Arsenal’s New Year’s Resolutions
509 comments January 4th, 2007
Now that the festivities are over, and the flurry of Christmas fixtures is coming to a close, it seems right for the club to sit down and have a good think about the upcoming year. However, seeing as “the club” is an intangible entity incapable of thought, I’m going to do it for them:
Arsenal’s New Year’s Resolutions
1. Stop playing 4-5-1 on a regular basis. In our last five games, we have scored fourteen goals. I’m rubbish at maths, but I know that’s plenty, especially when you consider that one of those games was the anomalous defeat to Sheffield United. The lone striker system has served us well at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, and can be useful away to top sides or in Europe. However, in most Premiership games, the emergence of Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor as potential partners for Thierry Henry means we should not be afraid to go and outscore the opposition. Plus, it’s a lot more fun to watch.
2. Keep scoring goals from set-pieces. Gilberto, for example, has eight goals to his name this season, and a great deal of those have been either penalties or headers from set-pieces. The arrival of William Gallas has also helped us become more dangerous in this department, and yet again we can look to Van Persie and Adebayor: the former for his delivery and the latter for his power. Chelsea have shown that getting regular goals from set-pieces is a simple but effective way of grinding out wins, and we should follow suit.
3. Have several players hit 15 goals. A little ambitious maybe, but why not? Whenever we’ve been successful in the past we’ve had three or four players reaching this landmark: Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljungberg, and Robert Pires, for example. Van Persie is well on the way, and you’d expect Thierry Henry to catch him up, fitness permitting. For two of our forwards to get there would be a significant improvement on recent seasons, buit with Adebayor on seven and Gilberto on eight it might not be asking too much for a third wheel on our goalscoring machine.
4. Integrate Theo Walcott. Although he is not eighteen until March, the flying winger has already proved to be an important part of the squad, with the pace to unlock defences and an eye for a good ball. As his strength and stature improves with each passing game, you can’t help but feel that 2007 could be a big year for Theo Walcott. The question for Arsene is: just what is his best position?
5. Re-introduce Abou Diaby. Although he was only fit and available for a few months last season, he was selected more often than not, starting eleven games and coming on in five. In fact, such was his impact that Cesc Fabregas was moved out to the right for a spell in order to accommodate him. The player Arsene Wenger describes as the most similiar to Patrick Vieira he has ever seen is close to returning to fitness, and when he does, he’ll want to make up for missing the Champions League Final and Final Day at Highbury with a storming 2007.
6. Learn to defend a bit. Boring, I know, but it has to be said. Although we have improved at the back this season, we still struggle occasionally with set-pieces. Maybe get Steve Bould away from his u-18s to spend a bit of time organising the back four?
7. Sign a goalkeeper. If you want my opinion, a) you’re a fool, but b) Jens Lehmann is off in the summer. After three seasons of good service, he’ll be going home to Germany, and Arsene will be forced to sign a replacement. Obviously we’ll be linked with everyone going, but I imagine that Craig Gordon, Artur Boruc, Yohanne Pele, and Igor Akinfeev will be the names that crop up again and again. And again. Can’t wait to write those blogs…
8. Win a trophy. An obvious one, but after a barren season last year, we should be aiming to bring something home come May, be it the Champions League, FA Cup, or even the League Cup. Of course, the latter two come into focus next week, when we face Liverpool twice in three days. And should we lose, that’ll be the end of our chances of winning anything domestically. For 2007, at least…
