Three areas for Arsenal to focus on during our game against Reading game.
It has been a long wait since that humiliating cup-exit almost a week ago, but tonight Arsenal will finally get the chance to make up for it. In order to do so, we need to see a number of improvements from our game against Bradford City, and it will go either really well or not well at all.
In a way, the game against Reading is pretty similar to the game against BC: Reading are bottom of the league and we are the favourites to win tonight, but we all know that if Arsenal are not fully focussed and give their all, we could end up with another painful away loss.
Area one: The shape of the team and system of football.
This is the main area of concern at the moment: Arsenal are desperately seeking their identity, their style of play and shape of the team. In my view, Arsenal have not played a version of Wengerball since the departure of Fabregas: last season we played a ‘plan-B’ for the entire season, and this year we continue to struggle to play the Arsenal way.
However, things are improving, despite the set-back against Bradford. With Jack getting better and better, he will be able to guard our shape and drive the team in the most central role of our 4-3-3 formation. With Arteta playing in the anchor role behind him, and Cazorla ahead of him, Wilshere holds the key in supporting our ‘back-five’, and linking up with the ‘front-four’ in order to instigate deadly attacking moves.
We also need Jack to inspire the team with his extrovert character and never-say-die attitude tonight. He might be young, and still not fully fit, but we need him to be able to put his stamp on the match: without it, it’s very unlikely we will find and keep our shape in this game.
Area two: Better service to our three attackers.
Other than the shape of the team, we are also struggling in providing our attackers with quality service. Cazorla has hardly had any assists in the last 12 PL games, and in the pivotal role that he plays in, this simply is not good enough.
I remember many fellow Gooners calling for us to shoot more and in Cazorla they now got what they asked for. The little Spaniard shoots whenever he can, but unfortunately, seldom scores; and many a chance goes to waste. I would like him to start concentrating again on setting up other players: his main aim should be to provide direct assists and indirect assists to Giroud and the wingers.
I am also hoping that our ‘wing-back’ play will become a lot more effective again. We are desperate for a steep improvement in our crossing ability to find the heads (or legs) of Giroud and Podolski. Both Sagna and Gibbs have to really concentrate and be more effective when going forward, and we need to see a far more fluid link-up play between the full-backs and the wingers tonight.
Area three: Proper wing-play to add a must needed dimension to our football.
This is another main area where we have struggled this season. In our 4-3-3 formation, we need effective wing-play to attack with speed and from the sides; to give us width and another dimension with regards to our attacking play. Yet, with Podolski and, I regret to say, Ox on the wings we have been far too predictable (also directly influenced by areas one and two, as per above).
That’s why I strongly believe we need to play Gervinho tonight – and I am assuming that Theo will not play tonight (or ever again for Arsenal?!). The Ivorian might have missed a number of seemingly easy chances recently, which has been very disappointing, but he is able to provide us with proper wing-play better than anybody else in our team at the moment.
Gervinho always makes himself available and once he has got the ball he seldom looses it. He is always keen to take on defenders and penetrate the opposition’s defensive shape, thus making things happen. In every game, he manages to get to the by-line at least a few times and set somebody up to score. I fully expected Ox to be able to do the same now, but it is somehow not happening for him; and the Pod is clearly not a proper winger and can only play on the wing if there is a proper winger on the right, and he gets the right support from his full-back. If this is not happening the Pod looks both ineffective and frustrated on the LW.
Other areas to focus on.
I have no doubt that Reading will try to press us continuously and will not let us settle. So we need to be up for it, and make sure we’ll pass the ball round a lot better than we have done recently. We also need to press them a lot better and that means the whole team has to take part in it and play as one tonight.
We we will also have to concentrate hard in defence, especially in the air during set-pieces. Let’s hope we will see good organisation and link-up between our defenders, and between the defence and the rest of the team.
Predicted Line-up:
Szczesny
Sagna – BFG – TV – Gibb
——–Arteta—Jack——–
———–Cazorla————-
Ox——–Giroud——Gerv
Preferred Line-up:
Szczesny
Sagna -– BFG –- TV -– Gibb
———-Arteta—Jack———
————Rosicky————–
Cazorla—-Giroud—–Gerv
I don’t need to tell you how desperate we are for a convincing win tonight.
Today’s game at the rather unromantically named Coral Windows stadium – not that ours is named any better – Arsenal will have to face a full capacity crowd (around 25000), and are likely to be treated to a Northerly ‘in your face’ approach from kick-off. I have been to Bradford once for a visit to the fantastic National Media Museum, but have never been to the Bradford City football ground.
They have had two years in the Premier League, from 1999-2001, when Paul Jewell got the best out of his team to achieve promotion to the Premier League, and even managed a PL survival on the last match day of the 1999-2000 campaign.
The Bantams claret & amber shirt and shorts are equally unique and an eyesore, and after their peak towards the end of the millennium/ start of the new one, they have gone through a dark period of going into administration, multiple changes of managers and chairmen, and ending up towards the very bottom of league two.
However, currently they lay in fourth in the second division and under the guidance of manager Phil Parkinson things are looking better for them. The Bantams eliminated Wigan in the last round of League Cup and they will approach tonight’s game with a ‘nothing to lose; let’s get the crowd passionate and fully behind us’ approach.
Arsene has said he will play an experienced team tonight, but it remains to be seen whether this means he will use many of our first team players.
There was an indication that he will play at least some of the first team players, when he said there would be enough recovery time for players, as our next game against Reading will not be until next Monday.
I am happy that Arsene is taking this game relatively seriously and willing to field a stronger team than usual. We need a good performance and a win tonight:
It will be good for general team morale to get another win under our belts;
Reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup would bring us close to winning something this season, and we are in no position to pooh-pooh that: it would be good for the team’s development to both experience a final and winning something for a change;
A number of (near-) first team players need another game to gain more fitness and match rhythm (Rosicky, Jenkinson, Arshavin, Ox, Szczesny).
Predicted Line-up.
The line-up is just a guess, and I will be happy if it turns out I predicted as few as eight out of eleven correctly tonight:
—————Szczesny——————
Jenkinson-Djourou*-TV-Meade
——–Coquelin——Ramsey——-
————Little Mozart—————
Ox———Podolski——-Arshavin
*not sure whether Djourou is available – if not, he will be replaced by Squillaci.
Szczesny, TV, Rosicky and Podolski will ensure our spine is strong tonight, which is a must in these sorts of games. The above should be a strong enough line-up to do the job against Bradford City, and it will do the likes of Jenkinson, Meade, Coquelin, Djourou, Ramsey, Ox and Arshavin good to play a full game again; and knowing that the match is televised nationally will also add another level of importance to their performances.
Don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to the game and hope we will reach the semi-finals of the League Cup in style tonight.
When a team like WBA can be level with Chelsea and the Spuds, and five points ahead of us in the league, nothing else but respect for the Baggies is due. There are no big names in the WBA first squad: Myhill (Foster is injured), Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Popov, Yacob, Mulumbu, Dorrans, Rosenberg, Gera, Long, Odemwingie, Morrison, and Brunt. Yet, they are fifth in the PL, despite losing their last two games, which is simply amazing and a lot of credit should go to their current manager Steve Clark.
We are seeing more and more a shift towards quality management in English top football, where real football nous is now the most important job requirement, as many clubs simply do not have big budgets anymore to buy expensive stars on big salaries; like Bolton, Blackburn, Birmingham and many others used to do. Liverpool, Aston Villa, Norwich, Swansea, and also WBA have all appointed managers recently who know about tactics and building a team from the bottom upwards; who know how to spot a good footballer and getting the best out of his players. And in Steve Clark, WBA seem to have found a manager who can do all of this very well.
I find this a fantastic development for English football, although the downside is that Arsenal will face more and more teams who can have a real go at us; and on the day can beat us.
Enough has been said about the transitional pains we are going through once again this season, as a result of letting two of our best players go and having to incorporate three new ones. It is now time for our team to find our mojo, our rhythm, and our ability to play and fight as a team, and I hope that a week’s rest to most of our best players will have done them good.
Arsenal will be missing Pod, Theo and Koz due to injury and Sagna is a major doubt. Koz will be replaced by our captain and Sagna by Jenkinson: absolutely no rocket science needed to figure that one out. But it is less clear what Wenger will do with regards to replacing his ‘wingers’ Podolski and Theo against WBA. Furthermore, and most excitingly, who will Arsene play as the most advanced central midfielder; who will be his conductor?
Cazorla has worked his socks for the team in recent weeks and just for that I love him. But he has also produced just one assist in his last eleven PL games, and has been generally less effective in conducting the game for us recently. Add to that Rosicky’s fantastic performance on Tuesday, and you can see that it is not easy to predict who will be conducting our football against WBA.
Predicted Line-up:
—————Szczesny—————–
Jenkinson—-Mert—–TV——Gibbs
———–Arteta—–Jack————–
—————-Rosicky—————–
Cazorla——-Giroud——–Gervinho
I am going for Rosicky in the hole, as he is clearly a player who knows how Arsene wants Arsenal to play football, and he can give our team both shape and purpose. Cazorla can play anywhere and be effective, and I reckon Wenger will play him on the wing against WBA.
On the other wing, I expect Gervinho to start, as he is our most natural winger, and I hope he will rediscover his form and scoring ability today.
Let’s hope we will see an Arsenal team tomorrow with a strong spine: Szczesny, Mert, TV, Arteta, Jack, Rosicky and Giroud all to give us shape and purpose tomorrow.
Let’s hope we will see a cohesive team which is more than the sum of its parts; a team that gels a lot better and automatisms start to work properly.
Let’s hope we see an energetic and attacking Arsenal that play with a high tempo, collective chasing down of the opposition and a never-say-die attitude.
Let’s hope the boys do us proud and we end up worthy winners today.
Let’s hope the supporters get fully behind our team today.
When it comes to writing a pre-match I normally walk up to my computer like a boxer at a weigh-in. I stare down the opposition team, flare my nostrils, I might even say a few things about their mothers. Swansea, however, they are different…I admire them. Unlike promoted teams of histories past, Swansea has come into the league ready to play attractive football. They really have been a breath of fresh air, but I and Arsenal need to roll up our sleeves and get nasty for this one.
We sit 7th in the table with 21 points (12 behind league leaders Man U), Swansea sit in 8th position on 20 points. A win in this one could see us jump into 5th spot as Everton and Tottenham face tough away fixtures against ManchesterCity and Fulham.
New boy Michael Laudrup has picked up where Brendon Rodgers left off and really turned this squad into a dangerous team. Whilst our fans appear divided on Arsene: some want him out the door; others know he can work his magic again.
Missing in Action:
Arsenal: Diaby (thigh), Kozzer (groin) is most likely out until Christmas, Santos (abdominal strain) is still out; Sagna (foot), Podolski (illness), and Walcott (shoulder) all face fitness tests. Expect Sagna to miss this one.
Swansea: Thankfully Spanish international Pablo Hernandez misses this one with a thigh injury. He has formed a strong partnership with Michu so his absence will help our cause considerably. Graham (illness) and Taylor are also out.
Predicted Line-up:
Arsenal’s new mystery signing isn’t likely to start the game but we could see him make a sub appearance. It’ll be interesting to see how he settles in with his new team mates. I’ve managed to track down some footage of him, here you go:
Jokes aside I’m very happy this Rosicky is back; he came back and sparked our midfield back to life. Can he do it again this season? I think he can! This is what he is capable of:
I expect us to revert back to the 4-3-3 formation with Podolski coming back into the left position. The rest speaks for itself really, Jenks in for Sagna and Gibbs slotting into the left back position.
Previous Encounters:
Last time we met it was not a pretty match. An impressive Swansea outplayed us all over the pitch thanks to now Liverpool midfielder Allen, and fast wingers Dyer and Sinclair. Djourou and Miquel were our fullbacks and they were always in for a tough match. Ramsey conceded a questionable penalty after Dyer ran into his leg. Ramsey was also responsible for another goal after he was caught out in possession; this led to many fans using him as a scapegoat…something he’s struggled to shake off ever since. After drawing level in the 69th minute, Swansea scored a minute later to eventually go on their way to a 3-2 victory.
In the corresponding fixture last season Arsenal won 1-0 thanks to a Vorm mistake. Vorm rolled the ball out to his defender Rangel, who at the time was unaware of Vorm’s decision – the ball bounced off his legs and straight to Arshavin, who slotted home from an acute angle.
Form Guide:Arsenal: DDWWD Swansea: WDWDD
Coming off consecutive draws we are either in trouble or slowly clawing our way back into form (depending on which fan you speak to). We are divided, but personally I think we are on the up. Yes, there is cause for concern but with a few adjustments I think we can be a force once again. Arsenal haven’t lost in six matches and appear to be finding the defensive stability it showed earlier in the season.
Swansea has only lost one in nine matches and is once again showing they belong in the premier league. They’ve recently beaten Newcastle away, and West Brom at home, and drawn against Chelsea and Liverpool…good form in anyone’s eyes. It’s the sort of form that sends GLIC behind the sofa, Terry talking to his pigeon whilst rocking in his chair in the loft, RA crunching numbers or shouting words most of us think is a foreign language, VCC into a dusting and sweeping frenzy, Rocky shouting out expletives at the top of Mount Logan, Henry giggling uncontrollably, Herb shaking his fist wildly at Arsene, TA carving out new clogs to control the nerves, and me…peeping through a small crack in the doona, whilst I cower on the sofa. But hopefully our nerves are brushed aside early on.
One to Watch:
Giroud is my one to watch in this one. He has been left isolated in the last two matches thanks to ineffectual wing play. It won’t happen again and I expect him to get on the board in this one and make the Swansea defenders miserable all game. This season we have seen just what he is capable of with his head, however, last season he scored most of his 19 goals with his feet, so expect a lot more to come from this Frenchman.
Ahhhhhh-Michu!!! Dennis bless you! (I’ll grab my coat!) Michu has taken the league by storm so far scoring 9 goals in 14 matches. Signed as a midfielder for a lowly 2 million he has stepped into the striker’s role rather effortlessly; he must be watched over carefully!
Key-Match up:
Our fullbacks are going to have their hands full in this one, as they face the dangerous Dyer and Routledge. Routledge is coming off a brace midweek and has scored four times thus far; Dyer on the other hand caused all sorts of problems for us last season. Although he has cut off all of his locks, he is by no means suffering from Samson-syndrome!
Gibbs has just come back from injury so two games in a few days is really going to test his fitness level. Jenkinson may well have to step up for this one given Sagna is a major doubt after suffering a knock to his foot against Everton. Our two young fullbacks will be tested in this one, it’ll be a great learning curve and I expect them both to come out on top.
Pre-Match Finger:
I’m giving the finger this week to our fitness guru Tony Colbert! He joined Arsenal in July of 1998 as head of fitness and conditioning. Once upon a time our fitness was top notch, we ran over the top of other teams on a regular basis. Nowadays if a team parks the bus we are less inclined to break them down and we look just as fatigued. My biggest worry is players suffering soft tissue injuries early on in games or just after coming onto the field; IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!!! The warm up routine should be vigorous and prepare the body for the game ahead. Look at boxers for instance, they come out sweating before a fight, it is an art form! Koscielny is now out until Christmas, Diaby has a thigh strain that has kept him out for most likely the whole season, Ox a couple of weeks ago hurt his hip straight off the bat. My biggest worry is Colbert falling behind the game, not to mention he only has a Master’s degree; at this level I’d expect a PHD at the very least! Sports Science and strength/conditioning are forever evolving, perhaps fresh ideas will lift our conditioning allowing us to run out games, or better yet…IMPLEMENT A BLOODY PRESS!
Also, Stan Kroenke! A $132.5 million dollar ranch in Montana…really??? You greedy scoundrel. How about a cheeky couple of million thrown into our transfer war chest, after all you’ve probably got it tucked into your sock!
Pre-Match pat on the back:
My pat on the back goes to all the level headed Arsenal supporters out there. Yes everything isn’t hunky dory at the moment but it is not the end of the world. The apocalypse has not come, and even if the four horsemen Conquest, War, Famine, and Death came I’m sure Jack, Frimpong, Vermaelen, and Arteta would send them packing (Arteta could do it without putting one strand of hair out of place). We may not be world beaters currently but we will be soon enough. Hang in there and keep fighting the good fight!
This week I am debuting a new section to the pre-match. ‘Ask the opposition’ will show questions and answers by supporters from other blogs just to get their insight on the match. So let’s get a little bit of friendly banter going shall we!
This week the answers were kindly provided by Steve and Kevin, both Swansea supporters.
1) What’s your take on the Arsene Wenger situation (should he continue or should he be replaced)?
Steve: I think you should stick with Wenger, as a fan of a small club who’ve come from the brink of extinction to where we are today, I can appreciate the way Arsenal handle the finances. In a couple of years’ time, you’ll be one of the only clubs in the country to be debt free, owning a state of the art stadium and still competing at the top. I think patience in your stability can see you go on to dominate while a lot of clubs go to the wall.
Kevin:Whilst I imagine some fans may want a change of manager and a new era following Arsene Wenger’s, I do wonder whether a new manager would make you any better than you are now. Sacking Wenger would mean you would lose that consistency with managers that are so rare in the game these days. We Swans fans know all about a constant turnover of managers and while it hasn’t affected us one bit, it may not be the same for you. The departure of Robin van Persie obviously hasn’t helped your cause either and he was always going to be almost impossible to replace in the current market. If I was an Arsenal fan I would just get behind the manager and his players as I’d be shocked if Wenger was sacked anytime soon.
2) Who has been Swansea’s best player so far this season? What is he capable of?
Steve:The obvious player of our season for me to go for would obviously be Michu as he’s scoring for fun, but I’m going to go off the wall and say Hernandez (unfortunately he’s out tomorrow). I can see him going on to be massive for us. His vision is like nothing I’ve seen before in a Swansea shirt. When he first came in, he seemed to struggle a bit, but looking back now I think it was more a case that the rest of the team struggled to keep up with him and his little dinks forward.
Kevin:Michu is getting all of the credit for his goals and rightly so, but you can’t ignore the likes of Wayne Routledge and Pablo Hernandez who are consistently providing the assists for Michu, who’s goal tally has now increased to 9. Michu is not just a goalscorer, far from it. His work rate is excellent, he battles brilliantly to win possession and his finishing and desire to score goals is exceptional. It says it all when he was disappointed to score only 1 of the three chances he had at Newcastle a fortnight ago. Pablo Hernandez and Wayne Routledge are also up there with our best performers in recent weeks. Both offer something a little different. Routledge has pace to beat his marker while Hernandez is a tricky player – both have an eye for goal.
3) What formations and tactics are you most likely to employ in this match?
Steve: We generally play with a lone striker with Michu in the hole. Wednesday, against West brom, we had Michu up front with Routeledge in the hole and it worked well. Tomorrow though, with Hernandez out, I’d expect Routeledge to switch back to the wing with De Guzman to step in behind Michu.
Kevin:Unlike last season under Brendan Rodgers when it would be easy to tell you the tactics as it never changed game by game. Laudrup likes to change it up slightly. While we keep to the same 4-3-3 attacking formation, he’ll change the wingers. He often alternates between Routledge and Dyer on the right. Against West Brom on Wednesday, his side had far more width, unlike in previous games where the wingers were more central to link up with the attackers rather than the fullbacks. The decision to set up his wide with more width paid off brilliantly as they produced probably their best 45-minutes of football since their Premier League debut last year.
4) What position/player is your weakest link?
Steve:Difficult to pick a weak link to be honest as we’re back to playing as a team for each other, which was maybe lacking a couple of weeks ago. If I had to pick anyone though I’d have to say maybe young Ben Davies at left back due to his lack of experience. He’s done brilliantly in his debut season though, stepping up from the youth because of Taylor’s injury early in the season.
Kevin:There’s probably not a particular player that is a weak link at the moment. It would be harsh on de Guzman to say he is, and he doesn’t offer as much as his fellow midfielders and was dropped in midweek. We can concede some soft goals now and then which doesn’t help our cause, but right now we’re playing the best football we’ve seen in a long time. We suffered a drop in form after a good start but it’s back up there and the Swans will be as confident as ever on Saturday.
5) Which Arsenal player would you love in your team and why?
Steve:Sorry, no room for any Arsenal players among the super Swans J
Kevin: I think Cazorla would fit in well with our Spanish contingent in the squad! I wouldn’t mind one of your centre backs too as Mertesacker seems to have improved a lot this season and then there’s Vermaelen too. We could do with another centre back as cover.
6) What is your match prediction?
Steve:I fancy us to get something and I predict a few goals as neither defence have been particularly brilliant this season so far 2-2.
Kevin:It should be an entertaining game as both teams like to play attractive football but I wonder whether or not they’ll cancel each other like Swansea and Liverpool did last week, as they played out a goalless draw. There might be goals in this one though, as Arsenal clearly can score at home after the 5 they put past arch rivals Spurs, but then again they also struggled against QPR. A score draw would be a great result for us and would keep our unbeaten run going.
Prediction:
This is really going to be a tough one. It is imperative we keep our width in this one. Walcott wants to play centrally, Podolski wants to be the main striker, but it’s all causing too much problems, and it needs to be sorted out quickly! If we guard the dangerous Michu, and quell Swansea’s quick breaks I think we’ll snatch this one late…2-1 to the good guys!
A tough away game is just the sort of challenge Arsenal need after a disappointing performance against Villa on Saturday: the perfect game to bounce back again.
Everton are unbeaten at home since March this year, as it was Arsenal who beat them last with a narrow 1-0 win. They are doing well this season, as Moyes has once again put together a team that can beat anyone on the day.
Paradoxically, I have a good feeling about tonight’s game, as it will force the very best out of Arsenal; and that’s when we often perform and get the results we need.
Liverpool is a great city, where people love football. I worked in Liverpool for two years, and nowhere else have I encountered so much respect for both the way Arsenal are managed and the style of football we generally play. Everton is a fine football club and I have been lucky enough to see Arsenal play a number of times at GoodisonPark. I would love to be there tonight, as I am pretty sure it will be a feast of football again.
Everton play attractive football – often in a 4-4-1-1 formation – and will be able to field a strong team tonight. With the likes of Jagielka, Baines and Distin and Howard at the back; Osman, Naismith, Fellaini and Pienaar in the middle; and Jelavic up front, they have a team of good players who could make things difficult for us. Their captain, Phil Neville, is out and his drive and experience might be missed by Everton tonight. Fellaini is having a fine season, and we will see how good he really is when he has to battle with Arteta and Wilshere and co. For me, the jury is still out.
No long pre-view/analysis is required – neither do we have to talk long about tactics: it is all about remembering what it means to play for Arsenal.
Wenger can pick a strong team for tonight’s game, as he was able to rest a few players, and Theo has been judged fit again. So, it is all about getting the best out of our 4-3-3 formation and the associated playing style.
With Theo and Sagna able to start on the right wing, and either Gibbs and Podolski, or Vermaelen and Gervinho, being played on the left wing, we should have plenty of wing-power against Everton. It will make a big difference compared to Saturday’s game.
On top of that we can field Wilshere once again in the lynchpin role, which will allow us to keep our shape a lot better, defend better, and support Cazorla in setting up attacking moves.
Having our wings back and far stronger coordination in the middle will have a transformational impact on our team compared to Saturday’s toothless performance against Villa.
As we all know, Arsene does not do much of game-specific tactical preparation, as he believes in building a team around a system that can deal with everything. He chooses to spend his time on perfecting Arsenal’s system of football rather than adjusting it time and again in accordance with the opponent’s strength and weaknesses. Against Everton we will see how well our system of football can cope in a tricky away fixture.
I reckon, tonight we will see the best of our team: I am sure our boys will do us proud again against Everton. Whether it will lead to a win remains to be seen, as (lack of) luck and refereeing decision might play a role; but perform we will do.
I predict it will either finish in 1-1, or everything might work out for us and we go away with a three goal margin victory (4-1?).
Predicted line-up:
——————Szczesny———————–
Sagna – Mertesacker – Koz – Vermaelen
————-Arteta—Wilshere—————-
—————–Cazorla————————–
Theo————Giroud———–Gervinho
We might also see Gibbs and Podolski starting on the left wing, but my gut feeling tells me Vermaelen starts ahead of Gibbs on the left wing, and Gervinho will start in front of him.
Here is hoping for a performance that makes us proud to be Gooners and three points coming back to Ashburton Groove.
Coming off a solid 2-0 victory midweek, we’re off to Villa Park to take on lowly Aston Villa. I’m pretty confident about this one to be honest as it’s not the same Villa we once dreaded playing!
Players are back from injury giving us a little leg room, whilst Darren Bent will thankfully miss out (one of those players who always seem to bring their best against us, no matter what). With that in mind, some players should be rested for Everton next Wednesday.
Lambert is off the touchline and into the stands, so one less thing to worry about. Let’s get into it shall we!
Missing in Action:
Arsenal: Diaby (thigh) is out for 3/4 weeks if “everything goes well”, according to Arsene. Unfortunately it never does when involving Diaby, so he’s a big question mark as far as I’m concerned! Santos (abdominal strain) is out for 10 days. Theo is still out for Villa but could be back against Everton next Wednesday. Rosicky is back training this Monday…I’m not kidding either, it’s true, he is!!! Gibbs is back and Ox should be right to play.
Aston Villa: Bent (ankle/foot), Dunne (Gilmores Groin), N’Zogbia (Knee), Herd (Knee), Gardner (ACL), Petrov (Acute Leukaemia). Like to wish Petrov all the best in his recovery, he is an inspiration to so many, and by all accounts is a tremendous bloke. Good luck, Petrov, I hope you can put it all behind you soon.
Predicted Line-up:
Arsene has a few selection headaches to face. Firstly Gibbs is back so what happens to Vermaelen? Does he rest him? Kozza shouldn’t be rested because he has regained his form, and neither should Mertesacker because he is our most important defender. I would rest Mertesacker because he needs a rest, but I feel Arsene won’t. Gervinho is back but Podolski and Giroud look to be forming a great understanding. Walcott is out so Ox should play. Santi and Arteta have played far too many games so one should be rested. Arsene has to start utilising the squad he has at his disposal: experienced players need a rest and younger players knocking on the door need game time. I am wary of too many changes in one go as it can upset the apple cart, but I think those coming in (Jenks and Gibbs) slip in pretty seamlessly.
Previous Encounters:
Under Martin O’Neill Villa were a very dangerous team. Like Everton they were always just off the top teams and presented a tough fixture. A lot has changed since, and now they look a shadow of their former self. Lambert is an upgrade from Alex Mcleish but misses this encounter, due to a one match suspension received for ‘improper conduct’ against ManchesterCity. Thankfully for him it’s just a Premier League fixture because if it was a European Cup match, or his last name was Wenger, he’d probably be sitting out another two.
Last time around (24th March) we barely broke a sweat; winning 3-0 at home with goals from Gibbs, Theo, and a ripper of a free-kick from Arteta. Given made lots of saves (what’s new against us), but the result was never in doubt.
On Jan 29th, in an FA Cup match, we came back from 0-2 down to win 3-2, thanks to a three goal burst in seven minutes. I still don’t think Villa fans know what hit them.
Form Guide:Arsenal: WWDDL Aston Villa: LLWWD
We are slowly gaining our form and should be still riding the wave of momentum from the Tottenham victory. Aston Villa on the other hand is at an all-time low after being torn apart my ManchesterCity last weekend 5-0. Languishing at 18th on the ladder; not much is going right for them, but they can still be dangerous, as shown by their narrow 2-3 defeat to Manchester United two weeks ago.
One to Watch:
With Walcott still out, I’m interested to see how Ox will do out on the right hand side again. I think he’ll actually score a goal in this one. How could you not be excited about this bloke? Future world class player without a doubt! I would like to see him have a go as an AM, with that speak and shooting ability he could be a real problem.
It’s hard to say this time around, because the usual suspects who have caused us problems are all out (N’Zogbia, Bent, Dunne); so for Villa it has to be Andreas Weimann. Although he was non-existent against ManchesterCity last week, he did manage to score two goals against Manchester United. Both goals showed good predatory instincts and shooting prowess. Gibbs will have to be cautious out on the left.
Key-Match up:
Gabby Agbonlahor vs Per Mertesacker
I don’t know what happened to Gabby! When he first came onto the scene he looked like he could be an English Henry. He had immense speed, good skills, confidence, and his finishing was not to be scoffed at either. We were linked with him a few times in seasons gone, but his loyalty has been his downfall. If he had joined a better team I have no doubt he would have developed into a great player. For now, he’s just a quick player low on confidence with the occasional good game. After seeing Defoe sneak past Mertesacker last week I have no doubt Lambert will be pushing for Agbonlahor to do the same. However, this isn’t big Per’s first rodeo – he’s despatched quick players regularly in his career; some even craftier than Gabby e.g Suarez and Aguero.
Pre-Match Finger:
This is for you Roman Abramovich for once again proving how much of a w*nker you really are. Roberto Di Matteo didn’t even have enough time to lose flavour in his gum before being thrown out (albeit with a brief case full of money!) as manager of Chelsea. He won them their first ever Champions League trophy (I’m still wondering how) and an FA Cup for Christ sake! That’s now Mourinho, Grant, Scolari, Hiddink, Ancelotti, AVB, and Di Matteo since 2004! He really must have the attention span and patience of a kid!
In saying that, I have just sent off my resume’ to him in an effort to be next in line for the position. I have listed you all as references so play along (something along the lines of “he’d be a great manager, scout, etc”), and I’ll split the money with you! It can’t be that hard…there aren’t many managers left.
Alan Hutton (Villa RB) receives a finger for being a mouthy ex-Tottenham player. In Dec 2011 he was sent off against Arsenal for two late cards. He has just gone out on loan to Nottingham Forest, proving once again going to Tottenham really does turn you to sh*t; just ask Bentley and Pienaar!
Also a polite finger goes to my sister for putting her engagement party on Saturday night. Couldn’t be during the off-season or during an international break, could it? Bloody selfish!!!
Pre-Match pat on the back:
This week it goes to Montpellier manager Rene Girard for saying this after the midweek Champions League match:
“We still have a game to play. And if we can help out our friends Arsenal, we will.”
I thought it was a very nice gesture from the manager and good to see there are a few good ‘uns left in the managerial world! Niceness aside, it is also good to see a manager take Montpellier to success playing good football and without all the oil money. Well played Girard!
Prediction:
Our climb up the ladder will not be halted by Villa: I predict a very comfortable walk in the park with the good guys coming out on top 0-2. We might need to do it tough, but just like our midweek game 3 points is of greatest importance and the rest will come later.
It seems a long time ago since Arsenal played Montpellier on a humid, late-summer’s evening back in September. However, I still remember well how we somehow held on to take all three points back to London, after the CL-inexperienced French Champions almost totally dominated us for the entire second half, but forgot to finish us off.
Montpellier are a fine team, who play football the Arsenal way: the way it should be played.
They keep the ball low, and pass it round really well. Montpellier play with a high line and like to pressure their opponents in their own half. They work hard as a team and create plenty of chances, but lack a top CF to finish-off all the hard work done by their fantastic midfielders. Now where did their last season’s top scorer disappear to? Lol! Only eight goals in their last six games says it all (compared to 19 by Arsenal).
They have a few excellent, but inexperienced players, and the rest are decent to good players. I like Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the Montpellier captain, and Belhanda and Cabella are fine talents who are likely to make it big in the next few years. Montpellier like to get the ball into the area in front of the opponent’s ‘D’ – very much like Arsenal in the Fabregas era – in order to find a deadly through-ball or shoot from that area.
They also ‘lop-side’ towards the right, where both Cabella and Belhanda like to go to find some space, or combine with each other in order to get to the opponent’s penalty area.
Vermaelen or Gibbs
This brings me to the first selection conundrum: should Arsene select our proper LB, Gibbs, who has not played for a while and might be rusty, but is best suited to deal with the wing-play of Cabella and others; or should he keep the current back four unchanged, even though TV is not fully comfortable in the LB position?
My guess is, Arsene will start with TV. Cabella is tricky and keeps the ball well, but is not superfast; and is more of an all-round attacking midfielder than a classic winger. Thomas can deal with him, and it would keep the back four together for another game. It also allows Arsene to play again the CB-pairing of BFG-Koz which seems to be the best one at the moment.
However, Arsenal can expect Montpellier to target our LB area and it is important that we have it properly covered tonight.
Podolski or Gervinho?
It is really good news that our early season top-scorer Gervinho is back again. If Gibbs starts tonight, I have little doubt Poldolski will start on the left wing again. These two work together very naturally and get the very best out of each other in those positions. But as I went for Vermaelen instead of Gibbs, I would not be surprised to see Gervinho getting a start in his favourite LW position.
I reckon the midfield is a given again: Cazorla, Arteta, Wilshere. We need to win this game and Arsene is unlikely to risk making changes in this area. They have had a rest since Saturday afternoon, so should have recovered again.
With Giroud finally starting to fire on all cylinders, he is most likely to start the game in the CF position. Podolski can come of the bench to give him a break if needed; or could even start instead of the Frenchman (not likely though).
The Ox to start?
With Theo out due to a shoulder injury tonight, I would love to see the Ox start in the RW position against Montpellier. He is a good crosser of the ball, can get past his man easily, and he combines well with other players to move into the opposition’s box. However, it is most likely that Gervinho will start on the right, with Giroud in the middle and Podolski on the left.
Most likely line-up for tonight’s game:
———————Szczesny———————–
Sagna – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Vermaelen
————Arteta———–Wilshere————–
———————-Cazorla————————
Gervinho———–Giroud—————Podolski
My preferred line-up:
———————Szczesny———————–
Sagna – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Vermaelen
————Arteta———–Wilshere————–
———————-Cazorla————————
The Ox————-Giroud————–Gervinho
As per previous post, I expect Montpellier to come at us with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude. They will try to pressure us high up the pitch again and not allow us to retain the ball for long. Arsenal need to be fully focussed, play at a high tempo, and put in a performance for ninety minutes.
Any complacency could cost us dearly, but if Arsenal work hard and take their chances when they arise, we should be able to win tonight’s game.
This game feels eerily familiar to last season’s match against Tottenham. We were down in the dumps; besieged – just like we are now. We responded then, and we will take action now. If we do not, the players are not worthy of wearing the Arsenal crest. The game at Old Trafford was a letdown, as was Fulham, but it’s now time to atone for our sins and get this season up and running again.
Missing in Action:
Arsenal: Diaby (thigh), Rosicky (tendon), Gibbs (thigh). All are not back and won’t be ready to play in this fixture. But hey what’s new? These three are regularly out, and never come back when scheduled. I don’t know whether Arsene says it’s to get our hopes up, or they have in fact had set backs, but it happens far too often. When was the last time you can remember an Arsenal player coming back on schedule? Gervinho (ankle) is due back next week, but if I factor in the humidity and wind resistance, and X that by player softness, and + Arsene/medical team lying through their teeth…he should be back just in time for the African Cup of Nations.
Walcott (muscle), Szczesny (ankle), and Ox (hip) face fitness tests.
Tottenham: Dembele, Kaboul, Parker, and Assou-Ekotto are out. Walker, Lennon, and Defoe face fitness tests. I expect Walker will find it tough to get up for this one, but the other two are likely to play some part. Tottenham will be hoping Defoe is fit otherwise they are left with the goalless Adebayor up front.
Predicted Line-up:
A lot has been said this week about Arsene trying a different approach by using a 5-3-2 formation. However, I don’t buy into it: it will be business as usual this week with a 4-3-3 set-up. Although I would like to see something different and perhaps some different tactics thrown in the mix, I just don’t see it happening.
Jack slots back into the line-up this week having served a one match ban for a reckless albeit deserving tackle on Evra (whose a boy now Evra? huh? huh? huh?). I’d like to see Giroud continue up front because if Gallas is playing he is going to give him all sort of difficulties.
Walcott should continue where he left off last season against the spuds. Podolski could do with a rest having played midweek for Germany, but he won’t be. I’d really like to see Eisfeld, Arshavin, Gnabry, or Ox take his place because without Walker they could create all sorts of problems, and Podolski, while brilliant, won’t expose them for pace. Hopefully Szczesny returns in goal for this one. It’s his time to shine again!
Previous Encounters:
Before our previous encounter we were 10 points adrift from Tottenham on the table and, had just been smashed by AC Milan, and beaten by Sunderland. A power shift in North London was being mooted by the media. Power Shift? Heavens to Betsy; no way is that happening anytime soon! The game got under way and before we knew it the score line read 0-2, thanks largely to a very fluky deflection over Szczesny’s head, and a Bale dive.
Luckily we turned it around because at that very moment Arsenal fans and blogs were going into a state of meltdown, and if it continued any further we would have experienced an Internet Chernobyl. Sagna got us back into the game with an emphatic header (the way he attacked the ball with fearless intent was thrilling), followed by a goal by Rosicky (rumblings around the club suggest he still exists. I’m not so sure, I hear he only visits during contract time), and a brace from Theo. The score ending up 4-2*. The win catapulted us into some good form while sending Tottenham into a nose dive. Happy days!
The highlights can be seen here (brilliant passionate commentary)
* all traces of RVP have been stricken from the record.
Form Guide: Arsenal: DDLWW Tottenham: LWLLW
We find ourselves going through a bit of a rough patch, whilst Tottenham have been inconsistent thus far. They do however possess the best away record in the league at the moment winning 3 of 5. AVB is struggling to win over the Spud faithful, but a win at the Emirates to go along with their win at Old Trafford will certainly get them chanting his name. I don’t know about you but this fixture doesn’t feel the same without the Wheeler Dealer at the helm of Tottenham. I did loathe him, but he was always good for a laugh, and I loved seeing him go into ‘twitch’ mode when his team were losing.
One to Watch:
*Temporary* Arsenal speedster Theo Walcott. Devoid of recognised fullbacks at Tottenham, Walcott has a real chance to smash this game wide open. Last season’s demolition saw him play a game of two halves, first half he was non-existent and copped it from a few supporters, second half he finished off with a brace. Theo likes a big game and undoubtedly will be up and about for this one also.
Young up and coming CB Steven Caulker is our opposition watch this week. At 20 years of age he looks like a real find for Tottenham. He really matured out on loan for Swansea last season; it’s a path I’d like to see followed by our young Spanish CB Miquel to speed up his development. Caulker scored midweek for England, and has scored twice recently for Tottenham, so he ought to be watched during set pieces as he brings an aerial threat with him.
Key-Match up:
Sanga vs Bale
Bale, the most overrated winger in football, today, lines up against perhaps the best RB in football; Bacary Sagna.
Two games against Inter Milan, alongside a few great games against lower opposition, do not make you a superstar! Well at least I think so anyway. Yes he is super quick, but what does he do that is any better than Theo? Nothing! Most teams tend to double up on Bale (the sort of player for which Arsene would play Eboue on the wing, in front of Sagna; in an effort to quell his influence), but with Assou-Ekotto out, Sagna should bomb forward as often as possible in an effort to make Bale track back (something he does not do well). Arsenal have a similar situation with Podolski when he plays without Gibbs; he is not as influential without a quality defender behind him. Yes Bale is quick, but so is Sagna. Not a problem here: Sagna will stop him quite easily.
Pre-Match Finger:
This week’s finger goes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic! It was a wonderful goal no question, I’m just jealous it wasn’t an Arsenal player who did it! The audacity needed to try something like that let alone the skill, technique, and power needed to pull it off just amazes me. Ibra you are a great player but I still hate your guts for diving against us last season and playing a part in kicking us out of the Champions League…also get a haircut!
Pre-Match pat on the back:
This week it goes to young Corporal Jenks yet again. This time, for signing a new long term deal with us (yes I know long term deals mean nothing, just look at Fabregas etc). He has ‘Arsenal DNA’ and as young Jack said “would run through a wall for Arsenal, he loves the club that much”. Too bad others at the club don’t share/show that sort of passion presently.
Frimpong also deserves a mention for showing just how much he loves the club. Reports midweek suggested he would be sold in January, but he quickly tweeted that the stories were wide of the mark. He is likely to close a loan deal for the remainder of the season with either Ipswich (Mike McCarthy is now there manager, previously of Wolves) or Wolves (having spent a brief period there before his suffering a horrible knee injury). It’s what he needs to develop greater positional nous and experience; at the moment he is a touch too gung ho in his approach, and tends to chase the ball too often. His reaction to the loan was very mature, and he stated he wants to improve so that when he returns to the club he loves (Arsenal), he can fight for a position.
Jenks, Wilshere, and Yennaris…loyalty still exists!!!
Prediction:
I’m predicting a comfortable 2-0 victory. The game will start ferociously but after scoring early we will (need to for our confidence) control the game; scoring the second one in the second half, on the break as they push numbers forward. Time to jump start our season again and this is the right game to do it! The Arsenal fans will no doubt make the place shake, just like they did last time.
Good luck, be safe, enjoy the game whenever you are, and give as much sh*t as you possibly can to any Spud supporters you come across. WE are the pride of London, and YOU are forever in our shadows!
Saturday’s game at the Emirates sees the return of Fulham and Martin Jol to the Emirates. Known best for managing Tottenham during the ‘lasagne-gate’ incident in 2006 (Arsenal stealing 4th place from Tottenham on the final fixture, after 10 Tottenham players missed their game against West Ham due to food poisoning: he was sacked 6 months later), Jol has carried on where Roy left off by getting the best out of Fulham.
Previously Zamora and Johnson have caused us all sorts of problems but they have since moved on (along with Dembele and Dempsey), with Rodellega and ex-spud Berbatov taking their place.
Arsene and Jol also got a bit heated in 2006 whilst in charge of Tottenham. Tottenham being the great sportsmen that they are, refused to kick the ball out of touch with two Arsenal players lying on the ground needing medical attention. Keane went on to score the goal inciting Arsene on the touchline, causing both he and Jol to square up in a fiery exchange (Arsene may look a touch scrawny but sources from back in the day say he’s scrappy, and has a nice jab!).
Fulham: Davies (hip), and former real Madrid player Diarra faces a fitness test
I for one am sick and tired of seeing the same players stuck in the sick bay time and time again (Diaby, Gibbs, and Rosicky the main culprits). It really is unrelenting and an all too familiar story season after season. We loved showing everyone our new facilities but what good is it if the personnel are not capable enough. Or is it just the fragile players themselves? Along with the sponsorship deals, this issue needs to be made priority number 1. It is hard enough hanging with the big spenders, but add in the continual injuries, and each season turns out to be a real dog fight. Maybe it’s time for a new medical team to be brought in because it can’t really get any worse than it currently is.
Predicted line-up:
Szczesny is nearly back to full fitness but is unlikely to feature because of Mannone’s recent good form, expect him on the bench. We will see how he goes in the under 21’s match. Arsene needs to start rotating the squad not only to freshen up the team, but also to bring some much needed motivation and youthful experience. Cazorla, Mertesacker, Podolski, and Arteta have played too many games so far but may need to soldier on a bit longer, with replacements still coming back/sitting in the sick bay. I see either Ramsey or Coquelin taking Wilshere’s spot, Vermaelen staying at left back, and Arshavin coming into the starting line-up at the expense of Podolski. Jenkinson to return to right back as Sagna needs a rest after spending two lengthy periods on the sidelines.
Arsenal conceded two late goals (Sidwell 85th, Zamora 90th) after a Djourou red card to lose the match 2-1. BSR could not get into the game as Hangeland rendered him completely ineffectual.
EPL – Nov 26, 2011 Arsenal 1 – Fulham 1
The corresponding fixture saw Vermaelen rescue a point after he himself scored an own goal early.
We have never lost to Fulham at home (26 encounters)
In the past 11 meetings against Arsenal away, Fulham has only scored 7 goals, and not one time have they scored more than once.
Form Guide: Arsenal: DLWWL Fulham: DDWDL
One to Watch:
Fulham and ex-Arsenal player Steve Sidwell. He is a dangerous midfielder who makes lethal runs into the box so our midfielders need to be on their toes. Then again Denilson isn’t playing so we shouldn’t see anyone watching/ jogging after him (as seen against Jenas + Bale). Sidwell is another one of those players that likes to bring their A-game against their old club, scoring 2 goals in his last 3 encounters against Arsenal.
All eyes will once again be on Thomas Vermaelen. It’s no secret that he is out of form and lacking bucket-fulls of confidence, but he is our captain and needs to lead by example. He is likely to play in the left back position, so he needs be on his toes as Ruiz and Duff are chock-full of all sorts of tricks. This is the sort of match where he is likely to bob up and score a brilliant header (we are yet to score from a header so far this season in a premier league game) and turn his back luck around. The Arsenal faithful need to get behind him, chant his name from the rafters, and sing it loud and proud…the warrior will return.
Key Match-up:
Giroud vs Hangeland
Hangeland is a lot like Mertesacker as he has good timing, reads the play well and an excellent tackle. He may have over powered BSR last time, but this time he can expect a fight on his hands as he contends with Giroud. If Hangeland is getting the better of Giroud expect him to move over to Fulham’s other centre back Aaron Hughes. Last weekend Hughes conceded a goal against Fellaini from Everton, and was constantly bullied by the stronger Belgian.
Pre-Match Finger:
This week’s finger goes to those individuals behind International bloody friendlies. There is absolutely no point to them other than making money. We suffer enough injuries without pointless matches chucked in that increase the risk further. I hate International football: it’s boring, my country sucks at it, it’s corrupt, and most of all I just want to see our players playing for Arsenal and that’s it! Young Jack has just come back from a long term injury he suffered whilst playing a friendly against the Swiss; just in time to play and international friendly against Sweden…awesome, bloody awesome. If Jack gets injured again, Roy may well be shanked by Arsene…and a few thousand others in an alleyway.
Injuries are not the only problem; player fatigue is also an issue. Some players have to travel long distances to compete on Wednesday, and then travel back in time for Saturday’s game. For example Santi; he’s already played extensively for us, and now he has play on Wednesday, and be back cherry ripe for a tough match against Tottenham. Cheers guys, really appreciate it!
Pre-match pat on the back:
Congratulations to Jenkinson on his call up to the England squad. His rise from out of nowhere in little over a year has been absolutely sensational. With Sagna’s contract in question I feel very at ease knowing Corporal Jenks is ready to step on to the pitch to fill the void. Best of all he bleeds Arsenal!
The other pat on the back goes to Martin Jol. Other managers have sunk the boots in to both Arsene and Arsenal in the past, but putting their differences aside, Jol had this to say:
“I’m not an Arsenal fan – as you well know – but I always admired Wenger for what he did,” Jol admitted on Thursday. “There is not one other team in the top four doing the same thing with the same philosophy. They always manage to find the players who are younger and create value on the pitch. Of course, it’s probably not what an Arsenal fan wants.”
Prediction:
Things aren’t going too good for us at the moment. This is our worst start to a season under Arsene Wenger, registering a measly 15 points from 10 Premier League games. The midweek game against Schalke was disappointing given we let a two goal lead slip, but positives can still be drawn from the performance in the first half. Although Fulham are playing well so far, they are the worst team at losing points (12) from winning positions, so we need not panic should we concede early on.
Onwards and upwards I say, so this gooner is predicting a tight affair with the almighty Arsenal coming out on top. Final score line: 2-1 (Vermaelen, Walcott).
Lastly, don’t forget to make a donation to a Movember charity this month. It’s a great cause and a good excuse to grow a moustache; the only other times it’s acceptable is if you are a porn star, Burt Reynolds, or the greatest goalkeeper to have ever lived!
Bergkampesque 