Wenger did his press conference today so before the Bolton preview lets start with some injury news. Over the course of the international break, two of our players collected injuries while it was announced that Van Persie would be out for six weeks with the ankle injury he picked up against Blackburn. Walcott got a similar injury to the Dutchman and consequently will be out for a similar period of time while Vermaelen picked up a small achilles injury that should see him return for Wednesday's Champions League fixture against Braga.
I have to mention Van Persie. He's injured again and a lot of people are becoming frustrated with the time he has spent on the sidelines. Some have even said he should be sold and another, more reliable striker brought in. I think that's knee-jerk reaction but I also think it has come to the stage, with Robin, where we can't build the team around him. In my opinion, he is, on a technical level, the best striker in the world. His touch is second to none and there isn't a more graceful player in world football. But you can't rely on his fitness holding up and the stats back that up. Robin has yet to start 30 Premier League games in one season and the most starts he's ever had in all competitions for a full season is 38. That's all he's mustered since he signed with the gunners back in 2004 and it makes for sad reading. I do, however, have a theory on how he could increase the amount of games he plays for us.
When you look past his latest injury and study the others, you have to say a lot of them have come while he's on international duty. I don't know why that happens but you only need to look to last season to find the one that left out for half a year. It makes me think that he should retire from international football but I doubt it will happen anytime soon.
Anyway, on to the Bolton game. With Bendtner also out injured, Chamakh will continue up front.
Wenger has also confirmed that Squillaci will make his full debut at the back in place of TV5. And with Kevin Davies in close attendance, I'm sure he'll learn a lot about the Premier League this weekend. Walcott's injury presents a good opportunity for Rosicky to stake his claim as a place on the bench seems more likely for the fit again Samir Nasri. Denilson and Djourou are also in contention for the squad.
Looking at Bolton, they have more than enough to cause a few headaches for us. Davies will certainly test out our brand new, if temporary, central defensive partnership. Martin Petrov down the wings could cause a few nightmares as well. Sagna should hold his own against him but its been a while since Clichy has put a good winger in his back pocket so he'll probably operate there. Saying that, Bolton will come to defend and will look to the two aforementioned players to relieve pressure on the backline and to counter-attack.
Last season, Owen Coyle's teams certainly made us work for our points and he's no stranger to getting results against us in his Burnley days. But I fully expect a home win. Obviously we'll have the usual jitters at the back from set-pieces but we normally dominate possession at home so those Bolton threats should be rare and far between. I'm thinking 2, maybe even 3-0, with Fabregas to get off the mark for the season.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Arsenal Come Through Blackburn Test
Blackburn 1 Arsenal 2
So it wasn't as comfortable as my first impressions might have suggested but Arsenal battled through a competitive encounter at Ewood Park to take top spot in the Premier League. Andrey Arshavin's sweet finish early in the second half was enough to secure the win.
The first half was particularly tough with Blackburn arguably walking down the tunnel at half-time on top. They gave everything in the first 45 minutes to try and disrupt Arsenal and it worked. Blackburn and particularly Samba seriously threatened from set-pieces culminating in Fabregas clearing a Ryan Nelson header off the line. But we were also dangerous and were unlucky not to take the lead when Diaby's goal-bound shot deflected off of a Blackburn defender and Robinson's shin and was then cleared. We took the lead on 20 minutes. Van Persie slipped a lovely ball into Walcott on the inside-right and he made no mistake as he buried a low shot across Paul Robinson that nestled in the bottom, left-hand corner.
Then, a disastrous six-minute period around the half-hour mark saw us lose the lead and the talismatic Van Persie. The goal came first as Christopher Samba came storming out of defence to slip a ball down the left wing to El-Hadji Diouf. Koscielny came across to cover but was completely out-muscled by Diouf who then squared to his namesake, and Man United loanee, Mame Biram Diouf to tuck home. This was followed by Van Persie limping off after earlier sustaining a knock in a challenge with Phil Jones. Arsene Wenger explained after the match that it appeared to be a twisted ankle and if it was, he would be out for 10 days. The international break couldn't come at a more advantageous time for us.
Chamakh came on and took up the task of marking Samba when he came forward for corners and throw-ins. I have to say I was very impressed with how effectively he dealt with him. Everytime a ball came into the box, Chamakh simply grappled with Samba, not allowing him to jump, which made it much easier for everyone else to clear the ball.
The second half seemed to breeze by once we grabbed the goal five minutes in. And what a lovely goal it was. Some neat build-up play released Sagna down the wing. He cut the ball back to Fabregas who blasted the ball off of Walcott. It broke to Arshavin, he made no mistake.
As the game progressed, Blackburn tired and Arsenal took control. A David Dunn shot that Almunia gathered is the only chance I can remember for the home side in the second period. Sam Allardyce's side did launch a few balls into the box towards the end but we just about managed to deal with them. Wilshere, a 82nd minute substitute for Arshavin, did have a wonderful opportunity to add a third in injury time but he lost his footing at the crucial time.
Overall I'm satisfied with the three points. We battled hard and always looked threatening despite losing Van Persie after half an hour. My one concern was how we struggled at times to clear out lines. We had a bit of luck defending some of the set-pieces but every team needs that at Ewood Park. I think that as we approach the international break we can be very satisfied with our haul from our three games and in the transfer market. Walcott was brilliant again and Almunia had a decent game in goals too. Hopefully the international break won't disturb us to much and we can continue on where we left off when the players return.
In other news we go to White Hart Lane in the third round of the Carling Cup so hopefully the young lads can give a better account of themselves than the last team we sent there in the tournament.
So it wasn't as comfortable as my first impressions might have suggested but Arsenal battled through a competitive encounter at Ewood Park to take top spot in the Premier League. Andrey Arshavin's sweet finish early in the second half was enough to secure the win.
The first half was particularly tough with Blackburn arguably walking down the tunnel at half-time on top. They gave everything in the first 45 minutes to try and disrupt Arsenal and it worked. Blackburn and particularly Samba seriously threatened from set-pieces culminating in Fabregas clearing a Ryan Nelson header off the line. But we were also dangerous and were unlucky not to take the lead when Diaby's goal-bound shot deflected off of a Blackburn defender and Robinson's shin and was then cleared. We took the lead on 20 minutes. Van Persie slipped a lovely ball into Walcott on the inside-right and he made no mistake as he buried a low shot across Paul Robinson that nestled in the bottom, left-hand corner.
Then, a disastrous six-minute period around the half-hour mark saw us lose the lead and the talismatic Van Persie. The goal came first as Christopher Samba came storming out of defence to slip a ball down the left wing to El-Hadji Diouf. Koscielny came across to cover but was completely out-muscled by Diouf who then squared to his namesake, and Man United loanee, Mame Biram Diouf to tuck home. This was followed by Van Persie limping off after earlier sustaining a knock in a challenge with Phil Jones. Arsene Wenger explained after the match that it appeared to be a twisted ankle and if it was, he would be out for 10 days. The international break couldn't come at a more advantageous time for us.
Chamakh came on and took up the task of marking Samba when he came forward for corners and throw-ins. I have to say I was very impressed with how effectively he dealt with him. Everytime a ball came into the box, Chamakh simply grappled with Samba, not allowing him to jump, which made it much easier for everyone else to clear the ball.
The second half seemed to breeze by once we grabbed the goal five minutes in. And what a lovely goal it was. Some neat build-up play released Sagna down the wing. He cut the ball back to Fabregas who blasted the ball off of Walcott. It broke to Arshavin, he made no mistake.
As the game progressed, Blackburn tired and Arsenal took control. A David Dunn shot that Almunia gathered is the only chance I can remember for the home side in the second period. Sam Allardyce's side did launch a few balls into the box towards the end but we just about managed to deal with them. Wilshere, a 82nd minute substitute for Arshavin, did have a wonderful opportunity to add a third in injury time but he lost his footing at the crucial time.
Overall I'm satisfied with the three points. We battled hard and always looked threatening despite losing Van Persie after half an hour. My one concern was how we struggled at times to clear out lines. We had a bit of luck defending some of the set-pieces but every team needs that at Ewood Park. I think that as we approach the international break we can be very satisfied with our haul from our three games and in the transfer market. Walcott was brilliant again and Almunia had a decent game in goals too. Hopefully the international break won't disturb us to much and we can continue on where we left off when the players return.
In other news we go to White Hart Lane in the third round of the Carling Cup so hopefully the young lads can give a better account of themselves than the last team we sent there in the tournament.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Bolton Mk II
Tomorrow Arsenal face Sam Allardyce's Blackburn at Ewood Park in the first test of the team's resilience this season. Blackburn is always a tough place to go but I do feel if we take an early lead, the test will dissolve into a canter and a 4-goal, drubbing to the Gunners.
So in reality the match will only pose problems if the team starts slowly and allow Blackburn to get on the front foot early on. Play with the same tempo as we did against Blackpool and I can't see anything other than our first away win in the league this season.
However as confident as I am, I'd be very surprised if Blackburn didn't overpower us from a set-piece at least once. And if the referee doesn't do his job we could be in for a long day at the office. What went on from Blackburn corners last year was a joke to say the least and I can't imagine such a refereeing screw-up happening again this time.
Moving on to team selection, the defense picks itself with Koscielny coming back in and Song moving back into midfield. After that its hard to know what Wenger will do because he really is spoilt for choice going forward. Walcott, Arshavin, Rosicky, Eboue, Fabregas, Van Persie and Chamakh will be competing and there isn't really a reason not to start any of them. Going on merit from the last game, I feel Rosicky and Walcott deserve a place. The manager has already said that Fabregas and Van Persie are fully fit so expect one to start at either Chamakh or Arshavin's expense.
So as long we play our game and remain fully focused we'll win this game. The alternative really isn't worth thinking about.
Champions League Draw and Ivan Gazidis
So the draw for the group stages of the Champion's League was made yesterday and it was quite favorable for Arsenal. With respect to the other teams in the group, this really was a plum draw. No long treks to Moscow, no Real Madrid and we don't play against Partizan or Shakhtar, away from home, deep into the winter months (albeit we face the latter away at the beginning of November). Of course, the big news about the draw is the fact that Eduardo will return to the Emirates which will make for an emotional night for all involved.
But there is a concern going forward into these games. After 5 of the 6 games, we go away from home in the Premier League. In those fixtures we face Sunderland, Chelsea, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Manchester United. It really is an unbelievable run of games but then again it's all a part of being a big team.
The only consolation about these fixtures is that, apart from Sunderland and Aston Villa, we face teams who are also involved in Europe. So when we face those teams it really will be a test of squads. As long as we go into those Premier League matches with the spine of the team fit, we can expect some very positive results.
Something else that I found interesting to come out of the ceremony in Monaco was Ivan Gazidis' interview on ATVO. He spoke briefly about the draw and the current state of the squad. He felt the squad was stronger than last year's and he also stressed how we've added 'some experience and steel' to the squad. Now, I do appreciate the fact that Gazidis will always sing the team's praises in every interview he does but the word 'steel' has stuck in my mind. It makes me think that Wenger's main objective over the summer was to toughen up the team and the way he has talked about the new signings is evidence of this. Tomorrow's game at Ewood Park will tell us if he has managed to do so.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Easy Pickings
Whilst I appreciate that, in top-flight football, each team must be treated with respect, surely Arsenal can't look at anything less than three points today against Blackpool.
The points accumulated against the 'smaller' teams will form the foundation of our campaign. If we beat them comfortably and handsomely, it'll go a long way to a sucessful season. Struggle against them and drop valuble points, and Arsenal will struggle to make the top four.
Our next five games are against teams that either finished around the bottom half of the table or were promoted last season. After those, the team travels to Stamford Bridge. 16 points is the only acceptable tally to travel there with.
Blackpool will bring lots of energy and endeavor to the pitch today. Why wouldn't they? They're flying high after their 4-0 triumph at Wigan and come to the Emirates with nothing to lose. So firstly today we have to match their work-rate, then it should be a simple task of imposing our game on them and squeezing the life and, hopefully, a few goals out of them too.
As I finish writing the team has just been released. With Song partnering Vermaelen at the back and the irratic Diaby protecting them, Blackpool might just fancy their chances of grabbing a goal today. The frontline looks good with Rosicky and Walcott coming in for Nasri and Eboue. I'm disappointed that Arshavin has kept his place on the team considering his poor showing at Anfield. Hopefully Fabregas and Van Persie will only come on for match-minutes and not a match-winner!
I think 4-0 to the Arsenal is a realistic score although it could very easily be more.
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Role of The Striker
Eduardo Da Silva signed for Shakhtar Donetsk two days ago from Arsenal. He was the only striker at the club in the mould of a 'box player'. A player who specializes in finishing any oppurtunities that might present themselves in and around the penalty area. Arsene Wenger went on record as saying he wasn't in the market for another forward. This has made me wonder about the role of the striker in the present game.
If you look at the biggest teams in world football, their strikers perform several roles for them, sometimes not even including scoring the bulk of the goals. The perfect example would be Van Persie. He plays what some gunners called a 'false nine'. He would drop off the front into midfield and help the likes of Song and Fabregas in controlling possession. While we all know that Van Persie could easily score over 20 goals in a season, Wenger doesn't see this as his primary role. In fact I remember at the start of last season, when Van Persie had yet to get into his stride, the boss said it wasn't a concern because he was making goals.
Torres, while he scores nearly all Liverpool's goals, performs other roles as well. They play counter-attacking football and he's crucial to them in this. When opposition attacks break down he will run the flanks and provide an outlet for his team-mates. When Liverpool don't have the ball he will chase down and force defenders into kicking the ball long. Tevez also does this at Manchester City. That sort of work is what's expected of strikers nowadays.
In the present game, midfield is seen as the crucial area of the pitch to control, and the style of forwards in the modern game is reflective of this. They work backlines and supplement midfielders or simply run around, closing down the opposition. One thing that's for certain though, is that a striker can't simply be on the end of attacking moves, they have to be in the middle of them too.
If you look at the biggest teams in world football, their strikers perform several roles for them, sometimes not even including scoring the bulk of the goals. The perfect example would be Van Persie. He plays what some gunners called a 'false nine'. He would drop off the front into midfield and help the likes of Song and Fabregas in controlling possession. While we all know that Van Persie could easily score over 20 goals in a season, Wenger doesn't see this as his primary role. In fact I remember at the start of last season, when Van Persie had yet to get into his stride, the boss said it wasn't a concern because he was making goals.
Torres, while he scores nearly all Liverpool's goals, performs other roles as well. They play counter-attacking football and he's crucial to them in this. When opposition attacks break down he will run the flanks and provide an outlet for his team-mates. When Liverpool don't have the ball he will chase down and force defenders into kicking the ball long. Tevez also does this at Manchester City. That sort of work is what's expected of strikers nowadays.
In the present game, midfield is seen as the crucial area of the pitch to control, and the style of forwards in the modern game is reflective of this. They work backlines and supplement midfielders or simply run around, closing down the opposition. One thing that's for certain though, is that a striker can't simply be on the end of attacking moves, they have to be in the middle of them too.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Goodbye Eduardo and The Daily Mail Wind-Up
So Eduardo has left us for pastures anew and I suppose you can't help but wonder what might of been if he hadn't suffered the trauma, mentally as well as physically, of that tackle from Martin Taylor.
Before I move on to what it means for the squad I must mention the The Daily Mail's cruel and not very classy take on the transfer. Sure you can say his time at Arsenal was ill-fated but, in my opinion, to call Eduardo a flop is inaccurate and to compare him to the likes of Baptista (who was just plain lazy) is a disgrace.
Anyway, where does the Arsenal frontline go from here? I had hoped, that this could open a door for Jay Simpson to return to the squad because he is a goal-poacher. He's not necessarily in the Eduardo mould but he certainly knows where the goal is. But unfortunately if he was in Wenger's plans he would have been on the plane to Austria since Eduardo's transfer had been sanctioned by then.
With Eduardo gone, we have striking options consisting of RVP, Chamakh, Bendtner, Vela, JET, Walcott (maybe) and Arshavin (emergency). Looking at those you have to ask yourself: 'unless RVP stays fit, who's going to get us 25+ goals this season?'
Chamakh is unknown and its unfair to expect anymore than maybe 15 goals in the season from him. A tally most of us would be satisfied with. Bendtner certainly has the confidence and did target a high tally last year but injury ended that ambition. He has the potential but consistency might be a problem. Vela seems to play his best on the international stage but I still expect big things from him and I think we have the right to expect him to deliver because the fact is Vela has had an easy ride at Arsenal so far .But whether his potential will be fulfilled as a striker or a winger remains to be seen.
Potential tallies and individual prospects aside, the one thing about the frontline that bothers me is the lack of a 'fox in the box', a player in the mould of Kevin Philips or Filippo Inzaghi. But maybe I'm old fashioned in my youth! I think I'll discuss the role of the striker tomorrow maybe. But who do you think will supply the goals this season?
863TEHDU88XE
Before I move on to what it means for the squad I must mention the The Daily Mail's cruel and not very classy take on the transfer. Sure you can say his time at Arsenal was ill-fated but, in my opinion, to call Eduardo a flop is inaccurate and to compare him to the likes of Baptista (who was just plain lazy) is a disgrace.
Anyway, where does the Arsenal frontline go from here? I had hoped, that this could open a door for Jay Simpson to return to the squad because he is a goal-poacher. He's not necessarily in the Eduardo mould but he certainly knows where the goal is. But unfortunately if he was in Wenger's plans he would have been on the plane to Austria since Eduardo's transfer had been sanctioned by then.
With Eduardo gone, we have striking options consisting of RVP, Chamakh, Bendtner, Vela, JET, Walcott (maybe) and Arshavin (emergency). Looking at those you have to ask yourself: 'unless RVP stays fit, who's going to get us 25+ goals this season?'
Chamakh is unknown and its unfair to expect anymore than maybe 15 goals in the season from him. A tally most of us would be satisfied with. Bendtner certainly has the confidence and did target a high tally last year but injury ended that ambition. He has the potential but consistency might be a problem. Vela seems to play his best on the international stage but I still expect big things from him and I think we have the right to expect him to deliver because the fact is Vela has had an easy ride at Arsenal so far .But whether his potential will be fulfilled as a striker or a winger remains to be seen.
Potential tallies and individual prospects aside, the one thing about the frontline that bothers me is the lack of a 'fox in the box', a player in the mould of Kevin Philips or Filippo Inzaghi. But maybe I'm old fashioned in my youth! I think I'll discuss the role of the striker tomorrow maybe. But who do you think will supply the goals this season?
863TEHDU88XE
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