Tag: FA cup

Did Arsene finally sign the next Henry?

TotalArsenal

And other observations and afterthoughts from an important FA Cup win.

Alexis Sánchez Arsenal Toby Alderweireld Southampton

I don’t know about you, but I thought yesterday’s game against Hull was a bizarre one. The Tigers were toothless and sedated, clearly just making up the numbers and focussing merely on their defence. Arsenal played some fabulous football but lacked killer instinct, seemingly unable to finish off our opponents.

Never change a winning team, they say; unless, of course, you don’t believe you can win and feel there are bigger fish to fry. They had made ten changes to the team that beat Everton on New Year’s Day and, although some rotation is necessary around this time of year, this was a clear indication of how Bruce viewed his chances/the importance of making it to the next round.

Yet, Arsenal had looked shattered in their last game against the Saints, and continuous injuries to a large number of key players meant that Hull could and should have had a go. But, I guess if you are only two points above the relegation zone, and think of Wigan, who won the FA Cup just 1.5 years ago but are now second from bottom in the Championship, one can understand Hull’s reluctance to go all out for a win at the Home of Football. Survival in the PL is surely, but to some extent sadly, their one and only objective this season.

We played some good football with the rejuvenated Rosicky making the difference in the beginning. Rosa on the ball in full, elegant flight makes me think of those streamlined skiers doing the down hill slalom. His nickname should be graceful dynamo (JM take note! 🙂 ), and his energy and quality end products were key in the first half. Cazorla was also involved and effective, and behind them ‘last-chance-saloon’ Le Coq offered almost solid protection to our make-shift back-four (Bel-BFG-Cha-Mon). Hull did not pressure him much it has to be said, but he still had a very good performance (except for one or two reckless looking moments, maybe).

Wenger had positioned the hardly tested Campbell and long-term injured Theo on the wings and workaholic Alexis in the centre. There was great fluency up-front and the Hull defence were pulled all over the place. Our Chilean full blooded Cabernet Sauvignon proved to be a very good stand-in for Ollie, as he was able to find a good balance between playing the holding striker role as well as being deadly in the box himself.

However, we were wasteful up-front, and we did not capitalise on all our running and passing the ball round so well early on. Luckily, the BFG, despite having played in all recent games, was strong and fresh enough to out-jump the switched off Hull defence and score a Giroudesque opening goal after twenty minutes.

After that, there were more chances but the rusty Walcott and disappointing (and rusty) Campbell were wasteful when the game should have been put to bed. Our inability to put weakened opposition decisively to the sword – think of our shenanigans against 100% ‘away-games losers’ QPR on Boxing Day – remains a worry.

And I reckon this is what Alexis foresaw from the start and why he was desperate to start the game, even though he had been offered to have a rest. Everyone knows that winning the FA Cup remains our best chance for silverware this season and the red hot chilli pepper does not want to miss out on it. However much Cazorla has improved and Rosicky and Ox offer drive and enthusiasm, without Ollie, Rambo and Pod, and Theo and Joel not having their shooting boots on as yet, we are simply not deadly enough in front of goal.

Sanchez scored a fabulous, dare I say, Henryesque goal to give us all a calm end to the game. And just for this, we should love him.

In summary:

  1. Ospina and the defence did okay but, to be fair, were rarely tested.
  2. Le Coq needs a bit of coaching by the Flam, but might just keep himself in the squad with his recent performances. He adds bite and energy/stamina and finds through-balls easier already than Arteta or Flamini. However, we still need to add an experienced ready-to-roll DM, before anybody starts thinking differently… 🙂
  3. Alexis in the middle could be a long term alternative, especially if we get a Draxler or Reus to play on the left wing (this TW or in the summer). I am starting to believe Admir’s claim that Alexis will turn into the next Henry.
  4. Theo made some good runs, especially in the second half. His first touch and finishing were poor but this surely will improve again. The really good news is that he survived in the game and showed us again what he will bring to the team.
  5. Cazorla and Rosicky played very well together and should be played more often.
  6. Campbell tried very hard and made some good runs – with and without the ball – but his finishing and some of his passing were well below par. I hope he will get more chances to show us what he is capable off.

It was an important win as the FA cup really matters to us. We made it hard for ourselves by not scoring the second goal much earlier in the game, but the job was eventually done by one of the best Wenger signings ever. However much we doubt his ability to push us on to the next level once again, let’s never forget that he can still attract the very best to come to the Home of Football.

 Written by: TotalArsenal.

One Hull of an Important Match! Arsenal v Hull Line-Up & Preview

TotalArsenal

Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshe

Let’s get in to it shall we:

Missing in Action:

Diaby sick bay

Not surprisingly this image still doesn’t need changing.

Arsenal: Jack (ankle), Arteta (calf), Welsh Jesus (hamstring), Flamini (groin – doubt), Ozil (knee – doubt. I think he’ll be on the bench for this one. If things are going well he might get a little run out), Welbeck (thigh – doubt), Giroud (suspended – last match), Sanogo (hamstring/going on loan – doubt), Podolski (groin strain/going to Inter), Diaby (calf strain/figment of our imagination).

Perhaps we can purchase a soft tissue specialist this transfer window.

Hull City: Rosenior (hamstring), Robertson (ankle), Dawson (hamstring), Diame (knee), Snodgrass (knee)

Predicted Line-up:

Football team Hull

Some pretty big question marks over who starts. We know Ospina will start (I can sense BJ doing cartwheels from here. He has it on good authority that Ospina’s feet don’t actually touch the ground and he saves shots with his mind).

Thanks to our rather extensive list of injuries it’s going to be hard to rotate the squad too much. We are down three strikers and Podolski; therefore, Sanchez may have to lead the line again. I wouldn’t mind seeing Akpom given a go. With all the media attention he’s been given this week it wouldn’t surprise me if he was given a run out. Campbell is probably the better option given his stage of development.

In defence Debuchy is likely to be rested. Chambers or Bellerin? Let’s give the Spaniard another go. Then again Chambers may have to start because he’d be in big trouble if we conceded a set piece…land of the midgets. Kozzer or Monreal? I think Kozzer still isn’t 100% and Monreal was doing a good job, so I’d like to see him line-up for this encounter.

In midfield we could go with Chambers and Le Coq again. In my opinion that didn’t work against Southampton. Flamini could come back in but I’d prefer to see Rosicky and Le Coq given the opportunity. The young Frenchman has performed admirably since coming back on loan, so I’d like to see him prove his worth once again. Ozil will make the bench. In a perfect world he could come on at around the 70th minute mark when we have the game in the bag…unfortunately we are Arsenal and that just doesn’t happen.

Walcott is the biggest question mark for me. Does he start? Is he ready? He hasn’t started a match since January 3rd 2014 and he only had 7 touches in 31 minutes against Southampton. I’d prefer a fully fit Campbell to start on the wing so that Walcott can come on for a little run out with Ozil.

Previous Encounters:

Arsenal vs Hull 2-2

After going ahead early thanks to a good finish from Sanchez we left it til late to scrape through with a point.

One of the worst pull backs I’ve ever seen lead to their first goal…shocking non-call. Mertesacker should have showed more intent for their second. A great run from Sanchez setup Welbeck to grab the equaliser.

You can see the highlights below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8FWlYzTiwo

Form Guide:               Arsenal:  : WDWWL            Hull: LLWLW

What form? We haven’t won three in a row all season and I honestly don’t know what Arsenal team is going to show up. In the league we are 13 points off top spot. 33 points from 20 games and 12 points behind where we were this time last season. Thankfully, this isn’t the league and we are currently the cup holders!

Hull haven’t had a good time of it this season. They’ve snapped a 10-game winless run by winning 2 of their last 3 games. They are safe from relegation for now.

Arsenal Archive (1)

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s not really an archive…more of a ‘we won a cup so let’s re-live it again’ type of clip (Their first goal was ridiculously lucky). What a goal by Santi!!!! Thank you Welsh Jesus. Enjoy! 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K5j4mMfBK0&app=desktop

One to watch:

Alexis Sanchez…because he’s a ripper and gets it done. What tough transition? He’s slotted into the premier league and our team seamlessly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx741asQ6es

Former Everton striker Jelavic. Hull’s leading scorer and can be a handful at times.

Key-Match up:

Arsenal midfield vs Hull City midfield

IMG_0328

I have no doubt Bruce will pack the midfield for this encounter. Southampton did it really well against us and without Giroud we tend to lack shape in the oppositions half. We can’t let the ex-spuds Livermore and fat-boy Huddlestone get a stranglehold otherwise we might find the going tough. Flamini and Le Coq need to break up their attacks and the midfielders need to transition the play well from defence to attack. If Alexis is playing up front we can’t afford to have him providing the link-up…he needs to be on the end of it. For this reason I think we need Rosicky to partner Le Coq, just so we have more attacking potency.

Pre-Match Finger:

kid finger

Now I haven’t been around for a while so I’ve got a lot of fingers to hand out. This week’s finger goes to José Mourinho. Jesus Christ he’s a miserable sod. Just because he’s not getting his way at the moment he’s whinging about every little thing, making excuses for everything. His players don’t win penalties apparently…Hazard is being kicked out of the league (he’s diving over a lot of those tackles)…unfair treatment from the refs. Perhaps he’d have better luck if his players didn’t go down with relative ease. Drogba has done it his whole career; Hazard does it on a regular basis; Ivanovic (despite being built like a brick shithouse) flops whenever he gets around the box; even Cahill dives…Tell your players to stay on their feet and the refs might start rewarding you again. It annoys me that he has the wood of Arsene. Nothing would please me more than seeing him whinge and complain about us too.

Frick it, I’m handing out another! My right finger is going to Liverpool manager Rodgers. He accused Alexis of diving when the two teams met recently. First of all I find it very rich that he’s accusing one of our players after he defended Suarez on a regular basis. Secondly, Sanchez doesn’t dive. Thirdly, it was a long way outside the box so it’s not like the free-kick resulted in a penalty. Finally, look what that cheating twerp Sterling did moments later. He handled the ball to get past an on-rushing Szczesny. P*ss off Rodgers…you too Skrtel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVeuYAK_Wgg

Pre-Match pat on the back:

pat on the back

This week’s pat on back goes to Santi Cazorla.

santi short

He’s really stepped up recently when we’ve needed him too. He’s had midfielders drop off all around him but little Santi has found his first season form. The only thing missing is his shooting foot but that’ll come. Teams have really started to choke us in midfield so players like Santi, Ox, Sanchez and Rosicky are worth their weight in gold. They get the ball and drive forward causing opposition players to gravitate towards them creating space for others. Good job Santi.

Ask the opposition (7)

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead.  This week we’ve got a big group taking part (friendliest bunch I’ve spoken to thus far). The answers were kindly provided by Quill, Brady’s Love Triangle, Mr Hat, John Ex Aberdeen now E.R, Chazz Rheinhold (all from not606) and Ryan from the official Hull supporters club. Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:

1) How can Hull turn their season around?

Quill: I believe we can, but only if we keep Bruce. Of course, injuries haven’t helped, with Snodgrass being out for the season, and Diame and Dawson also having spells out too. On paper, our team should be comfortable, but paper never won a football match. I think if we get a couple of results go our way, we’ll be fine. We only have to look at Sunderland and Poyet last season for a great example.

brady’s love triangle: Playing forwards when it’s needed, bruce played the perfect game against sunderland but then played the same team at home to leicester.. until the 60th minute when we had all our forwards on we dominated them.. it’s up to bruce really, and if we get diame and dawson back fit and ready, diame has been a huge miss

Mr Hat: Sack Cushionface

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: We just need to get our bigger players back and a consistent team. With Huddlestone, Dawson, Diame and Snodgrass out, we as a club don’t have the depth of squad to lose these players.

Chazz Rheinhold: Get the players back fit and from suspension. Buy a strong championship centre forward. Deeney would be my choice, if we go down, he’ll be the top scorer next season if we do.

Ryan: As Steve Bruce keeps saying, getting our injured and suspended players back is one big thing but I think he also needs to be a bit more adventurous in attack and make better use of the strikers we have. In our recent home defeat to Leicester we started without a striker and intitially struggled to create chances, but once we brought some strikers on in the second half, we suddenly looked like scoring. That game summed up the rut we’re in really.

2) Which player/s would you like in this transfer window?

Quill: Someone to bridge the gap between midfield and attack. We don’t really have a proper playmaker at the club – Ramirez is alright, but lacks pace, and Ben Arfa was just an idiot. Ironically, we do have that type of player already in Snodgrass, but he is out for the season as mentioned above. 

brady’s love triangle: difficult, we spent a lot in the summer, how much will our owners want to dish out? i’d like cattermole from sunderland and danny ings from burnley, neither are likely to happen though

Mr Hat: Messi, Ronaldo or Bale

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: I don’t think we need much, maybe Lennon to replay Ben Arfa, and Cattermole to stiffen up the Midfield

Chazz Rheinhold: Troy Deeney. Not sure we need anyone else.

Ryan: We’ve spent a lot of money for a club our size recently and I don’t think we really need to keep splashing the cash. The squad is a lot better than the one that stayed up and got to the cup final last year, so the problem lies elsewhere. That said, the one position I think we lack is a bit of pace up front to get in behind teams. We let Shane Long go for a really good offer, but we didn’t have much time to replace him. We got Abel Hernandez, but he hasn’t been anything like as good as long so far and doesn’t seem to have the pace we need.

3) What player/position is your weakest?

Quill: Quite a similar question to above. I wouldn’t say any player in particular is our weakest, but if I had to pick an area, it would be the attack. Bar Jelavic and Hernandez, we don’t have strikers who look truly threatening. The Leicester game highlighted our need for more attackers or at least a more creative threat.

brady’s love triangle: centre midfield and forwards, hernandez has yet to spark into life despite being our most expensive signing in our history, livermore and huddlestone don’t have that ‘kick’

Mr Hat: Every position as Cushionface pulls names out of a hat.

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: One in midfield and one up front.

Chazz Rheinhold: Centre midfield. We’ve got ex Spurs in there!! Bit lightweight (no Hudd jokes) and too nice. Shouldnt have bought Livermore, gets through lots of work but not enough bite or drive going forward. Always wants to pass to Hudd.

Ryan: We have reasonably good cover all over. I’d say up front is the weakest. Jelavic is great, but we haven’t got anyone else up to his standard to play alongside him.

4) What tactics are you likely to employ against Arsenal?

Quill: Very likely our 3-5-2 formation. It’s our best formation from a defensive standpoint, and is our best chance of keeping your lot at bay. We’ll likely play very similar to how we did in the 2-2 draw earlier on in the season.

brady’s love triangle: probably a 3-5-2, hoping to dominate arsenal in midfield and get you on the counter.. but bruce who knows?

Mr Hat: Concede at all costs

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: 352 as we did in the league game solid defence and counter attack.

Chazz Rheinhold: I hope Brucey doesnt sit back. He’ll go 3 at the back i reckon. We’ll be out on our feet by Sunday it could be a drubbing for us, we’re running out of players.

Ryan: It’s impossible to say with us. Being an FA Cup game Bruce will probably mix it up a bit meaning fringe players get a game. We play a few different formations at different times.

5) Which Arsenal player would you like and why?

Quill: 100% Alexis Sanchez. The man is awesome. He has been, for me so far this season, the best player in the Prem. Both his ability to score and create, alongside his pace and trickery is exactly what we need at the moment. 

brady’s love triangle: sanchez, world class, being a huge fan of his for quite a while , he could play at any team in the world, he bossed the world cup and ozil, I’ve followed him from his young days, he has the quality, he doesn’t have the forwards to work with though

Mr Hat: Diaby because Bruce manages to have so many players out injured all the time that Diaby will prove the exception to the rule in a fitting twist of ironic comedy

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: The Ox, he has pace, skill and power, though a toss-up with Ramsey.

Chazz Rheinhold: Obviously Sanchez but if not Welbeck. 

Ryan: Easy, Danny Welbeck. We were tenuously linked with him in the summer before he signed for you, it seemed very unlikely at the time and so it proved, but I did think he was exactly what we were missing and would have been an ideal foil for Jelavic.

6) Which player/position do you feel is our weakest?

Quill: Defence. I’m including the goalkeeper in that too. Your defence doesn’t look strong enough, both from a physical standpoint and also a mental one. Even Wenger himself admitted that your defence doesn’t talk enough, which is a massive problem.

brady’s love triangle: well, depends on what level, to compete for the premier league/europe, i’d say, a forward and defender

Mr Hat: London, because you pick up a fan base of Piers Morgan’s

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: Centre back and defensive midfielder.

Chazz Rheinhold: The back four, it seems. Corners free kicks are our best chance of scoring.

Ryan: I don’t know a massive amount about Arsenal but from the outside it always seems like you spend big on attacking players but only get cheap, French youngsters to play in defence. It seems to me that a bit of physicality from teams like Stoke or West Ham is still a weakness for you. I’d say the defence in general is your weakest area.

7) Who should Arsenal sign in the transfer window to improve the squad?

Quill: Again, similar to above, you need a new central defender, someone like Mats Hummels, who has a great technical ability as well as a tactical nous.

brady’s love triangle: martinez of porto

Mr Hat: Messi, Ronaldo or Bale

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: Not sure which person, but the above 2 positions, then you would be a threat in both League and Europe.

Chazz Rheinhold: Sissoko (sp) from Newcastle. He looked fantastic last time i saw him on TV and was a beast against us last season.

Ryan: Based on my previous answer I’d say a powerful, dominant centre half who already knows the PL. He’d need to play the Arsenal way, so maybe Ashley Williams from Swansea. In fact better yet, our very own James Chester is a very under-rated player in the Rio Ferdinand mould. He’s young, rarely makes a mistake, good on the ball and a brilliant tackler but hardly ever has to slide. I’d hate to see him go, but I reckon he could play for a big club one day.

8) What is your prediction for the match?

Quill: My heart says a 3-2 win after coming from 2-0 down just for revenge, but I’m going to be realistic and say 3-1 Arsenal.

brady’s love triangle: 2-1 to arsenal L

Mr Hat: 9-1 Hull city win.

John Ex Aberdeen now E.R: Depend what team Arsene puts out, if 2nd string we may get a draw, if you put out a first team squad, I fear we will lose 2-0

Chazz Rheinhold: Could be 5-0. It’d be good to fluke a draw and get you back up here for a night match.

Ryan: I can’t see anything other than a City loss. I imagine both sides will play a weakened team, but your reserves will be stronger than ours. If it was a league game I might be hopeful we could knick a result again, but I’m not confident for this one. I was disappointed with the draw really, after last year’s cup run whet the appetite!             

Prediction:

I really don’t know to be honest. With the form we are in and against a team that knows how to expose our weaknesses. I think our saving grace is their small squad. Their players would be tired after the packed fixtures. God I hope we win because we need to go on a winning run and it’d be fantastic if we kept the Cup this year. 2-1 to the good guys.

What is your prediction?

What team line-up would you go with?

Who will be our best player on the day?

Who do we need in the transfer window?

Podolski…a flop or not?

Enjoy the game Arsenal fans.

arsenal vs hull

By Oz Gunner

Time To Reveal The Sad Arsenal Secret

TotalArsenal

download

Everyone has their dark secrets, some of which are buried very deep and best left there.

It is only since I discovered Bergkampesque that I have managed to search my inner self and analyse my problem. Sure I tried other blogs, but none of them made me feel at home. Some of the blogs are so clique, you just get ignored. Some are downright hostile. I once suggested Arshavin was a lazy sod and nearly got lynched.

Then Bergkampesque: a friendly, knowledgeable, sometimes odd collection of Gooners who made me feel at home from day one, and even threw in free Dutch lessons. They even let me lead the UMF league for a week after I managed max points; some even said they would follow me, but week two ended in zero.

Anyway, enough of this pre-amble and back to my sad secret: I have supported Arsenal for over 50 years. At school, I was surrounded by hordes of glory hunting Manchester United fans.  There were about three of us and thousands of them and we hadn’t won anything in years. Still, in a school set in rural Lancashire, you would expect this mix of fans. But hold on, I went to School in South East London. Technically, Palace, Millwall and Charlton territory. But my Dad was a lifelong Arsenal fan, so it was genetic.

In 1966 Arsenal sacked Billy Wright and we all waited for a big name replacement. No foreign managers then, so Arsenal decided to appoint their physio, Bertie Mee. The physio??!! We hadn’t won anything for years and we appoint the physio? But with Don Howe as his able assistant, things picked up.

A team that hadn’t won anything for years suddenly began to show form. Maybe we could actually win something.

Sorry, rambling again. During the 50 plus years I have attended literally hundreds of games, mainly at Highbury, a good number of away games and a sprinkling of Cup Finals.  Prior to the latter years at Highbury, no one on the terraces had season tickets, you just turned up and paid.

Below is my list of some of the important games I have attended:

1968 League Cup Final Wembley.

Leeds United – lost 1 – 0.

Possibly the dirtiest team I have ever seen, Jack Charlton flattened the Arsenal keeper at a corner and Terry Cooper rifled the winner home. My first visit to Wembley.

1969 League Cup Final Wembley

Swindon Town lost 3 – 1 AET

This was it Swindon Town from the old 3rd division against the mighty Gunners. This was going to be a walkover. My Dad had once again got two tickets and once again we set off to cheer on our beloved team. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until we reached the game that we realised we had Swindon tickets. It didn’t really matter though because Arsenal fans didn’t have a lot to cheer about. Three main factors for our downfall that day were:

1) The pitch. Take a look at the the clip below, and remember this is Wembley.

2) Don Rogers, a Swindon legend along with 10 other country bumpkins played their socks off.

3) Ian Ure, who my Dad thought was great, but I always thought was a little clumsy, didn’t have his best game. Although Bobby Gould equalised in the last minute, we went on to lose 3 -1. Wasn’t a lot of fun going back to School after that .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4oQTUv37nU

1971 Winning the league at White Hart Lane – Spurs 0 Arsenal 1

Last game of the season: we needed to draw 0 – 0 or win to win the league. A real nail-biter, but the lads did really well. Then in the final minutes a young Ray Kennedy rose and headed Arsenal ahead. Not necessarily a good thing. We were cruising to the 0 – 0 we needed; now we had upset the Spuds even more. Referees didn’t advertise how much added time back then, and those few minutes seemed like hours. But I and thousands of other Gunners were soon celebrating in the streets of Spudland.

I also had a cup final ticket that year. Unfortunately, it was a single Scouse ticket. No way Pedro.

1980 FA Cup Final

V West Ham Wembley – lost 1- 0

Surely, my first Wembley Victory against 2nd Division West Ham. A truly forgettable game. In fact, I can only remember two events. Trevor Brooking scored the winning goal with a header. Although many of us felt that it rebounded off his head. Then, in the final moments, a young Hammer broke through on goal. This was history in the making: if he scored he would be the youngest goal scorer in Cup Final history. Then, a moment that has been called ‘a game changing moment in British football’. The Arsenal centre back Willie Young not known for his delicate touch, scythed Paul Allen down and was only booked for his trouble. After collecting his winners medal, Allen burst into tears: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKemltpQMgA

The list goes on. I was at Wembley when Gazza scored that free kick. I was also there when we lost the League cup final (I always forget what it’s called these days) to Chelsea.

By now you may have noticed a trend. 

Other than the Spurs game, every trophy winning game I have ever attended has ended in defeat. Hang on a moment though, I was shut out at Spurs and listened to the game on a tranny radio.

So my problem, in over 50 years of supporting Arsenal I have never physically seen them win anything.  Not a sausage!

If by any chance we reach the champions league final though…. anyone got a spare ticket? 🙂

Written by: Retsub.

Arsenal Season Review: Four Improvements and Three Negatives

TotalArsenal

It has been a whirlwind of a season for Arsenal this year. The poor start to the league before the incredible run of form that saw us lead the league table for a mighty long time followed by the collapse in the league and finally the FA cup triumph that ended the trophy drought. For many observers, this seems like a typical Arsenal season and sure enough in some aspects that is the case, but I have seen real progress in this team this term. Of course the proverbial monkey is off our back now that we won the cup, the biggest testament to this growth.

Soccer - FA Cup - Arsenal Winners Parade

One of the biggest strides we have made this season (if not the biggest) is the assembly of the rock solid defensive unit of Szczesny, Koscielny and Mertesacker. For me Koscielny is the best defender in the league. Mertesacker is Mr. consistent and Szczesny’s golden glove prize says everything I need to. Bac has been phenomenal for us too, but i hesitate to dwell too much on him as his departure is all but rubber stamped. This defensive unit (barring the humiliation at the hands of Chelsea, Liverpool and city) was the best in the league. The aforementioned defeats are a result of our poor tactical nous at the middle of the park but I will get to that in a bit. Defense has been a major achilles heel for Arsenal since the pairing of Campbell and Keown but that is now a thing of the past. In Szczesny, we have a true heir to David Seaman’s throne.

Secondly, has been Arsenal’s ability to grind out wins, which is a testament to the brilliance of our defense. Before when Arsenal took an early lead you always felt nervous at 1-0 because we would eventually crumble and either draw or lose. This season however we have learned how to ‘win ugly’ as many would put it. Perfect examples are the wins against Spurs, Dortmund away and many more.

Thirdly, there is the coming of age of some of our players. Biggest of them all, Aaron Ramsey. I mean we all saw his potential before his leg break but nobody could have predicted what we saw this season. He has been nothing short of phenomenal. He has consistently put in match winning displays when fit, sometimes showing lashes of skill that the likes Ronaldinho and Zidane would be proud of. Another has been Theo Walcott. Though he has been injured for the most part, he has shown that he can be the 30 goal a season player we always thought him to be. It’s a shame we lost both at such crucial times of the season.

Last but not least, is the fact that Wenger has finally shown us that he is willing to spend money on world class talent. With the acquisition of Ozil, Wenger has proved that he is willing to spend big on the right players, something he will need to do more of if we are to build on our recent FA cup success. I find it hard to believe that our first trophy in years after we brought in a world class player is pure coincidence.

There have been a few negatives that saw us surrender the league title to Man City. They can all be summed up in one sentence; Wenger’s lack of tactical prowess. This comes out in a number of ways.

First and most frustrating of all is his inability to manage his squad effectively. Arsene Wenger simply does not know how to rotate his squad. He will play his best 11 week in week out until they either get injured or lose form due to fatigue. In my opinion apart from Theo Walcott, all the other injuries we got this season could have been avoided. Allow me to explain. When we started the season, we had Wilshere and Theo injured but were coming back. Wilshere’s had been long term and Theo’s short term. This meant that Ramsey got his chance to play, along with Gnabry. However, not long after Theo returned, regaining his place on the right meaning we had a midfield of Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil, Walcott and Santi (our best line up). So they played until Theo was injured again. But Wilshere soon returned. Note that with his well documented injury issues, he needed to be eased back in. Wenger would have none of it. He was played, even at times on the flank leaving a fit Ox and Gnabry on the bench. His worst performances came from the flank mind you. This team played on until both Ramsey and Wilshere (both of who thrive on the B2B role and would have shared the responsibility brilliantly) were injured due to the sheer amount of games they played. All this while, the Ox, Gnabry and Rosicky on the bench. Same to Mesut, a player who needed to be carefully introduced to the English game. He was played until he lost form and ultimately got injured yet Tomas sat on the bench unused. Look at players like Mertesacker and Bac who played almost every single game this year when TV5 was left unused. Podolski, one of our best players played a very small part in our league campaign despite being our best finisher. The examples go on and on. What is the point in having a big squad if the boss won’t use it?

Secondly I feel that our traditional beautiful game has been compromised. Our lack of pace makes what used to be scintillating displays in slow, labored, boring football. Our quick paced passing was seen in flashes like in that fantastic goal vs Norwich but majority of the time it was that slow passing that was at times difficult to watch. This made defences harder to break down, a major reason why we seldom won by big margins. We need some pace in that team.

Finally, Wenger’s lack of a midfield plan. Gary Neville said that at times it is like Wenger picks his midfield and asks them to play as they feel. For most parts I tend to agree with him. He has managed to assemble a very talented midfield but they are all too similar, especially when we lose the ball. There is no positional discipline, no tactical defensive shape, no coordinated pressing of the ball. This leaves the defense open and vulnerable to attacks. This explains the routs we received. Wenger, at the very least, needs to bring in a proper DM who shields the back for properly. Arteta’s lack of pace and aging legs have been exploited more than once this season.

Arsenal players celebrate with the FA Cu

All in all, it has been a good season. The lads have tasted victory and now it is up to Arsene to bring in 3-4 world class players ( a world class DM of the Javi Martinez mould, a pacy, goal getting left sided winger and a 30+ goal a season striker) to elevate us to title and UCL contenders. At this point, no Gooner is willing to go back to the trophy-less years – rather would see our glory days return.

 Written by: Marcus

Have Arsenal finally broken the jinx?

TotalArsenal

Reliving the FA Cup Final again.

Arsenal players wave to fans from the bus

In the lead up the FA Cup Final, my Arsenal life sort of flashed before my eyes. I was in Faisalabad, the third biggest city in Pakistan, on a business trip. I hated being away from Karachi, where other fans had set up shop at a cinema where the match was being screened live. But I was in my hotel room, and sitting there with the match on it seemed as if this was destiny: the nearly 9 year hoodoo ending at new Wembley. I began to remember all the years that had gone by with me following Arsenal.

I started watching Arsenal play way back in 1998/99, after I fell in love with Dennis Bergkamp in the World Cup. I saw them lose the title again and again to United, till we won the double in 2001/2 (Wiltord getting us the goal at Old Trafford), and then the invincible season of 2003/4 (2-2 away to Spurs to win the league). I saw the FA Cup final when Giggs missed an open goal and that miss was compounded when eventually we triumphed on penalties. At the time, it seemed like a given that we would keep winning something or the other. I recall the Arsenal website would have a banner every year proclaiming us champions of one thing or another.

And then followed a period in which we flattered to deceive, and disappointments that seemed short lived (losing arguably one of our two best chances at the UCL to a Wayne Bridge goal at Highbury in the quarterfinals in 2004) began to feel more long term. There are memories a plenty post that period, and most of which are of disappointment. Losing a good chance at the Premiership when Eduardo’s leg broke, losing the final of the League Cup to Chelsea after Walcott had scored his first goal (what a free kick), there was a League Cup semi-final loss in the second leg after Van Persie had put us ahead and we let in a goal (was it against Birmingham?), the UCL final against Barcelona which we all but won (barring 11 minutes, Pires off the pitch and Thierry missing a one-on-one with the goalie with us 1-0 up – not sure I ever got over that), and of course the wonderful League Cup final against Birmingham which was to be our destiny. Kos and Scez, two of the first names on the sheet in the current team sort of cost us that one, as did a collective fear to win. Between and around all of that were losses to United in the UCL and the league, and an 8-2 that shook everything up.

I’ve always been a big Wenger fan and it hurt me to see him reduced to this, being booed by our own fans. Hunted by the press and having an inability to ‘close the deal’, whether that deal be much needed transfers or big games. Then came Ozil, the second coming of Ramsey, a long time on top of the EPL and hope. And then implosion. Despite all of that I kept hoping that this team had something extra, surely it wouldn’t throw away another chance at glory? Wigan almost took it from us in the Semis, and what followed was arguably the most professional display of penalty taking I’ve seen in a while. From Arsenal. What? My team? Professionally killing another team? On penalties?

Pardon the long winded context, but the final meant the world to me. Somewhere, I kept avoiding telling myself that this was surely it. Surely. Our team wanted it too much. And then 10 or so minutes later we are down 2-0, almost 3-0 (saved thanks to Gibbs). And I’m dumb struck. A friend calls me asking me if I’m watching and I can’t even reply to him. He tells me that there is a long while left. That’s the only good thing about this. I shift my superstitious posture and keep watching numbly from another angle.

Then steps up Santi, and scores a direct free-kick after such a very, very long time. I’ve forgotten the exact time, but the last one was scored at the back end of last season by Poldi I believe. I jumped up and screamed in my room and ran the length of it to the corner and celebrated wildly with my imaginary audience.

Someone tweeted that this was how arsenal were going to break the jinx, with a monumental comeback. I tweeted back to please don’t tempt fate.

Sanogo came on and became a cat amongst the pigeons of the Hull defense. Kos made it 2-2 with 11 minutes or so to go and I was up and screaming again… quieted only by the thought that someone might come barging into the room thinking I was having a heart attack. Or something.

Extra time began and we were in charge, Giroud (I still rate him, despite all of his failings) should have gotten a worthy winner but it banged off the bar, and I began to wonder if this was going to be another flattering to deceive. Second period of ET and Jack and Tom came on. It began to be clear in my head that despite us winning on penalties in the previous round I wasn’t sure we could do it again in the final.

Rambo

And then… Ramsey! Ramsey glorious Ramsey! And what a back heel to boot! To be honest all I remember in the live moment was the goal and the relief. The look of relief on Ramsey’s face and I too collapsed on my bed. I did not want to jump up, I just wanted to be happy that it could be over soon. Then I saw the replay and the beauty of it. What a winner. Someone tweeted that suddenly the Arsenal team didn’t know what to do if they ACTUALLY won. Hull had a couple of chances but the game ended and it was over.

The sight that made me most happy was the look on Wenger face as he pumped his fist. You could see how much it meant to him. Then he was mobbed like a rock star and the trophy was raised. London Calling, 7 Nation Army played and none of it mattered. What mattered was that we had won. Arsenal had won. Wenger had gotten something.

Someone in the studio asked one of the pundits if this made it a successful season for Arsenal, vs. say, Liverpool. The pundit (I’m forgetting who) replied that he still thought it was a better season for Liverpool. I laughed. HA! We have a trophy.

Do I think this is a successful season for us? YES. For the simple reason that we move forward in a positive direction, just like we did when we signed Ozil and broke the hoodoo of Wenger not spending. Yes, we blew a chance at the Premiership, Yes, we still need 3-4 players in key positions, yes, Wenger still needs to be more flexible tactically; but the narrative has improved. We move forward, on to the summer, on to the new season, on to new signings and a new hope. What do Liverpool get? Zilch. And even though I like Rodgers, and I liked watching them scare everyone I knew in my heart of hearts if they had won, the internet and the press would have crucified Arsenal with the narrative that a small squad coached ‘brilliantly’ and with the right passion can win the EPL. But whether this was a successful season for us or not requires a more in-depth write up.

But for now, WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! And it feels SO GOOD to be an Arsenal fan!

And oh, Arsenal has not won anything for 10 days. #WengerOut. 😉

Cheers!   COYG!

Written by Umair Naeem.

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

TotalArsenal

Opportunity Squandered or Progress Made?

GibbsMiss

 

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…

Arsenal players celebrate with the FA Cu

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.

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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.

20 weeks of holiday, at least! :)

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.

Does Thierry know what Arsene's plans for the summer are? :)

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.

cid160876_arse_640x345

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.

Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshe

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.

Victory

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 Pictures That Say It All – 17 May 2014: a Glorious Day

TotalArsenal

FA Cup Final Match Review: We Are The Champions!

StartingvsHull

** Please note: not Szczesny but Fabianski in goal

Arsenal vs Hull City at Wembley. The FA Cup final. It was for me, personally, the first final I have witnessed since becoming a Gooner, and I missed it! I was forced to go to a college graduation over an hour away from my house, taking place at the same time as the final! So naturally I went dark from the internet and my phone to avoid spoilers and waited until I got home. After getting home, my Arsenal loving mother and I watched the game on recording, with no knowledge of the result, the score, or anything.

The atmosphere looked incredible. There seemed to be far more Arsenal fans than Hull fans and I really thought we were going to win comfortably. However, it was just the 3rd minute when Hull scored the opener. A corner was swung into the box, volleyed towards goal by Huddlestone, and deflected in by Chester. Fabianski was wrong-footed and could only watch as the ball rolled agonizingly by his fingers and into the side netting. A shock-lead for the underdogs, early on.

Chester

After that goal, Arsenal looked a little shell-shocked, but the comeback still looked possible. However, just a few minutes later another cross was swung in. It was headed towards goal, Fabianski palmed it wide, but Davies was on hand to drive it home. Replays show that Davies looked offside, but the referee (who had a bit of a howler on the day) allowed the goal and, eight minutes into the FA Cup final, Arsenal were two goals down.

Davies

My mother and I sat there with tears in our eyes. But it was a unique experience as we were all alone. No internet to calm us down, no one on Bergkampesque to talk to. And I must admit, even though I am usually the most optimistic of Gooners, I turned to my mom and said that we were going to lose. I just had a terrible feeling, but after that we improved. And in the 17th minute, our miracle arrived. The Spanish magician Santi Cazorla stepped over a free kick and rifled it into the far corner, perfectly over McGregor’s head. It was an incredible free kick perfect for the occasion.

Cazorla

After that, we never looked like losing. Countless chances went begging and we had four penalty calls ignored. Two were debatable and I could’ve accepted they weren’t called if not for the referee’s horrible game, but two were clear and should have been called and it was embarrassing that they weren’t.

Penalty

Surprisingly, in the 61st minute, Wenger did exactly what I wanted him to do, switch to a two striker system with Yaya Sanogo coming in. And he did it early! After that, the whole game changed. Sanogo’s physical presence and his pace brought new life into the game. He drove forward, made trouble for the Hull defenders, and swung the momentum strongly in our favour. He was definitely one of the best players on the field. From then on we fought and fought and finally the breakthrough came. The first three goals all came from set pieces and this one would be no different. A corner was swung in by Santi and deflected between a few players on both teams before falling to Koscielny, who hit the ball through McGregor’s legs and was then felled by the Hull goalie. The injury looked bad, but he was able to continue, and more importantly, we were level in the 72nd minute!

Koscielny

After that we looked like we might win it in the 90 minutes. We had many chances with the partnership of Yaya and Ollie getting many shots off. Finally with just a few minutes to go Sanogo picked out a free Gibbs at the far post seven yards from goal, but he blazed it over the bar! I worried for Gibbs after that, as I know from my own playing experience that a miss like that can really shake a player badly, but he seemed to pick himself up really well. We got on with the game and I thought we’d won it when Giroud volleyed the ball at goal, but McGregor pushed it wide and it went into extra time. It was very painful to watch, especially alone.

GibbsMiss

In extra time we were the only side that looked like scoring. We pushed forward the whole first period, missing just wide multiple times, with Rambo firing everywhere except the back of the net. After the first period of extra time Rosicky and Wilshere were introduced to put some pace back into our game, and it worked. In the 109th minute a wonderful interchange between Sanogo and Giroud left Giroud running away from goal with the ball, Ramsey ran into the space Giroud had opened up, Giroud flicked the ball behind him with his heel, and Ramsey coolly finished the ball into the near post with the outside of his foot before the Hull keeper could even react.

Rambo

After that Hull had nothing to lose. They pushed far forward and we probably should have had one more on the break. At one point, we looked in trouble, as Per slipped and Fabianski made a horrid mistake by coming miles off his line to chase down the ball, and he slid right by Aluko who shot the ball  towards goal from a tight angle; Gibbs was on the line ready to clear it, but the ball rolled just wide anyway. After that we held on and when the whistle finally blew it was magical.

Victory

The players collapsed exhausted and unbelieving. It was wonderful to watch us win this major come back, and the first trophy I have ever seen. This team fully deserved to win and it was fantastic to watch my team run around the field in celebration. Ramsey was deservedly the hero after his amazing season. Finally, after an eternity, all our players had their medals and the trophy was ready to be lifted. It was great to watch as captain Verm and Wenger lifted the trophy.

Cup

The parade was also lovely to watch Sunday morning, and after winning a trophy and having this wonderful atmosphere around them, it will be interesting to see what happens with Fabianski and Sagna and their expiring contracts. Sagna gave an interview after the final saying that he will see if he can “find a solution” to this contract issue. I would love to see him stay. But on another note, it was an incredible feeling for us to win this trophy and this will be a spring board to future success. We now have a team full of trophy winners and the Emirates trophy curse is broken. Players will be even more attracted to us this summer and I can’t wait to see what next season brings.

Overall, the team played well after the Cazorla free kick and there were stand out performances from Koscielny, Sanogo, and of course Rambo.

So for the final review of the seasons, some questions:

  1. Who was your man of the match?
  2. What is your opinion of Sanogo?
  3. How does it feel to win a cup at last?
  4. Will this be a spring board for future trophies?

Thanks for reading and happy celebrations to you all! 😀

Written By: Dylan.

Sanogo the difference, last game for Pod & other post FA cup thoughts

TotalArsenal

Post FA CUP Final observations by Gerry.

Good morning all. And what a fine day it is to be free of the … ‘not having won a trophy in X number of years’tag. Such relief. Congrats to all the team, who played as a team when they needed to. Job done … The hard way, of course?

Wenger

I have spent the last hour reading all the comments, and I went with that flow too. I missed the equalizer (dog), but managed to see it out to he end. Annoyingly, the high pressure that brings us all the fine weather also gives me an occasional weak signal, thus rendering my recording a bit of a waste. Luckily, switching channels to watch it ‘live’ resulted in an upturn in our fortune on the pitch as well.

Just a few observations:

Starting with Geoff’s point in previous post (@01.39). Having a player close to Giroud makes him look a far better player with that extra yard or two of extra space. And that is saying something when it is a raw kid like Sanogo who still has so much to improve upon, can do that? Imagine what somebody with experience would do?

Sanogo. So, so very unlucky not to have broken his scoring duck by now. A wrongly disallowed goal in an earlier game. Finger tip touch in this with Giro-esque twist-turn-and shoot that might well have gone in off the post in this, along with other half-chances. If he can get his feet to do what his brain tells them to do, he will be something special. At the moment his first touch is clumsy to say the least. He has that long leg Diaby-like stick ability in tight situations, and can often come away with the ball when he has no right to it. But for all his flaws and limitations, he was the player we needed in this game, for his pace, effort, movement, and that occasional successful stickabilty that led to the winning goal. If they give out points for pre, pre, assists, then his part in that goal will be seen time and time again, with endless replays on the television, as a very special moment. I hope he will come good in years to come, and does not get drowned out by the clamour for that big signing.

Podolski. He suffers when he cannot start his play from the halfway line, imo. Guilty for the first goal for walking away before the danger was cleared. Not even playing the guy he was leaving off-side because Gibbs remained at his post on the goal line. But that is what you get when you play a forwards who is not naturally defensive minded? In the end his forward threat his lost from his starting position. Even young Yaya above, never shirked the defensive duty when needed, and had the pace of youth to get back up in attack.
Thank you Poldi for all your great goals, but I think you have probably played your last game in an Arsenal shirt?

Ozil. Criticism will come his way, but unfairly imo. The one thing Ozil needs is movement round him. Until Sanogo came on there was very little. Thus his passing game was made redundant. You can praise Hull’s tactics for much of this. They had a man on Arteta to keep him back. They were quick to pounce on Giroud when anything came his way, fairly and unfairly, it got the same result. Ramsey was kept back deeper because of the numbers they had in midfield, and Podolski rarely had a chance to run with it either. Luckily, as has been mentioned in comments above, he is a team player, and he will keep going for the team throughout the whole 120 minutes.

Cazorla. Worked his magic on the free kick. perhaps the goalie was at fault for not entirely trusting his ‘wall’ to do its job, as when he saw who had taken the kick, he took a half step to his right. which meant he was caught out by both the pace and accuracy of Santi’s shot. Where 9 times out of 10 going to where the keeper is, they will get saved. This one was one that didn’t. That apart, Santi worked hard against a disciplined defence, and few opportunities. occasionally his free roaming meant he was crowding out the space that Ramsey might run into, but overall a solid game, without too many decisive moments.

Arteta. I thought he had one of his better games, given the limitation of his pace, or the lack of. He was the main outlet ball out of defence, when played short, and was there to for Gibbs, as he was closed down quickly early on. However, he is another who will find game-time in short supply if the TW goes our way? Suggest he spends time getting his coaching badges?

Gibbs – Roundly criticised for missing the sitter, but that does not take away from his overall contribution. Nor should it be forgotten that he got in that position to miss the sitter, which, by rights, should have been a Poldi/Ramsey/Cazorla option? And let’s not forget his clearance off the line that saved us from going 3-0 down. He made numerous, and often unused runs down the left. Had a couple of half chances to feed a pass into the box, but failed for one reason or another. Where he excelled was being the last defender back on our set pieces. And also, when Fab went ‘Flappy’ near the end of the 120 minutes, he made another 30 yard dash to cover the open goal shot that ended up going wide. Should he ever get an injury free season, and all the experience that goes with it, he will be every bit as good, if not better, than Ca$hly got to be, and unlike him, he is a Gunner for life.

Koscielny. Kos had a typical Kos-type game. Sound in defence .. for the most part. Always a threat in our set pieces. Scored with his feet! And then nearly threw all the praise away with a blunder at the death. Still our best 50% pairing though.

Mertersacker. Poor old Per. An absolute rock for 119 minutes, then slips, and it could have ended in disaster for him. Slow to get up? Well apart from being a big guy at the tail end of a highly disciplined performance, he had a right to expect Sanga or even Kos to be covering as he was up against ‘fresh legs’ Aluko? Fortune favoured him with the latter’s misplaced shot, after Fab made a fruitless attempt to save the day. Let that not take away from an otherwise strong leader’s game.
Fortunately, he will not be departing any time soon!

Sagna. Oh Bacary. Yes you could leave on this high note? But you could also stay? Hard to find a fault in an otherwise tireless game. Few opportunities to get decent crosses in, but put in a real shift, as always. If economics decides it, he will be hard to replace. perhaps never, in like for like.
If common sense prevails. and team unity, loyalty, and a true class player are properly rewarded, Bacs will get what he really wants?

Fabianski. Deserved his place in the side, and fully deserves his medal. At fault for either goal? Not really. The first was a well worked routine that came back into the box at pace. For the second he was somewhat let down by the defending(Poldi), that allowed his initial save to come off the past and bounce to the scorer. In commentary it was suggested that diving into the goal meant he was in no position to save the second attempt? That is a bit harsh, give the angle he was going for the ball. As it was he only narrowly missed injuring himself, so another foot or two to the right and he almost certainly would have clattered the post, and that could have been far more costly? He did make another really good save that got a slight deflection of a heel(Arteta?) down to his right which made the difference between a finger tip touch or a full hand to it, but he still turned it around the post. Like Per, he was lucky late on, but overall another sound game.

Subs Wilshere and Rosicky had the same effect that the Hull subs did, by giving energy and focus to an otherwise tiring attack. And it made the difference for us, but not quite for them. Coming on for the last 20minutes of normal time might have been the obvious time, but we may well have lost our eventual goal scorer? Playing from the start is another question entirely, and one I do not intend answering.

Written by: Gerry.

Time to end the drought! Arsenal vs Hull City FA Cup Final Pre-Match & Line- Up

TotalArsenal

Intro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEINxpUf8MA#t=88

Big big game this one. Both teams know what’s at stake. Every Arsenal supporter will be on the verge of ecstasy…or complete rage depending on how this one ends up. I’m a nervous wreck, and I have been ever since we knocked Wigan out in the Semi. I’m certainly not getting ahead of myself, especially after our last cup final heartbreak (not to mention the Chelsea 06/07 League Cup and the 05/06 Champions League final). We have won our last 3 FA Cup finals so fingers crossed. I really hope we don’t take Hull too lightly and we are ready for battle. Podolski’s comment of “Who is he?” when asked about a Hull City player doesn’t comfort me. Then again he’s as frank as they come.

Let’s get in to it, shall we:

Missing in Action:

Diaby sick bay

Arsenal: Vermaelen (knee) and Oxlade-Chamberlain (Groin) both face fitness tests. Both are likely to make the bench. Walcott (knee) and Gnabry (knee) will miss this one.

Hull City: Pretty much have a full squad to choose from. Strikers Long and Jelavic are cup tied leaving them a touch short up front (pardon the pun). I’m glad Long isn’t playing, he’s a bit of a menace, plus he just has one of those faces that makes you want to punch him. People probably say the same about me but I don’t deliver cheap shots on the pitch like he does. Plus he makes a lot of money so he couldn’t give a shit. Long, if you’re reading this and want to sort me out, my name is Prince and I live in Sydney. I can be found at any local entertainment store purchasing a TV (sent a remote through my last 12) or at any worksite with my Hampton nailed to the floor. Chester will miss with a Hamstring injury.

Predicted Line-up:

starting line-up HULL

Some pretty big question marks over who starts, perhaps none bigger than which pole starts in goal? Fabianski deserves it because he got us to the final. However, it is more beneficial for the team if Szczesny starts. My reasoning is: Szczesny will be with us next season…Fabianski will not (unfortunately). The experience Szczesny would gain from such a big match would be very beneficial in the future. I also think Szczesny is a better keeper over all. Szczesny was rested against Norwich, so does that mean he’s finished off the season early? Or does Arsene want him fresh as a daisy for the final? Was Fabianski starting the final fixture his chance to dust off the cobwebs? I have no bloody clue, Martinez could start and I wouldn’t be that surprised given Arsene’s record in big matches (Sanogo – Bayern. Coquelin, Szczesney and Song – United). Vermaelen and the Ox face fitness tests, but I don’t think either will start. Santi or Rosicky is another. Both deserve to start but Santi will most likely get the gig. My preference would be Rosicky. Arteta, Ozil and the Welsh Jesus will man the midfield.

Previous Encounters:

Hull City v Arsenal 0-3

The Ramsey-Podolski show! A double by German gun Podolski and a tidy finish from Ramsey was enough to dismantle Hull. Ramsey showed just how much we had missed him as he played a part in all 3 goals. The home crowd moaned after the second goal but Jelavic clearly flopped on the ground looking for contact. It amazes me that so many supporters whinge about players diving on the pitch, yet when one of their own isn’t rewarded it’s the biggest injustice in the history of time.

You can see the highlights below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcHfojyFdV8

Arsenal  v Hull City 2-0

Goals from ‘The Greatest Player to Have EVER lived’ and Ozil were enough to keep Arsenal on top of the table. That cross from Corporal Jenks was delicious. You can see the highlights below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjnESJxDg_A

Form Guide:               Arsenal:  : WWWWW        Hull: LLLDL

We’ve finished the season well after a bumpy run. The team was in danger of losing 4th place to a determined Everton outfit. Fortunately for us Arsenal has faced these pressures before and the team rallied. Arsenal should be in a confident mood for this one, but the players and Arsene will be under immense pressure.  The pole in goal and Koscielny will remember what transpired last time. It’s time to get this monkey off our back.

Road to the final:

Arsenal vs Wigan 1-1 (4-2 on penalties)

Arsenal vs Everton 4-1

Arsenal vs Liverpool 2-1

Arsenal vs Coventry 4-0

Arsenal vs Tottenham…Not sure. Can you help us out Theo?

walcott_2_0

Thanks Theo. See you soon mate.

Can’t say we didn’t earn our spot in the final. A very tough lot of fixtures.

Not the sort of form Hull would have liked going in to a final but form is largely irrelevant in this one. Anything can happen in a final…something we know well.

Road to the final:

Hull vs Sheffield United 5-3

Hull vs Sunderland 3-0

Hull vs Brighton 2-1 (replay after 1-1 draw)

Southend vs Hull 0-2

Middlesbrough vs Hull 0-2

Arsenal Archive (1)

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s the 1970-71 FA Cup final against Liverpool. The colours could be something of a good omen. Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6nO8hCbqG4

Key-Match up:

Ramsey and Ozil vs the Fat ex-spud Huddlestone

welsh jesus

On the outer at Spurs, Huddlestone moved over to Hull in search of more minutes. A move that has certainly payed off for both Hull and Huddlestone. Not only has he been a rock in their midfield this season, but he’s also offered them plenty going forward. He has a good range of passing, an eye for a goal and he’s not too bad with a dead ball. Expect him to play out of his skin in this one as I’m sure he’d love nothing more than to give his spud friends something to cheer about on Saturday. There is another spud out their too…he goes by the name of Livermore. Like rats the spuds appear to pop up everywhere.

Ramsey and Ozil…oh what could have been eh? Ramsey was on his way to winning player of the year until his injury. While the rest of us can sit here thinking “could we have won the title if he stayed fit?” Unfortunately we will never know. I’m just very happy for the kid. What a turn around. Many labelled him as deadwood. Now he’s the second coming. I know I can sit here smugly and say “yep. I had the faith and never bagged him once”. For shame the rest of you! If he and Ozil gel together…this one is in the bag!

Pre-Match Finger:

kid finger

 

This week’s finger goes to every bloody media outlet and opposition supporter. Yes, we haven’t won a trophy in a while. Yes, we know you like to rub it in our faces every bloody day. Hopefully a win in this one will result in you finding some new material…not likely but a man can dream. Up yours!

Pre-Match pat on the back:

pat on the back

This week’s pat on the back is going to Arsene Wenger and all the players that have been involved in this campaign. It has been another long season with many ups and downs. We’ve seen glimpses of what we have threatened to deliver for quite some time. On the other hand we’ve also witnessed some truly shocking moments (the Liverpool first half will haunt me for years to come). I guess upon reflection it’s been a typical Arsenal season.  We were decimated by injury. We had good victories. We had bad losses. We even sat on top of the table for quite some time. However, it’s all in the past and now we have a chance to end the season on a high. Well done to the players for getting us this far.

Ask the opposition (7)

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead.  This week the answers were kindly provided by SM. A top notch Hull supporter from Oz. Let’s see what he’s written for us this week:

1)What got Hull this far in the FA Cup?

What got us this far was sheer determination. A couple of times now we’ve looked down and out and the players have dragged us across the line. And not just the regular starting players, but fringe players like Yannick Sagbo and Matty Fryatt.

2) What would winning the Cup do for Hull?

Winning the Cup would literally be the biggest moment in this club’s history. It would eclipse the first ever promotion to the Premier League, and the achievement of staying in the Premier League. Winning the Cup would etch forever this Hull City team into the city’s consciousness. It’s hard to explain in Aussie sporting terms, because there is no comparable situation. The closest is the 05 Swans team, and even that club had won a flag 72 years prior.

3) What player/position is your weakest?

The left side is definitely our weakest, with Figueroa horribly out of form and Brady injured. Rosenior is decent cover, but we’re still not strong in that position.

4) What tactics is Hull likely to employ against Arsenal

I would hope to see us play quite cagey early on, and try and keep the score 0-0 until about the half hour mark. If we can do so I think Arsenal supporters will get on the players’ backs, and it will work to our advantage, and we’ll then look to make pacey attacks on the counter.

5) Which Arsenal player would you like and why?

I think my most valuable Arsenal player would have to be Cazorla. Ozil has a great range of passing, but we have that with Huddlestone. Cazorla is that dynamic attacking threat from midfield that we don’t quite have; that links your strikers with your midfielders.

6) Which player/ position do you feel is Arsenal’s weakness?

I think your weakest position is your strikers, and if we can exploit that by giving our defence license to roam, then we may be able to exploit you on the counter.

7) What is your prediction for the match?

Honestly I keep to-ing and fro-ing about the match. I’ll have to say a gutsy 3-1 loss for us if I go with my head, because Arsenal will be too determined, but it would be the match of my lifetime if we were to get up.

Prediction:

It will be a nervous start. How could it not be after the Birmingham final etched in the players’ minds? After some early jitters we will settle in to our groove and prove too strong for a determined Hull outfit. I don’t think they have enough fire power up front to worry us. I predict a FA Cup 3-0victory to the good guys.If we lose…we’ll I can’t bear the thought of it. The world may implode!

What is your prediction?

Szczesny or Fabianski? (BJ…you don’t have to answer this one mate 🙂 )

What team line-up would you go with?

Who will be our best player on the day?

Will victory be enough to propel the team to a new era?

Enjoy the game Arsenal fans. Wherever you are around the world be sure to savour every moment of it.

2005 FA Cup win

Written by: Oz Gunner

Arsenal’s Best 11 Players for FA Cup Final

TotalArsenal

cid160876_arse_640x345

The good news is that Oz Gunner will produce a match preview later this week, but I thought it would be good to discuss our best starting eleven today. Just for a bit of fun.

Injuries have possibly held us back from winning the title this season, or at least from getting very close to doing so, but luckily we can pick from a strong squad for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Hull City.

I have been thinking about our strongest eleven for the Cup final, whilst also taking into account things like potential departures of players and playing history in this competition.

I reckon our best eleven players for the final are:

Goal Keeper

Fabianski: yes, it would be a good and necessary experience for Szczesny, but I reckon we owe it to the older Pole to play in the final. He has got us there with some fine performances; but most importantly, Fabianski is a safer pair of hands when it comes to keeping his concentration for 90 (or more) minutes. I expect us to dominate the game for large parts and for Hull to focus on set pieces, and Szczesny has a knack of going in kamikaze in these sort of games…. boredom is not good for him. So Fab for me.

Left Back

Gibbs for me. I know some fellow BKers have their doubts about Kieran but for me he is one of the most exciting prospects in the whole Arsenal squad. A total athlete who offers everything you need in a full back, and he is very close to breaking through. The older he gets to stronger he will become and he needs to play in this final to win his first medal.

Centre Backs

Mertesacker – Koscielny. Both have their qualities and limitations but, like a perfect marriage, they get the best out of each other when played together.

Right Back

Jenkinson could do with the experience, but Sagna should start: one of my favourite Gunners and an absolute rock for us this season. It looks like he is leaving which would feel like a step back again; but we need his experience and hunger on Saturday, and he also deserves to depart with an FA cup medal in his suitcase.

Double DM-pivot

Flamini – Ramsey. I could live with Arteta instead of Flamini, but if Huddlestone is playing for Hull I want us to have a strong physical presence that will keep the former Spud quiet, and I reckon Matthieu is the man for this. I also believe Ramsey will be able to support the attack more if we play the Frenchman rather than the Spaniard next to him. The only risk is Flamini getting hot-headed and send off, but surely Wenger will coach him on this.

Ramsey is a given: he is our engine and our connector, who makes our team not two parts of defence and attack but one machine.

Central Attacking Midfielder – ‘Man in the hole’

Ozil of course, although…. Four things are important for the hole position: stamina, creativity, running with and without the ball and ability to give shape to our team. Long term, for me, the best person for this is SJW. Jack is best at giving shape and structure to the team, even better than Ozil – his performances in January were simply awesome. But Jack will not be fit enough to start, I reckon, and he will need a lot of games to get back to his very best again. So Ozil it is.

‘Holding’ Central Forward

Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie. Giroud is the obvious choice as nobody is better in our team at being the pivot in our attack: allowing the midfielders and fellow attackers to come forward and join the attack, creating opportunities for others and keeping defenders busy. Would I want OG to be a better finisher? Of course, but we need a lot more from Giroud in Wenger’s current system, and boy does he deliver this for us (again…. after a blip a few months ago).

Left ‘Wing’ – Right ‘Wing’

Aahhhh, it is a bit more difficult to choose for these positions. Without Theo and Ox (game comes to early, I reckon), we do not have a lot of choice for the wing. The two positions will have to be filled out of Cazorla, The Pod, and Rosicky. With Ramsey’s – and to a lesser extent Flamini – pressing and running from the centre, Ozil willingness to create space and do ‘wingplay’, Giroud’s readiness to spread himself about andthe support of the full backs, I believe we can get by without proper wingers in the team.

I am not a big fan of playing Pod and Cazorla together but reckon Wenger will go for these two on Saturday. I would prefer to start Rosicky, as he always personifies what playing for Arsenal is all about in the cup games. He has the drive and experience to motor the team on and he adds that little bit of speed and penetration the other two lack to some extent.

Pod has been in fine finishing form lately, and I would just about give him the nod over Cazorla for Saturday.

So my ideal team for the Cup final is:

FA cup final Arsenal line up

What do you think, FFG’s?

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Be Kind to Yourself 🙂