Good morning one and all. It’s that time again. Here we go…
Player of the Season
We start with quite a tricky award – partly because this is a year in which very few of the squad deserve recognition, but also because a couple of the assumed main contenders for the prize, Thomas Vermaelen and Cesc Fabregas, had campaigns decimated by injury.
Even so, some excelled. Samir Nasri was named second in the PFA Player of the Year Award, yet it is not just the awkwardness of his contract negotiations that means he misses out on the Gunnerblog awards.  He faded in the second half of the season, which is really the crunch period. Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney was pretty dreadful up until the spring, but that will be forgotten in the light of his title-winning contribution at the tail-end of the campaign. Nasri is the antithesis of this.
Bacary Sagna joined Nasri in the PFA Team of the Year, and would certainly win any prize for an ‘unsung hero’. His consistency and commitment make him stand out from the rest of his defensive comrades. His performances last season reaffirmed his status as the best right-back in the country.
Jack Wilshere too has to be considered after an outstanding break-out year. He took the Arsenal.com Player of the Season prize, voted for by the fans – the bond between Wilshere and the supporters is inevitable and undeniable.
However, Gunnerblog is a state under my dictatorship, and I have arrived at a different conclusion. My Player of the Season only played for half of it, but boy did he play: Robin van Persie. In between January and May, Van Persie was in the kind of red hot form that could only be matched on the continent by the likes of Ronaldo and Messi.
I’ve felt frustrated by the Dutchman in the past: his injury problems mean he is perennially underachieving. But in that five month run, he demonstrated a consistent excellent hitherto unseen in his Arsenal career. Whilst others like Nasri faded, and Wilshere understandably tired, he was able to keep producing the goods. Pray he can keep it up. Lord only knows where we might have ended the season without him.
Young Player of the Season
The PFA’s Young Player of the Season is also my own: Jack Wilshere.
There can surely be no contest. Amidst talk of a loan return to Bolton, it wasn’t even clear if there would be a place for Jack in our first team squad. Within weeks, however, he had established himself as an integral part of the first XI.
When he first emerged on to the scene as a sixteen-year old, it was as a flair player. Now he is so much more: aggressive, dynamic, powerful on the ball – he is showing signs of developing in to a complete midfielder. And he is Arsenal to his very core.
Honourable mention goes to Wojciech Szcesny, but impressive as he has been I think we’re still waiting to discover if he’s legitimately ‘the real deal’. With Wilshere, there is no doubt.
Worst Player of the Season
Gosh. So many from which to choose, all equally as useless as each other. You could go for the underachieving Andrey Arshavin, but his impressive numbers spare him. Manuel Almunia suffered the indignity of falling to fourth choice, but redeemed himself with a stunning display at the Nou Camp.
The winner, cruel though may this sound, has to be Tomas Rosicky, who made 34 appearances without doing anything of note.
Game of the Season
It’s easy to forget that a season that holds such negative connotations contained probably the greatest night in the Emirates’ short history.
The game with Barcelona was billed as a clash between European football’s two great artists, and on the night we triumphed. Even the second leg defeat and our elimination can’t taint the value of beating them in a one-off game: just ask Man United how difficult that is.
It was a beautiful night too:
Sadly, however, this game marked something of a turning point. Within a couple of weeks we were out of the race for three cup competitions, and in a downward spiral that would never be arrested.
Worst game of the Season
Most of our games from March onwards could be seen as contenders for this infamous award. Defeats at Bolton and Stoke particularly rankled, whilst there were a few dismal home draws that had a chance of waltzing off with this prize.
The undoubted winner, however, has to be February’s 4-4 draw with Newcastle. Which, to the neutral, was anything but a ‘bad’ game. And indeed, had you turned off at half-time, you would have regarded it as one of our finer performances of 2010/11, as we went in a the break four goals to the good.
However, the subsequent capitulation ought to have been a microcosmic foreshadowing of the remainder of our season. We demonstrated our weakness, and Newcastle punished us. Letting a four goal lead slip is not only inexcusable, but almost inexplicable. And yet our guys managed it.
Highlight of the Season
For me, it was undoubtedly Andrey Arshavin’s winning goal in the first leg against Barca. A flowing move capped with a sumptuous finish. I’ve rarely heard a roar like the one that greeted that strike.
At that stage, anything seemed possible. Arsenal had matched the best side in the world – perhaps ever – and bested them. Watching from my seat, I was welling up with pride.
It is just that potential that makes the subsequent collapse so hard to stomach.
Disappointment of the Season
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it’s that familiar failure to win a trophy – capped off by the nightmare of losing the Carling Cup Final to Birmingham. This was the platform from which a new, win-happy Arsenal was meant to be born. Instead, we stumbled.
It was embarrassing. Humiliating. And it caused a crisis of confidence that would haunt us for the rest of the season. Just how long that haunting continues remains to be seen.
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Right. That’s it for 2010/11. Onwards and upwards. Let’s brush that under the carpet, and look ahead. This place could do with a makeover, too.
Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis last night met with the Arsenal Supporters Trust to discuss the state of play at the club. Fair play to Arsenal – they’ve made the entirety of the film available for free on the official website (Part One, Part Two)*.
Unsurprisingly, Ivan had to address the lac of success on the pitch and the possibility of transfer activity this summer. He said:
“During this close season we’re going to see some turnover of players – some new signings coming in, and some of our existing squad going out – I suspect as Arsene said it’ll be a busy close season.”
It seems, at this stage, as if he’s telling the truth.
In the past seven days we’ve seen an almost unprecedented amount of transfer stories around the club, suggesting there are players climbing both in and out of our draughty transfer window.
On the ‘In’ side, the most noise is coming from the speculation surrounding Lille’s Ivorian winger, Gervinho. The latest is that his club have admitted that they’re in discussions with Arsenal about a potential transfer.
Gervinho looks to me like a player of real ability. Beware the Youtube clip, of course, but he’s clearly got plenty of pace and skill. He’s also very versatile and able to play effectively from both flanks. Sort of like a consistent Salomon Kalou.
Those who’ve had a close eye on Ligue 1 this season will tell you he’s outperformed the much-hyped Eden Hazard. It’s clear he’s a genuine target for Arsene – perhaps as a replacement for Samir Nasri, whose contract talks continue to stall.
“But we don’t need an attacker!”, I hear you cry from the sidelines. Well, let’s agree to disagree. To my mind, Gervinho could well be a better option that an erratic Theo Walcott and enigmatic Arshavin. To top that, two players who regularly play in the wide attacking roles, Samir Nasri and Nicklas Bendtner, could both be leaving imminently.
That said, there are plenty of rumours about potential centre-back signings. After we narrowly missed out on Phil Jones, the latest names in the frame are the familiar pair of Gary Cahill and Christopher Samba. There are also a few whispers about Birmingham’s Scott Dann, but I’m a little skeptical about those – the player would rather move to Liverpool, too.
Cahill’s contract expires in a year but Bolton are reportedly quoting £17m. Let me tell you, at that price it simply won’t happen. Paying that sort of fee for a 19-year old Jones is a very different situation.
I’d like to go on record and say that I think Samba would be a very sensible signing. We might struggle to prize the club captain away from a Blackburn side who’ve already lost Jones, but the giant Congolese is someone I’d be very happy to see arrive.
Let’s not forget we already have some very able central defenders: Vermaelen, Djourou, Koscielny etc. What we need is someone who can come in and play a tactical role when it’s required against sides like Stoke. Being able to field the monstrous Samba would give a big psychological lift to the defenders around him. A lot has been said about he isn’t a great footballer, but then neither was Sol Campbell.
Reports are also suggesting we may have tied up a £12m deal for Southampton’s teenage winger Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. This wouldn’t be a huge surprise – we tried to do the deal in January, only to be scuppered by the club’s desire to hold on to one of their star performers. Whilst other clubs are doubtless circling, the player and his family seem to have their hearts set on a move to Arsenal. It seems that it’ll just be a matter of time.
Plenty to get your teeth in to there. And we haven’t even mentioned Cesc…
“There’s a bit of buzz on twitter about a potential new signing being announced today (Wednesday). A few ‘informed’ folk would have you believe it’ll be Gervinho.
I say “new” – this deal was done towards the back end of last season and has been one of English football’s worst kept secrets. Finnish right back Carl Jenkinson has joined from Charlton.
Young Guns have got the lowdown on the new recruit. By all accounts he didn’t pull up any trees in League One, so I’d suggest he’s some way from ready for first-team football at Arsenal. Those expecting Emmanuel Eboue to be moved on to make room for the 19-year old are probably being a little hasty.
Elsewhere, Blackburn defender Phil Jones is having a medical at Manchester United after agreeing a £16m move. Rumours suggest he turned down interest from other clubs including Liverpool, Spurs, and Arsenal.
Of course it’s possible he decided to stay up North to be around his family. But thinking about it logically: if you were a young centre-half, would you come to Arsenal to learn your trade? Thought not. Jones has followed Chris Smalling’s example and opted for United instead.
It’s not a huge blow – whilst Jones will doubtless mature in to a fine player, I would suggest the last thing we need is a 21 year old centre-half. We want someone a bit more battle-hardened than that.
When people talked excitedly about a “summer clearout”, I doubt this is what they meant.
Only Arsenal do summers like this. Whilst clubs like Liverpool prepare to lavish themselves in inordinately expensive new signings, we’re facing up to the prospect of two absolutely key players leaving the club.
The importance of Cesc Fabregas cannot be overstated, and nor can the threat of losing him this summer. The latest noises from Spain (and the excellent new addition to the Arsenal online network, Arseblog news) suggest Barcelona are readying their bid.
If there is a growing sense of inevitability about Cesc’s departure, then Samir Nasri becomes all the more important. Nasri is our most similar midfielder, and the obvious inheritor of the central playmaking role in the light of Cesc’s departure. And yet his future too is in doubt. Unless a new contract is agreed within the next few weeks, Nasri will have to be sold.
Incredibly, Arsenal find themselves in a position whereby they could lose two star players this summer – against their will.
There’s a bit of buzz on twitter about a potential new signing being announced today (Wednesday). A few ‘informed’ folk would have you believe it’ll be Gervinho.
Let me tell you: that will not happen. Arsenal will be putting tentative feelers out about potential recruits, but until they know what is happening with Cesc and Nasri they cannot possibly draw up any kind of reasonable transfer strategy.
The longer this drags on, the weaker our position will be. If we lose one or both players late in the summer, we will be scrabbling around looking for replacements.
It’s an Arsenal summer. And it could be a long one.
The last installment in this series is finally here. The end of term reports are all in, and the players can begin constructing lies to tell their parents about just how or why their grades are so damning. This time round we’re looking at Strikers. As ever, rather than As Bs and Cs, there are three slightly different verdicts on offer.
As You Were: The player didn’t have a bad season, and just needs to continue progressing Shape Up: More is expected if they’re to retain their place in the squad Ship Out: Time’s up
ROBIN VAN PERSIE
33 Appearances, 22 goals, 7 assists. Under any circumstances, that’s an impressive tally. When you consider that seven of those appearances were from the bench, and another few came in a first half of the season interspersed with unsurprising injury problems, it’s all the more extraordinary.
Van Persie’s form in the calendar year of 2011 has been the best of his entire career. He’s broken records, scoring in nine successive away games, and matching the record of 18 goals scored in a single season from January 1st onwards currently held by Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo.
It’s exhalted company, but Van Persie’s form this season warrants that kind of comparison. His scoring exploits were in the fantasy league realm of the Messis and the Ronaldos. After a slow start – arguably to be expected after playing the entirety of the World Cup last summer – he exploded into life. It doesn’t bear thinking about where we might have ended up without his goals. Verdict: As You Were
MAROUANE CHAMAKH It seems strange to think that back in the winter I was wondering if Marouane Chamakh’s contribution had rendered Van Persie obsolete. With the Dutchman on the sidelines, the Moroccan’s willing running and aerial ability provided a focal point for our attack. There were goals too, and plenty of them. For a while he and Samir Nasri were the primary attacking threat in the side.
And then it all stopped. If you listen to Arsene Wenger, he ran out of gas. If you listen to whispers on the web, his ran in to trouble in his personal life. Whatever happened, Chamakh lost his mojo. Suddenly the player who had acclimatised uncannily well to the Premier League looked like Bambi on Ice. Post-lobotomy.
I don’t doubt he still has plenty to offer. If his season had happened in reverse order, you’d write off the first six months as an ‘adaptation period’ and then be excited about the prospect of seeing him in full flight next year. That said, if he’s to justify his enormous salary we need to see more of what he showed us back in August. Verdict: Shape Up
NICKLAS BENDTNER
The world’s bulkiest right-winger appears to have reached the end of his Arsenal career. The man with the squad number as high as his self-esteem made just 14 starts last season, most of which in an unfamiliar and suited position. I’ve already talked about him at length here – the news that he is “100%†certain of his decision to quit Arsenal comes as little surprise.
I’m sure he’ll make a good career for himself. Unfortunately it just wasn’t meant to be here. Verdict: Ship Out
CARLOS VELA
Sometimes, a loan spell with another Premier League club can be the making of a player. Witness Alex Song at Charlton, or Jack Wilshere at Bolton. Two goals in six months at West Brom was hardly the sort of form to suggest that Vela is ready to make an impact at the Emirates. Bolton themselves, who were initially gutted to miss out on Vela over his agent’s ludicrous demands, must’ve been delighted to dodge that particular bullet and instead end up with the impressive Daniel Sturridge.
Vela’s agent insists the player is expecting to report for pre-season duty at Arsenal. Maybe so, but I can’t see Arsene persisting with this one for too much longer. If Bendtner leaves, another striker will arrive, and Vela will find himself at the back of the queue once again. Verdict: Ship Out
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Thanks for following, guys. Next up will be the Gunnerblog End of Season Awards 2011, which should be a right barrel of laughs. Or not.
