Champions League – Page 6

Arsenal to win the treble, Manchester United to finish fifth, Benteke season top scorer, Southampton to win FA cup? Make your predictions here!

September 7, 2013September 7, 2013TotalArsenal

Make your Mystic Meg predictions here! :) — Make your Mystic Meg predictions here! 🙂

As it is the inter-dull and we have to get ourselves through another weekend without meaningful footie, I thought it would be fun to ask you to make predictions for the new season. Non-Arsenal supporters are invited to join in with their predictions.

Here are your thirteen questions for this season (all questions refer to the end of the season):

What will be the PL top six?
Which clubs will get relegated in the PL?
Which clubs will win the Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch leagues?
Who will be in the top-three of PL goal scorers?
Who will be in the top-three of PL assists this season?
Which clubs will reach the FA Cup semi-finals and who will win it?
Which clubs will reach the Champions League semi-finals and who will win it?
Which three PL teams will concede least goals away from home?
Which three PL teams will concede least goals at home?
Which three PL teams will collect least yellow cards?
Which three PL teams will collect most red cards?
Which three PL managers will be sacked first this season?
Who will finish above the other: Arsenal or Spurs – Man United or ManCity – Liverpool or Everton – Swansea or Cardiff – Aston Villa or West Brom – Sunderland or Newcastle?

Three points for every correct sub-answer and five bonus points for correctly answer the whole question. Winner will be announced after the end of the season.

Either you just write the answers down in a comment or copy and paste the questions and then write answers after each question.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Why it is right for Arsenal to be in pot one tomorrow

August 28, 2013August 28, 2013TotalArsenal

Are you ready for Arsenal's 16th consecutive adventure in Europe? — Are you ready for Arsenal’s 16th consecutive adventure in Europe?

Today’s post will be a rather unusual one. It is a direct response to a post I read. You can read it here–> http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2013/08/27/4215326/arsenal-should-not-be-a-pot-1-team-uefa-must-overhaul?ICID=HP_HN_1. Basically (for those who don’t have time to go through it) it is advocating for a system where Champions league seeding is done based on meritocracy. In other words you are seeded based on how far you went the previous season. As you can imagine, it is a post aimed at the Arsenal’s and Man Utd’s of this world, who have been seeded first for as long as I can remember yet haven’t even come close to winning it recently.

Let me begin by putting aside all bias (being a gooner) and examine the facts alone. I can understand the frustrations of teams such as Borussia Dortmund who have worked tirelessly to become one of the best teams in Europe, yet they aren’t seeded in the elite category. It is understandably very frustrating to be a team in the final in one season, and then the next you have to claw your way up all over again, while teams like Arsenal just need to qualify for the UCL and are automatically handed an easy route to the knock-out stages. The worst case scenario being Man Utd/Chelsea who have at one point been eliminated in the group stages, only to be seeded top the next season.

That said, the fact is if this system was adopted the Champions League would lose its value. Let me employ my business and marketing expertise to try and explain why.

This is so because football like any other sport is a business first. Football is not only just any business, it is one of the world’s biggest and most lucrative. Just look at the amounts thrown around in player wages, transfer fees, ticket and merchandise and sponsorship. Footballers are among the highest paid employees on the planet. Even CEO’s of most companies do not earn as much as they do (in terms of salaries). Taking footballer’s as commodities (which they are), show me a single commodity in any other business industry that costs 80M pounds that is not an aircraft or water vessels.

As such it follows that top brands are not necessarily the best performing CURRENTLY. The top ranked teams are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Man Utd, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, not necessarily in that order. Not because of their recent performances, but because they are considered the top brands in world football. This is based on their global fan base. The teams mentioned above command the lions share of the world’s fan base, probably above 70%.

Let me ease up on the marketing jargon and explain in a more simplistic manner. Considering that above 70% of the global population watch the teams I’ve mentioned above, imagine a situation where seeding was done randomly and a situation arose where none of the aforementioned teams made it past the group stages. It would probably mean that 70% of the world wouldn’t watch the UCL past the group stage. The sport would lose billions if not tens of billions of pounds in revenue, which would have financial implications that would trickle well beyond the world of football (which I will not go into). This explains why despite the fact that Real Madrid haven’t won the UCL in over a decade and Man Utd performed poorly the last 2 seasons, Real Madrid vs Man United was the most watched game on the planet last season.

Which means that UEFA and FIFA in general have the responsibility of ensuring that football is as lucrative as it can be at any given point. Even if it means enforcing rules that may favour some teams more than others. Industries (including world football) have gatekeepers and shepherds whose job is to ensure their continuity and sustenance which in this era involves making very hard decisions. The structure of UEFA seeding is one of them.

So as much as I empathize with the Dortmund’s of this world, I understand why things are as they are.

Written by: Marcus

Hey Europe, guess who’s back?!

August 27, 2013August 28, 2013TotalArsenal

Sweet 16: AR16 blasts Arsenal into 16th successive CL campaign

Here are my thoughts on today’s second leg of our Champion’s League qualifier against Fenerbahce.

In today’s match Arsenal played very well in the first half, but then slowed down in the second half.

Arsenal started the day with a 3-0 lead on aggregate, and they would soon go 4-0 up. In the 25th minute Aaron Ramsey scored Arsenal’s first goal of the day. Podolski made a run through the middle of the field and when he reached the top of the box, he tried to slip Walcott through. Theo just got a touch and hit it across goal, where Rambo scored a poacher’s goal and put it into the open net. Two goals in two games in the Champion’s League for Ramsey, and it was quite clear that he would br full of confidence for the rest of the game.

In the 39th minute, Emenike broke down the left flank for Fenerbahce. He fired a shot that Szczesny could only palm onto the post. He then made a great close range save, although the shooter was called offside.

Right after halftime, Podolski went down with a hamstring injury. He went off on a stretcher, which isn’t a good sign. Gibbs would come on for him and play LW for the remainder of the game.

Arsenal played a very boring game throughout the second half, just trying to keep the lead and not get tired.

In the 60th minute Yaya Sanogo came on for Giroud. He had a very quiet game and didn’t do much, as we were mostly playing defensively after he came on.

In the 72nd minute Gibbs broke down the left flank. He swung a short, low cross into Ramsey’s feet and the Welshman happily volleyed it with one touch into the far lower corner. It was a very well taken shot and Ramsey was on top of the world.

In the 74th minute Ryo came on for Walcott and after that there were multiple fitness concerns, first about Jack and then about Aaron. Jack was clearly being targeted and really needed some protection from the ref, which he did not get. Then at the very end, Aaron went off holding his groin, but he was walking around after the game so he should be fit for Sunday.

Finally in the 90th minute, Ryo broke down the right flank and put a low short cross into Jenkinson’s feet in a play that basically mirrored our second goal. Jenkinson hit it well and was unlucky not to score.

Man of the match was clearly Ramsey who scored a hat trick across both legs and was involved in all aspects of our game. He seems set for a breakout season and I’m very happy for him.

Overall, Arsenal played well across both legs and will deservedly enter their 16th successive Champion’s League group stage. Now Arsene has no excuses: we are in the Champion’s League and the window is ending soon; signings need to be made.

For now I’ll leave you with some questions:

1. What did you think of our performance tonight?

2. Do we need to strength before the North London Derby?

3. Is this Aaron’s big season?

Thanks for reading! 😀

Written by: Dylan.

Arsenal – Fenerbahce: Koz for BFG, Jack for Rosicky – No blue shorts please!

August 26, 2013August 26, 2013TotalArsenal

Can Ollie make it four in four, or even more?! :) — Can Ollie make it four in four, or even more?! 🙂

After months of no meaningful football, the games are coming thick and fast now. You could argue the 2^nd leg against Fenerbahce is no longer meaningful with Arsenal having scored three times and conceding not a single goal in Istanbul last week, but that would be complacent.

The CL games – even the pre-qualification ones – attract big corporate customers to the ground and they want value for money. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to me that Wenger wants to play a very strong side tomorrow. The squad is also not strong enough to give a large number of first-teamers a break and yet feel comfortable we’ll get through.

Wenger has said he will not be making many changes – not more than one or two. Let’s hope this does not backfire on him, as quite a few players could do with a rest in order to avoid fatigue/injury so early on in the season. On the other hand, I can understand Wenger wants to build further on the mini-momentum his team has gathered, and if the team can do the job within the fist sixty minutes, he can afford to substitute a few players late on.

Predicted Team:

I reckon, Koz will return in order to give one of the CB’s a rest and the BFG, but also stand-in CB Sagna, could really do with one. My guess is that Arsene will rest the German and play Sagna next to Koz.

In midfield, I reckon Arsene will play Jack – who will definitely start tomorrow – next to Ramsey in the double-DM pivot, and play Santi in the hole.

Other than that, I don’t expect any changes in the team; although, it is possible that Gibbs will get a rest with Nacho starting. But the young Brit is playing very well right now and Wenger might give him another game to build further on his fine form.

I would have loved to see the likes of Akpom, Zelalem, Gnabry, Frimpong or Eisfeld play tomorrow, but other than one or two late substitute appearances I don’t think we’ll see much of them tomorrow.

Let’s get the job done quickly and fingers crossed for no further injuries. And please, no blue shorts but nice, pristine white ones! 😉

COYRRG – Another year of CL footie is beckoning! 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Ramsey Rules, Theo Tortures, Sagna needs a contract: match review

August 22, 2013August 22, 2013TotalArsenal

cid150540_Fener_ArsenalVI02_640_640x345 — Gibbs is becoming a Man

Today’s match was the perfect response after opening the domestic season with a shocking home defeat to Aston Villa: Arsenal were able to strike back by thrashing Fenerbache in our Champions League qualifier, 3-0. Throughout the entire match, Arsenal were always the better team with our midfield bossing theirs, allowing us to set the tempo and dictate play.

After a couple of turnovers to start the match, we settled into the game very quickly with some convincing link-up play and one-touch passing around the opposition’s box. Halfway into the first half, Koscielny took a nasty kick to the face and left the game needing stitches to stop the blood that was profusely coming out from above his right eye. Still, this did not alter our game plan or confidence and we carried on just as we did before – dominating possession and the match. However, we were not able to score and the half ended in a goalless draw.

Fenerbache never really posed a threat in this half and struggled to even string together successful passes. This can be attributed to our players quickly closing down open spaces and by continually forcing them backwards. The only areas of improvement for the first half would have been our finishing and our general play in the final third. Due to having a striker like Giroud, we seem to force a lot of crosses into the box but lack the bodies there to capitalize on these chances. As we saw in the second half, we are a much more cohesive and dangerous team when we play the ball along the ground and attack through the middle.

Fortunately for the home supporters, Fenerbache looked more lively in the second half and even created a few scoring opportunities of their own. However, we were always the better team and never really looked in danger of losing this game. Gibbs opened the scoring in the 51^st minute after receiving a fine cross-goal pass from Theo. However, the goal was only made possible after a brilliant through ball from Ramsey that set Theo up with the wonderful assist-opportunity.

From there, we never looked back and Ramsey added to his MoTM performance by putting away a goal of his own with a hard, low shot that fooled Demirel. To add insult to injury and to ensure our place in the Champions League group stage, we padded our lead on a well-taken penalty kick by Giroud. Theo was given a pretty fortunate call after he was taken down in the box with relatively little contact. Despite the goals scored in the second half, I still thought we looked more threatening in the first half and were just luckier to score in the second.

Before I begin on the player ratings, I’d like to explain how I arrive at the number a player receives. For me, a seven represents that a player has sufficiently done what has been asked of him and not much more. An eight signifies that the player has contributed more than the average player, but that either his performance has room for improvement or I’ve seen better games from him lately. A nine or higher is reserved for outstanding performances and is usually accompanied by tangible statistics on the score sheet. Ignore previous ratings from past articles, as I’ll look to be consistent from here on out in the new rating system.

Player Ratings:

Szczesny (9.0) – Was hardly tested in the first half, but he made a couple of brilliant saves at the end to keep our clean sheet. Great job on winning the 50/50 challenge on Sow, and really only made a mistake or two in his clearing.

Gibbs (8.0) – Great job at getting into scoring position on the first goal and combined well on a memorable series of one-touch passing in the first half together with Giroud, Cazorla and Ramsey. His crosses left much to be desired and sent quite a few straight into the opposing player who was defending him.

Koscielny (7.0) – Difficult to rate him any higher, but in the 30 minutes he did play, he was relatively untested aside from making an authoritative clearing header and breaking up a couple Fenerbache advances. It was unfortunate that he was the victim of a clumsy challenge by Webo, and I’m hoping for a speedy recovery for our best CB.

Mertesacker (6.0) – He was sufficient in keeping a clean sheet, but was caught out of position a couple of times on Fenerbache’s attacks. Sow noticeably got behind him on a couple of occasions, but fortunately for us, he missed wide on both those chances.

Sagna (7.5) – Continues to prove that he is more than capable of playing at both RB and CB. He was a commanding presence in the air in our own end and was assertive in his challenges when Fenerbache were on the offensive. Notably, he made a decisive and clean sliding challenge to break up the play when Sow was on the fast break in the second half.

Ramsey (9.5) – Easy candidate for MoTM as he provided the initial through ball that opened up the scoring and also scored the second goal to give us a comfortable lead. He was everywhere on the pitch tonight and continually frustrated the opposition with his relentless work ethic and getting a foot in on challenges. The only area of improvement would be turnovers, especially one in the second half that almost led to a Kuyt goal.

Wilshere (7.5) – Showed good forward thrust when running forward with the ball and created a few good scoring opportunities for us. It was his run and pass that allowed Ramsey open space to score the second goal. However, he ran right into opposing defenders on a couple occasions that led to turnovers when he could have passed the ball instead.

Rosicky (6.5) – I felt that Rosicky’s play was quite bi-polar; at times, he drove us forward with his passing and dribbling, but at other times, he made questionable passes that were either out of reach for our players or simply went astray. Still, he played satisfactory and nothing to really complain about (I just expected more after his performance against Villa).

Cazorla (6.5) – There were moments where Santi was unplayable with his one-touch passing and close ball control that allowed him to escape defenders closing down on him. Then, there were other moments where he more or less disappeared from the game entirely and looked exhausted. Santi is our most skilled player and I expect him to have a greater influence in every game. Fortunately for him, others stepped up today and took over the creativity reigns.

Giroud (6.5) – Aside from the very well taken penalty kick, I thought Giroud looked very average. He had a couple of nice combination plays in the first half and showed that he is capable of making nice passes and fancy touches if given time and the opportunity. However, I forgot he was even on the pitch in half of the first and the entire second half, until he stepped up at the spot and scored. As our lone center forward (for the time being), we need more from him if we’re to beat better opponents.

Walcott (7.5) – Theo did a great job of causing problems for Kadlec all night, and his pace and movement were always a threat. He provided two assists in the game, which solidified an above average rating, but he was extremely wasteful throughout the entire match. He had plenty of chances to receive the ball in and around the box, but instead lost possession because of very poor touches and passes. Theo has yet to show the goal scoring form of last season, though it’s nice to see him very involved in our offense.

Jenkinson (7.0), Podolski (3.0), Monreal (6.0) – I thought Jenkinson did an excellent job coming in at RB. He was running up and down the flanks and contributed as best he could in the offensive zone. He nearly scored at the end of the game and provided a couple good crosses into the box (unfortunately no one was there).

Difficult to rate the latter two players since they both came on pretty late in the game, but I thought Podolski was awful. He seems to be lacking fitness and confidence – his first touch off a beautifully played pull back pass by Nacho stood out as a big wasted opportunity.

Despite all the positives, there are still some concerns. Against a more skilled and determined team, we could have easily been exposed since there was far too much space between our midfield and defense in the second half when the game opened up. Our center backs, notably Mertesacker, were also caught out of position on a couple occasions, which allowed Fenerbache some great looks at goal that fortunately went wide or were brilliantly saved by Szczesny.

We also need to start capitalizing on our scoring chances (such as those in the first half) and become more decisive in the final third. Our strategy of crossing the ball into the box does not work when there is only one individual (sometimes none) in there. I believe Arsenal football is always more successful when played along the ground and this calls for a more mobile and fluid striker up front.

Finally, playing away from the Emirates seems to be the solution for allowing us to settle into games quicker. The tension and hesitation were noticeably absent and the squad was full of confidence and decisiveness instead. We cannot continue to play poorly at home as it takes away what is supposed to be a massive advantage – we need to approach the game in the same free-flowing manner that we do on the road. All in all, we managed to qualify for the Champions League group stages (barring some bizarre miracle) and it was a great game that should hopefully give us some confidence and momentum for the upcoming clash against Fulham.

Written by: Highbury Harmony.

Violently happy KOZ we love you – Phenomenal Laurent does it again!

May 19, 2013May 20, 2013TotalArsenal

Thanking The Guardian for this great picture!

After scoring the winner for us in our last game of the season against West Brom last year – effectively winning us a guaranteed CL-spot – Koz does it again today! What is not to love about Laurent Koscielny at the moment?!

As expected Sunderland and Everton let us down today, but we did not let ourselves down, and that is even more important than qualifying for the CL (well almost).This team has spine and spirit, grit and graft. I am so proud of our boys in red and white today!

An unchanged team seemed a bit of a risk by Wenger, and especially the inclusion of El Zorro was unexpected. Perhaps Arsene valued the psychological benefit of including the Spaniard more than his ootential technical and tactical contributions on the day. Another, semi-surprise was Giroud not starting up-front as most of us had anticipated. Other than that, there were no surprises in Wenger’s team selection.

The game basically had four phases:

A nervy and disorganised start: we seemed all over the place and play without our usual cohesion and discipline. NU were determined to give us a game and were getting alongside and behind our defence far too easily during this phase. Arteta had to go off, and the Ox made his entrance;
Things started to change gradually as we got more grip on the game and NU seemed to ease off a bit as well. However, we were hardly creating any chances during this phase and it was clear we needed Arsene to sort the team out during the break;
The first part of the second half was better again, and we struck lucky when Koz powered Podolski’s assists, from a Walcott free-kick, past Harper from close range. 1-0 to THE Arsenal.
The remainder of the game saw us play our best football in all areas of the pitch, but as we were unable to score a second – despite Theo coming agonizingly close – it remained a very nervy encounter right till the end.

In the end, there were two things that saw us through: the hunger, grit and graft of the entire team and the outstanding performance of Laurent Koscielny. His goal was no doubt the most important one in an Arsenal shirt, but what also made a real difference was his perfect defensive performance against NU today.

When Koz is in this sort of form he is simply unbeatable. He out-jumped the NU attackers all afternoon, made vital and extremely well-timed interceptions in the box – both on the ground and in the air – and stole the ball of his opponents with incredible hunger and precision – committing hardly any fouls in the process. What a player he is becoming and it goes without saying that Arsene needs to keep all defenders together this summer, and for me that includes Sagna and Vermaelen.

Other than the score (and what it means), and that performance of Koz – and I also thought BFG and both full backs had very fine second half performances – the game will be forgotten quickly: it was anything but a classic.

But the sustained period in which this team has shown the hunger, grit and determination to not get beaten by the Spuds for a top-four finish, after they beat us at the beginning of March and went seven points ahead of us, is just what this team needed. Five PL away-wins in a row – first time since 2004!! – eight wins out of our last ten PL games: what a turn around, and what a solid basis for the new season.

The foundations are laid, the walls are up, the roof is almost finished and the Spuds are stored firmly in the cellar; now let’s add some super quality furniture and polish off what we already have: Arsenal might be gunning for the top prizes next season! 😉

But before we start the silly season, I would like to say a big thank you to all the recent regular players: for their drive and passion and for playing for the shirt with all they had. More we could not have asked for, and they have done us proud!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Little Mozart is back, Meade in Britain, but too many underperformed tonight.

December 4, 2012December 4, 2012TotalArsenal

Eleven conclusions from the game:

Rosicky’s first half performance was a joy to behold. As was so often the case last season, when TR7 plays our whole team has shape and focus, and plays with real determination. The difference between the first and second half could not have been bigger. It was as if our team had no spine anymore without Rosicky. The only good thing to take from this is that if – and that is a big IF – he can stay fit, our first team is bound to become stronger in the next few weeks.
Vermaelen is good at leading by example but he is best when he is being led by a level-headed co-defender with great organisational skills. Tonight he missed Mertesacker’s defensive leadership. Squillaci; what can I say? Ineffective and rusty, and he should really be moved on. But that will not happen until his contract runs out.
Jernade Meade had a very good debut and well done to the young lad. He was fast and spiky, had generally a good awareness of the game being played around him, and I loved his drive and enthusiasm.
Coquelin had a decent game and was one of the better players. I thought his attacking contributions were a lot better than the execution of his defensive duties. I really don’t see him as an option for DM at the moment, but his through balls and balls over the top in the first half were very good.
The Ox is playing without his horns at the moment. I don’t know what his best position is, but he looked lost and lacking confidence and purpose. What has happened the The Ox who can take on players for fun, makes mazy runs and penetrates the box so easily?
Chamakh worked hard and positioned himself well, especially in the first half. But he was rustier than the Titanic and his touch let him down so many times, I lost count of it. I reckon he will play one more game against Bradford and that will be it.
Arshavin; was he in Athens? To me it looked like he was longing to be left alone on the Tundra of his beloved Mother Russia. Another one who is very likely to simply sit out his contract – as it is almost impossible to move him on.
This was also a big test for Aaron Ramsey, in my view. AR16 is not making the required progress in his career, and tonight he had another game that was full of hard work and determination, but so very little end-product. A real shame, but I reckon Aaron will not become a regular in our first squad any time soon – and he will have to work very hard to stay in the wider squad this season.
Szczesny did not have a bad game, but his distribution put us under unnecessary pressure more than once during the game. Both his decision making and execution with regards to his distribution need to improve significantly, if he wants to make it at Arsenal as our nr1 GK.
Jenkinson had a poor second half: his concentration and positioning were well below par and he did not stay tight enough to his man on more than one occasion. Another one who was missing the organisational leadership skills of Mertesacker tonight.
Gervinho did not have a good second half either; and his decision making, touch and shooting ability let him down far too many times tonight (except for the well spotted, and coolly executed, assist for TR7’s goal). Is it a lack of form, or have I been wrong all along regarding his abilities / value to the team?

We can take from the game the big positives of Rosicky being back with a bang and Meade having a fine debut at LB, but other than that we are left with far too many negatives.

The result, and the fact that we finished second in the group hardly matter, but what does matter is that so many players did not use this opportunity to show us why they should be playing in Arsenal’s first team.

Total Arsenal.

Olympiakos preview: last chance saloon for Arshavin and Chamakh – Angha and Meade to start?

December 4, 2012December 4, 2012TotalArsenal

Tonight’s game against Olympiakos, in the boiling and hissing cauldron that is the Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens, is the perfect opportunity for both our up and coming talents and the players who find themselves at the periphery of the team, to show us what they (still) have got to offer to us.

When Arsenal are going through a tough time many fans vent their frustrations by having a go at all those players who appear to earn vast sums of money but seldom play for the first team. Some of those players are likely to get a (last?) chance tonight to show us what they could still mean for the team: Rosicky, Squillaci, Arshavin and Chamakh are all in the squad to face the Athenians tonight.

Arsene has also selected a number of players who have played plenty of first team games already this season, and I guess they will form the solid frame for today’s line up: Szczesny, Vermaelen, Jenkinson, Ramsey and Gervinho.

I am a bit disappointed that we are not going to see the likes of Gnabry, Eisfeld and Yennaris tonight as these are the youngsters who appear to be closest to more regular involvement in our first team squad at the moment. I read somewhere that they are not part of Arsenal’s official CL squad and therefore not eligible unfortunately.

Instead, Arsene has included into his squad the youngsters Angha (defender), Ansah (attacker), Akpom (attacker), Hajrovic (defender), Meade (left midfield/ left back), Monteiro (defender) and Shea (goalkeeper). I have seen a bit of Angha, Shea and Meade but the others are not very familiar to me.

Arsenal Squad for tonight’s game: Szczesny, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Squillaci, Coquelin, Arshavin, Jenkinson, Gervinho, Chamakh, Angha, Ansah, Hajrovic, Meade, Monteiro, Shea, Akpom.

What is there to say about this game from a tactical perspective? We know the Greek Champions are the dominant team in Greece and although they have already qualified for the UEFA cup, they will be well up for this in front of their passionate home crowd. For every win there is also a hefty CL bonus, which provides another reason to take this game seriously.

I expect Olympiakos once again to pass the ball round a lot, be very well organised and play as a strong unit – allowing us little space and time to settle on the ball: nothing new there.

Who knows how Arsenal are going to line-up tonight, and whether we will be able to out-battle the Greeks? Going on previous experiences, we should not expect too much, but from the available squad we should be able to select a decent enough team to at least have a go.

Predicted line-up:

———————-Szczesny———————-

Jenkinson – Angha – Vermaelen – Meade

—————Ramsey———-Ox—————–

————————Rosicky———————-

Gervinho——–Chamakh———-Arshavin

I don’t care very much whether we win or even whether we finish first or second in our group; what I do care about is that the players go out there and put in their best performance, that they play with pride for the shirt, and some lovely football in the process.

Total Arsenal.

Gnabry to start, Coquelin or Ramsey, Gervinho instead of Giroud?

October 24, 2012October 24, 2012TotalArsenal

What would we do during the dark, wet and windy, autumnal months without the prospect of top European football clashes involving the Mighty Arsenal?!

Football does not get much better than this. I cannot wait to see our red and white shirts take on the blue shirts of Schalke, on an immaculate, green pitch at the home of football, tonight. European football nights have always been special to me. I have fond memories all the way back to the late seventies and early eighties of cycling home from school with an incredible spring in my step, because that night there would be live footie on TV.

Some of the best European matches are often played at this stage of the CL-tournament, and tonight’s game against Schalke 04 promises to be a game of real quality – just like last year’s clash with Borussia Dortmund at THOF was a real treat for us all.

As I wrote yesterday, Schalke are a well-organised and strongly disciplined team, and will be well-drilled and prepared for tonight’s clash with Arsenal. They are likely to pressure us high up the pitch but will also be happy to soak up pressure; and they will be very dangerous on the counter, as they can make quick switchovers from the moment they gain possession – as Dortmund experienced so painfully at the weekend (they are as bitter rivals as we are with the Spuds).

Schalke will use their fast wingers on either side, but also make good runs through the middle, so Arsenal need to make sure not to lose possession cheaply, as they have the weapons to kill us on the counter; especially as we like to play with a high-line.

Our FB’s, Jenkinson and Santos (most likely) will get properly tested and they will need constant support from our wingers. However, the service needs to be reciprocated, as the wingers also need the support of the FB’s; if they are to get round the Schalke’s well-drilled defensive lines.

This brings us to two key selection conundrums: who is going to play on the wings, and which wing-FB pairs will be best tonight? The answers to these questions are linked to who we are going to play up-front: Giroud, Gervinho, or even, Podolski. The combination of the Pod left, Giroud in the middle, and the Swerve on the right, did not work at all on Saturday, and I am going to swim against the stream of most blogs today, and say we are not going to play with those three up-front tonight.

My gut-feeling is we will start Podolski on the left, Gervinho in the middle and Gnabry on the right, as this ‘fluid-three’ strike-force has worked really well for us, and the young German looks like a good replacement for The Ox or Theo, who are unfortunately unavailable tonight.

Another option is to put the Pod on the bench (he still is not 100% fit apparently), and play Gervinho on the left, Giroud in the middle, and Gnabry on the right. I reckon we are most likely to play Podolski because of his German footie experience, but I cannot see us start with both the Pod and OG tonight.

I am pretty confident that Gnabry will get to play on the right tonight, but it might not be as a starter. I would also not be surprised if we see Coquelin make an appearance on the right, or possibly Ramsey, with Coquelin playing next to Arteta in the middle.

Koscielny is apparently fit again but is unlikely to start. The other key selection conundrum is whether we should play Santos on the left. For me, he is the sort of player who needs to play regularly to get the best out of him, and once he gets going he is a good asset to have.

But we are missing Gibbs as he combines so well, and so naturally, with Podolski on the left. If Arsene wants to go save defensively, he could go for Jenkinson-Mert-Koz-TV, but this is unlikely to happen, and I think Santos will get another game, however risky this might turn out to be against the speed-merchants on the German wings.

The last area of concern is who is going to play between Arteta and Cazorla. This is a vital role and Ramsey struggled to make a real difference against Norwich. Diaby is still injured and Jack is apparently scheduled to play against QPR, so there are not many options for Arsene. It will have to be either Coquelin or Ramsey. Ramsey is the more experienced and often does well for Arsenal in European games, so it will probably be him.

Personally, I would go for 4-5-1 tonight, as that would give us a good chance to boss the midfield and prevent loss of possession as much as possible:

Mannone

Jenk-Mert-Koz-Santos

Coquelin-Arteta-Ramsey-Cazorla-Gervinho

Podolski

But Arsene is most likely to stick to 4-3-3, and on the basis of above mentioned conundrums, I reckon Arsene will go for:

Mannone

Jenk-Mert-Koz-Santos

Arteta-Ramsey(Coquelin)*

Cazorla

Gnabry(Ramsey)* – Gervinho – Podolski

* If Ramsey plays on the right wing, than Coquelin will play next to Arteta and Gnabry will be on the bench.

I hope we will not play with too high a defensive line, and that TV and Santos are fully focussed and can work in tandem to ensure a strong defence on our left. I am also hoping the wings work a lot better tonight, and that Cazorla will get plenty of support from either Ramsey or Coquelin – whoever plays tonight. Finally, I hope we will see far better movement around, and especially in the box, so Cazorla and co can create first-class chances for us again.

Obviously, we need to play at a high tempo if we want to trouble Schalke tonight, but also remain focussed and (defensively) disciplined throughout the game. I am going to keep a close eye on both Vermaelen and Mertesacker to see who is organising and leading the team tonight.

The big advantage Arsenal have, is their vast European CL-experience compared to Schalke and this combined with needing to bounce back, and playing at home, should help us to end up victorious tonight.

Of course we are all totally focussed on getting three points tonight, but let’s enjoy the ride. Tactically and technically this promises to be a very fine exhibition of football, and we will have to give our all to claim the three points.

Make sure your beers are extra cold and get yourself some quality pretzels: this is what we live for fellow Gooners. 🙂 😛 😀

Come on you Rip-Roaring Gunners!

Total Arsenal.

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Have a go and make a comment, and you will find you’ll get a warm welcome, and it makes blogging a lot more fun! 😛

Background info on Schalke 04: a very tough CL test awaits Arsenal.

October 23, 2012October 23, 2012TotalArsenal

The game against Schalke 04 will provide Arsenal with a great opportunity to bounce back, but it will not be easy. Die Königs Blauen, as they call themselves, are without any doubt our strongest opponent in this year’s CL group, and Arsenal will need to be at their very best; fully focussed and motivated and with the strongest team on the pitch, if we want to take all three points from the match tomorrow.

For this crucial CL game, Schalke had, compared to Arsenal, the absolute opposite in terms of preparation: they won their fiercest derby, away against B Dortmund, and will be full of confidence tomorrow.

Huub Stevens is a very good, yet relatively unknown manager. He managed my local, boyhood team, Roda JC, in the nineties, and within a few years he transformed the team to a football machine, which would have won the Dutch championship for the second time in its history in 1995, if it wasn’t for Louis van Gaal winning everything with a phenomenal Ajax team, in the same year.

Stevens brought big successes to Schalke in the late nineties and early years of the last decade (UEFA cup and a couple of German Cups), and is well liked among the Königs Blauen. He has been away for a number of years –mainly due to illness of his wife for who he took time off, in order to care for her – but has recently returned and, like us, had Schalke finish third – and qualify for the CL – last season.

Stevens is a good tactician who installs a strong defensive discipline wherever he goes. He is very good at getting his team to press all over the pitch; forcing teams to make mistakes and punish them switching the play quickly and using the wings really well. His teams are also good at keeping possession through passing the ball around with, the familiar to us, triangles. His teams tend not to concede many goals, yet score more than enough.

Against Arsenal, I reckon he will let Schalke press us all over the pitch and not allow us to get into our game. However, would Arsenal succeed to win the battle in midfield and start pressurising Schalke around their own box, they will also be quiet comfortable at absorbing the pressure, and try to punish us with deadly counter-football.

Schalke often play a similar formation as Arsenal: 4-2-1-3 (or 4-3-3 if you want), with two more defensively minded midfielders in front of the defence, and a creative midfielder behind the central striker.

The biggest danger for us will come from their counter-attacks. Schalke employ two fast wingers: Farfan and Afellay who are very good at breaking out with speed and making the opposition pay for any loss of possession in midfield. Everyone will have heard about Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, aka The Hunter, who has been described by Van Gaal recently as the ‘best in the box-striker’ in the world. Louis Holtby is their up and coming (22 years old) creative midfielder who plays behind Huntelaar, and can both create and score goals. He is definitely one to watch for us (and is half-English!).

Our FB’s, Jenkinson and Santos(?), are likely to get a big work-out tomorrow and they will need good support from our wingers, central midfielders and CB’s. Our CB’s will get a proper test again tomorrow, as The Hunter is excellent both in the air and on the ground – he is a fox-in-the-box, but also has a good shot from the edge or just outside the box.

All in all, I anticipate a great game of football, and a proper test for our boys, in more than one sense.

COYRRG!

Total Arsenal.

PS tomorrow I will have a tactical look at how Arsenal can best approach our game against Schalke, including the best formation.