertesacker, Kos, Gibbs MID: Theo, Cazorla, Flamini / Arteta, Mesut, Rambo ST: Giroud

This line-up will have a very good mix of first team players, and the players have enough pace to attack a team that parks the bus (think Chelsea, but with shorter players). The Singapore Select XI team will be playing route 1 football (our local teams are good at defending and pumping the ball up to the striker if they see spaces), so I foresee a game that will be one-sided, similar to Japan vs Singapore where the Japan team simply couldn’t find their scoring boots.

I, however, am confident that this will be a winning game for the Gunners, but whether it will be a high scoring match will depend on how many first team players Le Prof throws at the end of the game.

Your turn guys.

By JK

Does Arsene already have the two top quality players needed to win the PL?

July 8, 2015July 8, 2015TotalArsenal

I believe it was old Red Nose himself, Sir Alex Ferguson, the infamous ruler of MU from sunny Govan, who once said that a successful team has a base of six or seven top quality players, surrounded by a number of good players both within the first team and the wider squad. If we look back at his as well as Arsene’s most successful teams, this statement seems to make sense. For example, The Invincibles were not all equal in my opinion: Lehman, Campbell, Vieira, Gilberto, Bergkamp, Thierry and Pires were the super quality players and the rest was good to very good. It makes perfect sense that not all eleven are super quality as they are hard/expensive to get, and good, hardworking players are needed to provide the right platform for the super players to shine (and yet, especially over time, all players from the Invincibles team have rightly achieved mythical status anyway).

I have been thinking about our current squad in terms of those all-important six or seven top quality players, and I reckon we are close. Certainly, the right buy can make a difference this season, but I am less sure whether it is absolutely crucial. Regular readers know that I like Arsene to find the balance between buying and growing from within; and the squad is pretty strong as it is. And recently, Arsene has been finding the balance very well indeed.

So for me, the top quality players are: Cech, Koz, Ozil, Alexis and Giroud. Some will exclude Ollie from this, but, as I have explained many times, there is no better holding striker around other than possibly Lewandowski. Let me add another one: Santi. He deserves it after proving me wrong last season.

This leaves us one maybe two TQ players short, and we can either buy or further develop what we have. Next season, there is a real opportunity to turn two out of Le Coq, Rambo and Wilshere into these two missing TQ players. They all have the potential but they will have to achieve consistently high level performances to really get there. Le Coq, alongside the amazing Bellerin, was the surprise of the season and has made a huge step forward. But we need to see this again and again next season and this will be a very big one for him. Rambo needs to gain momentum, and once he is in the zone he gets better and better. He is probably closest of all three talents to make it through to the TQ players, but…. He will need to stay fit and focussed throughout a whole season to really get there. Jack is the most talented of them all but also the most vulnerable to injuries, which he will have to overcome to start establishing himself properly. The thought of two, or ideally all three, of them making the big step up next season is simply mouth-watering. Fitting them all in is of course a challenge, but it is possible; and I agree with 17HT that 4-5-1 is the most likely formation for next season.

I feel we do not score enough goals, though; we are too over-reliant on Alexis and Giroud to produce the goods. So the easy answer is to buy a 15-20 PL goals a season winger with ability to play through the middle as well. For example, let’s throw all our money at Bale and get the Gunners-loving ex-Spud to wear the mighty red and white. Or maybe Gotze or Isco are the answer…..

But another part of me says let us get those goals from within the team. More goals are required from the midfielders and Arsene will be keen to achieve it. This must be Arsene’s biggest dilemma. The team is very good both in terms of quality and depth, and there is great growth potential from within; but we need more goal threat. Will it come from Rambo, Ozil and Jack, or is Theo, or even the Ox or Danny-boy, ready to blow us all away? Or does Wenger need to buy a carbon copy of Alexis for the other wing to get us our seventh (or, dream, dream, eighth) super quality player, which should really give us a chance to go all the way?

Over to you fine, fellow Gooners.

By TotalArsenal.

The ONE Arsenal NEED to buy

June 21, 2015TotalArsenal

Hey Bergkampesquers. Long time no blog from me!

It’s been an interesting season for us (as always) but this is the first time I truly believe that barring a monumental strike of bad luck (vis a vis injuries) we are truly up there as title contenders. The reason I say this is, for the first time, I can’t really pinpoint a position where I feel we desperately need to sign someone.

When it comes to transfers, everybody will always have their own ideas, and 95% of the time there will be a general agreement of our problem areas. Not this time. I have had a chat with many Gooners about this and the only thing that seems to be common is that we need a super striker. But I ask, do we really? Last season we had Alexis who scored 25 goals in his debut season. Given what we saw, this number could very easily hit 30, and probably will. Wenger pointed out that Alexis wasn’t making enough off the ball runs, especially in games where we were dominating. He would rather get the ball from deep & run at defenders. Le boss continued to say that he is working on this particular aspect of his game, and once he does improve it, he will hit 30+ goals. Guaranteed.

Then we have Giroud, who despite missing 1/3 of the season through injury, hit 19 goals. If we consider his pre-injury form & his post injury form, I think it is fair to say that had he been fit all the way through, his return could have hit the 28 goal mark. Even though that statement is laden with ifs and buts, I think he is capable. Then we have Theo who missed virtually the whole season: played seven games and scored seven goals. Again, what if he was fit all through the campaign?

I’d love to see a Benzema/Lewandowski/Cavani join us but what I am saying is that we do not NEED them. This is the case in virtually all other departments. In goal I think Ospina & Szczesny are more than capable (even though I’d love to see Cech join us). In defence, I am fully behind Wenger when he says Gabriel is going to be nothing short of world class. All he needs is a run of games to show it. Numbers-wise I think we are covered.

Then at DM, we have Coquelin who was fantastic. Maybe we need another DM here for numbers sake, but not one to replace him. Schneiderlin/Kondogbia would be my choice. We should then sell off Flamini and, sadly, Arteta.

To conclude, my position is this: if we can find genuine world class players who are better than what we have, let’s go for it. I just don’t feel like we are in need, like we always were.

What are your thoughts?

COYG!!

By Marcus

Arsenal – Liverpool: A Defining Moment in the Progression of Two Big Clubs?

April 3, 2015April 3, 2015TotalArsenal

Finally this break for international football is ending and we can get back to real football–Arsenal football–and the final 8 matches of the Premier League season. Not only that, but we do so with a highly anticipated match in our home stadium. Liverpool, on exquisite form–at least until their most recent match vs Manchester United–were looking a real threat to grab a coveted top 4 position and try and do a bit better with another go-round in the Champions League. With that 2-nil defeat at home, and the loss of two real leaders in Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtl to red card suspensions, they find themselves very much on the outside, looking in. Five points is not an insurmountable number but failing to get a result against either of their two nearest rivals (ManU and now us) could prove a psychological hurdle.

As such, I expect Pool, despite their depletions, to bring full commitment to the task and a nothing-to-lose attitude. After an even worse early season than our own, with many calling for changes in management, Liverpool regrouped around defensive solidity. Their matches haven’t been easy on the eyes and their fall out of Europe was rather spectacular (they failed to make it out of their CL group and lost over two legs to Besiktas of Istanbul), but they have also risen steadily up the English table. Their away form has been particularly impressive and this match will represent an attempt to add to their amazing total of six consecutive away clean sheets. If they could do that–and perhaps nick something in the other direction–they could be right back in the fray.

Arsenal, however, should be ready for this one. Our squad is deeper, we haven’t suffered too badly over the international break, and we even have additional players returning to full fitness for the run in. Competition for places has not been stronger at the club in recent memory and several players are hitting top form as the season comes to its climax. This match could move us further towards a return to CL football, and set the stage for our next, even more massive, home match, two weeks hence, against Chelsea.

Of course, anything can happen on the day, so, as always, focus and patience will be watchwords. I believe Arsenal have the quality to win this one, but commitment to overcoming whatever the opponent–and fate–have on offer will be the true task.

Unlike our match at Anfield, which finished with a very disappointing draw from an injury time Skrtl header, I don’t believe Arsenal will set out to defend. In that one, Liverpool had 73% of the possession in the first 15 minutes and had the better chances as the half wore on, but it was not until a Phillipe Coutinho effort in the 45th minute that they took the lead. Arsenal responded instantly to equalize from a scrambled set piece, with Mathieu Debuchy getting the final touch. In the 2nd half, still playing on the break, Arsenal took the advantage with a well executed counterattack: Olivier Giroud finished the goal through keeper Brad Jones’ legs after a calm 1-2 with Santi Cazorla and good work from Kieran Gibbs to spring the play forward. Arsenal defended stoutly and Liverpool were further weakened when substitute, Fabio Borini took two yellow cards and reduced the home team to ten men. It appeared we would escape with all the points, until a late corner was conceded and defenders missed their assignments and Skrtl powered home the demoralizing equalizer.

It should be noted, however, that Liverpool are a changed and much improved side since that match which served to open the festive period. Simon Mingolet has been outstanding since returning to the #1 position. Coutinho, in addition to some spectacular goals, has learned the value of a pass. Raheem Sterling, mooted in the press as a future Arsenal player (or perhaps swapped with our own Theo Walcott) might be keen to impress. Even Mario Balotelli has added beyond the presence of his physicality (and reputation). Jordan Henderson has been given the armband by manager Brendan Rodgers and improved his play substantially, which will make the loss of Gerrard less damaging. Adam Llalana might also play in a deeper mid-field role if he can recover from a groin injury. Skrtl may be harder to replace but Kolo Toure, who might be given the job, will be keen to show Arsenal fans that he’s still a solid defender. Rodgers may also opt for a central back 3 with wingbacks. Players like Emre Can, Lazar Markovic and Alberto Moreno can get forward quickly and still be dangerous from these deeper positions. Given the way the other match ended, set pieces will always present a problem.

I doubt Arsenal will sit back as they did at Anfield and will rather try and take the game to Liverpool. Alexis Sanchez, a man who only can play at full effort, needs to recover quickly from disappointing international displays with the Chilean National team. If it had only been the 1-nil defeat to Brazil (at our own stadium) I would not be concerned. Losing 2-nil to Iran, however, along with his struggling for form since the new year is more worrying. Still, I think this is too big a match to rest him. On the other hand, Mesut Ozil has been talking big about winning a future Balon d’Or, and perhaps paces himself better for the long haul. He’ll be keen to back up such a bold claim with assists or goals. Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey will also want to return strong. Olivier Giroud, who continued his run of goals on duty with France, has stated a goal to finish ahead of Alexis as high scorer at the club this season. In other words, despite Alexis’ difficulties and the fact that Danny Welbeck took a knock on duty with England, confidence in attack should be strong.

Defence may present some selection issues. There’s no reason to drop David Ospina between the sticks, but Arsene Wenger may have a decision to make at center back. Laurent Koscielny will surely play, but, Per Mertesacker, to many, is too slow and represents our past, while Brazilian Gabriel Paulista, fresh off his debut with the Selecao, will likely represent the future. Mathieu Debuchy has recovered from his second major injury of the season but likely will wait at least a match before slotting back in at right back, having played in a mid-week Under 21 match. This means Hector Bellerin likely plays in that position. Fellow Spaniard Nacho Monreal seems to have made the left back position his, but Kieran Gibbs, having played and practiced with the large Liverpool contingent on the English National team, might also get the call. Ahead of the back line, Francis Coquelin seems un-droppable. It’s amazing to think that it was his late appearance as a sub in the reverse fixture which served as his first in Arsenal colours since his return from a loan spell at Charlton.

Here then is my call for the starting 11:

Subs: Szczesny, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini, Rosicky, Walcott

What do fellow Gooners think? Might Wenger try and go a bit deeper into the squad or, like me, will he want his absolute strongest group out there? In addition to the ever-present need to get a result and perform well in front of the always nervous home support, beating Liverpool would also bode well for our chances in the FA Cup. They still have a replay in the quarterfinals (and a semi-final to win if they get through) but they are by far the highest rated opponent we could face at Wembley. All in all, it’s a great chance for the team to make a real statement against another big club.

Go on then…

By: 17highburyterrace

Giroud and Le Coq Pull Arsenal Through: Match Afterthoughts

March 21, 2015March 22, 2015TotalArsenal

Well that was another very important win and a fantastic performance, given this was our fourth game in just twelve days.

Best all-round CF in the PL, Giroud bags two more goals! Thanking The Guardian for picture.

We qualified for the semis of the FA cup against the Mancs, got six points from the Hammers and Magpies, and almost did the impossible against Monaco: four wins, nine goals scored and just two conceded. Arsenal are red hot right now. Are the fans ecstatic, full of pride and proud of the team, though…? We Gunners are a peculiar lot; let’s leave it with that.

The performance against Monaco was one of the most mature I have ever seen of Arsenal. We controlled the game throughout and all Gunners, including the subs, played with a concentration that made me proud. We needed a bit of luck to complete a miraculous turnaround and that was the only thing missing.

Today, against the Barcodes, the team started once again with a mixture of passion and professionalism; and our ability to score again and again has just been amazing over the last few months. I expected the team to tire at some point, so a good start was vital and the team knew that. Giroud was once again pivotal for us, literally and figuratively. His all-round CF game has become so good: he reads the game in a flash and his strength to hold of players, combined with his excellent first touch and passing ability are simply invaluable. People will rate Giroud now for his goals, and nine in nine games is indeed fantastic, but there is so much more to his game that deserves undiluted admiration.

Sanchez and Santi looked knackered; Ramsey was a bit fitter but did not have the best of games; Danny was the fittest of the four but did not impress me in the one to ones, positioning in the box and with his finishing. But they all worked their socks off and stuck to the team plan and that made all the difference. Koz and Gabriel worked well together and you can see that they could become a very strong partnership going forward.

Chambers is clearly still a work in progress but he has added a lot of value to the team given his young age. Monreal was mostly solid, with just one or two wobbles, and really seems to have found his groove at the Grove now. Ospina did not have much to do, but he stayed calm and made the right decisions, and that is all we can ask for.

The man of the match was Le Coq, even though Giroud played very, very good too. Coquelin read the game and positioned himself so well and his interventions were all firm but fair; and his fitness levels never seem to fade either. He made a huge difference today and let’s hope the two weeks of rest will help to heal his well-battered nose again. What a player he has become!

Yes we rode our luck a bit in the second half and had to dig deep to go home with all three points. But let’s not take away anything from the resilience and team spirit our boys possess: absolutely priceless attributes, especially at the business end of the season.

So, count me a very pleased and proud Gooner. To be just four points behind the Chavs, even though they have two games in hand, is just great given where we were a few months ago. Ooh to, Ooh to be…..

By TotalArsenal.

Four Points behind Chelsea? Barcodes v Gunners Preview & Line-up

March 20, 2015TotalArsenal

Newcastle – Arsenal Match Preview

How does Arsenal respond to coming up short in Monaco?

From the glamour of Monte Carlo and European nights, Arsenal must travel to the furthest reaches of its own league and (somehow) get back to the more mundane task of trying to wrest 3 points from the always stubborn Magpies of Newcastle.

In the return leg of our Champions League round of 16 tie in Monaco, Arsenal played with spirit and determination and scored two goals, but it was not enough. We can debate about the away goals rule or whether Arsenal was naive (or just wasteful) in the first leg or whether English football just isn’t at the requisite level to compete with the best of the continent. In the end, however, the only way to get back into the Champions league is to finish in the top 4 back home in the Premier league. It may not be as exciting as an elimination match in the world’s biggest club competition, but going to Tyneside and replicating the effort and performance we saw on the Cote d’Azure–and bringing back full points from our trip to Newcastle–is probably, in the end, just as important.

Somehow we have to see what happened in Monaco not as the massive disappointment it is but as another gritty win in a tough away stadium. Before that match we did likewise at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarterfinals and we’ve had other good road wins, most notably on the other side of Manchester at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. In fact, with the exception of the very disappointing loss to a team just up the road (and the new year’s day loss at Southampton) Arsenal have been perfect on their travels in 2015. Our form even has some wondering if it’s possible to close the 7 point gap (plus a game in hand) on league leaders Chelsea.

Personally, I think that gap is probably too large, but I’m certainly open to seeing Chelsea drop points, come back to the chasing pack and open up the title race. They dropped a pair of points a week ago vs Southhampton after their own exit from the Champions league, and now have to travel to relegation-threatened Hull City, so why not?

More realistic, and probably more to the point, is our own path towards getting back into the big tournament. Our good run of league results has us well positioned in 3rd place just a point behind (last year’s league champions) Manchester City, but other teams are queuing up for the run-in. Manchester United sit only a point behind us, but they have to travel to Anfield and face down the most in-form of all the English clubs, Liverpool, in a real 6 pointer. Their hosts only trail them by 2 points and could thus leapfrog them into the CL spots. We can only play our own match, of course. As such, if we can win at Newcastle, all looks good heading into the two week international break. If we drop points up there, however, we drop into the fray and the time away goes from a nice respite to (our more usual?) Arsenal angst. With our next league match at home vs Liverpool, things could get even more uncomfortable.

As such, the importance of putting our disappointments into the rear view and giving our very best in Newcastle is extreme. Luckily the opponent is struggling with injuries, suspensions and a run of bad results. Moreover, sitting in 11th place, they can afford further bad results without dropping into a real relegation battle. Still, it would be wise to beware the wounded animal and Newcastle teams (and their supporters) always offer a prideful effort. Underestimating them would be a mistake.

Hosting Arsenal with all the circumstances they currently face, in fact, should allow Newcastle to play in an unfettered, attacking, nothing to lose manner. Papiss Demba Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini, the (spitting) head and tail (and hairstyle) of their outfield spine will be missing through suspension. Additionally, defenders Paul Dummett, Massaido Haidara and Steven Taylor are out injured, along with midfielders Rolando Aarons, Mehdi Abeid, Siem de Jong and Cheick Tiote. Interim manager John Carver is suggesting, in fact, that he may not even be able to fill out his bench, claiming that he has only 13 outfield players (and two keepers) fit enough to wear the barcode kit.

Even if true, I’d still expect Newcastle to offer a game plan based on resistance but with a stronger urge to attack and a hope to simply outscore us. In other words, we cannot take them too lightly or hope to ease into the match. Players like Moussa Sissoko and Ayoze Perez are fine attacking players who can score goals if given the chance. Remy Caballa is a very tricky ball handler and Yoan Goufran, while not as flashy, is a player who always puts in a shift, as does Jack Colback. Gabriel Obertan and Emmanuel Riviere, on their day, can also be a handful for any defender; Sammy Ameobi may not be as stout as his older brother Shola (recently transferred to Crystal Palace) but is tall enough to present a target for crosses. Their back line will be makeshift, but at least they have Argentine international Jonas Gutierrez back from his battle with testicular cancer. The balance of the team is heavy in attack, so, just as we might ask Jonas himself, will one ball be enough?

Cancer jokes are probably a step too far, but Arsenal must fight a disease of their own–complacency. Can the group cope with their European disappointment, get back to business and beat Newcastle? Focus and determination would seem the best prescriptive antidotes, but will we bring them? Who will Arsene Wenger use to fight off any sense of self-pity amongst the collective and move us forward?

My guess is that we will see a largely unchanged squad from Tuesday night. Luckily, nobody took more than psychological knocks in that match but certainly many looked tired and Wenger will have to have a keen eye for those who seem more hungover than others. Tomas Rosicky who missed both the Monaco and West Ham matches due to illness, is back, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays at least some role on the day.

Here’s my best guess for a starting 11.

Subs: Szczesny, Gabriel, Gibbs, Cazorla, Flamini, Rosicky, Walcott

That’s only one change from Tuesday (Aaron Ramsey for Santi Cazorla) but then again I’m not privy to watching the lads in training and trying to note who might really not be up for another big effort. Many pundits are noting that Alexis has not played as well in the new year and has only scored a single goal in his last 11 appearances. Even off the boil he presents such a threat that I cannot see sitting him ahead of the international break. (If he were to get a bench seat, would his spot be taken by Walcott or Rosicky?) It’s also possible that Giroud rests. Wenger brought him off the bench the last time we traveled in England, in the FA Cup match at Manchester United. I don’t see that particular change but, by the same token, it seems harsh to suggest a bench place for Santi Cazorla given his great play in a slightly deeper role. Ramsey’s recent goals, however, would seem to merit a place in the team. along, perhaps, with the greater physicality and excellent workrate he offers. Maybe Welbeck (or Alexis and/or Giroud) sits so both Santi and AR can play, which perhaps is a more defensive scheme and a wise thought in light of so many attackers in the Newcastle squad. As always, what (the f**k) do I know?

Not too much probably. What do YOU know? What do others think about this match and the larger issues about this Arsenal team–our exit from the Champions league and our chances back in England? At this point we only have 9 league matches remaining–and the adventure(s) at Wembley in the FA Cup. How far can we go (up or down)? Does it matter? Comments on the blog have really dropped off, perhaps due to our fearless leader (Total Arsenal) being pre-occupied with real world responsibilities (aka a job…) and not posting. Are we bored with our club, with football, or (maybe) with life? What’s up people?

Personally, I’m glad we’ve got a match (and I rather dread the International break), but that’s just me… Hopefully our Gunners (and you Gooners) feel likewise…

By 17highburyterrace

Theatre of Screams, Maureen gets humiliated, Arsenal almost second and progress in FA Cup: What a Week!

March 15, 2015TotalArsenal

What a brilliant week for Arsenal! The much desired win against MU at the stadium of screams – dives need sound-effects after all – kicked it all off. The boys were still a little nervous, especially in attack, but as soon as the coolest cowboy in town – of all Gunners! – put the ball past his fellow countryman, they knew they could do it. Nacho, I will never forget that goal: you, senor, have balls! And how sweet was it to see Danny the Gunner put the winner past his old team mates in front of 65000 Mancs and 9000 away-Gooners? Making it to the last four of the FA cup and finally overcoming the non-oil funded Mancs was just brilliant.

And then came Wednesday, when the self-adoring one saw his bridge-babies go out to PSG, despite having the ref in their pocket, playing 60 minutes (excluding extra time) with 11 against 10, and going in the overall lead eight minutes before the end! The much overrated Chavs saw their dark tactics turn on them and they did not just lose their chance to progress in the CL, but also damaged further their brittle reputation. Maureen will almost certainly win the PL this year; but with all those draws against fellow competitors, inability to progress in the CL and a reputation of diving and general bad sportsmanship, his paymaster might soon be wielding the axe again. Wouldn’t that be nice?!

And then, to take all three points from the Champions, came Boyd’s daisy-cutter for Burnley. Arsenal had already put the Hammers to bed with a 3-0 thumping and had come within a point of second spot. A calm and disciplined performance saw us once again produce double figures of shots on target, eventually leading to three of the finest goals of Wengerball quality. The perfect preparation for a little encounter on Tuesday…

We had all expected a response by the Northern Oilers but they went out meekly against a bottom-three club. They now smell the mighty Red and White Arse-breath right behind them, and who would have thought this possible just two months ago? And if we can do it to the Northern Oilers, we might also do it to the Southern ones….

Speaking of which, they were held today by the Saints and dropped a further two points. The gap is still too big, but they need to go to relegation threatened Hull next and big Brucer will fancy given Maureen a bit of a game, don’t you think?

Of course, it is OGAAT for us, and we have a never easy away game against the Barcodes on Saturday. But first we will aim the red and white hot cannon on the tax avoiders of the Cote d’Azur. With Ozil, Alexis, Giroud, Theo, Santi and Ramsey we will be able to field a team which has plenty of goals in them – Wenger will need to leave at least one of these fine attackers out of the starting eleven, as the likes of Welbeck and Rosicky might also still claim a starter spot. It won’t be easy against Monaco, but we can do it: let there be no doubt about it. We can even afford to concede a goal, as we need to score three anyway…. and if we manage to score three, we can also score a fourth.

Some say we should take a planned approach and aim to score a goal in each third of the game, but I reckon we need to play at an insane tempo with tremendous pressure on the Monaco defence: the way we took Milan on a few years ago, when we almost did the impossible. It is all about finding their weakest spot(s) and cracking them open like a ripe walnut: and once we are in we need to pounce again and again. With Alexis’s tenacity and pure quality, Ozil’s genius, Theo’s speed and ability to finish cold-bloodedly, Giroud’s all-round ability, Santi’s wizardry and Ramsey’s engine and finishing ability, we have the weapons to take revenge. On top of that, our confidence is high and we now know how to win tough games.

Arsenal had a great week, but reaching the final eight of the CL would surely top it all. You are taking the urine I hear you say: a glass half full of it, is my response.

Come on you Rip Roaring Gunners – Time to load the Cannon once more! 🙂