Giroud – Page 7 – Bergkampesque

Match Review: Ollie and Akpom impressive, Zelalem does it again, Theo sloppy

July 17, 2013TotalArsenal

Here are my thoughts on today’s pre-season friendly against Vietnam.

In today’s match, Arsenal looked a bit sluggish. After a quick start and a Giroud goal, the tempo of the game slowed down for a bit. This is surprising, considering the strong line-up with which Arsene started. However, in the end we picked up the tempo and put seven goals by yet another team.

The first goal involved a smart, chipped through ball from Rosicky to Giroud. Giroud received the ball, was calm, and fired it across goal without even looking. He got a bit lucky, as the goalie got a touch to it and it hit the post, but in the end it was in.

After that goal Arsenal became too comfortable. The midfield looked off the pace and the possession was not good. We didn’t use the wings as much as we should’ve and it stopped us from creating chances. Later in the first half Poldi wiggled his way into the box and tried to lay it off to Giroud, but in the end they weren’t on the same page. Then Poldi again would take a shot similar to Giroud’s first and hit the post, with the rebound from Gnabry being saved by the Vietnamese goalie.

It took until the 43^rd minute for Arsenal to regain their tempo again, with Giroud putting a nice curling shot into the upper corner; and then a minute later, a nice run from Ox with a smart through ball at the end, saw Giroud in on goal and he calmly chipped the goalie for his hat trick.

At halftime Arsene changed nearly the whole team. Right away Theo had a nice chance, but his first touch let him down and he had to turn to lay the ball off to the Ox, who instantly curled it into the top corner; so, no complaints on that one. However, Theo’s first touch was untidy throughout the whole game and he ruined countless opportunities. It’s only the beginning of preseason, but if Theo wants to play striker, his touch needs to be well above the level it’s at now.

Akpom would also show his potential in this game. In the 55^th minute, Ramsey poked a nice ball through the defence. Chuba timed his run well, stayed onside, calmly turned around a defender, and bent a ball into the far post with his favored right foot.

Only a few minutes later Zelalem did it again. He played a nice 15 yard ball on the ground, through the Vietnamese defense to Ox, who smartly squared the ball for Akpom to tap home his second. However, this goal was all about GZ. He got the ball a few yards outside the box, got his head up, and hit the ball with the perfect pace and power to find Ox’s feet. For a 16 year old, Zelalem is class. If he keeps his head down and works hard, we really might have the next Fabregas on our hands. He should be given a few Capital One Cup games this year for sure.

Finally, good combinations from Eisfeld and Miquel down the left saw Eisfeld play a good ‘negative’ ball to the Spaniard’s feet, and Iggy fired it across goal into the far post’s side netting. It was a poacher’s goal for the left back.

After that seventh goal, Arsenal sat back and Vietnam got a lucky goal. Martinez’s foot work on this goal was not good as he struggled to get off the ground. Wilshere came on and looked fit, even forcing the opposition’s keeper to get a red card for handling the ball outside of his box to stop Jack from scoring.

One final interesting note: two of Arsenal’s four centre backs today were not recognized centre backs! In the first half Sagna played in the middle of the defense and looked very fit (and much sharper than Kos). In the second half Aneke replaced Sagna in the middle. It’s interesting that Aneke has played in the middle two games in a row now. Perhaps Wenger is looking to convert him? Or is there just no room for him in our crowded midfield? Please let me know your views below.

Overall, Arsenal looked tired today. Maybe it was the heat or the constant training or the long nights and early mornings. Or maybe it’s just preseason. Zelalem impressed again (even earning some praise from Jack in a post-match interview), Giroud looks set for a big season, and the future still looks bright.

Here are a few questions for you:

What did you think of Arsenal’s performance today?
Is Wenger looking to convert Aneke to CB, or does he just not fit into Arsene’s plans for our midfield?
Do we need a fourth choice CB or could we use Sagna there when necessary, put Jenks on the right, and have Bellerin as backup on the right?

Thanks for reading. 😀

Written by: Dylan.

Match review: Theo, OG and Pod look sharp, Full Backs rusty, Eisfeld and Akpom impress

July 14, 2013July 14, 2013TotalArsenal

Quick thoughts on a game that was easy on the eye, against a weak but hard working opponent.

Today, Arsenal played a lot better than expected, given the heat and it being the first game of the season. A lot of youngsters were given a chance in this game, although Arsene opted for a solid defence with only Miquel, and Jenkinson to some extent, as non-regulars. He also started with the so familiar double-DM pairing of Ramsey and Arteta which gave the team structure and balance from the start. Fabianski was preferred to Szczesny, but I don’t think we can read much into this (yet). Up-front, Ox played in the hole, with Gnabry and Theo on the wings; and the biggest surprise of the day, Akpom held the line.

Arsenal played with a relatively high tempo from the start and passed the ball round well. As a team, they looked a bit rusty at times, as a number of combinations of passes were not completed and did not lead to a chance in the first half.

It was good to see us using the wings well, and especially Walcott looked sharp. Gnabry looked lively, and reminds me a lot of Ox, but especially in the first half he lacked a bit of patience and composure at times. In the second half he improved, and the assist for the second goal showed what he is capable of when he opts to go to the by-line and produce a fine assist for another attacker, rather than go inside and try to score a wonder goal.

Ox played quite well in midfield, and his interception in our own half and subsequent run with the ball led to the only goal in the first half. Ox remained calm and pulled back the ball to Theo, who took his chance really well from the edge of the box.

Arteta was solid and demanding, and Ramsey was very active and driven and one of the best players of the half. Really nice to see him up for this game and trying to make things happen.

Gibbs and Jenkinson did have little to do as defenders but their forward play was below par in the first half. A number of crosses were inaccurate or weak, and they looked rusty in general, although they did worked hard to support our attackers.

Akpom struggled to assert himself on the game in the first half: he did not make himself available and was not anticipating the game / be at the right place at the right time enough. However, just like Gnabry, he improved significantly in the second half, and he did everything right for the second goal. He is still very young, but is showing real promise.

Arteta, Mertesacker, Fabianski , Koz and Sagna did not have to do much defensively, so I cannot pass much judgement on their performances today. Sagna was very effective going forward, though, and he produced a couple of assists in quick succession.

I was a bit disappointed in our young, Spanish CB today. Miquel made some fine interceptions and produced a very nice long ball, but he was at fault in defence a few times and this could have led to a goal – stronger opposition would have pounced on his mistakes today.

Once the second goal went in, and with Arsenal bringing on Giroud, Podolski, Rosicky and Sagna it became a really easy game for us. Good chances were created and our players took them well. Zelalem and Olsson made good first impressions, and the latter converted Rosicky’s superb cross into the box really well.

It was great to see Giroud sharp from the moment he came onto the pitch; especially his second goal was a fine finish. The same goes for Podolski who took his chance well.

However, the goal of the match for me belongs to Eisfeld, who impressed me once again very much with his composure, reading of the game and effectiveness/directness. He was given great service by Giroud for his goal, but he still had a lot to do. He finished in a ‘Neymar-esque’ style, with a vicious and well-placed shot that left the half-decent Indonesian goalie with no chance whatsoever!

We cannot take much from this game, as our opponents were too weak to give us a proper game, but I liked our energy and appetite, the tempo with which we played and the many chances we created AND converted.

It was also great to see so many fellow Gooners supporting our team many thousands of miles away: they did our club proud! And luckily none of our players got injured.

Bring on the Vietnamese! 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Who should Arsenal go for if we miss out on Higuain?

July 7, 2013July 7, 2013TotalArsenal

It takes a very philosophical Gooner to not be frustrated by Arsenal’s lack of progress in the Torture Window, so far. Many fellow Gooners got themselves excited by the calibre of players we are being linked with this summer, and I am one of them.

It looks like Arsene wants to add established quality players, who can hit the ground running. We all welcome this but it seems to be a lot harder than expected. Is the club negotiating too hard, or are other aspect throwing a spanner in the works? I don’t know, and the lack of information by the club is frustrating, although to some extent understandable, as they have to protect our negotiation position as well as our transfer targets.

Of course the TW has only been open officially for a week, but it is clear that the club have been working hard to get their transfer targets during the last six weeks. It looks like Arsenal are unwilling to pay the full clause release sum in Fellaini’s contract, and as it is only effective till mid-August, it’s most likely that a deal, if at all, will happen towards the end of the TW. A risky strategy and I would not be surprised if we are to lose out on the Belgian midfield beast (which for me remains the most important position to recruit for this summer).

The lack of progress regarding Higuain might have less to do with money and more to do with pride. Letting the Argentine forward go without an announcement by Real Madrid of their purchase of a star new player, might be holding things back right now. Buying of the super-rich comes with its own dynamics, it seems.

The brain tells me to remain patient and trust the club is doing everything to make the deals happen. But I cannot deny feeling restless and a tad frustrated right now. Part of me wants us to tell RM where to stick Higuain and move on the more realistic and achievable targets.

You see, I feel to some extent that we should stick we the current strike-force, as they are all likely to progress further in the coming season. Theo (14), Pod (11), Santi (12), Giroud (11) scored 48 PL goals between them and except for Santi – who quite frankly has been sublime last season – I reckon all players can improve their goal tally by 33-75%.

Giroud’s second seasons at his previous clubs have seen a dramatic improvement of around 100%; I am not banking on a similar improvement by I reckon he will improve by 50% next season. The Pod has done well on the left wing this season, but I reckon he will be fitter and more adjusted to the PL next season, and a productivity improvement by a third is not inconceivable. And then there is Theo who is getting more prolific every year, and we should see further improvement next season, somewhere between 33-50%.

Therefore, I believe our current four main attackers could reach a total tally of around 62 goals next season, an improvement by 14 goals. If our remaining midfielders (from whom we need more ‘open goals’ next season), defenders and squad players in attack (Gerv, Ox), can at least match their total goal tally of 24 last season, Arsenal could score in the region of 86 goals, which would match the Mancs total of last season. That would surely be enough to become champions (if accompanied by a lean and mean defence next season).

I reckon we need more strength in depth, though, as those four attackers will have to cover three positions in all games we play. Ox should improve further and hopefully will start scoring more regularly, and there might still be a role for Gervinho; but we need a bit more quality/lethalness in the squad.

I am not going to say no to the likes of Higuain, Jovetic or Rooney joining us this summer, far from it; and I hope the club will give everything to bring one or two of them to the home of football. But I hope we’ll draw the line at some point and move on.

As per the above, I would also be happy to see the likes of Michu or Benteke join us. The most important thing is to keep our attackers together and give them a chance to improve further next season, but add some strength in depth that we can rely on.

Arsenal had the third highest goal tally in the PL last season, and that with three players who had their first season in the PL, and one player who was unsettled until January. More is to come, one way or another. So let’s stay patient and hope Gazidis and Wenger do what’s best for the club.

But as always, let us know where you stand on the Higuain situation and who you beleive Arsenal should buy to improve our attack further.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Fellaini – Arteta as DM beast, or Fellaini – Theo/Pod/OG as SS?

June 18, 2013June 19, 2013TotalArsenal

Marouane: a versatile Fella ini? But where should he play?

This article will serve as a continuation with TA’s recent theme of exploring how rumoured transfer targets would fit into our starting eleven.

If you are a frequenter of this blog, it should come as no surprise that the majority of us here are desperate for a proper, beast of a Defensive Midfielder (DM). Not only would this acquisition ensure that our back four are properly shielded, but it would also unleash the creativity further up field. Players like Santi, Jack, Ox and Arteta would become the indirect beneficiaries and be given the freedom to take risks, knowing that they have a capable and dedicated defensive midfielder behind them.

However, the player we have been most strongly linked to recently is Marouane Fellaini of Everton. So, what if we bought him and were not able to acquire a proper, beast of a DM? Would he be a good purchase despite our obvious need for a DM?

For one thing, Fellaini is Premier League proven, coming off a great season in which he netted 11 goals and 5 assists in 31 starts. He is an established, physical player, capable of exerting his “Presence!” on a game, drawing in defenders and forcing the opposition to devise strategies to defend against or take him out of the game. Fellaini is versatile enough to play as a DM, a B2B midfielder and as a Shadow Striker (SS).

While he may not be a dedicated DM, he is assertive in the tackle, efficient in the air and has decent ball control and pace for a man his size. His passing success rate of 79.3% is not outstanding, but good enough to succeed in Arsenal’s system, as one must consider that the majority of his playing time came at CAM, where pass success rate is generally lower than when played further back in the pitch. His 1.3 key passes per game and 5 assists are further proof that he has some ability in setting up goals too.

So, depending on the price, Fellaini could be a good bit of transfer business for Arsenal. It’s difficult to come by PL proven talents, who have as much presence, steel and ability as Fellaini does.

But where would he play?

The first scenario has Fellaini in the DM-pivot with one of Arteta/Ramsey. He’s played here in his earlier Everton days and is a capable defender, with 2.6 tackles per game, 1.2 interceptions per game, 2.1 clears per game and was only dribbled 0.4 times per game. At the-DM pivot, he could form a partnership with Arteta/Ramsey similar to the one Arsenal was successful with in 2011-12 with Arteta and Song. The two players interchange between offense and defense to make our attack less predictable and to provide more options in the offensive end than we saw towards the end of the season.

The second scenario would see Fellaini play as the SS behind one of Theo, Giroud or Podolski. By starting Fellaini up front with Theo, Arsenal would have two more than capable goal scorers and Fellaini’s skills are the perfect contrast to Theo’s. If Fellaini and Giroud are paired together, Arsenal then have two target men to utilize through long balls, crosses and set-pieces. Fellaini and Poldi playing up front together is perhaps the most interesting proposition of the three, mainly because Poldi is our most clinical finisher and is as good at setting others up, as he is scoring them himself. Fellaini and Poldi up front together would mean that we have two capable finishers and two more players capable of setting others up.

Personally, I don’t have a preference as to which formation Arsenal would play in if Fellaini is bought; I would just like to see it happen and go from there! All the scenarios are tantalizing because it represents variety and unpredictability to our line-up – a luxury we were not afforded last season. Fellaini as a DM would give us better protection and attacking from central midfield, and as a SS, he would give us more goals and act as an additional target man (something some fans feel is necessary and missing when OG is not on the pitch).

Which formation would you like to see Arsenal play in if Fellaini is purchased? Would you prefer it if Arsenal bought a dedicated, beast of a DM instead?

Written By: Highbury Harmony

How much is there still to come from late developer Oliver Giroud?

June 15, 2013TotalArsenal

Giroud has often disappointed many Arsenal fans this season. — Giroud: will he once again improve significantly during a second season at a club?!

I like Oliver Giroud. He works hard, plays with passion, is a late developer and combines a strong ego with the willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the team. He is not born with natural composure, something which only the very best strikers possess (Van Basten, Henry, Bergkamp, Messi etc). Giroud will always have to rely of his key strengths: stamina, hunger, power, decent technique and team play.

I reckon Arsene prefers his central striker to be a team player. Somebody who is happy to do the most unnatural thing for a striker: playing with his back towards the opposition’s goal for large parts of the game, and sacrificing himself for the team. He tried it with Chamakh and the Moroccan played his role a lot better than many have given him credit for. Before he was unceremoniously dumped for the recovered Van Judas, after Christmas a few seasons ago, Arsenal managed to score 2.4 goals per game: many goals came from our midfielders, and our 4-5-1, with the likes of Fabregas and Nasri enjoying themselves as they never did before, worked a treat.

Van Judas is a far better striker than Chamakh and Giroud: no argument there. But the problem with such a prolific striker is that slowly but steadily more or less all attacking play is narrowed down to the one and sharpest arrow. This quickly results in both an overreliance on that top striker and a reduction of goals per game. On average, Arsenal never got above 2.0 goals per game when the grey-haired broody woman led the line, which is not really enough to win the league.

I reckon Arsenal made progress last season by spreading the goals between all our attackers, and there is good reason to believe Giroud’s claim today, that more and better is to come from him, Pod and Cazorla, next season. I have no doubt there is more to come from Cazorla and a fit Podolski, but what about the Frenchman?

Ollie is a late developer and it looks like, every time, he needs a season to settle in at a new club, after which he makes a steep improvement. At Tours he went from 9 to 21 league goals in his second season, and at Montpellier he went from 12 to 21 league goals. If he could go from 11 league goals to 20+ next season, he will have done really well.

Moving from the French Alps to rural French towns and cities will not have been too taxing on him, but playing and living in cosmopolitan London and for a top European team, is a different ball game. All his overeagerness is not going to compensate for this instantly.

But, as per the start of the post, he has the characteristics to spur himself on and push himself to the top, and I reckon he will make that ‘second season improvement’ once again. His success should not just be measured through his goals and assists though; it is just as important to judge him on all the work he does to allow others to shine.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

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

May 18, 2013May 19, 2013TotalArsenal

Deja-Vu all over again!

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

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

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

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

Missing in Action:

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

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

Predicted Line-up:

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

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

Who plays up front? Giroud or Podolski?

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

The rest of the team picks itself.

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

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

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

Previous Encounters:

Arsenal 7 – Newcastle 3

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

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

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

Arsenal 2 – Newcastle 1

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

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

Form Guide: Arsenal: WWDWD Newcastle: WDLDL

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

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

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

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

One to Watch:

Arsenal:

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

Newcastle:

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

Key-Match up:

Ben Arfa vs Kieran Gibbs

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

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

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

Pre-Match Finger:

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

Pre-Match pat on the back:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3) Newcastle…what happened this year?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7) Prediction for our upcoming match?

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

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

Prediction:

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

To our Tottenham friends:

Written By: Oz Gunner

Giroud suspended: Podolski, Gervinho or Walcott to lead the line?

April 22, 2013April 23, 2013TotalArsenal

As you all know, Giroud has a three match ban after being sent off by referee Andre Marriner in the 90th minute of our last match against Fulham, when he caught Manolev with a slide tackle. Giroud has told Arsène Wenger that is was accidental and that he slipped, and our manager has said he can understand why Giroud was shown a red card. Nevertheless, Arsenal have appealed against Giroud’s dismissal.

A statement from Arsenal says “We have lodged an appeal to the Football Association for the wrongful dismissal of Olivier Giroud against Fulham.”

If Arsenal’s appeal is unsuccessful Giroud will remain suspended until May 19th which more or less means that the season is over for him. But if Arsenal’s appeal is successful, Giroud will still be suspended for at least one game.

Giroud has been criticized by lots of Arsenal fans for his missed opportunities this season, so there are plenty of Gooners who will not miss him; but there is no doubt that Giroud will be missed by our team. In our current team Giroud is very important to our attack. His work rate is excellent; he has the desire to do well for himself and the team and is the focal point for our attack.

So now with Giroud suspended for three matches (although if Arsenal are successful in their appeal against Giroud’s dismissal, Giroud would only be suspended for one match), Wenger will have to choose someone else to lead the line for us.

Gervinho has played as our main striker on a number of occasions this season but has been very inconsistent throughout the season, so I doubt he will start any of our upcoming matches- that is unless there are injuries. Gervinho is also much more effective on the wings where he can add the much needed width, which we so often lack.

So Wenger is now left with the dilemma of who should lead the line: Podolski or Walcott.

Podolski and Walcott are very different in terms of what they have to offer when leading the line. Walcott offers his lightening pace, meanwhile Podolski offers his clinical finishing with his powerful and accurate shots from distance, which can trouble any keeper.

Podolski is a clinical finisher who thrives from getting into the correct positions in and around the box, where he can look to get into good goal scoring opportunities and then score capitalise on them. His long shots are also something to be desired. They are accurate and powerful. He will run at defenders and take them on, dragging them out of position which allow his teammates to exploit the spaces left behind by the defenders.

Podolski is also no pushover and is an absolute beast. He will score goals inside or outside the box, on the volley or even by his head. He is by far our most experienced striker with over 100 caps for Germany.

Walcott has superb pace and he is usually the quickest player on the pitch. I cannot think of many players much faster than Walcott. Walcott can use his lightening pace to draw defenders out of position which makes it much easier for our other players to get into good goal scoring opportunities, or Walcott can simply use his pace to knock the ball past defenders and beat defenders to the ball, at will.

He often does the latter when playing on the right wing. When Walcott is playing up front he still uses his incredible pace to very good effect. Walcott will often get in between two defenders of a team who are playing a high line and look to beat
the offside trap. Teams playing against Walcott know this is what he will try to do but it is very hard for them to stop him from him from doing this. Once Walcott has beaten the offside trap no defender can even get back in time to make a challenge on him. This often leaves him with a one on one with the GK of the opposing team where he will look to simply slot the ball low into the corner of the opposition’s net with a cool finish.

However teams can manage to tame Walcott by defending deep in their own halve. Many teams who defend deep will often deploy two banks of four which means that Walcott no longer has pockets of space in front of defenders where he can run into sometimes, making his lightning pace pretty superfluous.

So for me, if the team(s) we are facing in our next fixture(s) are defending with a high line Walcott is the man to lead the line. However, if we are coming up against team(s) who defend very deep in their own halve, Walcott is not very effective so Podolski is the man to lead the line.

For me it is very hard to tell whether Wenger will pick Walcott or Podolski to lead the line. It is said that Wenger is grooming Podolski for this role, and Podolski does have more experience than Walcott playing as the main striker throughout his career, but Walcott has excelled when leading the line for us early this season, when Wenger gave him an opportunity to do so with our manager being very impressed with him. So whether Wenger will choose Podolski or Walcott to play as our main striker, is any man’s guess.

Who do you want now to see lead the line?

Who do you think Wenger will choose to lead the line?

Do you think the team will perform better with Walcott or Podolski up front?

Written by: AFC.

Three Positives and Negatives from an enthralling encounter with Everton

April 16, 2013April 16, 2013TotalArsenal

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

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

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

Three Negatives

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

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

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

Three Positives

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

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

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

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Arteta has the cool, Ox finds the gap, Pod has the class: Norwich Match Report

April 14, 2013April 14, 2013TotalArsenal

The Pod showed the rest how to be composed before taking a chance yesterday.

Arsene’s zipper has been the perfect analogy for most of Arsenal’s season. Anytime he’s had issues with it on the sidelines, our team has seemingly also struggled on the pitch. Arsenal was rubbish for 90% of today’s match, even going down a goal in the 56^th minute on yet another set piece. It took us until the 78^th minute to show any urgency and from there, our substitutes led the way in bringing Arsenal to a hard fought 3-1 victory.

Before I continue with the match report, I’d like to point out that I’ve reached a point where I sympathize with Arsene when choosing his starting line-up. If he does not rotate, fans blame him for exposing our players to greater risk of injury; and if he does rotate, fans blame him for altering a winning formula and starting players who are clearly off-form. So which is it?

Going back to today’s match, Arsene introduced three new players into the starting line-up: Vermaelen for BFG, with Jack replacing the injured Rosicky, and Gibbs in place of Nacho.

Arsenal’s first half was reminiscent to the first half of the season, highlighted by turnovers, heavy touches, slower than normal build-up play and complacency. We were victims of committing 20+ turnovers in the first half alone, which comes to no surprise when you consider that we went into the 2^nd half at 0-0 stalemate.

Our best opportunity to score in the first half came from a beautiful long ball from Santi who found a streaking Gervinho. Unfortunately, Gervinho played a heavy touch around goalkeeper Mark Bunn and ended up almost going out of bounds before attempting a shot on goal. There were no other significant scoring chances in the first half, as our attack looked disjointed in the final third and lacked real purpose. On a positive note, our defense was reliable and composed in dealing with the few threats Norwich posed going forward.

The second half began exactly as the first half ended – stationary and with players misplacing passes. The game looked like it could end in a stalemate with neither team displaying any urgency or looking like a threat to score. However, in the 56^th minute, Gibbs committed an unnecessary foul and clipped the heel of Kamara near the edge of our own 18-yard box. Yet another set piece did us in, as we failed to mark Michael Turner and he converted a free header from Snodgrass’ kick to give Norwich the 1-0 lead.

Arsene immediately responded by bringing Theo and Podolski into the game but neither player were able to make a difference.

Theo did make a nice run to beat some Norwich defenders as soon as he came on, but the play was ruined by a poor first touch by Podolski. Norwich then began to take the game to Arsenal, moving the ball down field and picking up dangerous free kicks in our own half. Fortunately, they were not able to capitalize on their chances.

In the 78^th minute, Arsenal finally looked like they would level the game, when Giroud calmly chested down a ball to a wide-open Podolski. However, the well-struck shot was deflected by Bunn’s fingertips before rattling off the cross bar. Finally, Arsene had seen enough and made his last available substitution by bringing Ox into the match. Shortly after, Ramsey outworked Snodgrass to give Arsenal a corner, which eventually led to Giroud being pulled down in Norwich’s penalty box.

The assistant referee immediately called for a penalty kick and Arteta calmly slotted away the gift of an opportunity to bring us even. The penalty was a breath of fresh air for Arsenal and they never looked back, dominating the final 10 minutes of the match. Some link-up play between Santi and Ox shortly after, led to a one-two with Podolski, before Ox fed the ball across the goal line for an easy tap-in that Giroud slotted away.

If that was not enough, Arsenal poured it on after Giroud flicked on Fabianski’s goal kick to an offside Theo, who eventually passed it to Podolski for a beautiful finish in the bottom right-hand corner of goal.

On another day, against a better opposition, Arsenal likely would not have gotten away with today’s performance. We were very fortunate to escape with the three points, and relying on a penalty kick for momentum is evidence that Arsenal were lethargic, stationary and lacking creativity and purpose in their attack.

Before I begin on the player ratings, I’d like to explain how I arrive at the score a player receives. For me, a 7 represents that a player has sufficiently done what has been asked of him and not much more. An 8 signifies that the player has contributed more than the average player, but that either his performance has room for improvement or I’ve seen better games from him lately. A 9 or higher is reserved for outstanding performances and is usually accompanied by tangible statistics on the score sheet. Ignore previous ratings from past articles, as I’ll look to be consistent from here on out in the new rating system.

Player Ratings:

Fabianski (7.0) – Fab made a couple outstanding saves after we leveled the game and he did everything we could have asked for from a starting goalie. It was unfortunate that he conceded a goal, since the foul was unnecessary in the first place and the marking let him down.

Gibss (5.0) – Kieran was underwhelming for me today. I expected to see some of his lively runs down the left flank and to show the boss that he deserves to be in the starting line-up. Instead, he committed the foul that eventually led to Norwich’s goal and he completely butchered two crosses where we actually outnumbered Norwich’s defenders in the box. Perhaps it was the lack of meaningful game time and being off-form that led to his poor performance today, but either way, I did not think Gibbs played well.

Vermaelen & Koscielny (7.0) – Aside from the goal we conceded, I thought Verm played a solid game and actually bailed us out of trouble on two occasions with a couple of nice sliding challenges. Kos also had an assertive sliding challenge to disrupt a Norwich counter to win us back possession. They were both invisible for the most part, which is what you want from a defender. However, their slow passing in our half didn’t inspire any urgency in our attack, but neither turned the ball over either.

Sagna (6.0) – Sagna was brilliant defensively, stopping all of Norwich’s attacks, while also trying to contribute offensively with a nice cross to Giroud who unfortunately hit the crossbar after he met it with his head. However, Sagna was at fault for allowing Turner to score, since Turner got away from him on the free kick, giving him the free header.

Arteta (7.5) – Arteta was instrumental in inspiring the squad to fight back after going down 1-0. He was composed all game and played the right balls to our players, while immediately pressuring the Norwich players whenever we lost possession. Considering the circus surrounding the penalty call and the Norwich players getting in his face before he took the spot kick, Arteta ignored it all and calmly slotted the goal that brought us even.

Ramsey (6.5) – In the first half, Ramsey was all over the pitch, joining in the attack and running back to help defend. He seems to have more of a spring in his step lately and is building the confidence to attempt some high risk, high reward moves (heel flicks, over the top passes etc.). However, several of these plays led to turnovers and he committed 4-5 alone this game. I was still quite pleased with him in the first half and his rating would have been slightly higher had he not completely faded in the second half.

Wilshere (4.5) – Was there a more disappointing player on the pitch today? I was thrilled to see Jack back in the starting line-up since he is my favorite player, but I questioned Arsene’s decision to start him after he had just returned from another injury lay-off. As the game progressed, it was clear that AW made a mistake, as Jack was rusty and his body language displayed that he was not mentally prepared for the game. He was not the inspirational leader we saw earlier this season and he gave no shape or purpose to our attack. Instead, he committed 7 turnovers and looked out of place. Hopefully, this game is just a one off and Jack can return to being the footballer we all know he is capable of being.

Gervinho (4.5) – While there may not have been a more disappointing player on the pitch than Jack today, Gervinho was equally as unimpressive. He committed 7 turnovers in the final third and had tunnel vision when entering the opponents’ 18-yard box. It was as if the performances from the past two games had completely eluded him and he was back to being the old Gervinho – no creativity, not taking defenders on, heavy touches and not finding his teammates in obvious scoring positions. Hopefully, he can regain the confidence he showed previous to today’s game and become an effective player for us down the final stretch.

Giroud (7.0) – He was instrumental in winning us the penalty kick, his flick-on to Theo in what eventually became the third goal was brilliant and he ended up tapping in the game winner. It was also impressive to see him calmly chest down the ball right to Poldi in the opposition’s 18-yard box. However, those positive moments were all achieved in the final 10 minutes of the game and do not excuse his performance up until that point. He was more or less invisible before that, aside from his 7-8 turnovers, and much like the rest of the team, was ineffective. I’ve found his decision making to be remarkably slow lately and looking for the spectacular play that he is usually incapable of making by nature, causes him to get stripped of the ball or play a poor ball.

Cazorla (7.0) – Santi was the only player with any creativity in the first half and played two very nice balls to Gervinho, who was unfortunately not able to convert or create a goal on either pass. Still, I was hoping for more from him after how influential he had been in our last couple home games. Instead, he drifted in and out of the game and never truly inspired the squad or made an impact (especially the 2^nd half). The more worrying fact is that Santi and Jack have not been effective when both are inserted into the starting line-up. One player tends to over shadow the other and we lose a significant source of secondary creativity in the process. Hopefully, they can form a productive partnership and eventually take the league by storm, as they are amongst the most talented players in the EPL.

Walcott (6.0), Podolski & Oxlade-Chamberlain (8.0) – Of the three substitutes, it was clear that the latter two had the biggest influence on the match. Upon stepping onto the pitch, Poldi immediately found himself in scoring positions and struck a volley that almost brought us even. His finish in the 91^st minute was an absolute cracker and capped off a magnificent cameo appearance. However, it wasn’t until Ox joined the action in the 79^th minute that our team truly took the game to Norwich and threatened in attack. His combination play with Santi and Poldi was outstanding and his assist on the crucial game winner sealed the three points for us. Theo started off his substitute appearance with lots of energy and registered an assist on Podolski’s goal, but did little else.

At the end of the day, three points is three points and despite Arsenal’s performance for the first 85 minutes of the match, we should all be happy with the final outcome. Going forward, hopefully we will not have to rely on another penalty kick to motivate the squad, since the penalty call could have easily been disregarded on another day. The win effectively put us above that other North London team and into a Champions League spot. Onwards and Upwards! COYG!

What did you think of yesterday’s game?

Written By: Highbury Harmony

Which striker to buy in TW and what to do with Giroud: replace, rotate or main man?

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013TotalArsenal

Every Arsenal fan knows that Wenger will buy a new striker in the summer, but many fans are split on what role they want this striker to have at Arsenal; whether that be playing with Giroud, replacing Giroud from our starting line-up and being our main striker, or being a squad player and rotating with Giroud.

Giroud is our only out and out striker at the club with Chamakh and Bendtner out on loan and likely to be sold at the end of the season. People may point out that Walcott, Gervinho and Podolski have played as the main striker many times this season, and we may see one of these players used there permanently next season, but I feel this is unlikely. They will be needed to play out wide next season, and Wenger has also stated that he feels Podolski plays better out wide, and we know that in certain games where teams defend deep, Walcott can be ineffective as our main striker.

When it comes to Giroud there are generally three view expressed by fans. I will explain these views to you in more detail.

The first is that Giroud is the right man to be our main striker and has the quality, desire and workrate to become a brilliant striker for us but; as this is his first season in the Premier League, he is taking time to adapt and needs to be given time to settle if he is going to become a great striker for Arsenal. Giroud cannot be expected to perform brilliantly in every match he plays in his first season in the Premier League. Another striker is needed at Arsenal in order to take some of the pressure away from Giroud to perform in every match he plays in.

The second is that Giroud is just not good enough to be our first choice striker and no matter how much time he has to adapt to the Premier League, he will never be good enough to be our first striker. He lacks the composure in front of goal which means he will never be able to score lots of goals to become a great striker for us. He is only good enough to be a squad player and nothing more.

The third view expressed by fans, is that, Giroud has all the qualities needed to become a great striker for us but he is not getting the support which he needs. And in the summer transfer window Wenger needs to buy another striker who can play alongside Giroud with the skill set and technical/physical attributes, which will allow this new striker and Giroud, to complement each other when playing for Arsenal.

The question is now, whether Wenger is buying a new striker with the thought that he will replace Giroud from the starting line-up, play alongside the Frenchman in the starting eleven, be rotated with Ollie in the starting line-up, or to deputise for him next season.

I feel when Wenger does buy another striker in the summer he will not permanently replace Giroud from the starting eleven. I see Wenger rotating Giroud with the new striker, although the new striker may be given a slight preference to the starting line-up.

As Arsenal fans we may disagree on our opinion of Giroud, or what role at Arsenal a new striker is needed for, but we can all agree that Wenger needs to buy another striker in the summer, which I am sure he will do.

Taking what I have said in this post into consideration, could you tell us the names of any strikers you would like to see at Arsenal, what you think they could offer to Arsenal (how they would solve our attacking problems) and what role you would like them to have at Arsenal.

However there are three conditions you have to take into consideration when coming up with your choice of striker:

The striker you choose should have an affordable transfer fee that Arsenal would be able to pay.

The striker you choose should have affordable wages that Arsenal would be able to pay.

Your suggested strikers should have good reason to come to Arsenal/have a very good chance of coming to Arsenal.
If writing any other comments, I would like you to take this question into consideration.

Do you want a new striker to replace Giroud from the starting eleven, play alongside Giroud in the starting eleven, to be rotated with Giroud in the starting eleven or do you want Giroud to remain as our main striker next season with a new striker being Giroud’s deputy?

Written by: AFC.