Can he inspire us to another win in Germany?

March 11, 2014

One of our own is out there. A solo mission without backup and on his birthday. Can he do it again? Can Didit’s positive energy inspire The Arsenal to another surprise win? It has worked before so it could work again – perhaps he is the lucky charm.

Big Raddy is a logical man, not prone to flights of fancy nor believing in things which cannot be proven …. and yet …. I still believe in lucky socks, lucky wine, lucky mints +++ When I go to The Emirates I have to take a certain route to the ground and drink in a lucky pub. My guess is that you have rituals as well, so why shouldn’t Micky’s presence affect the result?

I could write at length about this wonderful Bayern team – you will have read or heard all the stats – they are the best team ever in the Bundesliga which is some achievement. They have averaged almost 3 goals a game at home and have only lost twice in 100 home games – we know who inflicted one of those losses  🙂

Unknown-1

So, despite Guardiola’s assertions, BM are huge favourites to win the game and the tie. But  ….. we have reasons for quiet confidence. We have won there before, we have just beaten a good Everton side, we were better than BM prior to Szczesny’s sending off and we are The Arsenal. Plus we have our secret agent  ……

It is remarkable that we have beaten both Bayern and Borussia in their own grounds on our last two visits to Germany. Which other team in world football can say the same? I will tell you …. none

My Team:

b v a

Gibbs has a late fitness test and Monreal is just recovering from his foot knack so given the inexperience of both Jenks and Bacary playing left back I would prefer to see Captain Fantastic playing there  – he has done so in the past and it allows us to play the dreaded 3 at the back.

Give Podolski a run on the hour and perhaps give Gnabry a kickabout should we be losing (highly unlikely)  on 75 minutes – just to show the Germans what they have allowed to slip away.

Munchen: In Old German means “place of the monks” (unsurprisingly) because the Benedicitne monks established a monastery in the area. It was officially granted city status in 1175 and was a stopping point on the Old Salt Route through Germany. The city expanded rapidly when Duke Louis of Bavaria was crowned German king in 1314 and Holy Roman Emperor in 1328. He gave Munchen the salt monopoly which brought great wealth into the city and by the 15thC it was a gothic centre for arts and architecture.. By 1506 Munchen had become the capital of the independent  state of Bavaria (later to become a Kingdom) and remained so until the unification of Germany in 1871 .

Pre-match we will be split in our predictions between the optimists and the other less smiley people but come match time we shall all unite behind our team. There is a chance we can recover from an undeserved home defeat and without belief all is lost. A similar scoreline to last season will take us to penalties  …. errrm  ….. we need to score 3 !

A final note …. About now Micky will be climbing Mt. Wank singing songs from the Sound of Music – which song do you think he will sing at the summit? I am going for “High on a Hill was a Lonely Goatherd”. 🙂

Written by BigRaddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Oh No!! We’re Favourites…

March 10, 2014

I don’t know about you but as an Arsenal fan of many years (not as many as some who frequent AA) I like it when we are underdogs. In fact some of my best memories supporting Arsenal and winning trophies have come when we were not expected to win, or facing the impossible task.

The first trophy I watched us win was the ’87 Littlewoods Cup, up against the all conquering Liverpool of the 80’s we had not seen a glimpse of silverware since our last FA Cup win in 1979. We went to Wembley with some optimism as George Graham had arrived to revolutionise the Arsenal team, clearing out the old guard and bringing through young talent and supplementing with purchases he had made from the lower leagues, players that were to go on to become club legends. The job was made more difficult when Liverpool took the lead, the fact that Ian Rush had now scored meant that we were now deep into underdog territory, as we all know from the commentary, up until that point Liverpool had never lost a game when Rush had scored. But Charlie changed all that, firstly knocking in when the ball bobbled around the box, and then Perry Groves came on with his pace, skinned the Liverpool fullback who was tiring and teed up Charlie to score the winner.

Then there was that Friday night at Anfield, going to Liverpool with the task of winning by two clear goals, again the stats were against us, Liverpool had just won the FA Cup, they hadn’t lost by two goals at Anfield for over three years. Smudger nodded in a Winterburn free kick, and then we had to wait wait and wait until…well you all know what happened next….Thomas charging through the midfield….it’s up for grabs now. I smashed a light in my living room having jumped high from my armchair. Arsenal heaven.

Was that it for being underdogs? Not really, the English FA hated that we were getting successful again so deducted 2 points and Manchester United only 1 for a 21 man brawl at Old Trafford (Big Dave didn’t like getting dirty or a hair out of place unless it was absolutely necessary and stayed out of it), somehow on the day Nige and the Super Swede got booked for having the temerity to be kicked whilst on the ground by Mclair and Irwin who suffered no punishment from Hackett, and the latter punishment of points deduction probably started our dislike of the FA and theory that we don’t always receive the rub of the green from the officials. Anyway come May we were telling the trophy presentation committee to stick the f’ing two points up their arse, as Manchester United players had to applaud us on to the pitch with a guard of honour in the return fixture at Highbury after Nottingham Forest had ended Liverpool’s title chances earlier in the day.

And then maybe our most famous underdog win, George Graham’s side by 1993-94 had become a dour side to watch, route one football was the order of the day, we were now a long ball side, up to Smudger, get the knockdowns and let Wrighty do the rest. We were a cup team now, this style wouldn’t win any Leagues, the previous season we had won two cups, we were neither favourites nor underdogs, Sheffield Wednesday played a very similar style to us, so fans that attended made their own entertainment whilst the ball was in the air, and in the brief moments the ball actually touched the ground got interested. But Parma, well that was a mother proposition, made worse by the injury to John Jensen and Wrighty’s suspension, the media gave us no chance, Brolin, Zola and Asprilla all featured for Parma, whilst we had Selley, Morrow and Campbell in ours. But somehow Smudger scored probably his only goal from outside the area on his wrong peg in his career, and we held out for a triumphant 1-0 victory.

So what about when we were favourites?

Well I’ll do my lifetime:

League Cup
1988 – Arsenal 2 – Luton 3
2011 – Arsenal 1 – Birmingham 2

FA Cup
1980 – West Ham 1 – Arsenal 0
2001 – Arsenal 1 – Liverpool 2

So am I disappointed Wigan knocked Manchester City out yesterday……well as the draw had been made we were only going to be underdogs for the Semi Final so in the grand scheme of things I guess it doesn’t matter. But I hate being favourites…..can we talk up Wigan please, after all surely the holders are favourites?

Gooner in Exile

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Posted by Gööner In Exile

Arsenal get stuck into Toffees

March 9, 2014

A quarter final played on a Saturday against a very resolute and good team, always wets the appetite and the main talking point before the game was would Wenger put out his strongest team in a competition that in reality we have a good chance of winning or would he have one eye on the Bayern game to follow just three days later.

There were doubts about Koscielny who has been outstanding all season and his partnership with Mertesacker has usually a telepathic understanding that has been vital to us for most of the season

He wasn’t risked and Vermaelen stepped in and the biggest surprise, and not for the first time in such an important game, Sanogo was asked to lead the line.

We weren’t to be disappointed and the failure at The Britannia the week before was quickly forgotten. Cazorla and Ozil combined perfectly for Ozil with pin point accuracy gave us an early lead. It was an open game and then a rather messy goal by Lukaku nearing half time put Everton right back in the game.

The second half began and there was more resilience and fight by our boys and eventually the persistence payed off with Barry bringing down the excellent Oxlade-Chamberlain in the penalty box and Arteta had the dubious task of having to twice take the penalty awarded.

To me that was the pivotal moment in the game and after some astute substitutions, Giroud came on for Sanogo and scored a brace. The game was done and dusted…..

I make no excuse in naming three players as Man of the Match in fact everyone who played made a significant contribution.

Ozil for the vital first goal and the way he reads the game and put more effort in than lately, especially as he has been under the microscope.

ozil scored v everton

The Ox, as he caused problems all over the pitch, his enthusiasm, directness, and general play improves all the time, a real contender for the England squad but more importantly for us,hopefully for years to come.

Arteta under immense pressure having to take the penalty twice and restoring the lead gave us that extra impudence.

arteta pen everton

Others also played their part and I am sure you will add to my considerations.

Santi who with Ozil ran a good part of the game and was much better than recently and though he didn’t score he is always looking for an opportunity to shoot or play a decisive pass.
.
Vermaelen, hardly played all season, made one slip but generally had a very good game against stiff opposition.

Ollie had a rest, a couple of affairs 🙂 and looked sharp.

Flamini, though prone to get carded always urges the players on.When Ozil scored and a few congratulated him he urged others to join in..

Sagna one assist and one assist to an assist, we would dearly miss him.

boss,per,rosicky

Everyone went home happy, not a day to be judgemental about those who didn’t play or who we should buy in the Summer, so may the momentum continue. Wembley here we come.

Written by kelsey

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Posted by kelsey

She wore, She wore, She wore a Yellow Ribbon

March 8, 2014

Wouldn’t it be great to get to Wembley? Just a couple of wins and we can walk up the Empire Way with a song on the lips and hope in the heart, but first we have another difficult task – beating a very good team who are in form.

Last week Everton were cheated out of a result at Chelsea (quelle surprise!). I watched the game and they deserved not just a draw but the three points – they were the better team. What this tells us is that Everton will take to the pitch full of confidence. Another reason for their positivity will be their last game at THOF, a game I was privileged to attend.

gun__1386578706_ozil_everton2

For want of something to write let me review that game in a couple of sentences …. We started well and then Everton took control. Our much lauded midfield was being bossed by the lanky teenager Barkley, who looks a wonderful prospect, and we were struggling to cope with Everton’s attacks. Fortunately, they were lacking a finish and Chesney was playing well. We improved during the second half and took the lead with 9 minutes remaining through an Ozil goal but Everton equalised almost immediately through the excellent Deulofeu.  With seconds remaining Giroud rattled the crossbar with his best shot of the season. Everton’s was the best performance by a PL side at THOF this season – they played with verve, fluency and control. Should they replicate this  form today we will struggle.

But …… neither team is in the form we were back in November.

Everton: Lukaku is back for Everton and apart from Jagielka they have a fully fit squad. With a midfield of Barry, Barkley, Mcarthy or Osman, plus Mirallas and Pienaar, Everton will  swamp the midfield and look to deny us space. An Everton player I like very much is Seamus Coleman whom, if Bacary doesn’t re-sign, I would love to see at Arsenal; he has pace, is a good crosser but above all can defend.

Arsenal: With JW knacked and Ramsey not back until Spurs we will line up with an ancient midfield – Cazorla, Rosicky, Arteta and Flamini  – Santi is the youngest at 29!! Of course, I missed out Mesut and Ox but for sake of argument they are attackers.

Fabianski will continue his FA Cup run and perhaps Jenks will feature after a fine game for England U-21’s. Koscielny is having an assessment pre-match but I wouldn’t risk him and hope to see our Club Captain. It may be wise to give Sanogo another game but I would love us to win the FAC so prefer OG.

My team:

fa cup arse v toffees

I doubt AW will agree with me – he rarely does, but given an important game midweek it may be wise to rest Rosicky. We will have a strong bench.

Looking at the remaining teams in the Cup there is little to be fearful of (apart from one obvious exception), win this and the Twin Towers (spiritually if not physically) await.

written by Big Raddy

p.s. If anyone ever sees Raddy in a bar and watches him move from drinking wine to cocktails and onto beer please take him by the arm and remind him that he is too old for such behaviour. Hopefully this will result in a more lucid and informed AA post 😀

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Posted by Erik the Red

Bitesize Blasts from the Past

March 7, 2014

Today a bitesize selection of things that make us The Arsenal.

  • 1893-94 – in Arsenal’s third ever League game John Heath scored our very first hat trick in a 4-0 win over Walsall Town Swifts.
  • 1894-95 – following unsavoury incidents against the referee on January 26th, 1895 Arsenal’s ground on was closed for five weeks. The home games against Burton Swifts and Leicester Fosse had to be played on neutral grounds.
  • 1895-96 – while the modern manager might complain of having a couple of fixtures in three days two fixtures in one day was not unheard of back in the 1800’s. That happened to Woolwich Arsenal on Saturday December12th 1896 when they were due to visit Loughborough in the League and also entertain Leyton in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. The first team travelled to Leicestershire for the League match and lost 8-0 while the reserves disposed of Leyton 5-0 in the FA Cup.
  • 1889-90 – On March12th 1990 Arsenal got their revenge on Loughborough for the 8-0 defeat by giving them a 12-0 thrashing.
  • 1889-90 – Arsenal played away in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup to Thorpe, the game ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time. Thorpe was unable to travel for the return game and Arsenal gained the victory by default.
  • 1900 – Samuel Hill-Wood, Arsenal’s chairman, playing in a county cricket match for Derbyshire against the MCC at Lords scored an incredible ten runs off of one ball which is still the highest recorded for a single delivery.
  • 1904 – On Christmas day Arsenal played against a Paris XI and defeated them 26-1 (our highest ever score) the lone goal scored by the Paris XI was by the only Englishman on their side – it’s reported that the Arsenal team stepped aside to allow him to score.
  • 1907 – on November 7th Arsenal played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first ever London derby which Arsenal won 2-1 with a big assist going to the huge throng of Arsenal away supporters in the crowd of 65, 000. Royal Arsenal Works at Woolwich had closed for the day to allow its workers to celebrate King Edward VII’s birthday.
  • 1926 – Dan Lewis, our Welsh goalkeeper, was sent off in a game against Sunderland on April 10th 1926. He was the only Arsenal player to be sent off during the twenty seasons between the two world wars.
    • 1925 – In his first major purchase for Arsenal Herbert Chapman resigned Charlie Buchan from Sunderland, he had left previously over an expenses dispute. Buchan was responsible, along with Herbert Chapman, for Arsenal’s adoption of the WM formation which eventually brought Arsenal significant success in the 1930s. After retiring from football Buchan became a football journalist with the Daily News (later renamed the News Chronicle), wrote one of the first coaching manuals, and also commentated for the BBC. In 1947, he co-founded the Football Writers’ Association, and from September 1951 until his death, he edited his own football magazine, Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly, which was published until June 1974.

  • 1928 – Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman sent his team out wearing the numbers 12-22 while his opponents Sheffield Wednesday wore number 1-11.
  • 1930 – Arsenal wins their first FA Cup on April 26th 1930 in front of a crowd of 92,488 at Wembley Stadium beating Huddersfield Town 2-0. With Alex James and Jack Lambert scoring the goals.
  • 1931 – Arsenal wins their first League Division One Championship under new manager Herbert Chapman.
  • 1932-1935 – Arsenal become only the second club to win three consecutive League Division One Championships, Huddersfield Town were the first club to do so from 1924 to 1926. Herbert Chapman was the manager for the 1932-33 and 1933-34 titles and unfortunately died of pneumonia in 1934. George Allison managed the team for the 1934-35 title.
    • 1936 – Arsenal won their second FA Cup on April 25th 1936 in front of a crowd of 93,384 at Wembley Stadium beating Sheffield United 1-0. Ted Drake scored the only goal with sixteen minutes left in the game.

  • 1938 – Arsenal won the First Division Championship for the fifth time in 1937-38 with 52 points which was only 16 points more than bottom club West Bromwich Albion. It was manager George Allison’s second League title.
  • 1939-1945 – Arsenal lost 9 players during WW11, more than any other club.
  • 1947-48 – Arsenal won the First Division Championship for the sixth time, it was the first title for manager Tom Whittaker.
  • 1950 – Arsenal won their third FA Cup on April 29th 1950 in front of a crowd of 100,000 at Wembley Stadium beating Liverpool 2-0. Reg Lewis scored both goals.
  • 1950 – Arsenal retained their entire professional staff of fifty nine at the end of the season, which is thought to be the largest recorded number in Football League History.
    • 1951-51 – Doug Lishman scored three consecutive hat tricks at Highbury against Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers. Thierry Henry duplicated this feat during the 2002-03 season.

  • 1952-53 – Arsenal won their seventh First Division Championship, the second for Tom Whittaker.
  • 1953-53 to 1968-69 – this was a barren period for Arsenal as they went through sixteen seasons without winning any trophies.

GunnerN5

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Posted by Gööner In Exile

AFC Youth Academy – A Look At The Future

March 6, 2014

Over the last few days we have discussed the more recent games and talked a lot about how things are with the club currently so I thought it would be nice to have a little debate about our potential future stars and have a glimpse at what our famed youth academy has in store for us. To me our youth academy looks very exciting but I do have a couple of burning questions that I hope you are able to help clarify.

Now I will hold my hands up and say that I am not the foremost expert on the youth academy but do try and keep a keen eye on it. I am sure that there will be comments today from those who have a more in depth knowledge than me on the academy players. The intention in this post is not to lecture to and to try and educate you on the subject but more to open up a discussion point for the day. I am hoping that the various comments will bring further knowledge so that we all end the day more enlightened.

Before I go further I do have one question that tends to play on my mind regarding our youth academy. It seems to me that we historically don’t see many young players graduate to our first team that have been with us from the very beginning. When you think about most of the youngsters that have (or will) become top class, the majority seem to have started their early youth career elsewhere. I can only come up with Ashley Cole, Keiran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere as top players that were with us from the beginning and wonder why this is so. Are we only excellent at finishing their development after a certain age and is there something wrong with our youth training in the younger age group, or is it simply a numbers game that you are looking for that rare natural gem that could be anywhere, and their early training is only a small part of what constitutes a world class player? I guess it is the nature and nurture argument.

The current squad for me is already very good but I also believe that we will buy significant players in the summer transfer market. There still seem to be a couple of I’s to dot and T’s to cross in the squad to balance it out and bring it up to the top level, and I can see this happening in the summer. The current squad and the potential further quality additions to it leaves me very excited about where Arsenal are heading, but if you then look further at some of the quality young players coming through the youth ranks, that could be added to what we already have and what may be coming in, it becomes more exciting still.

If we are considering potential transfers in the summer for a certain position I feel it is always relevant to look and see if we have the players coming that could take up that role first. That is the Arsenal and the Arsene way and I for one would not change that. Opinions are often flung out there as to how many players we need to buy to make this team fully competitive but, it could be that we have a quality player that is earmarked for the first team in 2 years, so any transfer activity in that position may have to be of the right age to bridge that 2 year gap.

For instance we need a striker but then where do we sit with Benik Afobe and Chuba Akpom. I was very impressed with Akpom in the pre-season games and actually thought he would feature more for us this season but for whatever reason he hasn’t. Do we now need to add a young high quality striker to our ranks or do we already have one and therefore only need an older more experienced striker to bridge a 2 year gap? We may need another right back if Sagna leaves but how good or ready is Bellerin? Some would like to have Cesc back and while I can see that argument have any of you seen young Dan Crowley in action?

So over to you A.A’ers. Who excites you the most from our academy? Who do you think will make it into the first team and when? In the mean time here is some footage of our 6-1 win over Peterborough. Akpom looks good but I think you will all get a little sense of excitement about a certain young Dan Crowley.

Written by GoonerB

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

We’re Gonna Win the League: An alternative realism

March 5, 2014

Following on from yesterday’s “reality check” and Micky’s early morning questions, let us take another (very hasty) look at our situation:

What should Arsenal be achieving? Be honest, completely honest – did anyone really expect us to win the title? Not want us to win it but expect us to. Because if you did I admire your optimism. I hoped for a repeat of 4th and wished for better.

The huge spending from Spurs allied to the development of Liverpool worried me (then we signed Mesut). I didn’t expect MU to implode and that has been not just hugely enjoyable but also a fillip to our chances. I fervently want us to finish the season above the Oilers and the Chavs and we may still do so – but financial doping is effective as has been seen in every league in every country.

We are still in the FA Cup  and could easily win it. We have been very unlucky with our draws in both the FAC and the CL. A Group of Death, which we almost won, and 3 Top 6 teams in the FAC (thankfully all at home) is tough.

A Cup win, a few quality victories in the CL and a top 4 finish – I would be happy with such a season.

Given our wage bill where should we be? The figures say 5th – they don’t lie. We consistently punch above our weight.

Is Kroenke only in it for the money? Of course he is! He is not a football fan, he is American and he is a businessman – where is the doubt? But …. as a highly successful businessman man he knows that to make a profit he has to invest, as he has been doing (crap English but written in a hurry!!).

When buying a club one has to take time to see the core values and then add to them, SK has done that. Not for him the Shevchenko buys  – he doesn’t need to impress anyone. We appear, despite Hill-Wood’s early assessment, to have a sensible owner who will continue to buy players when his manager identifies the targets. I should also point out that last summer was the first summer in many years when we did not sell any of our best players – this is due to planning and not luck.

If there is cash, who is in charge of the risk factor and should it be invested? Here we have an area of contention. In my opinion Mr Wenger’s job should start and end by identifying the player he needs, sadly he is involved in every area of the purchase. Such is the way of a perfectionist and  – dare I say it – a megalomaniac! We have people to do the valuing and purchase so AW should keep his beak out of it.

Should we spend the money? Of course we should – this is a football club not a bank! Does a fan care about a balance sheet or silverware? Not for nothing is football called the Glory Game.

 If SK is not the best type of Chairman, who, or what model, is? You tell me. We are an old traditional club with traditional values, why not keep them or is the Glazer route preferable? I understand why Chelsea and MC fans are delighted that their clubs have been bank-rolled and am sure they don’t consider their silverware tarnished by financial doping – but We are The Arsenal. They will never have a The in front of their name!!

Ask Cardiff/Leeds etc fans what they think.

My opinion is that the club is on the verge of another brilliant decade. We have come through a tough financial time as the club commenced the stadium build just as the financial crisis enveloped the country. We are through this now and have the wherewithal to compete with the big boys – we are one of the big boys and the signing of Ozil proves it.

Arsenal are getting better on the pitch, we have all seen it. When Ramsey was knocking them  in for fun and Theo returned in such strong form we were on the verge of greatness – their injuries have blighted our season.

This season we have been TotL more than we haven’t, doesn’t that constitute an enjoyable campaign wherever we finish?

But it isn’t over, we can take the points from our rivals to win the title. Unlikely but possible and until the fat lady sings I prefer to believe that Arsenal will win the league at Carrow Road.

written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Is it time for a reality check?

March 4, 2014

We may not be experts but we all naturally follow our own team extremely closely and to me the top three is already done and dusted,with Spurs, Arsenal and United playing it out for forth.

I read that Arsenal’s total overall wage bill for players and employees will be nearer to 190 million in this current financial year which is over 20% more than two years ago and considerably more than Spurs.

IMO the real reason that we can’t sign really top class players is that Wenger has overall control and the directive from Kroenke is just to finish top 4. None of Kroenke’s USA investments win trophies. He is just in it for the long haul.

There is a growing unrest among fans as we have considerable funds and as van Persie said “the club lack real ambition”.

We are proud of our heritage, have a wonderful stadium, have the highest ticket prices in the league, yet the waiting list for season tickets is still in the tens of thousands.

We have become a business and a money machine for the club.

Take nothing away from what AW did in the first half of his tenure but I am absolutely sure we have seen the best of him.

The scouting network that at one time was second to none has been supereceded by many clubs and our play of pass and move only works against the lesser teams generally.

However the status quo will remain regardless were we finish this season. That is the reality.

This has nothing to do with my support for the club, but just listen to the away fans being interviewed at Stoke, they are all saying the same thing.

Many point out the loss of Walcott has been a major blow and one can’t argue against that but it’s the same old story,we don’t have consistent quality of squad depth when needed.

To have to play Sanogo against Bayern was unbelievable. He may turn out to be a wonderful purchase and to get Kit Kallstrom on loan was to say in the nicest possible way ….strange.

We are going to lose Fabianski, which IMO opinion is wrong as competition for Szczesny won’t come from the third choice, never played, Italian keeper. Vermaelen, our current club captain had one iffy season and in all likelyhood will leave and there is the likely prospect of Sagna leaving too.

Jack needs a long rest but we can’t afford that luxury.

Podolski appears to be out of favour so rarely gets game time.

Arteta has maybe one good season left so the rebuilding may start again.

Realistically we have one good chance of a trophy this season and that is the FA Cup and I hope AW realises this and isn’t tempted to not play our strongest team , which he has done in the past, as his directive is to finish top 4.

The irony is that if Wenger did leave would things change if the directive from the owner remains the same?

Written by kelsey

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Posted by kelsey

Arsenal’s Injuries Remain The Biggest Scandal

March 3, 2014

We’re all still sore from getting Orc-swiped at the weekend and there is a temptation to lash out at the players and the manager.

But probably the most significant names in Saturday’s defeat are those of people who weren’t even there: Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott. With them available we would probably have won that game.

The truth is, we have become so accustomed to losing key players for large chunks of the season at Arsenal that we barely even question it.

Yet question it we should. We should be shouting, screaming and demanding answers.

Such is the nature of football that all clubs face injuries from time to time. But only Arsenal has an attrition rate to rival the first week of the Somme.

Here’s the current EPL injury league table… and guess who’s top:

140226

That table on its own wouldn’t matter so much – any team can have bad luck – were it not for the fact that we were first or second in the EPL Injury League table for the previous five seasons.

I have heard it said that our high-possession style of play increases the likelihood of our players getting injured (we have more of the ball and we move it quickly, inviting challenges which often come in late, taking the man not the ball).

Cobblers.

We’re not the only team in the Premier League that keeps the ball. We’re just the only team that likes to hog the top spot in the Injury Table. In any case, a disproportionate amount of our injuries seem to come from hamstring pulls and muscle issues rather than impact issues.

That tells me that there is something wrong with the way we train or the way our players are monitored by the medical team.

A year or so ago – following repeated criticism of the club’s medical record – journalists and bloggers were invited to Arsenal’s new “state-of-the-art” medical facility.

Even celebrated Arsenal observers like Arseblog came back from being wined and dined to write in glowing terms of how simply awesome the facilities were. And since then the rumblings of discontent about our injury record have mostly been silenced. As a PR exercise by the club it worked brilliantly.

The deafening silence surrounding the issue was disturbed only by the twanging of ligaments and the snapping of tendons as our players dropped like leaves in Autumn.

I don’t claim to have any knowledge of issues medical. I once went to casualty with what I told them was food poisoning only to be admitted for pneumonia.

But I do know that Arsenal’s permanent residency at the summit of the Injury League is an absolute scandal that needs addressing.

There are many reasons why we have underachieved in recent years, but our roll-call of the sick and the damned is surely up there among the very best of them.

I wouldn’t want to traduce the reputations of the medical team at Arsenal. I have no doubt that they are dedicated professionals and are as frustrated as we are that our players seem all to have been manufactured by Swarovski. But surely it’s time for another external evaluation of our training and medical methods?

The current record is simply indefensible and unsustainable.

Ivan, Arsène , Sir French Fries… Sort it out!

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

Lacklustre display. Are the alarm bells ringing ?

March 2, 2014

A trip to The Britania historically has always been a hard game but what we saw today was at the least very disappointing. When the keeper and a cameo from Oxlade-Chamberlain are your only players who had a good game several questions have to be asked.

Firstly what does it take to motivate a team that has every possible chance of winning the league, a team that a week ago thoroughly outplayed and dispensed with another relegation threatened team?

Stoke play a hard, mainly unattractive game but we knew that beforehand. Players are human beings, but for practically all of them to be out of sorts is mystifying.
Did Wenger pick the wrong formation?  It appeared at half time that it would be difficult to argue against that theory.

Substitutes were needed to add more urgency and pace to the team but we waited and waited. We were certainly not getting the benefit of being fouled against, and Stoke were growing in confidence.

Then, what appeared to be a dubious penalty was awarded and we were left chasing the game.

Ozil was finally introduced and then The Ox and finally Sanogo, who missed an absolute sitter in the final minutes.

If it hadn’t have been for several glaring misses by Crouch in particular together with some excellent saves from Szczesny the scoreline could have been worse.

Inconsistency when it really matters seems to be the problem, something we have seen time and time again yet our Away form this season has been second only to Spurs and I had thought that we had mastered the way to win ugly.

All is not lost but it makes everything that much harder with the forthcoming fixtures this month..

I think it is unfair to give player ratings but I don’t understand in this particular game why a young direct player like The Ox wasn’t brought on earlier or even started.

Another concern is Jack Wilshere. I am absolutely convinced that he is not 100% match fit and noticed on a number of occasions that he stood back instead of making a tackle .Am I right ?

I just hope they can regroup for the next match, for whichever way you look at it, this could possibly be a defining moment for our season .

Written by kelsey

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Posted by kelsey

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