Anti-Arsenal Agenda? ….. a supporter’s guide

October 11, 2012

Your cut out and keep guide to avoiding internet dross from hacks about Arsenal

Like most of us who should know better your humble scribe was as guilty as the next gooner of trawling the web looking for stories of Arsenal salvation in the form of megastar signings in the last two weeks of August.

What is more apparent in the hit-whore dominated sports websites of nowadays is that stock phrases that are supposed to entice the Arsenal surfer to click on a link are instead beginning to wind me up.

Such give away signs that reveal you should give the “story” a wide berth include:

1. “Carlos Kickabout snubs Arsenal to stay at Real Spanish club” – the image the hacks who use this phrase are trying to conjure up is that of Wenger and his side kick Stan, humbly approaching said Senor Kickabout (ok it doesn’t have to be a Spanish player, just any player with an agent trying to bump up his sale price) cap in hand asking for him to join only to be rejected causing said Arsenal duo to hold their heads in their hands and, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, wend a “Trail of tears”- like passage back to Highbury House.

Yeah, of course, that’s exactly what happens because a hack has said so, nothing to do with a player using our clubs name to encourage interest and inflate the selling fee and thereby his agents fee.

2. “Player X is said to be unhappy at AFC” – “is said to be” !! Said to be by whom? By an unnamed anonymous(and probably made up source) by a reporter who can’t think of any actual reporting to do rather just fit in the name of any player they think of to their template for an AFC player angling for a move.

3. “It’s being reported that….” – so the hack with this opening line now has no news of their own they are actually just presenting the reporting of news as actual news. That smacks of a journalistic version of regurgitation and subsequent ingestion.

4. “Arsenal fight to be top 4” – now how many times have we heard every so called expert confidently predict that we would drop out of the top 4 – I’m thinking especially of a certain ex footballer who, on a audience discussion programme on the short lived Setanta UK channel. When asked by gooners in the front row if they would be in the Champions League the next season replied with relish “No chance, no chance at all”. If you think that is a recent phenomenon think again – it was at the beginning of the 2007-08 season. And who was the early purveyor of such agenda driven, inane detritus ? Step forward Stanley Victor Collymore, the gracious expert who saw fit to mimic Wenger on the radio in a manner he wouldn’t dare to for a certain Caledonian ex Aberdeen manager with a burgundy proboscis.

And finally.

5. Anything by Mihir Bose (not cricket related)

There are many examples of key phrases which flag up the bullshittometer’s red zone and I’m sure there’ll be great examples in the comments below.

Charybdis1966 (on twitter and you tube)

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Posted by ChärybdÏß1966

Arteta For Spain Call Up

October 10, 2012

This may annoy fellow supporters, but I would really, really like to see Mikel Arteta get a call-up to the Spanish national team.

I understand all the reasons why – in theory – we should NOT want that to happen.

He is one of our few automatic starters and a mainstay of this year’s exciting, new-look Arsenal, so the last thing we want is him going off on international duty and getting kicked up in the air by Olaf Ankelschnapper in a meaningless friendly.

Then there’s the fact that when the rest of the squad goes off to play for their national sides, he gets a nice long break (which is important when we want him, ideally, to start every important game).  While others are having to mingle with pond life like Ashley Cole and Sergio Biscuits, our Mikel can wander round London Colney like a king, attaching jokey notes to other players’ lockers and maybe even finding time to take grapes and flowers to Abou Diaby in the sick bay.

But I have been so impressed with Arteta’s professionalism, intelligence and application since he signed for us that I just feel he deserves national recognition as a reward for what he has brought to the game.

In a sport awash with overpaid, greedy scumbags he stands out as one of the good guys. He is still held in high esteem by his erstwhile fans at Everton and he took a pay cut to join Arsenal. Contrast that with players who almost crash their cars when offered “only” £55,000 a week, or racially abuse their colleagues or spend more time on the front pages of the tabloids than on the back.

Mikel may have impeccably groomed eyebrows and Action Man’s hair, but he is a reminder that there are still players in the game with moral standing.

As Arsene Wenger has pointed out, if Mikel had been born in a different era – or in this era but in a different country – he would probably have close to 100 caps by now.

Certainly England would have loved a player with his class and technique over the last decade.

Spain is currently fortunate to have a group of some of the best midfielders ever to step onto a football pitch. Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Busquets and Silva are all literally world class.

Then there are the midfield geniuses of Arsenal Past and Arsenal Present: Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla.

What a collection of talent! And most of them not even tall enough to be allowed on the Nemesis ride at Alton Towers.

However, even with this legion of impossibly gifted Spanish midfielders, surely there must be scope for Mikel to gain a cap or two.

Now that he has cemented the deep-lying “pivot” role for himself at Arsenal, you would think he could do a similar job at national level if, for example, his good friend Xabi Alonso was unavailable.

With his passing accuracy, his composure and his eye for a great ball he would slot seamlessly into the Spanish national side. Indeed, among Europe’s top leagues he is second only to Xavi in his pass completion rate so far this season (Xavi is on 96.3%, Arteta on 93.8%).

Would there be any knock-on benefit to Arsenal if Mikel finally got the call-up? I doubt it. He is such a good professional that he gives his all for us anyway and getting an extra boost of pride from being capped is unlikely to change things.

At 30 a call-up might seem unlikely, but I would not rule it out. If Arsenal have a very good season and compete well in the Premier League and the Champions League, more attention will fall on our Spanish metronome and it would not be completely surprising to see him drafted into the national squad.

Putting my Arsenal-skewed self interest aside I sincerely hope that it happens because he deserves it as a player and as a man. Yes, there would be a risk he would come back to us injured or tired – but we have that risk with the vast majority of our players anyway. And it would be a crying shame for such a fine player to end his days uncapped.

Do you agree?

And can you think of previous Arsenal greats who never got capped by their country (Geordie Armstrong springs to mind, and I’m pretty sure that Nigel Winterburn only got a single England cap).

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

The 2012/13 bench is stronger than the Invincibles’

October 9, 2012

According to many the reason we will not win the title is due to a lack of squad depth. Can this really be true? Is it my imagination or do we not have the best squad  for a very long time – perhaps ever?

So let’s look at who is behind the first 11 ……

Against Chelsea we had a bench with the current French International centre forward, the Welsh Captain, a current  England winger, a German with almost 100 caps, a 19 y.o established England player who continually gets rave reviews, a Brazilian International defender and a Swiss CH with 33 caps. Oh, and a goalkeeper who is still in pampers.

Add to that the reserves and our injured players: The midfield great white hope of England, the Czech national captain, an ex Russian captain, the current Moroccan captain, one of the best right backs in the world, the Polish no.2 keeper, a few outstanding youngsters in Coquelin, Frimpong, Jenkinson  …… and Squillaci.

That is our 2012/13 squad.

When looking for comparisons, why not compare with the best  …… The Invincibles. That team had an exceptional first eleven, this is indisputable. But squad?

Behind Messrs Henry, Campbell etc were:

In defence:

An ageing Martin Keown (38yo), Pascal Cygan, a very young Clichy (18 yo),  Justin Hoyte (19 yo),  our bench GK was Graham Stack!

Compare with Fabianski, Jenks, BFG, JD and Santos.

You are already getting a feeling as to where this is going!!

In midfield:

Invincibles – Parlour (31 yo), Edu and Bentley, That’s it.

AFC 2012. Ramsey, Arshavin, Wilshere,  Rosicky, Frimps, Le Coq.

Attack:

Invincibles – Kanu (who is apparently 36 this year !!), Reyes, Aladiere, and a very grumpy Wiltord who only started 8 games.

AFC 2012: Walcott,  Chamakh,  Giroud,  Ox.

The first thing which strikes me is how physically strong the Invincibles first team were; 10 players played over 30 PL games through the season. Kanu got just 3 starts. Reyes 7 and Keown 3.

Secondly, the massive difference in the quality of the bench compared to the first team in 2004.

You can decide how many of the “04 squad members would make our bench today, but I think very few. Is it true we have a thin squad? Clearly not, it is a fiction put about by people who know nothing about The Arsenal other than what they watch on Match of the Day.

(for comparison’s sake all the Invincibles started at least one PL game).

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Another goal conceded ….. we’re doomed

October 8, 2012

By Michael Didn’t.

Fear not Buddhist Steve, this will not be that over-optimistic drivelly sort of fayre occasionally served up by that idiot Didit. Stick around, and feast on a dose of harsh reality.

On Sunday morning, in the aftermath of the goal conceded against West Ham, I detected a surge of doom running around my system, and I’m not at all surprised. The result was irrelevant. Conceding an away goal is pathetic, and just highlights the chronic lack of ambition at this Club.

It’s the chronic long sightedness of our Owner, Board and Manager. Nothing is ever about today, and I am a man who lives for today. Instant gratification for me, that’s what I want. As a child, I wanted for nothing, well not for long anyway, as severe tantrums were always rewarded with what I wanted. It is how I developed my “winners” attitude. It was not that my parents were necessarily considerably richer than those of my mates that I always had the latest toys, no, simply my winners mentality and attitude.

I know of many overseas fans who have never been anywhere near an Arsenal game, and I can tell you they are absolutely livid. I used to be a Season Ticket Holder, but not anymore. Oh no. Now I go to the games I think we will win, but I’ll tell you what, if this club doesn’t start showing some real ambition, then I’m not going to go to even more games than I don’t now. Fact.

Just look around.

Remember all those English Stars being snapped up by Utd and Liverpool at perfectly reasonable prices, and what exactly were we doing? I’ll tell you…not spending enough, that’s what. Yip, the likes of Carl Jenkinson, that’s what. Yes, the very same player who had recently been on loan to Eastbourne Town!

Take the case Santi Cazorla, and before some smart arse tells me that Cazorla has goals, assists and irrelevant stats about completed passes, I say look at the cost. Sixteen bloody million pounds. Hardly a signal of positive intent was it? On a similar note, take my favourite manager, Maurinho. There’s a man not afraid to spend other peoples’ cash. £30m on Modric. Pah, and we get to spend sixteen bloody million on a player only just better than Cesc bloody Fabregas. Pathetic, it really is.

Everything is just so unfair.

Please don’t anyone tell me about the returns to action of Jack Wilshere, as it is not relevant to anything, and anyway, don’t you realize how much Wilshere cost?

Act now, I say. Black scarves and Bin Liners. This Saturday.

Written ‘t in c’ by MickyDitIt89

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Santi Bursts the West Ham Bubble

October 7, 2012

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Ramsey, Arteta, Gervinho, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud. subs: Martinez, Koscielny, Santos, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Arshavin

News that the BFG would start with Kos dropping to the bench was greeted with good cheer from the Goonerati after Wednesday’s less than convincing CB performance. Would the blogs’ judgement be seen to be more accurate than last week’s cry to drop the BFG? Certainly with Carroll restored to the Hammers line-up a few extra inches might come in handy. The ex-Wales captain Aaron Ramsey was preferred to Coquelin for the Diaby spot and Olivier Giroud started as centre forward with a massive amount of well-wishing supporters willing him his first premier league goal.

A victory would see Arsene Wenger’s 350th 3 points in the Premier League.

Arsenal began the first half dominating possession. Pod had an early sighter in the 1st minute, quickly followed by Giroud nearly squeezing in a shot from the edge of the box, drawing a good save from Jaaskelainen.

Gibbs had an early cross fall short which became a feature of the first half, crosses either too short or too long from both flanks. West Ham barely touched the ball in the first five minutes.

On 6’ a sweeping Arsenal move started by Ramsey on the edge of his own area ended in a Cazorla shot and Arsenal corner. Meanwhile Mertesacker was continuing where he left off against the Light Blue Oilers – like a beacon of calmness. A superb tackle from the Teutonic tower in the Arsenal penalty area snuffed out a promising West Ham attack.

Arsenal lost their way for a few minutes with crosses going astray. On 17’ a Ramsey cross found the one claret and blue shirt surrounded by three yellow shirts. Santi began pulling the strings but the ball in the final third was lacking. A series of corners ensued, with Big Ollie nearly scoring with a bending effort from the edge of the area, blocked by Carroll. Each corner seemed to find Carroll’s head, the stats for his headers won throughout the game must have been huge.

West Ham’s first real attack ended in an expertly taken goal from Diame which left Mannone no chance. Ramsey was undone by a piece of trickery with Jenks outside him, leaving the Frenchman clear. Yet again Arsenal had had all the play but were 1 down – a familiar story.

On 28’ Diame committed a foul worthy of a 2nd yellow (he’d been booked for his goal celebration) but Phil Dowd waved away Arsenal protests led by Vermaelen. Nolan dived soon after and Dowd bought it hook, line and sinker. West Ham’s only tactic seemed the hoof upfield to the big Geordie pony tail. Not a long ball team, my a*se.

A couple of corners saw the Hammers threaten, Carroll heading straight at the keeper and then launching himself at Mannone who received no protection from the ref. At the other end Santi was buzzing like a yellow hornet. A Gibbs cross was flicked on by the BFG and Big Ollie was inches away from that first elusive Prem goal.

The 41st minute saw that longed-for moment finally arrive. A magnificent driven cross from Podolski was met by a lunge at full stretch from Giroud. At last a well-deserved goal was rapturously received by players and fans alike.

The final minute of the first half saw Phil Dowd again buy a dive, this time from Noble and West Ham nearly profited from the resulting hoof into the Arsenal box. Half time arrived after a fine piece of covering work from Jenkinson, who grows in stature game by game.

The second half began and Don Vito did well under pressure from a corner. Gervinho hesitated when clear in the box and Big Ollie just failed to find Rambo on the burst.

By the 50th minute it was all possession football from the Gunners with the claret and blue bus well and truly parked. The masticating walrus looked somewhat relieved that the West Ham ‘academy’ was still in the game.

On 53’, Santi plucked the ball out of the sky, drove forward and was unlucky to see his efforts end in another poor cross from Gibbs. Kieran was substituted soon after with another knock to be replaced by Andre   ‘ he drives how he wants’ Santos. For some reason the phrase ‘not shy of a pie’ (thanks Rhyle) entered my head and immediately made me smile.

Gervinho then gave the ball away and only a fine challenge from our captain stemmed the West Ham break. From the resulting throw-in, Jarvis skied the ball over the bar after yet another Carroll flick on. This was the first time I remember Jarvis being on the pitch. He saw more of the ball on the ground with a relegated Wolves side than he did playing for West Ham today.

The 61st minute saw Arsenal’s second substitution, Walcott for Gervinho. Definitely a good call, our Mekon had not had one of his better days. A tactical substitution on the hour, whatever next?

Andre Santos looked at home immediately, pinging passes backwards and forwards with Cazorla and dispossessing Nolan when West Ham did break. The game was becoming an end to end affair with chances at both ends. A stunning move from the Gunners ended in a rather lame attempt at a back heel pass from Theo but his impact was proving crucial. Carroll should have scored at the other end when Mannone came but was beaten to the ball. No Arsenal defender was in sight.

Santi missed a great chance on 67’ and then combined with the Pod but the resulting effort was blocked. Mertesacker made an excellent tackle on Nolan at the other end and it seemed for a horrible moment that he was injured again. Thankfully he seemed to run it off.

A penalty appeal was waved away before Podolski drew a fumbled save from Jaaskelainen. A series of Arsenal corners built the pressure mounting on the West Ham goal, including a delightful turn and left foot cross from Mr Cazorla.

In the 76th minute the boys in red and white got their just desserts when Theo coolly finished off a perfectly weighted ball from Giroud. Another goal celebration booking followed. Did anyone give a flying f*ck, I don’t think so.

A couple of minutes after the goal Nolan missed a great chance for an equaliser. Arsenal shut up shop? – not a hope in hell. Theo had a good chance to the far post, then the BFG swivelled and turned in the area as if he was auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing, his shot deflected for yet another corner.

The third Arsenal goal was just sublime. On 83’ a little touch inside by Theo and Santi unleashed a bending, dipping drive with the outside of his left foot and the Away Boys went berserk. What a goal!

Koscielny came on for Podolski on 85’ just before Mannone was forced into a great save from Matt Taylor. Santi produced the pass of the game reversing to Giroud but the keeper managed to block the Frenchman’s effort. There was still time for another blocked shot from Cazorla. The Away Boys now confirming our magnificent Man of the Match with a non-stop rendition of ‘Oh, Santi Cazorla’ .

What a fabulous result, three points earned with a skilful and hard-working performance. And what a superb way to enter another absurd international break in this exciting season.

Ratings:

Mannone – Made a few fine saves and stood up to the usual Fat Sam tactics at corners and free-kicks……7

Mertesacker – Solid and a calming influence. Vermaelen seemed twice the player alongside the BFG……8

Vermaelen – Much improved from our captain. Benefitted from playing with an experienced partner…….8

Jenkinson – Excellent again from the Corporal. The commentator’s description of Jenks as ‘rangy’ made me laugh ….8

Gibbs – Another fine performance ended early with a hopefully minor injury. Needs to improve his crossing…..7

Arteta – Tick tock tick tock…….8

Ramsey – Rambo produced a mature performance linking well with Arteta and Cazorla ……8

Cazorla – Magnificent. A real delight to see a player with such a huge smile on his face bring smiles to countless others’ faces…….9

Podolski – Lukas worked extremely hard again and his assist for Giroud’s goal was superb …..8

Giroud – Off the mark with a great effort, Big Ollie troubled the West Ham defence the whole game. He is growing into the Premiership quite nicely, thank you …..8

Gervinho – Not Gerv’s best performance but again worked his socks off in the Arsenal cause….7

Subs:

Santos – 56′ – Settled in immediately and looked completely at home….8

Walcott – 61′ – Brilliant impact sub cameo from Theo. Found space and made crucial contributions…..8

Koscielny – 85′ – Brought on to secure the victory…..7

Written by chas

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Posted by Rasp

Wham, Bam, Long Ball Sam

October 6, 2012

How would you feel if you had a car which was steeped in history; a car that you bought because it had a certain style, a bit of class, maybe a Jag XJ6 or a Saab. Then someone comes and sprays it yellow, lowers the suspension, fits some  furry dice, and a huge spoiler on the boot. That must be how West Ham fans must feel about their club.

Fat Sam’s WHU (note chewing gum on windscreen)

The Academy of Football and Fat Sam, hardly a marriage made in heaven but clearly one that is bearing fruit, they sit above us in the PL. The Jag has become a Toyota Corolla; efficient, goes through walls unscathed and never stops.

Allardyce’s teams have always caused us problems, the long ball, pacy wingers, monstrous centre forwards, hard working spiteful midfield and Easter Island figures at centreback are his trademark. Add to that a GK who invariably plays out of his skin and we can see why an artistic team would struggle.

I don’t like FSA or his teams, which is a shame because I have always had a soft spot for the Hammers. From the 3 world cup heroes to Alan Devonshire and Trevor Brooking and onto Macavennie and Cottee they have had style. A trip to the Boleyn guaranteed entertainment (not least from the Chicken Run). But Allardyce? Shame on the Director’s of this once classy club. They have become the London Orcs and why? Because the shouting, angry, gum-chewing Chewbacca is the anti-Christ of passing football.

I watched their away win at QPR and they look very strong, we will have to be at our best this afternoon and totally concentrated. Kevin Nolan has been a thorn in our side in the past and although he is close to the free bus pass he still causes problems. Jarvis is tricky and expensive, Carroll expensive and dangerous, and Vaz Te is just tricky (and a diver). Whether CArroll starts ahead of Cole is questionable but perhaps the Walrus will pick them both what with WHU being at home.

The midweek win will have re-assured the Arsenal that they are a quality team. I know many have been very critical of our CB’s display but I thought the Greek goal was very good – a superb cross finished off with a sublime header. Had Giroud scored it we would have been ecstatic. Apart from a little tweaking I think a  similar team will start today. Hopefully, BFG has recovered from his E.boue because his height and organizational skills will be important.

My concerns are about the power and strength of our midfield, it is a game which cries out for Diaby’s height and power, instead we have a choice of short people. Ramsey, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ox  – all short people. However, they are also clever and pacy and highly motivated.

My Team:

I really want to see Giroud start – he looks so sharp  and needs the chance to show what he is capable of over 90 minutes. Yes, The Swerve is on a run of goals but he can cut inside from either the left or right wings. Problem with this line-up is that it is essentially a 4-4-2 as Podolski drops so deep.

Concentration will be the key today, no silly yellows for daft tackles, no giving away free-kicks just outside the box, closing down the flanks so as few crosses come in as possible and clinical finishing.

My area of concern? Mannone. This is not a game for  a GK who doesn’t boss his area. If he plays well we win, if not ……

Our last 5 trips to Upton Park have resulted in 4 wins and a draw.

A difficult game today but one we can win.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy (who will be absent today)

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Posted by Erik the Red

Corporal Jenks ……… Captain in waiting?

October 5, 2012

Following the match on Saturday, and during this week, we have seen a lot of chat about the wisdom of appointing Vermaelen as captain. If you had asked me at the end of the 2010-11 season who should captain the side if Cesc left I would probably have nominated Tommy.

Arsène chose instead Brave Sir Robin and whilst during the season it seemed an inspired choice the end of season events and his statement tore apart all the good work.

Now we have the captain many of us envisioned after that Annus Horibilus but since then we have seen a change in the make up of the squad. At the end of 2011 season we didn’t have Arteta, an experienced top level international centre half was a distant dream and we had unproven youngsters in every department. The squad now represents a different prospect, it’s full of experience and proven quality. There are still the odd sprinkles of youth that need encouragement and guidance but in the main this side does not need educating or organisation from its Captain it needs passion, desire and intensity. (thanks GN5) The rest can come from the coaching staff.

Vermaelen is no doubt intense but does he know truly what it means to lead this club, is he aware of the special responsibilty? I’m not so sure.

So who am I promoting to Captain to galvanise this current crop of players well its a player who makes his love for the club clear for all to see.

20121001-183546.jpg

Step forward Corporal Jenkinson, you are on accelerated promotion plan, and next season after the normal end of season Captains departure you young man are my pick for Captain.

We can all see in his performances what a bit of pride in wearing the shirt does for you, now imagine him instilling that into the rest of the team…and probably the most important reason, there is no way he will be swayed to look elsewhere, he loves our club like a fan, money is probably irrelevant, i’d guess he’d turn up and play for three square meals a day and a roof over his head.

What more can we ask for when we look at the man leading our team out on to the pitch.

I was going to watch Arsenal the same as the fans were and just count myself very lucky to represent them as a fan who has become a player.

It doesn’t come around very often and I just feel privileged and honoured to be that person.

Captain material….damn right!

20121001-184421.jpg

Gooner in Exile

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Get A Grip Gooners

October 2, 2012

I know it’s normal after a loss for a lot of supporters to go super negative. I’m not immune to that feeling, my weekend was ruined like all of you. Maybe it’s my nature, but I have learned to eventually look at the bright side. I was also cheered slightly to see United lose. Yes, happy for Spurs, because I consider ManU our competition this season, not Tottenham.

The negativity I’m referring to is less of a problem with the regulars on this site, who are pretty fair and reasonable. We all know there are many so – called “supporters” attacking our guys even under better circumstances. There are a few things I would like to point out.

Even though we didn’t have our best performance on Saturday, if you watched the match, you saw that we were in it the whole time. We must give credit to Chelsea for showing up at our place and playing at a high level. It’s not simply a case of us underperforming against a weaker opposition. They worked hard and it showed. But we did throw it away. If not for mistakes on set pieces, we might have deserved a win, or at least a draw. But like Cint Eastwood says in Unforgiven “deserves got nothin to do with it”.

Everyone complaining about Arsene’s CB choices is making me crazy. We have three great center backs. The best first three compared to any team in the league. Our fourth and fifth choices are ok also. Every time we concede a goal, we have to hear the geniuses tell us why the wrong man was left out. Mertesacker has been a rock, but he can and must rest occasionally. I think he started six or seven matches already. For years we have complained about lack of depth and rotation causing fatigue to our starters, and late season weakness, whereas United and City have been fresher at the end. Also, again, I’m a huge Merts fan, even before he joined us.

But I’m not willing to write off Vermaelen and Koscielny as weak players, as some have been doing all of a sudden. Koscielny, is a super active defender, the type that will inevitably cause an own goal more than less dynamic players. MOTM many times last season. Remember his performance two years ago against Messi? How many players can do that? It wasn’t luck, it was skill. For the record, Torres’ goal on Saturday was a great effort showing talent, he deseves the credit. Shouldn’t we be more concerned that Luiz was completely unmarked on that play. And Vermaelen has been having his best season so far in defense, though, his fouls around our box hurt us recently.

I’m sorry guys, I just don’t think it’s right to be complaining that Vermaelen is Captain at this moment. We complained when Cesc and RvP were named Captain as our Marquis players. Even though we knew they probably weren’t the right guys to lead. So, after Fabregas and Nasri left us, and our disastrous start last season, and all the shaken confidence, Tommy V was the first to stand up and extend with us, also citing loyalty after a long injury. He’s a fighter with the right attitude, and he’s shown better discipline by not getting caught forward as much this season. My only worry has been that he would resist rotation as captain, I hope that won’t be a problem. And what will be the answer when Mertesacker eventually makes a mistake, you know people will find a reason he shouldn’t have started, maybe that he needed rest. It’s laughable.

In defense of the defense, Have we still not been scored against in open play? (That including matches vs City, Chelsea and Liverpool) If that’s right, then I don’t think we should be criticizing or looking for player changes, we need to figure out what is wrong organizationally with set pieces. When I defended Szczesny a couple weeks ago, after his mistake against Southhampton ( some were complaining that he got the start over Mannone after that one – – you know who you are ) I pointed out that Chezz has been much better at taking charge on set pieces in the past year. You know, all the pointing and yelling before the ball comes in, maybe that actually makes a real difference, if its the correct pointing and yelling. By the way, to all Chezzers critics, watch the replay of his mistake, you will see him cringe in pain when he comes down on his ankle and drops the ball. He was man enough not to take to twitter to point it out in his own defense.

So, I’m not sure if Mannone is to blame, maybe the Captain should be taking charge, or some other combination of problems, including coaching, but whatever it may be, we need to figure it out as a team. Because over all, our defense has still been excellent, and our midfield also. The front is still a work in progress, but I’m hopeful. It’s very easy to be critical when things go wrong, I know that I do it too, but the last thing I try to do is attack our own guys. We need to stay positive and encourage our team. It’s a long season, and we have some very good players returning soon. Much to look forward to.

Written by johnnie – jnyc

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

What Arsenal Can Learn From Europe’s Ryder Cup Golf Team

October 1, 2012

Apologies to non golf fans, but last night’s finale to the 39th Ryder Cup was simply amazing.

Europe began the final day trailing America by six points to 10 and needing to more than equal the tournament’s record comeback to retain the trophy.

I say “more than” because the previous time a team came back from 6-10 down to win they were on home turf (the Americans winning in Boston in 1999). Europe would need to match that feat on enemy soil, in the face of the home crowd’s notoriously bad sportsmanship. But do it they did and the Cup remains in European hands for at least the next two years.

What has all this got to do with football and the Mighty Arsenal in particular, you are probably asking.

Well, for one thing the biggest hero of the European team was Ian Poulter – a Hertfordshire lad who is such a big Gooner that he has been known to tickle his balls round the fairways of the world wearing an Arsenal shirt on occasion.

Ian was victorious in every one of the four matches he played – including his final singles match yesterday when, despite trailing or being level for most of the game, he sank three consecutive hole-winning putts on the run-in.

It was particularly pleasing to see a large Arsenal flag unfurled among the supporters around the 18th green as our Golfing Gunner clinched his victory. You know that he will have appreciated that touch.

Interestingly, Poulter was not an automatic selection for Europe’s team. Ten of the 12 places on the team are decided by the standings in the European and World golf tours. Ian was not in the top 10 and was chosen as one of the two “captain’s picks.”

Why was he chosen? Because his previous Ryder Cup record was very strong: prior to this year’s event his score sheet was: Played 11, Won 8, Lost 3.

Now it is Played 15, Won 12, Lost 3 – putting him up there with the very best Ryder Cup performers of all time.

Many football fans don’t follow golf. Some even dispute that it should be considered a sport at all, preferring to think of it as a game (there have been interesting points made both for and against in the Arsenal Arsenal comments over the past couple of days).

But a couple of things struck me as the Ryder Cup reached its gripping conclusion.

First, the sheer courage and concentration required to pull off shots in such a fevered environment, knowing that an individual mistake could cost your team the championship.

On the final day, when it came to a battle of the bottle, Europe came out on top and the Americans, for all their over-the-top competitiveness, were found wanting.

Gary Neville (who has transformed from much-loathed Manc whinger to much-admired match analyser almost overnight), writing in the Daily Mail, felt that the difference between Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday was bottle. He didn’t use that word (he referred to Chelsea’s experience of having won together) but he was right. In a close game Chelsea shaved it because, despite some new arrivals, they have a core of players who know how to win.

Arsenal’s key moments – the shots from Santi Cazorla, the missed effort from Giroud, the header from Podolski, the needless dive-in tackles from Vermaelen – all displayed a lack of judgement and, arguably, a lack of bottle.

The Chavs didn’t do much, but they didn’t make many mistakes. We did.

Lesson number two from the Ryder Cup is the importance of a team – right down to the contributions of less high profile players. The putt that secured victory for Europe was holed by a German golfer called Martin Kaymer. It was his first Ryder Cup and he had only featured once over the three days – in a fourball that he and his partner lost.

But, fired up by the European comeback on the final day, he held his nerve and won his singles match on the last hole with all of Europe and America watching. Likewise, the young Italian Francesco Molinari halved his singles game against Tiger Woods to give Europe an outright victory of 14½ to 13½.

The point is that if you give the fringe players the right encouragement they can become heroes. Sometimes at Arsenal I feel we are too hard on the fringe players. We dampen their ardour rather than inflaming it. Let’s cut them some slack when they have an off day, because next time they might be the difference between success and failure.

Thirdly, the fact that Ian Poulter was put in the team as a “captain’s pick” because of his previous Ryder Cup record shows that you seldom go far wrong by selecting the people who have performed for you before.

It’s a fact that Arsene Wenger may have been reflecting on this weekend after leaving our best defender out of the team for the Chelsea game.

We’ll never know whether Per Mertesacker would have made the difference had he played, but what we do know is that he was in stellar form prior to Saturday’s game and was desperately unlucky to be left out.

Arsene made some comments afterwards to the effect that he picked centre backs whom he felt were best suited to the task at hand (Chelsea’s dangerous attacking movement from Torres, Hazard and Oscar).

But I have long argued that our strongest CB pairing is the BFG plus one of Koscielny and Vermaelen. And I don’t buy the argument that because he’s tall, our Massive Per is best against the hoof-it teams like Stoke City.

To me, his reading of the game, his ability to snuff out moves before they get dangerous and his marshaling of the back line make him ideal against the teams with nippy strikers (as proved at Man City recently). Oh, and he is also exceptional at bringing the ball out of defence and using it well.

Against Chelsea our centre backs played a combined total of 65 passes (36 for TV and 29 for LK). The previous weekend Per alone made 53 passes out of defence – against the reigning Champions (Koscielny made 38, for a combined total of 91). Against Southampton Per’s passes from defence were 55, with a 95% success rate.

In both games Per’s distribution from the back helped us keep control of midfield – which we generally failed to do against Chelsea.

Sadly, the most droppable of our central defenders is the club captain – and I wonder if the manager will have the courage to do what needs to be done in the weeks ahead.

Finally – and most importantly – there is another lesson that our boys could learn from the Ryder Cup team. It’s this: When you are up against a team with a notorious philanderer at their heart, DON’T BLOODY WELL LOSE!

RockyLives

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Back Down to Earth – Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2

September 30, 2012

After a reasonable start to the season and a couple of ballsy displays by the squad (Montpellier and City away) we had the right to start believing we had as good a chance as any of the other contenders for a title tilt. Chelsea at home….no problem….they hadn’t really had a test yet, we’d been away to the Champions and bossed them for ninety minutes, save an unfortunate occurrence at a set piece, ah defending set pieces, more about them later.

The big surprise of the day was seeing Mertesacker sitting on the bench. I advocated Koscielny and Vermaelen starting today’s game, but Arsene very rarely agrees with me. Koscielny had put in a good performance at City and Vermaelen as Captain has to start the big games if fit. However Mertesacker has not put a foot wrong this season and has every right to be annoyed at being left on the bench for the game.

With Chelsea’s new playing style (ie not lumping it up front to Drogba) it was understandable that Wenger decided on our two more mobile and pacier centre backs over the positional strength of The BFG. Torres runs across the line, and from midfield Chelsea have Mata, Hazard and Oscar all able to move at speed with and without the ball.

Arsenal lined up in our now traditional 4-3-3 formation whilst Chelsea appeared to adopt a more fluid 4-2-3-1. This made it very narrow on the pitch and swamped the midfield but the movement of the more advanced players means they pop up everywhere. From the kick off Chelsea controlled possession well, but they were not overly threatening in the opening stages, the final ball normally being picked up by a red and white shirt before getting to the real danger areas. What they did do well was press our players high up the pitch when we had possession, this resulted in hurried passes, and we seemed to lack the movement and options to get out of our half quickly. Something that up until now has been part of our success this season.

The first strike on goal was from a Luiz free kick from over 30 yards which Mannone gathered comfortably. The next two chances fell to Arsenal, Cazorla shooting over when well placed and in space on the edge of the Chelsea area, and Diaby making space for himself to produce a shot which was saved by Cech. Sadly for Abou this was to be his last meaningful contribution as he appeared to tweak his thigh on shooting.

The change took a while to make as the ball seemed to take an age to go out of play, in that time the easy decision to drop Ramsey back to midfield and put Ox on to right wing was made, but there seems to be a fault on Bouldy’s iPad app, as surely it should have a very loud alarm that says “WARNING: Oxlade Chamberlain 5ft 11 – David Luiz 6ft 2 (plus hair) you may want to reconsider”.

Very soon all Gooners in the Emirates and those watching at home were ruing the negligence of the iPad app as we all watched in horror as the Ox tried to mark up Luiz at the next set piece. The free kick had been awarded for an unnecessary foul from Vermaelen on Hazard, we were well set and there was simply no need for Vermaelen to lunge in as he did.

Mata delivered a high ball into the box, which cleared the head of Luiz and found Torres at the back post outmuscling Koscielny and hooking the ball into the net. Two set piece goals in two premier league games.

Chelsea know how to defend, they are a well organised unit, and they do not lose their shape very often. So the task of equalising was not easy, Arsenal set about finding the goal we started to control the ball further up the pitch and for longer periods. There was little goalmouth incident as Chelsea marshalled the area directly in front of the goal, and allowed us to keep putting crosses in to a crowded area where blue shirts outnumbered the red ones.

It looked like we would be going in one down until following good work on the wing the Ox produced a low cross that nutmegged Ashley Cole and found Gervinho who had lost both Terry and Luiz by standing still. The Swerve took one touch and with his second rifled it into the roof of the net as he turned, a well deserved equaliser and a fantastic strike for this seasons leading scorer.

In truth Chelsea looked a little rattled after the goal and the half time whistle came too soone as Arsenal started to dominate the play. After the break we continued as we had left off attacking and creating opportunities, both Cazorla and Ox missing the target with half chances.

To gift one set piece goal is foolish, two gift second is suicidal in this league. Vermaelen chasing back from the edge of their area (answers on a postcard as to why our centre back was on their 18 yard box in open play) bundled Torres over for another soft free kick. The delivery from Mata was vicious, Gibbs could probably have put a head on it if he hadn’t have been pushed over by Ivanovic, and Koscielny trying to stick anything he could the ball could not stop the ball going in the far post. A comedy of errors from start to finish, well at least it would be a comedy if it was happening to any other team, as its happening to us it’s a tragedy.

After Chelsea’s second we had to commit more players forward in search of the equaliser this led to Chelsea looking more threatening as they broke in numbers into open space when they regained possession, that said they didn’t create another clear chance on goal from memory.

We created the majority of the chances in the rest of the game, Podolski saw Cech palm a looping header away, Giroud saw Cech somehow get a strong enough hand to a deflected shot from Giroud, Cazorla had a very nice position to equalise but pushed his shot the wrong side of the post and finally Giroud had another chance after being played in by Cazorla, he tried to round the keeper but Chelsea were back in numbers and scoring was not easy (unless of course your the fan who likes a scapegoat then it was a yard out in the middle of the goal and there was not a defender or keeper within a mile of him and it was harder to miss than score).

So do I think we deserved a draw then? The answer to that simply is no. And the reason it’s a no is that you cannot give two dreadful goals away and say we deserved a point. Unfortunately when you give goals away you get what you deserve, and it’s been happening for too long now and for me it’s very easy to fix.

Its simply a question of where we hold the bloody line for free kicks from outside our 18 yard box. Time and time again we set our line and are pushed back by the opposition. It happened on the first one, but to a lesser extent with only Koscielny being pushed back, this was compounded by Luiz getting the wrong side of the Ox which meant that Luiz had a free jump, which also meant Mannone couldn’t come and claim the high ball.

The second goal is much worse in my opinion, the only ball that Mata can play that position and threaten the goal is the one he ended up playing, the whipped cross to the far post that the keeper can’t commit to because of runners in front of him. If we had taken our line two yards outside our 18 yard box that ball offers far less threat, be braver and hold a line five yards outside the box and it poses no threat and he wouldn’t play it. When that ball was delivered we had already retreated to our penalty spot. I know I played a much lower level of football but if anyone of my defenders even thought about entering the 18 yard box before a free kick was taken they would find themselves on the receiving end of a short sharp kick in the arse. If they held their line the free kick generally got played to between the 18 yard box and penalty spot, if they dropped within the 18 yard box the ball generally arrived just outside the 6 yard box and the only thing that results from that is danger.

The scoreline flatters Chelsea. They did not do enough in open play to win that game, the stats from Sky are below, we won every major stat apart from the important one and tackle success. We gifted that game to them today and that is what disappoints me most.

1 Goals 2
4 Shots on Target 3
10 Shots off Target 5
3 Blocked Shots 2
88.1% Passing Success 83.8%
77.4% Tackles Success 88.5%
51.4% Possession 48.6%
57.6% Territorial Advantage 42.4%
469 Total Passes 458
35 Total Crosses 15

Player Ratings:
Mannone 6 Needs to learn to organise the players in front of him, other than the goals had little to do.
Jenkinson 7 What we are coming to expect, another solid game, confident on the ball, no danger came from his side of the pitch defensively and helped out the attack with constant running and making himslef available.
Koscielny 5 Outmuscled by Torres for the goal, failed to organise the back line for the second.

Vermaelen 3 You are a Centre Back, let’s concentrate on that part of your game first before you start popping up on the opposition 18 yard box in open play. Too eager to go to ground, must take charge of the back line at set pieces.
Gibbs 7 Some good crosses and linked up well with those in front of him. Some very good tackles to win back possession.
Arteta 7 Found it difficult to find his normal passing and was left slightly exposed.
Diaby 7 Too brief an appearance
Cazorla 7 Not his best display but was still the most creative player on the pitch from either side.
Ramsey 6.5 Struggled to find his rhythm in the second half, looked like he was tiring early.
Podolski 7 some good runs early in the second half, very quiet first half, very unlucky with the looping header
Gervinho 7.5 Well taken goal, tended to drop a little too deep in the first half.
Subs:
Ox 7 So young, but so much is expected of him, a lot of learning still to be done, but he always threatens, good cross for the goal
Theo 0 Didn’t see him
Giroud 7 Made himself available got into a couple of good positions, unlucky with a couple of decent efforts.

Gooner in Exile

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