premier league – Page 23

Arsenal vs Fulham Pre-Match. 110 years and we dream of Draxler

January 17, 2014TotalArsenal

Additional Intro by 17 Highbury Terrace

Our Maestro of Match Previews, Oz Gunner, has brought the goods once again but things in our little world of Bergkampesque are different this week and 17 Highbury Terrace also had started a match preview. I’d like to include it here as it mirrors some of my own thoughts.

Arsenal – Fulham Preview –Dedicated to James Bond

Bergkampesque is a blog about Arsenal Football Club, emphasizing the more positive aspects of the club and the team as exemplified in the beautiful and professional play of Dennis Bergkamp. We have a match tomorrow, against Fulham Football Club, but one of our own, in fact our top comment contributor, James Bond, is going through an extremely difficult moment in his personal life (see comments, previous post), and I want to dedicate this preview to him. James is an extremely optimistic AND passionate supporter of Arsenal and a great contributor to this site. Despite much cajoling, he’s yet to write a blog post of his own, but he’s put out many interesting and bold ideas. Sometimes we’ve gotten small glimpses into his personal life, but nothing on the scale of what he wrote yesterday. Though blog comments tend to be about Arsenal, over time a community of intriguing individuals builds and many of us feel as if we know one another. I’ve had fun, interesting, and heated debates with James (I often call him 007 or our Superspy…), always with an underlying tone of intelligence and respect. We don’t “know” each other, but we do… All I can say, Bond, at this time, is that we’re all pulling for you and hoping for the very best outcome for you and wishing that, sooner than later, you can be back here on the site, discussing goalkeepers and center forwards, matches, transfers, finances, etc., in your inimitable way.

Maybe Arsenal can brighten your day tomorrow with a convincing win over Fulham. I know you’ve been eager for a strong performance and a lopsided score-line, and I’ll wish that for you—along with my much bigger and more important wishes for you. Being me, of course, I’ll take the three points, however they come. Every match presents challenges, and this one feels no different. Your challenges are on another scale entirely. Best of luck, stay strong, keep the faith, etc., etc., my friend…

17highburyterrace

Preview Intro

A battle of teams on the opposite ends of the table, but Fulham will be looking to break a 110 year drought of losses against Arsenal at home. A win is a must for both teams but for different reasons. Arsenal needs 3 points to fend off the oilers, Fulham to fend off relegation.

A quick fire double saw Arsenal keep a resurgent Villa at bay taking it to 4 league wins on the trot.

Fulham were torn to threads (Shreds, Shreds of threads…) 4-1 last week by Sunderland making it 20 goals conceded in their last 6 games.

Let’s get in to it shall we: Draxler!

Missing in Action:

Arsenal: Rosicky (Nose) – Broke it thanks to a gabby. A mask is an option but I don’t think he’ll be risked so soon unless absolutely necessary. Monreal (foot – this one worries me because info is water tight and Arsene appeared worried), Diaby (Knee/missing), and Sanogo (back – STILL!). Walcott (ACL – knee), Ramsey (Hip/thigh), Arteta (calf/shin), Vermaelen (knee), Bendy (Ankle/foot)…god we could almost field a whole team of crocked players.

Fulham: Etheridge (Hip/thigh), Briggs (Groin/pelvis), Amorebieta (Knee) – fitness test.

Draxler!

Predicted Line-up:

The back four picks itself thanks to injuries. I expect Jack the lad to continue next to the junkyard dog Flamini. Ozil behind Giroud, Santi on the left, and Gnabry down the right. The only question mark is whether or not Arsene plays Podolski down the left. Gnabry down the right is a must because Fulham have really struggled on their left this season. Give the boy some legroom and he’ll make you pay! Draxler!

Previous Encounters:

Fulham v Arsenal 1 – 3

A bit of luck allowed Giroud to open the scoring and Podolski followed it with a brace. It was a confident and assured performance from the team, and it never looked in doubt. Bent managed to score a debut consolation goal in the 77’…he’s always had a bloody talent for scoring against us.

Fulham v Arsenal 0 – 1

Ex-gunner Sidwell was given his marching orders on 12′ for a dangerous tackle on Arteta. Despite this Fulham closed the game down in their predictable boring fashion. The BFG scored the breakthrough from a Theo free kick. A hard fought victory and it was 8 wins in 10 games for the mighty Arsenal! Draxler!

Arsenal v Fulham 3-3

This is the one which irks. Early goals from Poldolski and Giroud made this seem an easy 3 pointer but Fulham, with 2 goals and an assist from Berbatov looked like they might actually take all the points. A late header, from Giroud levelled it and then, at the very death, referee Phil Dowd awarded us a penalty when a desperate (and cheeky) Andrei Arshavin chipped a ball onto the arm of a Fulham defender Sasha Reither. With such a strange turn of events and maybe not trusting normal forces (i.e. gravity, etc.) Mikel Arteta struck a weak penalty, easily beaten away by Fulham goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer, costing us two very valuable points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAVEaGRp1iw

EPL Form Guide: Arsenal: : WWWWD Fulham: LWLWL

Arsenal are unbeaten at the Emirates this season (not counting that diabolical opening fixture) and sitting pretty on top of the table. However, City and Chelsea are breathing right down our necks and it’s about as enjoyable as TMHT setting his sights on you… One slip up and it could be all over, red rover! We haven’t been at our best but like Man U of seasons past we are getting the job done anyway we can. We’ve heard it all before, sometimes you have to win ugly. I would like to see us belt a team soon though because this squeaky bum stuff is knocking years off my life.

Take away the one blemish game and we’ve conceded a mere 13 goals this season. A good defence has been a long time coming!

Fulham on the other hand have let in 46 goals this season. 11 more than any other team. This is a far cry from the Fulham we’ve come to know of seasons past. Previously I’d dread this fixture because I knew a goal against Fulham was like getting blood from a stone. The loss of Mark Schwarzer, a long term injury to Hangeland, an unsettled defence, and ex-Arsenal defender Senderos have made them easy to break down. Just ask Hull, they knocked 6 past them in Fulham’s last away fixture; Relegation zone Sunderland also put 4 past them at Craven Cottage a week ago. Since then, however, they dispatched Norwich in the FA Cup 3- nil. Two spots above the relegation zone means every point is vital for Fulham. Draxler!

This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It’s a 2 goal victory against Fulham during the 2004/05 season. Henry was on another level that day. What a team we had! Have a look: (Draxler!)

One to Watch:

This week’s one to watch is ex-spud and ex-red devil Dimitar Berbatov.

From the opening of the January transfer window he’s been linked with Arsenal (heaven forbid he actually came). I think he’ll be out to impress the home crowd and Arsene in this fixture. With Berba it all comes down to enthusiasm. Last season he was motivated, this season his clear cut chance conversion has dropped from 59% to 33%. He’s capable of great things but I expect Kozzer to entrench him firmly in his pocket.

Arsenal’s one to watch is none other than Santi Cazorla. Despite Podolski scoring 2 goals last time the two teams met I would have given the MoTM to Santi. The pitch was wet, the midfield compact and he had Parker snapping at his heels constantly, but he was on another level and oozed class. He hasn’t had the best of seasons (partly because we hold him up on a mantle after his exceptional first season) but when it all clicks for him magic happens. I’m sure Arsene would have told him how important he is going to be with Theo going down, and I have no doubt Santi will begin a meteoric rise once again.

Pre-Match Finger:

This week’s finger goes to our injury curse…again.

Come on, it’s getting a bit ridiculous now. We would like to win the title this season, rather than thinking back to what may have been. Surely the balance of luck should be tipped in our favour for the next 100 years.

Pre-Match Pat on the back:

This week’s pat on the back is going to the Big Feckin’ German.

great work by @The_Zama

What a massive difference he makes to this team! I really can’t say enough good things about the BFG. When he first came to the club I was over the moon. After a few performances… Not so much. The game against Chelsea a couple of seasons ago sticks in my mind. He appeared lightweight and despite his large stature he seemed to decrease in size when he went up for a header. Something changed. Now he tackles, he barks, he scores goals, and best of all…he organises the troops. Over the years I’ve thought a few players deserved to be taken out back and slapped around bit so they might pull their finger out and start to perform. After Mertz’s first season he definitely did extract a digit. Whether that can be attributed to getting his body right, settling into the EPL, getting to know the players, or Bould taking him under his wing, I’m not sure, but whatever happened, he has transformed into our most important player. I do enjoy seeing/hearing him let his teammates recognise when they’ve made an error out on the pitch (first the Ozil incident and then the Santi situation against Villa). It’s hard not to love the man. Draxler!

‘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 Cookie-6262 and dempsey’s revenge…there were others but let’s just say tensions are high for Fulham supporters these days. Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:

1. What are your thoughts on the Morrison ‘taping up’ row?

Cookie – The tapping up row is a load of rubbish, Rene was asked about transfers and he replied “we have bid for Ravel Morrisson but it has been rejected.” He was then asked, “Do you think he wants to come” and he replied, “Yes, I think he does want to come.” Hardly the crime of the century; he was just saying what he honestly thought.

DR – It’s nothing. They’re not playing him, so why would they care?

2. How is Senderos travelling?

Cookie – hopefully Senderos is travelling via Beijing and won’t arrive at the Emirates until next Thursday…. Most fans have him as our fifth best Centre back and our weak link yet he still sometimes gets games. Our chance of getting something from this game is 10% at best; with Senderos it’s about 2%.

DR – He’s an idiot, so he frequently loses his luggage. Hope to God he’s not playing.

3. What do you want during this transfer window?

Cookie – A left back is a must–someone who can go straight into the team. To keep Berba but if he goes we will need a striker and possibly a centre back although young Dan Burn has come in for the two cup games and looked very good.

DR – All new players except for Riether and Parker.

4. What position/ player is your weakest link?

Cookie – Weak link is centre back, just look at the goals against column. But Hangeland is back after 3 months out so hopefully he will make a difference. Left back is an issue as well. Iif Walcott were fit he could have done double figures.

DR – All positions except where Riether and Parker play.

5. What position is Arsenal’s weak link?

Cookie – Do Arsenal have a weak link??? Possibly up front if Giroud is off form. You are light up top, but does it matter when you have a midfield including Ozil and Carzola plus Podolski?

DR – Manager thinks he’s God.

6. Which Arsenal player would you love to have in your team and why?

Cookie – Ozil is world class and a joy to watch

DR – Nearly all of them. I’ll make this observation; Arsenal players nearly always thrive after leaving the team (but not Senderos), which shows that a) Wenger has a good eye for talent and b) the coaching there is top class.

7. What is your match prediction?

Cookie – Not expecting anything from the game but just hoping for a half decent performance and not getting a thrashing. A good display in a narrow defeat wouldn’t be a disaster for us though you never know, a Mertesacker red card in the 2nd minute and Berba slots away the pen. (You can but dream…)

DR – We will get our heads handed to us and probably slip into the zone as a result.

Prediction:

It will be an improved performance by Fulham thanks to the return of the big Norwegian Hangeland. However, it won’t be enough and I think he’ll be lost at sea out there as the team crumbles around him. Watch for them to park all the buses in Fulham in front of their goal. It won’t be enough though because Gnabry is going to kick a hole through them en route to a 4-0 victory!

What is your prediction?

What starting line-up would you choose?

What position is our weakest link at the moment?

What tactic would you employ to beat Fulham?

What two players would you buy during this transfer window and why?

By Oz Gunner

Draxler! (hey if I say it enough he just might come!)

FlamTeta, OG to return, Santi-Mesut-Jack to support him? Villa preview.

January 13, 2014January 13, 2014TotalArsenal

Opening Day Reversal—3 points a Must to Keep Pace at the Top

Arsenal head to Aston Villa hoping to reverse the extremely disappointing result from the opening match of the season. In that one, despite opening the scoring with an Olivier Giroud goal, Arsenal conceded 3 and felt victimized by referee Anthony Taylor, who not once but twice gave Aston Villa penalties (and a pair of yellow cards to Laurent Koscielny) while ignoring repeated fouls on our players. The result also played out amidst a background of a very disappointing transfer window, one where management had made great declarations about our money to spend, yet none (to that point) had been. The team left the pitch that August day to a chorus of boos, even if most of the frustration was aimed at manager Arsene Wenger.

The season was off to the worst start possible…

From that woeful day, the Arsenal season has been on an upward trajectory. First came the announcement that former Gunner, Mathieu Flamini, would join the team on a free transfer followed by good wins at Fulham and vs. Tottenham Hotspur. Their spending of nearly 100 million pounds on a series of players (to help mitigate the impending departure of Gareth Bale) made them appear an ambitious if almost completely revamped team. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t penetrate our defences that day, and another Giroud goal was the difference. The next day we announced the signing of Mesut Özil from Real Madrid and the circle was complete. North London lost one up-and-coming star (Bale) but received perhaps the greatest assist-maker in the game in return (Özil). That it was Tottenham’s loss and Arsenal’s gain (perhaps) made our summer of torture (almost) worthwhile.

Match by match, Arsenal have righted the ship and been the big surprise of the first half of the season. Of course, true supporters of the club don’t see it this way and believe the real aberration was the opening day loss to Villa. Marrying a player of super quality such as Özil to a squad that showed extreme mettle in closing a 7-point gap in the final 10 matches last season to finish 4^th and recapture our Champions League position, we had hoped to pick up where we had left off. That opening day was a giant hiccup, but the remainder of the first half of the season has been much better, and tonight we have the chance to make amends.

Predicted Starting Lineup

Coming a full nine days after we (again) beat Tottenham, this time in the FA Cup, tonight’s match should see Arsenal fielding a very strong first 11. Kieran Gibbs is close to a return, but Nacho Monreal will surely start at Left Back. Wojciech Szczęsny should return as our keeper, while the remaining defenders will likely be Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny; a group which will be seeking its 5^th consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

In Midfield, Aaron Ramsey has not recovered sufficiently from a thigh injury, so I would predict a dual-pivot of Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini with a more forward 3 of Santi Cazorla, Özil and Jack Wilshere.

Olivier Giroud, passed fit after missing the last two matches, will surely start alone up front. It’s also possible that Wenger will go with a more attacking midfield, starting 18-year-old Serge Gnabry, brilliant in his start vs. Tottenham at right wing. He could reprise this role and assert his ability to fill the large hole vacated by Theo Walcott, injured in that match and out for the season. Such a move would likely move Wilshere back at the expense of either Flamini or, more likely, Arteta, who required a late substitution in the FA Cup tie.

Tomáš Rosický also has every right to claim a starting spot in attacking midfield on the strength of his performance vs. Spurs. Nonetheless, I predict he will be a bench option. Ironically, this match will see the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who sustained a major knee injury in the opener. I suspect the Ox, along with Lucas Poldolski, will start on the bench but might be employed if we’re chasing a result late on.

Aston Villa, despite their bright start to the season, have not been playing well recently (only a single win and a draw in their last seven matches in all competitions) and have injury issues of their own. Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker are both question marks in defence, although Gabriel Agbonglahor has been deemed fit enough to play. He’s been the bright spot in attack in recent games as one of last season’s biggest surprises, Christian Benteke, has failed to find the form that made him a major summer transfer target and eventually won him a big contract keeping him at Villa. A potential starting 11 for the opposition could be Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Luna, Bacuna, Westwood, Delph, Albrighton, Benteke, Agbonlahor.

How the Match Should Play Out

In the opener, Villa seemed unafraid to play a very up and down game, and I expect a similar early approach here. They have the pace and power to hurt us on the counter, and if we are able to wrest control of midfield possession, they might settle into that sort of pattern. Bacuna has scored some great right-footed free kicks, so looking for fouls outside of our 18-yard box may be a real tactic as well. It should be recalled that in this same fixture last season we played a very dour nil-nil draw (in foul weather) and, if Villa can keep the score tight, defending and holding out for a point might suit them as well.

I predict another strong performance by our defence and commanding work in attack by a buzzing midfield working off the big presence of Giroud up front. My predicted scoreline in this one is 2-nil to the Arsenal, with goals from Cazorla and Özil (and assists from the latter and Giroud).

Regardless of the scoreline, a winning result is imperative given that the other top 4 clubs (ManchesterCity, Chelsea and Liverpool) have all notched away wins this weekend. Finally, we should be extra motivated and fully concentrated for this one as it represents a chance to avenge the pain of the opening day.

What do you think? Please join me (us?) in the comments before, during and after the match. Go on you Gunners!

Written by: 17highburyterrace

Bergkampesque is an inclusive blog and we welcome constructive comments from Gooners and other supporters: the more the merrier. We always welcome new bloggers to comment and share in the debate as long as they stick to the blog guidelines (see at top of page).

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TotalArsenal.

Losing Theo is a disaster! Really?!

January 11, 2014January 12, 2014TotalArsenal

Don’t worry about Theo, our core team will see us through.

Theo out is a knock, but it will allow others to shine!

It looks like Wenger is still looking for his best formation and ideal eleven starters. Will we continue with a holding striker who enables the midfield to get closer to the goal and produce their magic, or will we start playing more and more with a fluid- three up-front, or even move to a 4-6-0 sort of formation?

We do of course need a lot more than eleven players to make it through a season, but I reckon most if not all teams work around a core of 11 to 15/16 players for most of the matches. Every team needs a strong unit around which it builds its style of football, its confidence and ultimately, if all goes well, its success. The rest is there mainly for cover and future potential.

Now that Arsene is finally in a position that he can keep hold of the talents he develops and has money to add top talents and established quality players, we will see the team grow from strength to strength. Theo’s injury is painful but in a way also interesting as it gives a few ‘fringe players’ a unique chance to nestle themselves into the very core of the team.

Wenger’s current core eleven players appear to be Szczesny, Sagna, BFG, Koz, Gibbs, Flamini, Ramsey, Ozil, Jack, Santi and Giroud. His core 16 players are the core eleven plus Vermaelen, Nacho, Arteta, Rosicky and Podolski. I have a lot of confidence is these 16 warriors. It is a mixture of talented youth and experienced players in their late twenties and as a team they are developing quickly.

If Theo had not got injured he would have been in the core eleven, probably at the cost of Ramsey, Jack or Santi. With Ox coming back and Gnabry starting to make the headlines there is healthy pressure on the core team to keep performing well. It is clear that the defenders and goal keeper feel very little of such pressure and the midfielders are also without much threat, as there are plenty of games for all of them to play regularly.

Some say we need another attacker, but with Pod, Giroud, and hopefully soon again Bendtner we have three good front men and, with our midfielders now scoring regularly as well, you have to wonder whether another striker is our first priority right now. We can get goals from Podolski, Giroud, Ozil, Santi, Ramsey, Bendtner, Jack, Rosicky, and hopefully Ox and Gnabry will also get regularly on the score sheet. It would be nice though.

I reckon we are most vulnerable to an injury to either Mertesacker or Flamini, and it is in these areas were we should spend our money first. You could even argue that getting a quality right back is Wenger’s biggest priority as it would free up Sagna for the Mertesacker role. Sagna could also be our beast of a DM and even Vermaelen could be developed into one; in which case we need to buy another CB for cover.

Let’s keep it solid at the back and in front of the back five, and hopefully we’ll buy some more quality steel this January. Key is for our attacking midfielder and front men to find more cohesion between them and to get more value out of our full backs in the attacking third of the pitch. Sagna is doing really well and Gibbs and Nacho are getting close to becoming a real force on the left.

The goals will keep coming and there is a lot more stretch in this team with regards to this. Santi is hitting form, Ox is soon fully back, Ozil can do better, Pod is raring to go again, Jack is starting to score, Ramsey is soon back, Bendtner might have turned a corner, Gnabry is showing real promise and Giroud will be back with a vengeance.

Yes, it would have been really nice to have Theo as well, but our strong core will see us through. The likes of Ox, Santi, Rosicky, Gnabry will fill the gap for us: plenty of competition!

Do you agree?

What is your core eleven?

Is our core eleven enough to win us the title?

Where would you strengthen the team if we could only get one player this January?

Up The Arse!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

23 December 2013: the day Arsene mastered and embarrassed Mourinho

January 9, 2014January 9, 2014TotalArsenal

Wenger turns Machiavellian to expose Maureen’s Achilles Heel

Last month’s game against the Chavs was one of the most boring we have seen in a while. Many fellow Gooners felt we should have made a ‘statement of intent’ by giving our all to smash Maureen’s Chelsea at our 10^th attempt. A win over him at the Emirates would indeed have been a very welcome early Christmas present, but it was unrealistic to expect it.

Furthermore, for any top team to beat a Maureen-team, they will have to take a lot of risk by attacking in numbers and leaving the back exposed, and it could all have ended up easily in disaster. It is exactly what the self-adoring one wants and many have fallen for it in the past; and so have we. Last month,Wenger showed he has learned his lesson as he was able to contain himself; and for that I salute him.

Despite having produced some very fine footballers over the years, the Portuguese are not renowned for spectacular football. They are, for example, the nemesis of Dutch football, both at club and national level. They love to defend and absorb pressure and then beat teams on the counter, and, as we all know, Jose Mourinho is the management-embodiment of this style of football – and AVB is made of the same cloth.

It is all fine as long as the opposition is prepared to play along: to attack – and therefore take risk – and take the game to them. If they don’t, but play safe themselves as well, the game will turn into a boring Chess game. If all teams play like Maureen-teams very few people would still enjoy football. As such, Maureen lives of the goodwill to entertain of others, especially against the top teams – pretty similar to a parasite.

Last month, on a ‘special Monday’, hundreds of millions of supporters and neutrals were treated to a horrible, double-antler of a footballer game, and the main culprit for this is Mourinho. He has been under pressure for a long time to play more attractive, attacking football, with the only exception – unsurprisingly – during his Inter spell. Against the top teams, Maureen is totally dependent on others wanting to play attacking football in order for a game to turn into something watchable. The Chelsea stinking rich owner wants him to change but fat chance for that.

For once, Wenger decided not to play along with the Chelsea manager and by doing so the game turned ugly: slow, unimaginative football with very few chances and little to cheer about. It was a price we had to pay for the greater, long term good of the club in my opinion. Mourinho’s comment that Arsenal had been boring must have been music to Arsene’s ears: it showed he had finally gotten under his skin. With accusing Arsene of playing boring football Maureen had made a fool of himself.

Wrongly, Arsene is often accused of lacking behind in the tactics department compared to Mourinho. The Frenchman does not rate game-specific tactics as highly as the Portuguese does, but it does not mean he is not capable of applying it if required. Arsene has his team(s) play a style of football that should conquer all without having to adjust much, if at all, to the opposition. The aim is to play attractive, winning ‘total’ football that inspires football fans around the world. And Wenger will always be remembered for this ambition and ability; unlike the current Chelsea manager, who will end up with more medals but shall never be remembered for his lasting contributions to the beautiful game.

Arsene has not got a team right now, or at least they are not ready yet, to play such football against the bigger teams and come out victoriously every time. And against a Maureen-team he will need a super team, especially when he puts three defence-minded midfielders in front of his back-four with the aim to kill us on the counter (the most basic ‘tactics’ in football).

Beating Chelsea before Christmas would have been brilliant but the risk of losing was too big this time. And had Giroud been just that little bit more sharp and lucky, we might have done just that.

I reckon when we will look back at the end of the season, we will all recognise the significance of Arsene’s tactics on that day. It was short term pain for long term gain. Well done Arsene.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Montoya, Costa, Gündoğan, Bender: Who’ll move Arsenal forward?

January 7, 2014January 7, 2014TotalArsenal

How I’d Help Wenger Win the Title

I was originally writing a comment to TA’s post asking what everyone would do if they had a minute in a lift with Wenger to tell him what they’d have him do to win the title. After writing for about 45 minutes, I realized that this probably couldn’t be explained in a minute. Maybe, if I could have an assistant manger’s position at Arsenal for a few months I could explain this all to Wenger. 😉

So I decided to write a post of my own to explain my rather long (and maybe extremely boring to some) plan to bring the Premier League title (and other trophies) to the Emirates Stadium, where they belong. So I’ll do my best to put my plan into words, and justify why I think it’s a good one.

First Wenger needs to sign Montoya on a pre-contract and Costa, now or in the summer. Should Costa arrive now, he’d give us a huge boost for the rest of the season and probably push us to a trophy. If we have to wait until the summer, Bendtner will be able to fill the backup role very well. Costa would be the finisher Ozil (and everyone else) would love to link up with. He’d score boat loads of goals as well as have the “SQ Signing Affect” (like Ozil) and bring a renewed confidence to the team.

Costa could play as a lone striker, behind Giroud as a CF, alongside Giroud as a RS/LS, or even be a super sub when he’s too tired to start. Montoya would be a great attack minded RB to take over from Sagna. I’ll explain more about the role Sagna would assume after Montoya arrives in the next step. Also Montoya comes from Barca, so he really knows how to play football. He would give Jenkinson time to grow, as well as competition when Jenks is ready for full time first team action.

Next he needs to resign Sagna and Bendtner to new contracts. Nicky B is a highly underrated option and has years ahead of him to grow still. He’s a great option to start the odd rotational game, be a super sub, and strikes fear into our opponents with his legendary ponytail. 😉

Sagna goes without saying. He’s Mr. Reliable as TA calls him! He can do the job at RB for maybe another season and then move to the middle and give us cover there for a few seasons. He’s also a real leader and seems like a stand-up guy. He has stuck with us through all the hard times (one of the few) and deserves a big paying contract for 3 or 4 more years before hanging up his boots. After that I see him as the kind of player who would get his coaching badges and I’d love a legend like him to join us as a coach.

The next step is to utilize Bendtner and Gnabry more. Giroud is the kind of player who loves to play every game, but we all know he can’t. Very few players can. Nicky B is a similar type of player, better in some ways and worse in others. They are both quality target men who hold up the play well and can finish a chance in the air or a great cross on the ground. However, Giroud is more of a link up man. He likes to spread the ball around. Nicky B seems a little more dynamic and likes to take a man on right on the edge of the box and have a shot. He’s selfish, in the best of ways.

They’re different players whose talents should be recognized and utilized. Maybe we should even try playing them together sometime. Because they’re both target men, this seems like it would be a waste of a field position, but let’s look at the perfect example this season: Soldado, he can score the occasional goal by himself, but quite frequently has looked stranded up front at Tottenham this season, as he’s a target man getting too little aerial service. Then in comes Adebayor, another target man who is slightly more dynamic, who has been on the fringes of the club for a while (similar to our Nicky B?). Suddenly Tottenham have learned to score goals from open play. They even recently beat Manchester United at Old Trafford! Something the mighty Arsenal, a much better team (in my opinion), couldn’t manage.

Perhaps putting Bendtner and Giroud up front together would help us in games where one striker would be too stranded? Sometimes a change of tactics can make all the difference. Then there’s Gnabry. He looks like a quality youngster, and I’d love to have him loaned out in January to a big team, someone who really knows how to play football, like us (Wigan, Southampton, etc). But if he’s not loaned out he needs to be used much more than Wenger does, mostly as a super sub, with the occasional start. He has the X-Factor! It’s his first season! We need to use him before he has second season syndrome next year. He can play winger on both sides of the pitch, CAM, and even striker. He’s unpredictable at his young age, one might say mercurial. He should be used now, or loaned out to get first team minutes regularly.

The next step would be to use this January window to address our biggest needs (aside from those already covered by Costa and Montoya). This would be the DM position, a slightly more attacking CM, a young CB to learn from our aging players, and perhaps a backup goalie of quality (seeing as Viviano has yet to make an impression). So first things first, a beast of a DM to take over where Vieira left off and where Flamini is temporarily filling in. There are two major, realistic options; here they are in order of preference:

Yann M’Vila

Yann is a quality player who we’ve looked at in the past. He’s young and French and a beast (a true Wenger signing). Hopefully we could get him for fairly cheap from Rubin Kazan. He seems to be in the mold of Vieira and Wenger could definitely train him to be that player.

Lars Bender

Rumor has it we already have a deal set up for him in the summer. He would be a great addition to our German core. He could step in and learn a lot from Flamini and be a real terrier in our midfield for years to come. He would cost us a good bit, but is also young and would be worth it in the long run.

The next position to fill would be a slightly more attack minded CM to eventually replace Arteta. Once again there are two major, realistic options.

İlkay Gündoğan

A young German player to add to our growing German core. He looks exactly like a young Arteta to me. He’s already a world class player and under Wenger could be one of the best midfielders in the world. He would cost quite a bit, but could realistically join us and fit right into the squad.

Paul Pogba

An extremely young CM from Juventus. Another young, beastly, French player. He’s admitted he dreamt of playing for Arsenal and would surely jump at the chance to join us. He would be a great addition who could learn a lot from our current squad and is a fantastic player for the future. He would also cost quite a bit (admittedly, probably less than Gundogan), but with his potential almost any price for either player is worth it.

Next a young CB to learn from our aging group of centre backs.

Kurt Zouma

Yet another young, talented French man. He looks like a younger Koscielny to me. I watched him quite a bit in the U-20 World Cup this summer (along with Sanogo, Pogba, and Kondogbia). He could be a wonderful talent from the French league, just like Koscielny was, and would probably come quite cheap.

Fabian Schar

Admittedly, I’ve only seen him a few times (all in Champion’s League matches), but people have linked him to us quite heavily this year. People say he is also the next Koscielny, but from what I’ve seem he’s more like the new Vermaelen. He seems to enjoy picking up the ball and running out of the back, as well as going forward for situations centre backs wouldn’t usually be in (for example, he is the penalty taker for Basel, from what I hear). I believe he could be a great prospect for the future. For me, bringing in Zouma and Schar would be ideal. He should also be quite cheap.

Matthias Ginter

We’ve been linked with him for a while. I must admit I don’t believe I’ve ever seen him play, but from what I hear from other’s and what I’ve seen on YouTube he seems like Vermaelen. He seems to be more attack minded and can play CB and DM. He also would probably be relatively cheap and would be a good young German prospect.

Finally, a bonus of a talented backup keeper. There are actually very few options that would likely come to Arsenal in a World Cup year and risk not starting every game because of Szczesny’s talent.

Julio Cesar

He may not play every game, but it’s better than playing no games for QPR. He needs to earn his place back in the Brazil squad and he’s an aging keeper who could cover for Szczesny for a year or two and will be motivated to play well and challenge him. And the best part, he’s free!

Iker Casillas

One of the best keepers around, if not the best, but he can’t seem to break into the Real Madrid squad. From what I hear, he wants to leave and he’s been linked with us and City quite a bit. I’d rather us get him than City, so it’s worth a try. He’ll be motivated to beat Diego Lopez to a Spain spot and prove he is really the better keeper.

Guaita

At one point in the summer we were all told by the media that we had signed Guaita from Valencia, and that it was all but a done deal. In the end, it was either lies or it fell through as we don’t have him. This kid is younger than the other options, but perhaps this is good as it would give Szczesney competition for years to come and seems a fairly good keeper. I haven’t seen him play, and I doubt he’s in the same class as the other keepers listed, but perhaps a good option. He would probably cost considerably more than the other two.

Finally, Wenger needs to get this team playing like we’re fighting relegation every single game, and we need maximum points and pluses in the goal differential column as possible. This team seems to have great spirit and desire and Wenger needs to bring that spirit out every game. The perfect example is the second leg against Bayern last season. The team needs to play like we have nothing to lose, play for a clean sheet every game and focus on keep our possession stat as close to 100% as possible. We will have to take our chances up front and there may be a few 1-nil’s, but that’s how you win titles. The team needs to be fearless, like we’re the best in the world and we just need to play our football and win every point and bit of goal differential.

(Note to the readers, this post was written before Lewandowski was announced as a Bayern player and before it was announced that Theo would be out for 6 months. As a result I have edited the post to change the paragraph about Lewandowski to being about Costa and I am now adding a paragraph about Theo replacements.)

Today (January 6, 2014) it has been announced that Theo Walcott has torn his ACL in the FA Cup game against Tottenham and will be out for 6 months. As a result, we only have Giroud who can play a striker role well in our current system. We also only have three wingers again, at least until the Ox is back. Therefore, we have to buy a winger who, like Walcott, can play winger and striker.

Marco Reus

Marco Reus was originally a striker converted to winger (similar to Theo). He would add to the German core and would give us pace on the wing or in the middle. He can also play CAM and is still young. He could be developed into a player who could play any position Wenger would want. He could become a world class player with us and will link up perfectly in Ozil.

Stephan El Shaarawy

El Shaarawy is a player Wenger has admitted liking in the past. He is even younger than Reus and can play winger or CF. We could switch the system to play a false nine type CF (similar to Barcelona’s system) and play El Shaarawy there. This system would also be on that Podolski would thrive in. El Shaarawy is a skilled player and more of a true winger, but could possibly fill the need if required.

One final bonus that would please every Gooner is the return of a legend. Bringing back Cesc Fabregas would be the icing on the cake. If we were to switch the system to play with a false nine CF type player, Fabregas could slot in there when we needed someone to fill the role. Should we not do that system, Cesc can play the DM role of our pivot, the CM (box to box role) of the pivot, and even the furthest forward CAM position when Ozil needs to rotate out. Imagine the midfield we could have with Ozil, Santi, Wilshere, Ramsey, AND Cesc! We could possibly have a better midfield than Barcelona and Real Madrid! This signing would also give us that “SQ Signing Boost”, as well as give us back an old captain and a son of Arsenal and of Wenger. Whether he’s signed this month, or next summer, this signing would be the best possible thing for Arsenal. It will represent a complete turnaround from previous years of letting our captains go. Bringing back Cesc is ideal and would secure trophies for years to come.

If these steps are followed we will win a title/trophy this season, as well as being set up for success for many seasons to follow. This coach, with this team, and this transfer budget is a recipe for success. We just need consistency.

Thanks for reading! 😀

Written By: Dylan.

How can Arsenal win the title? Your advice to Arsene Wenger

January 2, 2014January 2, 2014TotalArsenal

Isn’t fantastic, even a bit surreal, for Arsenal to still be top of the league at the start of 2014? I am always hopeful – even confident – we do well at the start of the season but to be ahead of the Oilers – South and North – and eleven points better off than Manure is well beyond my expectation.

It looks like the battle for the title will be between the Oilers and us. I expect Liverpool to come close to us one more time this season, but it looks like they have not got enough to really push us for the title. It is of course still early days to start pulling conclusions, but as we have played all the teams at least once now, we can say we were not embarrassed by any of them, except maybe the Northern Oilers who caught us at our weakest moment and at their ground. I wonder where we would be right now if we had played ManCity at the home of football and less fatigued: we could be five, even seven points clear from them now.

We also had bad games against Villa at home and Manure away. The former can happen but the latter was more than a bit disappointing, although we should take into account the fatigue factor as well after two big battles – and well earned wins – against Liverpool and Dortmund in the week prior to that match.

We played two of our three hardest away games already (both Manchester clubs), with the Chavs game still to come. We also have to go to the great football city of Liverpool, where we have to play both high-flying teams. Our recent record against Everton and Liverpool is good, but this year round it will be hard to take six points from the North-West.

I reckon we will battle it out with Chelsea and ManCity for the title right till the end. MC have the far harder second part of the season with away games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Manure, and Spuds still to come. Given that they have been quite poor away from home, there is real hope they will fall away gradually despite their impeccable home record.

The hardest challenge for the title is most likely to come from Maureen’s Chavs, who have played most top teams away already (only fellow Oilers to play away) and are starting to find more consistency in their away performances. If they can improve their away form further, it will be very hard for us to beat them to the title, I fear.

It amazes me how many pundits make excuses for Maureen’s current team – some even feel he is doing really well ‘given the circumstances’. Chelsea are apparently missing a striker, but they are having a laugh with the likes of Torres, Eto, Demba Ba and Schurrle in the team.

Chelsea, with Maureen’s natural safe (yes boring), defensive football style and an embarrassment of riches in midfield and attack are of course the favourites for the title. If we were to beat them to it, Arsene will have done extremely well IMO. To achieve this, we will need a lot of luck and to reinvigorate the team through tactical changes and/or arrival of new players in this transfer window….. or should we stick to what we have and how we play and change nothing…..

My question to you, fine fellow Gooners is:

Can Arsenal win the title this year, and what do we need to do to achieve it?

Imagine – as just a bit of fun – you have one minute in a lift going up with Arsene Wenger today, and he asks you what you would do/change to win the title this year: what would you say?

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Cardiff review: Arsene’s trust in Bendtner pays off

January 1, 2014January 1, 2014TotalArsenal

Arsenal 2 – Cardiff City nil — Never a Doubt… 😆

Having missed the request to write a match preview, I wrote the following hoping that our fearless leader (on holiday in Scotland) might be available for a late post. Alas, it didn’t happen. But still, some of the questions seemed prescient (if I say so myself, and I do… 😉 )

(Preview Title…) Are We Deep Enough to Cope with Injuries and Illness and Rotation as We Enter 2014?

Arsenal, the best team in England in calendar year 2013, begin the new year top of the table but with question marks. Cardiff City, in our home ground, with only a caretaker manager, and coming off a very disappointing late draw vs Sunderland, would seem an automatic three points, but, in the English Premier League, nothing can be guaranteed.

Our most productive midfielders, Mesut Özil and Aaron Ramsey, are missing, as is our workhorse up front, Olivier Giroud. Many have argued that the only reason we’re still top of the table has been the remarkable production of those three players. Can we cope without them and will our offense create the chances necessary to see off a team which might be compared to a wounded animal?

Late reports suggest Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will be taking the Cardiff job. Will the players selected today be auditioning in a merely technical fashion for the new manager or will they be showing that they’ve got the grit and drive to steal a result from a weakened Arsenal team? Finally, the weather to start the year in London appears on the heavy side. It might not be as bad as it was for the Chelsea match 9 days ago and the Cardiff defense is probably not as tight, but our offense has been known to stutter when conditions aren’t ideal. Can we still make chances and goals with our re-arranged attack or will this one be another close, low scoring affair?

Today’s line-up appears a strong one, given the injuries–plenty of attack with both Poldolski and Walcott (carrying a knock?) in there. The bench offers options as well with Bendtner and Gnabry as well as Rosicky and Ryo Miyachi available if we’re still chasing a result. Still, by opting for both Arteta and Flamini as cover ahead of the back four, it appears that Wenger is thinking “defense first.” Can this be achieved against a Cardiff team with “nothing to lose?” Can the offense click without its spearhead Giroud? And I don’t refer only to his hair…

Bergkampesque welcomes your comments on these questions as the match plays out as well as afterwards. Please join us… 😀

Well, that’s what I was hoping to post, plus the (confirmed) line-ups…Instead we had to continue with only Gerry’s match report from the 1 goal victory at Newcastle… So, what transpired? Did any of the questions (above) get answered?

Hmmm…

I could do the minute by minute thing (to remind us of our frustrations) but instead I’ll talk about patterns and try to answer my own questions (comment writers please add yours!…)

The weather WAS heavy and comments on my television feed suggested that there was ample wind to go with the rain. And, similar to the Chelsea match, basic mistakes were on display. An early pattern was set with long (and misplaced) passes to Theo Walcott being the principal area of attack, mostly from deeper lying Santi Cazorla, ostensibly starting from a left wing position. Arsenal appeared happy to cede possession to Cardiff and there was very little pressing from the front, with both front man, Poldolski, and “hole” player, Wilshere, happy to follow Cardiff passes at a trot.

This strategy seemed almost uniquely ill-suited to match conditions but so too did the more intricate passing that seemed on tap as we tired of losing possession with the longer ones. Cardiff time wasting seemed more and more effective with each passing minute and served to subdue the home crowd. That Cardiff were able to draw the only save of the half, albeit a basic one at the near post from Szczesny, did not help to buoy our hopes. As the half drew to a close Poldolski dropped deeper, almost as a midfield outlet while frustrations in basic play from Walcott, Wilshere and Cazorla continued. The dual pivot of Flamini and Arteta were largely untroubled by the Cardiff attack (a single point clearly would have been seen as a huge victory) but we created not a single shot on target in the first period and only 2 corners from which we also didn’t threaten.

I guess I should mention the penalty shout where Wilshere kept his feet as Medel missed the ball and likely got Jack with not one but two swings. The fact that our man kept his feet for the first tackle probably undermined his claim as he fell on the second. I didn’t hear boos as the players left the pitch, but the home support was clearly underwhelmed; 63% possession was the only sign of any sort of dominance. We most certainly didn’t look like league leaders, to my eye at least…

The 2nd period began much as the first: bad weather, bad football from Arsenal. The pitch was taking pace off the ball but it was also lacking in our movement. With little speed (beyond Theo) or size, early calls for the likes of Rosicky and Bendtner seemed obvious.

Wenger, as any oddsmaker would have predicted, allowed the first group to persist until the 65th minute before those subs were made. The supporters, less patient by nature, twisted in the wind (and rain) and tried to create a sense of greater urgency. In the smallest of ways they were rewarded as more of the match was played closer to the Cardiff goal with shots and corners starting to come and fewer balls out of play. Our better play in this part of the match was down our left (Poldolski, Cazorla and Monreal working well together), but still we were constrained to high angled shots. Wilshere also did well from the same side during this period, forcing corners and having a shot hit the post. Still, Cardiff was able to run the clock down whenever they could.

Finally, keeper Marshall finally got a yellow card in the 60th minute for his time-wasting. A talking point was an uncalled handball by Monreal (in the 54th) very close if not in our own 18 yard box. Little Gary Medel, charged with marking the center of our attack got his yellow card in the 58th and was soon after withdrawn, which perhaps was a key. Wilshere certainly looked better immediately. One thing I will say is that the time wasting (very well executed by Cardiff) only served to antagonize the home support. Perhaps it’s a hardier bunch who brave the bad weather after the midnight merry-making (and against the lowly, and lower priced, C-ticket class opponent)?…

When the subs did come the urgency notched up just that little bit more and the increase in size up front and pace in MF made our attack more familiar looking. A clearance from Monreal which Bentdner got an awkward (Giroud-esque?) head to was well cheered as it kept our forward move alive. Frustration, however, continued, with not one but two Mertesacker headers put wide of the left post. Overall, however, there was extra bite in our counters and the threat from the 10 2nd half corners we earned was increasing. Merely having an extra big target (Bendtner in addition to Mertesacker) seemed to stress the Cardiff back line.

Nonetheless, we were still having trouble of our own and as the match moved past the 70th and then the 80th, it seemed we might leave frustrated. Mistakes in midfield didn’t help, even if Cardiff were not very potent when they did occur. Koscielny made a couple of key blocks after Arteta couldn’t get to a loose pass, though the 2nd one lead to a corner and a sequence where Arteta again mis-controlled. Luckily, Caulker’s shot was blasted well over.

The definitive spell of pressure began in the 83rd minute. A cross from Theo to Bendtner looked a sure goal but there was a hint he might have left it for a phantom teammate just behind him. Just before that, the big guy had delivered one himself to Sagna whose looping header was cleared off the line. Overall, Bendtner’s presence up front and solid ball work coming back was having a positive effect. Still, frustration seemed the order of the day as individual runs from Rosicky and Cazorla created danger but only lead to blocked efforts. When Theo blasted over from a difficult angle in the 86th some air went out of the crowd.

Fortunately, there was no giving up in the side and the knowledge that there had to be plenty of injury time wouldn’t have hurt. FINALLY, in the 88th the goal came. An intricate move featuring great control from Cazorla, a layoff from Walcott, a cross from Monreal to the head of Sagna (forcing a save) and a tightly angled first time smash from, of all people, Nicklas Bendtner, and the match was ours!

The irony is that it cost the man who used to wear his weekly salary upon his shirt. Replays showed the Marshall landed on Bendtner’s standing foot, causing what looks like ankle ligament damage. Finally Arsene’s huge gamble on the much maligned forward gave a bit of payback. Such a shame that he won’t get a warm welcome for the FA cup match against Spurs, on Saturday…

One-nil is nice, but two-nil is nicer. In injury time, a long ball from Szczesny (contested well again by Sagna) fell to Rosicky. A controlling pass and quick (and perfect) pass allowed Wilshere to flick onto Walcott, who chipped Marshall. The keeper got a finger to it but only caused the ball to hover for a moment before dropping into goal. A late save by our keeper, the only one seemingly aware that Cardiff were sending in a free kick, preserved the clean sheet. Relief AND reward for 95 minutes of hard work…

So, questions answered or do they remain?

Much depends on the injury situation. Poldolski, unfortunately doesn’t present the commanding (if somewhat technically lacking) figure that Giroud does. Wilshere and Cazorla though industrious seem to lack that little bit of acceleration and physicality which Ozil and Ramsey bring. With Bendtner supplying the winning goal, but then going down injured, our issues in attack remain in the spotlight. He likely benefited from coming on with Cardiff defenders already tired (much as Poldolski did at West Ham 6 days ago) but he may not be available even for late cameos. Clearly, we have nobody to offer us an hour or more as a lone striking option. I probably don’t need to point out that at least the timing is right given that the transfer window opened today. ..

Regardless, we’ll have one more: a cup match against the ancient enemy on Saturday. They will be lifted from their victory at Manchester United but perhaps also content and happy to drop out of the competition. Remember, they still have home and away games to play in the Europa league, as well as teams to catch if they hope to get back onto the bigger European stage. My thought is that Sherwood will have to rotate to see which (if any) of AVB’s purchases might come good. I wouldn’t expect as smooth or spirited a performance as they put on today at Old Trafford. Still, like Cardiff today they’ll come with nothing to lose. We’ll need even more spirit (if not bandages, duct tape and baling wire) to subdue them.

It should be noted however, that all 4 of our “questionable” players played today (3 of them for all 95 minutes). Perhaps the others nursing “injuries” might be a presence on the bench at least. After that one we have another 9 day mini-break for getting bodies healthy before matches that become increasingly more daunting as January passes into February.

All told, while today’s match (and other recent ones…) may not have been easy on the eyes, we got the result without a few of the players who carried us through the early season. The bodies may be weary but the spirit was (and IS) not lacking. If that’s our low-mark, 2014 offers a measure of promise…

Written by: 17highburyterrace

FlamShere DM-pivot, Theo & Santi on wings, Koz back? NU preview.

December 29, 2013December 29, 2013TotalArsenal

I predict a great performance by our Ozicle!

Newcastle United away is still on my wish list to go. I have seen a few home games and also once attended Liverpool – NU (with a massive power cut lasting more than an hour, and no, nobody nicked my wallet) and I have always been impressed with their away supporters. As I am now a five hour drive North of Newcastle (how many fellow Gooners can say that hey?), I am once again unable to go to the match today. For those, who are going I envy you, as I am confident of a win today, which will send us back to ToTL.

Predicting our formation is becoming a bit harder now. The third game of our four-festive season games is perhaps the toughest one, as fatigue should start affecting the players. Especially BFG, Sagna, Ollie and the Ozil are at risk of burn out. Is Wenger prepared to rotate these pivotal players? I doubt it, but he will have to balance the risk of having more Ramsey-like fatigue-injuries with continuity.

I have a feeling he will not rest any of the above mentioned four players as he will want to build on the hard fought win over the Hammers and the risk of disrupting the shape and strength of the team is too big. Plus, we all know he has become quite conservative these days.

Predicted formation:

I reckon this game will suit us as we can expect the Barcodes to want to play football against us at their Northern home of football. This will enable us to play a bit deeper and solid and then come out with our passing football; for me one of the main reasons we have been so successful away.

Having Pod and Theo back is fantastic and they can help the tired and some what flat looking previous main goal scorers. This could not have come at a better time, and yet, I am also expecting a great performance by Mesut today. Cazorla had a good game against WH and is finally getting back to his former self, and this is also great news for us.

With FlamShere in the middle of our midfield, a strong ‘back five’ and the likes of OG, Cazorla/Pod, Theo and Ozil being free to express themselves up-front the Arse should have a great chance to zip the Barcodes a new one.

Let’s hope the boys will deliver.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

How should Arsenal line up to beat West Ham?

December 26, 2013December 26, 2013TotalArsenal

After a couple of tough weeks it is time for Arsenal to bounce back with a full-blooded, quality performance against the Hammers. We might not be ready yet to put the bigger teams to the sword, but as Manure has demonstrated often enough, we don’t have to do this in order to become champions. The next games against West Ham, Newcastle United and Cardiff are our bread and butter games this season.

Win today with a convincing performance and the wind is back under our wings. We mustn’t grumble or sulk about the last few weeks but just concentrate now on our next fixture with the discipline of OGAAT: three points are at stake. Sammi Allerdici will do absolutely everything to deny us a win today and only a fully committed performance will get us there. This game will have the feel and intensity of a cup game, with both the Hammers and Gunners having good Boxing Day records.

It will be interesting to see who Wenger will start and what sort of formation he will go for. It looks like Koscielny is back in contention, and nobody got injured on Monday so the Frenchman has a strong group of players to choose from.

It was quite a surprise to see Flamini rested on Monday; maybe Wenger did not want to give Dean a half decent excuse to send one of our players off (no risk there with Koz and Jack 🙂 ), or he just was not impressed with the fellow Frenchman’s slightly under-par performance against the Northern Oilers. I reckon we will need him back though, as Arteta had a hard, knackering game just three days ago.

TV5 did well against the Chavs and it will be interesting to see whether he will get another game or whether Koz will return tomorrow. My gut feeling is the latter but I would be happy to see Tommy getting another game.

Who will play in midfield and on the wings is another good question. Will Ozil get rested, and if so, will Cazorla play in the hole? Will Pod and Theo start this time round, or are we going with four or even five midfielders? And will Giroud get another start, or will we try Theo or Pod up-front?

I feel Arsene will not make too many drastic changes as he will want his ‘A-team’ to get back to winning ways, but I could be wrong.

What do you reckon will be Wenger’s line-up and formation today?
If it was you, what formation would you choose and who would you play?
What is your predicted half time and final score?
Who will score for us today and who will assist (if any)?

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Please also check out this great blog by a blog-friend of mine with the godly name of Dennis, who has a real passion for football shirts:

http://www.26kits.com/

He also recently set up a dedicated Arsenal Kits page, and you will find yours truly back at the bottom of it:

http://www.26kits.com/my-favorite-arsenal-kit-top-football-kits-part-1-arsenal/

Why Arsenal will still be ToTL on New Years Day…and win the League

December 21, 2013December 21, 2013TotalArsenal

Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle, and Cardiff: Four games to renew our statement of intent.

Much has been made about our loss against the Northern Oilers by the media, and IF we were to lose to the Southern Oilers on Monday as well, expect it to get much, much worse. We the supporters need to stay calm and focus on the war rather than the battles. This is not a tournament but a 38 stages competition, and the only thing that really matters is, who will have collected most points after the last round of games in May.

I think we will finally beat the Maureen-Chavs on Monday if the referee is fair and consistent, but this is for another post, which our esteemed fine fellow Gooner 17HT will provide. But ultimately, it is really just another game; not more or less important as the next game and the game after that. Beat the Chavs and lose to the Hammers, or vice versa, and it’s still three points lost.

We are entering a period of 216 hours in which we will play four times and twelve points are at stake.

I predict that over the four festive season games all top teams will have won and lost about the same number of points; it is how it usually goes around this time of the year. Key for us is to stay focused whether we beat the Chavs or not: quickly forget the result and move on to the next game. I also predict we will still be ToTL after New Years Day with a gap of two to three points with the rest.

I believe the recent adversity combined with a well-needed nine day rest will form the perfect platform for an Arsenal ‘through-start’, and it might well be that we will actually do better than our competition between now and 1^st January. The combination of wanting to make up for the losses against Napoli and Citeh and a period of rest and regrouping of the troops, should serve us well in making a renewed statement of intent.

Why we are going to win the League

Structurally, there are four aspects to our game that make us a strong contender to win the league this season:

Consistency and stability at the club: experienced and loyal manager and support staff, good long term plan and financial stability, money to add quality to the squad in January and hold on to our current talents.
Best away record in the League (together with the Spuds). Arsenal won 16 points from 24 away, despite having played both Manchester teams away already; four more than Pool and five more than the Chavs and an amazing eight more than the Northern Oilers.
Despite conceding six last Saturday, our defence is still slightly meaner – conceding 17 goals in 16 matches – than our direct title competitors Pool, Chavs and Citeh with all conceding 18 goals until now. With the BFG rested and an eager Verminator back in the team, and the rest of the ‘back-five’ fit and raring to go, we should see a continuation of our meanness in defence, which is absolutely vital for winning the league.
Despite having played without last season’s plus-ten PL goals scorers Walcott and Podolski for most of the season until now (and Santi for a large part), we still managed to score third most goals in the league and we have the third best goal difference at the moment. There is space in our team to play the current Arsenal PL top scorers Giroud, Ramsey and Ozil with two of Theo, Pod and Cazorla. Once we can field such an attacking line-up on a regular basis we should expect the big scores, especially at home, to become more regular, and score more goals all round.

Our home record is good but not as great as our direct competition, with especially Citeh performing well in front of their crowd. We need to score more at home, but other than that we are doing fine if it was not for that horrible first game against the Villans. Of course, we can also strengthen the team in January and we’ll see whether that will happen. But for me, there are some good structural reasons why we will build further on our current FANTASTIC position and win the league come May.

Keep believing and supporting with all you’ve got fine, fellow Gooners, and let’s keep our eyes on the price by focussing on one game at a time (OGAAT). This team is going to win the League.