match preview – Page 5 – Bergkampesque

Arsenal v MU: Preview and Line-up

November 22, 2014November 22, 2014TotalArsenal

Happiness is a warm Gunner! Come on Danny: Show the flat-faced Dutchie what a beast you are! :) — Happiness is a warm Gunner! Come on Danny: Show the flat-faced Dutchie what a beast you are! 🙂

A late Saturday kick-off against Manchester United at the home of football is always an exciting prospect. Even though both teams are currently in UEFA cup positions on the league table, this game still means a hell of a lot. A win for either team will boost morale and can set off a winning run of games – so desperately needed at the moment.

It is hard to predict this one, as both teams have heavy weapons in attack but dodgy defences. The fear of losing might weigh more than the desire to win, which might lead to a (subconscious) acceptance of a draw. A win for Arsenal would only be a second one in 15 encounters, and nobody should expect it to be easy. The good thing is that we are for once playing at home when these teams meet for the first team in a football season – usually we play them at the theatre of nightmares after an international break or a tough CL match, resulting in us playing below par and leaving all three points in the Manure.

So, here is our chance to make a statement. To say our PL season is not over at all, that we are willing and capable to fight…. And that we can now beat so called Angstgegners. And let there be no doubt about it: Manchester United has had the psychological advantage over us for a long time now.

Wenger will need to show he has fixed the softness in our defence: not easy with the players available, but they are his players so he should show us what he is capable of. Upfront he now has Giroud back, but Theo has had a little setback apparently…. Sigh. Regular readers know I rate Giroud significantly higher as our holding CF than Danny, but I guess the Frenchie will start on the bench for this one. An ideal line up for today would be OG central with Alexis and Danny operating from the wings, and hopefully we will see this at some point (at least).

The biggest worry I have is who we will put between the defence and attack. Jack is a given: we need his skills and personality, and for him this will be a very big game: the sort of game with which he can announce himself onto the big stage (at least for this season). I reckon Arsene will go for experience and solidity, and with both Flamini and Arteta available, it would make sense to play them both in front of the defence. Wenger might opt for Ramsey instead of Flamini or the captain, but Aaron really needs to step up his game if we are to win today.

I expect Jack to play in the hole and to be targeted constantly by the MU players. Everybody knows that Jack on the ball in space means danger and that’s why he gets fouled so much: simple team tactics rather than the popular belief that our genius is often too ponderous on the ball (which he seldom is).

Behind Jack, I am going to go for Arteta and Ramsey. Ramsey, because Wenger believes the Welshman will hit form again and the best impetus for this to happen is giving him plenty of confidence…. Wenger is a Y-manager and not an X-manager after all, for those who know what I am talking about. Arteta is our most composed and organised midfielder for the deeper role, and when in form he can still pull it off. We all know that we need to strengthen in this area, but for today’s match it is Arteta rather than Flamini for me. What Wenger will do re the double pivot remains a question though: will he go for compact…. FlamTeta… will he go for more linkage between defence and attack… RamTeta…or will he go all futuristic……RamShere in the pivot? You tell me!

Louis van Gaal, or the flat-faced Dutchie as some like to call him, will prepare for this well tactically. He will be looking at pouncing on our obvious ‘lesser strengths’: RB, DM cover and CBs, and at eliminating our strengths: Jack and Alexis. But he also has to cover up his weaknesses in defence and will pray his attackers earn their weekly wages back for once. We might see him start with 5-3-2 with the hope that he can steel a goal from us on the counter… or he might go full on attack…. I have not got much of a clue to be honest.

I know some, especially the ‘Gold Fingers movement’ (D-Money, Steve and James Bond 🙂 ), will want us to go full on attack with the aim to simply score more than we concede tonight. But I like us to be as solid as possible and to play this game maturely and effectively. We need patience and self-belief: play tactically strong and disciplined, as only then will we have a realistic chance of taking all three points of the Mancs. Can we do it? Big question, but I think today we will come good.

Preferred Line-Up:

————Szczesny——————

Nacho – BFG – Chambers – Gibbs

———- Arteta—-Jack————–

Ox———Alexis———–Wellbeck

—————-Giroud——————

Predicted Line-up:

Come on You Rip Roaring Gunners – Let the Canon Roar!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

No Jack, Santi/Nacho/Ramsey to start, Alexis in hole? Swansea Preview & Line-up

November 7, 2014TotalArsenal

Swansea City – Arsenal Match Preview: Response Required, Right or (w)Rong

Tuesday’s twenty ticks of terrible tame tripe must be eradicated, erased and eased into the rear-view with a resolute, rampant and resounding response Sunday at Swansea City (Sity). If not, the alliterative alternates for this assemblage of Arsenal acolytes cannot help but turn into a wild wall of wailing wassails against one (won), Arsene Wenger.

As I said, in the comments of the previous thread…Apologies in advance…

At least we have a match to play. If this one goes wrong it’s a LONG two weeks off until Man United (and then Dortmund) in front of the (most-expensive in all of Europe) ticket-buying crowd. Where’s that emoticon that can shudder at the thought?…

Let’s get to it then…

Swansea away has actually been a good fixture for us in recent times. Last season, goals from Serge Gnabry and Aaron Ramsey–well booed for being a Cardiff lad–were enough to secure the full points and make a late goal from Ben Davies a mere consolation. The previous season we won there (2-nil) at the front end of our Spring run, which saw us make up a 7 point deficit on Tottenham to secure (another season of) Champions League football.

The most interesting element of that match, however, might have been the man between the sticks who kept the clean sheet. Lukas Fabianski will play again on Sunday, but not for Arsenal. Instead, it will be the man for whom he stepped in, Wojciech Szczesny, who will have to marshal a makeshift defence against a team who has been one of the surprise packages in the early part of the English season.

Of course, it will be more than a battle of keepers, even if we probably should expect an open match with both of them well tested. Swansea, under new manager Gary Monk, have been steadily testing the “bigger” English clubs, and even bested Man United at Old Trafford to ruin Louis Van Gaal’s managerial debut. Given the relative state of the two teams, this will not be an easy match by any stretch of the most optimistic Gooner’s imagination.

Fabianski, solid at the back, has been one reason. Another has been Wilfried Bony using all his muscle to soften defences while Gylfi Sigurdsson, back after an unhappy season with Spurs, has been the main man in the midfield. Bafetimbi Gomis, a fine pickup from Lyon, Ki Sung-Yueng, Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge have also contributed to a well-balanced attack. A consistent back four in front of Fabianski–Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez, Neil Taylor and Ashley Williams–are distinctly at odds with our ad-hoc group. Unlike the poor start the Swans had early on a year ago, they currently sit a mere two points behind us. If they watched us in midweek (while they rested), surely they must be salivating at the chance to play us and jump above us in the table. We may, however, have caught a break with the sending off of their most physically imposing midfielder. Jonjo Shelvey will sit this one out having picked up a pair of yellows during their nil-nil draw at Everton.

Unfortunately, in addition to playing a good Swansea side, we must also contend with what happened on Tuesday night…

As complete as our comprehensive capitulation (might) come to be characterized, we have a chance to clean the charts with a couple of chancers of our choosing. (OK, I should probably let this go…but…) Chamberlain, Calum Chambers, could continue to contribute. Cazorla could (finally) can a chance. Constant calls for Campbell (might) catch the (curiously) closed columns aimed at Arsene’s aural avenues. If they aren’t, there’s always Atlas, er, Alexis, who appears able to alleviate an amount of the angst anchoring the average angry (and aching) Arsenalista…

Enough…This is NOT a joke, even if many a Gooner believes what we saw on Tuesday was…

In truth, the collapse was (very) bad and the manager must use this opportunity to right the ship. With all the injuries–key first teamers Ozil, Giroud, Koscielny and Debuchy are all long term absentees, while Arteta is a recent addition– we still must gather the remaining group and get a result. Additionally, there seems to be some confusion about how to do so.

Conservative formations have been the way forward in the league but are now (perhaps) unavailable with the latest injuries. Fortunately Jack Wilshere is back in the squad and (maybe) can fill in for the captain, even if Ramsey appears the man Wenger wants in the role. Theo Walcott, who looked very sharp late on vs Burnley, must be eager for a longer outing even if Tomas Rosicky and Lucas Poldolski were favoured as subs in the debacle on Tuesday. Some may call for changes at the back, but surely if Wenger didn’t choose them for that one, I can’t see him making them here. Most will argue for a bit of a shake-up, but dropping Cazorla or Welbeck when they need confidence is not Wenger’s way. Oxlade-Chamberlain shouldn’t be the one to make room just because he actually scored. Here’s my best guess:

Subs: Martinez, Bellerin, Wilshere, Rosicky, Walcott, Podolski, Sanogo

Have at it with your own choices, of course, though, in my opinion, it really doesn’t matter who plays. Football is a team game and we, as a team, need to put our ghosts to bed. No matter what happens, we must respond. Referee Phil Dowd brings a measure of experience to the proceedings and generally is unmoved by crowd pressure. Still, if he blows against us, we must come back. If he whistles for us (and we’re able to take advantage), we must not become complacent. If their Pole in goal makes saves, we must continue to test him until he cannot. If ours makes a pig’s ear of things, the outfielders must pick him up and do what they can. And on and on… (Isn’t a pig’s ear something an East-ender would cry into?…) That’s what we (as Gooners) really need to avoid… more tears.

Go on then…

Written by: 17HighburyTerrace

Anderlecht Preview & Predicted Line-Up: Starts for Bellerin & Ramsey?

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014TotalArsenal

Three Wins on the Trot and Now Anderlecht at Home–How Should Wenger Rotate the Squad?

Taking results for what they are, Arsenal are in their best moment of the still young season and ideally placed for a Tuesday evening match against Anderlecht which would secure another trip to the Champions league knock-out stage. Although we struggled, mightily, against the young Belgian outfit, less than two weeks ago in their stadium, snatching the late victory surely gives us a leg up returning back to our home turf.

Given the uptick in our recent fortunes and the fact that we play an early-season surprise team in the English Premier League next Sunday, Swansea City, this match might represent an opportunity to gain a further rise in individual and collective confidence while resting a player or two who may be headed towards the dreaded “red zone.” Add in the return of core players like Aaron Ramsey (fighting illness after returning early from a hamstring injury) and Theo Walcott, who finally got a run out with the first team, and others who have looked promising in smaller roles, and it all adds up to a tantalizing sense that we might be able to put the nadir of the season behind us and head on towards our truer place in the sun…

That, of course, might be painting things with too bright a brush, especially as the days are only getting shorter, meaning what little sunlight there is comes from low on the horizon and hardly warms us… Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, of course. Please, please, Antipodean Gooners (and those from the equatorial areas)–please chime in here at Bergkampesque if you retain any warm feelings for your club. If not, chime in anyhow to let us know exactly what sort of false dawn we’re imagining and what further darkness lays beyond the immediate horizon…

Personally, I believe it’s far too early to believe that we’ve rounded the corner on the various early season troubles we’ve experienced. Injuries to key players Ozil, Giroud, Koscielny and Debuchy have been mitigated somewhat by the emergence of a small phalanx of stand-ins. Alexis Sanchez, who actually was left out of a couple of starting 11s before the previous international break, has proven a true thoroughbred willing to carry the weight of the club–wire to wire and match to match. Calum Chambers who looked a good buy as a youngster who could fill in at right and center back (and possibly, eventually, as a defensive midfielder) has now begun to contribute with key assists and his first Arsenal goal. The insanity of playing Nacho Monreal at Center Back (due to inactivity in this area over the Summer) looks less mad with each clean sheet. Likewise, the dual defensive-mid pairing of Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta, doing the job many hoped a single big money Summer signing might have done, while not exactly inspiring oohs and ahhs, seems also to offer a measure of stability in the center of the park.

The better results, however, don’t mask the fact that several players who are getting protracted runs in the first team are failing to produce. Santi Cazorla, while continuing to take up amazing attacking positions and fire balls towards the target (or the stands behind them…), has yet to find the back of the net and may have even lost his nearly perpetual smile. Meanwhile, the guy with perhaps the best first touch amongst all our midfielders, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, has been very slowly working himself back from a fairly disastrous performance in front of the home crowd vs Hull City. In that one, over-ambition resulted in too many cheap turnovers, enhancing the primary tactic of our opponents–time wasting. In more recent outings he appears to have simplified his game, committed to working the touchline a bit more and put in many a dangerous ball. Still no assists (nor goals) have resulted. Danny Welbeck, a tireless worker and a good foil for the movements of Alexis, has yet to truly find his feet as the man to lead our line, despite being perfectly placed and executing a deft finish to salvage a point in the Hull match.

In that one, it could be argued, the late substitutes, Joel Campbell and Lucas Poldolski were key in improving the result. They made an even bigger impact helping to overcome a deficit in the Anderlecht away game with Poldolski’s goal being the winner. Surely, just as we can still feel the rattling of the post struck by Lu-lu late on vs Burnley, these two need continued opportunities. And then there’s the pace of Theo Walcott which appeared intact in 10 minutes late in that same match and (even faster, if you believe the reports) Hector Bellerin, who’s looked almost as good as the other 19 year old, Chambers, in his couple of starts (both coming in the Champions League group matches). Tomas Rosicky, the most forgotten man of them all, likely still has something to offer the group. And that’s without even mentioning Jack Wilshere, whose “very short term” bruised knee has now caught the same virus which relegated Aaron Ramsey to a substitute role in the last two…

How then does Wenger approach this one?

While many might call for wholesale changes, I believe the confidence of the squad remains very fragile. Cazorla, Ox and Welbeck, in particular, need another match to continue to try and find their best games. Ramsey, having watched 70 minutes of Flamini in the box to box, central role, shouting instructions and filling spaces, and then playing the remaining 20 alongside the man himself, might be ready to take that role back. Mikel Arteta, returning from injury himself, perhaps needs a calm and commanding 90 minutes in the sitting mid-field spot. At the back, can Wenger rest any from a group which has kept the clean sheets? Probably not, but Bellerin did start (and played well) in Belgium, while Gibbs had a worrisome hip issue and required a sub in the 2nd to last match up in Sunderland. Up top, could this match be the spot where the Atlas, er, Alexis, role (“Get on my back and let me carry the weight of the world”) might get spread around a little? I’m not sure if it’s a good gamble and possibly the team could use more match time to watch the great man himself at full-speed (the only pace he knows…) so as to present better options if he judges the moment right to spread the wealth. Ideally he might take an earlier sub and allow Walcott a slightly longer 2nd outing after the big ACL injury.

Wenger, with Captain Arteta alongside, has already addressed the press, informing my line-up below. Of course (WTF) does he (or I) know?… If YOU were the manager who would YOU play and who would pick-up the mysterious (but very short term…) knock or illness and take a match off? (Or maybe you’d rather assign a longer term knock, you know, if you’re actually dropping someone in the pecking order rather than merely giving them a rest…) How would you choose to use this match to get the win while building towards Swansea on Sunday and far tougher matches after the next round of internationals?

Here’s my best guess as to what the manager might try…

Subs = Martinez, Gibbs, Flamini, Poldolski, Campbell, Rosicky, Walcott

Written by: 17HighburyTerrace

Walcott start, Sanchez in hole, Hayden DM? Arsenal v Burnley Preview

October 31, 2014TotalArsenal

The Burnley Preview

For once, I think this is all about us, and how well we play, which makes this preview a lot easier to write. Not that we can just dismiss Burnley out of hand. If we play badly we could easily lose. They may be a bit suspect at the back, but they are a ‘team’, and will play like one.

Apart from that, they are capable of scoring, given the opportunity. It is up to us not to give them that opportunity.

Not unusual this season, we go into the game with injury doubts over Jack Wilshere and Keiren Gibbs. The latter is clearly the one that will call for a bigger reshuffle, even if he is only on the bench. But with Kos already out, the back 4 probably picks itself.

The most likely scenario is: Bellerin, Chambers, Mertersacker, and Monreal.

In midfield, I think Arteta and Ramsey are the likely back pair, but after the first 10 minutes or so, I expect Ramsey to get forward in the B2B role regularly.

Whilst the attacking trio, without Wilshere, will be: Ox, Cazorla, and Alexis. Or will it?

Leaving Welbeck up front.

The Bench will be interesting if you follow this list of possibilities, because apart from Martinez, the remainder all have a prefix of ‘Could start’:

Flamini, Hayden, Rosicky, Podolski, Walcott, Campbell, and Gnabry.

Now this is where we get to play musical chairs with ‘could start’s’?

Supposing, if you take the base listed above, and AW wants to repeat the DM base of Arteta and Flamini….. Ramsey could then displace Cazorla or the Ox?

Hayden starting throws up all sorts of permutations. At CB he could indirectly displace Bellerin by having Chambers go back to RB? At DM he could partner Arteta, and have Ramsey repeat the above. Indeed, he could displace Arteta and partner Ramsey? That would probably mean he would have to fly solo some of the time, and that would be an interesting experiment?

Rosicky? Whilst possible to put him deep, I would think he would more likely displace the Ox; which makes the OX available for the ‘fresh legs’, and he seems to pick up the pace of the game quicker than Rosicky does these days?

Podolski has a good chance of giving Welbeck a back seat, although that might take a tweak in the formation to a 4-3-3? And as a surprise element it might work, but maybe a step too far? However, still replacing Welbeck in a reprise of the Sunderland game, partnering Alexis up front could be a better option?

Walcott.. is this really on? Well yes, because AW has been saying he is fit enough, just needs to get used to the knocks. Burnley are a solid enough side to give him a stress test; so a real runner, excuse the pun.

The big question who he might replace? Ox is the obvious one, unless he moves over to the other wing, and Alexis takes over the playmaker role from Cazorla?

Campbell? Only if Ox is jettisoned for Walcott, and Alexis moves inside as above, thus making space down the left, but he is equally capable of switching wings with Theo. So although an outside possibility, it still has some merit?

Finally Gnabry. Now, I think he would be a straight swap for Welbeck, but clearly the Ox/Walcott slot would be another possibility? If not this week, then some time soon I can see him lining up alongside either Alexis or Danny?

Now whilst that was a bit of fun, you could repeat the same exercise if Gibbs is declared fit.

Compared to the importance of the CL match coming up, where his pace will be vital, I don’t think his absence here will make much difference.

However, I would say if he plays, the twin pivot is more likely. Monreal will not get forward that much, and may not need to, given the above options on that wing?

Actually, it is a bit like a Chinese meal, you can take one option from one area and another option from another, if they are compatible, and mix and match.

Key questions:

Sanchez in the No 10(advanced), in place of Cazorla?

Walcott to start?

Hayden in the DM slot? Or CB?

Bellerin at RB, with Monreal at LB?

Who would be a manager, eh?

Whatever side is chosen, and we can all have our own ideas, I think we should just be too strong, provided we ‘keep it simple(stupid)’ or a KISS for jgc, pass and move, keep our width, and be more clinical with our shooting …

Is that too much to expect?

For the record, my team would be this:

With Campbell and Walcott eager to impress out wide, Alexis pulling the strings up front, and Poldi not coming back to defend. DM pairing putting up an effective barrier, and either of them pushing forward to make the extra man. Speed out of defence: from Bellerin to Walcott or Hayden to Campbell; and Alexis down the middle and Poldi to get a brace, Walcott to set up an Alexis hat-trick, and Campbell to open his account …. SIX NIL I hear you cry…

They could, you know?

Keep the faith.

Written by: Gerry.

Anderlecht Preview-Lineup|With Theo, Ramsey & Arteta Available Wenger Should Refocus

October 21, 2014October 22, 2014TotalArsenal

I needed some time away from the blog and Arsenal. Just so I can think through what is happening to our beloved team.

A draw against Hull is not a total disaster, but in light of previously dropped points through many draws and a loss, we find ourselves now double figures away from the Chavs, and that after just eight games: played eight, dropped a whopping 13 points.

PL title well outside our reach is one thing but a failing defence and struggling attack is another. On top of that, Arsene gave a snarky, immature interview to a BBC reporter who clearly, yet fairly, touched on an open nerve. Where is the humility, the mea culpa, the war cry?

The thing that worries and irritates me most is the lack of shape and plan to our play, which is Arsene’s responsibility. We look so unorganised, undisciplined, unfocussed all over the pitch. Some refer to our injury woes for the disappointing performances, but I just cannot buy it. At the back we had the eager and talented Bellerin and Nacho played out of position, but the BFG, Szczesny and Gibbs are established players and we are playing at home, against Hull: that should be enough to defend well.

In midfield we played the veteran Flamini, the Spanish sub-international Cazorla and the super-talented Wilshere, and in attack we had the phenomenal Alexis, and Welbeck and Ox. The latter two are not OG and Theo, but they would both be regular starters in the Hull team we played on Saturday, no doubt about that.

It is this lack of shape and plan that I cannot get: the misplaced balls, the unspotted runs, the lack of discipline when defending set-pieces, the cluttering of the centre of midfield, etc, etc.

The players are keen and work hard for each other, but somehow they do not get what Wenger wants them to do; and this has been going on for a long time now. The constantly shifting starting line-up does not help of course, but that should not be a major excuse here. 4-1-4-1 could work brilliantly, but with the likes of Arteta and Flamini to pick for the super important holding midfielder role, we leave ourselves vulnerable.

The four in midfield would have to be an all-concurring force: dominating play, attacking the opponent by feeding (off) the CF at will, and protecting the ‘back six’ if and when required. But, as we saw once again against Hull, everybody wants to move to the middle and is addicted to the area in front of the opponents ‘D’. In the process, the DM is left alone and therefore vulnerable to counter-attacks, the wings are not used systematically – meaning the opponent’s defence does not get stretched, and we clutter our attacks by trying to funnel the ball through the heart of the opponent’s defence constantly.

And even if we manage to use the wings, there are often not enough players inside the box to hurt the opponent.

I reckon we miss OG tremendously in terms of given structure to our play; and unless Arsene decides to change our style of play to suit the sort of players we have, it will continue to be this way until the Alps born Frenchman returns to the team.

With Ramsey, Arteta and Theo returning now, and Jack and Alexis being in super-form, and Welbeck turning out to be a reliable, hard working and athletic central attacker, there is no reason for despair.

But we need a plan, and a system and formation of football which suits these players, which they understand and buy in to, and which the reserve players understand just as much. It is about time Wenger gets this right now.

Tell me, if we start with the following eleven against Anderlecht tomorrow, is there any reason why we should not spank Brussels- based ‘Manneken Pis’’ bottom with four or five goals?

Ramsey to sit a bit more back and support Arteta as much as possible – Jack to drive the centre of the team, with help from ‘box-to-box’ Ramsey when needed – Theo and Alexis to stick to the wing most of the time, but Alexis to help Jack in front of the D and Theo to aid Welbeck in the centre regularly. Full backs to support attack but one at a time and with discipline. And when we get the ball in the box, let there be enough players to make it count. Defend as a team all over the pitch. Let’s have high and constant pressure and good ball circulation, spreading the opponent’s defence by using the wings and dinked and long balls over the top. Let’s give them no time to think or reshape, and totally bamboozle them in the process.

And with the likes of Ox, Diaby, Cazorla and (hopefully) Pod on the bench we should be able to keep this up for 90+ minutes.

No excuses, self-pity or false sentiments. We have a great team and very good manager: we are The Arsenal – Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Preview | Line-Up: Jack in hole, Nacho CB, Bellerin RB, Rosicky to support Arteta?

October 18, 2014October 18, 2014TotalArsenal

Inter-lull over and six games to go to the next break. Big players missing in all areas of the pitch, but still a more than decent squad to choose from. The mission is clear after allowing the gap with the Chavs go to nine points: start a winning streak by focussing on each and every game like a cup final. The most important game is always the next one as we live by the principle of OGAAT, or OVAAT: one victory at a time. And we will not be struggling much to treat the home against Hull as a cup final, given they were our opponents in the last FA Cup final just five months ago.

I like Steve Bruce. A decent guy: humble and enthusiastic, down to earth and fair – and with the sort of nose that makes you wonder what he sounds like when deep asleep. He is also a survivor and what he has done with Hull is pretty amazing all-round. Diame, Livermore and Huddlestone will form a strong central wall in their anticipated 3-5-2 formation, so I reckon we will need to be strong and disciplined in our midfield. If we crack it we will be fine.

After Arsene’s recent evaluation of Jack’s core strengths, it is clear to me we will find him play in the hole, or their about, today. He said on Arsenal.com: ‘

“Jack is not a ball-winner. I believe he is more a guy you want to get close to the final third, [if you] keep him deep you take a big part of his efficiency away.

“He is a guy who likes to penetrate when there are many people – he can provoke free-kicks, he can create openings. It would be detrimental to his strengths [to play in a position that] is not his strength.”

I hope fellow Gooners will remember these words as it will aid discussions on where Jack will play in Arsene’s team this season. We need some strengths and discipline behind him though, yet with the ability to give extra support in attack as much as possible. Who can do that well? Rosicky. So, I expect him to play next to Arteta, with both Ox and Flamini kept on the bench for a late cameo, or to be fresh for the Anderlecht game.

With injuries to Koz and Debuchy, and Chambers being suspended, the defence picks itself to a large extent. Maybe Flamini will move next to the BFG (on either side), but I have gone for Nacho, with Gibbs and Bellerin as our FBs.

Ox could start instead of Cazorla but I reckon Arsene will go for experience, and having Ox on the bench is a great weapon at hand. Alexis on the left and the Wel up top and that is it my fine fellow Gooners.

Predicted Line-UP:

I cannot wait for the game to start. The one benefit of the narrow loss against the Chavs is it will have made us grounded and focussed. So Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners – the League starts again, here, today! Super OGAAT! as 17HT called it this week. 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Ox – Welbz – Alexis to Haunt Terry & Cahill | Rosicky to Nullify Cesc: Preview & Line-Up

October 4, 2014October 4, 2014TotalArsenal

What will Arsene have up his sleeve for this one?

So, we’re going into a match that certainly will be marked as one of the most important matches this season; certainly, it is the sternest test we have had to face so far. Most gunners, me included, have doubted our own team’s ability to hold up the current league leaders. However, I have no doubt in my mind that the boys can exceed our expectations and get a good result against the men in blue.

However, the Blues will not go down without a fight, especially with a certain Jose Mourinho involved. Mourinho’s tactical acumen is adapting his team to counter the opposition’s set-up, and this is one of the main reasons for Chelsea’s recent success. This is in direct contrast to Le Prof”s tried and tested formula, regardless of the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

Although we worry about the injuries to our key players, I believe the enforced changes to our line-up will provide some unpredictability to our style of play, and possibly help us against Chelsea. While Chelsea are indeed undefeated, they are not invincible: far from it. Their games against Schalke and Swansea have given us a hint of the brittleness of their defence. If we can sacrifice some of our traditional passing game build-up for some direct-pace approach, Chelsea can be unsettled.

Alexis, Welbz and Ox should focus on using their superior pace against the technically brilliant but slower duo Terry and Cahill. For this game, we should play Ox on the right and Sanchez on the left. While Ivanovic is a good, in-form defender, he is slow on the turn and who else but Alexis to cause him a few headaches with his fancy footwork? Ox is put on the right because Azpelicuta, or however you spell his name, is perhaps the best man-marker other than Koz in the PL. The only way we are going to expose him is through sheer pace.

Matic is a tougher nut to crack. He is usually so solid against good teams. But Chelsea’s match against Schalke has shown opposition teams how to expose him. In that match, he was up against Draxler. Draxler got past him with absolute ease with his sublime skill and forced Matic to foul him countless times. Which is why I want to give Alexis a free role on the left, interchanging positions with Ozil regularly. If anyone will replicate Draxler and finally break Matic, it has to be Alexis.

Another major threat for this match will be the Costa-Fabregas partnership. Costa will be hard to stop but I trust Koz and Per to nullify the threat he brings. Most importantly, we must stop our former talisman. We should deploy Danny to man mark Fabregas. We should deprive him of the ball and that will undoubtedly slow him down, or hopefully shut down – their source from midfield. Or we could drop Ozil and deploy Rosicky to harass and abuse Fab.

Alongside that, I sincerely hope Gibbs and Calum don’t venture too far forwards in this match. We should go for a more cautious approach, and by keeping back Calum and Gibbs we can blunt the pressure given by the Chelsea wingers.

Most importantly though we mustn’t concede within the first five minutes, like we did the last time. And even if we do, I hope we won’t be pushing everyone forward to get an equaliser. Stay calm, pass the ball around and slowly gain momentum from there. This may not be a blueprint for success but if done right, we might be able to salvage a point or even go on to win the game.

Predicted starting XI

PS- VCC, if I get the line-up completely right, I’m expecting 20 points for the UMF league 😛

Written by: Shrillex

Bergkampesque has a number of regular bloggers from all over the the world, and at times it might look we are all very familiar. However, we will welcome new bloggers who like to add to our debates in a constructive way with open arms. Just place a comment and join the debate – It’ll be fun. 🙂

TotalArsenal.

Ozil LM – RamShere Central – Alexis & Danny to Mash: Ars v Spuds Preview

September 27, 2014TotalArsenal

Ooh I love devouring the Spuds. I like them chipped, I like them boiled with gravy, I like them in a salad with some garlic mayo on top, I like them flattened into hash brownies, or even better, mashed with butter and a hint of mustard. And the Spuddies are tastiest when gulped down at our very own home of football. 🙂

TIme to play with the heart but with a cool mind.

Today’s NLD comes early (again): the teams still have to find their stride, and Pochettino is still finding his feet at the club. You just cannot take count anymore of how many managers have come and gone, and for that, predict what we can expect from the miscreants this time round.

We need a win to build further on our away win at Villa and to get the momentum going for two more big games this week: Galatasaray and the Chavs. I would say let’s treat this as an OGAAT and not worry about what is to follow. But I feel this a big moment for Arsenal this season: the time for experimenting is over as the next three games will shape our season to a large extent. We need a win against the Turks and we need a result against the Chavs.

So now it is time to put out a formation and team that will have the best chance to get us there, give or take a couple of tweaks over the next eight days. Wenger’s plan for this season will be confirmed today/this week, I am pretty sure.

We can talk about it forever, but the only thing that matters is what happens on the pitch come 17.30. I have not seen enough of the Spuds this season to form an opinion about the strength of their team. After a late goal by Dier they clinched all the points from the Hammers on the opening day, and then they brushed aside QPR at home; but after that they just got one point from playing Liverpool and West Brom at home and Sunderland away, giving away a lead twice at the Stadium of Light.

So they are lacking form and the first doubts whether Pochettino is the right man for them, which I reckon he is, will have started to surface, no doubt. Clearly, they need to bounce back and will not need motivating for today’s NLD. We have not had the best of spells ourselves in recent weeks and could really do with a win.

I expect Arsene to set out with 4-1-4-1 but with one of the central midfielders to sit back a lot, especially during the start of the game. The only real risk we have is playing too much attacking football, leaving our back-four – especially the BFG – exposed in the process. The Spuds will love to play counter football against us and they have the weapons to hurt us. Some might call for 4-2-1-3 with two of Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta and Flamini (or even Chambers), and I reckon they will get their wish effectively.

Many believe it will be either Ramsey or Jack next to Ozil in midfield, but I am convinced Wenger will incorporate all three. I reckon Ozil will be moved to the left, with licence to roam where he thinks he can add value (with Gibbs playing a more conservative role – and Sanchez and Ozil are likely to swap sides as well).

The defence picks itself and Szczesny is likely to be back. Danny on top and that is about it for me.

So predicted line-up:

I would be tempted to replace the captain with Flamini, but it is a good game for him to prove he has still got it. We need all eleven Gunners to be up for this and fire from all cylinders.

Will they be? Will I ever ask a more stupid question?

Let’s mash them Spuds! COYG!!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

How to beat Villa: 3-5-2 with Sanchez and Campbell up-front and Chambers DM

September 19, 2014TotalArsenal

A short term reactive change of tactics instead of long term unwavering stubborn genius – is it too much to ask of Wenger?

My analysis of the match and how we approach it:

How do Villa line-up and how do they play?

Villa line up in a 4-3-3 which morphs back into a 4-5-1 when they don’t have the ball, they are comfortable defending and will rely on this to initiate their greatest strength in the counter attack.

How do I think we should line up and play?

For most people this is a given: the 4-1-4-1 is a formation well documented as having success against the 4-3-3 and it would make sense to turn up ready to play using it, especially since it is what Arsene has been trying to develop recently and that this would be a perfect time to see a much needed good example of the formation performing well.

I am definitely not most people though lol. I would plan to do two things; surprise the opponents with something they wouldn’t have planned for, and secondly (with such an obvious villa counter attacking game plan), play to their weaknesses rather than their strengths.

Instead of playing possession football high in midfield which is what Villa expect and what they will be waiting to break down to create counters from, let us sit deeper as a team and draw them out and onto us, and then attack at pace with our own counter attack. It is something that is quite the reverse of what we have been trying to do as of late, but with Villa playing at home straight off the back of a win against Liverpool it wouldn’t surprise me if (especially in the first half) they completely obliged us and committed a lot of resources up the field.

So what formation do I suggest to implement this tactical surprise, and do we have the personnel to pull it off?

You are a bunch of lucky buggers as the wonders of google have saved you the torturous endeavour of reading the novel I had planned for you regarding the formation I want to use, and how it can be used to destroy the 4-3-3. It was on the seventh!! page of google results (yes I like to do my research lol) that a result popped up using the exact example I was using to demonstrate my theory.

It was Italy vs Spain in the confederations cup in 2013 – “Steve you muppet” I hear you say, Spain playing 4-3-3 went on to win that game on penalties. Yes that’s true but for any of you who watched the game you would have seen a very different picture than the score line suggests. Spain were obliterating everyone, but against this Italy side they were completely subdued and outplayed through formation and tactical play. With the higher level of attacking threat Arsenal have over Italy, and when used against a team like Villa, the result could be the high scoring game we really need to kick start our season.

Now instead of reading two pages of writing explaining my reasoning behind this, you can simply watch this video J

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

Yes it’s a 3-5-2 (Gerry will be pleased lol)

But do we have the personnel to make it work?

Actually due to injuries, drops in form, rotation of players and square pegs in round holes, I really think that now more than ever we do.

Firstly who do we leave out?

Szczesny – I would rest from CL match to give others a chance at starting

Ramsey – dropped in form lately

Ozil – dropped in form lately

Arteta – looks off the pace

Zelalem – still too inexperienced at this point

Diaby – AWOL

Debuchy – Injured

Wilshere – injured

Gnabry – injured

Giroud – Injured

Sanogo – Injured

Walcott – Injured

That’s 12 players out from the squad of 30 (if you include Bellerin and Hayden, which I do).

30 – 12 = 18 players left

18 – 11 (starting XI) = 7 (named subs)

Perfect, at least my maths add up, even if the rest of my plan doesn’t lol.

Who’s left then?

Ospina – I would give first choice

Martinez – I would use as cover

Bellerin – Not really a defensive RB, perfect as a wing back though

Chambers – Great ability and potential looks like he could bring the freshness and composure we need in DM

Monreal – Looking a little off the pace atm but still defensively sound so maybe take the crazy running up and down the pitch out of his game and watch him flourish as left CB

Gibbs – Back from injury and looking fast and sharp as usual, this kid was born to play as a wing back.

BFG – The big guy looks out of place playing off side traps in a stretched team but in any other situation he’s still solid as a rock so a deeper sitting compact defence may help him shine in this instance.

Koscielny – First name on the team sheet

The OX – Looks fit and raring to go, fast and able to battle

Rosicky – Desperate to prove he should be in the team and I feel with good reason

Cazorla – Hasn’t really been given the amount of time that Ozil has to try and prove his worth so this could be his chance

Flamini – Proved he still has it in him to hold the line at the mancs and now fully rested he provides tried and tested experience at DM

Coquelin – Unproven but I want to see what he can do, could also be an excellent choice to shore up midfield if we actually find ourselves with a healthy lead

Hayden – Unproven but bags of potential and provides cover for a number of positions: right wing back, DM, CM or at CB, an excellent option to have on the bench if something goes wrong

Welbeck – Shows good movement if not absolute clinical finishing yet, let’s get him on the score sheet

Campbell – Performed in preseason, unproven since and deserves a chance

Sanchez – Hungry and determined as always

Podolski – World class striker

Put it all together and what does the team look like?

Starting eleven and subs (on the right)

Do you think this could work and win without the Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere trio? I will leave it up to you to comment, but please mention your preferred line up also.

Btw I rang Arsene to discuss this line up and the response was:

“Take a break Steve ffs, its Villa not Barcelona! Stop calling me on this number, and stop that Cockie Monster bloke from poohing on my front door step!”

That was the boss’s response, what’s yours?

Remember this is a formation for a one-off game in which we have a host of injuries at the moment, this is not a long term change.

Written by: Steve

Arsenal – Newcastle preview & line-up: Are you ready for some football?

April 27, 2014TotalArsenal

Finally, after a very long week since Arsenal beat Hull City 3-nil at the KC stadium (in a preview of the FA Cup final) the team will play another match. This time it will be Newcastle United coming to the Emirates for a Monday Night match. I attended this fixture last season and it fell on another weeknight, albeit during the crowded festive period. That one ended with was a crazy 7-3 score-line featuring a Theo Walcott hat-trick. Olivier Giroud almost matched Theo’s display coming off the bench and netting two, with only the post denying a 3^rd. Also scoring that night were Lucas Poldolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It was a gaudy score-line and a total we haven’t come to close to equaling since, but it was also a particularly unconvincing night, especially at the defensive end. Three times we took a lead only to have it equaled. Also, the post-match salute to all corners of the stadium by Walcott, who had been allowing his contract to run down, seemed like a farewell. Despite the 7 goals, the team seemed somewhat at sea.

It was a very long time ago and much has changed since. Of course, much also has remained the same.

One of those elements is that both clubs, contrary to usual policy in the Premier league, are still managed by the same men. Arsene Wenger (16 years) and Alan Pardew (3) are the League’s two longest serving managers, but both have weathered intense times at their respective clubs. For Wenger, it was a long campaign to get his team into the Champions league places (including a nervy 1-nil at Newcastle to end the season) followed by a summer of great potential (“money to spend”), great disappointment (we didn’t spend any in picking up two French players, Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini). Finally, at the deadline, after a devastating opening match loss to Aston Villa and worries about winning a Champions League Qualifier (vs already banned Fenerbache) and squeaking past arch-rival Tottenham in a 1-nil, Wenger (somewhat, at least) mollified critics by obliterating Arsenal’s transfer record and bringing in Mesut Ozil for 50 million Euros. From those early season difficulties we had an upbeat Autumn but a slow unraveling as injuries (and no replacement buys in January) combined with big defeats against title contenders dumped us out of that race and have brought us to another series of nail-biters as the club tries to hold on (again) for Champions league qualification.

In this same period, Pardew, whose team was spirited but ultimately callow in the 7-3 result I witnessed, has ridden maybe even a greater tidal wave of ups and downs. The January directly after the loss at our place featured even more recruitment in the “Neufchateau” vein, bringing in French (and French speaking) talent, including Yoan Goufran, Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Moussa Sissoko. Although these buys somewhat made up for the loss of Demba Ba (who scored two that night but was subsequently bought by Chelsea), it must be remembered that Pardew and Newcastle were coming off a 6^th place finish in the league. Despite the wave of purchases, Newcastle played poorly in the 2^nd half of the season and only avoided being pulled into the relegation battle because other clubs (Reading, QPR and Wigan) played worse and went down rather easily.

This past summer Newcastle withstood transfer links (including many with Arsenal) over holding mid-fielder Yohan Cabaye and added another Frenchman (and long supposed Arsenal target), Loic Remy, on loan from QPR. The Autumn went well and Pardew had his men playing outstanding football. They sat well in the top half of the table with the highlights being 1-nil victories at Tottenham and Manchester United and a 2-nil home win over Chelsea. In their final match of 2013 they played Arsenal almost even, only to lose to a long free-kick from Theo Walcott which received the slightest of touches from Olivier Giroud.

Again, however, they’ve been in a free-fall since the turn of the year, losing Cabaye to Paris-St Germain in the January window, getting pounded in the Tyne-Wear derby (a 3-nil loss to Sunderland at St. James Park) and now having lost 5 league matches on the trot. This most recent period has been compounded by a touchline ban for Pardew following a head-butting incident against a Hull City player.

That ban finally comes to an end with our match, but Pardew, who exchanged shoves with Wenger in 2006 when he was in charge at West Ham, has promised a calmer demeanor. Meanwhile, our own manager, despite finally getting his men winning again in their last two matches and looking better for retaining Champions league qualification (thanks to Everton losing 2 of their most recent 3 matches) and having a post-season date in the FA Cup final, seems under more pressure than ever. Supporters demand more than merely treading water and the potential of lifting the domestic trophy seems insufficient relative to failing—with some big score-lines against—in both the title challenge and against the defending champions Bayern Munich (again) in the European tournament. Wenger, who has mysteriously been holding off on signing a contract extension, has promised to do so, but this news seems to be greeted with more weary resignation (if not outright anger) than excitement by a majority of Gooners.

But that is ALL background. There IS a match to be played and it’s actually an important one for Arsenal. (In fact, all of these remaining matches are important and the fact that they haven’t been played—and won—may be the essential reason Wenger hasn’t actually signed.) Who will we play and what should we expect from our opponents?

I believe we’ll see a line-up unchanged (or nearly so) from a week ago at Hull. Poldolski continues (how can you drop a guy who is scoring 2 goals per match?) as will the mid-field group, buzzing again with the returns of Ramsey and Ozil. It’s possible some game time will be given to Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Kallstrom, Sanogo and/or Flamini, who all seem healthy or, in the case of the latter, is not suspended. According to Wenger, Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere continue out injured but Tomas Vermaelen is available, so it’s possible that he might reprise his role at left back instead of Monreal, which seemed an effective set-up vs West Ham. Here is my best guess at the starters:

Predicted Line-up

Newcastle, by contrast, seems to be limping into this confrontation. Mercurial MF/Forward Hatem Ben Arfa is reported to be either injured or sent back to France. Other injuries appear a near constant throughout the Newcastle line-up, but big man Shola Ameobi has been scoring and Loic Remy may want to try and impress Wenger. Overall, IF Arsenal play their game and limit their mistakes, they should be able to exert enough pressure over the 90 minutes to cause Newcastle to crack. Goalkeeper Tim Krul’s most recent clean sheet was vs Crystal Palace on 22 March; his last in a road match was at Norwich on 28 July. If we can breach his defenses and net one, others might follow and we could be in the clear. In other words, unlike the 7-3 free-for-all I attended on 29 December 2012, I’d expect a match much more like the one we played exactly a year later up in Newcastle where it took that Walcott free kick and Giroud glancing touch, plus a stout, unyielding defensive performance of our own, to see them off. Everton has gifted us a bit of breathing room in the race for 4^th but I’d prefer a bit more. The sooner this CL qualification is settled, the better.

Finally, on a personal note… As much as I enjoyed all the goals in this fixture last season, the best part was meeting a fellow blogger—Arthur 3 Shedds (from another site, where I used to participate) and his wife, who acted as our guides and mentors. We met pre-match outside the Finsbury Park station (my boy wearing my Sagna 3 kit to serve as the identifying agent) and they took us up the Seven Sisters Road (into the area of North London where Arthur—not his real name—grew up) for a meal of Turkish food before returning to the stadium and the match. Fun as it was, they had a long train ride back that night (they live in Charlton these days) and invited us to their place later in the week. That was a nice time as well and meeting them was a real highlight of our time in London. My point is that personal meet-ups can be a great by-product of all this writing about our shared interest, our football club. My hope is that I can meet some of you folks for a match or elsewhere. (Lake Tahoe in the mountains of California, where I live, is a pretty primo place to visit….) As much as it’s a pleasure (and, at times, a pain…) to share thoughts about our club, the human element is what makes it all worthwhile.

So, some football!! (a match vs Newcastle). What do you think?

Written by: 17highburyterrace