What a Difference a Day Makes …………………….

September 25, 2011


Arsenal 3-0 Bolton

Written by Jamie

I can remember as a kid being on holiday. After two days of solid rain suddenly the morning gave way to a raft of sunshine. My Grandfather walked down to the steps to the swimming pool with a cool drink and Dinah Washington’s seminal hit “What a Difference a Day Makes” soothing the hot air.

As I was leaving the stadium yesterday the memory flooded my mind. On a sunny September Saturday afternoon Arsenal walked out of the storms and traumas of the last few months and into a fragile but hopeful light.

The first half was nervy, van Persie curled a shot close from outside the area. Gervinho showed all the composure of a thirteen year old boy with his father’s razor when clean through on goal he ran the ball to the keeper’s arms. With the half edging away van Persie had a shot blocked.

Arsenal were nervy but on top although our big pole between the poles was called in to action to make a great save early on.

Le Gaffer earned his money at half time as the team came out confident, eager and energised. They were rewarded almost immediately as referee Mark Battenberg waved play on and Ramsey fed van Persie who found room to fire inside the near post. Piece of cake.

Wheater was then sent off for pulling Walcott back when through on goal.

Van Persie went close with a header, and just wide with another shot.

Walcott then laid one on a plate for van Persie in the six yard box for his hundredth in an Arsenal shirt. My sister remarked that it was a “Smudger goal”. On reflection, I think she was right.

Walcott had a hat-trick of chances and fluffed the lot. However Walcott, Gervinho and van Persie were all dangerous and interchanged brilliantly in the second half, Bolton couldn’t cope.

Walcott suffered an injury in the dying moments as he felt a sharp pain in his knee as he was giving chase to a loose ball on the break.

We still defend too high up the pitch, we still don’t get enough pressure on the ball, we are still too open but we are getting better.

Three points, three goals, a good performance and 100 up for the skipper.

Enjoy Match of the Day, Enjoy the Sunday rags.

What a difference a day makes, hey?

Player ratings

Sir Chesney – 7 Great save, solid.

Sagna – 7 His usual self, made the third goal.

Gibbs – 7 Second good game in a few days, great to have a left back that can actually play in the opponents half for the first time in years.

Mertesacker – 7 Best game yet, calm and assured.

Koscielny – 6 Shaky start but did ok.

Song – 7 You know what you are getting, great goal too.

Arteta – 7 Never gives a bad pass but neither he or Ramsey dominates a game, they need too.

Ramsey – 6 Involved in two goals but actually on the outskirts of the game for long patches.

Walcott – 6 Some good, some bad, some ugly but always dangerous.

Gervinho – 7 Good ball skills and a lovely dribble on the by-line in front of the North Bank, Movement was great.

RvP – 9 Two goals, six meaningful attempts, lead the team. Outstanding.

The subs had about as much impact as a fortnight in Mallorca would have on David Dein’s orange glow. Bugger all.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Time for a change of fortune. Bolton preview

September 24, 2011

It is highly likely that the media focus on this game will centre upon Gary Cahill. No doubt he is a good player (though he was crap against MU) but the interest has little to do with his playing ability and more to do with the conflict between the clubs off pitch. Should we be surprised that Gartside decided to go public with the transfer negotiation and made a prat of himself? No, because this is a man who brought Fat Sam to Bolton. Perhaps Gartside thought he could entice a higher Spurs bid by highlighting how cheap their North London neighbours are. Unfortunately for Gartside his shenanigans are likely to cost Bolton a few million when Cahill moves for less money in January or for nothing in summer, ….. Good.

On pitch Bolton are a different team to the one we detested under the Walrus. With Owen Coyle at the head they have found a way to play attractive football. Bolton still have two of the dirtiest players in the PL, players who are very different from each other apart from their disciplinary record. Kevin Davies is the pantomine villain, a proper English Centre Forward and the last of his breed – I really like the man, however Bolton also include the repulsive Paul Robinson, all I need to tell you is that he was signed by Gary Megson!  At 32 y.o and definitely slowing his only hope against Theo is to do what he does best – kick two colours out of him.

The news of Wilshere’s surgery is a hard blow but the return of Ramsey and Rosicky is good news as is the knowledge that Sagna has recovered from his knock, he is such an important player in this team.

My team:

 

 

As a sentimentalist I would like to see Oxlade Chamberlain get at least 15 minutes as a reward for his fine performance midweek. We well know that our defence has been porous, in fact by far the worst in the PL which could (in part) be due to our move to zonal marking at set pieces. Thankfully, Bolton have problems upfront, I hope to see us keep a clean sheet.

Two interesting inventors were born in Bolton. John Harwood who invented the self-winding wristwatch, one of which I wear today, and  Robert Whitehead. Whitehead has a special place in history, he invented the self-propelling torpedo but more significantly he was grandfather to the Von Trapps, without whom the hills would not be alive.

Much is being made of the “crisis” at Arsenal; apart from the destruction of the reserves at OT we have suffered from indiscipline and bad luck. Today I will be going down to the crossroads to see if I can make a deal which will change our fortunes. Wish me a successful negotiation.

Relegation 6 pointer – don’t be silly

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

What’s your breaking point?

September 22, 2011

Written by FatGingerGooner

So the dust has settled on a couple of dreadful Arsenal away results, and equally dreadful defensive displays. Obviously, I’m talking about the 8-2 and 4-3 defeats. There have been a lot of people coming out of the woodwork in recent days, using these results as ammunition to have a pop at the manager and also to give their opinion on the direction this club needs to go. Now I would admit that I am an avid Wenger supporter, as most of you know, and I do get frustrated when others feel the only way forward is to get rid of him, but, even I have to admit that recent results have left my support for Arsene a little bit stretched.

So, my question to you is this:-

At what point does the recent decline in Arsenal fortunes have to get to before you say enough is enough?

WHAT IS YOUR BREAKING POINT?

For me, I am yet to reach that point, and I am hoping that Arsene has the fight left in him to turn this situation around. We are probably at the lowest I have witnessed since Arsene took over 15 years ago, the fans are divided, the team is unfamiliar, and the performances are poor. Who is to blame for this recent downturn in fortunes, I don’t know. But, what I do know is that Arsene cannot and should not take all the flak.

Is it his fault that Chelsea, Man City and Man United have been able to find Billionaire sugar daddies and thus price us out of the market? NO.

Is it his fault that his best players have decided to chase the dollar rather than try to build another legacy with Arsenal? NOT REALLY.

Is it his fault that so many of the clubs key players get injured during important parts of the season? I DOUBT IT

So would it be right of the club to get rid of a man who has done so much for them?

We have all witnessed the amazing sides that Arsene has brought us whilst manager, from the Double winners of Overmars and co, to the Invincibles led by Henry and Vieira. We have all seen the transition we have made from 1-0 specialists to easy on the eye pass masters. We have all celebrated as we have won Leagues and FA Cups, and we have all had chances (apart from myself!) to visit a brand new, state of the art 60,000 seater stadium known as the Emirates. Arsene has overseen this club through some, if not most, of its greatest ever achievements.

Personally, I believe the achievements made by this man gives him the right to leave the club on his own terms. He is the greatest manager this club has ever seen, and should be given the respect he deserves. I have seen people writing comments on blogs such as ‘this man is a disgrace to Arsenal’ and ‘Arsene is ruining this club’, well, i’m sorry, but what a crock of shit!!!

If it wasn’t for this man that you hate so much, we would probably still be at Highbury, sat in midtable, playing boring, long ball football. We would never have seen the likes of Pires, Vieira, Campbell, Overmars, Ljungberg, Lehmann, Fabregas, Van Persie and Henry. We may never have reached a Champions League or Uefa Cup final. We would never have seen the Invincibles.

What some of you fans seem to forget is that Arsene loves this club just as much as you and me. He is not here for the money, or to enhance his career, after all, he could walk into any job in world football getting paid twice as much as he gets now. He is here because he wants this club to be the best in the world. He is a fan, just like you and me.

Now, I am not so blinkered that I don’t  realise that things aren’t going well at the moment, and if things do continue on this downward spiral, then there has to be a time when the manager must be changed. But, given what Arsene has done for this club, I believe it should be his choice. He is smart enough to know when he can take this club no further, and I trust that he will make the step into the boardroom when the time is right. Until then, please can we show this man some respect.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Who put a curse on our team???????

September 19, 2011

Have scum put a curse on the Emirates?

I was told this story some time ago but have never passed it on because, well, frankly, I didn’t give it much credence.

It came from a relative who worked on the demolition of Highbury and the construction of the Emirates.

He is not a football fan and has no axe to grind as far as the Arsenal is concerned.

He told me this:

During the construction of our new stadium many sub contracting companies were used and these firms hired their labour in various ways.

Suffice to say, there was a huge number of casual labourers involved in the new build.

Among these, according to my informant, were two T*ttenham supporters who were, shall we say, of a pikeyish disposition. This ill-favored pair, this brace of base-born bastards, this tickle-brained twosome came up with the idea of laying a gipsy curse in Arsenal’s new home.

They consulted some old witch of their clan and were given a small bottle containing various bits of nefarious nonsense (eye of newt and tail of Sherringham – that kind of thing). The rogues then buried it somewhere in the construction site that would eventually be The Emirates Stadium.

It’s probably balderdash.

But just look at the luck we’ve had since we moved stadium. As the classic Cream track says, if it wasn’t for real bad luck, we wouldn’t have no luck at all.

The defeat at Blackburn was just the latest in a long sequence of games where we have been vanquished by extraordinary circumstances (in this case, two own goals – one of which came from a free kick for a non-foul by Arshavin – and one clearly offside goal, as well as a blatant penalty in our favour ignored by the ref).

I know you skeptics will say the defeat had nothing to do with bad luck.

And you can certainly point a finger at our tendency to panic in defense and our adoption of zonal marking and our use of players who barely know each others’ names…

And yet, and yet… We were bloody unlucky, just as we were in the 4-4 at Newcastle and the away leg at Barca and the CC final and the CL semi against Liverpool a couple of years back and the Liverpool game at the end of last season and the Birmingham game where Eduardo’s leg got smashed and the ridiculous run of long-term injuries to our very best players and and…. well, you can all add your own examples.

Logic would have it that our ambitions have been thwarted by the financial strictures of moving stadium, by the influx of gazillionaires into the EPL, by the waning powers of a once-great manager, by the greed of young players…

But what if there is something more than this? Something from the Twilight Zone (N17) that is also holding us back.

I don’t want to put the willies up you (especially after that incident with the girl in accounts…).

And as a man of logic and science (O Level Biology, 1976) I find it hard to accept that our misfortunes of recent years are the result of mumbo jumbo and witchery.

But sometimes, when the moon slips behind the clouds and the tree branches are tapping on the window, even the sanest of us can find themselves succumbing to the power of the Other.

So, just to be on the safe side, are there any Arsenal supporting Romany types out there who might know what it will take to counteract this curse (if, indeed, it exists)?

Do we need to sneak into the Emirates on a night of the full moon and bury a small vial under the centre circle containing one of Tony Adams’ pubes, a hair from Martin Keown’s head (same thing, really), a Thierry Henry nail clipping and a bit of wee from Dennis Bergkamp?

Do we need to parade 13 times backwards round the pitch at Halloween, invoking the spirit of Herbert Chapman?

Do we need to call in Harry Potter, with an “expelliamus scumcursum” spell?

Please let us know. And if you need any help lifting the curse, count me in.

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

Bruised and Battered, but not Down and Out

September 18, 2011

 

Blackburn – Arsenal: 4-3

 Match Report

Written by Total Arsenal

 

Today we saw once again the two Arsenals we got to know so well in recent years: the one that dominates proceedings and scores great goals through wonderful football, and the one that cannot defend properly. Arsenal scored five away goals and won a penalty in the last two games on the road: against Manchester United and Blackburn. Yet, we did not take home any points from those games and conceded an unbelievable 12 goals in 180 minutes of football. Between the two away games we bought new defenders, midfielders and attackers, and whether we like it or not it will take time before these players are settled in and start making a real difference. I hear you say, why oh why did we not buy them all in June/July so they could have settled in better. The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind.

First half

Arsenal started so brightly. There was pressing, crisp passing, good movement upfront and especially Gervinho looked sharp. The midfield trio of Song-Arteta-Ramsey were combining well and bossed the midfield with ease and style. Arshavin did his bit on the left, but we were most dangerous on the right, where Gervinho and the always impressive Sagna combined very well to create chance after chance. Our first goal came from a simple and incisive attack: Song gets the ball in midfield, he moves with ease past a player, after which he delivers a beautifully weighted pass into the box: it quite resembled the one Theo made for Arsenal’s first goal against Dortmund on Tuesday. Gervinho makes a good run into the box and lets Song’s ball run past his body to then cleverly hit a reverse diagonal shot under the outstretched leg of Samba and past Robinson: 1-0.

Then we get the first warning sign of what was to come: a free-kick is simply aimed at – the throughout the game very impressive – Samba in the box, who is allowed an unhindered header from which he should have done better. A few minutes later, (despite Samba’s earlier chance) against the run of play, we concede the equaliser: a simple, low ball is placed past Mertesacker into the box and there is Yakubu to elegantly sight-foot the ball past Szczesny, with the outside of his foot: 1-1, and we have to start all over again.

Samba misses another chance, but it is Arsenal who score the best goal of the game, next. A beautifully worked combination between our three central midfielders: Song passes to Ramsey just outside the Blackburn box, the latter plays a clever cutback towards the D, where just in time, Arteta arrives with a clean and beautifully hit shot, high into the net: 2-1 to Arsenal! Football at its best, and surely, this time we are not going to give it away again…. The Away Fans sing their hearts out and life feels great. Just before the end of the first half we get another great chance. Arshavin uses his body strength and speed very well and makes a fabulous run on the left hand side – he passes to Gervinho who moves himself to a decent shooting position, but his shot is blocked. He could have passed to RvP who seemed in a better position to score, but Gervinho was totally entitled to take a shot himself. RvP could not have looked more Dutch if he tried, when he showed Gervinho his unfiltered dismay about not being played in by him.

Second half

Blackburn started brightly and pressed straightaway high up the pitch – with a high defensive line – putting us under pressure, to which we were slow to react. It only took five minutes in the second half before the defensive horror show to start. The lively Rosina ‘floats in’ – by a lack of better word – a free kick towards the first post: RvP gets outmuscled and cannot get to the ball, it then drops – very unluckily – on the thigh of Song, after which it disappears into Szczesny left-hand corner: 2-2.

Arsenal were still very much in the game and more than capable of winning it, but only three minutes after the equaliser Sagna had to come off and Johan Djourou came on. This turned out to be the turning point for Arsenal. It does not take long before JD gets his first yellow card and it is clear that his confidence is low.

Szczesny, despite finding the ball four times in his net, had hardly anything to do. However, in the 54th minute, a long kick from Robinson reaches Rochina, who plays the ball cleverly to the lively Formica who takes a shot inside the box, only to be denied by a great safe from you know who. Five minutes later, another defensive howler: a corner-kick reaches Nzonzi – who before he brings the ball down with his foot was able to send a text message to all his friends – he is not closed down quickly enough, and is able to put in a clever cross towards Szczesny’s right post: a simple tap-in by Yakubu: 3-2. The new Blackburn signing is just offside, but it is not spotted by the linesman and here you go, from being 1-0 and 2-1 up, we are now trailing 3-2 against the bottom PL club. Unbelievably, and oh so cruelly, another nightmare is unfolding right before our eyes.

Gervinho has not given up though and another clever run enables him to release the ball well to the ‘hammer’ left foot of RvP. The normally prolific Dutchman hesitates for an instance and his shot gets blocked. The following corner-kick is well met by RvP’s head but the ball disappears on the wrong side of Robinson’s right post.

Then the final blow is delivered. From another corner Blackburn can break. The ball reaches Yakubu around the halfway line who passes to Olsson. Djourou is quickly there to block him, but he is already on a yellow card and seems to hesitate as to what to do: he tries to win the ball cleanly but Olsson gets away from him, and Song is also not able to block him off: he ‘passes’ the ball to Koscielny, who inadvertently puts the ball past the flabbergasted Szczesny: 4-2 – game over, so it seems. Desperately unlucky: two own goals and a slightly offside goal all in one game.

However it is not over yet. Chamakh who came on for Song for the last 15 minutes, rises well inside the box between Givet and Dann to reach a peach of a cross by RvP with some power: 4-3 with five minutes to go. A number of chances follow: a great, super-cross by Santos for the revived, and towards the end of the game real leadership showing, Mertesackter – who misses a good chance; RvP’s shot in the box gets blocked by Robinson; Chamakh misses a good header-opportunity; and Theo should have had a penalty when Robinson took him down without touching the ball. It was not to be, and despite 57% of possession and 16 attempts on target (BBC), AND scoring three goals, Arsenal go home with no points at all, once again.

The team showed fight till the end: we never gave up and that at least is an improvement from last season.

Conclusions & Player Ratings

I have decided not to score individual players this time, as this would inevitably lead to discussions about how woeful some of our players have been yesterday, leading to the identification of the next lot of Arsenal players who need kicking out of the door as soon as possible. I am sick to the teeth about our need to single out individual players to blame, if and when we have a sequence of bad games. Clearly, some players have underperformed in this game but this is a new team, in a new post-Cesc era, and for me it is obvious that we are struggling with the system-side of things such as: communication, positioning, holding a defensive line and ‘zonal marking’, ability to find each other and anticipating what fellow players want to do, how to keep possession, how to dominate the midfield, how to create chances for the front players etc, etc.

Individual performances are often significantly influenced by these factors, especially at the start of the season and within a new team. And, although it is easy and gratifying to make one or more of our players into scapegoats – we are all humans in the end – this is not what we should be doing right now. The problem lays in the simple fact that the new players will have to be integrated with the existing players, in a new football system that best suits the quality of all our players, and makes us forget the departure of Fabregas. This is clearly far from ideal, but we are where we are.

I still have full confidence in the quality of our squad and Wenger’s desire and ability to change this round. However, this will take time and there is nothing we can do but hope that we will get back to winning ways soon. Losing to Blackburn hurts badly, and it is highly likely that we will get hurt and embarrassed again in the next few months, but now is the time to stand by our club, players and manager to see this period of transition through: we will need to win this battle by battle, game by game. Next game is Shrewsbury, COYRRG!

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Hopefully the final trip to Blackburn – preview.

September 17, 2011

Let me start by stating the views held below are entirely my own and in no way represent the views of the site.

Anyone who has read my pre-matches over the seasons will know that I am not a huge fan of Blackburn, I will go further and say that for many seasons they have represented all that is reprehensible in football – from top to bottom.

Let’s look at their recent record:

Managers: Graham Souness, Paul Ince, Fat Sam, Mark Hughes, Steve Kean.  Only Dalglish brought some respectability to this awful club and he was sacked (by mutual consent).  The last 3 seasons have seen them reach their nadir – from the non-football of the Walrus through to Kean’s  commitment to the “big man.”

Ownership.: Jack Walker (the first man to buy the PL), the Chicken chaps – the chicanery of the promotion of Kean by the Venky’s, whom it is said had no conception there was relegation in football and the PL was based upon the franchise system as in the NFL!

Players: El Hadj Diouf, Robbie Savage, David Bentley, Craig Bellamy (both players of the season!) –  they are united in their awulness.

If you enjoy utilitarian football allied to workmanlike players who are encouraged to “get in their faces,” then Blackburn is the club for you. The management are at best pragmatic.  There is a reason Blackburn are most peoples favourites for relegation.

Detail of Steve Kean’s tactics

What should we expect from a team based around the physical presence of Yakubu, Samba, Jason Roberts? Tactically, I guess they will be very energetic, pack the midfield, look to stifle our creative players, defend in depth to stop the pace merchants,  hit a number of long balls to the isolated front man and look to score from set pieces. They do have quality, Givet and Samba are two fine players, Dunn has been,  and in Hoilett they have the makings of a top player.

To turn to the men in the white hats, we celebrate the return of the violent miscreants: Song, Gervinho and Jenkison, two of whom I expect to play today. Song was outstanding in Germany and I look forward to a more mature performance from him than the idiocy with Barton.

My team:

Gibbs has played twice in a week and being fragile could use the rest, furthermore I would like to see Santos play – he is supposedly a fine attacking LB and despite Holliet being a right winger, should have plenty of opportunities to get forward. Should Benayoun start ahead of Arshavin? In a game which is likely to get physical – yes.

Today’s referee is Andy Marriner (I think). Let us hope he gets early control and that our team can keep 11 players on the pitch.

Blackburn as everyone knows has 400o holes in it  (Lennon was referring to the appalling state of the local roads). What is less known is that Mitchell and Kenyon who were pioneers in the development of cinematography  lived in Blackburn until 1901.

A tough away  game with Blackburn looking to dig themselves out of a hole (sic) having won just one point so far this season but one that Arsenal have reason to be positive about.

N.B. Don’t forget the 12.45 kick-off!

COYRRG

Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal’s Dark Knight

September 15, 2011

A recent blog on the AA website called ‘Project Youth-fact or fiction?’ (great write Illybongani) got me thinking about the direction that Arsenal has been heading in the last 6 trophyless years and also the grief that Arsène Wenger has had to endure. Fans seem to be divided into 2 opinions. Some believe that Arsène has failed with his stubborn attitude and lack of trophies, whilst others think that Arsène’s ability to keep the club competitive whilst overseeing our stadium move, has been nothing short of a miracle. I have to say that I fall into the second group.

Personally, I believe that ‘PY’ was used by Wenger to steer us through the stadium move. Arsène knew that buying young, athletic and technically gifted players would save the club money but also allow the team to play a possesion game that could keep the team competitive. However, i dont think that AW intended ‘PY’ to be as drastic as it was. If players like Gallas, Flamini, Hleb, Henry, Adebayor etc had all decided to carry on at Arsenal, then the side would have had much more experience over the last 5 years than had been at AW’s disposal. These players all left for various reasons, but, for the majority, it was down to contract length and size.

Wenger has been critisized massively by some sections of supporters for his inability to keep hold of certain players over the trophyless years, but lets not forget that it was the BoD who were now holding the purse strings (no matter what they may say) and they were looking to save pennies wherever they could. Unfortunately, this cost Wenger a lot of his experienced players.

I think ‘PY’ started shortly after the Invincible season. Now this will sound daft, but for me, the invincible season was as much a hinderence as it was a huge, huge achievement (are you crazy you fat ginger fool, I hear you type!? let me explain). The club decided it had to move in a new direction to make the most of its growing fanbase, but they took their eye off the ball, literally. Too much focus was moved away from the field and into the boardroom. Wenger was expected to sort out not only the team, but with the loss of his right hand man David Dein, he was also expected to deal with transfers. This multi-tasking led to a lack of focus which has been missing for 6 years now, and resulted in a drop of quality on the field.

People outside of the club always praise our style of play, but anyone who watches the team regularly knows we have lacked tempo and the ability to be direct for years now. We no longer hit teams on the break and take far too long building attacks. This is something that I believe AW has seen, and now that the purse strings have been opened and his eye is back on the team, it is something that he has been able to rectify with the new additions to the squad. Players such as Ryo, Walcott, Oxo and Gervinho add the ability to be quick and direct. The addition of quality defenders like Vermaelen, Mertersacker and Santos will give us the ability to soak up pressure so that we can get back to the counter attacking style of old. The squad has depth again, and the future looks bright.

Wenger has been put upon far too much by the BoD in recent years and it’s now time for the board to repay him. He has held this club on his shoulders for the last 6 years, deflecting criticism away from his young, vulnerable players. He has allowed the board to make him look the villain with their claims that funds have been available all this time (will we ever know the truth?). He has continued to keep the side competitive on the field whilst keeping the bank balance healthy, something that only 3 or 4 managers in the world could have done.

For me, he is our Dark Knight. He is willing to take all the heat, all the booing, all the flak, because in the end, he knows he can handle it. He has been, and still is, the best manager this club has ever had, and I for one, hope that this new look team bring him the success he deserves. Something that the much loved Fabregas never could.

Written by Fatgingergooner

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Whatever Happened to Abou Diaby?

September 12, 2011

Amidst all the fun of making up our fantasy teams for the new look Arsenal, one name has been conspicuous by its absence: Abou Diaby.

It’s understandable in a way: we have lots of shiny new names to play with in our hypothetical formations.

Do Artex and Benny Yoon displace Li’l Jack and Aaron when all are fit? If teams come to park the bus, do we bust out the Park to knock them down? Should we add height by playing Arshavin on Wilshere’s shoulders? And if we did, would they still be shorter than our new GG (Giant German)?

Such fun.

But no-one, as far as I can see, has been jumping up and down and frothing at the mouth about how we have to include Abou Diaby in our up-coming advance on four trophies.

Poor Abou has just disappeared from the Arsenal narrative.

Danny Baker, in his amusing Radio 5 show, would describe it as an example of “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome.”

For readers of a younger disposition, I should explain that this refers to an American 1970s sitcom called Happy Days, whose lead characters were Richie Cunningham and his super-cool friend The Fonz.

The show ran for 11 seasons (which, in US television, means well over 100 episodes).

In the first season Richie had an older brother, Chuck. In episode 10 he went upstairs, saying something like “OK, catch you later guys.” Then he was never seen nor heard from again. No mention. Nothing. Not even a name check in any of the remaining 90-plus episodes. Just written out of the show.

At the moment, Abou is our Chuck Cunningham.

The last mention of him from anyone connected with Arsenal was a comment from Arsene Wenger a month ago, when he revealed that the player had had surgery on his ankle over the summer and would miss the start of the new Premier League season. “Diaby is not back before the end of August or the beginning of September,” he said.

So Abou was last spotted hobbling into the operating theatre saying “OK, catch you later guys,” and has since vanished.

Despite the fact that he is theoretically on his way back from injury, no-one at the club has seen fit to give him even a passing mention when describing the range of options open to us this season.

He has been well and truly Chuck Cunninghamed.

I raise the point because it came up when I was playing my own game of Fantasy Arsenal (no, it bears no relation to Peaches’ version of the game, which involves Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and a large tub of whipped cream).

I was just doing the regular “who would I play where” when it popped into my head that our own Disappeared One, Mr Abou Diaby, could have a very positive impact on our season.

He has undoubtedly been one of the most frustrating of Arsene’s crop of young players, but when he’s good he’s very very good. He can pass, tackle, dribble and score; he is big and athletic and, on his day, can provide excellent forward momentum.

Consistency has been his problem, but that is partly due to him never really having had a run of games in any one position – and certainly not in his favoured one of attacking central midfield. Often he has been played wide because more senior players (like Cesc and, er, Denilson) were occupying the central positions.

Obviously his regular injury problems have played a factor too. He has been so unlucky on that front that I now think of him as a sort-of cartoon character. If he’s not walking underneath a plummeting piano he’s falling down an open manhole cover; if he’s not slipping on a banana skin he’s left holding the big round bomb just as the fuse fizzles down to nothing.

His appearance stats of 108 games in five and a half seasons tells its own story (about 20 games a season, including appearances as a substitute, is not good enough, although it’s important to acknowledge the impact of Dan Smith’s horrific leg-breaking tackle on Abou’s record).

So I offer this thought as another sliver of optimism for us Arsenal supporters, following on from the encouragement most of us felt at the late rush of new signings:

If (and I know it’s a big IF) Abou can fully recover from his ankle operation and IF he can put his niggling injury record behind him and IF he can find his best form on a consistent basis, he may just be able to show us all the form that once had many in the France coaching set-up viewing him as being the best of a talented group of young French midfielders (including Na$ri).

We might then be able to look at midfield options that include Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Benayoun, Rosicky, Song, Frimpong and Diaby and feel we truly have the strength in depth to upset some apple carts this season.

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

A R-ight close SHAV IN-creases tension as the Vorm Turns? And Ratings…..

September 11, 2011

Arteta – Bright Start but faded…..

Its September 10th, a New dawn, new beginnings, from the ashes of Project Y’sssh and the dishevelled remains of a team that faced the Old Trafford onslaught, it was  Wengers regrouped band of footballers with a significant number of new recruits, grabbed on the supermarket trolley dash on 31st August, who took to the field, ready to drag Arsenal back to the upper echelons of the premier league………

Per – Slow Steady Start

There was an air of anticipation around the ground, as we all took our seats, Arteta and Mertz were in the Line up and the other new boys all on the bench…..A team selection rightly predicted by many, but from now on perhaps not so easy to predict, so the depth is there…

Little time to get the know the new players as our team returned from around the globe after their international endeavours with goals aplenty scored by our boys…….so they do know where the ball should go………?

Anyway, a bright start to the game saw a Spaniard look composed and assured on the ball, with deft touches and slide passes, he was playing with a smile and a zest about his play.  And the fans had their early voices heard…..

The first chance saw Arteta put Aaron through on goal, but he lost balance and smashed it high and wide. Arsenal continued to press and knock the  ball around. But the next best chance was seized by the Swans…….

A delightful cross in from the right from agustien, as Danny Graham attacked the six yard box (please note this arsenal), got in front of Per and stabbed it to the bottom corner, wrong footed, off balance and his eyes closed, ok that bit was made up, Szczesny somehow got down to his left to produce a stunning save…….

Arsenal kept up the initial pace of the game with the lively Arshavin releasing the ball through the middle to Theo who came from the right, Theo managed to squeeze the ball goal bound under Vorm, as it edged towards the goal, Caulker cleared the ball away…

Arsenal continued to move the ball around, but it lacked real zip and the movement in the final third was poor, as chances were few and far between. Frimpong back from suspension showed heart and the fight for a battle, had a dig from range, but it was dragged wide.

Gradually Swansea became more dangerous as their confidence grew with Dyer and Sinclair causing problems with their pace and directness, arsenal struggled to gel as a team. Another cross flashed across the 6 yard area, Graham nearly getting his head on it, with arsenal defence static Gibbs nearly steering in his own net as the ball came at him.

As we moved close to half time, no player really was standing out for Arsenal, Arshavin was certainly been more involved than of late and couldn’t have been lambasted for his usual laziness, as he chased and harried every ball, soon he got his reward.

Frimpong, passed into Theo with his back to goal, who turned inside to his right and done two men on the edge of the area, but flashed his shot high and wide with his left, a deflection looped the ball up high and as it edged towards the corner, Vorm collected the ball and rolled it out, but it hit the heels of the swan defender Rangel, Arshavin turned and with his left peg, curled a sweet shot into the empty and inviting net……..

Second half started lively with both sides knocking the ball about, but both lacked penetration. Sinclair raced towards goal; he tried to evade Kosceinly who scythed him down, yellow card. Sinclair’s free kick hit the bar and over.

Moments later, Arsenal moved forward down the left, Arshavin played into RVP, who took the ball with two players in close quarters, he shrugged them off and turned to his left and across the goal and unleashed a curler to the far right post which he clipped.

Arshavin came off for Benayoun on 63, which considering it was his best performance for a while was unfortunate.

Arteta, played the ball out wide to Sagna, who moved forward and curled the ball across the goal, just nobody attacking the box, Van Persie just too late……

Frimpong was replaced by Coquelin on 75; quickly he got into the game, he reads the game well, and he worked hard to close down players. On 81 Van Persie was taken off for Chamakh, which was a strange one, but later at the end, RVP limped as he walked on the pitch to applaud the fans, so maybe a precautionary move?.

Chamakh almost had an immediate impact; a long ball from Koscielny was headed back to Ramsey, who fed Gibbs on the left, who crossed perfectly first time, Chamakh rose, good contact but straight at Vorm.

In the last few minutes, Swansea pressed and won some corners and from one of them, the ball broke for Graham, who turned and couldn’t keep his shot down and fired over from 5yards…..

Overall:

So we end with 11 men, no bad ref decisions against us and we get a little bit of luck for a change, so has the Vorm turned?

Well it’s a win, a clean sheet and 3points. Important not to drop points, especially with the pressure at the end of the match, nervous but we didn’t concede a sloppy goal which was a trade mark last season.

Fair play to Swansea, they played well and looked good at times, need to find the scoring touch soon to stay in this league, but we are not prolific!!! My only gripe was way too many players went to ground holding their heads………

Ratings:

Wenger: 7:

Picked a team, most of us picked beforehand but 3 points so cannot mark down too harsh. I would love to know what instructions he sends Theo out with, his play no way as effective as against Udinese. Standard substitutions, didn’t improve the game, as we lost our shape, allowing and inviting pressure.

Szczesny: 8: Just for that save, which truly was world class, Number 1?, commands the box and is more considered with his distribution now.

Sagna: 7: Not spectacular but dependable and solid, Sinclair will cause problems for who ever he faces. Got forward well.

Koscienly: 7: Reads the game well, under rated for me, I’ll say as always, he just lacks aggression for me. Rightly booked

Mertesacker: 6: Steady and slow start, little time to acclimatise to premier league so will mention a couple of good tackles he made.  My big concern was he didn’t attack the ball enough and use his height effectively

Gibbs: 6.5: offensively was probably better with some good crosses, but again he failed at times to attack the ball in defence, one very notably near the end that could hav cost us. Positionally naïve or still learning? Needs to up his game or Santos will be coming early this year……..

Frimpong: 6: Heart and fight, plenty of drive, his effort alone endears him to the crowd, a favourite of mine already. But his passing was poor. Although when he gets it wrong he chases till he gets it back…..Young and will be a stalwart for years…….Tired towards the end, before been subbed.

Ramsey: 7: Heard some comments knocking his performance, thought he did well, looked for the ball and moved us forward. Had an early chance that he blasted wide. Never hid and worked tirelessly. Heard someone say he isn’t good enough for Arsenal, balderdash…….have a word…….

Arteta: 7: Really lively start, probing and laying off deft touches, a Spaniard orchestrating the midfield, he is his own man and he will do well for us. Hacked down several times, showed that he was seen as dangerous by the swans. Dropped off in the 2nd half as our shape went apples and pears……

Arshavin: 8:  A much better performance, worked hard and close down defenders, always looking and probing. Definitely not a lazy boy today…….Took his goal well, it might have been an open net, but most would have missed that from that angle. Went off before 65 as usual….Just gets my MotM for his goal and work rate.

Walcott: 7:   A crowd splitter, he tends to frustrate more than he excites, but just what he instructions does he get? The team doesn’t aid him and he is not suited to balls in tight areas to his feet. I will defend him, but I agree without pace he wouldn’t be as useful, but he has pace so that statement is pointless, he does give us an outlet, he needs to become consistent to realise his full potential. But I would say, he has an Ox breathing down his neck…… I know quite a few will disagree with me but for all his knockers, he did more than Van Persie.

Van Persie: 6: Didn’t get involved enough, if he plays point, he needs to attack the area with more vigour. Great shot in the 2nd half that hit the post. Subbed late on, took a knock? Play him in the hole…….

Subs:

Benayoun: 6: Lively

Coquelin: 6: Tenacious

Chamakh: 6: Had a header, but little time.

Next up:  Dortmund……….Champions league, we need a better shape and more movement in the final 3rd. Defenders need to attack the ball and not let it bounce. With Gervinho and Song back in the team, we will step it up again……..

End Note: Condolences to Brendon Rodgers, Swansea Manager, whose father died on Friday.

Written by Harry

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Posted by Rasp

Mr. Wenger says the season starts here…..

September 10, 2011

The season starts here. The Boss said so?  No, the season started at Newcastle and we have one point out of nine, that’s right, one out of nine. Our worst start since Alex James took a drag from his Woodbine prior to walking onto the Highbury turf (perhaps).

Thankfully much has changed since OT and quite frankly it needed to. Lack of composure, lack of fit players, lack of tactics, lack of intelligence, lack of discipline and lack of creativity all added up to a team in excrement alley wearing open toed sandals. Arsenal’s response has been unprecedented in Wenger’s reign –  just look at the players in box on the right.

The International break reminded us of how good our players really are. Loads of goals, a number of MoM’s, and to a man they performed well. Even Theo!

Hopefully the dent to the confidence arising from the debacle at OT, has all but disappeared, which bodes ill for Swansea. This is Swansea’s first trip to The Emirates, and their first game against AFC since 1983. They play possession football and keep the ball on the ground – they should be the perfect opponents for the new style Gunners. Furthermore, Swansea have yet to score a Premiership goal.

My guess at the team:

This seems to be a conservative selection, however, when the suspensions are over and the new players have received their visas we will see some exciting teams. Our midfield and attack have so many options and I hope to see a return to the superfast football one associated with the Invincibles. The midfield pairing of Frimpong and Ramsey is likely to be the fulcrum of the team in the years to come (should Frimpong continue his development) however, they will be dependent upon Arteta to be not only creative but also authoratative. I am very excited to see our new Spaniard, and believe much of the season’s success will rest upon his slight shoulders. The arrival of our giant German is also very exciting, he is just what we have been asking for since Kolo left and I cannot understand the criticism from some sectors of the fans – if his name was shorter I would have it on the back of my new shirt (you know, the one which has been a Jonah so far this season and which will be binned if we lose today).

I would love to see The Ox come on for Theo at 60 mins and Park get 10 minutes towards the end. More likely will be Benayoun for Arshavin as the Russian tires (is it true he is the most substituted player in the PL?)  I expect the adrenalin of the Welshmen’s first visit to the THOF will wear off at 75 minutes and we will dominate the last quarter, particularly if the speedster  Chamberlain comes off the bench.

At present we hold the PL record for players sent off in consecutive games, can we add to our record and make it 4? Don’t bet against it, the referee is Andre Marriner, whose last visit to THOF was in the infamous 101 minute long game v Liverpool.

Ed “Taffy” Bowen who invented the hugely influential Radar, was born in Swansea. So was Dylan Thomas, who as everyone knows was a lifelong Gooner and had a season ticket in the East Lower.

This is not a game for fancy football, it is a game where the 3 points are essential for the well-being of us supporters, anything less and we face another week of ridicule and shame.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

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