Archive for January, 2011
January 23rd, 2011
Arsenal 3 – 0 Wigan (Van Persie 21, 58, 85)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
It’s not an original headline, but it remains an apt one. Robin van Persie now has six goals from his last three appearances. His record for the season reads eight starts, eight goals. His performance yesterday prompted Gabriele Marcotti to wonder on twitter just how highly he’d be regarded were it not the injuries which have so hampered his career. Arsenal fans will be hoping that between now and the end of the season, we might just find out.
Although yesterday was undoubtedly Robin’s day, his goals were the result of an awesome team performance. It’s no exaggeration to suggest that were it not the heroics of Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi, we could have emulated Spurs’ nine goal haul against the Lactics a year or so ago.
The team selected constitutes our current ‘First XI’: Szczesny in goal; a back four of Clichy, Koscielny, Djourou and Sagna; Wilshere and Song; Nasri, Fabregas and Walcott off Van Persie. Lukasz Fabianski and Thomas Vermaelen would have a claim to be in that team were they fit, but as things stand these our the men in possession.
It’s easy to see why. Good teams are comprised of a series of effective partnerships, and those exist throughout the side. Koscielny and Djourou continue to develop an impressive understanding – yesterday brought their fourth consecutive Premier League clean sheet – and Wojciech Szczesny is becoming such a regular feature on the team-sheet that I have almost learnt to spell his name without googling it. If/when Lukasz Fabianski comes back in to the side, Szczesny will have cause to be disappointed.
On the left, Gael Clichy looks an infinitely better player now he has the hard-working Samir Nasri ahead of him rather than the luxuriant Andrey Arshavin. On the other flank, Bacary Sagna and Theo Walcott work tirelessly to cover and support each other, whether attacking or defending.
Alex Song and Jack Wilshere are becoming an increasingly complimentary pair. It’s taken them some time to get the balance right, but these two very different players have now moulded in to one super-effective unit. Song, in particular, was outstanding yesterday: his use of the ball was superb, particularly with the ball to set up the opening goal.
Up top, we all know class of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie. A glance at our second goal yesterday underlines the quality of the two players. And such is their ability, they can link effectively with all of our Arsenal of talent: they can play neat one-twos with Nasri, or find a penetrating pass for the runs of Walcott. Keep them fit, and we’re guaranteed to score goals.
When Marouane Chamakh was in a rich vein of form at the start of the season, I openly questioned Van Persie’s value. In the last few games, he’s exposed me as a mindless cretin, and demonstrated his quite awesome natural ability. Take a glance at his hatrick yesterday: hardworking and intelligent though he is, I’m not sure Chamakh could have scored any of those goals. The missed penalty was a rare blemish on an outstanding display.
If the three goals, three points, and three cheers for Robin put Gooners in a good mood, Aston Villa’s toppling of Manchester City lifted spirits even higher. We’re now a point clear of third place City, with a game in hand.
Transfer News
The closer we get to Sebastien Squillaci’s return to fitness (he’s currently about a fortnight away), the less likely the prospect of Arsene Wenger signing a centre-half. At this stage I’d be quite surprised if anyone came in at the back.
There’ve been some moves out on loan. Henri Lansbury has extended his spell at Norwich, whilst Aaron Ramsey and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas have both joined Cardiff. Cardiff are currently second in the Championship, Norwich third: clearly Arsene is trying to balance out Arsenal’s influence in the race for promotion. Lansbury’s pedigree at that level is well established; Emmanuel-Thomas has the bigger task of turning potential in to pedigree. Ramsey, meanwhile, is only at Cardiff for a month or so, in which period Arsene will be hoping he gets more game-time than his ill-fated spell at Notts Forest.
The Daily Mail, Mirror, and a few other sources seem convinced we’ve swooped for double-barreled Southampton sensation Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. I’ll be speaking to journalist and Southampton fan Simon Peach tomorrow to find out a bit more about this Walcottian Wonderboy. Check back for more on that then.
Site News
Lots of exciting things going on. Since my services ceased to be required at work, I’d have a bit more time to work on the site, and we’ve finally got plans for a redesign underway. We’re also back on the t-shirt bandwagon – ahead of the rematch with Barcelona, it’s time once more to belive that with Cesc, We Can.
January 20th, 2011
Leeds 1 – 3 Arsenal (Nasri 5, Sagna 35, Johnson 37, Van Persie 76)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
That was a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment…
Credit to Leeds for battling away and making it an engaging cup tie. Credit to Arsenal, however, for a mature display in the face of a hostile crowd. We were in complete control of the game, even when Bradley Johnson’s screamer threatened our dominance.
ITV were more diappointed than the Leeds players…
I understand that the neutral will inevitably favour the underdog, but in doing so you stop being, well, neutral. ITV’s coverage of the game was outrageously biased, manifested most plainly in the commentary booth. When Samir Nasri skipped through to tuck in the opener I thought Peter Drury might throw down his headphones in a strop and leave in a tearful huff. Back in the studio, Adrian Chiles appeared to suggest that Arsenal were “soft in the head”, which was rich coming from a man whose head looks like a freshly baked potato.
Nasri’s confidence is sky-high…
When he went through on goal, there was no doubt about the outcome. His finish was cool, calm, and precise. I don’t think there’s a more obvious candidate for Footballer of the Year. But then again, he’s not British. So Gareth Bale it’ll be.
Bacary Sagna remains an awe-inspiring athlete…
Having him back in the side at the expense of Eboue immediately made us more solid at the back, as well as providing an added threat on the overlap. His goal was a bit of a stonker too. The softly-spoken Frenchman is comfortably the league’s best right-back.
Andrey Arshavin tackled back…
…yep, you read right. Nothing came off for the Russian in the final third, but he finally showed the kind of application his critics have demanded. If he keeps putting himself in the right positions, eventually one will go in off his sizable arse, and a return to form can commence.
The Denilson/Cesc ‘spat’ is a non-story…
When arseblog first posted the video, the quotes barely even registered on his radar. A man so closely attuned to all things Arsenal would have made more of a fuss about them if there was even a hint of controversy. The two players are good mates, and have been for some time. There is nothing in this. Move on.
The David Wheater signing doesn’t mean Gary Cahill is coming to Arsenal…
Bolton have one of the Premier League’s smallest squads, and desperately need to flesh it out – hence their interest in taking Carlos Vela on loan. I maintain that we’re unlikely to spend big money on a centre-back, instead looking for a short-term cut-price option.
January 17th, 2011
Rarely have news reports from Belgium garnered so much interest. Yesterday, in an interview with website Sporza.be, Thomas Vermaelen confirmed that he is due to have surgery on his achilles and is unlikely to return before March.
Now, until we hear it from the club it’s far from 100%. Surgery is certainly one of the options on the table, though I’m not sure if a definitive decision will have been made yet. If Vermaelen does go under the knife, however, we’d be looking at March at the very earliest. It’s possible it could rule him out of competitive action for the rest of the season.
That leaves us with the injury prone Djourou, the inconsistent Koscielny, and a wavering Squillaci. People tout Alex Song as a centre-back option, without facing up to the fact that would mean having to start with Denilson in midfield. It’s a price I consider too heavy to pay.
The latest from Arsene suggests he’s looking at a short-term solution. Which is odd, considering this has been a long-term problem. Koscielny and Djourou are both decent defenders, but neither can really be considered senior or reliable. At the highest level, they remain inexperienced and untested. And if Sebastien Squillaci isn’t good enough now, then I’m afraid he never will be.
I understand January is a difficult time to buy, but with Vermaelen set to be ruled out for a longer period, signing someone has become a necessity – whether as a short or long-term solution. Matthew Upson would bulk the squad out, but I’m not sure he’d improve it. Ideally I’d like a defender who could come in and make a real case to start alongside the Belgian when he returns from injury. If not, then we still need a dependable body: this next month or so will certainly take its toll on Koscielny and Djourou and we need the opportunity to rotate. As soon as possible, really.
Over to you, Arsene.
January 16th, 2011
West Ham 0 – 3 Arsenal (Van Persie, Walcott)
Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
66% possession away from home tells its own story…
We were completely dominant. Whilst I don’t want to downplay our own performance – ESPN did quite enough of that yesterday – West Ham were dire. I say that as someone who has a few connections at that club and takes little pleasure from their plight. Yesterday, they were without key players Parker and Piquionne, and lost Mark Noble to injury after just 20 minutes. The players who played in their stead lacked ability and, crucially, belief.
The possession stat demonstrates that West Ham simply didn’t apply enough pressure high enough up the pitch, enabling us to get our passing game going right from the back. Possession alone can’t win you games, however, as we’ve found out to our cost in the past. Fortunately…
We were more efficient than in recent games…
Bringing Nasri and Van Persie back in to the side gave us a sharpness in the final third. Crucially, we managed to get the second goal before half-time, rendering the final 45 something of a no contest.
The attacking trio had great balance…
Van Persie had the touch and awareness to find the two players either side of him, Nasri and Walcott, who both provide very different threats. This article by Zonal Marking showcases the variation in their movement: Nasri moves in to the middle to link with Cesc, whilst Walcott stretches the game and looks for space both inside and outside the full-back.
Walcott destroyed Wayne Bridge…
The loan ranger from City could well have ben Man of the match on his debut – only for the wrong team. A hatrick of mistakes contributed to each one of our goals. First he gave Walcott too much space to cross for Van Persie, then played the Dutchman onside and allowed Theo to get the wrong side of him for the second. Finally, his foul for the penalty was clumsy and needless. Still, thanks to Bridge and indeed Manchester City for making yesterday quite so leisurely.
Wilshere was outstanding in central midfield…
It seemed that playing against the team he supported as a boy fired him up even more than usual. Rather than the over-the-top tackles we saw at the start of the season, he channeled that in to a driving performance alongside the steady Alex Song. Wilshere has a great ability to receive the ball, turn and face goal all in one movement, which is perfect for launching quick breaks from deep.
Djourou appeared to be playing in roller-skates…
After his recent run of form he was due a bad game, and yesterday’s nervy performance seemed due as much to a poor choice of footwear as anything else. Still, it was infuriating listening to Chris Waddle describe Djourou as an ‘out of position midfield player’. Djourou hasn’t played regularly in midfield since he was in his mid-teens. It was such an odd comment that I almost wondered if he’d confused the Swiss giant for the injured Abou Diaby.
Whilst Djourou’s eggy display may well have been a one-off, such performances are only going to become more likely if he and Koscielny are forced to play every game in this congested period. The signing of a centre-back looks more necessary with each passing game.
Szczesny made one vital save…
…to deny Carlton Cole after one particularly loose Djourou back-pass, standing up strong a la Schmeichel. He remains an outstanding prospect, and whilst I feel Manuel Almunia has been a little unfairly treated, I’m glad to see Szczesny getting the games his talent warrants.
Some of these guys need to play at Leeds…
On Wednesday we travel to Elland Road for what will be a very tricky replay indeed. I’d love to see the likes of Song, Nasri and Fabregas in that team so we can go all out for a win and keep our positive momentum.
–
Right, off to cheer on Spurs now. It’s an odd, odd feeling.
January 14th, 2011
Hey all, and welcome to possibly the shortest blog in this site’s indistinguished history. If you’re wondering why I haven’t had anything to say about the Ipswich game, here’s the explanation: I watched the game on a delay after coming home from a day in which I lost my job. The match was the one thing that I hoped might raise my spirits, and it failed. Spectacularly.
Suffice to say, I didn’t feel hugely inclined to write much about it. It was just a pretty woeful performance – probably worse than the one against Leeds – and we got exactly what we deserved. We now have a big job on to turn the tie around. Going out of this competition, at this stage, would be an embarrassment.
Oh, and while I’m at it, criticising the playing style of a team who were such enormous underdogs is a very petty thing to do. When it’s Man City, I agree. When it’s a managerless team from the division below who just took a 7-0 tonking, I don’t.
Anyway. For my thoughts on Leeds, Ipswich, and the forthcoming game with West Ham, why not listen to today’s arsecast?
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