Attack – Page 3 – Bergkampesque

Jack and Alexis raise bar, Welbeck impresses, Defence….: Match Review

September 15, 2014September 15, 2014TotalArsenal

Saturday’s game against the Champions was a good opportunity to gage how much progress we had made since last season.

The verdict in a nutshell: our defence – including our sole DM – not solid and composed enough, our midfield now bursting with quality, and our attack/ability to create chances and score goals in the biggest games has also improved significantly.

Unlike last season’s visit by MC, when they were happy to play for a draw, this time round our opponents wanted the three points badly. The Chavs have started the season well as expected and the totally unpredicted loss against Stoke, have put a lot of pressure on the Champions to keep up. The same goes for Arsenal of course, who managed once again to qualify for the CL in August, but had dropped two valuable points in and against Leicester and found themselves four points adrift from the league leaders before this big game.

MC were missing Yaya Toure who was replaced by lost-looking Lampard, and Milner was put on the left to protect the vulnerable ex-Gunner Clichy, mainly by kicking the proverbial out of Debuchy. Fernandinho was also clearly instructed to put his boot in every time Jack or any of the other midfielders threatened to get past him – because that’s when Arsenal are at their most dangerous – and the awesome Silva, very effective Navas, and efficient Aguero were there to produce the attacking football.

Arsenal had opted to start Welbeck (with Sanogo not even on the bench: was he injured?), play four mainly attacking midfielders behind him, and protect the back-four with our best option as DM, the willing but wilting Flamini. It looked at times more like 3-1-5-1, as our ‘LB’ Nacho was almost constantly situated higher up the pitch, functioning as a fifth midfielder.

First half

After a couple of minutes of MC pressure, Arsenal took over with our four midfielders (in our 4-1-4-1) formation dominating play. Jack led the charge with energetic and aggressive play both at the back and the front. Early on he produced a brilliant diagonal ball over the top of the MC defence and the alert Sanchez almost got there to head the ball past the quickly anticipating Hart. Welbeck is lively and constantly moving, never allowing the experienced MC back-four to settle. It is clear that he wants the ball in behind the defensive lines, but our midfielders expect him to play in front of the opposition’s defence ala OG, and a few balls go astray.

Then, unexpectedly, the stuff of dreams – or nightmares – happens. A nonchalant ball back from midfield to his defence by Silva, is quickly anticipated by Danny and he gets a free run at goal with just the keeper to beat. He produces a Bergkampesque lofted ball over the beaten Hart and everybody thinks it is going in, but it hits the woodwork and the keeper can collect. So close, and what a goal it would have been for the newly arrived attacker.

The near miss is a pivotal moment in the first half. MC wake up and appreciate their lucky escape and the crowd and Gunners experience the heavy realisation that this missed opportunity might cost us dearly in this game (similar to Ozil’s missed penalty against Bayern). Our inexperience of beating fellow top teams is still weighing heavily on us, and every time we miss a very good opportunity it sets us back, it seems.

Welbeck does not seem to be too much influenced by the miss though: he continues to be a nuisance to the MC defence and starts to play better when receiving the ball with his back towards goal. The first quarter of the game is for us: good dominance, one big chance, we are enjoying our football; but, it is fair to say, we do not come close enough to the MC goal to produce clear-cut chances.

Monreal offers great drive going forward and partners well with the industrious, and also defensively sound, Alexis. Every time we regain the ball in our own half we break well, with all midfielders playing their part, but especially Alexis and Jack the most driven and composed. MC’s pre-planned answer to this is to foul our midfielders as soon as they can: cynical but effective. Luckily the referee is handing out yellow cards for this and it only seems a matter of time before one of our breaks will lead to a good goal scoring opportunity.

Our style of play needs goals of course, as we are constantly taking risks with playing Nacho so high, leaving space behind him for the attacking three of MC to pounce on us. And that is, unsurprisingly, exactly how they scored their first goal. The ball breaks to midfield and Flamini’s tackle seems to be well-timed and effective, which it needed to be. But Navas, in a Marc Overmars reminiscent way, manages to collect the ball before it goes out, and runs like a hare towards goal. Nacho and Koz hesitate to make a tackle, allowing speedy G to put the ball into the box. Flamini and BFG seem still in control, but the Frenchman allows Aguero to run past him and score a simple goal. A very disappointing moment by all players involved, but especially Flamini who, with his experience and the role he is playing in, should have done a lot better. 4-1-4-1 without a proper, athletic beast of a DM, seems to ask for this sort of punishment…

Getting behind, combined with the strong sense of a missed opportunity earlier on, now make us weary, both on the pitch and in the ground. MC sense this and start playing the better football, disrupting our play with more and more ease. Ozil and Wilshere try to get it all going but we are not using the width with even Nacho not sticking to the by-line, and Debuchy being held back by Milner. It is all too intricate and easy for MC now, and Welbeck is not getting much involved at this stage. The consistent fouling aimed to disrupt constantly our flow of football continues, and we do not create anything worthy of mentioning anymore during the first half.

Second half

We start good: energetic and with purpose and bite. We get the ball into the box now but the well-drilled MC defence holds strong. Ozil gets more involved in the direction of our play but his passes (and shooting), especially over a longer distance, are not sharp enough to trouble the Oilers. The same goes for Sanchez’s final ball who does all the hard work to get near the box, but then just does not deliver the perfect through-ball.

After ten minutes the game seems to balance out, which is not good for us as we are behind. It needed a moment of inspiration, and it pleases me tremendously that it was Super Jackie Wilshere who delivered it: and in some style!

The ball was won in midfield and quick combination play between Jack, Alexis and Rambo, allowed the Welshman to perfectly guide the ball into Jack’s feet in the box. There was still a hell of a lot to do, but a quick shimmy got him past the opposing defender, and with his head held high, looking for the best option at a moment when the adrenaline is pumping like crazy, he is still able to adjust his feet to fool the MC players as if he is passing it with his left foot, to only use his right foot, daftly kicking it high and measured past the beaten Hart.

What a goal: it needed something special to crack the Oilers’ defence and Jack delivered it. Wilshere the new Fabregas? The new Pirlo? Or the new Bergkamp?! He has got it all! hahaha 😉

After three quarters of the game, soon after our equaliser, Dzeko – the ‘Giroud’ of MC – comes on for Aguero: a change which almost undid us towards the end of the game. But Arsenal now take proper control and Welbeck is everywhere again, after a quiet start in the second half. Fernandinho is lucky not to get a second yellow for bowling Welbeck over off the ball, when the Englishman is about to run into the box, or after petulantly kicking the ball away after another foul is committed on the fabulous Alexis.

Then the moment of total ecstasy arrives.

Arsenal apply pressure and a ball into the box is headed away by the fine warrior Kompany, despite being challenged by Welbeck who gives the colossus a friendly nudge in the process (; The ball ends up with Jack, just outside the ‘D’: he has the full play in front of him and instantly sees that Alexis is free. His cushioned header reaches the Chilean Master who volleys the ball high in the air and with deadly precision under the bar, past a fully beaten Hart. What a clinical, top quality finish! Alexis had been working so hard all over the pitch and he really deserved that goal. What a signing!

We had the Oilers rattled and had two choices: sit back and see out the game as best as we can, or attack for the third goal. Both are risky approaches and we all know what happened next.

We had one great opportunity to score the all important third goal – ‘two goal cushion goal’ – when good link up play by Welbeck, and fine combination play between Ozil and Jack let to the latter clipping a masterly ball over the now tired MC defence. Ramsey did well to anticipate it and beat the MC defence, but his finish lacked the control his fellow midfielders had been demonstrating earlier. Three moments of total quality were perhaps too much to ask.

MC were adamant that Jack handled the ball in the box before our attack, but if you look closely, you will see that Jack’s arm was tucked back by a MC player which then sprung it forward towards the ball. Never a handball. 🙂

Then came the near sucker punch. A simple corner, badly defended: a free header for Demichelis, followed by a ‘nearly safe’ by Szczesny, or even Flamini: 2-2. Our ecstasy levels dropped immediately and the emotional roller coaster was almost completed. Giving away the hard fought for lead so soon, just as we did against Leicester before the interlul, was a painful experience for all.

After that, we somehow held on for the draw as the Oilers smelled blood. The woodwork and an excellent low safe by Szczesny, both from goal efforts by Dzeko, saved us. At this stage our defence were pulled all over the place, as Citeh combined with menace and intent – attacking a lot better now that Dzeko had taken over the central attacking position from Aguero and Silva could move closer to our box.

A draw was a fair result in the end. Our midfielders and attackers worked hard to get us in front but our soft underbelly of a defence/DM unfortunately cost us once again. Debuchy’s horrible injury did not help, but I expected more organisation and leadership from our experienced CBs and DM in the latter stages.

There is little time to learn lessons from this truly fantastic, yet educational game, as Dortmund await tomorrow, which will be another top-level encounter for everyone involved.

But the two big positives are that Jack is starting the hit the form many of us knew he is capable of, and Alexis is the sort of all-round attacking player we have all been hoping for. On top of that, Welbeck had an encouraging start to his Arsenal career, and once Ozil and Rambo start to hit proper form we will do some serious damage to our opposition. Let’s hope this starts on Tuesday night.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Van Gaal is doing Welbeck a disservice

September 12, 2014September 12, 2014TotalArsenal

Van Gaal today (from BBC website): “He [Welbeck] played three seasons for the first team, but he doesn’t have the record of Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney. And that is the standard,” and “That is why we let him go, because of Falcao, but also to allow the youngsters to fit in. That is the policy. That is why I am here.”

Well, what is the gracious Dutchman comparing Welbeck against? Rooney is now 28 and Van Persie is 31. So surely, he should compare DW23’s current goal scoring record against the records of the mega-earners when they were 23.

	Welbeck	Van Persie	Rooney
Club PL games and goals scored when 23 (goals per game)	92-20 (0.22)	111-25 (0.23)	224-80 (0.36)
International goals scored after 28 games (goals per game)	28-10 (0.36)	28-9 (0.32)	28-11 (0.39)

So, compared to Rooney, Welbeck is well behind in terms of PL goals per game by the age of 23 (0.36 v 0.22), but not so far off in terms of goals per games in international matches (0.39 v 0.36); and I predict Welbeck to catch up with Rooney soon if he keeps getting starts for England. We all know that Rooney had an incredible successful start of his club career and that Welbeck has not been given the same first team exposure at a similar age. Nevertheless, it is fair to say Rooney performed better by the age of 23 than Welbeck does currently/ at the same age.

However, compared to Van Persie, Welbeck has nothing to be ashamed about. His PL tally is slightly worse, and his international record after 28 games is slightly better. They are even at the age of 23 and we know how the traitor developed subsequently: and this should offer encouragement for Welbeck.

All Welbeck needs is the confidence of the manager, patience and a good run of games – hence his sheer enthusiasm for coming to the home of football. Van Gaal needs instant success and is under a lot of pressure. Falcao is a proven goal scorer and I understand why he got him. But don’t put the boot into Welbeck with unfair statistics. It was a classless thing to do, and oh boy will Danny be motivated to proof him wrong, time and time again!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Has Cazorla been found out?

August 1, 2014August 1, 2014TotalArsenal

Maybe it is time to let Santi go

Santi Cazorla was a great signing two seasons ago. He hit the ground running and had a great first season in which he earned an incredible 10 MOMs (man of the match) performances, scored 12 goals and produced a juicy 11 assists in the Premier League. Santi added real value to the team all over the pitch, and many of us were very disappointed he had not made it to the PL team of the season in 2012-2013. He played in all 38 PL games, with 37 starts.

But his second season was significantly less impressive. He still managed to play in 31 PL games, with 30 starts, but it seemed that teams had figured out what Santi’s qualities are. For a start he was no longer allowed space, and especially time, to do his characteristic Santi ‘dances’ in front of the ‘D’: ‘shall I shoot with my right foot or shall I shoot with my left foot, or shall I shoot with my right foot, before eventually shooting with one of his feet’. In his first season he scored many a goal like that, but not any more so this season. He reminds me a lot of my dog Henry, as in when he keeps turning and twisting until he finds the right spot to do his, with glee anticipated, daily dumps. 🙂

The goals and assists have dried up in 2013-14: only four PL goals (a third of his total tally the year before), and eight assists (down three); and just three MOMs performances.

I must add, I really got the hump with Santi when I watched him at the home of football against Swansea. We had just been humiliated by the Chavs and we needed a performance by the team; and it was up to the likes of Cazorla to pull the team through. He had a very disappointing, laboured performance and I came to realise he is not one to carry our team forward when the ships are down (although he was not the only one who disappointed, it is fair to say). Most subsequent performances were not very inspiring either.

On top of that, Santi never hit the heights in the CL, with 13 appearances in two seasons but no goals and just one assist. In four months he will be thirty and with the arrival of Sanchez, and Theo’s return not far away either, plus space needed for Ox, Gnabry, Rosicky and one or two youngsters, it might be a good idea to let Santi go this summer. I cannot imagine him wanting to be on the bench a lot, where he could still add value to the team with 20-30 minutes cameos; and we can still get a decent amount of money for him now.

Of course he could still have a fabulous third season, but I would not be too sorry to see him go, as I believe he has not got enough qualities to get back to his excellent 2012-13 performances and impressive key stats.

But what do you think, fine fellow Gooners: should we let him go or keep at all cost? 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Posts come out at random times: if you want to know straight-away when a new post has been issued you can subscribe to a free email service (see right hand side of the blog). Bergkampesque is an inclusive blog and new bloggers are always welcome as long as comments are decent and constructive. 🙂

Terrorist Winger, Holding Striker or DM’s Wingman: Will this Gunner Finally Break Through?!

July 27, 2014July 27, 2014TotalArsenal

Arsene’s Arsenal War Episode IV – A New Hope!

Since TA’s post about squad rotation and preferred line-ups I’ve been off in dream land at how I want to see Arsenal playing. Basically I would love to see a return to proper counter-attacking football – moving the ball up the pitch in seconds, killing teams off with speed and precision like in the early days of Wenger’s reign.

Before the World Cup, I remember posting a comment on this blog about how brilliant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was looking and how he could be one of the key players to England’s strategy at the World Cup – from Roy Hodgson’s comments in the aftermath of the assault on AOC in the second Stateside friendly it seems I wasn’t the only one to have that idea. I was excited by his pace and control on the ball and was disappointed for him personally that he wouldn’t get to play at a World Cup.

The Ox: ready for a Rambo-style breakthrough season?

Having said that, it could end up being my favourite injury ever, and one of the best for his career as he will be fresher than any other WC squad members for the coming season. I believe/hope he can be used in a different way to last season, capitalising on the addition of the world class Alexis and the semi-imminent return to fitness of the former fastest footballer in the world (second now to Arjen Robben), Theo Walcott. If used to an effect pertinent to the situation at hand, I think his versatility can be a major weapon for the team now and in the future.

Let’s look at ways he could be deployed:

1. Terrorist winger. Ox is quick on the ball, can wriggle out of tight situations better than most without relying on his pace, is strong, and isn’t afraid to run at defenders; but at the same time, he generally makes good decisions about what to do with the ball. That decision making will become more refined with experience too. Maybe I’m expecting too much of him but as I’ve commented on a previous post, I envisage something similar to what Thierry Henry used to do to defenders.

2. Holding striker. His strength can help make this happen. Ok, he’s not as tall as Giroud but once he has the ball he can keep hold of it, hold defenders off and wait to link up with advancing team-mates. His awareness and ability to beat defenders will also add to his menace in these situations, as they won’t be able to get too tight on him in case he beats them, which will push the defensive line back and leave more space for our attackers.

3. In time, if Wenger follows up on his comment about Ox being able to eventually play in the middle: designated DM’s wingman. If we have a designated DM in the pivot Ox will have the freedom to roam forward and link up with the four front men. Using attributes already discussed, he can make defences nervous, making judicious runs into the box, passing or carrying the ball out of tight spots, drawing defenders to him and creating space and opportunities for team mates.

In general approach, I favour giving Theo his wish up front and having Ox, Oz and Sanchez behind him. My reasoning is that Theo is becoming acceptably reliable in front of goal (and more clinical than OG) and practice can only make more and more perfect. Whilst Theo would not be able to hold the ball up, the pace we now have in Alexis, Theo and Ox would mean that this would not be such a crucial skill for our front man to have…even if they couldn’t carve out an opportunity immediately, they can keep the ball between themselves for the few seconds until Oz, Rambo, Debuchy and Gibbs get there.

If counter-attacking wasn’t working (as it wouldn’t against Mourinho and his anti-football) and Giroud wasn’t on the field, Ox could then adopt role 2 from my list, and even interchange reasonably freely with Theo anyway, since Theo is used to a role on the right. It would all add to a sense of unpredictability to unsettle defenders.

Role 3 may come in time; he wouldn’t be ready for it now I don’t think – and Ramsey is everyone’s first choice for the kind of role I would like to see him playing if Wenger does move him into the middle eventually, but he could certainly learn to be a superb covering option for that position.

Wenger doesn’t pigeon-hole people and he plays to their strengths, so I think Wenger will use Ox’s versatility to the advantage of the team (including keeping Alex happy with the roles he is asked to assume).

The way I see it, the kind of football we now have the squad to play this season is really an evolution of the 4-4-2 we played in the late 90s – and they are among my fondest memories of Arsenal. I’m excited about the squad we currently have and Wenger’s decisiveness so far this summer. It suggests to me that despite all indications to the contrary since 2006, he knows exactly how he wants the team playing and he can now go and get the players he doesn’t already have to make that happen. I don’t really think there is a lot of room for improvement, although I would love to see a SQ DM come in. I think our attacking options are much more multi-dimensional than they have ever been for as long as I’ve been a Gooner.

It is Wenger’s time to go for the jugular. I’m hopeful of a glorious twilight to his Arsenal career.

How do the tactically astute see it? Am I expecting too much of the boy Oxlade-Chamberlain? Do I think too highly of him? Am I expecting too much of Wenger? Am I being wildly tactically naive? If we played the way I’ve outlined above next season (with a theoretically rock-solid back 6), will it be enough to give us a shot at the title?

On a personal note, I’m looking forward to taking my three-year-old to his first Arsenal game at the Emirates Cup on Saturday so if you’re going too, no swearing please… 🙂

Written by: Jozefos2013

2013-14 Arsenal BUMPER Season Re-Cap – Don’t Miss it!

May 24, 2014TotalArsenal

Opportunity Squandered or Progress Made?

With the FA Cup victory almost a week old it seems time to ask these and other questions about the season just completed. Pardon the length of this post and the lack of bullet points to guide those who might not want to read it all. I’m still buzzing from the lifting of the FA Cup even if it was a faith-testing, come-from-behind experience on the day. One for the (positive) memory banks, too…

But that’s just the final match of the season. How do Gooners feel about the season as a whole?

In my opinion this past season presented a real opportunity with managerial changes at Chelsea and both Manchester clubs, as well as a recalibration with our neighbors to the immediate North, who had pushed us in recent years for our Champions League place. (Spurs were losing their best player, but they were also spending the money from his sale even before it was finalized.) As such, nobody could quite be sure WHAT was going to happen. We had to expect that all these teams would be strong but we also hoped that Arsenal would be in the mix.

Of course, with the summer winding down, the press (and management) blaring on about our “money to spend” and only a young player (Sanogo) in on a free transfer, it was all up in the air as the season kicked off. Luckily it was an easy one on a sunny August day. LOL. When that match ended, in a 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa, it appeared even the air was gone. Certainly, any momentum or positivity from our strong finish the year before eroded in an immediate tidal wave of dissatisfaction and doom. The ship was righted somewhat, with convincing wins in the CL qualifiers, and another free signing of a guy we knew had quality (Flamini), and in a gutty home win vs Spurs, practically on the eve of the transfer deadline. The really big move, bringing in Mesut Ozil in a transfer deal more than doubling our previous record came the next day making the first break for internationals more than bearable.

Since then we’ve seen so much. In the Autumn we dominated our (not so difficult) early season league schedule, made it through “the group of death” (with both some stunning and naive performances) in the Champions league and watched a few players, notably Aaron Ramsey, make some marked improvements. Ozil brought a certain level of pace and precision to our game which augured well. Unlike in previous years, we weathered the early storm and found ourselves top of the table as others had much slower starts.

As the “darker days” of Late Autumn and Winter came, we suffered some set-backs, going out meekly in the league cup in our stadium and losing to a very disjointed Manchester United team. We also suffered our first “big loss” to a title rival, a 6-3 defeat at Manchester City which shook confidence. The congested “Festive Period,” saw us regroup with a solid home nil-nil in ugly weather against even uglier (and very cynical) Chelsea team. From there, even though we were winning our matches, we lost key players Theo Walcott to a season ending knee injury (after having already missed a couple of months due to another surgery) and Ramsey to a muscle problem.

Those two injuries would prove crucial, the latter because it was supposed to be short term but went on and on, and the former because he was not replaced in the January transfer window. “Internal” attacking solutions–Poldolski, Sanago and Bendtner, though offering a measure of promise, never truly brought what Theo might have in the biggest matches and most critical moments. At least we never suffered (much feared) injury to our big man up front, even if his off-field antics hit the press at the very worst of times.

For a big player, who relies on power and has far too many head in hands moments, we still wouldn’t have guessed that Olivier Giroud’s worst would come when he was exposed in a very different manner. The underwear shot (a photo tweeted by a woman who was not his wife) proved nothing, argued Ollie, but many would say the same about some of the shots he takes on the pitch. That its release coincided with our first period of brutal fixture congestion (Sanogo started critical FA Cup and Champions League matches) made it far less comical.

Still, we got through against Liverpool (who, earlier at Anfield, had handed us perhaps our worst defeat of the season, a 5-1 loss which featured 4 goals conceded in twenty minutes) and we looked bright early vs Bayern Munich. Ozil’s penalty miss and having to play with 10 men (after Szczesny was lured into fouling the floppiest bald man in the world, Arjen Robben) was a killer. Losing two-nil and knowing that the holders would not make the same mistake two years in a row in the return leg, was another crushing blow.

Additionally, Ozil’s miss created a firestorm of bad press for the record signing. Manager Arsene Wenger attempts to rest him–vs Sunderland, but more critically at Stoke City–backfired, when, in his absence, our offense stuttered and we lost the latter match. Ironically, in the 2nd leg at Bayern we would lose Ozil to a hamstring injury suffered 2 minutes in and likely made worse by soldiering on through the entire first half. Although we had advanced to the FA Cup semis (and then had the great fortune of seeing Wigan defeat Manchester City after we had drawn the winner), our league chances, given all the injuries, seemed tenuous at best. We got past Spurs at White Hart Lane, holding a 1-nil lead (secured by a Rosicky belter) for 90 minutes.

But then, in Wenger’s 1000th match at the club, our title hopes were crushed in a 6-nil defeat to Chelsea. Beyond the horror scoreline and the comedy element (Kieran Gibbs was sent off for Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain’s early handball on the goal line–on a shot going wide!?!), we also lost another player to injury: our best defender, Laurent Koscielny.

The injuries and the psychological devastation of the Chelsea match (on top of the other away losses on big scorelines) led to consecutive home draws against Swansea City and Manchester City. By this time, our squad was a shadow of itself, both in confidence and available, match-fit, personnel. In a final blow, we traveled to Everton, got soundly beaten there and dropped below them and out of the Champions League places.

Many Gooners were calling for the head of Arsene Wenger, who noted (in a French interview) that with all the injuries, his team was “only average.” With Kim Kallstrom as our only January signing, on loan from a Russian club, and having made only a minimal contribution due to fitness issues of his own, there was plenty of hindsight, most of which put the manager squarely in the cross-hairs.

Luckily, at that point, the schedule got easier and this “average” team did enough to win their remaining matches. At first it wasn’t pretty, with the darkest moment coming at Wembley, as we came within 10 minutes of being eliminated by Wigan in the FA Cup semi, before beating them in a penalty shootout. From there, we secured 4th place with relative ease as Everton struggled with a far more difficult schedule. In fact, we ended up 7 points clear of them, the exact number we finished behind eventual league champions, Manchester City, who couldn’t beat Liverpool at Anfield. Unfortunately for them, ‘Pool couldn’t contain Chelsea in their home ground nor hold a 3 nil lead at Crystal Palace, and, in essence, handed the title back to the Sheik and his Citizens. All we could do, however, was win our remaining matches and watch from the sidelines of the mathematically eliminated…

It all culminated in the FA Cup final, a microcosm of both our frailties and our strengths. Playing a goal-keeper (Fabianski) and a defender (Sagna) who were winding their contracts down in order to seek greener pastures, we started in a stupor and fell behind by 2 goals, only avoiding a 3rd, when wisely placed Kieran Gibbs used his head in another manner to clear a looping attempt which had Fabianski well beaten. Fortunately, the smallest player (with the biggest heart?…) Santi Cazorla took the team forward, won a foul and converted the resulting free kick. The comeback was on. Goals by Koscielny (risking injury as he scored it) and Ramsey, the season’s most stunningly improved player (and perhaps its best?), and we (finally) have our trophy. The joy amongst the team, the manager and the Gooners who had all stayed the course was fantastic.

Now what? How do we kick onwards and upwards?

In my opinion, despite the struggles of the season (cheers for actually reading the synopsis for those who did…) we have much we can take from it. There is great potential in the squad up and down the pitch. Moreover, as a team, we have shown a certain level of resolve and focus. The clean sheets and solid results against the lesser teams were the best in England. Obviously, we had huge stumbles, especially in away matches to the other top teams. Still, the “team,” at its core, is as solid as I’ve seen it for years with more upside than down. We did not, again, in my opinion, “over-perform” this season and thus, if the spirit stays intact, we should improve. Of course, our rivals will be trying to do likewise but that’s another matter entirely. While I believe our greatest asset is our work as a unit, it being the close-season with the torture, er, transfer window unofficially open, an examination of the current squad, position by position is in order.

Keeper: Wojciech Szczesny gained another season of experience and showed great focus to compile the incredible statistic of 20 clean sheets in all competitions (22, if you include the two CL qualifiers). Yes, he still makes mistakes with the Red Card + Penalties vs Villa and Bayern standing out. Nonetheless he commands his area well and makes most of the saves you would expect him to make. He may well have benefitted from the consistent push of his countryman, Lukas Fabianski, whose contributions in the FA cup run were nothing short of outstanding, even if he might be somewhat faulted for the leakiness early (and the moment of insanity late on) in the final. While I would love to retain him as a more than capable #2, I don’t begrudge his decision to seek first team football elsewhere. Of course, he will need to be replaced. We should be able to afford an older, very experienced keeper who might be happy to help Szczesney on the finer points of his game while being more than ready to deputize if necessary. Damien Martinez, as our youth team keeper has perhaps shown enough to deserve promotion to the first team as our 3rd choice?

Defence: Obviously, losing Bacary Sagna will be a major blow. What a professional and what a servant to the club. Additionally, he essentially held down two positions. As such, we will need to buy (or promote) at least two players to replace him. Players like him simply cannot be replaced in a like for like fashion. A senior right back seems essential unless we really trust Carl Jenkinson and/or Hector Bellerin. Additionally our style of play will need to change given that Sagna was such an accomplished header of the ball. It could, however, be an opportunity for a pacy player of great stamina, one who can get forward on offense and circle around the tall (but not so mobile) presence of Mertesacker at the defensive end. In many ways, I think, replacing Sagna sucessfully will be one of our greatest challenges but also one of greatest opportunities. Given Wenger’s desire to have as many “footballers” in the squad, the huge hole Sagna will leave could actually be seen as a chance for several players to make their mark.

Central defense is as solid as it’s been in years. The partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny is the best in the league. The back up of Captain Vermaelen is troublesome, but also reassuring, given that so many of us thought he was the best defender on the team just a couple of years ago. Injury problems have hurt him, but he’s been a model professional. That he can also play left back, where our first options have injury issues of their own, makes him even more valuable. Still, I expect him to be the subject of endless transfer speculation and he might be one leaving the club. A younger, more speculative prospect, especially one who has played a bit as a defensive midfielder, might also be seen as a positive change.

Kieran Gibbs, when he’s not hurt (or being sent off for another player’s handball…) seems firmly established as our first choice left back. He’s got great pace and athletic ability and his defensive positioning and offensive contributions are improving over time. He seems one who, if he could have a full season injury free–and this season was closer in that regard–might really take a major step up in quality. Ignacio “Nacho” Monreal, who is perhaps more comfortable on the ball than Gibbs, is an able back-up. At times, Nacho appears a bit lacking athletically (in comparison to the “sneaky” athleticism Gibbs possesses) but also has some sly moves. I particularly admire his high-angle pull backs when he drives forward, but think he might need to put away his full turns (away from the attacker and the ball) at the defensive end as they (sometimes) leave him trailing his man and badly out of position. If we can retain Vermaelen, who brings real defensive stoutness (but is not as much as a typical touch line runner going forward) this position seems very well covered.

Midfield: This is our obvious strength–an embarrassment of riches to the point of begging the question of how we keep everybody happy. There is also a question about our ability to use our possession game to protect our back line, i.e., is there trouble at the back? Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Wilshere, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain (or is he a forward?) Arteta, Flamini, Diaby. Wow, it’s a mouth-watering bunch of names, but it’s also a group which had more than its share of injury troubles. Additionally, the guys we assume would lay back and protect our defensive line are not getting any younger.

Many feel that we need reinforcement at “defensive midfielder” and I would agree. However, I also think that Wenger doesn’t look at it this way and wants his deeper lying mids to bring great skill and composure on the ball, rather than act as the prototypical “beast” many desire. Mikel Arteta’s physical limitations will only become more glaring as age does its inevitable thing. Still, trying to replace or complement him with a more physical presence, if he doesn’t bring similar on-the-ball skills, can be a double edged sword. The initial contributions of Flamini (especially his vocal organization of the players in front of him) seemed very welcome, but the loose tackles hurt us as the season wore on and he never seemed the sort of player who could keep things “ticking over.” Abou Diaby has the height and (as I recall) the ball skills to be a great contributor in this part of the pitch, but even discussing him, given his injury record, seems as thinly naive as his ankles. As such I would expect every deep-lying mid in world football to be linked with a move to Arsenal this Summer, though I would also suspect that this is an area where Wenger might gamble on players staying fit, performing above expectation or (even) slotting in a player who is more nominally a defender.

He could also do likewise by (nominally) moving players back. Wilshere, Ramsey and Oxlade Chamberlain have all taken turns, usually alongside Arteta, in what some observers label a double pivot. Again, I don’t think Wenger views it in this manner, and would prefer a group of 5 midfielders (3 central, 2 who start on the touchlines as wingers) changing position freely and covering spaces for one another. In moments when it works, it positively buzzes. It can, however, lead to periods where we struggle against deeper lying teams and leave ourselves open to trouble on the break (and those freak scorelines against the better teams). Ball retention, i.e., possession and pace of play are everything in Wenger’s approach and a stable group (fewer injuries) seems essential. Overall, however, the players we have, I believe, perhaps with the exception of Arteta and Rosicky, are ALL poised to have more productive seasons. Wilshere, Ozil and Ramsey looked very good but also had injury issues and trouble in the biggest matches. I expect their output (assists and goals) to increase. Santi Cazorla, expected by many to step into the #10 spot and make up for the output of those three, was a disappointment to many, but I see him as a guy whose true genius sparkles in filling the holes (on the pitch rather than the team-sheet). With his range of passes (and shots) he needs teammates occupying defenders because he’s simply too small (and lacks that real burst of acceleration) to get away on his own. I may have too much faith in the little Spaniard, who is also approaching the big 3-0, but I think his output (goals and assists) could go up the most of any of our midfielders.

Attack: obviously, this is an area of worry but also one of some serious promise. Losing Theo Walcott was a massive blow as many expected him to kick on from his previous (and best) season with a 20 goal (or more) contribution. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with maybe a touch less pace (but a lot more touch…) is also an extremely promising player who can be very direct and loves attacking the box. Both guys, if they can just get a bit calmer in their finishing could go from (near) zero to (super) hero. Serge Gnabry also appears to have a real eye for goal and a desire to work on his complete game and is still only 18 (!) We should expect greater contribution from him as well.

This past season, however, Olivier Giroud had to carry the load. He did quite well, especially against the lesser clubs racking up impressive numbers (22 goals) and showing a tireless ability to wear down defenders (in opposition to his annoying time-wasting antics feigning injury on the turf). His younger French counterpart, Yaya Sanogo, also contributed, in a somewhat similar manner, even if he has (still) yet to score his first Arsenal goal. Size matters in English football and those guys are targets at set pieces. Not quite as big (unless you count his smile…), Lucas Poldolski brings so much experience and one of the most powerful left boots in world football but remains a puzzle. When he scores he’s brilliant, but he also looks out of place as a total footballer. He seems to enjoy drifting deeper and helping out with the possession work, but also appears a step slow in that part of the pitch. Closer in, his striker instincts (to shoot or cross) seem positive but not always in-sync with his teammates. Is it a lack of pace or on the ball skills or just too much time playing in a slower paced setting? Regardless, he’s on a massive salary so, unless he makes a (surprise) splash for the Germans in Brazil and attracts some transfer interest, I would expect the enigma to continue next season at Arsenal.

World Cup

So that is my summation of the squad and what I perceive as the potential for the season ahead. Who am I missing? Also, speaking of Brazil: we got a world cup to enjoy. As a neutral I enjoy watching Arsenal players contribute and seeing who can and cannot handle the immense pressure of the situation, even if, in my opinion, the game is slower and (until the final rounds at least) generally at a lower level than the club game. Compared to most of the top English teams we are not sending too many players who will play major minutes but, with our “vast” reserves of money to spend, ANY player who does well at the tournament will surely be linked with a move to our club. In that way, if you have the right attitude, it could be fun to watch.

Arsene Wenger

But, of course, I’ve been accused of having a bad attitude. In truth, I believe that Arsenal supporters are suffering more than a bit of an existential crisis and are overly divided into deeply entrenched camps, which brings me down immensely. Right now, on the back of the FA Cup win–and the ease with which we clinched Champions League football, support has swung back towards Arsene Wenger continuing as manager. Latest reports suggest he will sign a 3 year deal at 8 million pounds per year–essentially the same salary as our highest paid player (Ozil). I believe the manager, while not always correct in every decision, is one of the great stories and maybe the greatest asset the club possesses (and, as such, deserves this new contract). Many, however, disagree, or, at least, have tired of him as the face of the club and desire change. But that’s an entirely different issue and one which we might discuss in more detail as the Summer wears on. Unfortunately, due to his immense presence, our stance on the manager clouds ALL discussions about the club. My hope is that we can trust in him (as we would with ANY manager) while realizing he’s human and appreciating that he has linked his personal legacy to that of the club. It’s probably too much to ask, so, if (god forbid) we actually lose a match (we didn’t, in the league, at least, a decade ago–i.e., he made his own high standards)…it’s “Wenger Out” all over again. It’s a pressure that’s (probably) too hard to bear, and one which, frankly I could live without. Still, the times being what they are (the 24 hour “blame” cycle of the internet…) somebody must do the job. At least Wenger seems willing to bear it, so I salute him.

Your views

OK, enough said. What do you guys think? Are we poised to kick on (and up)? Can we expect improvement from a majority of squad members? Who do you think might REALLY kick on? (As opposed to the more typical, who must we REALLY replace?…) Is the future so bright that we need to wear shades or is it so grim that we need to draw the shades (or curtains) and hide? Many will be focused on the transfer market and all the links that come with our status as a “big club” (with money). Others might lament that we (still) can’t hold onto our best players even if they’re on the older side (Sagna). Where do you come down? Is this a Summer of appreciation and hope or dissatisfaction and despair?…

Written by: 17highburyterrace

The One Striker that Arsenal Need

April 24, 2014April 24, 2014TotalArsenal

As most of you are well aware, I am not Olivier Giroud’s biggest supporter. However, as much as I harp on his shortcomings, he maximizes the abilities he does have to consistently put forth his best effort for the club – you simply cannot fault a player for that. Giroud also provides us with an alternative to our attack when we are struggling holding onto possession, often acting as a safety valve for our players to punt the ball in the air to. He allows others to join the attack with his hold up play and he is a constant threat on set pieces, while also providing the occasional exquisite one touch pass around the opponent’s 18-yard box. Giroud is also frequently seen tracking back and putting in an honest effort on the defensive side of the pitch, which can be rare for a lot of strikers.

More importantly, as Total Arsenal has pointed out on several occasions, Giroud allows Arsenal to continue to play a “team game”. He is generally unselfish and contributes to the team effort, which is a stark contrast to the guy with the “little boy inside of him” before him. What requires further consideration then, is to recommend strikers that would still be able to contribute to a “team game”.

However, what Giroud lacks is pace, the technical ability to drift wide and interchange with our wingers and prolific finishing ability. In general, his finishing could be improved upon, but what stands out is the fact that he has failed to register either a goal or an assist against the top clubs this season (I consider domestic top clubs to be Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, us and Everton this season). I’m not advocating for us to sell Giroud off, as I believe he is a valuable asset for this club and a perfect back-up striker/one to play against the more physical teams; I’m calling for Arsene to finally bring in the reinforcements up top to propel us to new heights.

The following are a list of players we have been linked to that Arsene could move for during this summer. They have been separated into three different bins, based on various factors, such as affordability, EPL credentials, potential etc. There are several more strikers that have been linked to Arsenal; however, in the interest of time, I have decided to focus on the more realistic options that could actually bring us to the next level.

The less affordable and international suspects. This category of striker would definitely replace Giroud from the starting line-up and likely would not be within a reasonable price range for Arsenal:

Jackson Martinez, ST, FC Porto

Rumoured transfer fee: £34 million

League Statistics: 19 goals and 0 assists in 27 Portuguese Liga starts and 1 sub appearance.

Strengths – Power, height, aerial ability, aggression, skill, flair, pace, vision, intelligent movements and clinical finishing ability – Jackson Martinez is simply the complete striker. He scored at pace greater than a goal per game in his first season at FC Porto, but unfortunately has taken a step back this year due to the loss of both Moutinho and James Rodriguez last summer.

Don’t believe me that he’s the complete striker? Just watch for yourself:

Weaknesses – High buy-out clause aside, the only knock on Jackson is that he’s not EPL tested. Critics may argue that Jackson has only dominated in lesser leagues, but his goal tally of 5 goals in 14 Champions League games says otherwise. While the statistics of 5 goals in 14 starts is not jaw dropping, one must consider these goals came against the best clubs in the world, and two were against Atletico Madrid and PSG.

Verdict: Uncertain. It remains to be seen if Arsene would shell out this kind of money on a striker when there are several positional areas that need upgrading this summer. However, based on availability, Jackson is likely the top option this summer, considering that Diego Costa is rumoured to be on his way to Chelsea and Lewandowski signed a pre-contract agreement with Bayern.

Mario Mandzukic

Rumoured transfer fee: £20 million

League Statistics: 18 goals and 4 assists in 20 Bundesliga starts and 8 sub appearances.

Strengths – Mandzukic is one of the most underappreciated strikers in the world right now. Due to Pep’s infatuation/stubbornness of playing without a traditional striker, he has been criminally underused both tactically and in playing time. He lacks the pace and flair of Jackson, but he’s stronger than him, as well as slightly faster, stronger and more skilled than Giroud. Mandzukic frequently contributes to the defensive side of the game and plays the game with a certain level of determination that is contagious. His aerial ability is second to none and he’s very comfortable in his hold-up play or drifting wide to set others up. With goals against most of the best clubs in the world, there’s no questioning his ability to score in big games either.

Weaknesses – As identified earlier, Mandzukic lacks pace. He would also directly replace Giroud from the starting line-up, without providing a substantial difference in terms of playing style (just slight improvements in several areas). It also remains to be seen if he can replicate his goal scoring form outside of arguably the best club in the world.

Verdict: Pass. Despite only being a slight improvement on Giroud in terms of what he brings to the game, his finishing ability is what separates him from our current crop of strikers. The price tag is affordable, but a departure is only likely if the player requests it for more playing time; Bayern has no other reason to sell.

Karim Benzema, ST, Real Madrid

Rumoured transfer fee: £25 million

League Statistics: 17 goals and 8 assists in 31 La Liga3 starts and 1 sub appearance.

Strengths – Probably the most Arsenal-esque striker in the world, he would likely be Arsene’s top choice if he were to become available at a cut-price fee due to Real Madrid’s interest in bringing either Suarez or Aguero to the Bernabeu. He’s scored against every top club and his skill would likely set the EPL ablaze. Benzema’s pace, flair, creativity, vision, finishing, power and movement are superb and he would fit seamlessly into our starting 11. His game also complements Giroud, but it’s unlikely that Arsene would play with two strikers upfront, given the plethora of talented midfielders at his disposal.

Weaknesses – For all his strengths, Benzema lacks aerial ability and his skill and pace mean that he sometimes drifts out wide to create an interchangeable front three. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to remember that our plan B of long balls (which we shouldn’t be doing in the first place) would no longer be as viable of an option. It could also bring unhealthy competition to both club and country, as both Giroud and Benzema are battling for the starting striker’s role on both fronts.

Verdict: Pass. Undoubtedly the most naturally talented striker on this list, it’s easy to forget that Benzema is still only 26 years old. He’s also the most proven striker on this entire list and he would have instant chemistry with Ozil. The fact that he offers something entirely different to Giroud is a big bonus and it would give us the flexibility to play with two up front or rotate if need be.

The less affordable and EPL tested suspects. This category of striker would likely replace Giroud from the starting line-up, but may not be within a reasonable price range for Arsenal:

Christian Benteke, ST, Aston Villa

Rumoured transfer fee: £21 million

League Statistics: 10 goals and 2 assists in 24 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances.

Strengths – Prior to his Achilles tendon injury, Benteke would have likely been my top candidate to lead Arsenal’s line next season. At only 23 years old and with a confessed love for the club, a relatively affordable price tag, a proven track record of goals in the EPL, in addition to a blend of power, pace and skill not typically seen from a striker, it’s easy to see why. He’s also a fairly levelheaded individual that would respect the requirements of contributing to a “team game”.

Weaknesses – After a brilliant start to his career with Aston Villa last term, he struggled to replicate that form this season due to injury. He may be unavailable until at least October and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be the same player prior to his injury. Benteke also handed in a transfer request after his first season with Aston Villa, which could be a red flag if he ends up producing at Arsenal and looks to make a move to yet another bigger club.

Verdict: Uncertain. Despite his injuries from this past season, Arsenal may need to eventually gamble to elevate their status as title pretenders to actual contenders. Whatever you might want to believe, Arsenal is not exactly a top destination for the cream of the crop currently; we may need to buy a striker like Benteke to drive us to a title before re-establishing ourselves in that upper echelon. His value may have also dropped after the combination of injury and not being able to replicate his form from 2012-13.

Romelu Lukaku, ST, Chelsea

Rumoured transfer fee: £25 million

League Statistics: 13 goals and 6 assists in 26 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances

Strengths – Basically a clone of Benteke/Drogba, Lukaku has the pace, power, skill and finishing ability to really bring Arsenal back into the upper echelon of clubs. He’s younger than Benteke, which is another added benefit and also has a relatively injury-free track record. No matter what club he is at, he just wants playing time and loves the game.

Weaknesses – Chelsea are unlikely to sell Lukaku to a domestic club, let alone a direct top four EPL rival. That aside, Lukaku still strikes me as a bit of a mercenary, and I could see him leaving after a season or two for the likes of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City or even back to Chelsea!

Verdict: Fail. It’s highly unlikely that Chelsea will sell him to Arsenal, so we can likely forget about this one.

The affordable and EPL tested suspects. This category of striker would not necessitate replacing Giroud from the starting line-up, but would instead provide us with more rotation and greater versatility:

Loic Remy, ST/W, Newcastle (On Loan from QPR)

Rumoured transfer fee: £10 million

League Statistics: 13 goals and 2 assists in 22 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances

Strengths – Remy has pace and dribbling skills to burn, the benefit of being EPL tested, can score from distance and play on the wing if need be. He has scored 2 goals against top clubs in Chelsea and Everton this season in 5 appearances against such opposition. He comes at an affordable price relative to his production and is thus a viable option for a relatively conservative club that likely has bigger areas of need to address this summer.

Weaknesses – Remy has a fairly extensive injury history that has prevented him from ever fully reaching his potential. What Arsenal would gain in pace, dribbling and the odd screamer from distance, we would lose in hold up play, strength and aerial ability. Remy would basically be an improved Theo at striker, in terms of offering better positional awareness and slightly less reliant on his speed and movement to score goals.

Verdict: Fail. With all the injuries we have accumulated over the years, adding another injury-prone player is probably the last thing Arsenal needs, despite his versatility and promising track record with scoring goals in the EPL.

Demba Ba, ST, Chelsea

Rumoured transfer fee: £8 million

League Statistics: 4 goals and 1 assist in 3 EPL starts and 14 sub appearances

Strengths – Ba’s statistics will not jump out at anyone, but this has more to do with Mourinho’s confidence in his abilities as a striker than with his actual abilities. He would add depth at an affordable price to Arsenal’s attack and has more pace than Giroud. He would add the bare minimum component of versatility and depth to our attack options, while still having the ability and will to play a “team game”. Finally, he is fairly durable and would be able to stay healthy, which is highly important.

Weaknesses – Ba has never been a top striker, but merely an effective one that was capable of scoring 10-15 goals a season. He doesn’t have one particular attribute that stands out and instead, is the type of player who does many things relatively well. Playing time notwithstanding, Ba has struggled to prove that he should be a starter at a top club in Chelsea, which may or may not be worrisome for Arsenal.

Verdict: Uncertain. Depending on what other options are available out there, Ba should not be our first priority. For a club with EPL and Champions League title aspirations, Arsenal should certainly be looking to aim higher. Ba is a capable last resort if nothing else is feasible though.

Danny Welbeck, ST, Manchester United

Rumoured transfer fee: £13 million

League Statistics: 9 goals and 1 assist in 13 EPL starts and 9 sub appearances

Strengths – You may not know this, but Welbeck has been the third most clinical striker in the EPL this season with a conversion rate of 31%. However, he has been limited in his opportunities as a striker and has been played in a variety of positions, such as CAM, LW and RW. He offers good pace, movement, creativity and honours his defensive responsibility – in 2013, Welbeck created a clear cut chance for his teammates every 276 minutes and made a tackle every 39 minutes (Statistics all courtesy of eplindex.com). He would be a great fit in Arsene’s expectation of a “team game” and his skill set would complement that of Giroud’s.

Weaknesses – Is it a lack of opportunity playing with van Persie and Rooney or a testament of his ability that he has struggled to find consistent minutes at striker? Van Persie has endured an injury riddled season and yet Welbeck has still not been able to cement regular playing time at ST, unless Rooney has also been injured. Prior to this season, he also struggled with his composure in the final third, but his conversion rate this season suggests otherwise.

Verdict: Tentative Pass. He could turn out to be the next Sturridge (a great scorer without ample opportunity at his current club) or he could truly turn out to be surplus to requirements at a 7^th place club. Still, Welbeck is young enough to warrant taking a gamble on him since the transfer fee is reasonable. BUT, he should be nothing more than a back-up option if things do not pan out with other strikers with a more proven goal scoring history.

Edin Dzeko, ST, Manchester City

Rumoured transfer fee: £15 million

League Statistics: 11 goals and 1 assist in 19 EPL starts and 8 sub appearances

Strengths – With occasional goals against tough opponents throughout Dzeko’s career, there is some evidence that he can score in big games. He also understands the perseverance and drive it takes to win titles (EPL and Bundesliga), is EPL tested and has the physicality, power and skill to thrive in place of Giroud. Dzeko is in the last year of his contract and has apparently been told by Manchester City management that he is free to leave the club this summer. At £15 million, he is likely the best EPL option that Arsenal can afford this summer, while still contributing to a “team game”, without tying up sacrificing transfer funds elsewhere.

Weaknesses – Despite scoring some goals against top clubs, Dzeko is not a striker that can score at will. This is accurately reflected in his price and if Arsenal bought him, he should not be expected to be our savior/van Judas replacement. He’s failed to out compete the likes of Negredo and Aguero for a starting berth at Manchester City, so Arsenal will have to hope this is attributed to a lack of opportunity and not a testament to his ability (similar to Sturridge when Liverpool bought him from Chelsea).

Verdict: Pass. Again, depending on what other options are available out there, Dzeko should not be our first priority. However, Arsenal could do much worse than buying Dzeko, especially if we can buy a top box-to-box midfielder to play alongside Ramsey this summer. He would be hungry to prove to his former club that they made a mistake in letting him go and would be provided with the opportunity to do so at Arsenal. Never underestimate the ability of a departed player looking for redemption.

Written By: Highbury Harmony

Bayern – Arsenal Predicted Line Up: Will Wenger Surprise Us Again?

March 10, 2014March 11, 2014TotalArsenal

Tomorrow night, in the futuristic, brand new Allianz Arena, Arsenal will play a ‘nothing to lose’ Champions League game against the reigning European Champions. Anything can happen tomorrow: from a drab goalless draw, to 120 minutes of spectacular football followed by a nail-biting penalty shootout; from a glorious aggregate win over Die Lederhosen to a very heavy defeat. I cannot predict the outcome but have no doubt that Wenger will field his strongest team, with a strategy to win whilst playing football as it should be played.

So, no parking of the London double bus as the London Oilers once did, but also no kamikaze approach. Getting the balance right is key and Bayern might not give us much chance to play our game anyway; as, especially under Guardiola, they like to dominate teams and suck the lifeblood out of them. They will want to do the same to Arsenal but let’s pump some lead into them instead.

So let’s cut to the chase: how should we line up to give ourselves the best possible chance?

Four things are vital:

Solid approach to defending as a team: especially the two players in the DM pivot and our mid-wingers are key and need to be picked with defending duties and qualities in mind;
Possession of the ball will be key and we need players who can pass and hold on to the ball in confined spaces as good as possible;
We need players who are able to add thrust and speed to our attack; especially our midfielders need to possess these skills;
We need leadership and composure and, of course, passion.

Gibbs is not available and neither is Nacho, and realistically, we have two options: Vermaelen or Sagna (Jenkinson to be our left back). I have a feeling Wenger will go for Vermaelen this time as he will need Sagna on the left to keep Ribery quiet. Vermaelen needs support though, and we will play either Cazorla or Rosicky as our mid-left. I have a feeling it will be Rosicky.

FlamTeta in the DM pivot again? Yes, I reckon that would make sense. The area in front of our D will be most important for keeping it tight and both Arteta and Flamini will have to give their all to keep the Bayern midfielders away from our box, and also not allow them to shoot from just outside it as much as possible (often our Achilles’ heel against Bayern)…..they also will have to support the full backs and will simply be tested to the max. We could play Ox or Rosicky next to Flamini (or Arteta) but I reckon we need both of the Frenchman and Spaniard’s experience to fully protect our back-four.

Then the most exciting area: ‘the front four’. What is Wenger going to do? Sanogo is injured, so we should expect Giroud to start, but…… Wenger might go for speed up-front, as BM will play with a high-line and Giroud might not be as effective as he usually is in the centre of attack, as he lacks the speed to really worry them. But, he might be very important for our ability to hold on to the ball and get our midfielders involved in our attacks…

Wenger might suprise us once again with an alternative attacker…maybe Ox, or even Gnabry? I am going to go with Giroud, just marginally. He scored at Bayern last season and looked sharp and refreshed against Everton, but it is his hold-up play and ability to bring the midfielders into play which will add so much value to the team.

If we do not opt for speed and thrust in our CF, we will need to have it in our midfielders; especially as our normal ‘wingers’ – the full backs – will not be able to go forward a lot in this game. Ozil is a given, and, in current form, Ox is as well. It was two years and five days ago when AOC played the best game of his career – against Milan at home – and let’s hope he can produce a similarly dynamic and inspiring performance.

But who to complete the (attacking) midfield: Cazorla, Rosicky, or even Pod? As said earlier, I reckon it might be Rosicky as he adds so much drive and energy as well as good control of the ball in tight spaces. But Cazorla played well on Saturday and starting to hit fine form and also scores a lot more than the Czech….

The slightly conservative predicted Wenger line-up is:

But I reckon he will do something a bit more daring, as to be able to play his very best players and find a good balance between solidity and attacking prowess.

So maybe, he will go for this more adventurous line-up (with one of Flamini and Arteta):

We will have to wait and see, but I reckon both line-ups have their merits and will provide plenty of leadership, composure and passion to the team.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners – Make Us Proud!

TotalArsenal.

Speed & Thrust: SanoGOGOGO, Ox & Gnabry starts? Preview.

March 8, 2014TotalArsenal

Arsenal vs Everton Preview: Road to the FA Cup Final

Intro:

The home of football features the game of the weekend.

Arsenal now faces the biggest game of their season: an FA Cup quarter final draw against Everton. Success means a trip to Wembley and our best chance at a trophy this season. ManchesterCity is the only team that should be capable of beating us of those left in this competition. Meaning one of our potential final or semi-final fixtures should be fairly easy. Getting past Everton will have a reward at the end. COYG.

This fixture last time:

Last time we played Everton was a 1-1 draw at the Emirates with Deulofeu scoring a late equalizer. It was a close game and we can expect another close one today.

Here is my expected line up for tomorrow:

I predict us to start a line-up with lots of pace, which is why I’d exclude Arteta from the line-up and include Chamberlain. It’s a risk, but Wenger is a risk taker. I also think Gnabry and Sanogo will start to compliment Ozil. Everton’s back line is fairly slow and with our pace, plus the advantage Ozil gives us, we shouldn’t have a problem getting in behind them. We just need to take advantage of our chances and be switched on from the minute we step on the pitch.

Key Battles:

Sanogo vs Everton Defense: Based on my predictions, I see Sanogo starting tomorrow. And therefore, he will have to have a good game. His pace will compliment Ozil, but he will have to make use of this advantage and punish Everton’s slower back line players.

Gnabry vs Composure: We have seen a lot of Gnabry this season and he looks great. His main issue however, is that he seems to take shots from range a lot and doesn’t seem to be able to calm himself before attempting at goal. If he can stay calm and take some composed shots at goal, he could become a real goal threat for us.

Mertesacker vs Everton Wingers: Everton have incredibly pacey wingers in Mirallas and McGeady. Mertesacker will have to watch for diagonal runs made by these wingers in behind him and make sure he’s not chasing back, as his lack of pace might be exposed. However, if Mertesacker can be watchful and position himself and his fullbacks wisely, Everton will have very little goal threat from close range and will be reduced to shots from range.

Casualties of War:

Arsenal: Arsenal continues to be injury stricken. Ramsey and Kallstrom are both still out. Wilshere has also been hit by an Agger shaped injury bug and Koscielny has had a scare, but we pray he will be ok.

Everton: Jagielka is the only recent injury for Everton. He is however, their captain and a major part of their defense. This is a huge loss for Everton and will give us a major advantage.

Predictions:

I predict a good old 1-nil to the Arsenal. A hard fought victory with a surprising goal scorer. Perhaps Gnabry or Sanogo; perhaps Ryo off the bench. Either way, I predict lots of drama and a good game between two top quality teams with two top quality managers. This could be a game we look back on and say: this is where the trophy was won.

Questions:

1. What are your predictions?

2. What is your line-up?

3. Will this game potentially win us the FA Cup?

COYG! Let’s get to Wembley!

Thanks for reading! 😀

Written by: Dylan.

Arsenal start games too slowly and need to be more aggressive: debate!

February 17, 2014February 17, 2014TotalArsenal

Remember how we blitzed Napoli almost five months ago? 15 minutes of fantastic, high-tempo and aggressive football and the game was more or less in the bag with two fine goals by Ozil and Giroud.

And what about our recent away match at Villa: two goals in equally as many minutes – in the 34^th and 35^th minute by Wilshere and Giroud – and the game was practically won (although we still made it hard for ourselves in the second half).

But these examples are among the few exceptions to the rule, as Arsenal tend to start slow and seldom score during the first third of our games.

Of all our Premier League goals, only 20% are scored during the first thirty minutes of the games; and between the 30^th and 60^th minutes we score 28%, which is relatively low as well. So, believe it or not, 51% of our PL goals are scored between the 60^th and 90^th+ minutes.

This raises the questions why this is the case, and whether it is good or bad.

Looking at our title rivals this season, it becomes clear Arsenal score more goals in the final third than the other teams by a margin, and we are the least prolific of all the teams in the first and second thirds of the games in the 2013-2014 season (stats from http://www.premierleague.com):

**Team/Period of games when PL goals are scored**	First third	Second third	Final third	Total PL Goals	Total PL Goals Conceded
*Arsenal*	20%	28%	51%	48	26
*Mansour* *City*	27%	39%	34%	68	27
*Chavs*	24%	37%	40%	48	21
*Pool*	38%	38%	25%	66	32

What is also quite interesting to note is that simply scoring a lot of goals is no guarantee for success, as MC and Pool demonstrate: both have scored significantly more than Arsenal and the Chavs and yet they are not in the lead.

This season, Arsenal and the Chavs play a more defensively solid game and both teams score the majority of their goals in the third part of their matches (especially Arsenal). MC and Pool play a more ‘full on attacking’ style of football and score more goals, but also concede more.

Despite Arsenal having conceded almost as many goals as MC – mainly skewed by the losses to Pool and MC – we have managed an impressive 46% of clean, whereas the Northern Oilers only achieved 36% of clean sheets (Chavs 42% and Pool a meagre 27%).

As the above demonstrates once again, there is a fine balance between attacking and defending and non of the current top four clubs have been able to get it right until now, which in my view is the main reason why it is still so tight at the top.

So, just for a bit of fun, here are some questions for a ‘heated debate’ 🙂 :

Why do Arsenal score relatively so few goals early on, and so many late in the game?
Is this good or bad, or does it not matter at all?
Should Arsenal start more aggressive/take more risks in games and try harder to score more goals early on?
What would be the overall effect?
What would you do for the rest of the season, to remain defensively solid and yet score more goals?
How should we play against the ‘top teams’ to get more points in these games?

TotalArsenal.

Should Arsenal shoot more from outside the box? Debate.

February 6, 2014February 6, 2014TotalArsenal

Two Arsenal players with great shooting ability

Only 11% of all Arsenal Premier League goals are scored from outside the box. Of our direct title competitors, Everton score 30% of all PL goals from outside the box, Chavs 29%, Liverpool 22% and MansourCity 17%. A number of Gooners on Bergkampesque want our players to take more shots at goals from outside the box.

The question to debate today is: is this a good idea?

A few years ago, I read somewhere that Arsene discourages his players to take shots from outside the box and he will confront his players during post-match analysis if they took a shot from outside the box, when, in his opinion, a better option had been available. I am not sure whether this is true, but it does seem that our players have become reluctant to take a shot from outside the box in recent seasons.

Most of us love long distance goals; and the further away from goal the better!

Goals scored from well outside the box often become unforgettable ones. As a teenager, I watched Dutchman Arie Haan score an impossible long distance goal against Italy’s Dino Zoff, during the 1978 World Cup. For me, this goal epitomises the long-distance shot, as, at the time, I just could not believe a goal could be scored from so far out. I will never forget this goal:

Bergkamp and Henry scored regularly from outside the box for us. And of course there was Paul Merson who had a great long distance shot too – see from about third minute onwards for some examples:

I don’t know about you, but it always annoys me when I hear a match reporter say: ‘The problem with Arsenal is they want to walk the ball into the net’. Arsenal want to create the best scoring opportunities and the manager appears to believe that just taking a shot now and again is a waste of possession and inefficient.

Having said that, with players like Arteta, Podolski, Ox, Vermaelen and Cazorla in the team, Arsenal could turn shooting from outside the box into another weapon of attack, if Wenger would let them.

So what do you think fine fellow Gooners? Let’s have a heated debate! 😛