Arteta – Page 3 – Bergkampesque

JW for Arteta, Giroud to return, Santi in the hole: multi-media pre-view by Oz Gunner

May 18, 2013May 19, 2013TotalArsenal

Deja-Vu all over again!

Here we are again…feels like Deja Vu’ all over again, doesn’t it? Another final day heart stopper! I have to say, watching Arsenal these days is enough to test even the most resolute (not you GLIC, you’re just a blouse who hides behind a couch haha). Add in the angst of the Chelsea and Tottenham games and we are in for a wild ride. We all know the ramifications of this one, but here it is again:

If we are winning I’ll be furiously flicking between our game and the Chelsea vs Everton game. If scores are level or we are losing I’ll be swapping back and forth to the Tottenham vs Sunderland match. I don’t know what will melt down first…me or the remote. I’m confident we will only have to rely on the Toffees in this final fixture (Chelsea without Terry and Hazard will help the cause). Chelsea draw and we win 1-2 it’s a playoff fixture…no thanks we are limping over the line as it is. If Di Canio’s Sunderland are required, I sure as hell hope they can do the deed (Yes we apoligise for loaning you Bendtner, but we did inadvertently hope you’d be beating Wigan in the last fixture!). Just sit 10 men on Bale, he is single-handedly dragging his knuckles across the pitch hauling the rest of the team with him.

I am under no illusion that 3rd or 4th is great result for us. It is the bare minimum of what we should achieve! But when the season is all over and done with we can all breath a little bit easier knowing that Arsene has Steve McQueened this season again.

Anyway that’s that (It’s hard to think of the game when there is a bigger picture at stake), now to the game. Personally I think Newcastle have clocked out for the season; their previous results undermine what they are truly capable of. Second season jitters…I think not. We all know at their best they are good enough to challenge for Europa League football. Unfortunately, the loss of Demba Ba along with a whole host of injuries really has crippled their season. Fifth last season. Relegation scrap this season (until they defeated QPR in their last fixture). However, we could be in for a rude awakening if we take Newcastle to easy in this one… they do have match winners at their disposal.

Missing in Action:

Arsenal: Diaby (malicious bad luck resulting in repetitive injuries), Arteta (calf) faces a fitness test

Newcastle: Sit on top of the premier league injury table with a host of injuries to key players: Krul (shoulder), Ameobi (knee), R.Taylor (ACL), Sissoko (ankle), and Vuckic (knee) will miss this one. Elliot (red card) will also sit this one out. While Tiote, Hairdara, Santon (all hamstrings), and S.Taylor (virus) should be available subject to fitness tests.

Predicted Line-up:

Tough one to predict this time around. It all comes down to the fitness of Mikel Arteta. While he hasn’t been in the best of form as of late he is vital to our setup. He’s a small chance for this one after sustaining a calf injury against Wigan in our last fixture. Do we risk bringing in a player that may only be 70% fit given the implications of this match? I’m not so sure. What I do know is Arteta is a consummate professional and if selected he will give every bit of himself to the cause.

If he doesn’t pass the fitness test who do we select? Ramsey can slot in to Arteta’s position like he did so admirably against Liverpool, but who plays next to him? Wilshere can but his injury concerns are well documented. At the moment Arsene has him encased in glass with the words ‘In case of Emergency’ written on it. Once again though, if selected Jack will leave everything out on the pitch. Or as Highbury Harmony pointed out do we go with Coquelin? After all it is his preferred position! We could move Rosicky back, move Cazorla to the attacking midfield position, Podolski to the left and Giroud up front. Sounds good but it could leave us a little lightweight in midfield especially with the bull Tiote on the pitch. Then again, Tiote is prone to a yellow card, and if he grabs one early he may just retreat into his shell. Lastly, Vermaelen to defensive midfield. Sounds like a great move to me…but just not now and in a game so important. Last thing we want to do is experiment.

Who plays up front? Giroud or Podolski?

I’m going to have to go with Giroud in this one. He’s back in the fold after a shocking decision which left him sidelined for 3 matches. Podolski (like Wilshere) is due for surgery come season’s end but he really has delivered when we’ve needed him most. I don’t profess to know what has gone on behind the scenes with Podolski this season, but clearly injuries have taken their toll on him. Giroud is the fresher of the two and should start. Podolski…one more game mate, give it all you’ve got, get fixed up in the off-season and come back firing on all cylinders next season!

The rest of the team picks itself.

If Steven Taylor passes his fitness test he should take Williamson’s position alongside Coloccini. Harper will play his last ever game for Newcastle thanks to Krul’s shoulder injury and Elliot’s red card last week. I feel sorry for Harper. Not only did he have to contend with Given for much of his career and more recently Krul, but he will be forever immortalised in highlight dvds thanks to this from Xavi Alonso:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru7RWSLyuBQ

Gouffran will sit behind Cisse and the dangerous Ben Arfa out on the wing.

Previous Encounters:

Arsenal 7 – Newcastle 3

The score really doesn’t paint the full story. 3-3 at the 69′ until a late flurry saw Theo net 2 more goals to secure a hat-trick and Giroud score 2 in the space of a couple of minutes. Phew!

For those who missed it here are the highlights (love our friend with the commentary again):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU72JdYsigw

Arsenal 2 – Newcastle 1

Vermaelen scored in the final seconds to ensure victory after a tough battle that saw tempers flare and Dutch compatriots square off. HIT HIM KRUL, HIT HIM!!!!

The damning stat is we have only beaten them once at St. James since 2004!

Form Guide: Arsenal: WWDWD Newcastle: WDLDL

Our form has been up and down for most of the season but our form really has come good when we needed it most! We are unbeaten in our last 9 league games (best run in 2 years) and sees us sitting on top of the premierleague.com form ladder.

Stats can paint Newcastle’s form in two ways. They have won 4 of their last 6 home games; however, The last 2 have been a 0-3 loss to Sunderland, and a devastating 0-6 loss at the hands of Liverpool. It’s safe to say their confidence is at an all time low.

This week I’ve dipped into the archive by continuing with the déjà vu theme. That’s right our final game at Highbury which just happened to (along with some dodgy cooking) stop Tottenham from finishing in the top 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoIiz9XBh4o

One to Watch:

Arsenal:

Santi Cazorla – Rightfully or wrongfully excluded from the PFA team of the year I couldn’t care less. He’s a gem of a player and I’m happy as Larry he’s in our team. He was in sterling form again providing 4 assists against Wigan. Give him time and space and he can hurt you in a number of ways.

Newcastle:

Hatem Ben Arfa – Proven match winner when he can stay on the pitch. Hamstring injuries have plagued his season and probably should have sat out for the remainder of the season weeks ago. However, his importance to Newcastle was shown by Pardew, who called upon him to sheer Newcastle throw their relegation battle. Give him a sniff at goal and he will take it!

Key-Match up:

Ben Arfa vs Kieran Gibbs

Although Nacho tends to be the preferred left back for away fixtures I’d go with Gibbs in this one to quell the influence of Ben Arfa. Last season Gibbs saved us with a brilliant season defining tackle. He put his body on the line and threw himself in front of an on-rushing West Brom player who was about to pull the trigger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCHDUA3TpZQ

He has the speed to go with Ben Arfa and has a good understanding with Podolski. Gibbs will have to be cautious though, neglect his defensive duties and Szczesney may well be picking the ball out the back of the net. Gibbs should win this battle though.

Pre-Match Finger:

This season’s final finger goes to the stress Arsene Wenger and us supporters have had to deal with all season. It hasn’t been an easy ride that’s for sure. If seasons like this one continue we’ll all have hair like Brave Sir Robin in no time at all (even Terry’s syrup’s will start turning grey!). For the first time in a while I’m excited to see what the transfer window holds for us. Knuckle down in pre-season, add 2/3 players, sign Sagna and there is no reason why we cannot challenge for full honours next season!

Pre-Match pat on the back:

The final pat on the back goes out to all the Arsenal supporters who have stayed tough this season in spite of everything. The away supporters who continue to do us proud and outsing the home crowd. TA for starting a blog that allows Gooners from across the globe to converse and talk all things Arsenal. Every single person who writes a post or comments on Bergkampesque; with each new contributor this site raises another level. To VCC for developing (and corrupting) the UMF league, it’s been great. Finally, the Arsenal…without you we’d have to spend more time with our loved ones and less time drinking in celebration or drowning our sorrows!

Ooh to! Ooh to be! Ooh to be a Gooner!

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead. This week we see returning Newcastle fans Paul from www.nufcblog.org , and Kev from http://www.newcastleunited-mad.co.uk. Thanks for your help again gents!

1) What’s your thoughts on the PFA Team of the Year?

Paul: It seems fair enough to me. I’d already tipped Verthonghen for a place on there when I was banging on about how Newcastle United should have signed him. Your lot should made more of an effort to sign him as well, you already have his best mate, the Verminator. Perhaps your Cazorla could have been in with a shout but all the ones in there have been very good.

Kev: No thoughts at all to be honest with you. Doesn’t concern Newcastle United I’m afraid.

2) Is Fergie’s retirement going to reel Man United back with the rest of the competition?

Paul: David Moyes is no Alex Ferguson. Then again, Kenny Dalglish was no Bob Paisley at Liverpool (the first time he managed there), but he kept on winning with a little help from Paisley himself. Perhaps we’ll see the same sort of thing at Manchester United?

Kev: Moyes? You have got to be joking. 11 years and no trophies. Yep, that’s the sort of CV Man Utd fans have craved for, isn’t it? I wouldn’t want Moyes at Newcastle – never mind Man Utd. Yep…they will be in turmoil by Xmas.

3) Newcastle…what happened this year?

Paul: Alan Pardew, he isn’t very good and he never was. Lots of managers like Peter Reid, Danny Wilson, George Burley, Steve Coppell and so on… have had very good seasons as a “surprise package,” won the LMA “Manager of the Year” award then sunk like a stone. Pardew is another one on a fairly long list.

Kev: How long have you got? Injuries have had a lot to do with it, but Pardew’s tactics haven’t helped. All in all, a bad show from players and manager.

4) Are you expecting much transfer activity in the next transfer window?

Paul: If you mean with all the teams, yes, quite a bit because if the increased Premiership TV money. If you mean Newcastle United in particular, maybe a few but not a huge amount.

Kev: Let’s hope a new boss comes in and Ashley backs him. If Pardew stays, I think Ashley will not be as thrifty.

5) Who do you think Arsenal need to buy (one or more) to start winning things again?

Paul: Since Arsenal last won a major trophy, besides the usual top teams, Portsmouth, Birmingham City, Swansea City and Tottenham (ouch) have all won major trophies with lesser squads, so perhaps you need to take a risk with another manager rather than another raft of big players? Of course, Newcastle United are even worse though!

Kev: It’s crunch time for Wenger. Chelsea, Man U and Man C will have new managers, and I think Arsenal will gain from that. Who he buys is up to him. He knows better than me, I’m sure.

6) Who would you rather finish in the top 4 Arsenal or Tottenham?

Paul: I don’t mind. I don’t have anything against either team and as I live in North London, most of my friends are either Arsenal or Tottenham fans.

Kev: That’s a personal thing as I don’t talk on behalf of all Newcastle fans. I have been to Arsenal (both stadiums) many times and never had any trouble. I’ve been to Spurs just as often, but they aren’t as friendly. Arsenal for me.

7) Prediction for our upcoming match?

Paul: Arsenal to win, not sure about the score.

Kev: Last two home games we lost to Sunderland 0-3 and Liverpool 0-6. If Arsenal score early we could suffer. Depends who scores first. 1-1

Prediction:

We have too much to play for, Newcastle have nothing left to give so we should walk out winners in this one quite easily I feel. Szczesney to be rarely tested. 0-2 to the good guys. This rollercoaster ride is about to come to an end…with us sitting in 3rd spot!

To our Tottenham friends:

Written By: Oz Gunner

Francis Coquelin: The end of another promising youth?

May 17, 2013TotalArsenal

The Curious Case of Francis Coquelin – and our youth academy in general.

Francis on his way to Schalke 04 or will he get a chance in the first team next season?

After seeing Arteta limp off the pitch against Wigan on Tuesday, there have been questions surrounding his fitness for this Sunday’s crucial tie with Newcastle. Will Arsenal be able to cope without its fearless leader, engine, and one half of the blossoming DM-pivot partnership? Who will replace him in the starting line-up if he is indeed not fit?

The obvious choice, if healthy, would be Jack Wilshere. However, Arsene is reluctant to use Jack unless it is an absolute necessity (in which case this may be one), since he is on heavy pain relievers until he goes under the knife to remove a pin in his ankle once the season concludes.

The next logical option would be Francis Coquelin.

Once labelled as the DM of the future, together with Frimpong, the two young Arsenal academy products were seen as the ideal midfield combo to lead our team for years.

So then, what does Arsene now do with Coquelin? There is plenty of promise to his game, but he is either not receiving the minutes he needs to properly develop his play and confidence, or his progression is simply not living up to the expectations demanded from him.

In my opinion, starting Coquelin in such a crucial game this Sunday would be setting him up for failure. He has not started a match since mid-February and would clearly be off-form. His confidence will surely be very low and we cannot afford to allow a player time to “shake off the rust”, with Champions League qualification at stake.

Media circulated rumours are swirling that Schalke 04 have inquired about the availability of purchasing Coquelin on a permanent transfer. Many Arsenal fans, including myself, are extremely reluctant to let such a promising talent leave the club, only to blossom elsewhere. However, at what point is a move away from the club for first-team opportunities in the best interests of the player?

We’ve started to see academy players leave our club in search of first-team action, such as Bartley to Swansea, Angha to Nuremburg, Ebecilio to Twente etc. It remains to be seen if these prospects will ever amount to anything, but Arsenal also seems to lack the presence of a club like Barcelona, where their youth products are always itching for an eventual return to their boyhood club.

One must now ask the unavoidable question: is our youth academy failing to produce the necessary talent for the first-team, or is AW not affording our youth the opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level?

Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to this question, but I do speculate it is a combination of both aspects, with a heavier emphasis on our youth simply not developing at a rate quick enough to match, or better, the level of quality needed to compete at the top.

Now, this is not to say that the youth academy has been a complete waste, since there are some promising players coming through the ranks in Gnabry, Eisfeld, Bellerin, Zelalem, Olsson etc.

However, there are some key questions which need to be explored a bit further:

Will these players be given first-team opportunities early, and consistently enough, to satisfy their desires for top-flight football?
Or will we continue to see an exodus of our youth, and eventually have a few come back and haunt us as overlooked top talents?
What effect will purchasing top quality, established players from other clubs have on our youth and academy in general?

Fine, fellow Gooners, I would now like to open the floor and hear your thoughts. Would you start Coquelin this Sunday? Will we regret neglecting our promising youth in search of top quality players that can help us now?

Written by: Highbury Harmony

Theo’s three in three invaluable – TV for Arteta – Ramsey new Parlour?

May 15, 2013May 16, 2013TotalArsenal

Twenty-four hours later and our victory over Wigan still feels very good. After a number of recent ‘one-nil to the Arsenal’ scores it was great to score four goals, and have all three attackers involved in either goals or assists. Arsenal needed this game to give us new momentum, and with that the believe and energy that we can finish the job against The Magpies this weekend.

A lot has been said about the need to introduce a more complete defensive midfielder this summer, but it cannot be denied that the combination of Ramsey and Arteta is working for us right now. At times, these two remind me of MU’s Carrick and Fletcher in previous seasons: solid midfielders with little flair but with a great work-rate and positional awareness. These are not the sort of footballers that will keep you awake at night, but they are like the feet of the swan working their socks off, allowing it to move graciously along. Not that we have been gracious a lot in recent months, but I hope you get the gist…

We all know that Arteta brings this to the party, but the current player of the month, Rambo, might now have found his niche within the team, by occupying the spot next to El Zorro. There is little doubt in my mind that Arsene needs to make changes in midfield over the summer, but he will be very glad that the Rambo-Arteta tandem, among other changes, has made such a difference in the final, and most vital, part of the season.

Ramsey could well become our Parlour of this decade, as he has a similar drive and great motor, and does not mind to do the dirty work at all. Any good team can do with a player in the squad – not necessarily in the first-eleven – who brings such energy and commitment in midfield, and Ramsey fits this role really well. We should also take into account that he is effectively only 21, having missed up to 1.5 years as a result of his horrific leg-break. He will get better, possibly much better in coming seasons, and it is essential now to keep him in the squad.

The injury to Arteta is quite a worry right now. We know from the previous season we can struggle if and when Arteta does not play, so hopefully his injury is not too bad.

But let’s have a look at how Arsenal can replace him. Wilshere does not look fully fit and it is questionable whether he can play an entire game, so a combination of Rambo and him does not look like a good option. We could try Coquelin and Rambo, but the Frenchman did not have many games in the first team, and I for one, would feel uncomfortable bringing him into our crucial game against NU.

As a few others have mentioned on the blog in the last twenty-four hours, Vermaelen would be a very good option to play next to Ramsey. He would bring extra steel – tackling and aerial power – and energy, and I am sure he would be really up for it. Key would be for him to stay calm and time his tackles well, and as he could be a bit rusty, there is some risk of this. I am not entirely sure how good he would be at reading the game in midfield, but I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, as his other qualities will be very valuable at least. So Vermaelen-Rambo for me on Sunday.

Finally, I like to say something about Theo. How important has he been for us in the last few games? Scored the only goal against QPR – two points worth – the only goal against MU – one point worth – and scored the all-important second against Wigan last night. Theo with consistency would be as valuable as Ronaldo, but he clearly is not of that calibre; although, he is also still young and will develop further.

His stats this season are fantastic again and what an important (re)signing he has been for us. And when he goes through a difficult patch again, let’s stay behind him and know that sooner or later he will bring home the bacon again.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

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The one who’s got enough ‘Adamsesque Mongrel’ to be our captain

May 10, 2013May 11, 2013TotalArsenal

Zorro is doing a great job as our captain at the moment, but has he got what it takes to be our long-term leader?

Leadership on the pitch is such a prerequisite for being successful, and it is fair to say that Arsene does not always get in right when it comes to choosing the right captain for the team. Adams, Vieira and Van Judas were inspired choices, but Fabregas and Vermaelen were less suitable for the leadership role in my opinion.

Fabregas was brilliant at leading by example but most of us felt something was missing: he was not a naturally born leader, and as a result he struggled with some vital aspects of leadership we were craving for. Fabregas was a more introvert and bloody brilliant creative, attacking midfielder, who needed to concentrate fully on the technical and tactical aspects of the game.

VJ was a very good leader, who could concentrate on both his own job as a central striker as well as the wider leadership responsibilities; and somebody Arsene would have build this year’s team around once more… But enough said about the grey-haired, broody woman with the boy screaming inside of him for manures new.

I could see quite quickly that Vermaelen was trying very hard, and maybe too hard, to be a good captain for us. He struggled with the communication side of things and tried to overcompensate with ‘leading by example’. Unfortunately, his own technical/tactical performances suffered in the process and on more than a few occasions it were his mistakes that led to us losing our confidence, shape and composure, which have cost the team dearly in a number of games.

I reckon Vermaelen is a great defender but just needs to be led rather than lead, and surely he will not be our captain again come next season.

Arteta is doing a good job at the moment and clearly revels in the leadership role, but the question remains whether he has got what it takes to be our long-term captain, not just in the PL but also in Europe.

Below you’ll find an overview of what I reckon a good captain/leader is all about:

Leads by example: not just with good personal performances, but also with high energy-levels/commitment, and a never-say-die attitude. He never spares himself, always gives everything and plays with his heart on his sleeve. He will also stand up for his players and let nobody be bullied by the opposition;
Is blessed with a high level of social-emotional intelligence: he understands what is going in the minds of other players, and is able to support them accordingly, on and off the pitch;
Is extrovert: he is not a constant shouter, but he likes to talk to this fellow players and make himself known when things are not going right;
Is a great communicator with the crowd/fans, and an ambassador for the club. He understands what the fans want and are concerned about, and gives good interviews to the press, by always representing the club professionally and with real passion;
Is a great communicator, ‘liaison-manager’ between the players and management. He has got the respect of Wenger, the coaches and the players, and is able to translate messages up and down effectively;
Is a team player/ team builder: he will regularly praise, on and off the pitch, contributions made by others and help the team in becoming a strong unit.
Is good tactically: he has a good overview of what is happening on the pitch and, by talking to his team players, can make minor adjustments to the way the team is playing.

Both Vieira and Adams ticked most if not all of the above boxes, but if I had to choose, I would say that Adams has been our best captain in Arsene’s era at Arsenal.

I reckon, we have a player with plenty of ‘Adamsesque’s mongrel’ in him within our current team, but I am not going to say who that is yet, in order to not steer the discussion too much.

I would like to ask my fellow Gooners who they believe should be our long-term captain from next season onwards, and why?

Looking forward to hearing your choices!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

With a special thanks to JGC for coming up with the term ‘Adamsesque Mongrel’ 🙂

Best away defence invaluable – Theo grows – Ramsey the grinder – Arteta rules

May 5, 2013May 5, 2013TotalArsenal

Sometimes it is best to sleep a night over a game of football. On a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning it is easier to reflect on a game that was hard on the eye and tough for the heart, but THE RESULT still left us with a good after taste. And the latter – just like the better coffees and wines do – is still lingering on this morning.

Three points and a first win at Loftus Road in seven attempts makes the head nod sagely: 1-0 to the Arsenal is all we needed. Some will point out the need to boost our GD, but that is simply wishful thinking at the moment. Our team is running at its last legs and somehow just keeps scraping the barrel for more.

Since Arsene decided to put Arteta and Ramsey together in the double DM-pivot, and swap TV5 for the more organised and composed Koz, we have, as predicted, both become a lot more solid in defence and gradually more and more toothless in attack.

In our 4-2-1-3 formation the box-to-box midfielder holds the key for creating a fine balance between defending and attacking, and only a fit Diaby or Wilshere can truly make this formation tick as per the Wengerball ideology.

With Ramsey we get a hard and disciplined worker and he and Arteta deserve a lot of credit for our recent mean defensive record. Of course, this will not be enough in the long term. Wenger put into place his plan-B to get us back in the CL next season, and for me he is showing once more that he can play Mourinho-like football if he needs to.

But boy is our football hard to watch at the moment, as we dither and probe through the middle all day long, looking like our attackers have never played together before. Pod looked like running around with inflated testicles, Cazorla and Theo totally allergic to sticking to traditional wing-play, and Rosicky was simply not central/domineering enough.

Yet, in the first half we dominated so much that we should have added to Theo’s super-early goal. When in it the box, Theo tends to shoot at goal as soon as he can, without taking another touch, and it paid off for him straightaway. The keeper should probably have done better, but Theo gave him very little time to set himself up properly, and looking into the glaring sun will not have helped Green much either.

Theo was also a wee bit unlucky with another fine, direct attempt on goal in the first half which Green pushed onto the post, and he had another such an attempt saved in the second half. Theo, unlike the Pod yesterday, got himself in good positions in the box and made the keeper work, and his goal made all the difference yesterday. Does this mean he should play centrally more often, though? Aah, let’s discuss! 🙂

Arteta played one of his best games of the season with fantastic positioning, great interceptions and more than adequate distribution, including a fine, and priceless assist for our one and only goal. I loved his physical strength and sheer desire to fight for these crucial three points: he was a true captain for us yesterday. The Basque beast simply ruled the game against the Hoops!

Another big plus point – you must have noticed by now I am mainly looking at the plus points – was our composure and organisation in defence. The triangle of Szczesny – BFG – Koz is quickly developing into something very solid, and that is at least one of the big positives from our current season. Arsenal must ensure we keep them together for next season, and not be tempted to cash in on any of them.

The BFG’s composure and organisational skills are of great value to us, and Koz’ timing, energy but also his positioning and composure, combine really well with the German’s strengths and weaknesses. Add to that a mature and controlled performance of our goal keeper – making good saves (one against Remy was simply excellent) when required – and you can see why we are proving hard to beat at the back at the moment.

In fact, our defensive away record has been very good this season, conceding only 14 goals in 18 PL games: far better than anybody else in the PL. This will probably pan out to be our saviour this season in terms of CL qualification.

Nacho had a tough game against the only player who really cared, Townsend (I wonder what was motivating him hahaha). However, he did get forward and behind the Hoops’ defence once or twice, and that appeared to be the only way to create some danger during large parts of the game. Sagna had a decent game, but once again, he got little support on the wing going forward – often left alone with the ball with nobody anywhere near to set up an attack from the wing.

The negatives in a nutshell (nothing new really): ineffective wingplay for most of the game, attackers and midfielders not linking up properly or finding each other – no collective telepathy – too many players needing too much time (touches) to take their chances, no physical – and limited aerial – presence in the box, and not creative enough.

But our defensive triangle in the centre, our double DM pivot, and an improving Walcott saved the day for us. And there are ten days now to get some much-needed new content into the barrel.

Average player ratings by BK’ers:

Szczesny: 7.7

Nacho: 6.4

Koz: 7.7

BFG: 7.3

Sagna: 6.7

Arteta: 7.7

Ramsey: 6.7

Rosicky: 6.7

Cazorla: 7

Podolski: 5.5

Theo: 7.3

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Special thanks to those who put in their player ratings.

Arteta and Ramsey’s limitations exposed – BFG keeps dream alive – no width = one-dimensional

April 20, 2013TotalArsenal

BFG - The Dream Catcher's goal made the difference today — BFG – The Dream Catcher’s goal made the difference today

Three very valuable points and seven out of nine over the last week. These are the hard facts and the rest is relatively unimportant. It is now all about survival, getting in the top-four, and build further over the summer.

However, our performance today against 10-men Fulham was an absolute pain to watch. Of course, it is our third game in a week and all that bright light makes one a bit tired…… but we made this so hard for ourselves and we looked so much like a team who played together for the first time; something we have witnessed more than a few times this season. It remains a mystery to me!

Arsenal’s extra man advantage meant we could not leave Arteta and Ramsey to sit back a bit and absorb pressure – something we have done regularly in recent away games – but that they needed to play higher up the pitch and keep Fulham locked-in at their own half.

Both the Welshman and the Spaniard have given a lot for us against the Canaries and Toffees, and it was clear that they did not have the same level of energy, composure and discipline as they did in recent games. But regardless of this, it was also once again evident that both players slow our play down and struggle with the creative, attacking side of midfield play; and for me, they were the main reason for our inability to stamp our authority on the game today, once Fulham were reduced to ten men.

I believe both players are very valuable squad players and especially Arteta deserves to be a first team starter again this season, but with Diaby being Diaby and Wilshere and Rosicky currently struggling with having the continuous health and stamina for such demanding positions, we are a bit light in midfield at the moment.

And it showed badly today. With Sidwell out, we should have dominated the midfield and worked gradually and systematically towards scoring our second goal, but we remained shapeless and clueless for large parts of the game.

It also did not help that our wings are not working at the moment. Santi and Theo did not stick to the wing enough to give the necessary width to our game, and they also did not link up with their FB’s enough to give another dimension to our football. It is starting to look like our wings have become a dirty, infested area where no attackers want to be. This will need to change.

Most of our attacking play was focussed centrally, and was rather very laboured, slow and predictable.

We also witnessed again Arsenal’s difficulties with passing round the ball. How often do we see effective triangles between our players? We used to play close together and pass our way towards the box, centrally or via the wing, but now players do the opposite: as soon as a pass is made towards somebody in space, the passer runs away; leaving the recipient with very few passing opportunities behind. This is sooo un-Arsenal like; it is unbelievable!

The lack of passing, combined with some bad first touches throughout most of the team, and the absence of courage to find quick and risky through-balls – especially Arteta and Ramsey seem allergic to taking a bit of risk in their passing – are making us look very mundane at the moment. In a game like this, where we played a team with a man less for eighty minutes, it really showed up.

And I don’t think this will change again this season. Rosicky tried his best to add some quality to our play, and Cazorla always adds something, but as a team we looked laboured; lacking invention, imagination and thrust. Jack made a positive contribution but it was also not enough to regain composure, purpose and control over the game.

Luckily, the BFG had an inspired day both in defence, and especially, up-front, as his header at Fulham’s far post, from Koz’s ‘assist’ made all the difference.

Giroud and Szczesny conspired to give it almost all away in the latter stages of the game: the former by getting himself sent-off, albeit harsh, and the latter by spilling the ball from a safe he made from a free-kick which led to a goal, which luckily but rightfully, was ruled offside.

The performances of both Koz and the BFG were one of the very few positives today as they managed somehow to keep a clean sheet for us today.

We are now in a paradoxical situation where we play well below-par at times but still collect seven out of nine points during a pivotal week for us. It would be foolish to count on our luck continuing for the remainder of the season, and with Giroud out for at least one game – unless his card gets rescinded – Arsene and Steve have their work cut out to somehow get this team to play with purpose, thrust and invention again.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Three Positives and Negatives from an enthralling encounter with Everton

April 16, 2013April 16, 2013TotalArsenal

Jack in 'the hole' was a big surprise but he looked rusty once again, unfortunately! — Jack in ‘the hole’ was a big surprise but he looked rusty once again, unfortunately!

Our game against Everton will need further analysis over the coming days, and I recommend everyone to watch the game again before jumping to big conclusions. From a tactical point of view, there is so much to analyse, and there were also a few Everton players on display who could become interesting transfer targets this summer. Fellaini really impressed, and is he perhaps the beast of a DM we have been asking for? Jagielka performed almost faultless and he could well be the extra CB many of us believe we need to buy this summer…. I was also impressed with Coleman and he could well be a good addition on the right. So, really worth watching the game again and discuss things further over the coming days.

I feel a bit deflated as there were good opportunities in the second half to clinch all three points, but I am also happy we did not concede this time round and got a valuable point. After a good run, we were bound to run out of a bit of luck to win another game, and it is now key to pick things up again against Fulham on Saturday.

Three Negatives

Let’s start with the negatives, or ‘areas in need of improvement’:

The obvious one is Giroud’s lack of end product today. In his defence I say at least he is there and works hard to get in those positions, and he was up against a very well organised and confident central defence today. I like Ollie: he works hard for the team and gives his all. If he had scored a goal today, he would have been our hero, but now many will hang him out to dry. Nothing new there.
Jack, Rambo and Arteta were outmuscled a lot during the first half; with a lot of help by a very lenient referee. Rambo and Arteta bit by bit got more grip on the game but Jack struggled again to boss the midfield. It was a strange decision to select Wilshere again and not play Rosicky or Cazorla in the hole. Jack is really struggling with form and I hope Wenger makes the right selection decision against Fulham on Saturday.
Our passing game and individual technical control of the ball was poor for large parts of the game. Everton’s game plan was to press us everywhere and make it difficult for us to pass the ball round. If and when we had the ball, our players were often fouled by overly aggressive Everton midfielders, with which they got away far too many times. But that does not take away that we allowed them to bully us, and it is in games like these that we can really see how much we need a beast of a DM to counterbalance this. Fellaini, like Ramires did a couple of months ago for Chelsea, made the difference for the Toffees today.

Further negatives were the lack of effective wing play by our ‘wingers’ Theo and Cazorla, and the lack of link-up play between Sagna-Theo and Gibbs-Cazorla

Three Positives

The obvious one is our clean sheet and our defensive performance as a team. Everton might have won many a battle in midfield, especially during the first half, but except for a scary moment or two, our defending was solid and well organised. I was happy but also surprised Arsene left his captain out again, but I reckon he made the right decision. We might all feel a bit down for not winning this game, but at least we did not lose it, and our defensive performance deserves credit.
The pivot between Arteta and Ramsey started to work better the longer the game went on, and especially in the second half the Spaniard and Welshman played very well. They are becoming the motor / driving force of our team and add a lot of spirit and stamina to the team. Long may it continue.
Arsene’s first two subs made a real difference, and we created enough chances to actually win the game. Both Pod and Ox were very lively and full of attacking intent. It was a real shame Ox did not take a shot on goal but decided to pass it to Giroud, as I am sure he would have scored. The directness of Ox and Pod was a really welcome addition to our play and if they, Giroud, and also Cazorla had been more clinical we would have surely won. Ooh, and please don’t ask me to explain the third and final substitution…. 😕

Further positives were the drive and energy of both Sagna, and especially, Gibbs, who both never gave up and fought for the shirt. I also thought Cazorla was excellent, especially in the second half: he drove the team forward and added the much needed quality and inventiveness.

Although most of us, me included, feel more than a bit deflated with not getting all three points, I think we need to realise that after six PL wins out of seven, we need to take this mini-setback on the chin and move onwards to the next game. The team have done very well to get 19 points out of 24 and get themselves back into the top-four, but we are clearly not there yet. Nobody set it was going to be easy: squeaky bum times ahead!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Was Wenger wrong: Are Arsenal badly missing a ‘DM Beast’?

April 8, 2013April 8, 2013TotalArsenal

Wanyama is the sort of DM Beast we have been missing this season.

Arsene Wenger’s comments about no longer needing a traditional defensive midfielder at Arsenal have been well publicized. His theory is that the modern game demands balance and for all players to collectively attack and defend, opposed to being “purely specialists”.

This theory has been met with little success in important Cup/CL games, as well as against the top clubs domestically. In the majority of those games that we have lost, we failed to settle in early because of shaky defensive starts, and/or were bossed in the midfield by stronger and more physical presences (Ramires of Chelsea, Schweinsteiger of Bayern and Parker of Tottenham are the most notable). It was clear in those games that a proper, traditional holding player would have helped to counter both the strength of their defensive midfielders, as well as the creative talents on the opposition’s side.

Also, one must consider that our best performances have come in games where we have played rather compartmentalized, with our more attacking-minded players focusing on offense and a demand for all our players to track back, while our defenders be disciplined at our own end, only joining the attack when need be. This pattern was evident during our early season successes, in addition to the recent upward trajectory in our performances since the draw against Liverpool. The correlation is no surprise, since I believe we lack the personnel to properly play the type of football that Wenger envisions for this squad.

There is some truth to AW’s theory that the modern game has and continues to evolve. A midfield “enforcer” will be useless unless the individual is either well disciplined and/or has the technical ability to protect the ball and find his teammates further up the pitch. At Arsenal, we have a very capable player in Arteta based on AW’s defined role for a holding player, in that he is intelligent, anticipatory, disciplined and efficient with his passing. However, what AW fails to realize is how much better we could be if Arteta had pace, strength and the ability to play any variety of pass (short, long, over the top etc.), in addition to the skill set he already has. However, this breed of player is certainly rare, and to ask this from Arteta would be absurd when you factor in his age and natural playing position.

The old-fashioned approach is to employ a classic double defensive midfield spine, such as WBA, Athletico Madrid, Malaga, AC Milan, Bayern Leverkusen etc. with both midfielders generally sitting back to protect the back four and only attacking when necessary; while other clubs have switched to a formation with two attacking midfielders and one designated holding midfielder, such as Swansea City, Ajax, Barca (the Catalans has played this formation for a long time) etc, to take advantage of the creative talents in their central midfielders.

Finally, there are teams like Bayern, Manchester City and Real Madrid who play with two central midfielders, taking turns in attack and sitting back, with one generally being given the responsibility to carry the ball up field to transition the attack, better known as the classic box-to-box midfielder. All of these clubs heavily rely on the players designated as traditional B2B midfielders and all of which are world-class talents (Schweinsteiger, Yaya Toure and Xabi Alonso).

The traditional box-to-box position, or ‘Vieira role’, requires an individual to have outstanding endurance, strength, ball control, pace, creativity and mental strength on both offense and defense. It is by far the most physically demanding and mentally draining position in football, which also requires an elite level of skill to consistently be effective and dominate at both ends of the pitch. Because of how rare it is to find the perfect blend of skill and natural physical gifts, I am led to believe that the traditional B2B midfielder is a dying breed. I believe teams have switched to either a dual DM set-up or a sole DM with two AMs, due to all the aforementioned reasons.

However, as the modern game continues to evolve, so has the box-to-box midfielder position. The modern day B2B midfielder is not expected to carry the ball up field as often, and mainly joins the attack through a flat passing system. This allows the B2B midfielder to evade the direct attention of the opposition and experience less physical strain when running up and down the pitch. Teams like Juventus, Chelsea PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Everton etc. commonly incorporate such a midfielder in their starting formation.

Then there are the clubs such as Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United who have seemingly gone back and forth between all the aforementioned strategies this season, adapting based on the personnel available to them and the strength of the opposition. However, I believe this “versatility” has more to do with lacking the right personnel in the squad (whether it be injuries or not having the proper DMs in the squad) to consistently play one way than adjusting based on the opposition.

If we quickly examine the statistics of goals conceded among these five clubs without a true DM or a consistent formation in center of the park, compared to the other domestic top clubs (Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton), there may be some truth in the theory that Arsenal are in need of a proper DM, or a more stable DM set-up:

Club	Games Played	Goals Conceded	1 Goal Games Lost
Manchester City	30	26	2
Manchester United	30	31	3
Chelsea	30	32	5
Arsenal	30	33	5
Everton	30	35	3
Tottenham	31	38	6
Liverpool	31	40	3

One must keep in mind that some clubs approach the game more defensively and that the statistics are not purely based on the effectiveness of Chelsea and Manchester City’s defensive midfielders. City is widely considered to have the best goalkeeper and strongest back four in the EPL, while United have conceded less goals than Chelsea, but the latter are in fourth, despite only conceding one more goal than them.

In the case of Chelsea, Ramires, who is recognized by most as Chelsea’s best DM option, has only started 21 games due to the rotation policy of the FSW. Of Chelsea’s 7 losses this year, he only started 4 of those games, half of which were to the current top 2 clubs. Again, it’s not the most telling sign that a quality, proper DM is at the foundation of a club’s success, but it’s definitely something worth keeping in mind.

Also worth pointing out, is Everton’s record of conceding fewer goals than Tottenham despite working with considerably less. The trio of Fellaini, Gibson and Osman in the heart of Everton’s midfield has worked wonders for them this season. However, it’s worth nothing that the Toffees have always been known for having a stingy defense, which matches the club’s reputation in the transfer market.

What do these statistics mean to Arsenal? Well, if one takes into account our goals scored domestically this season (59), we will all see that goal scoring has not been a huge issue (though consistent goal scoring in clutch situations is a different matter altogether and not what my article focuses on). However, together with Chelsea and Tottenham, Arsenal has a high number of games lost by 1-goal margins. 5 games lost represents anywhere from 5-15 points in the table, and if we look at the current table, Arsenal could be as high as 3^rd if we were able to come out with draws in those contests.

It is my opinion that a true beast of a DM would have helped us to gain more points in those 5 games lost by a 1-goal margin. While it is true that there were several parties at fault in those games lost by 1 goal (i.e. lapses by GK or DEF, turnovers etc.), it never hurts to have a proper presence helping to protect the back four. The DM could have aided in stabilizing the back early in games, allowing everyone to settle into the game and the creative players to focus more on offense. Clearly, as the other teams stand now, Arsenal would have a distinct competitive advantage if we were able to acquire a proper, beast of a DM this summer.

So what is the best foundation for Arsenal to build on going forward?

As I stated earlier, I believe Arsenal should abandon asking any central midfielder to play the traditional box-to-box role, simply because we lack a player with the talent to perform at such a level, while maintaining a clean bill of health. In addition, efficient and elite, traditional box-to-box midfielders are increasingly rare to find and we lack the resources/recent success to lure the caliber of player like Schweinsteiger, Yaya Toure or Xabi Alonso.

The dual DM set-up, similar to that employed by Juventus, is an intriguing option since we already have a deep-lying playmaker in Arteta who could eventually mirror his game after Pirlo. However, in Vidal, Juventus have the ideal, modern day DM that Arsenal currently does not. Vidal is not only aggressive, a tough tackler, has the strength to knock a player off the ball and the ability to strip them of it, but also the goal scoring instincts, ball control, passing range, pace and endurance to run up and down the pitch for the duration of an entire match. He’s a versatile midfielder who contributes at both ends of the pitch, without the burden of having to also transition the attack with the ball at his feet (as a traditional B2B midfielder is expected to).

Thus, I would be happy to continue in Arsene’s favoured dual DM pivot set-up, with the caveat that none of our players be expected to play as a traditional box-to-box midfielder. The injuries we’ve accumulated by forcing players into this role are astonishing and it’s clear that the perfect balance between talent, physicality, mental endurance and ability to remain injury-free is non-existent in this squad. The set-up Arsenal was most successful with last season was with Arteta and Song interchanging between attacking and defending, with Song performing more of the modern box-to-box role, only sitting back to defend when Arteta joined the attack.

Based on our pattern of success this season, there is considerable merit in pursuing a compartmentalized strategy for the rest of this season and going into next year. However, I believe if we buy a technical, traditional DM this summer that we can afford to play with two attacking midfielders and only commit one central midfielder to a primarily defensive role. This will effectively eliminate our current, unsuccessful dual DM pivot set-up (ineffective against top clubs for the most part anyway), where one midfielder is forced to play in a traditional B2B role (i.e. Jack and Diaby), in order to compensate for the lack of a true DM.

Let me be clear though that buying a proper DM does not mean that I believe our attacking players should not honour their defensive responsibilities and avoid playing a collective team game.

The purchase of a traditional DM will only serve to better protect our back four, help slow down and outmuscle the opposition in the middle of the pitch, while unleashing the creativity up field.

I’m also a fan of the dual DM set-up at Juventus (aka the set-up we established last season), so long as we can find the ideal beast to play alongside a deep-lying playmaker like Arteta. However, based on the style of football Wenger wishes to achieve at Arsenal, i.e. the flowing and beautiful approach, we may be better off shifting to a 4-1-2-3 formation with two attacking midfielders, much like other clubs that have adopted the same philosophy (ex. Ajax, Swansea City, Barca etc.).

Have your say: What DM set-up do you believe would be the best for Arsenal?

Written By: Highbury Harmony

The swerve of Gerv, rhythm of Ramsey & Rosicky, coolness of Cazorla, and Mikel’s Mastery

March 30, 2013March 30, 2013TotalArsenal

Well that was a fine and much-needed win today. It is only fair to say that Reading were easy prey this afternoon, and that a stronger team might have punished us for not finishing off our chances in the first half. But, once again, we played a lot better in the second half and, despite one costly lapse in concentration, Arsenal totally dominated the game from start to finish, and very much deserved their win today.

It was great to see Gervinho start a game again, and he took his opportunity to shine for us really well. The Gerv and Santi were clearly our drivers in the first half, and for most of the second half as well. Gervinho was everywhere and always made himself available, and he is the one of the few who wants to keep hold of the ball and attack the space in front of him, rather than just pass the ball to the nearest player as soon as possible.

Gervinho’s performance was by no means perfect, and he can delight us as much as frustrate us from one moment to the next, but with a goal and two assists, he deserves a lot of praise today. His positioning was great (especially in the box) and his ability to take the ball forward and make things happen was also on show today once more.

He took his goal well and provided two fine assists. The one for Santi was simple and effective; after he created a bit of space, by keeping the ball and moving forward towards the goal, he played a simple, low and well-measured pass to Santi, who this time round did show the required composure, and finished really well with a placed, curling shot past some Reading defenders and goalkeeper Taylor.

The second assist was the best one; The Gerv held off defenders around the box and then made a good, measured pass towards Giroud’s left foot, who could do nothing else but score.

I was impressed with Giroud willingness to work for the team today, and he created a lot of space in the box through his movement and ability to occupy more than one defender most of the time. And his work for the team was reciprocated by the fine pass Gervinho provided to him for our third goal.

Throughout the game, and especially in the first half, we were still wasteful with our chances, and both Cazorla and Gervinho deserve some criticism for some disappointing finishing. I guess this is something we have to accept of both players: they work hard, get themselves in good positions, and are attack-minded, but both of them – Gervinho more than Cazorla – will waste a lot of chances in the process as well.

However, Cazorla’s coolness for the second goal and Gervinho’s composure for his goal and assists, made the difference today, and in the end that is all that really matters.

Our defence was shielded magnificently today by Mikel Arteta, and you could see how much he has benefited from a well-needed interlull break. When Arteta plays like this, the whole team plays better. It allowed Ramsey to support Rosicky and Cazorla, who was found mostly in the middle of the pitch, in putting pressure on the opposition’s defence high up the pitch. Today that made all the difference.

However, I thought that Ramsey and especially Rosicky were a bit rusty in the first half and not dynamic enough. Luckily, they both improved strongly in the second half and it was their drive that kept our rhythm going throughout the second half. Towards the end of the game, Arsenal started to play some wonderful football and both Ramsey and Rosicky had big contributions in this.

Reading scored a good goal through Robson-kanu, who sneaked in behind Monreal to score with a diving header from a fine cross by McAnuff.

Ox did well coming on as a sub and winning a penalty straightaway, which was well taken by Arteta.

In summary, an easy win, and an important one; with the Spuds winning (as expected) at Swansea, and the Chavs dropping three very costly points at Southampton, our win today keeps the pressure up on both of them; and that’s all we can do. Our next game against West Brom will no doubt be a tougher nut to crack.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

What to do with Arteta, Rosicky and Diaby – Is Arsene paying the price for selling Song?

February 24, 2013February 24, 2013TotalArsenal

Since the departure of Fabregas, almost two seasons ago, Arsene Wenger has struggled to find the right combinations in midfield.

Last season, he experimented desperately to get enough creative spark in his beloved 4-2-1-3 formation. He tried Ramsey as his lone creative/attacking midfielder (CAM) but it did not work out. If and when Rosicky was fit, he was played as our CAM and the team often played a lot better as a result. But Tomas Rosicky’s anagram of ‘Sick Room Stay’ seems to always follow him, as he was once again more injured than available for Arsene. Wenger was hoping either Wilshere or Diaby would return to fitness, but they also remained in the treatment room, and in both cases for the entire season.

Ultimately, Wenger found a solution in asking Song to become our lynchpin player between defence and attack, which included producing a significant number of assists. Song did a great job at this and together with Theo and van Judas he saved our season, in terms of goals and assists. Many fans criticised some of his defensive performances, but these were the price to pay for the invaluable support he gave to our attack.

The Cameroonian’s partnership with Arteta had become a very strong one, and if Arsene could have added a new CAM during last summer, or JW10 would have returned to full fitness from the start, we finally would have had a strong and consistent midfield to kick-off the 2012-2013 season.

Inexplicably, Song was sold late in the summer and no replacement was brought in. Yet, Arsene did bring in a quality CAM in Cazorla, and luckily, JW10 finally returned to full fitness as well. Initially, everything looked great as both Arteta and Diaby started the season strong, both individually and as a ‘double DM tandem’.

However, Diaby became injured once again and Wilshere took his place once he became fully fit. With our defence not firing from all cylinders, and Arteta not the prototype DM many of us have been asking for, Jack was forced to stay back and help out on the defensive side a lot – and I would say too much. At the same time, Santi struggled to really give shape and purpose to our attacking play, and it became clear that the balance in our midfield was not right, once again.

During the January Transfer Window, we were linked with a number of typical, hairy-arsed DM’s, but regrettably, nobody was signed. Diaby has returned and has played a number of games recently. However, he is a shadow of the player we applauded so much after his game at Anfield, at the start of the season. Furthermore, and even more worrying; his partnership with Arteta has gone flat, as both players struggle to protect the defence properly, or support our attacking moves with the necessary impetus and gusto.

Rosicky has been fit for a while now, but does not seem to be able to get a foot into the first team anymore. This is surprising, given that he signed a new contract not so long ago and Wenger has always liked him. Rosicky had a decent game against Blackburn last weekend, but did not start against Bayern, and did not feature at all against Aston Villa. What is going on here?

I know that Song is not every Gooner’s favourite player, but I feel we are missing him badly at the moment. I am convinced that if Arsene would have asked Song to play as a sole, traditional DM, he would do this with gusto, and be very good at it as well. But he was sold and not replaced, and I feel strongly that this is biting Arsene badly in the arse at the moment.

So what to do with our midfield and with the likes of Diaby, Rosicky and Arteta?

I was glad to see Jack being played in the CAM position this Saturday, but just as against Blackburn a week ago, both Diaby and Arteta did not provide him, or the defence, with the required quality of support. This is a worry, and on top of that Diaby is injured again, and God only knows how long it is going to take before the lanky Frenchman is fully fit again.

We cannot buy a DM until the next TW, so we have to make do with what we have. I guess the easiest solution for Arsene is to put Jack next to Arteta and play Cazorla as our CAM. Another option is to combine Arteta with either Ramsey or Coquelin. For me, they are both not ideal but either of them should have a run of games now. Another option is to play Rosicky as our CAM, or even next to Arteta, but Wenger does not seem to want to play him regularly anymore.

However, Wenger will need to get this balance right as soon as possible: our defence needs better quality protection and our attack the right level of thrust and creativity. If he gets it right, we will finish in the top 3/ top 4 this season; if not, it will most probably be ‘Channel Five – Thursday Night’ for us.

Written by: Total Arsenal.