During this interlull period, I thought I’d take the opportunity to have some fun on BK. If you look at every team in the Premier League, you could say that each club is built on the foundation of three players (some teams obviously have more than three, but for the sake of this article, let’s assume only three). These three players can be seen as the integral pieces of the team, as without them, the respective clubs would lose their established identity, or not have accomplished as much success this season (and seasons past in some cases).
The following is an entirely subjective list that I believe contains the three key players at each club, with additional cases easily being made for the players in brackets:
Arsenal – Wilshere, Cazorla and Walcott
Aston Villa – Benteke, Clark, Vlaar (Guzan or Westwood)
Chelsea – Lampard, Mata, A.Cole (Cech or Hazard)
Everton – Fellaini, Baines, Pienaar (Howard)
Fulham – Berbatov, Hangeland, Schwarzer (Ruiz)
Liverpool – Suarez, Gerrard, G.Johnson (Reina)
Man City – Hart, Yaya Toure, Kompany (Silva or Aguero)
Man Utd – van Persie, Rooney, Vidic (Evra)
Newcastle – Sissoko, Krul, Cabaye (Ben Arfa or Coloccini)
Sunderland – Mignolet, Sessegnon, O’Shea (Fletcher or Cuellar)
Swansea – Michu, A.Williams, Vorm
Tottenham – Bale, Lloris, Vertonghen
West Brom – Foster, Olsson, Long (McAuley, Lukaku or Morrison)
West Ham – Jaaskelainen, Diame, Nolan (O’Brien)
Wigan – Kone, Al Habsi, Maloney
I am not claiming that teams with players listed in brackets have more than three players that construct the foundation of their respective teams, but that not being a fan of their respective clubs, I’m not totally sure if one is of greater importance than the three I listed.
Regardless, the point of this article is not to debate the players I’ve listed for each club (some clubs were incredibly difficult to even distinguish three important players), but to establish which player you would want most from any other team in the Premier League (to complement the three I’ve listed for our club), aside from the three players I’ve listed for each team.
For Arsenal, I have chosen Jack and Santi as centerpieces for our club for obvious reasons – they are by far the most skilled players on our side and when at their best, lead this team in providing our attack with shape and purpose. Without Jack and Santi, we’d definitely be a mid-table side lacking creative instincts; and they both are the closest things to world-class talents at Arsenal.
However, I struggled with the third key player, since based on history and past seasons, the honour could have easily been bestowed upon Sagna, Vermaelen or Koscielny.
Nacho is still too new to this team and there is debate among many supporters as to whether he or Gibbs should be first choice. If Szczesny or Ox were ever to meet their high potentials, or Gibbs or Diaby were ever able to consistently stay fit/healthy, each one would also be included in the discussion of our third most crucial player. With that said, I went with Theo simply because he is leading our team in goals and assists (tied with Santi and Podolski in each category respectively), is capable of providing quality crosses, and his pace makes him a terror for opposing defenders.
Personally, my choice to complement the trio of Wilshere, Cazorla and Walcott would be Matija Nastasic from Manchester City.
The modern game demands that defenders be as comfortable playing the ball as they are with clearing it; Nastasic is the epitome of a ball-playing center half, who is rarely beaten by either pace or fancy dribbling/ball control. With a tackle win percentage of 96% (top in the league), a successful clearance percentage of 59% (top 10 in the PL), only 1 error leading to a shot (tied in 2nd among defenders in the PL) and 0 errors leading to goals and no own goals (top in the PL); it’s easy to see why Nastasic is a viable candidate.
Of course, the case could be made against Nastasic that it’s easy to be a top defender when you’re playing with steady, veteran players in Kompany, Zabaleta and Clichy beside you, and a world-class keeper in Joe Hart, behind you. However, watching Nastasic play this season, I can honestly give him full credit for further stabilizing the City back line, and not just being a product of an already stable back four/five.
What makes Nastasic’s accomplishments even more outstanding, is the fact that he’s accomplished incredible statistics for a defender at the tender age of 19, and who is in his first season of one of the top leagues in the world. In addition, he is playing in one of the most demanding positions mentally, and is constantly challenged by some of the best attackers in the world.
Now, I would like to open the floor to the rest of you. Do you believe the three players I’ve listed for Arsenal make up the foundation for our team? If not, who do you believe should take their place?
And who would you like to see at Arsenal from any of the other clubs in the EPL, excluding the players I’ve listed (however, you can choose from the players in brackets)?
Five conclusion from a faith-restoring victory over Bayern.
Violently happy Coz we love you! 🙂
The boys did us proud tonight – I am absolutely delighted with their performance. If this team had been playing together for a while longer and we had just a bit more quality up-front, we would even have nicked it.
Conclusion 1:
Our first priority is to get the defensive side of our football right; then we always have a chance, because we know how to play footie and score goals. The difference in performances of our defence during our home and away game could not have been much bigger. We hardly gave away any space behind our defence and between defence and midfield tonight, and were confident in the air and on the ground. Koscielny was superb and his pace and energy gave Mertesacker a chance to organise the defence, and focus on his own positioning. The full-backs were magnificent, especially Jenkinson did us proud. They had drive and passion, speed and strength, and helped out up-front as well. Their performances give us real hope of what could be in the future. Fabianski did everything right and did not flap once. I also really liked his verbal communication skills and willingness to give his fellow players an ear full when they deserved it.
Achieving a clean sheet against, and at, Bayern is a fantastic achievement by our ‘back-five’.
Conclusion 2:
Arteta and Ramsey did a great job defensively in front of the back-four. Yes, there were a few bad clearances, especially by Arteta at the start of the game, and some of the passes were not sharp enough, but they worked hard and denied Bayern space in the centre of midfield. Unfortunately, it meant that Rosicky remained isolated up-front a lot, but at least Ramsey tried to support him as much as he could; and it is exactly how we managed to create the first goal. Of course this will remain the seemingly eternal dilemma for us: 4-3-3, as in 4-2-1-3 or 4-1-2-3, can either make us too defensive or too attacking, and we need the right balance of players/skill-set to get it exactly right. We switched to 4-1-2-3 in the end, when Cazorla replaced Ramsey by moving towards the middle, and it almost worked out for us.
A big minus point of Arteta was his inability to keep his composure towards the end, leading to him giving away a number of avoidable free-kicks, which allowed Bayern to simply see out the game.
Conclusion 3:
Cazorla’s drive, overview and composure was magnificent tonight. He was at times absolutely faultless and never was in hiding throughout the night. For me, he was the best player on the pitch tonight – Jenkinson and Koz were not far off either, though – and what a player Arsene has signed with him. On the other hand, Rosicky had a rusty night of football; plenty of hunger and willingness, but not much came off and he often lost out in the one-to-ones with the Bayern midfielders. However, he was often left isolated, and he did not play often in our team this season; which caused a number of his passes going astray.
Conclusion 4:
We lacked that bit of extra quality up-front to properly finish off Die Lederhosen tonight. Theo put a few great crosses into the box – one leading to the first goal – but he faded in the second half; and his partnership with Giroud is still not working out properly. Giroud scored the goal and worked his socks off, but (still) lacks composure and physical strength; just that little bit extra that would make him a great rather than a good striker.
Conclusion 5:
The entire team was well organised, very focussed and disciplined, and played with great passion. After a number of negative, and often humiliating results recently, the boys did us more than proud. We probably were too defensive for too long of the game to complete the miracle, but it was the best strategy for us on the night.
As per the start of this blog, if this team had played longer together, and had a bit more quality up-front as well, Arsenal could have completed the turnaround tonight. Alas, it was not to be.
Finally
I reckon this unexpected, and almost heroic away-win will do us a world of good. Our next game is away against Swansea and there is every reason to play the same back-five and same ‘double DMs’ as tonight again. It would be great if Podolski returns to the team against The Jacks and Cazorla can replace Rosicky in the middle. I would start Giroud centrally again, but maybe give the Ox or Gervinho a start on the wing instead of Theo.
Tonight, Arsenal regained tremendous confidence and our reputation in Europe, and at home, has been restored a bit again. A real shame we did not make it through, but we simply left ourselves with too much to do after our disappointing home game against the Germans.
However, as this is a painful and necessary transitional year for Arsenal, it is victories like these that will help us to gradually get back to the very top again. A couple more players of real quality this summer and we should be able to go all the way.
Nacho’s wing-play and crossing: I thought Monreal had a good game today. Every time he comes and supports the attack on the left wing, Nacho makes himself available and exhibits excellent composure. His final ball is also very good, and it looks like he will be an improvement on Gibbs who still needs to develop further with regards to his delivery into the box. His pullback for Cazorla’s second goal was pure class, but there were more examples of good delivery into the box today: a very promising development.
Jenkinson’s composure and general wing-play: I thought Carl did well today. He put a number of sharp balls into the box, especially in the second half. He also played with good drive and hunger, and had some fantastic battles with Agbonlahor. One or two headers could have been better and his link-up play with Arteta was a bit rusty, but that is to be expected after not playing many games in recent months.
Cazorla’s finishing: Once again Theo, and especially Giroud, did not have their shooting boots on, but Cazorla was in fine form today and scored a brace in the process. The diminutive Spaniard was everywhere and seemed to revel in his free role today. He worked very hard; helping out the team as much as possible up-front, in the middle and at the back. It has been a while since we had a midfielder who makes such great runs into the box and Santi positions himself really well. Many a player would have blasted the ball for his second goal, but his composure and technique made sure that this chance was not wasted. In his free role on the wing we might get a new fox in the box, and today Santi has been worth his weight in gold: without him we would not have won today.
Two negatives:
As a unit, our defense still lacked organisation and structure: Once we scored the first goal, Villa were able to build up decent attacks on a number of occasions; and both our midfield and defense were not cohesive and well-disciplined enough to take back control, especially in the first half. The game flowed up and down, and we were wasteful in not scoring the second goal during that phase. However, Villa also had a couple of decent chances; and had they scored, it would not necessarily have been against the run of play. Diaby had started strong in the first 20-30 minutes, but faded away towards the end of the first half, and Arteta was turned over a few times as well. As our two ‘DM’s’, Arteta and Diaby have some way to go, and on days like these, I am still smarting about our loss of Alex Song last summer. I also felt the triangle of Mertesacker, TV and Szczesny looked unorganized, or should I say allover the place, at times. The Villa goal was a well-worked counter-attack by them, although our fullbacks did not cover themselves in glory: Jenkinson’s header should have been aimed better and Nacho should have closed down Weimann’s shot. However, from that distance he should not be able to score and I thought Wojcieh should have done better. Our defense remains an area in need of improvement.
Lack of clinical finishing by Theo and especially Giroud: Football is a team sport, and let me say first of all that both Theo and Giroud worked hard for the team; especially the Frenchman worked his socks off. However, both players lacked composure and clinical finishing skills in the box today, and especially Giroud lacks quality at the moment. It looks like he is trying too hard again, which seems to influence his decision-making and execution quite a bit. I like Giroud for his work-rate, but hard work will not be enough to make it at Arsenal, and the jury remains out about him. Theo made some good runs on the wing and put a few more than decent balls into the box, but him and Giroud do not have a great understanding between them as yet, which is also costing us at the moment.
In conclusion:
A vital win at this stage of the season and well-deserved, I thought.
Although, it should be said that Villa played also well today, and did not just park the bus against us. They soaked up pressure well and were regularly dangerous; especially on the break.
Santi made a real difference today and I am really happy he stepped up when our three midfielders; Arteta, Diaby, and to a lesser extent, Jack, did not have one of their best performances.
Eight days rest now, and time for the team to reflect on the last week and get ready for the all-important derby with the Spuds. We will need to be more solid in our defensive play, and dominate the midfield area better, as well as being more clinical up-front. Not much to do then! 😉
It has been a roller coaster of a season for Arsenal characterized by inconsistency. We began the season on a high note, at some point even being the team with the best defensive statistics in the league. It was all bliss and celebration but before long, the team began to crumble. Losses against Chelsea, Schalke, Swansea and Man United, coupled with consecutive draws against Schalke (again) and Fulham, then Aston villa and Everton, saw Arsenal’s season engage in a downward spiral.
Gervinho, Mertesacker and Vermaelen had lost their early season form, Giroud was still finding his feet in the league, Wilshere and Sagna were fresh from injury, Rosicky and Diaby were still out and Walcott was still in the middle of his contract debacle. This meant that our best players were either injured, adapting, out of from or distracted. We lost ground on the leading pack and ultimately dropped out of the title race. The situation got so bad that at it began to look like we wouldn’t even finish fourth for the first time in a very long time.
Some fans began calling for Arsene Wenger’s head, but he retained his usual obstinate faith in his team and insisted that they would come good. Lately, however, it looks like Arsene may indeed be vindicated for his faith. Three wins and a draw in the last four games shows that the team may be beginning to put together a run that will see us get back in the champions league slots. We are five points adrift third spot, with a much more forgiving fixture list than those above us. We are beginning to display the kind of football that the world has become accustomed to seeing from the boys in red and white.
There are five particular players I would like to credit for this turn around: Wilshere, Walcott, Podolski, Giroud and Gibbs.
Wilshere has become the heartbeat and engine of the team, giving his absolute best even when the team is against the ropes (like in the first half against Chelsea). He defends, runs at players creates space for his team mates, and rips apart opposition defences with his incisive passing, constantly. Everyone is touting him as the next Arsenal and England captain, some even believing that this should be so immediately.
Walcott has become our most potent attacking threat and has become impossible to handle with his pace, first touch, combination play, movement and incredible finishing. He truly has matured.
Podolski continues to be our Mr. reliable with his goals, assists and defensive work on the left hand side of attack.
Giroud has really found his footing and is constantly finding the back of the net. His work rate, combination play, physical presence and predatory finishing have become too much for some to handle, and he still is getting better.
Gibbs (lately) has become our best defender. Both his defensive and attacking displays have really driven Arsenal to the form we all desire. He and Podolski have formed an incredible understanding on the left hand side.
Arsenal have began playing the kind of one touch football that makes me depressed every time there is an international break and I have to wait two weeks to watch them play. It began in that devastating 12 minute spell against West Ham where we absolutely destroyed them, scoring five goals in the process. That form has continued against Brighton, Liverpool and Stoke.
Our defence, however, was absolutely wanting against Brighton and Liverpool. Against Stoke, on the other hand, it was solid (granted we dominated the game in its entirety and Stoke aren’t known for their attacking prowess). I was particularly impressed with our new boy, Monreal’s defensive contribution. He is a remarkably astute defender, plus he has the ball skills of a winger. Not a bad buy, I must say. Mertesacker must also get some praise as he was our best center back. He dealt with crouch the whole game and this was key in keeping a clean sheet.
If you consider that players such as Rosicky and Diaby are fresh from injury, and will get better as games go by, and Gervinho’s displays at the AFCON are carrying the Ivory Coast, you realize that the prospect of finishing third is very real. Whether Arsenal can maintain this form is yet to be seen, but the initial signs are good.
We are out of the title race for sure, but we have a chance to go for the FA cup and with the belief, we could be the surprise the Champions league, like Chelsea did last year.
As our anxiety is growing bigger and bigger, with only three days left till the transfer window shuts again and, as yet, not a single purchase made, I thought it would be good to look at the areas in which Arsenal have made progress over the last few months.
I have said in previous posts that, whether we like it or not, Arsenal are going through a major period of transition again this season. Transitions take time and are hard to speed up; and they come with pain and disappointment as well as occasional joy and promise of what could lay ahead for us. Liverpool and the Chavs are going through a major transition, and the Spuds are always going through one! 😛
As football supporters, we are always inclined to respond to the here and now; heavily influenced by the performance and result of the last (few) game(s). But, it is also important to look at how things are for Arsenal structurally, and there are strong signs now that our team is getting better in terms of scoring goals and midfield dominance. Our one area of major concern is the defensive side of the team, and I will zoom in on this area in a future post.
Here are five Arsenal positives for the remainder of the season:
1. Scoring goals: RedNose has recently hailed his strike-force as the best ever. Well at £24m per year in salaries for van Judas and Shrek alone, he would certainly hope so. Yet, MU have only scored three more goals in all competitions than Arsenal this season: 76 compared to 73 for us. Our four highest scorers: Walcott (17), Giroud (13), Podolski (11) and Cazorla (8) have scored only one goal less than the Mancs top four goal scorers: Van Judas (22), Hernandez (14), Rooney (10) and Cleverley (4). Walcott and Giroud have scored 30 goals and are closing in fast on the ‘super-duo’ of Van Judas and Shrek, who have only scored two goals more. Our attackers are starting to gel now and are likely to become even more productive in the next few months.
2. The Theo Walcott effect: Since Theo was ‘reinstalled’ in the team again – ten games ago against Southampton away – Arsenal have scored 2.5 goals per game. By contrast, every time Van Judas led the line for us during the last two seasons, we never managed to score more than 1.95 goals per game on average, over a sustained period. There has been a positive psychological impact as a result of Walcott becoming a starter again and subsequently signing a new contract, and he has also added a much needed extra dimension to our attacking play. The partnership of Theo and Ollie is a very promising one, as together they have all the attacking attributes you could dream of.
3. Return to fitness of midfielders: the return to full fitness of Rosicky and Diaby has come at the right time. With Arteta picking up an injury, and Jack and Santi needing to be rested more regularly now that the big, crucial games come thick and fast, it is great to have quality and experienced players like Rosicky and Diaby available again. Add to that the progress being made by Coquelin, and a surprisingly good performance by Ramsey in Arteta’s anchorman role, and there is reason to be hopeful that we are finally starting to get full value out of the quality of players we have available for our midfield positions. We still need a beast of a DM, though! 😉
On top of that, JW10 has finally been played in ‘the hole’ position, and what a difference he has made in those games. We now have at least two options in this pivotal role: Jack and Santi, and we all know that Rosicky can give both of them a break as well.
4. The Gibbs-Podolski partnership: this is getting better and better. I have said before, they look like brothers on the pitch: there is a natural understanding between them, and their style of football and running look very similar. Podolski is quickly growing into this season’s king of assists and he has also scored a good number of goals already: eleven in total of which seven in the PL. Gibbs excellent runs and wing-play allow Podolski to move closer to the box, where the German can be most dangerous for us. Podolski has been demonstrating some great crossing skills recently as well, and I am hoping that Gibbs will learn from him fast; as this remains one of Kieran’s main areas of improvement. The longer these two play together the stronger they will become, and I reckon they will play a big part in the remainder of the season for us.
5. Vermaelen is coming good again: The Belgium Rottweiler has found his form again recently and is starting to lead by example once more. I still think the best thing for Wenger to do is hand the armband to either Mertesacker, Arteta, Szczesny or even Jack, and allow Thomas to be himself again and do what he does best: focus on defending and terrorise the opposition.
In Jack, TV5 has found a fellow extrovert leader on the pitch, and I reckon that since Jack’s full return to the first-team, Thomas has started to play a lot better by concentrating on his own game a lot more. We are desperate for at least one of our CB’s to play at their best, and with both Koz and BFG going through a bit of a form-crisis, we need TV5 to keep on going, and improving further.
Clearly, the defence is our biggest worry at the moment, and I am hoping that Wenger and Bould will be getting this area right for us as soon as possible now too. The purchase of a solid, disciplined and experienced DM could also really help in that department. Part of me wants us to buy another, quality CB: somebody in the mould of Sol Campbell. But another part of me remains confident that Koz, TV and BFG can between them sort things out. Let’s hope they do!
It was once the toughest away fixture in the Premier league, with Chelsea holding the greatest sequence of unbeaten home matches: 86, from March 2004 – October 2008. But hey, Roman Abramovich’s millions can buy you almost anything these days…yes it can even help you win the Champions League title.
In the present, they do not hold that psychological advantage over their opposition, so we should travel across London on Sunday showing no fear. The only person who should be holding any sort of fear should be Rafa Benitez. In what is perhaps the most demanding managerial position in football today, the pressure is persistently mounting on him. It’s only a matter of time before he joins the long list of Chelsea casualties; we shall see who is next through the revolving door soon enough.
Last time around, we were beaten thanks to some set piece problems and a few important players missing. This time we have almost a full squad to choose from with Szcz, Sagna, and Wilshere available for the return fixture. Chelsea won’t know what hit them this time, because these three are perhaps our most important players in our starting line-up.
Let’s begin now shall we!
Missing in Action:
Arsenal: Rosicky (calf) remains on the sidelines (not sure he left to be honest), which is unfortunate because he could provide a much needed rest to either Santi or Jack. Arteta (calf) and Fabianski will also miss out.
Kozzer returns from his one-match suspension. Gerv misses this one due to Coupe d’Afrique des Nations duty.
Chelsea: Romeu is out with a knee injury. Everyone’s favourite defender Terry returns after a two month absence. He appeared as a sub midweek, so I would not be surprised if he comes back in to the starting line-up for this one.
Chelsea are also devoid of both Mikel and Moses because of ACoN.
Predicted Line-up:
I would not change the line-up from the one we saw midweek. As far as I’m concerned I think that is our best possible line-up. I like Coquelin over Arteta because he is faster and more tenacious, and his attacking link up work is also very underrated. Santi gives us the width that Ramsey doesn’t, but can also wander in field and create opportunities. Diaby is unplayable at times, and without Mikel he really has a chance to boss the midfield. Let’s give it a go again!!!
Expect to see Terry back at CB and Ivanovic to return at RB. Now Lampard has signed a pre-contract with LA Galaxy, it will be interesting to see if he keeps his starting position, or whether he relinquishes it to Ramires and Luiz. Chelsea will most likely use a 4-2-1-3 formation with Torres up top, Mata and Hazard on the wings, Oscar at AM, Ramires and Lampard central, and a back four of Tumbling Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic, and some traitorous swine known as Cole.
Previous Encounters:
Arsenal 1 – Chelsea 2
On September 29th Arsenal faced a Chelsea team that was sitting on top of the ladder and in red hot form. Diaby tested Cech from long range early on and subsequently injured himself in the process; an injury that looked rather innocuous at the time but kept him on the sidelines until last weekend. Chelsea responded with a goal thanks to a bit of skill by Torres from a set piece…however, it was the poor marking from Kozzer that allowed the expensive flop Torres to score. Gervinho levelled the score before half time with a rather impressive turn and shot (his only real involvement of the game it has to be said). Mata finished off the tie with a great free kick that took a slight deflection of Kozzer. Not Kozzer’s best game but I still maintain that he is our best defender when fully confident. Nevertheless, Chelsea got it done when it Mata’d…I’ll get my coat.
Arsenal 0 – Chelsea 0
Two great saves from Cech and some wasteful efforts from another traitorous swine meant Arsenal could not breakdown a robust Chelsea team.
Form Guide:Arsenal: WLDDW Chelsea: DWLWL
Despite dropping points against the Manchester Oilers a lot of positives could be drawn from our second half performance. Although we only beat Swansea 1-0 midweek we played all over them for the entire match and could quite easily have belted them all the way back to Wales. The signs are positive, we must continue to build on the momentum we have.
Chelsea haven’t had too much luck recently (they did beat Stoke away 0-4 which is not to be scoffed at) losing out to QPR, Swansea, and drawing against Southampton in their last three home fixtures. Let us hope the nightmare continues.
This week I’ve dipped into the Arsenal Archive and pulled out this video clip. It is a highlights package from our 2-0 win over Chelsea in the 2002 FA Cup final. Oh To, Oh To Be, Oh To Be A Gooner!!!
One to Watch:
Theo Walcott: He finally signed the thing! Hallelujah we can all breathe again. Now it’s time to get fully behind him and let’s see what he can produce under Arsene’s tutelage. His stats are undeniable, his speed is blistering, and his finishing is top notch. It’s time for him to put his money where his mouth is, and I have complete faith in him doing so!
Demba Ba…again! We had to deal with him not long ago at the Emirates and he managed to put two past us on that occasion. The man is a quality poacher and scores whenever given a sniff. If I was Torres I would be worried because Ba can deliver (as he showed midweek against Southampton) and is eyeing his starting position. It’s unlike Chelsea to do a shrewd bit of business, but I feel this time they’ve struck gold for a fraction of the cost.
Mata will also be one to keep our eye on; last time around he was afforded too much room, and we can’t let it happen again!
Key-Match up:
Francis Coquelin vs Juan Mata
Our young midfield enforcer against Chelsea’s most dangerous player and creator Juan Mata (8 assists, 7 goals). Now that Walcott has signed his contract. all that remains for most Arsenal supporters is the need for a midfield enforcer/beast/monster/barbarian/troglodyte/cannibal, in other words a snarling midfielder who can protect the back four and boss the midfield. Nigel De Jong is only 174cm and 72kgs, Gattuso is 177cm and 77kgs, Flamini is 178 cm and 67kgs, M’Vila is 182cm and 80kgs, Francis Coquelin is 182 cm and 75kgs and still developing. So you don’t have to be a brute to be a great defensive midfielder! Coquelin has his chance to usurp Arteta’s position (tough, given our winning % without Arteta is 14.28%) in the starting line-up (similar to how Flamini did to Gilberto) by putting together more strong performances like the one against Swansea. He and Diaby complemented one another brilliantly; what a partnership they could forge for both Arsenal and France!
Mata caused us all sorts of troubles at the Emirates (1 goal and an assist), so Coquelin must be watching him like a hawk the entire game. Not give him an inch, and he and the team must be careful not to commit any fouls around the box because he is deadly! Shackle Mata and we go a long way to winning this match.
Pre-Match Finger:
This week’s finger goes to the Bori! They are a secret coven of demons responsible for the possession of bad luck. Searching the Encyclopaedia of Demons was the only next logical step to curing Diaby of his injury curse. He is a magnificent player who always slips so seamlessly into the line-up. He has a powerful shot, amazing dribbling skills, fluid movement across the pitch, long legs that allow him to dispossess opposition players easily…he is our Paddy V version 2. The only problem is he cannot stay off the treatment table for too long. Arsene has been very patient but how much longer can it last? He is commanding a good salary and potentially holding back another player in the squad.
Now rumour has it that to get rid of this demon one must say the word ‘iron’ repeatedly…I’m suspect though. because Jack is made of iron and surely that’d be enough to exorcise the demon from Diaby! The only other solution is a special dance; now Sagna, BFG, and Podolski tried it in the pre-season…
But, it clearly wasn’t enough because it only worked on Diaby temporarily. At the next home game we need everyone at the Emirates to perform the same dance once Diaby comes on to the pitch! Let’s vanquish this demon so we can unleash our own in the centre of the pitch!
Pre-Match pat on the back:
This week’s pat on the back goes to Jack Wilshere. Not because he is a future Arsenal hall of famer (he will be!), not because he’s going to be one of the best in the world (he will be!), not because every Arsenal male fan has a man crush on him (they do!); it is because he’s everything we love in a player. Not because he scored the winner against Swansea (it was darn good though!), but because the kid has a wise head on his shoulders. He has come back strong from a serious injury and does the little things on the field that others don’t. Against Swansea, towards the end of the game, he made a simple gesture to his team mates to ‘think about what you are doing’. We had the lead and the game was drawing to a close and he was making sure we didn’t lose our heads once again. Keep the lid on it he’s still young you say…sorry, that lid blew off when he scored this pearler at the tender age of 16.
see 1.19 mins
‘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 CD from http://www.chelseadaft.org, and Blue Champion from http://www.bluechampions.com or his twitter handle @bluechampion. Let’s see what they’ve written for us this week:
1) What happens with Torres now Ba is scoring for fun?
CD: Torres is still the clubs number one striker. He has been good at times this season but badly needed a rest. I expected a better reaction from him the other week against Swansea after watching Demba Ba score two on his debut at Southampton but he didn’t seem bothered for the first time and the fans turned on him including me.
BlueChampion:Torres goes to the bench. And in the summer (if not this month) leaves the club and saves about £9m per year in salaries. Earlier his results were poor and now his efforts are also poor. Barring a miracle, he’s a goner.
2) Who has been Chelsea’s best player so far this season? What is he capable of?
CD: Juan Mata once again is our best player with Eden Hazard a close second. Mata finds space and can hurt you. You have seen at the Emirates that he can take a set piece, he can score goals and create them. He is a perfect number 10.
BlueChampion:Juan Mata. He’s the magician that pulls the strings for Chelsea. All attacks go through him and he has such chemistry with all forward players that he is a threat all the time. What’s he capable of? Wait until Sunday.
3) What’s your take on the Frank Lampard situation?
CD: Frank Lampard deserves another contract in my book. He is still fit, still performing and scoring goals in the Premier League. People forget he missed half a season through injury two years ago and remains an important part of our squad. You need experience in the squad to bring out the best in people and if he leaves this summer, Chelsea would have made a mistake.
BlueChampion:He’s 35 this summer. I’m with the club. Happy for one-year extensions with pay cuts. We already have a crowded midfield with young talents – Ramires, Luiz, Romeu, Oscar, McEachran (on loan) and Kevin de Bruyne (on loan). Looking forward to his Bobby Tambling record. After that he should stay at club’s terms or go.
4) Benitez…how much longer will he last?
CD: I hope Benitez goes sooner rather than the summer but I can’t see it happening. He is too slow to react to situations that are happening in front of him on the pitch. Look at Wenger or Mourinho. If things aren’t going well, they make instant changes to try and affect the game from the bench, positive changes. He has had chances to do that in our last four three home games, hasn’t done it quick enough and we haven’t won the game. Apparently, he told the team at half time on Wednesday being 2-0 up against Southampton at home “wasn’t safe” and we needed a third goal! Who on earth would say that to a Chelsea team 2-0 up and cruising against Southampton! (No disrespect to them of course!).
BlueChampion:Certainly until the end of the season. Remember his contract is for 18 months with an option to review at the end of the season. So if we don’t find a more permanent manager (which he is clearly not), he can continue his contract which runs till end of 2013/14 season.
5) What position/player is your weakest link?
CD: At the moment it seems that at right back is our weakest link. “Dave”( César Azpilicueta) has done well there but has been skinned twice in three league games against QPR and Southampton and we have conceded twice. I am hoping Branislav Ivanovic moves back out there with JT coming into the middle for Sunday.
BlueChampion:Our weakest link could be the double pivot (two of Lampard/Ramires/Luiz). All these are basically attack minded players in the supposedly defensive double pivot. You would find acres of space in the middle of the park to exploit and you can easily win the midfield battle. If only you had Arteta!
6) Which Arsenal player would you like to have and why?
CD: Theo Walcott. For the life of me, I have never understood why Arsene Wenger has never played Walcott through the middle as a striker until it has got to the stage of him leaving? He is a readymade Thierry Henry replacement with his pace alone. Of course he still needs work playing there but his raw pace and ability should justify him starting week in, week out. I see he is about to sign a new deal but if it falls through, I would love Roman to bring him to Stamford Bridge!
BlueChampion:Theo Walcott. Because he brings in a new dimension to the Chelsea squad. He can be a great plan B. We have too many ballers now but we need players like Walcott who can threaten you with sheer pace and he is a good finisher too. He can be a striker option as well as a wide forward player. Hope he doesn’t sign that extension of yours (oops too late!).
7) What is your prediction for the match?
CD: God knows to be honest. At home at the moment Chelsea are a nightmare. We have attacking flair, expressive players playing expansive football until we reach the final third and then find it hard to break sides down. Benitez talks of missed chances against Southampton, but there were hardly any real clear cut opportunities. Out of 18 attempts on goal just three were on target. If Arsenal come here and set their stall out to defend and hit us on the counter, we could have real problems. In saying that, if we can get at the Arsenal, we can cause you all sorts of problems too. Whoever defends better wins the game and it’s as simple as that.
BlueChampion:My prediction is a 2-1 win for Chelsea. Will be an open match. Arsenal’s defence (minusKoscielny) would just suit our bunch very well. We are a much better team now than we had met you last at the Emirates stadium. Even John Terry would be back. But you’re losing Arteta and Kosielny. On paper, Chelsea do look a stronger team with a greater possibility of a win.
Prediction:
Chelsea have only won one in their last seven home games, and I expect the bad run to continue. We will be choc-full of confidence after the Swansea game and the signing of Theo. It should be enough to see us get over the line on our way to a 1-2 victory. Now I wasn’t too sure about my prediction this week so I signed up to a free psychic website and asked a lady with 20-25 years of experience in the field a couple of questions:
Oz: Will Arsenal beat Chelsea this weekend? And by how much?
Jetember: More than likely yes. 1-0
Oz: Will John Terry fall over again?
Jetember:I’m seeing no
Oz:Bugger! My mate TMHT has had some bad luck in his life can you help?
Jetember:I can say a special prayer for your friend (she begins swinging a chain with a cross attached and speaking in another language. 2 minutes later…)
Oz:Thank you. Will we win the Champions League?
Jetember:Unfortunately no
That ended the conversation as I concluded that she knew nothing. I should have known considering she had rap music playing in the back ground. I’ll stick with my prediction! 1-2 to the good guys.
Give Theo a chance! Cavani-Cruelty. Jack gave Arsenal its identity back.
Give Theo a chance!
It has been disappointing to read the negative comments and fans player ratings across the blogospere of Theo’s recent performances. In the last game, against Swansea, Walcott managed to get into scoring positions on a number of occasions and he also was able to get his fellow striker Giroud in on goal a few times. Theo missed his chances and of course he should be judged on that. However, he got close on a number of occasions and on another day he would have scored two or three goals: such is football.
He has played 24 games for us, and many of them were as a substitute. However, he has already amassed 14 goals and 10 assists; that’s 1 goal/assist per game. In the last two seasons Walcott had either a goal or an assist in 22% of all our PL goals. What is it that people are not getting re Walcott? It is about time to drop the gut-feeling and look at the hard stats. It is a must Arsenal sign him up, and I for one will be a very happy bunny when we do so.
He wants to be a central striker and in order to do so, Arsene will have to adopt the way the team plays. The way Arsenal were set up on Wednesday might be the way forward, and of course it will take time for things to settle down and the necessary automatisms starting to work. But we’ll get there, and I have no doubt that Theo can become one of Arsenal’s greatest goal scorers if and when he commits to the club for the long term. His partnership with Giroud is a potential match made in heaven, but it will need to be developed, and we need to remain patient.
Cavani-Cruelty
I have written before how much I despise the transfer window gossip circus. 99% is made up and will leave fellow bloggers with constant feelings of disappointment. The latest gossip is based on Arsenal spending BIG money on Cavani. Those of you who have seen Cavani play, and I don’t mean in a video compilation but at least one whole match, will know what a phenomenally good striker he is. He would suit perfectly into Arsenal, no doubt about that, and if we are moving towards a 4-4-2 formation it would be even more perfect: we could have Cavani and Theo to start, with Giroud and Podolski as back-up; or Giroud and Cavani to start.
But it is very unlikely to happen. He is a sought after striker and comes at a very high price. If any of the oil-clubs show a serious interest then we are likely to be out-bid by them, unless of course he really would insist on going only to Arsenal. I cannot see it happen myself, and I can see it all end in tears.
Jack gave Arsenal its identity back
It was fantastic to see JW10 in the hole on Wednesday. With Coquelin and Diaby dominating the midfield behind him, Jack was able to dictate our attacking play. He gave the team shape and focus and real attacking intent. Arsenal created a lot of chances through playing football on the floor, and that against an opponent that was set up, and very well-drilled, in avoiding this from happening. Jack cracked the Jacks’ structure though, and this has been missed so badly recently.
Jack’s ability to move into space in front of him with the ball, as well as passing it round with ease and composure, made all the difference. As soon as he goes past one or two players, everything is on the move, and gaps start to appear in the opposition’s defensive wall(s), which Jack spots and either moves into or plays the ball into. We have missed this a lot with Santi, who looks almost constantly to pass the ball and receive it back, without necessarily making much progress. I feel Jack has more forward thrust and makes things happen. Santi playing on the wing might suit Arsenal and him best. There is more freedom to move around the field and yet he gives good cover to our wing-back as well. He is a great player and has the potential to develop into our new Pires.
But there is no doubt in my mind that Jack gave Arsenal back its identity, with his vision, passing, penetrating, passion and drive, and I expect Arsene to start with the same eleven on Sunday. I also would like to stress again that Coquelin and Diaby made a real difference for us. Together they were able to protect our midfield better and also support Jack going forward. Both are good tacklers and good in the air, and they will get better the longer they can play together, and either of them can play well with Arteta as well.
I still really want a beast of a DM, as Diaby is so injury prone and Coquelin is not yet the finished article, but the combination of Diaby-Coquelin and Jack worked really well against Swansea.
Let’s see how they hold out against the Chavs on Sunday!
Today’s match was totally spoiled by referee Dean at the very start of the game. Koz should have known better, but who would have thought he would be given a red card by Dean on top of conceding a penalty?! I cannot believe that an experienced referee can opt to give a straight red and a penalty for the same offence in one of the ‘Super Sunday’ matches, so early in the game: what a total disappointment! Letter of the law or not, it was very harsh on Arsenal; and what should have been a fair and fantastic battle between two ‘footballing’ sides became a damp squib.
Arsenal, already out of sorts without its anchor, Arteta, as a result of a muscular injury, found it hard to adjust to the new reality of having to play with ten men, and MC smelled blood. Despite the introduction of Mertesacker, who usually helps the team to keep organised and focussed at the back, Arsenal were unable to bring some necessary organisation to our defence after Koscielny was sent off. By the time Vermaelen and Mertesacker had restored some order, Arsenal were already 2-0 down.
All game we struggled for control and shape, but we will never know how we would have fared if Arsenal had been able to play with 11 against 11 for the entire game. With Theo centrally up-front, it is so important that at least two midfielders push higher up the pitch to find him, or one of the two wingers. The surely knackered Cazorla struggled once again to put his stamp on the game, and to give us shape and focus from the key position that he holds. I find it unbelievable that Rosicky remains on the bench at the moment, but enough has been said about that!
Jack battled all over the pitch, and was so desperate to conduct our play from the back. But the players in front of him did not make the runs needed for him to pick them out, and without any proper wingers we were predictable and ineffective. Shall I say it again: Jack is enormous for us and our best on-field leader.
It was good to see that he did not have to fight on his own today. Vermaelen recovered strongly after the first 30 minutes and was immense in the second half. The same can be said about Sagna who played like the old warrior again, and what a beast he was for us today!
Diaby was very rusty and in my view it was a mistake to play him in Arteta’s role after such a long absence. The deepest midfield position is such a crucial position, both in terms of shape to the team and protection of the back-four, and I reckon it would have been better if Wilshere would have played there today; with Diaby in the more open role normally occupied by little Jack.
It is so hard to evaluate Theo’s performance today, especially as we played with 10 men for almost the entire game. As I have written in previous posts, I don’t believe we can play with Pod on the left and Theo in the middle without proper wing-play from the right. It was disappointing that Wenger had to take Ox off, and I believe it would have been better to take Pod off instead.
However, Theo’s inability to come for the ball in the air, and even on the ground, and to shield it so our other attackers and midfielders can come closer to the opposition’s box was very evident today. And when you play with ten men, this is an absolute necessity in my view.
In hindsight, it would have been better to take either Pod or Ox of for Mertesacker and replace Theo with Giroud. The Frenchman would have given us more support in my view.
I was not impressed with Theo today, but then I was also disappointed about the lack of shape in our team for most of the match, and the poor support we gave him; although having to play with only ten men had a lot to do with this, I reckon.
The sending off makes it a lot more difficult to give a fair verdict of Theo’s performance, but I reckon Wenger will be scratching his hair tonight on what to do with regards to his formation and strike-force, going forward.
Once Kompany was also sent off as well, which probably would not have been a red card if Dean had not given Koscielny one earlier, the balance of the game, which had evened out in the second half, turned towards us, as we pressed more consistently for a goal. However, regular misunderstandings between the players, and a lack composure by a number of individual players in front of goal, meant that we did not manage to score, despite trying very hard.
We should be encouraged by the second half performance, despite some of the shortcomings of our team as described above. Dean spoilt the game though, and I hope he will not get away with it this time.
For all those of you checking constantly whether we have bought somebody yet, these are not easy times. I used to be like that, but I have learned not to bother with any gossip unless it is confirmed by Arsenal.com or the BBC. The combination of a relatively low position in the league, our current inability to hit some decent form consistently, and the lack of transfer activities, is making us all restless and grumpy.
Firstly, let me state that I am hoping for 1) a beast of a DM, 2) a traditional winger and 3) a back-up, PL-experienced goalkeeper. If nobody arrived by the end of the month, I will be very disappointed. But, it is pretty useless to talk about potential targets, as Arsene is utterly unpredictable and probably does not exactly know what/who he wants himself at the moment; as per his recent comments.
However, with the return to fitness of Diaby and Rosicky, and the rest of our squad all fit and available, and Theo now being played through the middle regularly, we could potentially see a change in formation to 4-4-2, and I reckon we have the players for it.
For the sake of discussions, let me first give a few of my personal views:
Ideally, we need a strong, physical DM, who can play football as well;
Arteta and Jack don’t offer enough in terms of physical strength/ ball winning skills;
Jack does not wear the nr.10 shirt for nothing; he should play higher up the pitch;
Cazorla is a great player, but I would play him on the wing; he does not give our team enough shape and purpose when he plays in the advanced midfield position in our current 4-2-1-3;
Both Jack and Rosicky are our best players in terms of conducting our play i.e. giving shape and purpose to our football: one of them should play in the advanced midfield position;
Podolski is not a winger, but he has formed a good partnership with his twin-brother Gibbs, and if he could get fitter and sharper he could become fantastic in that position for us.
I like the thought of Theo and Giroud play together up-front, but it will take time and it will only work in my view if Arsenal start playing in a 4-4-2 formation.
Given the above, I would absolutely love it – and I know I am not the only one who would welcome this – if we were to change to 4-4-2 from now on. In an ideal world, Arsenal could line up in midfield and attack like this:
Cazorla – Wilshere – New DM/Diaby – Podolski
———————–Theo—Giroud———————–
Giroud could be our attacking pivot, and Theo could have a free role: at times adding support to our wing-play, and other times combining with Giroud to create and score goals, or running on to through-balls from our midfielders. The longer Giroud and Walcott would play together the better their partnership would become.
With Cazorla and Wilshere we have two fantastic midfielders who can help on the defensive side as well as creating chances for others. However, it is important that we add more steel in the centre of defence. A fit Diaby could do it, but we cannot count on him for long: therefore, a new DM should be bought as soon as possible.
I would love to see Cazorla and Podolski on the wings in this 4-4-2 formation: they would both add defensive support as well as a real assist and goal threat. Cazorla could be our new Pires, although not playing on the left but the right, and Podolski could be our new Ljunberg, although also playing on the other side. With Ox, Coquelin, Gervinho, Eisfeld, and Rosicky we also have decent cover for our left midfield and right midfield positions.
Cazorla could be cover for Theo and Podolski could replace Giroud, and I would not be surprised if we were to buy another central striker if we were to change to a 4-4-2 formation. I hear some of you say, Arsene will not go back to 4-4-2, no way! You are probably right, but don’t totally disregard it, as I can not see him putting either Theo or Giroud on the bench for long spells.
But, let’s say, Arsene sticks to his beloved 4-2-1-3 formation: how could it work better for us?
Well, as per my personal views above, I would like to see the following formation in midfield and attack:
——————Arteta/Diaby—New DM/Diaby—————-
————————-Wilshere/Rosicky—————————
Cazorla/Ox——-Giroud/Theo–Pod/Theo/New Winger
I reckon Arsenal would play far better football than we currently do with this combination of players. Jack or Rosicky would give our play purpose and structure; a proper DM would give us steel in midfield; or, if and when Diaby is fit, he could form a fine partnership with Arteta (as per the start of the season).
Arsenal could either play with Theo or Giroud in the middle, depending a bit on the opponent and/or current form. There are also good options for the wing, although it would be great if we were to buy a very good, dedicated winger to give us more variety in this area, in the next few weeks.
All in all, plenty of opportunities to further fine tune the team for Arsene, and it will be interesting to see what will happen in the next few weeks.
Having watched the second half again last night, I felt a lot more positive about the whole game than I did when I watched the game for the first time. In the first half, Arsenal tried as hard as in the second half, but the belief was not there and our football looked a bit ‘theoretical’ as a result. We pressed them in numbers and tried to find openings, but the midfield and our attack looked like separate sub-teams.
This all changed in the second half, when we took the game once again to Swansea with plenty of energy, focus and with more invention. Swansea scored their goal against the run of play, and our defence should have done better in avoiding the chance happening in the first place and dealing with it as well.
We did not give up though and kept pushing for the equaliser, driven on by the real leader in this team: little Jackie Wilshere. Our goals came in quick succession by substitute Podolski and the other ‘driver’ yesterday: Kieran Gibbs. Podolski showed his predatory instinct with a fine turn and ferocious shot into the corner of the goal which left Vorm shapeless, and Gibbs’ goal was a Bergkampesque beauty; converting a fine ball over the top by Giroud with venom and precision in the roof of the net.
Before the goals, Arsenal had been close to scoring on several occasions but we lacked quality in our finishing: Giroud, Theo, Cazorla and Podolski all missed decent to great chances.
Why no Rosicky yesterday?
Cazorla is one of our best footballers, and I would always play him as long as he is fit. But Arsene has given him the responsibility to shape our attacks and direct our play, and I feel he is struggling in this department recently. He is no Fabregas that is for sure, and I reckon it is Wilshere who is mainly directing our football at the moment with his drive, overview and passing ability.
I am wondering more and more whether Cazorla should play on the wings, at least for a few games, and give Rosicky a chance to play in his position. I reckon we would get a far better shape to the team and become more inventive and effective as a result. But Arsene did once again not even use him as a substitute, and I am starting to wonder whether Rosicky is in line for being sold during this TW. Given the Czechs’ fitness problems I would not be too sad about that, as long as he is replaced. However, I think we are missing a trick or two at the moment, and Rosicky could really lift this team with his drive and ability.
Theo and Giroud not gelling yet
With Ramsey on the left, and Theo playing a lot closer to Giroud than usual, we did not have proper wingers yesterday. A lot of wing-play came from the wing-backs, and especially Gibbs did really well yesterday (if only he could learn to cross!). It was also good to see Sagna back with confidence and drive and I hope he will improve further against Man City. The cross of the game came from the much maligned Ramsey, who worked hard to get himself a bit of space and time to cross all the way from the corner flag onto Giroud forehead at a perfect height. But Giroud is once again trying too hard to convince his (few) doubters that he really is a good striker, which seems to affect his finishing.
Ollie works so hard for the team and tries to help as much as he can, but it is clear he is one of these players who needs to play regularly to be at his best. Theo also struggled to have a real impact on the game, as Swansea did not allow him, and the rest of the team, a lot of space during most of the game.
It was also clear that Giroud and Walcott have some way to go to become a strong partnership, but I do feel we need to keep playing them together for a while (maybe with Rosicky and Cazorla, or Ox and Pod, on the wings in a 4-4-2).
Second half offers hope of better times to come.
This season we seem to be a second half team. We play a lot better after the break which indicates to me that as a team we are not gelling enough on the pitch, and Wenger and Bould need to do a lot of work at half time to get the players to perform better both tactically and personally. It does seem to work, though, but we need to get the same level of performance for 90 minutes, if we are to beat the Northern and Southern Oilers in our next PL fixtures this month.
The second half performance offers hope of progress in terms of drive and spirit. But our defending needs to improve significantly, and Mertesacker will play a key role in this. He did not have a good game yesterday, but just like Giroud he is one of those players who need to play regularly to be at his best. We need his organisational skills and reading of the game to give us back shape and unity in our defence. Let’s hope he is back to his best again next weekend.
Bergkampesque 