FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!

March 15, 2012

In darker moments, when all rationale and clarity has gone AWOL and I’ve struggled to find cohesion, it’s difficult to see the positives when concentrating solely on the negatives. If Monsieur Wenger has time, or even instructs a member of his staff to read the myriad of Arsenal Blogs, I hope ‘ArsenalArsenal’ is right up there as ‘A must read…’ If so, here’s what I would say.

Dear Arsène,

‘ArsenalArsenal’ is full of wonderful passionate Arsenal fans, all ages, sizes etc., and most are loyal disciples of your teachings. They are unwavering in their belief, and have put down many a nay-sayer with a pithy, witty turn of phrase. Their resolve and strength is unbelievable, and like you, their intelligence has done for many opponents.

At this point, I must beg your forgiveness. There have been times this season when your demeanour has looked tortured, your furrowed brow perplexed, and even, dare I suggest, the look of someone who wasn’t sure whether or not they wanted to fight for unforgiving fans, whose emotions have been all over the place. I lost my way, and became a nay-sayer. I questioned everything from the running of the club to your transfer policy, and the performances out on the pitch.

The good people at ‘ArsenalArsenal’ have read my rants of ‘Wenger Out…’ and the lambasting of certain players, mostly with good humour – though it has led to some lively debates – and I am now in a better, more considered frame of mind, one that tallies with the majority of the afore mentioned Blog. You are an Alchemist. A dignified man, who has refused to cow-tow to the incessant pressure applied by the blood-thirsty gutter press, and yet again you have trumped them. You have used your intelligence, efficiently and calmly, and in such a way that it represents a fundamental lesson to us all, particularly people like me.

You have always done right by our club, Arsene, and long may that continue.

Please accept my unreserved apologies for ever doubting your ability, you are an incredibly talented manager, and we are lucky to have you.

I have learned so much in my short time on ‘ArsenalArsenal’, but probably the most important lesson is the power of positivity. We are and always have been a special club, which upsets outsiders to the point of insane jealousy and incandescent rage. Of course it has always been thus, and had I not allowed myself to become engulfed in the tidal wave of negativity, I would have recognised and acknowledged this along with everyone else of The Arsenal faith. There is a growing sense that this team is going to be very special indeed, and we are priveliged to be a part of it.

Written by Herb

It’s a very large slice of Humble Pie for me, AA’ers, so Bon Apetit!

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Are we becoming less reliant on Robin?

March 14, 2012

Robin’s performance on Monday night, together with the rest of the team, left us all on a high. RvP, as our captain, had written very complimentary words about the home fans in the match programme for the game against Toon: ‘Our bond with the supporters is special and has been there a long time, but in the last few games I feel that it has reached a new level…. As I have said before it is down to us to give them that energy, to show them that energy, to show them that we are ready for the fight, and then they will respond. That’s what has happened recently – the fans and the players have worked together and made a really good team!”

From the moment the game started, RvP looked different than usual. He looked tense, a bit whiter and seemed to have some sort of cold sweat on his face. Was he, perhaps, not feeling 100%? Or was it nerves, as in realising that this is exactly the sort of game we need to win to prove we have really made progress. Too many times in our recent history, we have not been able to win these sorts of games – when expectations are high and the pressure is on to finally close a gap, or to take a distance from our direct competitors.

To me, it was obvious that Robin felt this pressure, as a true Captain should: he was ready for the fight, and with that comes full emotional involvement. In the last few years, too often we have seen an Arsenal side brimming with talent and mesmerizing skills, but just lacking the killer instinct, the ‘relentless effort’ as Arsene called it on Monday night, or simply the awareness that without fight and absolute commitment, we will never make the final push to the absolute top.

Last night, even more than in the recent comeback-victories over the Spuds and Pool, we were given ample evidence that this ‘new’ Arsenal team is made of the sternest stuff. RvP is its leader and he realised that something different was required against Newcastle United on Monday. The Barcodes had come to the THOF with a clear plan of parking two to three sizable mini-busses all over the pitch, and would try to outmuscle us with power and grit.

RvP, for once, showed us again his more familiar characteristics of his early years at the club, as he became a rebel with a cause. This time though, he showed he’s learned from his youthful years by never losing his cool totally, and what a difference it made. His victim on this special night became his fellow Dutchman Tim Krul, who was clearly asking for it. Sometimes a captain has to test the limits in order to show the rest of his team, and the supporters, what this game means to Arsenal, and by bullying Krul from the first moments he tried to waste time, he set the tone for the night. It got us all fired up and it was just what the stadium needed!

A captain needs to be able to focus on these sort of strategies now and again, and I sometimes wonder whether Robin’s combined responsibilities of captaining the side and being the main source of goals for our team, is holding back his ability to lead the team with regards to these so important psychological strategies and battles.

For obvious reasons, it is of paramount importance that Arsenal weans itself of this recently established overreliance on RvP scoring the majority of our goals. The good thing is that since the start of the year we are now seeing a slow but significant shift towards a more healthy balance between goals scored by Robin and the rest of the team.

Start of the 2011-2012 season till 31-12-2012

(Games include PL, FA and CL but not CC)

  1. We played 26 games in which we scored 46 goals
  2. 21 goals were scored by RvP: 46% of all goals
  3. The team scored 1.8 goals per game
  4. In 12 out of the 23 games (in 3 games we did not score at all) 50% or more of all goals were scored by RvP: 52%
  5. In 9 out of the 23 games (in 3 games we did not score at all)  more than 50% of all goals were scored by RvP: 39%
  6. Arsenal won 16 out of their 26 games: 62%

Start of 2012 till 12-03-2012

  1. We played 14 games in which we scored 29 goals
  2. Twelve goals were scored by RvP: 41% of all goals
  3.  he team scored 2.1 goals per game
  4. In 5 out of 11 games (in 3 games we did not score at all) 50% or more of all goals were scored by RvP: 45%
  5. In 3 out of 11 games (in 3 games we did not score at all) more than 50% of all goals were scored by RvP: 27%
  6. Arsenal won 8 out of their 14 games: 57%

Of course it is early days, but as the above shows there appears to be a shift towards a more healthy balance between RvP and the rest of the team scoring our goals, and, more importantly, in terms of who is winning individual games for us. Since the start of the year, RvP scored the majority of our goals, in each single match, in just over 1 in 4 matches, compared to 2 in 5 matches during the first part of the season. The share of 50% or more goals by RvP has dropped from 52% to a healthier 44%, and I reckon this will drop further in the next few months.

More importantly, the team is scoring more goals now at 2.1 goals per game, compared to 1.8 goals in 2011. The former is the sort of goals per game record that would see us score 80 goals in the PL, compared to 68 goals when the average is 1.8 goals per game. Our games win-rate is still inferior though, but I reckon this will shift in favour of the current year in the next few weeks or so (our very bad spell in January still has a relatively major impact on these figures).

So yes, I do believe we are becoming less reliant on Robin in terms of scoring goals and winning games for us. We are witnessing a slow but steady shift towards a healthier balance between him and the rest of the team. This will help RvP tremendously in leading the team not only from the front, i.e. by example, but also in terms of  responsibilities such as making small tactical adjustments, on-field man-management, talking to/influencing the referee, fighting psychological battles etc.

Robin van Persie is quickly becoming a total captain for the team.

Finally, anybody doubting his desire to stay at Arsenal should watch the Toon game again, and just concentrate on RvP all-round performance. He is a Gunner For Life, alright.

Written by TotalArsenal.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Oops We Did it Again : Comeback Kings

March 13, 2012

Only three weeks ago after the FA Cup exit away to Sunderland and the disaster in the San Siro even the most positive of Arsenal fans was starting to doubt that this team had the necessary cojones to get us back in to the Champions League qualification places. Two morale boosting wins in the Premier League against much feted domestic opposition and the demolition of the Italian Champions elect at The Home of Football and all of a sudden the despair and gloom around the club has gone, players returning from injury, the media saying nice things about the boss, and the players, life was okay again.

In truth in those three games we were the underdogs, written off at home against the cretins from N17, no chance of overcoming the deficit against Milan, and surely we couldn’t beat the Carling Cup holders at their place. Last night we were favourites again, some will tell you that we don’t do being favourites, too often have we have seen us close wide open doors on ourselves when presented with the chance to catch up or to extend our points advantage. But somewhere between two nil down at home to the Lilylivers and beating Milan 3-0 the Emirates became a fortress, it became a mass of positivity, restored faith, vocal support, proper support. And the players they became warriors.

This is Arsenal

With two minutes to go pegged back in our own corner to defend a throw in the game looked up, the critics were sharpening their knives ready to rehash bottling stories. This squad decided they didn’t want to read that tomorrow, they scrapped for the ball from the throw in, first Gibbs, then Ramsey, then Arteta, the ball finally breaking to Song who moved it quickly to Van Persie, trying to take on three striped shirts whilst support arrived, there was Song again who moved it out wide to Theo. Theo took his time as red and white shirts filled the box and delivered an inviting chipped cross, neither Van Persie or Ramsey could make a decisive touch, and as it bounced down Vermaelen arrived to smash it home past the onrushing Krul. And then everything went a bit mental.

Bundle

This team with no heart no passion no desire, well they showed they had to all in spades, Vermaelen epitomised this spirit, after having his knee accidentally stamped on he had limped around for ten minutes of the second half while he ran it off, and somehow he found the energy to sprint the length of the pitch to be on the end of that cross and bravely finish taking another clout from Krul. The mass bundle proof if you needed any that this group of players cares, and they care as much as us about finishing above the shower down the road. Whilst Wenger is playing down the chase for the Spuds the players are mentioning it in every post match, maybe Pat Rice has had a quiet word in their ear. “Listen lads, we don’t finish below them, it doesn’t happen, go get ’em”.

Before that thirty seconds of brilliance there had been another ninety minutes of a football match, well 70 minutes of football and 20 spent waiting for Krul to put the ball back in play. Newcastle came with a game plan, flood the midfield, don’t over commit, nick a goal if possible and then soak up everything Arsenal could throw at them. For the opening ten minutes the game was scrappy, if anything we were over eager to retrieve the ball sometimes getting in each others way or the ball bouncing away and back to an enthusiastic Newcastle midfield. Tiote is perfect fit for the way Pardew wanted to play past night, chasing and breaking up play, and able to give it to those more gifted than him.

The first chance fell to Robin, a good leap from Sagna flicked the ball on for Theo to chase, no player has personified our turn around in fortunes as much as our young marmite winger, he burst into the open space and delivered a fizzing cross along the ground to the back post where a despairing slide from Van Persie failed to connect. Clearly Robin didn’t want to yet.

Around the 15 minute mark Arteta intercepted a Tiote pass, Vermaelen couldn’t do much more than push the ball back out and Tiote picked it up again played it to Ba, Cabaye joined in and pushed it to Ben Arfa, Gibbs chasing back was easily wrong footed as the skilful Frenchman put in on his left foot and produced a very good finish to beat Szczesny at his near post. I have watched it a few times and have decided that he could not have done much about it, it was a very good finish. Gibbs had been caught out of position but only because he was trying to win back possession from Ba.

Maybe the payers had heard that no team had ever won 4 consecutive games from behind in the Premier League, and as we haven’t set any records for a while they decided they would like to have a crack at that one. Within 30 seconds of the restart we were level, good work again from Theo, Sagna and Rosicky, set Theo free down the wing, he delivered another first time cross which found the Boy Wonder, this time he decided he did want to, his first touch was sublime taking the defender out of the game the second touch put the ball onto the trusted left foot and his third touch was despatch past Krul.

The rest of the half was a bit scrappy, Newcastle didn’t seem to know what to do next, the plan had been defend, nick one, defend, well they didn’t appear to plan for what happened if we equalised. They didn’t commit, and they started to time waste, I know teams need to regather their shape, but this is an opponent that before last night still had a chance of Champions League football, they are not going to get relegated, they had already scored once, where is the sense in defending and being satisfied with a point? Robin had words with Krul, Krul had a few back.

As the half played out Robin had another chance but his strike found the Emirates crowd, a free kick into the hands of Krul and Theo had a scrappy chance off balance from a corner. Whilst we had been good down the right, we were a bit lop sided, Oxlade Chamberlain rarely getting into the game, and Gibbs not advancing as much as normal due to the attacking threat of Ben Arfa.

From the restart of the second half Arsenal dominated possession, territory and Newcastle, they had occasional forays into our half, mainly from a long ball to Ba, but the two of Koscielny and Vermaelen dealt comfortably with everything thrown at them, both picking up knocks and injuries as they refused to retreat.

Rosicky was everywhere for Arsenal, a diving header from another Theo cross which Krul saved, some great footwork, a spin and a reverse pass into Van Persie which the latter could only fire at Kruls feet. Another chance fell to Rosicky but his  tiring legs could not muster the necessary power after Theo pulled it back for him and the ball went disappointingly out for a throw in.

Arteta and Song picked up loose balls, we harried in numbers and won the ball back in advanced positions. Ox started to come into the game as the Newcastle defence and midfield tired and was unlucky with a volley from outside the box and later opened up some space for himself in the penalty area before shooting wide.

Gervinho replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Ramsey came on for the tiring Rosicky. Neither took anything away from the team thanks to the volume of players returning from injuries our bench now has some quality on it. The two subs combined to produce a cross which no one could reach, but good pressure high up on their goal line by Gibbs regained possession, he fed Van Persie, but again he could not find the finish, or just didn’t want to.

The best chance of the half probably fell to Gervinho, an Arteta cross travelled across the box and found him unmarked at the far post, he couldn’t sort his feet out in time and it drifted agonisingly wide. Arsenal were now camping in Newcastles half, Song produced a wonderful cross which Vermaelen met well only to see Krul tip over. Theo was next to be denied by good defensive work by Collocini. It just looked like it was going to be one of those nights where we couldn’t force it home.

And then Vermaelen thought “if Robin doesn’t want to tonight, I sure as hell do.”

I Want To

All that was left for Robin to ask Tim how much time he wanted to waste now. A bit of a melee ensued and Robin was held back by several team mates, actually I need to commend Arteta here as he intercepted Krul as he ran out of his box to confront Robin, although the Boy Wonder seemed in control he as certainly enjoying the bit of gamesmanship. Do I want my skipper to behave like that? Well actually I don’t mind if he does from time to time.

Take Your Time Tim

Ratings:

Szczesney – 7 Didn’t really have a lot to do, but dealt with most things comfortably and very good distribution last night.

Sagna – 8 Tireless support of Theo, and solid defensively

Koscielny – 8 Fearless in tackle, fast across ground, and a good reader of the game

Vermaelen – 9 Warrior

Gibbs – 7 Starting to show why Wenger has faith in him, good going forward, disciplined defensively. Tidy on the ball.

Song – 8 The kind of game we love to see from him, everywhere needed to fight fires and good use of the ball. No lazy fouls, no lazy touches, no hanging on to the ball.

Arteta 7 – struggled first half to find players and get a foot on the ball, finds a teammate more often than not.

Rosicky – 8 A good performance by the newly re signed Czech, he actually is “Like a New Signing”.

Walcott – 9 Constant threat to Newcastle in behind, good runs, and good delivery.

Oxlade – Chamberlain – 7 struggled to get into game first half, found the ball more in the second and gave flashes of what he is good at.

The Boy Wonder – 9 Another world class performance from our leader, the first goal was evidence of his form right now and why he got the 8, the extra point was for his winding up of Krul, he would have had a ten if it weren’t for some off shooting second half.

Subs:

Gervinho 7 – some good touches and passes, made threatening runs.

Ramsey 7 – found the pace of the game immediately, found some good passes, was in the melee that led to the goal.

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Posted by Gööner In Exile

Baby, I’m Gunner leave you : Match Preview

March 12, 2012

Two weeks ago we were entrenched in a skirmish for fourth place with Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool. Things were looking rough, and it looked as though it would be a tussle across the finish line. The players would need to dig deep, and show some testicular fortitude and spirit, something that has often deserted us in moment’s gone by. Our back was up against the wall and we responded in a big way. Last week Arsenal all but ended Liverpool’s chances of grabbing that coveted Champion’s League spot, and tonight we have the chance to slam the door on Newcastle’s opportunity, leaving them behind for good.

Countless feel Newcastle have punched above their weight this season, after all they only finished 7 points off of relegation last season. Regardless of what you think of the man, Alan Pardew has assembled a rather impressive squad of fighters. After being relegated and trimming away some troublesome characters (Dyer, Carroll, Barton, Nolan), and with the additions of Cabaye, Ba, Cisse, Tiote, and Santon, Newcastle has really galvanised as a unit, creating a rather formidable squad that can trouble any team. However, they are showing signs of weakening having drawn their last two matches against Sunderland and Wolves, and losing 5-0 to Tottenham.

We have not beaten Newcastle since 2009, which would lead anyone to think they have had the wood over the Mighty Arsenal, but as you all know these results have been largely impacted by the following:

  1. An abysmal refereeing job by Phil Dowd – please direct any emails to http://www.phildowdisawanker.com
  2. Everybody’s favourite thug Joey Barton – a player who has managed to wrangle the ref into giving Diaby and Gervinho a red card, and get Song suspended because he stepped on Barton while he was underneath him. Unfortunately for us the stamp wasn’t to his groin region, because for the benefit of mankind Joey Barton should not be permitted to breed. Please send any hateful words to (@Joey7Barton) on Twitter. I’m looking at you GM 😉
  3. An Andy Carroll header – has he done anything since?

Nevertheless, this is a different Arsenal! Players have returned, careers have been reborn and third spot is ours for the taking! Tonight we look to continue our current winning streak of four Premier League victories (which includes the mauling of Twitchy’s Tottenham).

Arsenal’s Line-up:

Andre Santos has returned to full training but bearing in mind he hasn’t played in four months it is likely he will be coming on with a few minutes left (when we have control of the match). Arteta returns from a heavy concussion and it should see him slot in alongside Song in central midfield. Ramsey is back from an ankle injury but with Rosicky’s scintillating form he won’t make the starting line-up. Benayoun could return from the virus that ruled him out of the squad for the Champion’s League match. Still in the treatment room are the BFG (ankle), Coquelin (hamstring), Diaby (Hamstring), Frimpong (knee), Squillanci (groin), and Wilshere (ankle). For me the starting line-up is as follows:

Newcastle’s Line-up: With a potential Champions League spot on offering they will come to THOF looking for a huge scalp. Therefore they are likely to employ a 4-4-2 formation of:

Krul

Simpson Coloccini Williamson Santon

R.Taylor Tiote Cabaye Gutierrez

Ba Cisse

If they fall behind they are likely to bring on the powerhouse Shola Ameobi, and the dangerous Ben Arfa. It is imperative that we do not give away any free-kicks around the box since Cabaye and Taylor are very dangerous when it comes to set-pieces. Newcastle likes to do a lot of their attacking play down the wings through Gutierrez because of his dribbling skills and knack for creating space. Although he often plays in the Argentine Squad he will not be a problem because his non-existent pace means Sagna will control him rather effortlessly. Coloccini is a dependable defender who will mark RVP very closely trying to nullify our best attacking threat; conversely Williamson is a lower tier defender and should be exploited. Santon, an Italian international likes to bomb forward so look for Walcott to try and slip out the back door. He and Simpson are fast full-backs so if they are disciplined we might have trouble making room for Gervinho and Walcott. Santon and Gutierrez are rather predictable down the left side because they always look to cut in on their favoured right foot, while Simpson likes to send in dreadful cross after dreadful cross. If the game is open and they are attacking we will rip them apart on the counter, let’s see how brave Pardew’s Newcastle really is!

This brings us to the Key-matchup for the game. Newcastle will have to get the better of our Centre Backs for Newcastle to even stand a chance in this match.

 Vermaelen + Koscielny vs Cisse + Ba

The Senegalese striker Ba has been a revelation for Newcastle this season. He scored 7 goals in 11 games for West Ham before he arrived at Newcastle on a free transfer, what a deal that has become. Ba is robust in the air, has a good poacher’s instinct, swift on the turn and has a high work rate that has brought about 16 goals in 23 matches this season. Arriving in the January transfer window, Cisse has shown a keen eye for goal with 2 goals in four matches, and scoring 9 goals in 17 matches while playing in the Bundesliga. Both possess predatory instincts close to goal so it is imperative that we give them no room inside the box or they could make us pay. Their poaching ability can be seen in the picture below which highlights a large portion of their goals coming very close to goal, whereas our goals are spread around the area and further from goal. It also shows Newcastle like to have shots from outside the area, while we do not.

Arsenal goals

Toon goals

Going up against them will be our combative duo Kozza and the Verminator. A lot of debate has gone into who our best centre half pairing is, but in my opinion these two are our best. Similar types you say? Isn’t that a good thing because both have little to no weaknesses, they are both fast, exceptional tacklers, agile, and good in the air. Regrettably they haven’t had a comprehensive run in the team together, thanks largely to the injuries to Vermaelen, followed by the injuries to both Gibbs and Santos. If they play together for a season or two they WILL be the best Centre Back pairing in Europe!

Can Arsène break the Pardew Curse that has seen him win only once in their last six encounters?

Can Arsenal put to rest this recent bad run of games against Newcastle?

The Answer is yes we can, we should despatch a Newcastle team that appears to be running out of puff as the season heads into its final stretch. I see nothing but a strong win by the Mighty Gunners, with a resounding 3-0 victory.

This week’s famous Arsenal fan goes to John Lydon A.K.A Johnny Rotten from the punk rock band The Sex Pistols.

In the mid to late 70’s The Sex Pistols along with The Clash revolutionised music, with politically charged lyrics with a fast paced sound. Bill Wyman (former bass player of the Rolling Stones) said Rotten knew most of The Sex Pistols fans personally, being a loyal Arsenal fan and veteran of a few terrace scraps himself.

Written by ozgunner

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Shift of Power in North London? Dream On

March 11, 2012

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single journalist in possession of an empty page must be in want of a story.

And in the absence of a story, he’ll make one up to suit his agenda.

No pride, but plenty of prejudice.

And when nearly all the journalists are in the same predicament, the wave of spurious content will hit us like a tsunami.

One such tsunami this year has been the supposed shift of power in North London footballing circles.

After our 8-2 drubbing at Gorbals Towers many journalists decided that this was the year when Arsenal faced mid table mediocrity (or even a relegation struggle); and as for Arsenal’s manager – well, he’d lost it, hadn’t he? First in line for the sack race.

Fast forward to the end of 2011 and, improbably, Arsenal had hauled themselves back into the top four and some of our national sports scribes were beginning to get the faint whiff of egg on face.

There was going to be no relegation battle for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger was going nowhere.

But there was one straw for Fleet Street’s finest to clutch at: despite Arsenal’s heroic climb up the table, we were still behind that other North London outfit in the league table.

So… no relegation battle, no “Wenger fired”… what’s a poor journo to do in such circumstances?

Aha!

“Shift of Power in North London.” Read all about it!

As an example of lazy journalism, the SOPINL story is like a tree sloth kicking back in a hammock on a beach in the Bahamas. With a big spliff.

A “shift of power” is something seismic. It happened after the Second World War, when the United States emerged as the global superpower. It’s probably happening now, with an ailing USA reluctantly passing the baton to China.

Shifts of power take years to happen and cannot be judged on temporary blips. As the saying goes, one swallow does not make a porn star.

When we hammered the Lily Livereds at The Emirates a few weeks ago the emphatic nature of the victory struck a chord with me. Perhaps I was more sensitive to the issue precisely because of all that has been written about the SOPINL.

Let’s be honest, we have had some poor results against the enemy recently. But when I started to think back through those games I realised that despite occasionally nicking some points off us, the Tinies have never been able to demonstrate what you might call ‘footballing superiority’.

When we lost in N17 earlier this season we were the better team overall and it took a handball and a ‘wonder strike’ to sink us.

Last season we were the better team in a 3-3 draw at Riot Hart Lane (the home team needed a late penalty to get a point) and, at home, we absolutely outplayed them to take a 2-0 lead at half time before giving away three stupid goals (remember Cesc’s handball in the wall anyone?).  However, our second string killed them 4-1 at their place in the Carling Cup.

In 2009/10 they were second best again at their place but a goal-of-a-lifetime from somebody called Danny Rose brought them all three undeserved points. I’m not sure what’s happened to Danny since – I heard he was destined for Chelsea, but then his fare asked to be dropped off at Victoria instead. That season, at Arsenal, the Spuds were, again, destroyed: three nil to the good guys.

In 2008/9 we had that ridiculous game where we gifted them a 4-4 draw at the Ems. We were all over them and had created enough chances to be 10-2 up going into injury time instead of 4-2. With hindsight that was the game where we first saw the dangerous fragility of the “Fabregas” Arsenal – a team that could dominate the opposition but still collapse like a pack of cards under pressure. The return fixture was a pretty uneventful 0-0.

Before the ‘08/09 season you just have the long, long unbeaten run against the Spudders in the league, with us dishing out humiliation after humiliation to them.

So what’s my point?

It’s that even though the Skinny Cock Brigade have got their noses in front of us this season, there has NEVER been a game in which, on the field of play, they have shown themselves to be better than us. They have only taken points when we have outplayed them and then shot ourselves in the foot. Even on our off days we have more than matched them, despite the result sometimes going against us.

Quite simply, in most people’s living memory they have NEVER been even remotely as good as us and they are not now.

This has been the most difficult season for Arsenal since Arsene Wenger joined us and we are still miles better than them, as the 5-2 demonstrated.

No doubt some sad Spuds will point to their 5-1 win in the Carling Cup in 2007/08 to disprove my point. Well, yes, that is one game where we were properly beaten by them. But it’s the exception that proves the rule. It was in a season when we had much bigger fish to fry. We were gunning for the title and the weakened team we sent to the Theatre of Screams knew how low the CC was on our priority list. We were chasing the title, the ECL, a top four finish, the FA Cup and the CC in that order.

Still, at least it provided the Spudders with a DVD to cherish.

There is still a very good chance we will finish above them in the league this year (although we can’t afford any slip-ups). We are hitting momentum just as they are beginning to stutter and twitch. We are gaining self belief while they are plagued by self doubt.

They have a small stadium, they may be about to lose the one manager who has been able to get them playing competitively and some of their biggest stars will likely be out the door this summer.

We, on the other hand, have an excellent financial set-up, we have a genius for a manager and we have some of the best young players in the world starting to emerge in a team also laced with great experience.

There is no shift of power. Why some journalists choose to treat a brief run of decent form as proof positive of a SOPINL – while ignoring the macro picture of both clubs’ finances, up-and-coming players, history and so on is completely baffling.

The Tinies have had a decent run of form while we have been experiencing a substantial reorganisation. Theirs is a temporary case of flattering to deceive, ours has been a temporary case of being deceptively flat. It’s all about to change and the natural order will reassert itself.

To leave you with another saying: Form is temporary; Class is Arsenal.

RockyLives

* Note: This was written before yesterday’s Everton-Tottenham game which, as we now know, the Tinies contrived to lose. Don’t you just love ‘em?

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Posted by RockyLives

Let’s go Berserk for the rest of the season

March 10, 2012

The year is 1849, and somewhere concealed among the windswept rocks on the The Isle of Lewis, a Chess Set was discovered. People with large foreheads and sticky out hair did some thinking, and worked out that these finely carved pieces were of Norse origin and probably made in Sweden during the twelfth century.

Interestingly, one of the reasons the people with large foreheads and sticky out hair came to this conclusion, was because they reckoned some of the pieces were modelled on some fearsome Scandinavian warrior mercenaries called The Berserkers. These lunatics were known for entering the arena of battle stark bollock naked and ripped to the tits on hallucinogens. Now I am not suggesting our boy’s rock up “tackle out” with “faraway eyes” for the next game, but these Beserkers did set me thinking.

I made a comment following the terrific win at Sunderland that I thought the combination of Mert going off, combined with them scoring actually helped us. The forced substitution of bringing on Ramsey and dropping Song into defence, together with a nothing to lose scenario, seemed to me to liberate us. I am not saying we went beserk, but we appeared to start playing with the handbrake off. We played with more of a “let’s go get ‘em” attitude.

What then followed was games against Spurs and Milan. Two down against the former before the handbrake came off. With Milan, it was a whopping four down at the half way point, at which point we simply took charge.

Unlike the Berserkers, we cannot employ liberating mind altering medicine, but why the difference when all should be lost. It appears that confidence returns. But surely conceding a goal should have the opposite effect, shouldn’t it? Perhaps it is simply by removing the pressure, you are suddenly in the “nothing to lose zone” where our warriors feel less restricted. Not unclothed but loosened up in the mind.

In other words, what we’re after is some Controlled Berserking. As this is a football blog, I suppose I need to add some tactical bollocks to add meat to the way I think we could achieve this. What was the effect against Sunderland of removing Song from the midfield into the back four  and adding Ramsey? The answer is no specialist or appointed DM.  I do have my own reservations about the need for a DM type of player when playing with two deeper midfielders, and I have also stated here before that in the longer term I see Ramsey and Wilshere filling those two berths adding more fluidity to the team. Looking at the second half of the tie against Milan and we did not deploy the usual defensive shield of Song and Arteta with one Creative in front. It was one defensive in Song with the combination of Rosicky and The Ox in front.

Now that we finally have a solid centre of defence, in conjunction with returning specialist full backs, perhaps there is less need for the two defensively minded midfielders. Could it be that by selecting a more attack minded midfield, that Arsene is indirectly liberating the team and effectively saying we have nothing to fear, so let’s attack?

All of this reminds me of the words attributed to Marshal Ferdinand Foch: “My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, situation excellent, I am attacking.”

I think that as we enter the final stretch of the season, the dynamics of many games will change. A point will be of little use to some teams, and for as long as a game remains scoreless, they will sniff an opportunity. We need to find a way of getting teams on the back foot right from the off, not when we go a goal behind.

Chess is a tactical game, and while you need to have the confidence of knowing you are solid defensively, you need to be free from inhibitions, tight clothing and a fuzzy brain in attack. How do we get The Berserker Spirit into our boys?

 Written by MickyDidIt89

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

This Arsenal is not for turning

March 9, 2012

So here we are, for the seventh season in a row and despite a magnificent effort against Milan, we will not be collecting any trophies, medals, or even pots to urinate in. In fact, the season could turn even uglier if we fail to secure top four and our friends down the Road finish above us and lift the FA Cup. The thought of Chas & Dave making a comeback fills me with a sense of loathing and dread not felt since Ricky Villa scored that fluky goal at Wembley.

What does this all mean? How do we address this drought? Do we sack Wenger? Do we sack Rice? Does Kronke have to go and with him his cronies Gazidis and Law? Do we demand Usmanov takes over, and bring Dein back to the Club? And what about money? Where is it all going? Do we demand “Spend some f…..g money”?

Well, for what it’s worth, I will give you my answer. We do not change a thing. Yes, I said it nothing, nada, zilch. We just continue with the same strategy, same philosophy, same tactics, same management, and same tea lady.

Ok, a lot of you are now thinking what kind of shit is this geezer on?, (and some might be thinking were do I get some, but that’s for another day) How can we change nothing when we keep winning f..k all? Let’s put it this way, has any one ever heard the saying “Lose the battle but win the war” or alternatively “Retreat to go forward”? Well you should have, because this is what the last seven years has been all about.

Since the move to the Grove ,the Club has been going through a “Consolidation period” The aim has been to keep our necks above water financially, and try to produce teams filled with young players were the minimum target is securing champions league football. We all know this right? The good news is that there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel, and what an illumination it promises to be.

Why change when going forward we have this:

  • One of the best, if not the best coaches in world football. If you doubt this, don’t ask your angry mate, ask the board at clubs like Madrid, Man City, and Barcelona instead.
  • Increased revenue streams (see the clubs accounts, or do your own math), which will enable the Club to keep its emerging players. This is the fundamental key to our future success.
  • A fantastic pool of young players that will lead us to glory. If there was an under 23 cup tomorrow we would walk it.
  • Financial Fair Play. This is already having an impact. If you doubt this one to, then look carefully at Man Citys and Chelsea’s actions recently. They are all gearing up for FFP. Don’t ask your angry mate about this one, the standard response is that they will hire flashy lawyers and Accountants to circumvent the rules, the reality is that that those flash gits will help alleviate the pain only, not break the rules.
  • No future strategic handicaps. What I mean by this is that while clubs like Spurs and Liverpool scramble around for new stadia, or City and Chelsea trim there squads and wages to accommodate FFP, we will have no such hang ups.
  • A brand of footballing culture, so embedded in the club now, that it will keep churning out stars for the future
  • We are in a great position to strike. We are fourth at present, not some mid table team languishing hopelessly behind.

So you see, the above reasons are why this Arsenal is not for turning. When you know your doing something right but others try to convince you otherwise the pressure can mount. This then becomes a question of character and an ability to hold your nerve, despite the hostility and angst that may surround you. Lets hold our nerve because if we do, a great Arsenal team awaits.

My final point is this. You can only operate in the environment you find yourself in. For the last seven years we have cut our cloth accordingly. The 2 unexpected’s during this period which have made things even harder have been the downturn in the property market, and perhaps even more significantly the arrival of the Sugar Daddy owners. But guess what, we are still here, and the environment is changing in our favour both internally as a club, and externally to the detriment of our rivals. Shoot me down or not, “Arsenals future is fantastic”.

God Bless

Terry Mancini Hair Transplant

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Posted by Rasp

The interview that tells us RvP will stay at Arsenal

March 8, 2012

Ever since, Robin and Arsène announced they will not talk about a new contract for our Boy Wonder till after this season, I haven’t given RvP’s contract situation a second thought. That is, until last week Tuesday, when by chance – I was looking for some pre-match info for the Holland vs. England match. I found a video-interview between a NOS reporter, Bert Maalderink, and RvP.

NOS are the Dutch equivalent of the BBC and Maalderink seems to do the majority of NOS interviews with football players. His interviews are performed in a typical Dutch way – no, not naked and stoned – but open, challenging and at times even confrontational. ‘The truth’ is usually not covered up and there is often a mutual desire for a meaningful dialogue between the interviewer and the interviewee. I dare say, most English reporters would not get away with Maalderink’s style of interviewing and be told to do a personal bum-cheeks-splitter with their microphone. But, for the purpose of this post, it is great that the interviewer and interviewee are both Dutch, as the direct and open nature of the interview reveals a lot to us.

Although, I am usually a glass half-full person as with regards to players staying or leaving, I tend to be a bit more of a pragmatist: as long as no new contract is signed a player is more likely to leave than to stay, especially when a particular player only has one year left on his current contract (as RvP will be this summer). However, when I was watching the interview with Robin van Persie last week, I became unexpectedly, yet instantly, convinced RvP is staying put and will sign a new contract this summer.

Here is a translation of the second part of the interview (from 2.33 minutes onwards). Although I am not a trained translator, I am pretty confident my translation is doing the interview full justice:

BM: The question on everybody’s lips is: ‘What is he [RvP] going to do next year?’

RvP: Yes, we will see.

BM: Are you struggling with this?

RvP: No, not at all. I am doing fine, enjoying everything, training well, I am fit – knock on wood (he taps the microphone) – and all is going well.

BM: But what about people saying: ‘It’s a bit of a shame – Van Persie, who is head and shoulders above everything, playing in an Arsenal side which is not quite the very best of Arsenal sides ever’?

RvP: Well that’s funny, isn’t it? People consider this Tottenham team as the best ever and our team as the ‘worst’ (he makes a quotation mark with his fingers) ever, and we beat them 5-2: it is a bit crazy sometimes…

BM: Does that nag/hurt you a bit?

RvP: Sorry – what do you mean?

BM: Because I know why this is: everybody regards Arsenal as a higher-up team, and Tottenham, yeah – well, a bit lower-down, and when they are doing OK and Arsenal are doing less, well then people will say: oh how well Tottenham are doing, and Arsenal are performing less (below par).

RvP: Yeah, yeah, that is correct. Expectations are very high at Arsenal: we have a gigantic, beautiful, big stadium, a great number of fans, very beautiful history and people expect that we perform well right now – in the present.

BM: Do you think you [Arsenal] are performing well?

RvP: No, it can always be improved, we go for the highest achievable. In the last few years, as a club, we have not achieved that, so in that respect it has not been good enough.

BM: Are you somebody who will try his utmost with this club to still achieve success?

RvP: Well yes, I have been there eight years of course, and I am proud of that, and at the end of the season we will calmly sit down with the manager and the chairman [I assume he means Gazidis] and we will have a ‘nice cup of coffee’ (in Dutch: ‘dan gaan wij een bakkie doen’, which could not be more Dutch if you tried), all of us together, nice and cosy (in Dutch: ‘gezellig’ referring to a very friendly/informal sort of meeting/conversation).

BM: Because I feel you have become a ‘club player’ over there…

RvP: Yes, I am a real Gunner, which goes without saying, I have been there eight years, I love this club, that is no secret, and that will always stay like that.

BM: Therefore, would leaving now be ‘blasphemy’?

RvP: Well once again, at the end of the season, we are going to have a calm/relaxed talk about it, and then we are going to talk about a number of things, which I do regularly with the manager, and because of that occasion [contract talks] the chairman will be there as well.

BM: You are going to make the final decision then [at that meeting]?

RvP: Dan gaan we een bakkie doen: that is when we are going to have a nice cup of coffee.

Click here for the link to the interview

Most of you will not be able to understand any of this, but it is worthwhile to look at the last 3 minutes of the interview, just to see Robin’s face, and especially his eyes: they are smiling throughout and mostly so during the last five seconds of the interview. He also never touches his nose (a well-known sign of a possible lie being made), looks shifty or is not in control of the situation.

He is speaking to a Dutch journalist and does not need to do any Arsenal PR to him, so he himself chooses to say everything he does and that to me is the best proof that Robin really loves Arsenal and is going to sign a new contract. He is not exactly saying the latter of course during this interview, as he will still want to negotiate a fair and attractive contract, but in my opinion he said more than enough to convince me he will be at Arsenal next season and beyond.

RvP said: ‘Yes, I am a real Gunner, which goes without saying, I have been there eight years, I love this club, that is no secret, and that will always stay like that’, and this statement, combined with his wish to sort things out whilst doing ‘een bakkie’ is enough proof for me that he will stay at Arsenal.

RvP10, like DB10, has Arsenal-DNA in his blood and like the latter he will make a decision about his future based on a healthy balance between earning what he is worth, playing quality football and doing the best for him and his family. He is one of ours and around him we will build the next super-Arsenal team.

You might say, I am Dutching at Straws but I am very confident RvP will sign a new contract this summer. Without any doubt, there will be a million or more words written about RvP’s contract shenanigans, before he will finally put ink to paper. You can choose to read all of them, or be sensible and just remember what he has said in the interview above, and go with my interpretation of it. As I said a few days ago, I will eat LB’s newly purchased hat this season, if I am proven wrong. RvP is a true Gunner-for-Life and we are so lucky to have him.

Written by TotalArsenal

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Arsenal 3 – 0 Milan Report: The Ox and TR7 pair-up to rejuvenate our midfield

March 7, 2012

Written by TotalArsenal

4-0 down from the first leg in the San Siro, and only two midfielders to choose from by Wenger: the task of reaching the next round in this year’s CL competition could not have been harder. On the other hand, because the first leg result left us in an almost impossible position to go through, the players could go out on the pitch and play free and attacking football, as per the DNA of the Wengerball-era.

First Half
And boy, did they enjoy themselves in the first half! With Song as the only DM in midfield this time, we played Rosicky and The Ox in the more advanced midfield positions, and we pushed hard from the wings as well – especially our right wing, where Sagna and Walcott formed a constant threat, with which Milan’s LB, Mesbah, and his nearest CB, Thiago Silva, really struggled in the first half. Arsenal’s defence played a high line which was necessary so Song would not get swamped in midfield, as he had the enormous responsibility of controlling the midfield last night. We basically played the Barcelona-way in the first half, only better (lol)! The combination of The Ox and TR7 gave us a fresh and dynamic style of play, and the Italians had simply no answer to their energy and attacking ingenuity.

We played a high tempo from the start and never allowed Milan to settle. Milan did manage to get out of our grasp now and again, but it mostly led to quick passes to Ibrahimovic, who managed to be in an offsite position almost every time.

Incredibly, we scored three goals in the first half, reducing the two-leg deficit to just one goal.

The first one was from a corner that was whipped in with real venom and a strong curve by the excellent Ox. Koz, super Koz, was too quick for Van Bommel, who started the game sluggishly for Milan, and he manoeuvred himself in a free position to convert a relatively easy chance. The Milan goalkeeper, Abbiati, had no chance: 1-0.

The second one was a result of bad defending by Thiago Silva, who intercepted a misguided pass into the box by Walcott, only to clear it straight to Rosicky. The latter had time to control the ball with his first touch, after which he placed a shot into the corner of Abbiati’s left corner, whilst cleverly hiding his intensions by using the defender’s body in front of him that was shielding the view of the keeper: 2-0, 26 minutes played, and game truly on!

The third one came from the penalty spot. A few minutes before half time, the Ox took on Mesbah and whilst moving himself decisively into the penalty-area, he got squeezed between the latter and fellow defender Nocerinio, and he was clearly fouled: penalty! RvP steps up and scores with a text-book, absolutely unstoppable, penalty: 3-0.

Just before half time, Milan created an excellent chance to make it 3-1, which would have meant Arsenal needing at least 3 more goals to go through. El Sharaawy fluffs his effort, however, probably frightened by the menacing tentacles of the forward pouncing Polish octopus. Szczesny’s presence and ability to intimidate in the box is simply a joy to watch.

Second Half
The second half was of a totally different order compared to the first one. The pressure and nerves were back on, as we now had a very decent chance to go through to the next round.

We started well again, albeit with a bit less intensity, and cohesion in the midfield. Milan started to battle more effectively in midfield, and Ibrahimovic had decided to start putting in a shift for his team at last. But what really made the difference was the apparent hamstring injury to the Ox. It took a while before Wenger finally decided to take him off, and the possible reason for this is that the most like-for-like replacement, Ozyakop, was too nervous to come on (some on AA have suggested that he threw up whilst being on the bench?!). With the Ox no longer able to support Song and Rosicky, and both quickly tiring as well, leading to more and more misplaced passes and often unnecessary fouls, we slowly but surely lost the battle in midfield, which allowed the Rossoneri to play out the game without conceding any further goals.

Just before the hour mark, however, Arsenal was still able to create a golden opportunity to score the all important fourth goal that would have levelled the tie, but it was not to be. Gervinho, who had been worryingly ineffective throughout most of the game, saw his deflected shot from inside the box saved by the keeper, only for the latter to push the ball right in front of our Boy Wonder. Robin’s attempted delicate chip over the keeper is well-anticipated by Abbiati, and he is able to save at a very important stage of the game.

With the Ox out and Rosicky knackered, and nobody on the bench to help us regain the midfield, we left an enormous gap between defence and attack for the last 30 minutes of the game. As a result, we were no longer able to create decent chances, and we had to helplessly witness Milan’s late escape from our previously established deadly grip. What a shame!

To be fair, Milan produced the best chances in the latter part second half, but a combination of woeful finishing on their part and a very impressive defensive display by our back-five, ensured that we were able to keep a clean sheet till the end.

Conclusions
We played without fear and with real verve, especially in the first half. And in a transitional year like this, it is immensely important that Arsenal was able to erase the memory of the 4-0 drumming by the Rossoneri three weeks ago, by winning with a convincing display and a big margin last night.

Games like these build belief and character, and this ‘new’ team – as in a rapidly developing/gelling group of players – became a lot closer and stronger on this fantastic night of football at THOF.

We will never know for sure whether we would have won this game, with the required bigger margin to go through to the next round, if the likes of Wilshere, Ramsey, Diaby and Arteta would have been fit and available last night. In my view, just two of those on the bench would have been enough for Arsenal to be able to enter a plan-B in the second half, and go through to the next round. We really only had a Plan-A for this game due to the many injuries of our midfielders, and in the end it was just not enough to complete the miracle.

The boys have done us proud with a passionate and high-quality performance, and last night they showed us all that we continue to belong in the Champions League. The squad will develop further in the next few months, and hopefully we will be a bit less unlucky with regards to long-term injuries to key players, and in key positions next year. On top of that, we can add one or two players in the summer, and then we should be able to push all the way, in the PL and CL, from next season onwards.

I would like to finish with a few special mentions:

For the boys who came through the youth ranks, Szczesny and Gibbs: they were absolutely amazing and how good is it to see that our own talents are making it at the highest level;

For the partnership between TV and Koz that performed so well last night (a little bit against my expectations);

For that performance by Sagna last night: what a warrior, a legend in the making;

For the rejuvenated Rosicky, who played an absolute blinder last night; (especially the first hour or so);

For the battling Alex Song, who completed a very difficult task of holding a midfield almost continuously on his own;

And for the incredible, truly wonderful performance by the Ox, who became a man last night.

TotalArsenal

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

‘Til the End of the Day: Match Preview

March 6, 2012

How exciting to welcome the reigning Italian Champions and current leaders of Serie A.

AC Milan arrive fresh from another 4-0 victory, away to Palermo. They sit 3 points ahead of Juventus who have a game in hand. Is this important? I would say Yes, because apart from the over-confidence rising from the first leg, Milan will not want to expend too much energy prior to facing their next League game (home to Lecce). Clutching at straws? Probably …

We were rubbish in Milan.  Apparently it was the worst CL performance in Arsenal history. The Milan pitch was much to blame but so too were the players who just went missing, even Mr Wenger publicly criticizing his team which to my knowledge is a first.

Were we over-confident? Were we tired after a long trip? Did the players have an argument prior to going out onto the San Siro pitch? Were they overawed by the occasion? Were AW’s tactics ignored or did he get it totally wrong? Whatever it was, we were pants and got just desserts for our performance.

However, since then we have beaten two rivals for the CL places and done so in an encouraging manner. We have scored 12 goals in our last two home games and should we keep up the average can advance into the last 8 of the CL. But and this is a huge BUT – we need to keep a clean sheet. With the Famous Five at the back I would bet DanDan’s house that we would do it, but with this current defence the chances are slim. Nonetheless, we have to hope and stay positive.

I expect the atmosphere to be great tonight, few will expect us to go through, and the fans will get the opportunity to see some superb players in the Milan side. The mood from the blogs indicates we are favourites to win but not by much. I tend to go along with this view. Arsenal are a damned good team, capable of beating anyone when on-form (including Barca and RM),

Mr Wenger has stated that he will play a full team which is exciting. We do not play again until Monday evening, so the players can go flat out from the first whistle.

My Team:

Milan will look to play on the break and as such we will have the opportunity to keep possession and play tippy-tappy. If he were fit, I would play Ramsey instead of Rosicky. He is better at beating a player and is more likely to score but the latest news sadly is that he will not make the squad and Arteta is ruled out for a week following the mild concussion he suffered against pool. We can expect Milan to double up on the flanks but both our wingers will do much better playing on the Emirates Bowling Green.

Today’s Gooner: Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks are confirmed Arsenal fans, both having had season tickets at Highbury. Born in Muswell Hill, they went to Fortismere School and onto Hornsey College. Forming the Kinks in 1963 they had their first Number One in 1964. The Kinks have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Ray was made a CBE in 2005.

The Lads anxiously watching the !971 Cup Final in the Top of the Pops studio

It is rare to see Arsenal in this situation, one where attack is the only policy. It should be fun.

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

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