Never was the cliché of ‘a game of two halves’ more appropriate: 45 minutes with Alexis up top and 45 minutes with Ollie up top made a world of difference. In principle, we all like the idea of three ‘free to move’ attackers up top, who terrorize the opponent and bang in goals for fun. But this is not something we just do by lining up very good players: and Mesut, Alexis and Alex are three very fine attackers indeed. It takes time and practice: players have to get used to each other, understand each other weaknesses and strengths and develop an automatic, telepathic understanding with each other.
The first half was very hard on the eye. Our midfield worked well and we had a lot of the attacking play, but as soon as we got near the box it was total mayhem. There was plenty of movement and energy levels were high, but many passes went astray – especially in front and behind the opponent’s ‘D’. We looked clueless and, most importantly, shapeless and like our attackers were put together up-front for the first time.
Of course, it did not help that we conceded a poor goal from a set-piece and that bad refereeing allowed the second one to stand. Just as against CP, when we also did not score in the first part of the first half after a dominant phase of the game, we conceded unnecessary as a result of bad defending of a set piece. There is work to be done there, but as the BFG is back now I am sure we will get on top this gradually.
I was actually quite shocked to see Wenger starting without OG up-top. I reckon he did this to save him for the most important game of the season so far – our second CL game on Wednesday (and not to ‘punish’ him for a bad performance in Istanbul).
I have tried to explain to fellow bloggers on BK why Giroud is so important to Wenger’s Arsenal on a number of occasions over the last few years. Ever since Chamakh was bought, Arsene has been meaning to have a ‘holding striker’, for lack of a better word, who enables midfielders and ‘wing players’ to get involved in our attacking efforts: this is vital to his next ‘Wengerball’ team. OG’s three top performance objectives are: level of effectiveness in holding on to the ball and cooperating with fellow midfielders and attackers, setting up attacks and assists, AND score goals – and in that order of importance. Most fellow Gooners judge OG’s performances in the reverse order… and that is where you are getting it wrong in my humble opinion, and why I understand, to some extent, your frustrations.
When Van Judas was injured for the first half of the season a few seasons ago, Chamakh played the holding striker role and we banged in 2.3 goals per game. In the second part of that season, and the subsequent season too, we managed about 1.9 goals per game, even though the traitorous ‘I will Always Be a Gunner’ grey-haired one was in the form of his life. We became dependent on him and all our attacking play was aimed at him: he delivered but as a team we were not scoring enough. Yet, under Chamakh’s attacking guidance, the team did very well, albeit with super midfielders in the team, like Cesc and Nasri, who knew how to put them away all right. And there is a hint for you all. 😉
Chamakh did not score enough himself and he could not deal with the criticism very well, so on comes Giroud from Montpellier. Giroud was an improvement of Chamakh, as he could play the holding attacker role really well, whilst also scoring more goals in the process.
It was amazing to see how much criticism was labelled at OG, and how little was aimed at the underperforming midfielders yesterday. Ox lacked composure and missed an easier chance than OG, Ozil was rustier than the Titanic, Ramsey’s boat was not floating and Jack is still missing the final sharpness. Yet, very few, to my despair, picked up how much OG changed the game for us once he came on. We had shape and focus again, there was directness to our play and OG was in the middle of much of it. Yes he missed a decent chance after being thirty seconds on the pitch…. unforgiveable! 🙂
Everton were very well set up though, and their double DM pivot made it really hard for us. But it was The Gunners and not the Toffees who travelled and played in Istanbul just four days ago, and who still had the endurance and energy to push on for the full 90+ minutes, and somehow overcome a 2-0 deficit – for the first time in three seasons apparently – and win not just an important point, but a lot of team spirit and belief in the process too. The latter is absolutely vital for a side with trophy winning amibitions!
I am convinced that if we had started with OG, and Alexis and Mesut (or Alex instead of Mesut) ‘on the wings’, we would have beaten the Toffees yesterday. With Sanogo still injured though, and OG in need of resting for the Besiktas cruncher, Wenger had not much choice but to try Alexis up-front. It did not work out, and he was right, however unusual, to revert back to plan A straight from the start of the second half.
OG’s reintroduction made all the difference: not because he is the prolific striker so many are longing for – far from it; it is because he gives shape to this team’s attack more than anybody else and he is vital in Wenger’s plans – for 2014-2015 at least.
Wenger knows he has a lot of work to do to get the other four attack minded positions effectively populated and to get the best use of a plethora of high quality midfielders and attackers. We still have two important games to come: Besitkas at home and Leicester away. It will take time to find our form again, but with the team spirit on display in recent games, I am positive we can get the needed results. And if we do beat both, we can look back at a very successful mini-start to the season, however unattractive and messy our football has looked at times.
Bread and butter first, the bacon and marmalade will follow soon. 🙂
When I was a kid I once got a football for my birthday. It must have been my ninth or tenth birthday: there was no present for me in the morning but my mum took me on a long bike ride, from one end of my home town to the other end, to buy me a football in a sports shop. At that time, I knew nothing about Arsenal, or even English football. My home town team were Roda JC in the Netherlands, and they play in yellow and black. The ball I chose was white and red: more white than red pentagons, and I loved it for a long time: in fact, I can still smell and picture it today, almost forty years on.
Red and white are great colours, and of course those of our beloved Arsenal. And yesterday, the North of London was red and white all right. From the moment I arrived at Cockfosters’ tube station, I was surrounded by it. The sky was blue, most people were wearing The Shirt, and the sun warmed whilst spreading a golden glow over us. It was a truly beautiful sight. And the closer I got to the Highbury and Islington tube station the more intense it became.
There was a strong sense of anticipation in the air yesterday: a positive buzz of good things lying ahead; and the reason for this is of course the high hopes felt by many Gooners after some astute signings by the club this summer. And the one that epitomises this positivity is of course Alexis, as everywhere I looked on the way to the home of football I could see his first or second name reflected on the backs of many, many fellow Gooners. Sanchez has become the embodiment of our hopes for further progress and the shiniest silverware, and with good reason.
The stadium looked extra glorious yesterday. The early evening, August sunlight lit up the East Bank warmly and there was a sea of red and white everywhere – more than I have ever seen before, somehow.
First Half
No diaby, not even on the bench, but both Ramsey and Arteta in the double DM pivot. Jack in the hole, as hoped and predicted, and Santi and Sanchez on the wings, with not OG but Sanogo as our ‘holding striker’: not a formation I would have chosen, but definitely one capable of taking three points from the well supported Crystal Palace team.
The start was good and it looked a matter of time before we would score a goal. Jack was conducting play and there was plenty of movement in the team to find good passes and create opportunities. But we lacked cutting edge as our combinations just did not produce clear cut chances: was it rustiness or nerves, or was the ghost of Pulis still hanging around our ground like a bad smell?
Pulis’ ex-team were definitely playing like one of his infamous Stoke teams: well set-up, physical, cynical serial fouling, time wasting; and they made it really hard for us, especially after we lost some of our initial zip and thrust in the second part of the first half. Gradually we lost control of the midfield: nobody was using Sanogo anymore to hold up play, and the only one moving IN their designated area, other than Yaya, was Sanchez. We still managed to set up some attacks from the right, with both Alexis and Debuchy, although still getting used to each other, combining well to penetrate the CP defence. Unfortunately, when they did so, Sanogo was often isolated as neither Jack, Ramsey nor Santi were supporting him in the box enough.
On the left we were very weak. Santi did not hold his position and Gibbs was, understandably, holding back a lot. This did not help us in stretching the CP defence and midfield, and it became really easy for our opponents to stem our attacking intent. Jack searched and probed for opportunities but there was very little for him to set up (I could see this really well from the Upper Tier in the North Bank). We also played quite deep, and both Ramsey and Arteta did not push up enough to populate the midfield in front of CP’s ‘D’. Add to that the continuous fouling and the referee’s unwillingness to punish this, and you can see why we were not able to dominate the game more in the latter part of the first half: lack of width, lack of pressure on their midfield, lack of movement, too low a tempo and not enough pressing.
The supporters became restless, and then on top of all that, they score – so typically – from a corner. It is fair to say we did not defend the corner well, but it was also a pretty good ball into the box. Without three of our four best set-piece ‘defenders’ from last season – BFG, Giroud and Sagna – we looked vulnerable during CP’s corners…. and we paid for it.
Luckily, the man who only scores important goals for us, it seems, came to the rescue once again – and from a set-piece of our own. Violently happy, Koz we love you! – Bjork’s tune – went through my head, and we could all breath again. 1-1, just before the break, was just what the doctor ordered. And the stadium regained its positive vibes again.
Second Half
However, things did not improve much initially. Nacho brought more drive and aggression than the substituted and apparently injured, Gibbs. But Santi remained all-over the place, which is fine as long as he adds value to our attacking play, which he did not do enough imo. Jack lost a bit of his composure and precision in passing the longer the game went on, and Sanogo never really got into the game (for which he was little to blame IMO). Luckily, Wenger did not wait long to bring on the much more trusted Giroud for Sanogo, and, a bit later, Ox for Jack. Where Giroud added a lot from the moment he started; Ox’s input was less effective. However, Wenger moved Sanchez to the left which added a bit more thrust to our attacking play, and Arteta and Ramsey pushed the Palace midfield a lot harder in the second half.
I thought all our midfielders and attackers, except for the simply fantastic, albeit not fully perfect, Alexis, had under-par performances in this game, but the introduction of Giroud helped them all to improve their game gradually. It did not seem enough, however, to score the much needed winner. The team kept pushing but CP held strong, albeit with some unsporting behaviour, in terms of time-wasting and continuous fouling, which the frustrating, pie-gobbling referee Moss was far too lenient about. Puncheon’s dismissal was well deserved but seemed too little too late…
But luck was on our side, and it was the sweetest of ways to send Stoke-South-of-the-Thames home empty-handed: by scoring a Pulisesque late winner from a set piece by nobody other than Aaron Ramsey. It was ugly, but it was hard fought for, and we all did not care one iota. A giant, collective sense of relief swept through the stadium and we all sang the Ramsey song with real gusto.
We got away with this one; and with three points in the bag, we can afford the lessons learnt from this performance. If and when another park the bus team comes to the home of football, we need to push up more and conquer the midfield, we need to spread our opponents by using the wings on both sides wisely and run more intelligently, and, most importantly, we need to trust our CF to hold on to the ball and allow the rest of the team to feed of him.
On the way back I listened to Talk ‘Sport’ for a while (was desperately trying to find out the scores of the afternoon games). We know that most of the pundits there are opinionated simpletons, who like to stick to simple mantras in order to rile their mostly gullible audience. Stan Collybore just kept saying Arsenal needed to buy a SQ CF if we wanted to push on. He had actually been at the match and this was the main thing he kept repeating. A striker can only score if he gets the service, whether it is Sanogo, Giroud, Falcao or Cavani. Sanogo worked hard but did not get the ball anywhere often enough to set up attacks, produce assists or hit the net himself. Maybe one day, Collimore will realise that Arsenal have actually moved on and do not play with a classic CF anymore….. or maybe not.
We spread our goals throughout the team and with a goal by Giroud, two by Ramsey, one by Cazorla and one by Koscielny in the last two games, we are doing just fine. And we ain’t seen nothing yet: once this team starts clicking together properly, and we add a SQ DM/B2B (and a CB of course) to the team before the TW shuts, the Canon will roar and roar.
Sanchez was a joy to watch and I feel privileged to have seen his first game at the home of football.
My last word is for Chambers, whose reading of the game and interception skills were very impressive again yesterday. What a signing by Wenger – chapeau! 🙂
As most of you are well aware, I am not Olivier Giroud’s biggest supporter. However, as much as I harp on his shortcomings, he maximizes the abilities he does have to consistently put forth his best effort for the club – you simply cannot fault a player for that. Giroud also provides us with an alternative to our attack when we are struggling holding onto possession, often acting as a safety valve for our players to punt the ball in the air to. He allows others to join the attack with his hold up play and he is a constant threat on set pieces, while also providing the occasional exquisite one touch pass around the opponent’s 18-yard box. Giroud is also frequently seen tracking back and putting in an honest effort on the defensive side of the pitch, which can be rare for a lot of strikers.
More importantly, as Total Arsenal has pointed out on several occasions, Giroud allows Arsenal to continue to play a “team game”. He is generally unselfish and contributes to the team effort, which is a stark contrast to the guy with the “little boy inside of him” before him. What requires further consideration then, is to recommend strikers that would still be able to contribute to a “team game”.
However, what Giroud lacks is pace, the technical ability to drift wide and interchange with our wingers and prolific finishing ability. In general, his finishing could be improved upon, but what stands out is the fact that he has failed to register either a goal or an assist against the top clubs this season (I consider domestic top clubs to be Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, us and Everton this season). I’m not advocating for us to sell Giroud off, as I believe he is a valuable asset for this club and a perfect back-up striker/one to play against the more physical teams; I’m calling for Arsene to finally bring in the reinforcements up top to propel us to new heights.
The following are a list of players we have been linked to that Arsene could move for during this summer. They have been separated into three different bins, based on various factors, such as affordability, EPL credentials, potential etc. There are several more strikers that have been linked to Arsenal; however, in the interest of time, I have decided to focus on the more realistic options that could actually bring us to the next level.
The less affordable and international suspects. This category of striker would definitely replace Giroud from the starting line-up and likely would not be within a reasonable price range for Arsenal:
Jackson Martinez, ST, FC Porto
Rumoured transfer fee: £34 million
League Statistics: 19 goals and 0 assists in 27 Portuguese Liga starts and 1 sub appearance.
Strengths – Power, height, aerial ability, aggression, skill, flair, pace, vision, intelligent movements and clinical finishing ability – Jackson Martinez is simply the complete striker. He scored at pace greater than a goal per game in his first season at FC Porto, but unfortunately has taken a step back this year due to the loss of both Moutinho and James Rodriguez last summer.
Don’t believe me that he’s the complete striker? Just watch for yourself:
Weaknesses – High buy-out clause aside, the only knock on Jackson is that he’s not EPL tested. Critics may argue that Jackson has only dominated in lesser leagues, but his goal tally of 5 goals in 14 Champions League games says otherwise. While the statistics of 5 goals in 14 starts is not jaw dropping, one must consider these goals came against the best clubs in the world, and two were against Atletico Madrid and PSG.
Verdict: Uncertain. It remains to be seen if Arsene would shell out this kind of money on a striker when there are several positional areas that need upgrading this summer. However, based on availability, Jackson is likely the top option this summer, considering that Diego Costa is rumoured to be on his way to Chelsea and Lewandowski signed a pre-contract agreement with Bayern.
Mario Mandzukic
Rumoured transfer fee: £20 million
League Statistics: 18 goals and 4 assists in 20 Bundesliga starts and 8 sub appearances.
Strengths – Mandzukic is one of the most underappreciated strikers in the world right now. Due to Pep’s infatuation/stubbornness of playing without a traditional striker, he has been criminally underused both tactically and in playing time. He lacks the pace and flair of Jackson, but he’s stronger than him, as well as slightly faster, stronger and more skilled than Giroud. Mandzukic frequently contributes to the defensive side of the game and plays the game with a certain level of determination that is contagious. His aerial ability is second to none and he’s very comfortable in his hold-up play or drifting wide to set others up. With goals against most of the best clubs in the world, there’s no questioning his ability to score in big games either.
Weaknesses – As identified earlier, Mandzukic lacks pace. He would also directly replace Giroud from the starting line-up, without providing a substantial difference in terms of playing style (just slight improvements in several areas). It also remains to be seen if he can replicate his goal scoring form outside of arguably the best club in the world.
Verdict: Pass. Despite only being a slight improvement on Giroud in terms of what he brings to the game, his finishing ability is what separates him from our current crop of strikers. The price tag is affordable, but a departure is only likely if the player requests it for more playing time; Bayern has no other reason to sell.
Karim Benzema, ST, Real Madrid
Rumoured transfer fee: £25 million
League Statistics: 17 goals and 8 assists in 31 La Liga3 starts and 1 sub appearance.
Strengths – Probably the most Arsenal-esque striker in the world, he would likely be Arsene’s top choice if he were to become available at a cut-price fee due to Real Madrid’s interest in bringing either Suarez or Aguero to the Bernabeu. He’s scored against every top club and his skill would likely set the EPL ablaze. Benzema’s pace, flair, creativity, vision, finishing, power and movement are superb and he would fit seamlessly into our starting 11. His game also complements Giroud, but it’s unlikely that Arsene would play with two strikers upfront, given the plethora of talented midfielders at his disposal.
Weaknesses – For all his strengths, Benzema lacks aerial ability and his skill and pace mean that he sometimes drifts out wide to create an interchangeable front three. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to remember that our plan B of long balls (which we shouldn’t be doing in the first place) would no longer be as viable of an option. It could also bring unhealthy competition to both club and country, as both Giroud and Benzema are battling for the starting striker’s role on both fronts.
Verdict: Pass. Undoubtedly the most naturally talented striker on this list, it’s easy to forget that Benzema is still only 26 years old. He’s also the most proven striker on this entire list and he would have instant chemistry with Ozil. The fact that he offers something entirely different to Giroud is a big bonus and it would give us the flexibility to play with two up front or rotate if need be.
The less affordable and EPL tested suspects. This category of striker would likely replace Giroud from the starting line-up, but may not be within a reasonable price range for Arsenal:
Christian Benteke, ST, Aston Villa
Rumoured transfer fee: £21 million
League Statistics: 10 goals and 2 assists in 24 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances.
Strengths – Prior to his Achilles tendon injury, Benteke would have likely been my top candidate to lead Arsenal’s line next season. At only 23 years old and with a confessed love for the club, a relatively affordable price tag, a proven track record of goals in the EPL, in addition to a blend of power, pace and skill not typically seen from a striker, it’s easy to see why. He’s also a fairly levelheaded individual that would respect the requirements of contributing to a “team game”.
Weaknesses – After a brilliant start to his career with Aston Villa last term, he struggled to replicate that form this season due to injury. He may be unavailable until at least October and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be the same player prior to his injury. Benteke also handed in a transfer request after his first season with Aston Villa, which could be a red flag if he ends up producing at Arsenal and looks to make a move to yet another bigger club.
Verdict: Uncertain. Despite his injuries from this past season, Arsenal may need to eventually gamble to elevate their status as title pretenders to actual contenders. Whatever you might want to believe, Arsenal is not exactly a top destination for the cream of the crop currently; we may need to buy a striker like Benteke to drive us to a title before re-establishing ourselves in that upper echelon. His value may have also dropped after the combination of injury and not being able to replicate his form from 2012-13.
Romelu Lukaku, ST, Chelsea
Rumoured transfer fee: £25 million
League Statistics: 13 goals and 6 assists in 26 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances
Strengths – Basically a clone of Benteke/Drogba, Lukaku has the pace, power, skill and finishing ability to really bring Arsenal back into the upper echelon of clubs. He’s younger than Benteke, which is another added benefit and also has a relatively injury-free track record. No matter what club he is at, he just wants playing time and loves the game.
Weaknesses – Chelsea are unlikely to sell Lukaku to a domestic club, let alone a direct top four EPL rival. That aside, Lukaku still strikes me as a bit of a mercenary, and I could see him leaving after a season or two for the likes of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City or even back to Chelsea!
Verdict: Fail. It’s highly unlikely that Chelsea will sell him to Arsenal, so we can likely forget about this one.
The affordable and EPL tested suspects. This category of striker would not necessitate replacing Giroud from the starting line-up, but would instead provide us with more rotation and greater versatility:
Loic Remy, ST/W, Newcastle (On Loan from QPR)
Rumoured transfer fee: £10 million
League Statistics: 13 goals and 2 assists in 22 EPL starts and 2 sub appearances
Strengths – Remy has pace and dribbling skills to burn, the benefit of being EPL tested, can score from distance and play on the wing if need be. He has scored 2 goals against top clubs in Chelsea and Everton this season in 5 appearances against such opposition. He comes at an affordable price relative to his production and is thus a viable option for a relatively conservative club that likely has bigger areas of need to address this summer.
Weaknesses – Remy has a fairly extensive injury history that has prevented him from ever fully reaching his potential. What Arsenal would gain in pace, dribbling and the odd screamer from distance, we would lose in hold up play, strength and aerial ability. Remy would basically be an improved Theo at striker, in terms of offering better positional awareness and slightly less reliant on his speed and movement to score goals.
Verdict: Fail. With all the injuries we have accumulated over the years, adding another injury-prone player is probably the last thing Arsenal needs, despite his versatility and promising track record with scoring goals in the EPL.
Demba Ba, ST, Chelsea
Rumoured transfer fee: £8 million
League Statistics: 4 goals and 1 assist in 3 EPL starts and 14 sub appearances
Strengths – Ba’s statistics will not jump out at anyone, but this has more to do with Mourinho’s confidence in his abilities as a striker than with his actual abilities. He would add depth at an affordable price to Arsenal’s attack and has more pace than Giroud. He would add the bare minimum component of versatility and depth to our attack options, while still having the ability and will to play a “team game”. Finally, he is fairly durable and would be able to stay healthy, which is highly important.
Weaknesses – Ba has never been a top striker, but merely an effective one that was capable of scoring 10-15 goals a season. He doesn’t have one particular attribute that stands out and instead, is the type of player who does many things relatively well. Playing time notwithstanding, Ba has struggled to prove that he should be a starter at a top club in Chelsea, which may or may not be worrisome for Arsenal.
Verdict: Uncertain. Depending on what other options are available out there, Ba should not be our first priority. For a club with EPL and Champions League title aspirations, Arsenal should certainly be looking to aim higher. Ba is a capable last resort if nothing else is feasible though.
Danny Welbeck, ST, Manchester United
Rumoured transfer fee: £13 million
League Statistics: 9 goals and 1 assist in 13 EPL starts and 9 sub appearances
Strengths – You may not know this, but Welbeck has been the third most clinical striker in the EPL this season with a conversion rate of 31%. However, he has been limited in his opportunities as a striker and has been played in a variety of positions, such as CAM, LW and RW. He offers good pace, movement, creativity and honours his defensive responsibility – in 2013, Welbeck created a clear cut chance for his teammates every 276 minutes and made a tackle every 39 minutes (Statistics all courtesy of eplindex.com). He would be a great fit in Arsene’s expectation of a “team game” and his skill set would complement that of Giroud’s.
Weaknesses – Is it a lack of opportunity playing with van Persie and Rooney or a testament of his ability that he has struggled to find consistent minutes at striker? Van Persie has endured an injury riddled season and yet Welbeck has still not been able to cement regular playing time at ST, unless Rooney has also been injured. Prior to this season, he also struggled with his composure in the final third, but his conversion rate this season suggests otherwise.
Verdict: Tentative Pass. He could turn out to be the next Sturridge (a great scorer without ample opportunity at his current club) or he could truly turn out to be surplus to requirements at a 7th place club. Still, Welbeck is young enough to warrant taking a gamble on him since the transfer fee is reasonable. BUT, he should be nothing more than a back-up option if things do not pan out with other strikers with a more proven goal scoring history.
Edin Dzeko, ST, Manchester City
Rumoured transfer fee: £15 million
League Statistics: 11 goals and 1 assist in 19 EPL starts and 8 sub appearances
Strengths – With occasional goals against tough opponents throughout Dzeko’s career, there is some evidence that he can score in big games. He also understands the perseverance and drive it takes to win titles (EPL and Bundesliga), is EPL tested and has the physicality, power and skill to thrive in place of Giroud. Dzeko is in the last year of his contract and has apparently been told by Manchester City management that he is free to leave the club this summer. At £15 million, he is likely the best EPL option that Arsenal can afford this summer, while still contributing to a “team game”, without tying up sacrificing transfer funds elsewhere.
Weaknesses – Despite scoring some goals against top clubs, Dzeko is not a striker that can score at will. This is accurately reflected in his price and if Arsenal bought him, he should not be expected to be our savior/van Judas replacement. He’s failed to out compete the likes of Negredo and Aguero for a starting berth at Manchester City, so Arsenal will have to hope this is attributed to a lack of opportunity and not a testament to his ability (similar to Sturridge when Liverpool bought him from Chelsea).
Verdict: Pass. Again, depending on what other options are available out there, Dzeko should not be our first priority. However, Arsenal could do much worse than buying Dzeko, especially if we can buy a top box-to-box midfielder to play alongside Ramsey this summer. He would be hungry to prove to his former club that they made a mistake in letting him go and would be provided with the opportunity to do so at Arsenal. Never underestimate the ability of a departed player looking for redemption.
After the FA cup semi-final game against Wigan I was critical of both Cazorla and Podolski. I felt they did not do anywhere near enough to justify the trust Wenger put in them, their seniority in the team and the wages they collect every Friday afternoon. But yesterday, against the Hammers, they both performed significantly better, powered on by the veteran playmaker Rosicky behind and around them.
Cazorla played with a lot more zest and invention, even occasionally taking on defenders in and around the box to make things happen. He added another dimension to our attack yesterday, benefitting from Rosicky’s drive and willingness/ability to motor on our attack.
The other big positive yesterday was the Pod’s brace. We all know that if there is a chance in the box, Lulu is the man who should be at the end of it. His hammer of a left foot is absolutely deadly, especially in the box.
This has made me think again about what to do with the Pod: should we keep him and where should we play him in our formation/team?
The problem with him is other than a great finisher, and the occasional attempts to go past his man on the left flank and get the ball in the box, he does not offer much to the team. Wenger does not appear to like these sort of players: we only have to think about Arshavin, who although a different kind of ‘left winger’ – let’s face it, neither of them really are – also had special individual attacking qualities but was neither blessed with great stamina and team spirit.
Without Theo, Jack and Ozil, the Ox still learning and Rosicky unlikely to play each and every game till the end of the season with the same vigour as last night, will Wenger opt for what looks like a 4-4-2 formation during the last games of the season? With Giroud (or Sanogo) our main target man and the Pod feeding off him with the same hunger and deadliness as he did against the Hammers?
Could this be Arsene’s new Plan B?
I thought it looked like we did indeed play more or less in a 4-4-2 formation, albeit with the full backs providing most of the width. Rosicky helped the DM-pivot duo of Arteta and (the growing on me) Kallstrom in the middle to keep things tight (and we have been looking a lot better defensively over the last two games, despite the two goals conceded), whilst Cazorla seemed to revel in his free role behind the two central attackers (with Rosa adding thrust and creativity).
I have little doubt that a 4-4-2 formation could be a safe way towards gathering as much points as possible till the end of the season, especially with Ramsey (and soon Ozil) coming back to full fitness and Kallstrom and Flamini being available too. But will it mean a lot of crosses into the box, with both Pod and Giroud attacking them, and with Cazorla lurking for any scraps?
Would this formation suit Pod best?
And finally, would Wenger really go back to such basic formation, even just as a temporary measure to keep us above Everton?
Who needs strikers? Our midfield scores when it wants! 🙂
Our game against Crystal Palace was a predictable one:
They parked the bus as expected
We played calm and disciplined in the first half, yet tiring them out in the process
We upped the tempo and intensity in the second half
Subsequently found the gaps and finished them off (with a small wobble between the two goals, though)
They were happy with a small loss
Both went their merry ways: Arsenal TotL and Palace continue their relentless relegation battle.
Mourinho can complain about 19th century football by West Ham the other day – whatever that means – it is up to the big teams to crack open the panzer-positioning of the less fortunate/visionary teams. Wenger showed again how it should be done: patience, movement, crisp passing and occupying the ‘central tanks’ – CBs and DMs – constantly, so cracks can be found.
I felt we missed Jack a lot in the first half as he is a young master in both finding the cracks with his passing and entering them with his clever runs – with or without the ball – in these sort of games (especially when playing together with Ozil and Santi). For me, he has been our best player in January and hopefully he will be back soon.
During the first 45 minutes we did not get close enough to their box and played a tat too slow. But we did manage to work Palace really hard which will have used up a lot of their energy. Pulis has Palace working in an organised way now, and I was impressed with their discipline in the first half, as in sticking to the tactics and playing aggressively but not unfairly (although, how Jedinak escaped a yellow card for consistent fouling is beyond me).
Ox was finding his way during this half; and I don’t know what Wenger said to him during the break, but he played a lot better during the second one. In a 4-2-3-1 formation, the box to box player is so crucial in adding that extra thrust and dimension to our football, and ‘Ox-to-Ox’ did it brilliantly after the break. The second half was only a couple of minutes old, when Cazorla spotted AOC’s run into the box, whilst Giroud and Ozil occupied the defence. Our young Englishman controlled the ball with Bergkampesque feeling in his foot (as some TV commentators apparently called it), and finished off with composure and class: a brilliant goal.
Then we did what we tend to do a lot: not deal well with pressure higher up the pitch by our opponent, once they apply a change in tactics. I will not go into this too much as it will rekindle Saturday’s debate about my, and many a fellow Gooner, view, that we need to add defensive steel and organisation to our first team, now that Flamini ruled himself out for so many crucial games.
Both Arteta and Ox worked their socks off to readdress the balance, and they were helped well by other midfielders, but we lost our shape quite a bit. It made for an uncomfortable period in the second half in which CP could have even equalised. Szczesny came to the rescue with one of his typical ‘octopus’ saves, and then Ox-to-Ox put the game to bed with another fine team goal, completed by a cool, confident finish.
Giroud was rewarded for a lot of hard, thankless and often unspotted work throughout the match with a fine assist. He moved towards the midfield, away from the ‘D’, to create space and receive the ball with his back to the goal; a measured ball into the Ox’s running feet was enough to create a fine scoring opportunity, which the Englishman took with Henryesque calmness and confidence. What a fine second half attacking performance by our ‘new signing’! 😉
Northern or Southern Oilers to win?
So, we did what we had to do and are back where we belong: top of the league. Whether we stay there or not depends on tonight’s result between the oil-doped silverware buyers of the South and the North. The majority will want a draw in this game, as it will keep us top of the league. Some are even hoping for a Chavs win but this is the last thing we want right now.
Looking at the remainder of the games, the Southern Oilers have the easiest run of all three teams, and therefore the bigger the gap we can create between them and us now, the better. After tonight, of the ‘top teams’, they have Everton, Spuds and us at home and just Liverpool away. We have Liverpool, Spuds, Everton, and Chavs away, and Mansour City and Moyes United at home. Mansour City have Moyes United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton away still to come, which is a similar run in to us.
So a draw would be a good outcome and I would even prefer a home win. It would mean a gap between us and the Chavs of five points rather than four, which might turn out to be crucial in the end. Despite the fantastic attacking football by the Northern Oilers, they are, in my view, more vulnerable during the run in than the Southern ones. So for me, a home win, or a draw, are good outcomes, but an away win would be pretty disastrous.
Anyway, let’s prepare ourselves for Maureen’s 21st Century football show tonight! 😆
Ozil is learning to play with OG as our ‘holding striker’ and has some way to go;
OG is not the sort of striker who can take full advantage of Ozil’s vision and passing ability.
There is potential for a clash of styles here and, as a result, a risk of frustrating/not getting the best out of Ozil in the process.
And these questions:
Which formation should we play?
Should they play together at all?
Who should play around them to get the best value out of both players – do we need to buy or is there a solution within the current squad?
This was my first response:
TA – Fine post, much needed. Thanks.
I cannot be very original in my response as much has been said already. So take it as read that, time (to get know player’s preferences), first season (different challenges from a more competitive league), and changes in personnel (altering the balance of the side, as well having different contributions to make) are a given ….
But then as I continued my reply, I quickly realised this post raised some really deep, fundamental questions that needed to be answered, but too much for a simple reply, even the length some of my replies run to? So this post was born. Hopefully answering some of those questions, and raising others. I began with this:
I query the question Ozil and OG playing together less well, than say, Santi and Ozil, but that too may work out in time. The trouble is, in this season and the position we are in – i.e. being TOTL and being hard pressed by two of the moneybags clubs: One who spent heavily at the start of the season with their changed manager already at the helm, as with Man City; and the other, whose new manager inherited an expensive set of players, but is now retuning, by buying and selling in this January transfer window, Chelsea. – Whereas we haven’t really got the time to work through mini clashes of style, at the expense of possibly losing valuable points?
So to answer these questions I ran through the following arguments.
What will liven up our attack will be the introduction of Ox, Gnabry and Draxler (JD) (WHEN) he arrives. I don’t believe there is much of a problem with OG, that other threats on goal, particularly in and around the box, will not cure. Mostly when we play, OG is isolated. In the Villa game a few times we saw a typical example when the high ball is played forwards they had two or three players close in quickly for an easy turnover ball, because he had no immediate support. JD will be the player that AW has in mind to be the CAM who will be near enough to help out, as he has the speed and dribbling ability to get past defenders so that, if my theory holds good, they will not be able to put more than one on Giroud. That will change the whole dynamics up front?
Gnabry is the player we have, who, as the audio commentary team reminded everybody, played second striker (to Akpom) last season, which is probably more his natural position. Even AW since has said ‘the middle is where he (Gnabry)will end up’. Also, it might become a double threat with JD on the left and SG on the right in the future?
We have now played Fulham since TA’s original post, and I believe it showed how the side might develop as the players get more time together? It still had the same problem that TA alluded to in his post, that Ozil struggles to make key passes when those around him are not moving into viable spaces, and particularly where such passes would lead to goal opportunities. It is not Giroud’s strong point to drop a shoulder, twist turn and dribble on his way to score. We know that. Another reason is partly due to the amount of bodies wanting to be in the central area, from our own players pulling in defenders? Even when the opportunities did come, the lack of clinical finishing meant the chances went begging.
However, in the first half there was a lot of movement from our midfield, as well as with Giroud. A lack of composure from young Gnabry, and a not so sharp Giroud meant the score stayed at 0-0. The real point to me was, probably for the first time, the whole of the midfield was involved? The heat map of Gnabry showed bright spots on the left and left centre, but the heaviest involvement was centre right and right wing. But he also had his moments deeper helping the defence. Ozil’s heat maps usually show a similar pattern, but with less emphasis on the central area. Whereas, Wilshere would have shown a distinct bias in a broad central strip.
In this game Cazorla was the main beneficiary, whereas in the Villa game Ozil had more say in pulling the strings.
So who will be the Chief Puppeteer?
Wilshere had a third game where he showed his best form, and he is also key to how this master plan unfolds. The reason why his game flourished in the Fulham game I think is twofold. One I think is his ‘maturity’ in getting a ‘true’ feel for being a creative midfielder, rather than trying to carry the team single handedly. Others are there now, so he can concentrate on what he can do best? What I basically mean by that, he was playing a supportive role, rather than trying to be the conductor? Secondly, operating straight down the middle, to play and receive balls, he did not displace Cazorla from doing his creative work in the same area, and so they complimented each others play. Which works well as long as others moved around intelligently, which they did. Ultimately, it was Santi’s interaction, with Wilshere in particular, across the box that enabled him to get the two snap shots away that produced the winning goals. Perhaps that is the one thing Ozil does not do often enough, as he enjoys providing for others. That is a subtle difference between them?
But there hangs the dilemma. With the rise of Cazorla’s performance, Ozil became more of a peripheral figure as the game wore on. Not that he was not contributing, but there were only flashes of his genius to make key passes?
It will take time I think, for him not just to link with specific players, but get more familiar with the space, and for the others to get to know that same space where the ball is played? I would guess that is why Ramsey can do well playing with Ozil. When he is high on his confidence and simply playing intuitively, he too can see the same space. This is what we need more of, as well as see the whole midfield working as a complete unit?
Gnabry, in just two games, has improved no end with his off the ball movement. So, with his dribbling skills and shooting with both feet will be a joy to behold by the time he is 20. But in the meantime he is still another option to be developed into a goal scoring threat. As it stands at the moment, he may not be enough of one to drag defenders away from Giroud, but that will change?
The Ox too, could play this role, but he too will have to get up to speed. The key to all these players, OG included, is how well they will link with Ozil? Podolski has not got the goals he has by being a duffer either. I agree with those suggesting it has been a fitness issue that may have kept him out recently. The calf wrapping shown in the training photos before the Fulham game lends support to this? Also AW has an aversion to doing early substitutions, so rather than start a game, I think he will do more ‘last half hours’ for the time being?
That then is the case for the attacking threat. We have the players, and are likely to add to it before the transfer window ends. Who ‘they’ are, if more than one, or even less than one, we will know on February 1st.
Ozil, ideally needs quick thinking players who have the necessary pace around him, and then his true value to the team will surely blossom. So, the combinations that work well with Ozil are; the ‘mutual admiration society’ candidates Rosicky at the head; Ramsey, playing on ‘instinct’ higher up the pitch; Wilshere in his ‘mature’ mode, but still a work in progress; Cazorla on the evidence of the last game also still needs work on how to involve Ozil more when playing together? Ox, as another creative, attacking midfielder, will like Gnabry become the alternative scoring threats, and will only get better the more they play?
However, the fundamental question asked was, should we change our current style and bring in a striker who fits the requirements of Ozil, but changes in quite a big way, the whole set up of the way we are playing at the moment?
The case for Giroud, who is our main striker, and as such would be expected to be our main goal scorer. The fact that he is not a quick, nimble footed striker, he does not fit the natural mould of what sort of player Ozil would like to play key passes to? But does that make him redundant? Do we really need to find a replacement, as TA’s post asks?
I do not think AW is looking to replace him, going by the intention of getting Suarez, or indeed, the ‘new RVP’ in JD? I support that view. I will now try and answer the ‘BIG’ question – Does Giroud hold Ozil back?
The lack of natural fit is a hard one to argue with, regards the Ozil/Giroud combination. But I will deflect that by looking to see if that is who Ozil should be interacting with regards to getting goals?
I have a slightly radical idea that Giroud is not actual a proper No 9. Instead he is more an atypical false No 9, and would do a lot better if he were to drop back 10 or 15 yards? Basically, to where such false central player would play? Now instantly you will think ‘he ain’t going to score many goals from there’?
True, but what he does well is hold up play, and give knock downs and flicks to others if the options are available. By being that bit closer to our midfielders he should not only have more options, but also be less heavily marked. He is, by and large, our main outlet ball from our goalkeeper, be that free kicks or long punts up field. But he does not have to be the furthest player forwards to be effective?
So I believe the right striker, should we get one, or JD, or both, or the Ox, the Gnabry, would be the ones to drive forward in the middle. But should another winger materialise, then a knock down ball to Ozil could have a field day spreading passes out wide? Balls cut back should still find Giroud in space, and with the right one-twos and movement in the box Giroud could be deadly with his best weapons, his feet, whether assisting or scoring?
Where are the Jack’s, Santi’s, and Ozil’s when we switch to attack. Perfecting what they did in the Fulham game. Pass and Move. Pull defences out of shape. Make the openings for a number of bodies to score. Since Giroud has been with us we have scored more goals overall that in the RVP year of being the ‘one man band’. Let us not lose sight of that fact. Giroud does not score many goals with his head, so have him pulling defenders away from the keeper so others can? On set pieces we have Mert, Kos, Sagna, and even Ramsey can all put the ball in the net from headers, as well as knock it back for people like Cazorla, Wilshere, Gnabry, Ox, and yes, Giroud to score from slightly deeper positions with their feet.
The key is finding space. That is what Ozil is about. If we get JD, fine. We will have a player who can make use of his skills. If we get a striker who is also quick, and maybe able to head the ball, that too would be a bonus. But above all, we want players that compliment our squad, because the players we are developing, in time, are likely to be better than those available now, JD excepted, as he too will develop along with them. But all will appreciate having the unselfish Giroud and Ozil doing what they do best.
We should too?
So, my answer to the statement in the previous title;
‘Are Arsenal Getting The Best Out Of Ozil – Is Giroud holding him back?’
The answer is No, but Giroud is not the problem.
The answers to other points raised:
Q.- Ozil is learning to play with OG as our ‘holding striker’ and has some way to go?
Answer; Should read learning to play ‘around’ OG, and that has some way to go?
Q.- OG is not the sort of striker who can take full advantage of Ozil’s vision and passing ability?
Answer; True, in the direct sense. But vision and passing ability is Ozil’s department, and he should be using it in more appropriate areas, eg out wide, or in the box, to players that can benefit?
Q.- There is potential for a clash of styles here and, as a result, a risk of frustrating/not getting the best out of Ozil in the process?
All players get frustrated when their efforts are not rewarded with an end result. However, by focussing on Giroud as his only outlet for a successful conclusion is where this observation is misplaced, and Ozil’s if he feels that?
And these questions:
Q.- Which formation should we play?
A.- That depends on two things; Who is available; Where they can best be used. But a variation within 1-4-6? That allows for a variety of patterns to be formed according to who is bringing their strengths to the game. Our usual 1-4-2-3-1 may be adjusted to allow and extra body up front?
Q.-Should they play together at all?
A.- If the ‘they’ refers Ozil Giroud together, I believe the strength’s of both can be used very effectively.
Q.- Who should play around them to get the best value out of both players – do we need to buy or is there a solution within the current squad?
A.- This is the bigger question. From the above I have argued for both points. We do need a player who is a threat in the box. Ideally that player will be quick, nimble and score goals(JD), but in time, both Ox and Gnabry could become that type of player.
Time, in this season we do not have, so buy is the likely option. A different type of striker is also a possibility, but that depends what else he can add to the squad. I should also add, that should Bendtner recapture his best form, he too could benefit from any addition, and has the addition of being a good header of goals?
But that is only half the problem. At best, with Giroud and Ozil playing it leaves just 3 players to fill the remaining places. One B2B, two creative/attacking MFs, so getting the right balance will be the most important. Should a solid DM be on the shopping list, then possibly 3 rather than 2, out of the 7 or 8 possibilities to choose from? AW is going to be very creative to keep all parties happy, and more importantly, fresh and ready to start when needed? But any kind of pecking order will lead to frustration if over used?
Combine that with who works best with who, and you have a balancing nightmare if all stay fit?
If AW was prepared to play Ozil twice in every three games, not that strictly regimented, but say, over a period of ten games, he starts in six of them? Then, I would say alternate Ozil with Cazorla, based on recent evidence. Similarly, Ramsey and Wilshere. Rosicky, as I have said already, will work around whoever else starts. The younger pair, Ox and Gnabry, and to some extent Podolkski, would have to take their chances as they arise. Mostly from the subs bench I would guess, except when the need for width arises. But may be this is where new signings may also compete?
None of this is set in stone, but it is going to take a great deal more flexibility within the squad for all to maintain the unity that the smaller squad offers?
However, for this to fully work with this many MF’s committed to attack, you need a holding DM behind them to slow down attacks to allow the proper defensive lines to take shape? This is covered as long as we have both Arteta and Flamini fit. If Frimpong goes out on loan, we have the returning Frances Coquelin to assist. He is quick, but also likes to get forward. The replacement we need is someone who ‘commands’ that space behind. A ‘Presence!’ no less. More importantly, if we are continuing to use our FB’s as wingers/wing backs, a single DM allows us a more dynamic midfield, but probably neither Arteta or Flamini are capable of doing on the their own? However, if wide attacking players are used, then the need for advance FB’s diminishes? That could at least defer the need for the SQ DM until a suitable one is available in the next window?
In conclusion; Ozil will find his space no matter who else is playing, but how effective he is depends on how well they all work as a team. If you play Cazorla in the free central role, the ‘Arshavin’ best position, working across the line of opposition defenders, it will bring the best out in his game. Ozil can pull the strings with the wider players and create spaces for the central bodies to work better. You then have Rosicky and Ramsey for energy and drive, Wilshere for the central support. Gnabry and Ox for width, and Podolski as an alternative frontline striker, unless we get other options in this window?
Such are the complexities within our midfield, that the best combinations will gradually be found. But I also think having the one of the most creative midfielders around, we should not get to be too reliant on just his input in every game? We have talent to spread the load, we should use them?
We are, as it stands at the moment, reliant on Giroud to be our ‘holding striker’, and he is very capable of scoring many more goals this season. But if we can share that burden with whoever is available to play for us after January 31st, then he too will find life a lot easier?
Nobody said managing a football club was easy. Thank heavens we have got somebody who has practical experience running our club, rather than my theoretical aspirations to what might work?
Comments will be appreciated if they go beyond one liners. But on the fundamental question of changing our approach to accommodate one player’s needs, is very much open for discussion?
Mesut Ozil was a great signing for Arsenal, and indeed, the country. The former Real Madrid player oozes class and composure; he is a constant island of calm in an ocean of turmoil. His technical skills are of the highest order and his vision and speed of thinking are right there with Fabregas and Iniesta’s.
He is not the sort of player that dominates an area in midfield, like Cesc used to do for us. There are times when he goes missing from our TV screens, and you will never hear him shout at fellow players. He sometimes looks misunderstood and perhaps frustrated with his fellow players, but he’ll get on with his job immediately again. He is a tireless worker but in an almost effortless way, it seems.
It is a real shame we will see very little of the Ozil-Theo partnership this season, as the German appears to love fast and clever attackers around him who are capable of appreciating and devouring the contents of his silver service. Theo is ideal for this, and much more so than our relatively mostly slow midfielders, and our main CF: Giroud.
Those who read my blogs regularly will know that I love Giroud a lot. He is strong and works tirelessly for the team; he holds up the ball well and allows our midfielders to get close to the box where they can hurt the opponent – as a result, many of our goals are scored by midfielders and we are not over reliant on one or two super-sharp and productive attackers; we can play compact in midfield, which both allows us to protect the back four better as well as attack in numbers if and when we play the parked busses teams; he carries enough goal threat to pull away defenders, creating vital space for other players in the process; and he produces assists regularly, and actually still scores a reasonable number of goals. Many supporters do not seem to appreciate all these qualities enough IMHO.
However, I also admit he is not very clinical and he is not very fast, and his technical ability is good but not brilliant. I reckon he will always be our marmite player: some will love him and others will want to see him on the bench at best.
His big plus is that he allows us to play 4-5-1 which I still think is the best formation for sustained success for Arsenal. Surprisingly, there are not many CF’s around who can play that role as well as Giroud can, and are willing to sacrifice their normal striker instincts and needs to such a large extent as is expected by Wenger.
Three things are clear to me:
Ozil is learning to play with OG as our ‘holding striker’ and has some way to go;
OG is not the sort of striker who can take full advantage of Ozil’s vision and passing ability.
There is potential for a clash of styles here and, as a result, a risk of frustrating/not getting the best out of Ozil in the process.
My question to you fine, fellow Gooners is, how can we get the best out of both players’ fantastic attributes:
Which formation should we play?
Should they play together at all?
Who should play around them to get the best value out of both players – do we need to buy or is there a solution within the current squad?
Opening Day Reversal—3 points a Must to Keep Pace at the Top
Arsenal head to Aston Villa hoping to reverse the extremely disappointing result from the opening match of the season. In that one, despite opening the scoring with an Olivier Giroud goal, Arsenal conceded 3 and felt victimized by referee Anthony Taylor, who not once but twice gave Aston Villa penalties (and a pair of yellow cards to Laurent Koscielny) while ignoring repeated fouls on our players. The result also played out amidst a background of a very disappointing transfer window, one where management had made great declarations about our money to spend, yet none (to that point) had been. The team left the pitch that August day to a chorus of boos, even if most of the frustration was aimed at manager Arsene Wenger.
The season was off to the worst start possible…
From that woeful day, the Arsenal season has been on an upward trajectory. First came the announcement that former Gunner, Mathieu Flamini, would join the team on a free transfer followed by good wins at Fulham and vs. Tottenham Hotspur. Their spending of nearly 100 million pounds on a series of players (to help mitigate the impending departure of Gareth Bale) made them appear an ambitious if almost completely revamped team. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t penetrate our defences that day, and another Giroud goal was the difference. The next day we announced the signing of Mesut Özil from Real Madrid and the circle was complete. North London lost one up-and-coming star (Bale) but received perhaps the greatest assist-maker in the game in return (Özil). That it was Tottenham’s loss and Arsenal’s gain (perhaps) made our summer of torture (almost) worthwhile.
Match by match, Arsenal have righted the ship and been the big surprise of the first half of the season. Of course, true supporters of the club don’t see it this way and believe the real aberration was the opening day loss to Villa. Marrying a player of super quality such as Özil to a squad that showed extreme mettle in closing a 7-point gap in the final 10 matches last season to finish 4th and recapture our Champions League position, we had hoped to pick up where we had left off. That opening day was a giant hiccup, but the remainder of the first half of the season has been much better, and tonight we have the chance to make amends.
Predicted Starting Lineup
Coming a full nine days after we (again) beat Tottenham, this time in the FA Cup, tonight’s match should see Arsenal fielding a very strong first 11. Kieran Gibbs is close to a return, but Nacho Monreal will surely start at Left Back. Wojciech Szczęsny should return as our keeper, while the remaining defenders will likely be Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny; a group which will be seeking its 5th consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.
In Midfield, Aaron Ramsey has not recovered sufficiently from a thigh injury, so I would predict a dual-pivot of Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini with a more forward 3 of Santi Cazorla, Özil and Jack Wilshere.
Olivier Giroud, passed fit after missing the last two matches, will surely start alone up front. It’s also possible that Wenger will go with a more attacking midfield, starting 18-year-old Serge Gnabry, brilliant in his start vs. Tottenham at right wing. He could reprise this role and assert his ability to fill the large hole vacated by Theo Walcott, injured in that match and out for the season. Such a move would likely move Wilshere back at the expense of either Flamini or, more likely, Arteta, who required a late substitution in the FA Cup tie.
Tomáš Rosický also has every right to claim a starting spot in attacking midfield on the strength of his performance vs. Spurs. Nonetheless, I predict he will be a bench option. Ironically, this match will see the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who sustained a major knee injury in the opener. I suspect the Ox, along with Lucas Poldolski, will start on the bench but might be employed if we’re chasing a result late on.
Aston Villa, despite their bright start to the season, have not been playing well recently (only a single win and a draw in their last seven matches in all competitions) and have injury issues of their own. Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker are both question marks in defence, although Gabriel Agbonglahor has been deemed fit enough to play. He’s been the bright spot in attack in recent games as one of last season’s biggest surprises, Christian Benteke, has failed to find the form that made him a major summer transfer target and eventually won him a big contract keeping him at Villa. A potential starting 11 for the opposition could be Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Luna, Bacuna, Westwood, Delph, Albrighton, Benteke, Agbonlahor.
How the Match Should Play Out
In the opener, Villa seemed unafraid to play a very up and down game, and I expect a similar early approach here. They have the pace and power to hurt us on the counter, and if we are able to wrest control of midfield possession, they might settle into that sort of pattern. Bacuna has scored some great right-footed free kicks, so looking for fouls outside of our 18-yard box may be a real tactic as well. It should be recalled that in this same fixture last season we played a very dour nil-nil draw (in foul weather) and, if Villa can keep the score tight, defending and holding out for a point might suit them as well.
I predict another strong performance by our defence and commanding work in attack by a buzzing midfield working off the big presence of Giroud up front. My predicted scoreline in this one is 2-nil to the Arsenal, with goals fromCazorla and Özil (and assists from the latter and Giroud).
Regardless of the scoreline, a winning result is imperative given that the other top 4 clubs (ManchesterCity, Chelsea and Liverpool) have all notched away wins this weekend. Finally, we should be extra motivated and fully concentrated for this one as it represents a chance to avenge the pain of the opening day.
What do you think? Please join me (us?) in the comments before, during and after the match. Go on you Gunners!
Written by: 17highburyterrace
Bergkampesque is an inclusive blog and we welcome constructive comments from Gooners and other supporters: the more the merrier. We always welcome new bloggers to comment and share in the debate as long as they stick to the blog guidelines (see at top of page).
You can also sign up to an automatic email service informing you when a new post has been issued. See ‘Follow Blog via Email’ on right hand side.
Well that was one of the most exciting games I have watched all season. Credit to Roberto Martinez for building such a potent side. It was end to end stuff practically the whole game. In the end we shared the spoils which was maybe the fairest result anyone has had all campaign. Being an avid Gooner, my focus of course is on the Arsenal side. As such, there are a few observations I would like to make.
First of all, how good are Per, Kos and Szczesny this season? It is because of them that we have the best defense in the league. I mean can someone tell me if Lukaku has found a way out of Koscielny’s pocket? The two have formed a defensive partnership that no one in the EPL can match. At least not at the moment. And what of Szczesny? He makes saves that Oliver Khan would be proud of. The three (along with Sagna) have been nothing short of world class. Which brings me to the left back position. I feel (and have always felt) that Monreal is a better defender than Gibbs.
The few games he has played continue to reinforce my stance. Yesterday, Gibbs had an below average game defensively and he may have cost us 2 points. He did not close down Deulofeu for the goal and considering he was in our penalty box, I find it a bit hard to forgive. Gibbs is good at making interceptions but his positioning at times and his one on one defending leaves something to be desired. Maybe he is jaded from all the games he’s been playing, but either way I feel it’s time Monreal got his chance.
Secondly, there is the midfield conundrum. In a previous post I mentioned that having so many options to choose from can sometimes be negative. In this case it is. I feel that Wenger should find space for Walcott in that side one way or another. Wilshere has been outstanding the last 3 games and Ramsey is one of the best players in the league this season. That said, playing them all takes away not just our width but also our killer instinct. We play so well but once we get to the opposition box there is no one willing to enter the box. Ironically, playing so many creative midfielders has restricted the number of clear cut chances we create because we pass and tease at the edge of the box but it so often ends up breaking down as there is no one willing to makes runs into the box, or shoot.
The omission of Theo has also made our counter attacks toothless. When we win back the ball and we have a chance to counter, the ball lands to Ozil or Santi and you feel like crying because everyone else either isn’t willing to make runs or just isn’t quick enough to make it count. Many people call Theo a one trick pony but when that one trick is being supported by Ozil and Cazorla, it is a devastating trick. Even on Ozil’s debut, that potential partnership showed from the go. The fact is, Walcott will greatly increase our goals. Since his return, we have scored every time he is brought on.
Thirdly, if the Everton game showed us one thing it is that we need a killer striker to really take us to that elite level. I have always said Giroud is a fantastic player but he doesn’t have that ruthlessness that Suarez, Cavani, Falcao, Lewandowski, Aguero and RVP have. There are games (like yesterday’s) where having a striker who takes his chances makes the difference. Yesterday towards the end of the first half we came alive and with a more clinical striker, could have gone into the half 2 nil up effectively ending the contest. Wenger must really make this a priority when entering the market in January.
In conclusion, I feel that the game against Everton was the hardest we’ve played all season. The draw was a very fair result but because I know we can do better, it came as a disappointment to me. More so, because we really needed that 7 point cushion going into the double header against City and Chelsea. Now we have to make sure that we win at least one of those two games which will be no easy feat. That said, we are THE Arsenal and we are more than capable of doing so.
In other news, I am glad Podolski is back and we are almost at full strength and now we can begin to see how good we really are.
Once again we are coming off a victorious weekend where we brushed aside a strong side while some of our rivals dropped points. Ok, brushed is too harsh a word because as predicted Soton proved to be difficult to break down and it took 2 mistakes from them to gift us the points. I am not complaining, though. Anyway, enough has been said about the game.
Tomorrow we play a Marseille side who even at their very best would struggle against us let alone the injury ravaged side they have currently. They have Gignac, Payet, Ayew, Valbuena and N’koulou all out injured. It was as if we went into a game without Koscielny, Giroud, Ramsey, Mertesacker and Ozil. Needless to say, I expect us to bag all three points. We can’t underestimate them or get complacent, though.
Its good news for us as Lukas Podolski is back in full training and is expected to play in a few weeks, which brings me to the subject matter of this article. Our team is currently bursting at the seams with talent and it’s only going to get better once Poldi and the Ox return. Once everyone is fit and firing, Arsene will have one of the biggest selection headaches in recent history.
If you look at teams such as city and Chelsea, they have massive squads but you find that there is a bit of a gap in class between the starters and subs. I mean at Chelsea save for the Juan Mata fiasco, the first-11 virtually picks itself. Even at city it’s the same thing. Dzeko is good but nowhere as good as Aguero. But here it’s going to be very different. For example once everyone is fit and in form, do you drop Wilshere for Walcott? Does Podolski replace Santi? How will the team line up?
You have a pretty established back 4 but that is where certainty comes to an end. Do you play a double pivot of Flamteta? If so what happens to Ramsey, Walcott and Wilshere? If not, which of the 2 will you drop considering their form? Considering that an in form Podolski is a massive goal threat, do you drop Cazorla or Ozil? If not how will you squeeze them in and what happens to Walcott and Wilshere?
We all know that when Wilshere hits top form, he renders himself undroppable so what happens then? Ramsey has cemented his spot in the middle and Theo is the best winger we have so what then? Cazorla was our best player by a mile last season and Ozil is…well Ozil, so how do you work this team ensuring you keep everyone in top form and happy? Note that to sustain a players form, you have to play them.
Also what does this abundance in class mean for the form of the team? I mean rotation MUST be employed but too much rotation will disrupt our momentum, so how does the boss strike the balance between giving everyone game time but at the same time ensuring the whole mechanism of the team keeps running? And I still feel that Giroud needs a world class striker helping him, and so does Wenger, despite his recent comments, so we have a real conundrum on our hands.
There is also the small fact that we are a team based on development so players like the Ox and Gnabry must also find game time one way or another making this a very very interesting situation on our hands. Ultimately I think it bodes well for the team but we risk losing some players, especially this being a world cup year if a balance can’t be struck. There’s already been murmurs about Monreal and Vermaelen leaving and it would be a massive shame if either of them left.
To conclude, I have to say that no one knew how to rotate a team like Sir Alex did. At the end of a season, every player felt they had contributed to the success of the team. Here though, I feel like Monreal deserves a bit more game time. When it comes to rotation Wenger has his well documented shortcomings. However I trust him to find a solution based on his experience at the top level. I am becoming more and more certain that we will end our barren run this season.
Bergkampesque 