Archive for April, 2009
April 20th, 2009
Hello all. Not much time to blog today, and not all that much to blog about. The morning’s headlines are dominated by Man U’s exit from the FA Cup, and whilst there are undoubtedly questions to be asked our semi-final line-up it was infinitely more strong than the team Alex Ferguson chose to field. What really hurts, with the greatest of respect to the Merseysiders, is that had we won on Saturday we could be looking at an FA Cup Final against Everton, and our best chance of silverware in a long, long time.
The man who was most controversially left out, Andrey Arshavin, has spoken to his personal website with his thoughts on the game:
“I think two very strong teams played at Wembley today. I think in the beginning we had some territorial advantage, dictated the game and managed to score the goal. The game got more even following that. Soon it was Chelsea who had the advantage, which lead to their goal. Summing up the performance in the first half, I think the result was fair. In the second half, Chelsea had more of the posession, more of the game was taking place in our half, although we tried to organise quick counter-attacks. Unfortunately, we conceded and had little time to really put pressure on Cech’s goal. Our opponents did not give us opportunities to create something. We are disappointed that our fans left the stadium deflated. That’s football, you lose sometimes. I guess you can’t win everything. Now we have to concentrate our efforts on the Champions’ League and the Premiership.”
Fair play to him for not even mentioning the fact he was on the bench in the biggest game of his Arsenal career so far.
One piece of good news around this morning is that Manuel Almunia could return for Sunday’s game against Middlesbrough. Despite Arsene’s best attempts to boost the lad, Lukasz Fabianski’s confidence is going to be shot, so the quicker the Spaniard can come back into the side the better.
I may add some more bloggery later if some team news emerges. If not, I’ll see you tomorrow for a Liverpudlian Preview. Till then.
April 19th, 2009
Chelsea 2 – 1 Arsenal (Walcott 18, Malouda 34, Drogba 84)
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here
I attended yesterday’s game with lasagnechef from The Cannon. As we left a raucous Arsenal pub and strolled down Wembley Way, he remarked to me upon how much the setting made it feel like a final. I agreed. Little did I know how much the game itself would resemble a final – and one specific final in particular: that of the Carling Cup, in 2007. For just as on that day, Arsenal took an early lead through Theo Walcott, and just as on that day, they were thwarted by a late goal from Didier Drogba.
Intriguingly, the Arsenal line-up bore remarkable similarity to that day too. As on that day, we had our second choice goalkeeper playing. As on that day, Kolo Toure provided the experience in defence, with an English teenager playing in one of the full-back roles. And, as on that day, in the most controversial aspect of yesterday’s selection, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson and Diaby all started in midfield.
I may aswell begin by talking about the starting line-up, as I know many fans will arrive at this report feeling that is where the game was lost. Kieran Gibbs was passed fit, so the back four picked itself, with Eboue and Silvestre joining Gibbs and Toure ahead of Fabianski. In midfield, Alex Song was seemingly rested, with Denilson and Diaby joining Cesc Fabregas in a central three. The real surprise came with the decision not to include not only Samir Nasri but also Andrey Arshavin, with Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott flanking Emmanuel Adebayor.
If I was picking my Arsenal team, Andrey Arshavin would be the second only to the captain on my list. He has been nothing short of a revelation since joining in January, and yesterday seemed made for him: a big stage against one of our major rivals, coached by his national manager. What more incentive could he have to impress? And yet Arsene left him on the bench. My Chelsea-supporting brother awoke yesterday gripped with fear that this would be “The Arshavin semi-final”, and confessed his relief to me at what he saw as a remarkably strange decision by our manager.
There are, as I see it, only two possible explanations for Arsene’s decision. The first is that he wished to hold Arshavin back for the league game at Anfield, which seems peverse: another Aston Villa draw yesterday brought qualification for the Champions League ever closer, whilst our chance of domestic silverware is now gone. When you crave a trophy as badly as we as a club do, you have to put all your available resources into that pursuit. And anyway, the argument for this reasoning falls down when you consider that the Russian has had a week off – he could have played today and at Anfield with no problems whatsoever.
The true reason Arsene left Arshavin out, as far as I can tell, is that he was worried about conceding a height advantage to Chelsea. Having made a decision to rest Song, he felt he had to start with some taller players to combat Chelsea’s threat from set pieces, so in came Abou Diaby. Even so, I still don’t understand it. Arsene talked in the week of the advantage of Arshavin’s European cup-tie being that he would be fresh for the weekend. To then not play him seems entirely nonsensical.
I would always pick at least one of Arshavin or Nasri in my side. They are, as Arsene once called to Robert Pires, the oil in our engine. Without them we were desperately lacking in creativity.
It wasn’t only the personnel that gave us problems, but the way they were deployed. We played five across the middle, with the far from nippy Van Persie doing a manful but ultimately flawed impression of a winger. None of Fabregas, Diaby and Denilson seemed to have much interest in getting forward to support Adebayor, which left him isolated and ineffective. He actually won a fair amount of ball against Alex and Terry, but his flick-ons drifted through to… well, no-one.
Our lack of attacking impetus probably wasn’t helped by the fact we took an early lead. The goal itself was well-worked, with Adebayor slipping in Gibbs to cross to the far post, where Theo Walcott arrived and volleyed home his third goal in three games, his shot clipping the hand of Ashley Cole and so deceiving Petr Cech.
From that point on, we seemed to sit back, didn’t create a chance in the first half. In fact, we started to look very vulnerable defensively. The warning signs had been there when Lukasz Fabianski charged out of his goal and was beaten to the ball by Drogba, with Kieran Gibbs forced to clear off the line, just as against Wigan a week ago.
When the equaliser came, it was from Florent Malouda, which given his form since signing for Chelsea was somewhat humiliating. Frank Lampard launched a long cross-field pass, and Emmanuel Eboue granted Malouda time to bring it down, come inside, and fire a shot inside Fabianski’s near-post. I am convinced that goal would never have been scored with Bacary Sagna in the side, who probably would have cut the pass out with a towering header.
It almost got worse very quickly: Diaby dithered on the edge of his own box (something we were unsurprisingly guilty of all day), and Anelka stole the ball and fired against the post.
In the second half, we seemed to have recovered from the mental blow of losing our lead, and Theo Walcott set about terrorising Ashley Cole again. If we were ever going to score it was going to be due to the young winger’s dribbling and delivery, but all too often no-one apart from Adebayor was even in the box.
Arshavin was eventually introduced with about fifteen minutes to play, seemingly only because Robin van Persie had picked up an injury. Soon after, Arsene made the decision to withdraw Adebayor, with Bendtner replacing him. This sub said to me, and more importantly Chelsea: we can’t win it in the ninety. It was a change that pre-empted extra-time, and it handed Hiddink the initiative. Almost immediately, Chelsea scored: another lofted Lampard pass saw Drogba tearing on to the ball from deep. Mikael Silvestre tried yet failed to stay with him. Against Villarreal a ball over the top of Silvestre had twice given us problems, but on that day Lukasz Fabianski’s timing of his interceptions was perfect. Today, however, he got it all wrong, charging out into no-man’s-land to allow Drogba to expertly round him and finish with his left-foot. It was a terrible goal to concede, and blame is equal between the centre-back and the ‘keeper. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to replace either for a couple of weeks yet.
With both our top two strikers off the field, we were always going to struggle to equalise. An Arshavin volley went close, and a couple of his set-pieces caused them problems, but the game and time were soon both up.
So, out of the FA Cup and our most realistic chance of silverware gone. No complaints from me: principally because I feel it’s worth remembering that winning anything at all this season would be somewhat hilarious considering how disastrous much of it has been. We didn’t play well, we defend poorly, and we were punished. It happens. A fit Gallas and Sagna would have made a difference, but that’s football.
I’m more upset about the selection. I mentioned the Carling Cup Final earlier, and part of me can’t help but feel that in selecting the same midfield as played that day, featuring the trio he seems to hold most pride in (Diaby, Denilson, and Fabregas), Arsene was hoping to make a point: to beat Chelsea with his young discoveries rather than his £15m superstar signing.
It didn’t work. Lesson learned.
April 18th, 2009
Today’s game is massive. I have to say, I think I’m more nervous about this evening’s match than I was about Wednesday’s. Perhaps it’s because we’re facing a team with whom we share a greater rivalry. Perhaps it’s because there is a final at stake. Or perhaps it’s simply because the game is at Wemberlee.
Some have said that semi-finals shouldn’t be held at Wembley, which is all well and good, but let’s say the game was scheduled to take place at Old Trafford – having drawn Chelsea, there would undoubtedly be thousands of fans clamouring for the game to be switched to a London setting. As it is, we’ll be playing our first match at the new stadium, and here’s hoping it can prove to be as successful a hunting ground as Cardiff was – one Carling Cup Final aside.
The omens are good. Not only did we win at Stamford Bridge this season, but Chelsea haven’t beaten us in the FA Cup since 1947 – a run that takes in seven ties and one final. On top of that, we’re on a fantastic run and seem to be most pundits’ “clever bet” to end up with a trophy or two.
It isn’t all rosy though – a succession of injuries have left us decimated at the back. Today will be the biggest day thus far in the careers of both Lukasz Fabianski and Kieran Gibbs (if he’s even fit). The experience of Kolo Toure and Mikael Silvestre will be absolutely vital, whilst whoever gets the nod to do a screening job in front of the back four will have to be at the top of their game.
And what a day this will be for Andrey Arshavin. This is the sort of occasion he fought so hard to be a part of. And as fate would have it, his first genuinely ‘big’ game in an Arsenal shirt is against his International manager, Guus Hiddink.
Arshavin is part of an attacking arsenal that contains all the tools to unpick the Chelsea defence. The craft of the Russian, Fabregas, and Nasri, the searing pace of Walcott, the power Emmanuel Adebayor, and the explosive left-foot of Robin van Persie. Beyond that we’ve the aerial presence of Bendtner, the goal-sniffing Eduardo, Diaby’s quick feet and Vela’s velocity. Scoring goals is not going to be our problem – it’s keeping them out I’m worried about.
Frank Lampard’s runs from deep represent a major threat, and it’s vital that those who start in midfield track and hassle as we know they can. For all our individual quality, it’s going to have to be a team performance to defeat Chelsea.
Victory today would answer so many of the doubts around this team. I’m not neccessarily confident but I know we are capable. I believe. Arsene believes. The players believe. Now it’s time to show the rest of the world why.
Come On You Gunners.
April 17th, 2009
Just a brief blog today, and I’m afraid it’s not good news. Bacary Sagna has failed to recover from the virus which kept him out Wednesday’s game at Villarreal. Not only that, but Kieran Gibbs will face a late fitness test over his availability, which means a best case scenario is that we field the same back four that played in the week. If Gibbs fails to make it, Alex Song will move to centre-back with Mikael Silvestre playing outside of him.
Lukasz Fabianski, who turns 24 tomorrow, would have played regardless of Manuel Almunia’s ankle injury. To be robbed, however, of the services of Sagna, Clichy, Gallas and Djourou is a huge blow – for a significant spell this season that was list of names represented our first-choice back four. Didier Drogba’s performances have been excellent since Guus Hiddink arrived, and the likes of Silvestre and Gibbs are going to have to be at their absolute best to keep him quiet tomorrow.
The answer, it seems to me, is to try and remain on the front foot. Stretched though we are at the back, we have a wealth of options going forward, and one of the talented quintet of Adebayor, Arshavin, Van Persie, Walcott and Nasri will have to miss out tomorrow. Chelsea have conceded seven goals in their last two games, as we might just have to try and outscore them tomorrow.
Full preview here in the morning.
April 16th, 2009
Arsenal 3 – 0 Villarreal (Walcott 10, Adebayor 60, Van Persie (pen) 69; Eguren sent off 68)
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here
The modern torpedo is described as a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, usually launched from surface ships, helicopters, naval fortresses and the like. Last night, Arsenal launched one from their right-wing straight into the heart Villareal’s Yellow Submarine. The weapon’s name? Theo Walcott.
Walcott sparked the fire that burnt in the form of a uniformly strong display across the team. From the very first minute he terrorised the left-back Capdevila, bursting beyond him at every available opportunity. The principle quality that allowed that this Arsenal team clearly possessed in abundance over their Spanish rivals was pace – and no-one has more pace than Theo. They couldn’t live with him, and it was no surprise when he latched on to Cesc Fabregas’s stepover to give us the lead.
What was perhaps a surprise was the nature of the finish. Whilst speed has long been a hallmark of Walcott’s game (well, relatively long in the scheme of his brief career), composure hasn’t. Too often he’s burst into great positions and then seemed to panic at the vital moment. Last night, he finished with all the apbomb of the man from whom he inherited the number 14 shirt, calmly chipping the goalkeeper to score a second goal in consecutive games.
Whilst we seemed to have control of the first half, punctuated by that stunning Walcott finish, in the early portion of the second we looked nervous and struggled to keep the ball. The next goal was vital – a Villareal strike would level the tie up, whereas an Arsenal goal would leave them needing two and, barring a comeback to rival Liverpool’s attempts at Stamford Bridge, all but out.
Fortunately, the goal fell to us. Cesc’s lopping header found Robin van Persie, who swivelled and slipped in Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togonator had spent most of the match up until this point either on his heels or offside, but showed killer instinct to take the ball into his stride and fire into the far corner off the outside of his boot.
Villarreal seemed to know the game was up, and their capitulation was complete with the help of the referee, who incorrectly gave a penalty for a foul on Walcott, then prompty gave the Villarreal defender a second yellow for his protests. Robin van Persie dispatched the kick with gusto to pull one goal away from Ade in their private goalscoring competition. Three nil against ten men on the night, and 4-1 on aggregate: game over.
Walcott, Van Persie, and Adebayor all got brought off for a little breather ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea, and we might even have grabbed a couple more on the break as Villarreal chased a lost cause.
As heart-warming as our goals was the fact we managed to keep a clean-sheet with a makeshift back-line. A virus kept Bacary Sagna out of the game at late notice, so Emmanuel Eboue came in to join Kolo Toure, Kieran Gibbs, and Mikael Silvestre in a defence that stood up well to the threat Villarreal occasionally posed. Behind them, Lukasz Fabianski swept up well to cover for Silvestre’s evident lack of pace.
In midfield, Alex Song showed why at the moment he is the best option to partner Cesc Fabregas (who returned to a deeper role), and Theo Walcott had one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt. Van Persie and Adebayor’s performances were variable, with the Dutchman the strong of the two, but at the end of the day it’s their goals that we’re thankful for.
We now move on to face Manchester United in a two-legged semi-final. What an incredible prospect. As Arsene puts it:
“I believe that both teams produce always very exciting games. Both teams like to go forward so it will be a promising Semi-Final. We are up for the challenge and it will be very interesting. It is always difficult to play an English team because of their quality. Psychologically it is not difficult but at the moment I believe that if you want to go far you have to play an English team at some stage.”
In his programme notes Arsene suggested last night’s match was the biggest in the Emirates’ short history. I’m absolutely certain it will soon be overtaken by the second leg of the United tie.
We’ve built up plenty of momentum now, and we just need to keep it rolling over through until the end of the season. There is no game that we can afford to write off – I remember well how essentially throwing that 4-0 FA Cup tie at Old Trafford derailed our league challenge by knocking our confidence. Every game is big and every game is worth winning. We’ve face an instant reminder of that at Wembley on Saturday, in what is a huge match.
Last night, Robert Pires was applauded off the pitch by fans who still adore him. Between now and the end of the season, there is just a chance that some of the current crop of Arsenal players could make themselves heroes of similar stature. What an incentive.
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