match preview – Page 9 – Bergkampesque

Time for Ryo, Eisfeld, Hayden and Olsson to shine: WBA preview

September 24, 2013September 24, 2013TotalArsenal

We discussed the options for tomorrow’s line up more than enough in yesterday’s post, and to be frank, I have not got much of a clue who Arsene will play against WBA. Arsene is Arsene and he will do what he thinks is right. I have a horrible feeling he’ll play a lot of regulars and it might backfire on us; the nightmare of Bradford still lingers on in my mind.

I don’t care much whether we go through or not, but I just want us to play good football and give some youngsters a proper chance to shine.

Some interesting points came out of yesterday’s post responses:

Quite a few fellow bloggers don’t believe that Koz and Vermaelen should play together; that either should be combined with Mertesacker, or even Sagna, rather than play as our duo CB’s. Although, I agree that Mertesacker is our first choice CB – a point I have been making for the best part of two years – I still believe that Koz and Vermaelen can play really well together, and I feel strongly that they should start in tomorrow game against WBA;
The cyber-room was also split about who should ideally play as our double-DM pivot, and I agree with the observation by some fellow bloggers that it’s wonderful to have options for these crucial positions now. I, for one, would love to see Arteta and Flamini start a few games together, especially in away games or games against fellow top-teams. This is not to say that I do not rate Ramsey: the absolute opposite is true. Ramsey is doing great and adds a dimension nobody else is capable of offering at the moment. Against WBA I am hoping wise-head Arteta will start with a youngster next to him – either Hayden or Olsson should get a chance as a starter tomorrow;
The other points of discussion were about who should play up front – Akpom or Bendtner – who should play in the hole – Eisfeld, Arteta- and who should play on the wing. The latter seems to become our problem-area this season, with Cazorla, Podolski, Ox, and now also Theo, out injured for significant periods already. We will now need Gnabry to stay fit when we play Swansea and Napoli, and I would not be surprised if he will not be risked tomorrow. This should mean that Ryo will get a start and I hope he will do well. I am also hoping to see Eisfeld, in the hole or on the wing.

Other than seeing us play some good football with passion and focus, and a few youngsters doing well, I am keen to see whether our ‘second string’ – if indeed Wenger gives most of our first team players a rest, which is definitely not a given – can play in the same shape and style as we are now getting used to with the current ‘first teamers’.

I am particularly interested in whether Akpom or Bendtner can play the ‘Giroud-Holding-Striker’ role effectively, and whether Eisfeld will be able to shine in the hole, if indeed he gets a chance there tomorrow.

Hoped for, but not predicted, line-up:

All in all, plenty to look forward to. 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Monreal & Gnabry instead of Gibbs & Jack? Ramsey to win it for Arsenal?

September 21, 2013September 22, 2013TotalArsenal

Arsenal vs the Orcs Pre-Match Report

That’s right the Stoke City Orcs have landed at Ashburton Grove, and this time it’s without their goblin manager Tony Pulis leading the charge. Under Pulis, Stoke played some absolutely deplorable football, so much so that their FIFA 2013 controls looked a little something like this:

This would be very annoying to any Stoke fan playing the game because an attempt at a low through ball would result in a sky ball hoof up to Crouch. But when you kill one, another equally evil manager, grows in their place…Mark Hughes. Mark Hughes has got them playing better football which would please the Stoke supporters. It’s something that should please Arsenal supporters as well because their old approach was our Achilles heel (RIP Delap’s towel). They are still a very dangerous team so Arsenal will need to be at their best today if they want to come away with the three points.

Let’s get in to it shall we:

Missing in Action:

Arsenal: Podolski (Hamstring), Ox (Knee), Arteta (Thigh), Diaby (Knee), Rosicky (Hip), Zelalem, Santi (Ankle), and Sanogo (back).

Bear with me here, now my theory is Santi is not in fact injured but he has been given time off. It’s not the first time Arsene has done something like this in the past. It is strange that Santi played the full 90 minutes against Chile and showed no sign of injury. It was also very strange that nothing was said about him until after the Sunderland game. Santi had a busy off-season with limited time off, so perhaps Arsene is being cautious and doesn’t want to run him into the ground this season. Arsene is also renowned for suggesting certain players are injured, in an effort to shelter them from reports suggesting they’ve been dropped. Now call me a conspiracy theorist all you want, but it does seem awfully coincidental that Santi goes missing right when Jack is fit and Ozil has been signed. Arsene would prefer the ‘injured’ story over endless stories and questions about Jack or Santi being ‘upset’ about dropping to the bench. I think if Ozil or Jack picked up an injury, Santi would make a miraculous recovery. Rested or injured? You decide!!!

Stoke City: Whelen (Hamstring), Muniesa (Groin/Pelvis), and Ness (Hip/Thigh) will miss this fixture.

Predicted Line-up:

I’m a bit torn for this game to be honest. We’ve got a good thing going at the moment but I’m a bit worried about some of our players entering the infamous ‘red zone’. Gone are the days where you could rotate your squad a little against lesser opposition. You can’t really get away with it anymore because every game is tough in the premier league. Gibbs has been in red hot form this season but based on his previous injury record (coupled with the ferocity of Stoke), I’d go with Monreal at left back. I’d give Jack a rest and put Gnabry out on the left. It may be a drop off in quality but that boy can play and could be an unknown quantity for Stoke. He scored a double midweek playing as a striker; add that to the match winner he scored last week and he’s in blistering form. I wouldn’t change much else though (partly because we have that many injuries so our options are limited, and I wouldn’t want to unsettle the squad too much.)

Previous Encounters:

Arsenal v Stoke 1-0

It took a deflected free kick from Lukas Podolski to see us over the line in this fixture. Although we were dominant in periods, Asmir Begovic denied us numerous times thanks to some brilliant keeping. We saw the emergence of newly signed LB Nacho Monreal, and based on the hype HH created from his excellent post Nacho did not disappoint. Shawcross did his best to intimidate the ref in an effort to overturn the goal (also thought he would have a go at Arteta to show just how big a w*nker he really is), but he did not succeed.

Have a look at the goal and aftermath here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKObQFVnq4M

Stoke v Arsenal 0-0

We were held to our second consecutive goalless draw. We defended well but despite taking over the game for large parts we were very toothless in attack. Santi was mesmerizing and Giroud nearly pinched it late with a magnificent lob attempt. You can see the highlights below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNvp9hQoisQ

Form Guide: Arsenal: : WWWWW Stoke: DWWWL

We’ve won 5 in a row now and seem confident in getting results when the heat is on (quite the change from previous seasons). Arsenal will be in a confident mood for this one.

Stoke have had a good start under Mark Hughes. They were unlucky to lose against Liverpool, they beat West Ham away, and they held ManchesterCity to a goalless draw.

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s the 1970-71 FA Cup semi-final against stoke city. Those old enough to enjoy it saw Peter Storey drag Arsenal back and force a replay (which we eventually went on to win!!!). Have a look at this article detailing how Arsenal denied Stoke FA Cup success in the 70s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Sl5tmzbuM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/stoke/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8472000/8472714.stm

One to Watch:

Former Blackburn midfielder Steven N’Zonzi. I’ve found him officers; he’ll be at the Emirates on Sunday. Those who haven’t heard N’Zonzi is ‘being hunted by police for his connection with a roadside altercation with a cyclist.’ You can read all about it here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2418523/Steven-Nzonzi-hunted-police-roadside-altercation-cyclist.html

I for one am glad I will not be at the Emirates for this one. The thought of getting mugged in the stalls by Pennant or N’Zonzi haunts me in my sleep. Those going to the game should jump on Arsenal direct; they’ve got a special on now for this game, here’s an image below:

In all seriousness though, N’Zonzi is a bulldog in midfield. Although he handed in a transfer request in the summer, he’s put his head down and stuck to the task. He won man of the match honours against both West Ham and ManchesterCity this season. He shackled Yaya last week…this week he has Ozil to deal with!

This week’s one to watch has to be AARON RAMSEY. I can’t say anything more about his season thus far that hasn’t been said already. He’s a menace all over the pitch thanks to his endless gut running, and more importantly he’s becoming a constant danger to the opposition. His importance to this squad can’t be exaggerated enough at the moment. With Giroud in top form (5 goals from 6 shots on target this season) and World Class Ozil on the pitch, we could fall in to the trap of becoming too over reliant on them. That sort of over reliance can easily be targeted by opposition managers. Aaron Ramsey isn’t allowing that to happen. Both he and Walcott will not allow opposition players to double or triple team Ozil. Bring in Santi and you have a nightmare scenario for any opposition manager. It’s the sort of situation which could see more and more teams drop off in the second half (good prediction midweek Alcide) as their press is stretched all over the pitch by Walcott, Ozil, Santi, Giroud, and Ramsey. We all know Ramsey’s history with Stoke so there is no need to explain why Aaron will be fired up for this one…and he’ll have a crowd full of supporters backing him every step of the way!

Key-Match up:

Arsenal vs Asmir Begovic

Before Begovic signed from Portsmouth in 2010 he was a keeper I wanted to see playing for Arsenal. While I am very happy with Szczesny, but Begovic is a top quality goalkeeper (probably not well liked in England considering he’s keeping Butland out), and he has proved it time and time again against us in the past. If he makes a couple of good saves early on, you’re going to have to pull something special out to get past him for the remainder of the game. Begovic could be the difference between a win or draw so let’s hope he’s having a bad day.

Pre-Match Finger:

This week’s finger goes to penalties!!! Like Szczesny they are getting on my nerves! It’s as though the umpires guess their decisions half the time because they aren’t in the correct position to be 100% certain. Please for the love of Christ (Dennis) get some 3^rd umpire technology. It’s not like it’s going to the slow the game down that much (some games you won’t even need to use it). Plus if you are going to overlook players rolling around on the ground and diving…it’s the least you can do! It’d kill two birds with one stone because we’d be almost 100% certain on the decision, and the refs can decide whether or not the person involved dived. It’s not fair that commentators can say “every forward does it”…it’s CHEATING!!!! The game should be doing all it can to cut it out and strengthen its image. I’m sick and tired of hearing “Man U won because player X went down in the box and player Z was sent off”. I don’t want to hear fossils whinge about the game changing either…it’s an improvement! The technology is there, USE IT!!!

Pre-Match pat on the back:

This week’s pat on the back is going to Arsene Wenger. It may be early days but he’s got the squad looking in tip top shape again. I don’t think there has been a manager in recent history that has copped as much flack as Arsene has. Once upon a time Arsenal fans adored Arsene, but as trophies dried up the supporter base began to turn. He’s not perfect, he’s not without fault but he’s still got his magic hat! He deserves to go out on top, and I hope this Arsenal team can start delivering for him!

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead. This week the answers were kindly provided by Jowlermonkey and Waddos_Legends (both from the StokeCity board on www.not606.com . Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:

1) You cleared out quite a few players during the transfer window. How do you rate your transfer window (ins and outs)?

JOWLERMONKEY: Glad to see the back of some players, fantastic that we now have a left back, needed to buy another striker.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: Our transfer window was quite good with the exception that we did not address one of our weakest positions and that is we needed two fresh young fresh strikers. Marko Arnautović was a great signing and he looks a beast so I’m really looking forward to what he can do in front of goal. We have another one coming in January from the USA, Juan Agudelo but we needed another sooner as we cannot score goals.

I was pleased to see a lot of the “Pulis Deadwood” players moved on and also pleased we at last bought in a recognised left back in Erik Pieters. Stephen Ireland was another great signing and the retention of Jermaine Pennant was another good piece of business. Loaning out Cameron Jerome for me to Crystal Palace was a mistake.

2) How is Mark Hughes travelling? Will he take you places? Better than Pulis?

JOWLERMOONKEY: I didn’t want Mark hughes, but said i’d give him his chances to hang himself. much better than Pulis.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: Early days yet to see if Hughes will take us places but we are certainly playing better football under Hughes than we ever did under Pulis. i actually feel confident going into certain games now especially away from home as before I looked on all away games as we were going to lose. Our current league position and points tally does suggest we are on the up!

The football under Tony Pulis was dire and towards the end he lost the Stoke crowd. The attendance is still suffering now and it will take a few seasons to change this back.

3) What player/position is your weakest?

JOWLERMONKEY: Strikers, neither good or hungry enough.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: As mentioned above our weakest position is in front of goal and Jon Walters as probably cost us 4 points so far this season so I would have to say him. Missed a 88 minute penalty at Liverpool this season away and 2 clear cut chances on Saturday against Manchester City.

The player just loaned out to Wigan Ryan Shotton is Stokes worst player now that is still technically on the books!

4) Which Arsenal player would you like and why?

JOWLERMONKEY: Wilshere, fast dynamic, good feet.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: The only Arsenal players I would like to see in the Stoke shirt would be either Ozil or Santi Cazorla, as I don’t think any other player would slot into our style of play and these 2 players are top players.

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

JOWLERMONKEY: Defence.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: I feel Arsenal are weakest at the back, can’t name one player in particular but this is definitely an area you struggle in hence why you brought in the ex-Stokie and old school friend of mine ” Steve Bould”.

6) Özil, will he live up to the hype?

JOWLERMONKEY: Fantastic player. Will need to be protected but has always produced the goods.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: Ozil already is showing his brilliance and will definitely live up to his reputation as a class act!

7) What is your prediction for the match?

JOWLERMONKEY: Hoping for a draw but you should beat us comfortably.

WADDOS_LEGENDS: Stoke have yet to get anything from the Emirates in the duration of our stay in the premier league. Again as i have said above I’m more confident this season and I predict a close game with 1-1 being the outcome and us picking up our first ever points there. No doubt Ryan Shawcross will be booed from start to finish as per for the “Ramsey Incident” but this helps him to lift his game and fire up his sparring partner Robert Huth!

Prediction:

Stoke have had an impressive start to the season but I do not see them troubling us at home. We’ve beaten them 5/5 at the Emirates, and Mark Hughes has lost his last 6 games at the Emirates (in that time he’s managed Blackburn, ManCity, Fulham, and QPR…how on earth does he keeping getting jobs??). Crouch will be isolated up front so they’ll only get joy out of set pieces (we’ll have to lift our game in this department because we let Marseille have a couple of cheapies midweek). A comfortable and assured performance should see Arsenal victorious 2-0.

For this week’s psychic prediction I contacted ‘Eagle Star’ for the third week. He better lift his game though otherwise I’m going to have to consult our very own Jgc-damus. Here are his responses:

Oz: Will Arsenal beat the Stoke City Orcs?

Eagle Star: Hmmmm 1-1 I feel.

Oz: The way they play it wouldn’t surprise me if they went for the draw. Will we concede from a set piece?

Eagle Star: Dangers…yes, score…no!

Oz: Can you please put a curse on Ryan Shawcross. I’m not sure what but maybe some Paranormal Activity type scares when he’s at home.

<insert Shawcross Scared pic>

Eagle Star: That’s not my area of expertise Oz but I can contact someone who is.

Oz: You’re a star Eagle…get it????

Eagle Star: <disconnected…and blocked>

What is your prediction?

Theo or Giroud…who will score?

Will we shut down their set piece game?

Written by: Oz Gunner

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Ozil in the hole, Flamini & Ramsey in pivot, Jack left? Marseille preview

September 17, 2013September 17, 2013TotalArsenal

Droit au But: Olympique Marseille vs. Arsenal pre-match

So we’re back for the 16^th time in a row. We fought hard for it at the end of last season, successfully went through the prequalifying round yet again, and we are finally on the eve of starting our campaign to qualify, in arguably the strongest group, against Olympique de Marseille (OM).

A weak opponent?

And indeed we are up against some tough competition – Borussia Dortmund are top of the Bundesliga with 5 wins out of 5 and Napoli are, similarly, Serie A leaders, with 3 wins out of 3.

OM on the other hand, are currently ranked 4^th in the French national championship table after 5 games; and one could easily argue that the French Ligue 1 is a step down from German, Italian, Spanish leagues, and certainly the EPL. In fact, it was mostly a one-team show last season, with PSG easily cruising through, finishing 12 points ahead of Marseille, and with Lyon trailing a further 4 points behind and being a shadow of their former self.

In addition, their current 4^th place may not say that much about their level. They have had 3 wins against bottom of the table teams – Guinguamp are 15^th, Valenciennes are 18^th, Evian are 11^th (who were in the bottom 5 before their latest win against the 17^th); and OM lost home to Monaco. Finally, OM were dominated in their last game by 19^th ranked Toulouse, and they struggled to secure a draw against the tide at the 87^th minute. Valbuena had this comment after the game: “Arsenal? With what we’ve seen tonight, we are far from there…”.

In fact, post-game articles in French newspapers and sites (unfortunately, I have only seen Marseille in short game summaries – hopefully this will give Gerry the opportunity to provide more insight) have not been very positive about the way Marseille has been playing – even on their wins – apart from a good first half against Monaco. Incidentally, another thing that transpires from game reports is that they have consistently struggled physically in the second half; they conceded all their goals after half time.

So we’re good?

“Droit au But” – Straight to the Goal – is Marseille’s maxim. It also means Straight to the Point, and OM lives by it. They play to attack, and love a good fight and high intensity cup or other challenging games – I am not surprised that their best performance was against Monaco – and their good CL qualifying round last year (finished second of their group with only Dortmund qualified) also testifies of this.

The public in Stade Vélodrome is one of the best in France and they will push hard tomorrow.

They had a good, aggressive transfer market window: they bought Dimitri Payet from Lille, probably the best attacking midfielders in France last season; and Florian Thauvin, a very talented and promising 20 year-old and £13m AM (although he just joined and might start on the bench).

Add to that the always dangerous international AM Valbuena, the fast paced wingman André Ayew, and the finally-coming-back-to-form ex-ex-international CF André-Pierre Gignac, and you realize that they are very capable on the attacking front.

If their defensive stability has been questioned lately, they still have strong athletic material there (N’Koulou, Lucas Mendes, Diawara, Rod Fanni, Imbula…) some of whom will add to the threat on set pieces. They are supported by an excellent goal keeper (Mandanda), only edged in the French national team by Lloris; and then again some value Mandanda more.

Finally, and this is the feeling with some OM supporting friends, I believe that they are seeing this game as a must win as Arsenal is potentially viewed as the weakest team (compared to Napoli and Dortmund): if you think the French press and web are different fro, the UK’s, you’re mistaken… every bloody year is the year Arsene’s team is on the brink of oblivion. Although to be honest, the mood has changed since Prince Igör joined. But I digress.

The point is that they will want those three points and they will give it all they’ve got. It’s not in the club’s genes to go for a draw anyway.

So we’re not good?

OM have the potential, they are a better team on paper than 2 years ago when they qualified just one point behind us in front of Olympiacos and… Dortmund. But, if I ignore my anxious nature for a second…

…Things have been clicking well for us lately while they are struggling physically and technically as a team. Position for position, we systematically have better quality (I will give them a point for the goalkeeper though): we are a better team. We just have to be aware of their attacking capabilities, and be ready to deal with the intensity they will create, but we should aim for those 3 points ourselves.

Any points left behind tomorrow may very well result in a last chance fixture in Napoli, which my cardio and I would like to avoid; and a win would keep the nice momentum we have going, and give us some assurances before the probably more difficult games we have ahead.

Team Composition

Interestingly, OM typically play in a 4-2-3-1, with a double pivot, Ayew doing runs on the right, Payet as a fake left wing combining/swapping with Valbuena the organizer, Gignac at CF, … kind of rings a bell?

Thanks to our injury record (!) I have a chance of getting our lineup right…

So in a few areas, we’re obviously one injury away from some tough choices…

What if OG cannot start, or is injured during the game? Walcott up front, Ryo on the wing? Akpom?
If TR7 is not fit, who would replace any of Rambo, Jack, Özil?
Who would you like to see on the bench (and no, Santi,Ox, Poldi, Arteta and Diaby are not valid answers… for now)?
What is your prediction for the game?

Written by: Alcide

Flamini or Jack, Koz to shackle Fletcher, Ozil’s debute? Sunderland pre-view

September 13, 2013TotalArsenal

Intro:

Welcome back BK’ers. Arsenal returns after another typically boring interlull. Just to recap:

Our players departed to various corners of the globe two weeks ago. Unfortunately for us the Earth is not flat so Arsene’s attempt to send Bendtner off the edge of it failed. The Great Dane did however inform Arsene that not only is he the world’s greatest striker, but after conquering England, he and his fellow Vikings have overtaken Europe after storming the shores on massive flotillas; and now he’s asked the kit designers to change his name to ‘Bendtner-the-Great’!

We beat our knuckle dragging rivals 1-0 thanks to this goal by GIROUD!!!!

Today we lock horns with Paolo Di Canio’s Sunderland. Although they’ve lost their past seven league games, Sunderland have had a decent record against us in recent seasons. They knocked us out of the FA Cup two seasons ago, we drew 0-0 on opening day last season, and we scrapped over the line with a 0-1 win in our last meeting. They are a different team this season, though. They’ve lost Mignolet and Sessegnon, but gained Mannone (best of luck, just not against us), Liverpool striker Borini, and Napoli defender Dossena.

Let’s get in to it shall we?

Missing in Action:

Arsenal: Podolski (Hamstring), Vermaelen (Back), Ox (Knee), Arteta (Thigh), Diaby (Knee), Rosicky (Hip), Zelalem (shame really, I would have liked to see him make a cameo against West Brom). Thankfully, Walcott is okay to play after he escaped injury following a tackle from Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Kucher. Sanogo will also miss the game (heaven forbid we need to chase victory in this one).

Sunderland: Lee Cattermole, Craig Gardner, Phillip Bardsley, Connor Wickham will all miss this fixture through injury. Wes Brown will most likely miss this one but with O’Shea missing due to suspension he may need to suit up.

Predicted Line-up:

Once again this should be best the available one. Ozil will make his debut in place of Rosicky. Santi will start out wide but drift in every now and then like he usually does with great success. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Flamini started in place of Jack, in fact I’d probably prefer if given Jack’s midweek involvement. The Gibbs/Nacho LB mystery still remains. I prefer Nacho in away games but I think Gibbs will start. If Ozil was settled in I’d be adventurous and go with Gnabry out wide instead of Santi, however, we need to assert ourselves early this season so a safety first approach should be in play.

Previous Encounters:

Sunderland v Arsenal 0-1

Arsenal took the lead at the 36’ mark thanks to a beautiful strike from our mighty Spaniard Santi Cazorla. Late replacement Jenkinson was sent off after 62’ thanks to a second yellow. After that we had to dig our heels in and fight to keep the Black Cats at bay. This was the game we first saw the partnership of Mertz and Sagna. Boy did Sagna do well on short notice.

See Santi’s goal here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfIE6tPykhU

Arsenal v Sunderland 0-0

A stubborn Sunderland could not be broken down in this one. Resolute defending and a shocking miss from new boy Giroud saw the game finish goalless. It’s fair to say we’ve seen better football matches than that one.

Form Guide: Arsenal: : WWWWL Sunderland: LWDLL

Four wins in a row and we are travelling nicely at the minute. A win against Tottenham should see spirits high in the Arsenal camp, not to mention the buzz created by Ozil.

Sunderland is yet to pick up a league win this season (2 losses and a draw). They did progress in the capital one cup after trailing by 2 goals against League One outfit MK Dons.

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s a collection of Tony Adams’ favourite FA Cup moments. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvczIuCn5YM

One to Watch:

Ex-ManCity footballer Adam Johnson will need to be shackled in this one. Despite the fact that I don’t rate him highly, he is still an incredibly gifted footballer. If Gibbs or Nacho give him space he could fire in some bullet crosses, and with Fletcher hovering in and around the area he should not be given an inch.

Club record signing Mesut Ozil will have all eyes on him today. Arsenal fans will be sitting on the edge of their seats, eyes popping out every time he goes near the ball. On the other hand, journalists will be sharpening their pencils as they prepare to label him a flop if he doesn’t break the game apart. All I know is I’m bloody excited. If he scores, Arsenal fans the world over could develop a repetitive strain injury in the wrist…fear not though we have two!

Key-Match up:

Steven Fletcher vs Laurent Koscielny

Last season Fletcher was Sunderland’s key signing in the transfer window. After a reasonably large sum of money was exchanged for the former Wolves striker, Fletcher shot down his critics by scoring 5 goals in 4 games. This won him the Barclay’s player of the month for September. Last week marked his first match back from injury and he did it in style scoring against CrystalPalace after coming off the bench (albeit in a loss). I don’t know what it is about Fletcher but he just seems to be one of those strikers that can make you pay if given the smallest sniff (almost Bent-esque). Koscielny along with his partner in crime big Mertz will have to be on guard for this one. I have no doubt ‘Bosscielny’ is up for the challenge though, he’s fast becoming a world class defender. If he played for Bayern or Barca he’d probably already be labelled one.

Key Stat: Last season: Koscielny finished second in the league for aerial duels won (only 2% behind the monster Samba, 6% more than Cahill, and 14% more than Vermaelen). Have a look at his tackle and interception stats:

Pre-Match Finger:

This week’s finger goes out to…International breaks! I’m sick of them! Yes I know Australia is useless at football (6-0 to Brazil…way to go guys) but there are just too many negatives. We at Arsenal know better than most that when our players jet-set across the globe not everyone will come back in one piece. If I decide to watch an International match I’ll do it to keep an eye out for our players. I don’t care if they score 6 goals! I’d rather them sit on the sideline or hover near the corner flag staying away from the action. With our thin squad the last thing I want to hear is Ozil/Santi/Kozzer has come back injured so we’re going to have to rub horse placenta on him. Arsene must lose plenty of sleep when his players fly the coop.

My next bone to pick with International games is their timing! We build up a head of steam, we’re choc full of confidence, 4 wins on the trot then it’s “I’ll see you in two weeks, Arsene.” Worst of all the injuries and roadblocks seem to happen during friendlies, cheers FIFA we didn’t need Ozil for 6 months anyway. Lastly the controversy; every time there’s an international round something happens that takes away from the game itself. We might care a bit more if we didn’t have to witness unreliable refs, diving, handball decisions not called, and worst of all…racism.

Then once in a lifetime a miracle happens…Australia make it past the group stages of the World Cup. A nation unites and everyone screams “Lucas Neill is the best defender in the WORLD!!!!” (funny thing is, Liverpool actually fell for it!). It’s a change from the usual “Soccer is a game for girls: they’re weak, they dive etc.” Then Australia gets knocked out by Italy thanks to a dive. It’s okay though, because it’s an excuse for the whole country to get drunk and cheer for a game no one normally cares about. The next day it’s “who cares, soccer is shit anyway.” To be continued…if Australia become half decent again.

As for Zidane, you can have a finger too! Suggesting Ozil left Real Madrid because he “lacked the will to fight”…buzz off you imbecile, perhaps he should go around head butting players then?! Although, I would have been a lot happier if he head-butted Bale and Ronaldo before he departed the club.

Pre-Match pat on the back:

This week’s pat on the back is going to Jack Wilshere for copping the criticism he received after his display against Ukraine. He was subjected to some rough tackling during the game (when isn’t he?) but the backlash from the game has been completely ridiculous. It’s the English media’s fault not Jacks. They’ve built him up to be Jesus Mk II.

But when he has a bad game he’s no longer the ‘Super-kid’ he was once heralded as; instead, they start questioning his ability or wonder if his injuries have left him as a shadow of his former self. The good thing about Jack, though, is we know he can shake it off and come back fighting. He’ll dust off those injury cobwebs and make those who doubted him look very senseless.

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead. This week the answers were kindly provided by Adam from www.a-love-surpreme.com and Paolo’s Pecs (a Sunderland moderator for www.not606.com . Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:

1) How do you rate your transfer window (ins and outs)?

ADAM: There’s been a massive turnaround over the summer, with 14 new signings and 7 first-team departures. Yet the transfer window overall has been greeted with a mixed reception as some of the deals feel like they are desperate and only short term solutions to the problems. In saying that, Jozy Altidore looks promising as does Italian international Emanuele Giaccherini and Czech right-back Ondřej Čelůstka. On the other hand, it was sad to see Danny Rose return to Tottenham and Simon Mignolet’s departure is like watching your girlfriend leave you and yet still be on good terms.

PAOLO: I think we have found some good talent, but I do worry that some of the lads are only a slight improvement, when with the financial backing we have we should be going forward in leaps. We’ve lost a little of our pre-season optimism already, Cabral looked superb v Fulham then hasn’t figured, Altidore looks a handful but not a natural finisher, funnily, the last minute unknown Celutska looks a real gem, as does Diakite when used.

2) Can Vito Mannone fills Mignolet’s shoes between the sticks?

ADAM: It looks like Mannone will be providing competition for Keiren Westwood this season who’s waited patiently for a run in the first team. Mannone looked decent in pre-season however neither him nor Westwood will be as good as Mignolet in my opinion.

PAOLO: Not on any level. I had a chat with Vito in Tesco (bit surreal) and he seems a decent lad, I reserve judgement on him, but I think replacing Mig will take years, we are all seeing his impact at Anfield already.

Mignolet should be an Arsenal player, simple as that, even we said it ‘he should go to Arsenal, Liverpool are not good enough for him’. We’re not a bitter bunch at all…

3) You’ve had a slow start to the season, how do you think Paolo Di Canio he travelling? Will he take you places?

ADAM: I think Paolo will be either be a huge success (Europe) or we’ll be in a relegation dogfight, there’s no in between with him. Hopefully it will be a success but at the moment it’s not looking good.

PAOLO: Jesus, how long is your column… There are minor divides already, I’m still all for, love the natural enthusiasm and agree that discipline is needed. Some say he’s OTT, and there points are justified, some say he is short tactically, and we have failed to impact 2 of 3 games.

I do think he’s learning, and I do think, given patience, he will get us moving. How far? Top 10 regulars maybe, not this season though.

4) What player/position is your weakest?

ADAM: We lack creativity in central midfield although hopefully the signing of Ki Sung-Yueng will change that. We also look very light defending set-pieces as there’s not much physical presence in the team.

PAOLO: Centre mid, we can’t get a balance and lack creativity. Seb, who I like, is not worth his shirt at the minute, he is not strong enough or quick enough in the head to play CM.

5) Which Arsenal player would you like and why?

ADAM: Laurent Koscielny or Mesut Özil would be nice but realistically I’m a big fan of Rosicky and he’d be perfect for us, given our need for an attacking centre-midfielder. Despite smashing a penalty over against us a few years ago, his composure, long shots and determination to come back from a long injury have always impressed me.

PAOLO: Cazorla, driving force, creativity. We are desperate for that. I lived in Marbella for 3 years, watched Santi many times, and the man is a magician at times. Top lad too, used to just turn up at local schools and kick ball about with kids. His son, supposedly, is ridiculously talented, aged 5 or 6 or whatever. Sign him up!

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

ADAM: Arsenal had arguably one of the tightest defences ever under George Graham but Arsene Wenger’s era has been plagued with defensive frailties. Plus, there’s very little cover at the back as Sagna while playing well there so far isn’t a natural CB and Thomas Vermaelen is struggling for form. Arsenal don’t seem to like it when teams are rough and physical against them either although that is slowly changing now.

PAOLO: I think you lack a genuine holding midfielder, and think both of your wing backs can be got at. CB I think you have good players, but none of them perfectly complement each other.

7) Özil, will he live up to the hype?

ADAM: He made a very successful transition from the Bundesliga to La Liga and plays well at International level so he should be a huge success; I just hope he struggles on his debut!

PAOLO: Yes, and then some. Phenomenal natural talent, if he is half a Bale, I’m a fit blonde. He, Santi, Jack one midfield? I will be covering my eyes a lot on Saturday.

8) What is your prediction for the match?

ADAM: We have to put on a good performance eventually and that may be due against Arsenal. We have a decent record against you at home as well so (as long as Özil isn’t at his best) I’m going for 1-1.

PAOLO: I’m an eternal optimist, you have to be following Sunderland. 3-0 Arsenal…

Prediction:

I think we’ll account for Sunderland pretty easy. They have a very unsettled squad at the moment, and while we also have a plethora of injuries our squad seems pretty settled. I think Ozil will be a handful and I look forward to seeing both he and Santi working in tandem. I’m going to go with a very solid 0-3 victory, with Giroud scoring a brace early and Santi getting on the score sheet late.

For this week’s psychic prediction I contacted ‘Eagle Star’ again (he thinks I write for le-grove so if things go sour BK will not suffer his magical wrath. Terry may suffer from more warts on his pecker. But it’s uncertain whether that can be attributed to magic, or just the ‘dark arts’ strip club he works at on weekends). Here are his responses:

Oz: Will Arsenal dispatch Sunderland this week?

Eagle Star: Thank you for coming back. Here for some more free predictions huh?! After our last discussion I watched the Tottenham game and I must say Arsenal played well. I’m seeing a 0-2 victory.

Oz: sounds good. Our new signing Ozil is going to debut in this one, how will go?

Eagle Star: I think he’ll come close to scoring.

Oz: Now you predicted we’d sign 4 players after the Tottenham game, what happened to the other two?

Eagle Star: As I keep telling that pest James Bond Arsenal tried to but couldn’t close.

Oz: So you’re JB’s insider?

Eagle Star: ….I’ve said too much, see you next week Oz.

What is your prediction?

Will Ozil make a dream debut?

Can Mertesacker and Kozzer keep Fletcher at bay?

Written by: Oz Gunner

A game of transfer window repercussions? Arsenal vs Tottenham Pre-Match

August 31, 2013TotalArsenal

Intro:

It’s DERBY time again. North London will be split in two once again for this very important game. On one side we have the mighty Arsenal. A team that optimises and oozes class. The other side…a cock on a ball, oh and Adebayor…enough said!

No time for the Transfer window, no time for injuries, we must focus on this game and give it all we’ve got again. Come on Arsenal faithful get behind the team and roar loudly.

Let’s get in to it shall we:

Missing in Action:

Arsenal: Podolski (Hamstring), Vermaelen (Back), Ox (Knee), Arteta (Thigh), Diaby (Knee). Jack (Ankle) and Ramsey (Groin) should be right for this one.

Tottenham: Assou-Ekotto (Knee), Lennon (Ankle/Foot), Bale (apparently ‘Ankle/Foot’ – also known as ‘Almunia’s elbow’)

Transfer window update:

Tottenham have quite the long list. Whilst they have lost one primate, they’ve added Eriksen, Lamela, Chiriches, Paulinho, Soldado, Capoue, and Chadli.

Arsenal on the other hand have signed Flamini and Sanogo. Reading that definitely sends a shudder down the spine (even more so when you take in to account our injury record and our current long term injuries). The optimist in me says “let’s wait and see what the remaining days bring us”. The current Oz says “sharpen those pitchforks gents because if we don’t get some significant squad bolstering and major signings we may have to storm the gates”.

Anyway, welcome back Flamini. That 2007/08 season of his was a ripper. I loved how he went about it; he brought energy, drive, and a fighting spirit. His experience and determination will definitely help the cause.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POshmfd4VqQ

Predicted Line-up:

The best available should line-up for Arsenal in this must win home fixture (lose and we are already playing catch-up, and a loss to our neighbours will dent the confidence of both the team and the supporters).

Koscielny returns from his one match suspension for a great tackle. This should knock Sagna back to RB and move Jenks to the bench. Podolski’s injury should see Santi move over to the left (no other real options unless we chuck Ryo or Gnabry out there). Gibbs will line up down the left, and the rest picks itself. It’d be nice to see a cameo from Flamini (when we are 3-0 up). A look to our bench shows us just how incredibly light on we are at the moment.

Previous Encounters:

Tottenham v Arsenal 2-1

Can’t remember. Didn’t happen. Must have been a friendly or something?!

Two defensive lapses in a blink of an eye saw us go down 2-0. The BFG gave us some hope of a comeback…but it was not meant to be this time. It’s terrible that we were caught out by a monkey and a bloke who shaves lines into his eyebrows and head (I’m sure somewhere in the rule book that constitutes a straight red?!). After that result Tottenham moved into third position with a 7 point advantage over Arsenal…hahahahaha oh how things can change.

Arsenal v Tottenham 5-2

2012 was a good year for derbies. This game saw the best and worst from our dear friend Adebayor. A goal at the 10’ mark, and a straight red for a studs up challenge on Santi at 20’. Cheers Ade!!!

Per kick started the revival again and we went on to smash the spuds into the ground.

Arsenal v Tottenham 5-2

Words don’t do this match any justice. Have a watch to relive the memories:

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

Form Guide: Arsenal: : WWWLW Tottenham: WWWWD

A convincing win against Fulham was sandwiched by Champions League qualifier victories against Fenerbahce. Hopefully those three victories were enough to brush aside the disappointment of our opening fixture against Villa.

Tottenham won their Europa League game midweek and rested quite a few players while they were at it (so don’t expected a tired outfit this Sunday). Both Premier League victories came from penalties put away by their new signing Soldado.

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s a collection of great goals against our North London rivals (here’s hoping we had a few more this weekend).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD1pFArRatk

One to Watch:

Jan Vertonghen was a real enforcer last time we played. He was a very nice bit of business for Tottenham, one I’m still shaking my head about (why didn’t we get him???). Giroud will definitely have his hands full with both he and Dawson forming a solid CB pairing.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Aaron Ramsey backs up his brace against Fenerbahce. He will have his hands full against Paulinho and Capoue but I think his work-rate will see him take control again. Rosicky and Wilshere will definitely help see our midfield wins out.

Key-Match up:

Theo Walcott vs Danny Rose

Going forward Danny Rose is good, defensively he is questionable. We will definitely be going through Theo a lot in this match in an attempt to expose Rose’s weaknesses. Theo always comes to play against Tottenham and I see this game being no different. Mrs Rose has said Danny has had a few restless nights (nightmares, sweating, tossing and turning) in the lead up to this. Beware Danny…Theo’s coming to get ya!!

Pre-Match Finger:

This week’s finger goes out to…our injury curse! Podolski is now injured and will be out for 8-10 weeks. We really can’t catch a break from it. It’s bad enough that our squad is paper thin at the minute but come off it! It’s as though we are picking up one after every game, or worse…at training (Arteta). I’m an optimistic person but it is getting very hard to believe in the stability of this squad. Vermaelen and Wilshere have been plagued in recent seasons which have cost us dearly (from a quality player and a development standpoint). The Ox is out for an extended period (who here has that horrible feeling that we will hear “Ox hasn’t recovered as well as hoped so we’re sending him in for surgery. Return unknown”? I know I do, we’ve heard it all too often!) Diaby is well…Diaby. Rosicky, Wilshere, Gibbs, Theo, and Ryo are all ticking time bombs. Imagine the squad we’d have if we could keep these players together…oh well we’ve always got FIFA!

I’m going to send another finger out to the transfer window. It’s long, draining, painful, frustrating, and miserable (if it was a guy we’d all undoubtedly be locked up because of the unspeakable things we’d do to him). Once it closes I hope we are all sitting back thinking “yep the juice was worth the squeeze” as opposed to sharpening our pitchforks and marching down to Ashburton Grove.

Pre-Match pat on the back:

This week’s pat on the back is going to Aaron Ramsey. In his short career not only has he had to come back from a career-threatening injury, but he’s had to endure the ridicule and torment from a large division of Arsenal supporters. His work rate and engine are unbelievable. Combine that with his mental toughness and he’s definitely going to be one hell of a player, and I’m glad it’s going to be with us. From ‘deadwood – squad player’ to 3 goals and 1 assist in 4 games this season. I don’t care if those goals came against Fenerbahce; if it was Santi or Jack every Arsenal supporter would be dribbling and crowing about their greatness. Well done Aaron, may you continue to serve up some delicious humble pie to those who doubted you.

‘Ask the opposition’ returns again this week. It is designed to get some friendly banter from our opposition fans and get their insight for the match ahead. This week the answers were kindly provided by Adam (Some will remember Adam when he dropped in last week under the name ‘Bongo’. Check out his youtube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyU0e0F45uQLG25qOJSKARg ), and Spooky (a top class Tottenham supporter from http://www.dearmrlevy.com/ ).Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:

1) You’ve probably heard this all Summer but…Bale. Is he staying or going?

ADAM: I think the whole world knows that Bale will be off to Real Madrid in the next few days. What I’ve been impressed with though is the way our board have not allowed RM have it all their way. It was an open tapping up which they seem to get away with year in year out but I think Levy has stood up to their bullying, selling when we are ready, and making them have to postpone their big announcement parades.

SPOOKY: Going. Gone. See ya. Ignoring all the media hyperbole and their creative spin and the variety of headline hunting agenda’s that dominated the football news all summer long, the crux of it all was simple. Bale was not for sell. The player was happy to remain at Spurs another season. However, if Real Madrid showed interest and they bid a bid worthy of acceptance then he would have no issue with leaving as long as Spurs and Madrid could agree to it. The reason it’s dragged is Spurs have stood firm with the asking price. Once that was agreed, I guess the payment plan was the next stumbling block. To be honest, I actually think even if Madrid didn’t bid Bale would have pushed for the move (or at least his agent).

You don’t know what might happen in football. As a player, he might not have the chance to join Madrid next season so he has to take the chance this season. The irony is, Madrid are probably only bidding because they failed to sign Neymar.

I wish him well. Honestly hope he destroys the league out there. Going to be interesting to see him play alongside Ronaldo and Ronaldo’s ego.

2) If he goes do you think you will manage with the new additions to your squad?

ADAM: Obviously a player like Bale will be missed a great deal as you will be only too aware having lost a few star players yourselves over the years, RVP & Fabregas to name a couple. What it does though is open up an opportunity for someone else to step up and become a hero, and though we will be weaker in one position without him, we have strengthened in most other positions, so yes I believe we will not only manage with the new additions, but will be a more balanced side. Hopefully one of the new players will take up his mantle. It looks like Lamela has signed (fingers crossed) and I think he will be the player Spurs fans will be most excited about.

SPOOKY: Players come and go, the supporters remain ever present. We’ll survive. The harsh reality is we have a 36k stadium and Daniel Levy’s sell-on philosophy does work (even if it’s held us back in the past – Carrick, Berbatov, Modric). For the fee he’s going for, whether we’re spending the money or being funded by Joe Lewis – it’s a new chapter. It’s exciting. New heroes at the ready. Shame he didn’t give us one more season but it’s easy for me. If you don’t want to play for the shirt then play for someone else. Only concern (a minor one) is that we may take a few weeks to bed in all the new players. Still, it’s a wonderful ‘problem’ to have.

3) AVB how’s he travelling? Will he take you places?

ADAM: I like AVB a lot. He comes across quite cool and seems to be able to handle the pressure, and to be fair he was being hounded by the red tops at the start of last season right up until we beat Man Utd away (when he made Sun reporter Paul Jiggins look a fool).

He has the potential to take us to cup finals and into the promised land of the top 4 definitely.

SPOOKY: I hope so. He’s the first coach we’ve had that actually has an ethos, a methodology to his preparation and a blueprint to the way he wants the team to play. Last season felt like the foundations we’re set. Got many of the basis sorted. Our away form was phenomenal. I remember the 90s, we couldn’t’ win away. When we won away it was like a cup final. Christ, we’re woeful. From Jol to Redknapp to AVB there has been sustained progression. But more so under AVB there has been a clearer indication of direction. Hoping for more expansive football this season at home.

4) What player/position is your weakest?

ADAM: I’d say left back is currently our weakest position. AVB seems to have dropped Assou-Akotto who was competent though prone to make mistakes. We are now relying on Danny Rose who is still young. Though we have cover there in Kyle Naughton and Jan Vertongen it is not their main position, meaning unless we get in a left back before the window closes this is not our strongest position, shall we say.

SPOOKY: I worry about left-back. Benny appears to have been told not to turn up for training which might be a polite way of suggesting he’s having medicals for other clubs. Danny Rose is solid going forward but I’m unsure about his defensive qualities. He’s also a touch small – when compared to some of the beasts in the side. We need a new left-back. Right back will probably be covered by Kaboul although would also prefer to see competition for Walker.

5) Which Arsenal player would you like and why?

ADAM: I like Jack Wilshere as a player. I was at White Hart Lane last year (I’ll not mention the score) when you visited and the way he kept possession, and his distribution, was quite awesome, especially at his age and build. Even though we won I felt he was the best player on the pitch that day and would fit easily into our side, and most sides in Europe. I think his love for Arsenal is very noble and I can see him becoming your loyal Steven Gerrard type player though, so I don’t expect us to sign him from you any time soon. I hope he stays fit this year and plays well as he could be a key member of the England team in Brazil.

SPOOKY: Cazorla. Plays both flanks? Although actually, we might have enough cover there now. Had you asked me this question 10 years ago the answer would be so different. Oxlade-Chamberlain. Young, another Soton youth player. English. I like what I’ve seen so far but I worry (not so much for Arsenal) but when I look across at Theo Walcott I hope ‘the Ox’ has a better footballing brain because pace can only get you so far (although tbf, Walcott always…always plays a blinder against us – aided by our own capitulation of course).

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

ADAM: Most would say your defense is your weakest position but I think it is that strong defensive midfielder that you are missing. You have flair and pace going forward, but sometimes the defenders need to be helped out further up the pitch, and I don’t believe you have ever really replaced big Patrick Vierra.

SPOOKY: Goalkeeper. You could do with a giant there. Mentally rather than physically. I think it’s very strange how Spurs appear to have signed players that Wenger would have lapped up once upon a time. Also, defensive midfield – you need a powerhouse in there. You’ve lacked that for some time.

7) If Arsene fails to strengthen significantly is it time to go?

ADAM: I would say so most certainly. My understanding of how Arsenal work, and no doubt your readers will correct me if I am wrong, is that Wenger is in charge of all footballing aspects of the club. So called Marquee signing is not essential but they raise the spirits of the fans, who are the life blood of the club.

On that point, I don’t think you are upset that you haven’t got in a big name; you just want to see an improvement in the ever depleting squad you have. If he doesn’t strengthen and you get in the top 4 again and win a trophy it will be difficult for the board to let him go. If he drops out the top 4, then I can’t imagine why your board would renew his contract.

A few of my Arsenal work colleagues think it may be best if you did have a nightmare season so they can get rid of him. It feels to me as though they are saying “Thanks Wenger for all you’ve done, please retire now so we can still call you a legend, don’t let it go sour”.

SPOOKY: I can’t answer that. See from my own perspective this is how I see it. Wenger changed your club, he made Arsenal out of his own ideology and introduce football you lot we’re never accustomed too (even when you we’re winning titles under Graham). Okay, sure, he inherited a back four of immense quality, stole our judas captain but credit goes to the scouting and the technical football. Was a good time to hit the jackpot what with Sky Sports exploding. The top four back then dominated because they were several leagues ahead of the rest of us, granted only Utd (with Liverpool and one other occasionally) showing fight. But all football cycles have a conclusion, they all end.

I don’t know what Arsenal are up to with the alleged war chest. I thought you cleared all debt. It’s obvious the impact of City/Chelsea means the top top players are out of reach. Scouting isn’t as clever as it was. If Wenger is stubborn, then he’s going out fighting. He deserves respect but perhaps the best thing is for someone else to take the helm. Refresh the club. Seems you’re all too busy trying to hang on to the past.

Still, testament to his ability, he still inspires you lot to grab that 4^th spot. Although I think Arsenal’s team is vastly under-rated by some. Perhaps that’s part of the trick. Makes Wenger look like he’s working miracles. If you do have £100M + in the bank for new players then I’d be upset. Especially with the ambition we’re showing, backing AVB.

8) What is your prediction for the match?

ADAM: Because it is still early in the season and you still have a full squad, and our squad is still settling I’d probably ought to say a draw 1-1, however I’m going to say Spurs to win 0-2, not based on anything other than I am a Spurs fan on an Arsenal site. Thanks for having me.

SPOOKY: 5-2. Ha! Christ, I hate the NLD sometimes. The footballing Gods are twisted. If we play and we lose then I’d rather we lose because we’ve been outplayed or beaten on the day without the dramatics of red cards or the usual capitulations. We’ve started well against you lot but twice it’s gone to shit. And Arsenal do love to turn up for this game at their ground. I think it’s going to be a score draw. I hope we nick it. Not sure the game will be a catalyst for either side like the past couple have been. Very early in the season, but no doubt the bragging rights are just as important as three points. You what, screw it. 5-2 Tottenham. It’s about time those footballing Gods repaid us for the past 18 years.

Prediction:

We haven’t lost our first two home games since the 1949-50 season and Tottenham have only beaten us once since the 1992-3 season…I’m confident that after the game on Sunday both records will remain. Yes we have injuries, yes it’s a new look Tottenham line-up, but we always turn up for this game! We shouldn’t underestimate team stability, that’s what we have at the moment. Our players know each other inside out, and that will be the difference in this one. Arsenal to win 2-1

Theo – Soldado – Giroud!!!

For this week’s psychic prediction I went back on to the free site in search of my pre-match friend, unfortunately Yakman is no longer. Fear not we have an English man by the name of ‘Eagle Star’. Here are his responses:

Oz: Will Arsenal beat Tottenham on Sunday?

Eagle Star: The devil in me says Arsenal will win.

Oz: The devil? You must be mistaken. We at Arsenal are good folk, Tottenham are the demons of North London. Score?

Eagle Star: Arsenal 2-1

Oz: The transfer window closes on Monday. We’ve had a torrid time of it so far. How many players will we sign between now and then?

Eagle Star: Logic says 1, but I think it’ll be 4 (another psychic ‘Nova Leone’ also predicted 4 – fingers crossed)

Oz: Thank you. See you next week

What is your prediction?

Will Dawson and Vertonghen stop Giroud in his tracks?

Which Tottenham player would you like in our team?

Written by: Oz Gunner

Arsenal – Fenerbahce: Koz for BFG, Jack for Rosicky – No blue shorts please!

August 26, 2013August 26, 2013TotalArsenal

Can Ollie make it four in four, or even more?! :) — Can Ollie make it four in four, or even more?! 🙂

After months of no meaningful football, the games are coming thick and fast now. You could argue the 2^nd leg against Fenerbahce is no longer meaningful with Arsenal having scored three times and conceding not a single goal in Istanbul last week, but that would be complacent.

The CL games – even the pre-qualification ones – attract big corporate customers to the ground and they want value for money. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to me that Wenger wants to play a very strong side tomorrow. The squad is also not strong enough to give a large number of first-teamers a break and yet feel comfortable we’ll get through.

Wenger has said he will not be making many changes – not more than one or two. Let’s hope this does not backfire on him, as quite a few players could do with a rest in order to avoid fatigue/injury so early on in the season. On the other hand, I can understand Wenger wants to build further on the mini-momentum his team has gathered, and if the team can do the job within the fist sixty minutes, he can afford to substitute a few players late on.

Predicted Team:

I reckon, Koz will return in order to give one of the CB’s a rest and the BFG, but also stand-in CB Sagna, could really do with one. My guess is that Arsene will rest the German and play Sagna next to Koz.

In midfield, I reckon Arsene will play Jack – who will definitely start tomorrow – next to Ramsey in the double-DM pivot, and play Santi in the hole.

Other than that, I don’t expect any changes in the team; although, it is possible that Gibbs will get a rest with Nacho starting. But the young Brit is playing very well right now and Wenger might give him another game to build further on his fine form.

I would have loved to see the likes of Akpom, Zelalem, Gnabry, Frimpong or Eisfeld play tomorrow, but other than one or two late substitute appearances I don’t think we’ll see much of them tomorrow.

Let’s get the job done quickly and fingers crossed for no further injuries. And please, no blue shorts but nice, pristine white ones! 😉

COYRRG – Another year of CL footie is beckoning! 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Fulham Preview: Podolski’s last time to shine – OG on bench?

August 23, 2013TotalArsenal

Intro:

Here we are again, one week after our disappointing season opener. Tomorrow Arsenal head off to Fulham, in a game that we really should, and have to, win. A victory tomorrow will put us back on track and help shake the “team in crisis” tag the media has been quick to label us with.

This fixture last year:

Last year, away to Fulham, Arsenal scraped out a 1-0 win. Sidwell got an early red card that would later be followed by a late Giroud red card. However, it was Mertesacker who scored the winner on the day: Kos headed the ball across goal from a set piece and Mertesacker ‘tapped it in’ with his head from close range.

Ironically, Mertesacker is our only recognized centre back eligible to play tomorrow. Let’s hope he can repeat last season’s feat and score a winner at Craven Cottage.

Here is my expected line up for tomorrow:

I think Wenger will replace Giroud with Podolski. Perhaps he’s been resting him specifically for this game, as Giroud didn’t have a great game last time we visited the Cottage. Maybe Wenger thinks that Podolski’s speed will help the team break down Fulham’s defense easier than Giroud’s style of play. After all, Riise, Hangeland, Senderos, and Amorebieta are all very slow defenders and the pace and intelligence of Walcott, Santi, Rosicky, and Podolski should be able to open them up.

As for the defensive midfield pairing, we don’t have much choice. Aaron and Jack will have to do, but I honestly don’t dislike this pairing as much as others do. The Fenerbahce game showed us that this pairing can work defensively as long as Aaron and Jack communicate properly, which it appears they are learning to do.

In the defense, I expect Wenger to give Monreal the start ahead of Gibbs because he should be nearly fully fit now, and Santi works better on the left with Monreal than with Gibbs. I also expect Sagna to play LCB and Mertesacker RCB, because Sagna is far more comfortable with his left foot than Mertesacker is.

Key Battles:

Walcott vs Riise: Walcott will either have an easy time or a long day down the right flank. Theo needs to be prepared to use his pace to run past Riise and receive the ball over the top. Theo will easily outpace him, but trying to split the defense on the ground may be difficult. Theo should prepare to do a lot of running in behind the defenders. If he does this, he should find himself with a load of scoring or assisting opportunities.

Mertesacker vs Berbatov: Berbatov is a lethal striker on his day and he will make us pay if we don’t keep a close eye on him. Mertesacker will have to do what he does best and position himself well to stop Berbatov from getting open shots at goal. Neither players involved in this battle are very quick, but both are intelligent players and this battle will be more of a chess game, with positioning being key.

Podolski vs Wenger: Podolski has been a noticeable absentee from both of our games so far this season. He was featured heavily in Arsenal’s training pictures today and I expect Wenger to give him his chance up top again. Poldi needs to take this game with both hands and make it his. He can’t be passive and wait for opportunities to arrive; he needs to step up and try to make opportunities for himself and others around him. If Wenger really is considering letting him leave (whether it be on loan or permanent), this may be Poldi’s last chance to prove he has a spot in this squad and I hope he does. That being said, if Poldi doesn’t start tomorrow’s match I fear the worst. The worst would be him being kept safe from becomming injured ahead of a possible move away from the club.

Casualties of War:

Arsenal: Arteta, Diaby, and Ox will all miss out on this game due to their long term injuries. Vermaelen is back running, but is still a few weeks away from match fitness. Ryo is also likely to miss out, but isn’t far away from being match fit. Nacho is back to match fitness and will be in the squad this week.

Fulham: Richardson, Amorebieta, and Stekelenburg will all miss our match against Fulham. We need to capitalize on Stekelenburg’s injury especially as Fulham is likely to have their second string goalkeeper in net.

Predictions:

I’m hoping for a high scoring game with the Gunners winning 3 or 4 to nil and Jack, Podolski, and Santi opening up their scoring accounts for the season. It will likely be an open game that will be won or lost based on how our team responds to last weekend’s loss. The team needs to be physical (but not overly physical) and not be pushed around. They need to mature and not let Fulham’s physicality run the game like Villa’s did. I predict a tense game with the possibility of a sending off just like last year! Especially if we can frustrate Fulham and get a three or four goal lead.

Here’s a link of last season’s encounter between Fulham and Arsenal at the Cottage:

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

Questions:

What’s your preferred line up?
Will Podolski win his spot back?
What are your predictions?

COYG! Let’s set Craven Cottage ablaze!

Please note: This is my first match preview and I’d love suggestions for how to improve for next time! 😉

Thanks for reading. 😀

Written by: Dylan.

Arsenal – Fenerbahce: Frimpong’s big chance, Rosicky in the hole, Full-Backs fully back?

August 21, 2013August 21, 2013TotalArsenal

Fenerbahce's Sukru Saracoglu Stadium — Fenerbahce’s Sukru Saracoglu Stadium

Let’s park the bigger discussion about the club’s continuous failure in the TW, and focus for now purely on the CL qualifier against feisty Fenerbahce tomorrow. Nothing is better after a disappointing defeat than to get a chance to make up for it a few days later, and the Fenerbahce game gives the boys a fine opportunity to bounce back.

Would it not be nice to see a repeat today of the score line almost five years ago, when we beat Fenerbahce 2-5 in Istanbul. This was the team that played for us back then: Almunia, Eboue, Song, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott (Djourou 84), Fabregas, Diaby (Ramsey 73), Denilson, Nasri, Adebayor (Vela 86).
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Van Persie, Bendtner, Gibbs.

Only Ramsey, Walcott, Gibbs, Fabianski and Diaby are left from that squad, and especially Ramsey (late substitute), Diaby (played 70+ minutes) and Walcott (was unstoppable on the night) will have good memories from that game with all scoring a goal (Song and Adebayor were the other scorers).

Fenerbahce were recently banned from playing European football for match fixing, but as they appealed the decision they are still allowed to play pending the outcome of the hearing, which will take place a day after the return fixture. But of course, we cannot take much notice of this and just have to focus on beating the Turks over the two legs fair and square.

I am not too worried about tomorrow’s game, as I expect Arsene to use his European experience to get the best out of the team and a positive result to take back home. However, Fenerbahce should not be underestimated as a hostile atmosphere combined with an early Turkish goal could lead to considerable trouble, if we do not keep our cool.

Therefore, Wenger will have to select his best and most experienced team for this encounter, and he will have to get his players to totally focus on tomorrow’s game and nothing else. We need a calm and well organised defence/GK, we need a well organised, solid and multi-disciplined midfield, and an energetic, continuously pressing, and lethal attack tomorrow. So, that means a step improvement of all three lines from Saturday’s under-par performances against the shitty Villains.

I reckon Arsene will have to make one big change and that is in midfield. The Rambo-Wilshere combo did not work as we were left far too exposed in the centre of midfield throughout most of the game. I am a huge fan of Wilshere but I reckon he will start on the bench tomorrow, and Frimpong will replace him. He is our best defensive midfielder at the moment – which says a hell of a lot – and I reckon he will play in front of our defence and shield it with his life. I expect Ramsey to play in the more box-to-box like position and Rosicky, because of his experience and his truly fantastic performance on Saturday, will be back in the hole again.

Up-front it is likely to be Cazorla, Giroud and Theo, with a second half cameo by Podolski.

At the back, we have had some fantastic news that Sagna somehow has got over his horrific fall on his neck and that Gibbs can play too, so they are likely to play; although both Jenkinson and Monreal (appears to have recovered from his pre-season injury) are also available tomorrow.

My predicted line-up looks like this:

Enjoy the game fellow Gooners and let’s get behind the boys with all that we have tomorrow night.

COME ON YOUR RIP ROARING GUNNERS!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Jack in the hole, Captain Per, RambOx, Pod-OG-Theo up-front

August 16, 2013August 16, 2013TotalArsenal

Jack in the hole: let's hope he is fully fit and ready to direct our attacking play against Villa. — Jack in the hole: let’s hope he is fully fit and ready to direct our attacking play against Villa.

Arsenal – Villa preview report.

At last it is here: the new season kicks off tomorrow. Having been tortured long enough with transfer fairytales and make beliefs, at least we can focus again on meaningful football. Our game against Villa tomorrow is a tricky one, even though Arsenal are at home. Paul Lambert will be happy to have survived a very difficult season at Villa and I have little doubt he will have worked hard this summer to improve his squad and his team’s quality of football. In reality, they have nothing to lose and will approach the game with both a good game plan and a ‘let’s go and enjoy ourselves’ sort of attitude.

Therefore, it is key for Arsenal to start the game strong and determined, with a high tempo and lots of pressure on the Villa midfield and defence from the start, whilst at the same time focussed and organised in defence. The latter will be a bit of a test for the team now that Arteta is ruled out, and the most important selection choice Arsene has to make is who to play in the double DM pivot.

I reckon he will go for Ox and Rambo tomorrow. Ox really impressed me during his cameo against Scotland for England this week: he was disciplined and focussed and did not make a single mistake in the more defensive midfield role he was given. However, I reckon Rambo will move into the Arteta role and Ox will take over from Rambo, and both will be given clear instructions to keep it tight at the back and guard the shape of the midfield throughout the game. The good thing about Ox and Rambo is their enormous energy and forward thrust (especially Ox), but it remains to be seen whether they can make us forget about Arteta’s great, fox-like ability to give shape and purpose to our midfield.

I am praying for an early goal for the good guys, after which we keep the pressure up and profit fully from the space Villa will have to open up in order to get a goal back. But it is more likely that Villa will sit back and absorb our pressure, and Arsenal will have to be both disciplined and creative to get into scoring positions, whilst constantly dealing with the threat of quick and incisive counter-football as well as lethal Villa set-pieces. It won’t be a walk in the park tomorrow, that is for sure.

If Wilshere is fit to play, I reckon he will start in the hole tomorrow. The two other options for this position, Cazorla and Rosicky, are likely to start on the bench against Villa, but should come on later in the game.

At the back, the team picks itself more or less. I expect Szczesny to start, Per and Koz to be our CB-pairing, and Gibbs to start as our LB. If Sagna is fit he is likely to start; if not, it will be Jenkinson.

Mertesacker will be the captain, and I reckon he is the best candidate to become our long-term captain. So, let’s see how he does tomorrow.

Up-front, it is not much rocket-science either. Gervinho has gone and Sanogo is not fully fit, and with Cazorla returning late from his international match, I reckon it will be Pod on the left and Theo on the right, with OG in the middle. All three carry a good to great goal threat, and hopefully they will fire from all cylinders tomorrow.

Predicted Line-up:

Let’s hope for a committed, full-on game, and NO FURTHER injuries, and a nice win for the mighty red and white.

COYG!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

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Eight early-season Arsenal conclusions and line-up v Urawa Red Diamonds

July 25, 2013July 25, 2013TotalArsenal

Will we see more of Mr Reliable as one of our CBs on Friday?

Whilst the transfer shenanigans continue without any let-off, Arsenal’s current team has actually been playing some very watchable footie. It is fair to say that the opposition has not been much to write home about until now, but nevertheless our football has been good.

It is only early days and things could change a lot over the next four weeks, but based on the first three games of the campaign we can pull a few conclusions:

Wall of RamTeta: it looks very much that Arsene will continue with Arteta and Ramsey in the double-DM pivot. Enough has been written about this in recent posts, so no more on this from me now.
Our AM, whether it is Rosicky or Wilshere, have been very quick in turning the game from defence to attack. They very often opt for the ball over the top, or a diagonal ball to find one of the wingers with a precision pass. Our AMs have been very mobile and driven to move the game forward quickly, and long may it continue.
The team has been pressing the opposition really well given the rustiness at this stage of the campaign and the humid weather in Asia. Ramsey has been leading by example with regards to this but the whole team has been chipping in, and collectively they have been very successful in winning back the ball regularly until now.
Theo, but also Gnabry and to a lesser extent Ryo, are being ‘launched’ constantly from midfield. This is all part of our quick defence to attack turnaround approach, and for the first time in a long while Arsenal are now really utilising the speed of Theo and others. It has led to many very good chances for Theo and I expect to see more of it this season, with our Speedy Gonzales hopefully converting more of his opportunities. Theo has got the speed and the good first touch, and now he needs to improve his lethalness. He will improve further this season, I reckon.
The full backs – one at a time – are once again key in setting up attacks from the wing. Unfortunately, Jenkinson and Gibbs have looked rusty until now, but they are both players who appear to need a number of games in a row before they start to shine.
Giroud has looked very positive and focussed until now, and six goals in three games will help him to build further on this. He will, of course, face tougher opposition this season, but his sharpness up-front is a very welcome sight.
Zelalem has been showing us lots of promise until now. He is very confident, calm and classy on the ball and can pick a through-ball with incredible ease. A great prospect.
Ox and Jack have looked really up for it and, IF they can stay fit for long spells this season, they will be……dare I say it……like two new quality signings.

All in all, plenty of positives and let’s hope the team will continue to progress over the next few weeks.

Predicted Line-up against Urawa Red Diamonds:

I reckon Fab will start in goal, and Jenkinson and Gibbs will get another chance to become more effective both in defence (especially Jenkinson) and up-front. I expect Sagna and Mertesacker to start, although there is a chance that Sagna will play with Miquel. I am expecting Arteta and Ramsey to get a rest and for Arsene to try another double DM combination tomorrow. Ox needs a start and Aneke should get a proper test as well, so I am going for these two tomorrow.

I expect Jack to play in the hole from the start and Myachi and Theo (or Gnabry) on the wing, and Giroud will probably not start this time round, so I am going for the Pod as our striker. The latter needs a good game and I have a feeling Wenger will give him the striker position tomorrow.

Enjoy the game fellow Gooners!

Written by: TotalArsenal.