I can’t be the only Arsenal fan struggling to find the will to dissect our 1-1 draw with Fulham today. Bill Shankly is often quoted as having said that football is more important than life or death. On the page, it’s easily forgotten that Shankly’s tongue was firmly in his cheek, and this morning affairs on the pitch paled in to insignificance with the news about the passing of Gary Speed.
Football is, as a sport, not just in mourning but in shock. Speed, 42, had everything going for him: a beautiful wife, a young family, and a burgeoning career as an international manager. As recently as Saturday he was a lively and engaged participant on the BBC’s Football Focus, and had been discussing plans for the immediate future with friends and colleagues. I won’t pretend to know anything about the circumstances which led to Speed taking his own life, but I would imagine that after a career spent in a world still characterised by ill-conceived ideas of ‘machismo’, the Welshman would be well practised in covering up any underlying mental health problems with which he may have been suffering. One hopes that if any good is to come from this horrible loss, it’s that the sport will begin to recognise this kind of illness and offer more support to individuals who are silently suffering. That said, speculation on what could have led to this tragic event is probably best avoided: the priority must be to allow his family to grieve with the privacy they deserve. Rest in peace, Gary Speed.
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As regards the Fulham game: a draw is never a disaster. After the run we’d had, we were due a little bit of ill-fortune, and we got it in the form of Thomas Vermaelen’s own goal. That said, there are very few things I enjoy more in football than a player who has put the ball in to his own net redeeming himself at the other end, and the fifty yard run Vermaelen made up the pitch to meet Theo Walcott’s cross was indicative of his desire to put things right.
We had other chances, and on balance should have won the game, but Fulham deserve enormous credit. They started with a very positive formation, with Clint Dempsey, Bryan Ruiz and Moussa Dembele all playing off the outstanding Bobby Zamora. Zamora gave Vermaelen a torrid time all afternoon: the Belgian tried his usual trick of attacking the ball early and nipping ahead of the striker, but Zamora’s upper body was consistently too strong and his touch too good.
A former Arsenal man at the back also warrants praise: Philippe Senderos looked a million miles from the Bambi-esque figure we saw in his latter days at Arsenal. After the injuries and setbacks he has suffered in his career, I can’t begrudge him a decent point on his return to the Emirates.
For our part, we looked a little tired playing our third game in seven days. The likes of Danny Murphy were given a little too long on the ball in midfield, and our first-half attacks lacked urgency. Andrey Arshavin had been afforded a rare start ahead of Gervinho, and seems to have taken a lot of flak for his performance. I have to say that by his (admittedly low) recent standards, this was a decent display – he was involved with much of our positive work, and scored a goal when marginally offside. His tendency to drift in to the centre, however, meant we did not stretch the play as much as we were able to when Gervinho was introduced.
On the other flank, Theo Walcott was again outstanding. His continued good performances lead me to believe that an injury must be right around the corner.
A draw wasn’t ideal, but it’s no nightmare, and keeps our unbeaten run going. And, much as you might feel aggrieved, there are simply more important things to reflect on today.
When the Champions League draw was made, a lot of hullabaloo was made about the perceived difficulty of Manchester City’s group. So much so that our treacherous passage passed almost without mention, which was even surprising considering that, lest we forget, we were a club ‘in crisis’.
As United and Chelsea geared up for predictable processions, a shaken Arsenal side were set to face the Champions of both Germany and Greece. City’s ‘group of death’, it should be noticed, does not contain a single domestic Champion.
And yet this morning, Arsenal are the only English side qualified for the knockout phase. Not only that, but we can play our final group game away to Olympiacos safe in the knowledge that whatever happens, we will win the group, thus avoiding the likes of Bayern, Inter, Madrid and Barca in the last 16.
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling tremendously proud, which is something that was difficult to envisage in the dark days of August. So much credit is due to Arsene Wenger and the team for the way in which they’ve turned things around. Hopefully reaching this milestone will provide a significant confidence boost as we chase our goals for the rest of the season: principally, making sure we’re back in the competition next season.
Dortmund started brightly, but their plans were disrupted by two injuries in quick succession. First, Sven Bender launched a tackle at Thomas Vermaelen. Against a mere human, Bender would doubtless have walked away unscathed. After tangling with The Verminator, however, he found himself with a jaw that was broken in two places. Ouch.
Moments later, Mario Götze came off worse in a clash with the imposing Alex Song, and limped off. The playmaker had started brightly, and was naturally a big loss to a Dortmund side whose work ethic and incisive passing had made them a real threat early on.
Arsenal didn’t manage to carve out any clear-cut chances in the first-half, but within four minutes of the second they were ahead. Alex Song seemed possessed by the spirit of Thierry Henry, who was looking on from the upper tier, as he picked up the ball on the left-hand side and waltzed past four defenders before looping a wonderful cross to the back post. Predictably, the man there to meet it was Robin van Persie, who planted a firm header beyond the goalkeeper.
It was a fantastic piece of individual play by Song, and a telling contribution towards his man of the match performance. It’s somewhat ironic, however, that his most memorable moment was a piece of attacking play, because it was on the defensive side that he really excelled. He played deeper than usual, and did some superb work covering the forward forays of Andre Santos. It’s no coincidence that on a night where Song patrolled in front of the back-line so effectively, Santos had his best game in an Arsenal shirt.
The same should have been sealed shortly after. Aaron Ramsey, inventive and industrious in midfield, played in Gervinho. However, the Ivorian is clearly yet to find the shooting boots he mislaid so spectacularly at Carrow Road, and he rounded the keeper only to hesitate and allow the chance to go by. His finishing simply has to improve: at some point, misses like this will cost us.
Not last night, however – thanks again to that man, Robin van Persie. I had pleaded in my preview for someone else to step up to the goalscoring mantle, but it wasn’t to be. The Dutchman just cannot stop scoring. The goal that clinched the game typified the groove he is in – stepping away from his marker early to reach a Thomas Vermaelen near-post flick on and tap in to an unguarded net. He now has more than four times as many goals as our next highest scorer. And, at last, we’ve managed to score from a corner.
There was a late consolation for Dortmund, with Kagawa side-footing home after some slack defending from substitute Johan Djourou. Hearteningly, Thomas Vermaelen was furious and berated his team-mates. We’re beginning to take pride in the game’s less glamorous elements. Their fans deserved to see a goal. They were superb throughout the ninety minutes, even managing a chorus of “You only sing when you’re winning†in perfect English.
In recognition, Arsenal fans concurred “we only sing when we’re winningâ€. But last night, we had plenty to sing about. And, after all, we only needed One Song.
Click to get your Song t-shirt at special sale price
It will be a cold, crisp night at the Emirates as Arsenal play host to Borussia Dortmund. The Champions of Germany are in terrific form, and it promises to be the sort of evening that makes this competition so alluring. The objective for Arsenal is simple: win, and achieve qualification. Failure to do so could leave us needing a result in Greece when we face Olympiacos: hardly a reassuring prospect. After the ill-fortune of drawing Barca last season, our focus should be not just on qualification, but on topping the group to ensure an easier passage in the next round.
Dortmund have plenty to play for too. Defeat could put them out of the competition; victory would leave them facing what would effectively be a play-off against Marseille. Like us, they had a slow start to the season but have recently found an impressive level of consistency, culminating with a 1-0 win away to rivals Bayern Munich at the weekend.
As a consequence of our own good form, I don’t expect Arsene to make any changes to the team that beat Norwich at the weekend. In the interim period, we have lost Tomas Rosicky to injury, but that bad news is tempered by the surprise inclusion of Abou Diaby in a matchday squad for the first time this season. I had genuinely begun to forget that he even played for us, so having him back as an option is a pleasant surprise.
Naming the same team will mean that Per Mertesacker will come up against a familiar foe. Arsene has yet again moved to defend his summer signing, saying:
“When Per came here he was not completely fit. But now he is getting stronger and stronger. I felt on Saturday he had not recovered from Germany’s game with Holland and looked tired. He has recovered now and will play tomorrow.
In England, when you’re in front of the striker you have not won the battle. In many countries you have. But they fight till the last second here.
Of course he is under pressure and scrutiny. Yet you don’t feel sorry for a situation like that because it’s what happens at a big club.
However he is intelligent and he will adapt quickly. He is very responsible as well. He didn’t complain about a possible free-kick [on the Morison goal] because he was pulled down. He just said he should have cleared it earlier.”
I have to say I think that, for the most part, Mertesacker has done very well. The Morison incident was undoubtedly a major error but all defenders are prone to that kind of nightmare once in a blue moon. In fact, I don’t think Arsene would be wise to carry on talking about the German’s ‘critics’ – it is reinforcing the idea of him as a dubious signing and potentially damaging the player’s confidence.
However you evaluate the acquisition of Mertesacker, it seems Arsene has his heart set on doing some more shopping in the Bundesliga. After Raphael Honigstein reported earlier this week that Arsenal had not yet abandoned their pursuit of Mario Götze, Arsene indicated to the German press yesterday that he might hold an interest in the Dortmund playmaker. I don’t expect any movement in January, but I can envisage us lining up an unusually high-profile attacking signing for next summer, to replace Fabregas and Nasri and allay the fears of Robin van Persie. Götze or Lille’s Eden Hazard would certainly fit the bill.
What both players would potentially add is goals from a source other than our skipper. Whilst it has been enthralling to watch him hammer the ball in to the net at such an alarming rate, it does slightly mask a dearth of goals from other attacking players in the team. RVP currently has 15, and our next highest goalscorer is Theo Walcott with 4. Gervinho, the third striker in our line-up, has just two – although he should have at least doubled that tally on Saturday alone. If we are to win tonight, it would be nice to share the goalscoring responsibility around somewhat.
For the second time in consecutive away games, Arsenal came from behind to take all three points. Â Carrow Road isn’t quite Stamford Bridge, but the significance of that achievement cannot be underestimated. Â A previous Arsenal side might have crumbled when Per Mertesacker’s clanger gifted Norwich the lead against the run of play. Â A previous Arsenal side might have consigned it to being “one of those days” when they saw good chances come and go. Â In the game’s dying moments, they might have naively overcommitted chasing a third goal, or wilted after the introduction of the bullish Grant Holt.
Not this incarnation. Â The XI players on the field at full-time had an average age of almost 26: this is a more mature outfit, with players more psychologically prepared for the rigours of Premier League football. Â It seems that finally Arsene’s boasts of “mental strength” might actually have some substance.
“Physical strength” was more the problem for Per Mertesacker in the early stages. Â Steve Morison is one of the Premier League’s more agricultural strikers, and as such was always likely to prove a test for the German. Â That said, the main issue with the opening goal was a moment of hesitation. Â With the ball bouncing beyond him, it looked as if Mertesacker was waiting for a call from Szczesny. Â When that didn’t come, he attempted the clearance – but by that time, it was too late: Morison has stolen the ball and given Norwich the lead. Â It was a rick, certainly, but in my opinion he is good enough to learn from it.
By that time Arsenal should already have been a couple of goals to the good. Â If there was one area in which you’d criticise the team’s performance, it was in their erratic finishing. Â The Ivorian Gervinho, for whom the epithet ‘erratic’ might have been specially invented, was particularly guilty. Â Indeed, even our equalising goal spared his blushes. Â Theo Walcott, who was absolutely outstanding on the right wing, skipped past his man and fired in a great low cross which Gervinho attempted to back-flick in to the net. Â Instead, he managed to miss the ball entirely. Â Fortunately, Robin van Persie was on hand to stab in to the empty net.
It’s no surprise that Van Persie went on to grab the winner too. Â When Song and Arteta won the ball back in midfield, the Cameroon midfielder embarked on a sprint towards goal with the ball at his feet. Â Ahead of him, he had two options: Gervinho, central and devoid of any marking, and Robin, stationed wider and on his weaker right-foot. Â Song, in his wisdom, opted for Van Persie, and the Dutchman’s subsequent finish was masterful, clipping the ball delightfully over the advancing Ruddy with his supposed ‘chocolate leg’.
It was his fifteenth goal of the season. Â In the calendar year of 2011, he has now scored 31 goals in 29 league games. Â In the history of the Premier League, only Alan Shearer (36) and Thierry Henry (34) have managed more. Â It is an extraordinary run, and one that surely confirms his place as one of Europe’s greatest strikers. Â What’s particularly fascinating is that he doesn’t have the electrifying pace of Henry, or the brute strength of Shearer. Â He is a pure footballer, and it is a combination of intelligent movement, breathtaking technique, and devastating finishing that is seeing him ascend these heights.
The feats of Messi and Ronaldo have made this kind of goal ratio seem less out of the ordinary. Â But this kind of stat (1.07 goals p/game) simply hasn’t been achieved over such a long spell in English football before. Â He owes something to the work of his team-mates, undoubtedly – Theo Walcott, in particular – but it’s clear Robin is the star turn in this Arsenal side. Â Worrying about contracts and what might happen in twelve or twenty-four months seems to me to be an unnecessary distraction from watching a world class performer at the peak of his powers.
I couldn’t possibly let the weekend pass without some comment on Arsene Wenger’s interview with L’Equipe. Â You can read the full transcript here, and I suggest that you do just that. Â Arsene says he’ll review his position at the end of the season, but I suspect every vaguely ethical manager at every top club will do just the same. Â Whatever your views on the disaster that was the summer, the way he has steadied the ship has been mightily impressive – helped, in now small part, by a Dutchman who is, like Davy Jones’ ship, Flying.
You can come out. The interlull is over, and between now and Christmas, there’s a veritable flurry of football. Here’s some of what I’ve been thinking about:
…Joel Campbell
As some of you know, I spent a good deal of my summer following the trail as Arsenal pursued Costa Rican striker, Joel Campbell. Whilst a deal was ultimately agreed, Arsenal were forced to send the player on loan to Lorient after his application for a work permit was rejected.
If he continues to rack up international caps he has a chance of qualifying for a permit next summer.
…Thierry’s return
Despite his relative success at Lorient, Campbell will be kicking himself that he’s not in London at the moment. If he were, he’d be able to pick up a few tips from one of the game’s true greats. Arsenal’s record goalscorer, Thierry Henry, is training with the club to keep himself fit in the MLS off-season.
The sight of Thierry in an Arsenal training strip is enough to make me feel all fuzzy inside, like the mouth of person suffering from flu. So, in the hope of giving you the same on this cold Friday morning – the nice feeling, not the flu – here’s a picture:
The blonde man behind Henry is American Brek Shea, who is here not only to keep fit, but also to try and impress Arsene enough to earn a move across the Atlantic. By the looks of things, he’d instantly take Gervinho’s crown as possessor of the worst haircut at the club.
Whilst I don’t think anyone would realistically want Henry to come back and sully his record and reputation, but at times Arsene must be tempted to bring him back to the club on loan. This January will leave us with only the injury-prone van Persie and anonymous Park as striking options. Tempting, isn’t it…
…Gervinho’s assists
Whoever plays up front for Arsenal will be able to rely on a decent supply from Gervinho. In ten starts, the Ivorian has created six goals. It’s an impressive return, and suggests his record as the most productive attacking player in France last season was no fluke. The challenge now is to improve his own finishing and take some of the goalscoring burden off RVP.
…Kieran Gibbs
Yesterday saw Jack Wilshere tweet the following:
It doesn’t take Jonathan Creek to work out that Gibbs must have been going some sort of surgical procedure, and the whispers are that it was for a troublesome hernia. If that is the case, I’d expect him to miss a further month. Still, at least Andre Santos has been working hard on his new fitness regime:
…Norwich
Our next game is away to Norwich tomorrow lunchtime. I’ve been really impressed with both the Canaries and Swansea, who’ve managed to combine decent results with attractive, enterprising football. Any lapse in concentration will doubtless be punished, so we’ll need everyone to refocus immediately after their international exploits.
…the Arsecast
In order to celebrate the return of proper football, I had a chat with Arseblogger for today’s Arsecast. Why not head over to www.arseblog.com and have a listen? On the agenda: Injuries in defence, Koreans in Sunderland, and racism in football. Enjoy.
