The Last Time We Were This Bad We Won The Double

November 9, 2010

So how upset were you when the full time whistle sounded at the Grove on Sunday?

Were you saddened in the way you would be at the death of an aunt you vaguely remember but didn’t really know?

Were you fist-clenching angry, like when you find yourself in the wrong queue at the supermarket checkout (the one where the Vicky Pollard lookalike is chatting to her mate at the next till and checking through the purchases with all the speed of a Tai Chi master)?

Or did you do the full ‘man totally loses it in a hotel lobby’ thing? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGlNzV0thGY

Me, I went outside and shouted at a squirrel.

It took no notice.

Since then I haven’t really been bothered to look at anything on the internet. The caterwauling of the doom-mongers has, I’m sure, been a sound to behold. No doubt we have all been urged to sack Wenger, sell nine-tenths of the team and declare Ashburton Grove a natural disaster area.

Haiti? Earthquakes? Tropical storms? Cholera? That’s nothing mate. We lost at home to Newcastle – now that’s what you call a tragedy.

Or is it?

Take a look at this sequence of results, produced by an Arsenal team in a season not too distant from now:

October 20: Blackburn Rovers, EPL (H):            3-3

October 24: Real Mallorca, CL (H):                     3-1

October 27: Sunderland, EPL (A):                       1-1

October 30: FC Schalke, CL (A):                          1-3

November 4: Charlton Athletic, EPL (H):           2-4

November 8: Manchester Utd, CC (H):               4-0

November 17: Sp*rs, EPL (A):                              1-1

November 21: Deportivo, CL (A):                        0-2

You have to agree that it’s a dreadful run of form. If we counted all of the fixtures as three-point games (including the Carling Cup match) our tally would be 9 points out of a possible 24. A mighty 15 points dropped in all competitions.

It looks familiar, doesn’t it?

In fact it looks very much like the run of results we have just had: some dodgy draws, home and away; a comfortable home win in the CL, but also a bad away defeat in the same competition; an easy Carling Cup win; an embarrassing home league defeat against humble opposition.

All the above results happened in the season 2001-2002.

Any team that could be so inconsistent and flaky must surely have been full of players without a winning mentality, right? Or players unable to concentrate? Or players managed by someone who just couldn’t motivate them? And look at the goals conceded – 15 in 8 games – clearly a team who can’t defend?

Well, that team included Seaman, Campbell, Cole, Lauren, Keown, Adams, Vieira, Pires, Ljungberg, Henry, Wiltord and Bergkamp. And of course, they went on to win The Double that very same season.

So why am I telling you this?

Because we need a reminder that a bad spell does not mean that our team is doomed. A run of negative results does not make good players into bad ones. A poor points return does not transform a champion manager into a chump. A trophy-winning team can have a period when it looks more like relegation-fodder.

We have been here before, fellow Gooners. We may have moaned and groaned in 2001 but we were no way as disillusioned then as many seem to be in 2010. We supported our team and we kept the faith.

It’s time to dampen down the hysteria.

It’s time to look away from the most neurotic web sites, the ones who want to cry wolf at every passing poodle.

It’s time to tell the “Wenger Out” brigade to shut the fudge up and learn some perspective.

This Arsenal team will finish first or second in the league this season and will win a cup. And they’ll do it in style.

COYRRG

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

Arsenal – a real firework display or just a damp squib

November 8, 2010

Written by dandan

It is Firework night as I sit here, bangs and flashes illuminate the sky, through the window behind me, the dog lies under the desk ,coming out occasionally to challenge the noisy night with a tirade of her own, before returning and spreading herself at my feet with a sigh.

Bit like the Arsenal really, they too on specific days illuminate the state of the art stadium they call home with the beautiful football that the world admires and knows as Wengerball. Next time out, the passes are a less than perfect the ball continually sent behind the intended target instead of into their stride,  shots are scuffed or  half-hit, crosses fail to clear the first man.  The whole process appearing a chore to these pampered athletes, who though paid a kings ransom from an early age, to hone just such basic skills, lack the motivation or desire it would seem on occasions to display them.

How then do we the long-suffering fans reconcile this, we who would pay for the privilege to wear the Cannon on our chest, even if it is the wrong way round and adorns a different shirt every year?

After all it is us who annually buy those same expensive shirts in huge quantities, from salaries that bear no relationship to those of our Heroes. Why do we do it?

Easy: It is simply because they ARE our heroes, living the dream we have nurtured since junior school, even if many of them are bits of kids themselves, and we are grown men and in many cases like my own, have grandchildren of their generation. Who through our influence probably support them too

How sad then that we feel cheated on these occasions when the team doesn’t perform. How angry are we allowed to be when our manager accuses our millionaire superstars of apathy as he did after Wednesdays European game? a game we should have won with ease, would we have been so laid back in our reaction if  it had been the spuds we were playing?

I am in many ways Arsene’s biggest fan and find the constant moaning that we have not won a trophy for 6 years petty, irritating and irrational, given what he has achieved along the way.

But to find us fielding a team, that to quote Arsene in his after match interview, was complacent, causes me to question whether these young men have the intelligence to understand the real world at all, or the important role they play in the well-being of so many people’s lives, outside the confines of their privileged circle?

If they don’t it is time they were made aware of the facts. Complacency has no place in a team that has promised much,but failed thus far to deliver at the highest level, potential is one thing success quite another.

It is now Sunday and we have just lost to Newcastle, another flat lacklustre performance against a team who in all seriousness shouldn’t get within three goals of us, it wouldn’t be so bad if we had an excuse,  but we don’t. We had the most experienced bench we have had in ages with only three Squad members missing. Sure we had a European game midweek and Flappy let in a bad goal but  one goal at home should never be enough, the truth is we were bullied out of it again, our first touches in many instances, were as the great George Best once observed “further than I can kick it”.

High balls constantly pumped in against that defence were never going to work as the ease with which they dealt with our corners showed. From the moment they doubled up on Walcott and blocked his every move, it was obvious that we were going to have to run and pass our way through middle, but Fab was only firing on two cylinders and the man marking on him was ultra effective. Song tried hard and Jack battled but apart from that we were ineffective and lethargic again.

So yet again the spectre of another  title costing  November rears its ugly head, that prospect at least as real  now, as last nights spent rockets, that litter my garden on this drab depressingly damp day.  But they unlike the Arsenal at least had their moment and reached the heights they promised.

Mr Wenger please take note we need more fireworks and less damp squibs.

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Posted by dandan

Another drop of Newcastle Brown …

November 7, 2010

Three vital points on offer tody, 3 points which have to won. Anyone imagining Newcastle will roll over as they did at St James Pk will be sorely mistaken, Newcastle’s first team have power, skill, and a brutal presence. Any team with Nolan, Barton and Carroll are not going to be lilly livered nor will they shirk the need to play football. We will have to be on top form today to get a result after ourmidweek disappointment.

Before carrying on with the post let us all take a moment to laugh at Tottenham ……

I have been impressed with Newcastle this season, their early displays have been a surprise. Any team coming into the PL needs adjustment time, yet all three sides are doing excellently and perhaps this year could be the first when all three stay up. Newcastle are full of confidence having absolutely demolished a strong Sunderland side last week, a feat that we couldn’t accomplish! I watched the game and Sunderland were fortunate to concede only 5. Barton was his usual snarling self but it has to be admitted he can play football as well as jump on people.

In Nolan they have a real leader. Strong, committed, passionate, occasionally dirty but above all else effective. Add in Alan Smith (a dirty little sod) and Steven Taylor and it is obvious that we have to be strong and expect a physical battle. It will be a day for cool heads and girded loins. But the Barcodes have creative talent, Guitierrez may not have the skills of Messi or Tevez but anyone picked to play for Argentina is a decent player, Carroll is a fine frontman who is bang in form and Amoebi has a wealth of experience.

It is a sadness that we will not be able to enjoy the talents of Ben Arfa whose season was so sadly curtailed by another player who was “just going for the ball”. Ben Arfa was on AW’s radar but he signed Samir and I believe we got the best player

As to our team, the return of the midfield four and Koscielny mean that  we almost have the pick of our squad. There will be changes from the team who travelled to Donetsk, Cesc is sure to start as will Song. It is a shame that Diaby is unfit because we are certain to have to endure an aerial bombardment – we will need Chamakh to defend well at set pieces.

My team:

Yes, I know …. no Arshavin. I am sure AW will play him but I believe he needs a rest. Nor young Jack – I am a great admirer of his but believe Denilson will be better suited to the rigour of today’s battle. The problem with this team is that it forces Nasri to play on the left which is not ideal.

Many of England’s finest musical talents hail from Newcastle – The Animals, The Shadows, Dire Straits, the Pet Shop Boys (big Gooners), Sting etc etc.  I wonder how many of those successful musicians still live within the “Toon”

Can we win? Definitely.  Will we win? It will be a hard fought victory.

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Manu’re Decomposing …….. Jack’s a Diamond

November 6, 2010

Hypothesis…….

Imagine you are a 68 y.o. football manager, a man who without question is the greatest club manager in English football history ( difficult for you Chary 🙂 ), you have recognised your powers are failing and that your legacy is under threat.

You have assembled some very expensive talent, you have 3 players for whom you have paid over  €30m a man, and bought some of the most expensive foreign kids available. Yet the team is ordinary, reliant for it’s imagination upon the fading talents of ageing greats and the mercurial talents of a bully boy who was touted as the future of English football but is now going through a breakdown (perhaps!). Your perennial rivals down the road have suddenly become serious contenders and threaten to be take your throne as England’s glamour club, something you have spent 20 years achieving.  Can you leave the team like this? Is this team going to be your legacy or can you quiclky create  a team that can last another 10 years?

And if you are to do so how can you achieve your aims?

I will tell you, you go out and buy the most talented and expensive kids in the Premiership – as you always have done, and here we come to today’s subject matter. Who is the Premiership’s new young golden boy, the boy/man already lauded as the best prospect since Gascoigne? Yes, our cheeky chappie, our Little Jack. . The best 20 y.o keeper in the World?  Szczesny.

Man Utd are a team in crisis. They need an entire back 5 as Van de Saar picks up his OAP alongside Neville, Rio is 32, Vidic unhappy, Evans crap and Brown/O’Shea not good enough. However, defence is not where SAF will be looking to base his next team. His midfield is a desert of creative talent, take out Scholes/Giggs and you are left with the water carriers that are Carrick, Hargreaves, Fletcher and Anderson. Scholes has been the bedrock of MU’s success for 15 years, a monster of a player and which young PL player plays in a similar vein?  Yes – Jack again.

I think Jack Rodwell will be at United before the start of next season as Ferguson makes his final signings prior to retirement (he will be 70 summer of 2012). Henderson at Sunderland , Bale from Spurs, all young talents who must be on Sir Alex’s wish list. With the new contract for Rooney, the Glazer’s have made clear their intention to spend the Ronaldo money. Expect a huge signing spree over the next year.

And why from the Premiership? Because Ferguson is proud that his teams have always included the best young British talent, from Scholes to Becks to Ferdinand and Rooney. Plus his record of buying expensive foreign talent is less than perfect (Veron 🙂 )

Now, you may say it is ludicrous to imagine Wilshere or Szczesny going to Man Utd and I sincerely hope that to be the case. However, Rooney left Everton, Ronaldo left MU at the very height of his powers. Sol left Spurs (:-D ), Liam left us ( 😦 )  etc etc. Nothing is impossible. That  both players would be  very attractive to Ferguson is beyond question and money talks.

I realise that Jack has just signed a 5 year contract but so has Rooney, and in all honesty do you imagine he will see out the 5 years at Old Trafford?

Would Wenger sell Jack should a fee of €30+ be mentioned? Of course not, but it has been a fun ride thinking about it.

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Are there just too many Arsenal Sites?

November 5, 2010

Written by kelsey

The Internet has seen an explosion of football sites in a comparatively short space of time, and at the last count I see there are  a hundred or more just dedicated to The Arsenal.

This got me thinking, as I am of an age when if one grew up in and around North London, one either followed Arsenal or Spurs. Many families were, and are still divided in their loyalty to one club or the other. There was practically no televised football,  let alone endless replays, multitudes of pundits, video technology or mobile phones and generally one had to attend games. In the main there was honest banter between the two sets of fans and no real hatred. One could sit in a pub and discuss football in a civil manner.

With the arrival of the Internet and the domination of Sky TV over the last twenty years things have changed dramatically, and I put it to you, not always for the better.

On the plus side it has opened up a way for fans from all over the world to log on and express their views about all things (in our case) Arsenal. We all have our favorite blogs, and in most there is a hard core of faithful bloggers who post on a daily basis.

Some sites are welcoming to anyone, whilst others use expletives when one first steps in and tell you in no uncertain way to get lost if your view opposes that of the site.

Others (which is a real pet hate of mine) scream abuse at our players and fairly frequently at our manager when things don’t pan out as expected,or we lose a game,yet when we invariably bounce back with a resounding win,these people magically disappear.

If one was really honest with oneself, would you give some of the posters two minutes of your life if you actually met them face to face? I doubt you would. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but some people try to justify their standpoint by suggesting that they are more intelligent than others, and therefore they are the “Football Managers” and the rest of us are complete idiots.

When you get sixty thousand people together in an environment one will always get differing cultures and different view points and reading some sites it gets rather racist or political that one forgets that the principal purpose is forgotten, that is to see the pros and cons of the team discussed on any given match day, but most importantly to support the club through thick and thin.

Of course it is a free world and everyone can do as they please. Many will disagree with me, but there are just too many Arsenal sites which are not carefully monitored and are only interested in the number of hits they receive.

Quality of post will always outweigh quantity.

This is my own opinion and does not represent everyone else’s feeling on this site.

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Posted by kelsey

Sunk By Our Former Comrade But Its Far From A Disaster

November 4, 2010

So Eduardo scores against us again!

Not as nice a feeling as last time around. Then we were cruising, had the three points in the bag and it was just a weird added bonus that Eduardo scored. Last night his goal meant we lost and failed to secure the win we needed to progress to the knock-out stages with two games in hand.

It was only a minor blip and not a disaster. I said after the game in London that the Ukrainians were a far better side that what they showed when we thrashed them, that it seemed they were willing to lose at the Emirates and go for the win at home, and so it proved. Of course it would have been nice to go through and let the kids out to play in the last two games, but with a stronger team we can go to Braga and win, and we should definitely beat Partizan at home regardless of the players available.

Once again the defensive worries popped up last night. Young Craig Eastmond had a torrid time of it – he never protected the back four and the game passed him by. He’s a game lad and has proven he’s a decent player, but be it lack of match time or just out of his depth, last night was one to forget for him. The much more experienced Eboue and Clichy have just as much blame, if not more, than Eastmond. Willian made a fool of Eboue time and again down the right, and it lead to Eboue giving away the free-kick that they scored from. Then Clichy foolishly played around with the ball instead of hacking it clear and Eduardo scored the second that proved the winner.

We really missed Song and Fabregas, both as a unit and individually. We failed to really get a hold of the ball and Shakhtar really pressured us and closed the spaces last night. We had a few chances to equalize at the end, most of all from Squidgy but he didn’t connect right with the header.

Not a nice feeling to lose but no need to get worked up – I know I won’t be. We have a massive goal difference on the other sides in the group and its still only a matter of winning one of the two games. Look at it this way – if we won tonight we wouldn’t really mind losing the last two games and letting the kids play, instead we just have to give the grown-ups one more run out to finish the job, its hopefully just prolonging the inevitable – we progress.  We are still top – just have to make sure the Ukrainians don’t pip us for first.

Player Ratings

Fabianski (7) – Thought he did well over all. Couldn’t do much for either goal.

Eboue (5) – Oh dear. Got caught out and had to give away a free kick where he got booked and they scored. Not a good night for EE.

Djourou (6) – Did well enough, got in a few timely tackles but too many gaps appeared between him and Squillaci.

Squillaci (6) – Same as Djourou. Should have done better with the free header.

Clichy (5) – Just hoof the blasted thing Gael.

Eastmond (5) – He kept going and is a earnest young man but he needs to start stamping authority on the game.

Wilshere (7) – Good showing again by Jack but again should have done better with his chance. Couple of way ward passes, still feisty in the tackle.

Walcott (7) – Terrified them with his pace for a while and then that avenue was plugged. What a turn of pace for the goal and cool as you like finish.

Rosicky (6) – Did a lot of donkey work and linked as usual but not as effective as we are used to.

Nasri (6) – Involved in all our play and tried to get us moving forward, couple of bad decisions in and around the box though.

Bendtner (5) – Not match fit. Didn’t play much of a part.

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Posted by criochnaithe

Big Night for Theo

November 3, 2010

Still feeling that warm glow from the fairy tale ending to the home tie? Me too. The Eduardo goal was the icing on an excellent cake. Think that we will achieve the same scintillating performance tonight? No? Me neither !

It’s not the warning signs emanating from Wenger’s press statements, nor is it the absence of Cesc, Song, Diaby, Arshavin and perhaps Denilson. No, it is the fact that a decent team like Shakhtar cannot possibly play so poorly at home. We overwhelmed Shakhtar at the Emirates with a performance of staggering efficiency and panache; with 4 goals coming from our midfield Donetsk were left bamboozled. Yet Shakhtar are a side dominating their League and will almost certainly accompany Arsenal into the final 16.

The Shakhtar coach has been entertaining the press with his opinion that Shakhtar were the equal of Arsenal at the Emirates. Apparently the main difference was the referee – we were clearly watching different games. Their recent record is excellent with only 2 defeats in 30 games (one to us) and 18 wins out of their last 20.

It was my fervent hope that Mr. Wenger would send out our first choice 11 with the aim of taking the three points, thus negating the need to use his first team in the remaining League ties, however a few of the team need a week off.

Wilshere is back, much to the delight of Mr Capello, and I expect to see Theo start alongside Bendtner. Rosicky will almost certainly play in what will be his 5th CL game against Shakhtar, having played them with both Dortmund and Sparta. Who plays alongside Jack and Mozart is anyone’s guess, but here is mine …

Fabianski

Sagna  Squillaci  Koscielny   Clichy

Eboue  Nasri  Wilshere  Rosicky

Walcott  Bendtner

It must be admitted that we do not travel well in Europe, particularly to the frozen East. The win in Belgrade was our first in some time. However, with the above team I believe we can get a result in Donetsk. We must continue our defensive solidarity and rely on Theo’s speed to create chances for the Dane. Mr Wenger has been talking up Walcott in the press, saying that he is ahead of TH14 at the same age, one can only hope he develops in the same manner. Games like tonight are made for Walcott, and his early season form suggests he is ready to step up to the plate and become the player we all so fervently wish him to be (if only to shut up Hansen). Nasri will once again have to show his new found brilliance. Can Eboue play as a midfield enforcer, does he have the discipline or will Mr Wenger use young Eastmond?

Donetsk has had a short but troubled history, established  in 1869, it has been overrun by both Communist Russia and Nazi Germany. Prior to World War 2 there was a large Jewish congregation which was murdered when a concentration camp opened outside the city. Following the war the city was rebuilt using forced labour from the surrounding Communist held countries during which thousands died of malnutrition. The city remains an almost even split of  Ukranians and ethnic Russians (wiki).

Can we win? This will be more difficult than the home leg. Will we win? Depends upon Theo

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal celebrate failure on the pitch ……

November 2, 2010

…but off it, the football world celebrates complete incompetence and negligence.

Following the defeat at Chelsea I decided to give myself a little time to mull things over. A chance to let the hysteria die down. Losing the last game before the international break gives everyone two weeks to dwell on the shortcomings – in our case that we’re still unable to rough it against tough tacklers, that we flatter to deceive against the Mancs and Chelsea, and that Wenger’s refusal to ‘buy big’ means we haven’t won a trophy in five seasons, obviously.

I don’t mind that criticism so much. In fact, I don’t even mind the media ignoring that we took to the field against Chelsea like Christopher Reeve – with our entire spine missing (the loss of Almunia, Vermaelen, Fabregas and van Persie hardly got a mention).

And I can just about handle Mr know-everything-about-management (despite never being a manager) Andy Gray gleaming: “You have to ask how long the Arsenal fans and players will put up with this? How long can Arsene Wenger keep persuading them this is the right way?” – while ignoring what the fans of Liverpool, Everton, Middlesboro, Newcastle, Sunderland (and all those other clubs that have spent more than us over the past five years) are currently putting up with.

I can handle all of that… just.

But what I don’t understand is the media constantly waxing lyrical about Chelsea and all they achieve.

It’s true that Arsenal haven’t won a trophy for five years. And it’s true that, in that time, Chelsea won the Premier League in 2006 and last season; three FA Cups; and a League Cup.

Ignore the League Cup because it doesn’t count. Add in that Chelsea have spent more than £300m over the past five years, failed to win the league for three successive seasons between 2006-09, and still haven’t won the Champions League – and I’d suggest it’s not a great return. But you don’t hear that said in the media.

What you also don’t hear is criticism of, and this is my main point, is how Chelsea have achieved their success – and just how bad it is for football.

Chelsea’s business plan since Abramovic came in has simply been to “achieve world domination” – which doesn’t appear to be happening – and relies solely on the hope that Roman Abramovic won’t walk away.

If he does, Chelsea are dead. Chelsea say the loans given to them by Abramovic have now been turned into shares, and that the club is effectively running as a profit-making business. The truth, however, is very different.

It is true that the loans from the holding company to Chelsea FC plc were fully converted to shares. However, Abramovich’s loan to Chelsea Limited, the holding company which owns Chelsea FC plc, was not. That loan remains owing. In fact, it increased in the previous financial year because Abramovich loaned another £25m for extravagant spending and to cover the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari and his coaching team – all of which produced losses of £47m.

The result is that the accounts of Chelsea Limited (whose name was changed during the year to Fordstam Limited), show the loan to Abramovic still outstanding. The total figure owed? Wait for it… £726m. The good news for Chelsea fans is the loan is interest free. The bad news is that it is repayable if Abramovich gives 18 months’ notice.

So if the Roman gets bored; or fed up that they still can’t win the Champions League; or if they do win the Champions League and then he feels he’s achieved all he can with that toy, what will happen to Chelsea? Do you think the club will attract a buyer willing to pay off a three-quarters-of-a-billion-pound debt to take the helm? Looking at the debacle at Anfield this past couple of weeks, I would say not.

Those activities at Anfield have finally started to persuade fans that winning silver cups in the immediate future is not all football is about. Supporters are taking an interest in the long-term futures of their clubs, and seeing that the Arsenal way – while painful for half a dozen years or so on the pitch – is putting the club in good stead off the pitch for generations to come. Online discussions like this one on BBC this week are now riddled with praise for what has become known as “the Arsenal model”.

I just hope that now the fans are seeing the light, the media might follow. I suspect Andy Gray and co will just continue to focus on the one measure of success they care about – titles and trophies. Don’t get me wrong. I would love Arsenal to have won the silverware Chelsea have since 2005. But not at their price.

I know that in ten years I will still be watching my team from where I watch it now. I wonder if Chelsea fans will be watching some re-formed non-league version of their club because they wanted ten years of success but then Abramovic walked away – and took their history with him?

Written by redandwhiteviews

The author of this article has his own site redandwhiteviews.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Vermaelen’s Place in Jeopardy

November 1, 2010

Thomas Vermaelen’s outstanding first season at Arsenal has left most of us assuming that he will be an automatic starter when he recovers from his achilles injury.

But maybe it’s time to reconsider that assumption.

In his absence, Squillacci and Koscielny are starting to form a partnership with a real air of quality to it.

The Squid (or Squidgy, Squelchy or Squilly if you prefer – notice how he has already been given a bunch of affectionate nicknames by the Gooner faithful) has started to display a calm authority as the ‘big man’ in our central defence. His positioning, strength and ability in the air are all commendable.

Kozzer meanwhile (note, too, his instant nickname) has been my man of the match in our last two games, barely putting a foot wrong. He tackles beautifully when he needs to, but is also expert at shepherding opponents away from the danger area without diving in. Contrast his handling of a tricky runner with Alex “Tom Daley” Song.

After three clean sheets on the bounce (admittedly involving Djourou as well as Koscielny and Squillaci) you have to wonder whether a fit Vermaelen would get his place back in our starting line-up. Right now I don’t think he would.

Yes, Kozzer made some costly mistakes in his first few games (being barged off the ball by El Hadji Diouf and missing a sitter of a header from two yards out against Chelsea spring to mind).

But it always takes time to adjust to a new league and the EPL is less forgiving than most, with its non-stop physical battles week-in, week-out.

We could hardly have expected him to hit top form the moment he started playing in a new country with new team mates.

And likewise I know many felt the jury was out on Squillaci in the first part of the season. But both are settling in to Arsenal and England and are helping to put to bed the daft myth that Arsene Wenger can’t buy defenders (Grimandi, Campbell, Toure, Gallas, Lauren, Sagna, Clichy, Vermaelen, Squidgy and Kozzer all give the lie to that one).

No doubt the idea of TV5 having to wait in line behind the two newbies sounds like heresy to many.

We have all come to love Thomas’s total commitment to the cause, his bravery and determination, his willingness to attack dangerous situations before they get us into trouble.

But his tendency to get dragged up the pitch also cost us dearly on several occasions last season, leading directly to at least three goals I can think of.

This, coupled with the simple argument that you should not drop players when they’re in form, means he may have to warm the bench for a while when he finally gets back.

It will be a wonderful problem for Arsène to have: three outstanding centre backs all raring to go with a fourth, in Djourou, who will also come good the more playing time he gets.

Anyway, with the number of games we play and the fact that our injury record is of the long-playing variety, I’m sure TV will be back in the first eleven not long after he recovers fitness. It’s just that it won’t be the automatic step it might have been a few weeks ago.

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

One Nil to The Arsenal

October 31, 2010

League positions usually go out of the window when there is a local derby, and West Ham who had fared quite well against us in recent years came with the obvious intention of not losing. Expectations were high amongst the home supporters after seemingly scoring for fun whoever we played in the last few weeks,yet it soon became apparent this was going to be in the main an all out attack against a resilient defence. I don’t think I am being too harsh in saying that this wasn’t one of our most fluent performances as unusually Cesc and co weren’t on top of their game yet others who had been criticised lately, mainly Clichy and Sagna both had outstanding games. Koscienly is performing better with every game and his partnership with Squillaci looked solid. Fabianski had little to do, but he is reborn,oozing confidence and commanded his area well. Long may that continue.

Arshavin is just totally out of form and should have been substituted earlier and Denilson didn’t have the best of games. Chamakh is only human, and he too found it difficult to impose himself.

Nevertheless as the game progressed Nasri started to control the game and the surge continued, and he blasted a free kick from a full 35 yards which hit the crossbar. Song,who obviously enjoys his role as an attacking/defending centre back or is it midfielder kept moving forward more and more. Eventually Walcott was introduced and within minutes was unfortunate not to score, hitting the angle of the post which rebounded to the excellent Green. Green made several other outstanding saves, primarily from Fabregas and Walcott and many watching felt resigned to us drawing against our East London neighbours.

Everyone was on edge and the clock was ticking down, when Clichy cut inside from the left flank and sent in a curling ball and there was our unsung hero  Song to head the ball into the net.That is three goals in three games for the much maligned Alex.

The final minutes were a master class of possession by the lads and as the final whistle blew there were smiles all round and a huge sigh of relief.

1-0 to The Arsenal 🙂

Player ratings courtesy of RockyLives:

Fabianski: Not a lot to do, but when he had to do it he was composed and sure. His confidence is growing visibly and there was a wonderful moment when he was literally dragging Cesc onto position in the box as we defended a free kick or corner. (I gave him an extra half mark for that). 7.5

Sagna: some misplaced passes in the final third but excellent defensively. 7

Koscielny: didn’t put a foot wrong. His tackling and positional play were first rate and he’s brilliant at staying on his feet and steering opponents away from danger without diving in. MoTM: 8

Squillaci: another good game for The Squid, who is forming a solid partnership with Kozzer. He made some strong tackles when needed, always looks calm and is a threat in the opposition’s box from set pieces. 7

Clichy: comes in for a lot of stick for his positional play but he was good today (partly helped by West Ham’s lack of ambition). And a rare assist for the vital goal. 7

Song: worked his socks off playing box to box and scored the late winner. West Ham’s lack of threat in attack meant you never felt too worried about any potential holes he was leaving. Got his customary first-half yellow for diving in in a non-crucial area. 7.5

Denilson: Tidy, if unspectacular. Nevertheless with Song charging forward his conservative positioning was important. 6.5

Fabregas: Not one of his better games. His touch was off and he misplaced a third of his passes, which is very uncharacteristic. On the plus side he kept trying to make things happen and had a couple of attempts on goal. 6

Arshavin: what’s happened to the player who single-handedly destroyed Liverpool? Nothing worked for him and it was painful to watch at times. Sadly the time has come to take him out of the spotlight for a few games. 4

Nasri: not as influential as he has been in other recent games (partly because Cesc and Arsh were misfiring, so our rhythm was never properly established). But he still did well and was driving us forward at the end. 7

Chamakh: some have criticised him for yesterday’s performance but in truth he was a victim of our general lack of fluidity and West Ham’s packed defence. It’s not as if he missed a hatful of sitters, it’s just that he couldn’t get in the game. 6.5

Subs

Walcott: continued his good recent form and was unlucky not to score. 7

Bendtner: didn’t have time to make much of an impact but definitely added to our threat as we chased the winner. 7

Eboue: a typical Eboue cameo: 6

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Posted by kelsey

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