Morning Gooners,

Many countries are on their way home after falling at the first hurdle in the World cup, and seeing how I am an Englishman of course I am disappointed by England’s early exit. Personally I felt England’s Manager Roy Hodgson was very fortunate with the youngsters that have been produced, obviously I was wrong, after 3 games my countrymen only managed 1 point,and as we all know that equates to 2 losses and a draw.

Having said that, I still feel that England, Manager, and Players, have learned a lot from this World cup. Taking a young squad to a place like Brazil, with its high temperatures and humidity is quite different from what they experience here, that of course is not an excuse, many other countries also had the same problems, but in the learning cycle invaluable for the future.

I feel that this world cup has come slightly to early for the England team, as some players have just started to emerge. Hodgson wanted to blend experience with youth. The manager felt that the talent we had would be beneficial, young fit men with plenty of energy, many of our youngsters looked very confident, they looked around the players in the squad, and having watched many of them in the league they felt that they stood a very good chance.

Confidence is a fine thing, but inexperience normally has a habit of kicking yourself up the jacksie, and that in all honesty has been what has happened. Although England’s squad looks good for the future, they still need setbacks along the way, to make them aware of just what can happen, as a squad they will learn together, they will learn how to play together and how the manager wants them to play.

There are spaces that will now become available, as ageing seniors will probably fall by the wayside, and although these players have had long England career’s they have never had too many victory stories to pass on to the new recruits. For Arsenal supporters our own players who were in the squad never got to see to much action The Ox at his first world cup never managed to kick a ball in anger reminded me of Theo’s first World cup, but Jack did get to put his boots on.  Jack, I felt, didn’t let us down, he didn’t stand out, but he also didn’t do anything stupid. The Ox of course has watched England from the touchline, not being fit enough to play but he should have learned a thing or two and also had an expenses paid holiday, he should be well rested by the time the new season kicks off.

England have reminded me of our own club, inexperience has been our downfall for many years, and with new players coming in, they have needed a season to find their feet. England have had a short time together but I feel they have shown promise. Arsenal  have also shown promise claiming their first trophy for many seasons, but lack of faith has been a sticking point for us. Leading the league for so long last season gave them and us nosebleeds. We all hoped for a taste of success but we never really believed it would happen until it finally arrived.

Of course the FA cup will last a long while for the players but so will the high losing scores we had to deal with as well. Our Achilles heel is top teams in our own league, we will have to deal with this type of game in the future, if we want to taste the same kind of success.

I feel that Wenger would have had a good insight to who is available, and who may just fit into our club to strengthen us, Players leaving and openings to fill would be his priority when he arrives back from Brazil. I am sure he would have watched Joel Campbell and although he may not have scored many goals I am still sure that Wenger will call him up, whether Joel see’s himself in the Arsenal strip in the future is yet to be seen but for me if Bendtner leaves Joel wouldn’t be a bad replacement.

Of the many players on show in this world cup, I would like to think that Arsène has his eye out for a keeper, and also a good right back, with Santi looking at pastures new  and Vermaelen also rumoured to be going Wenger will have to work quickly. Arsenal as England have good futures, where Hodgson has bundles of talent and the best of English talent Arsène will have to spend and spend well. Arsenals foundation is now fairly sound, but the need of quality is abundantly clear. Arsène has said in the past, as long as you replace with better players we will always improve, I look forward to our new signings.

Written by Steve Palmer

So, what does that fixture list for 2014-15 look like from an Arsenal point of view?

The priority in August (as we know from previous years) is the Champions’ League play-offs, we need to navigate those safely and without fuss, so we want a pretty tame start domestically.  And with Palace at home, Everton away and Leicester away, we have more or less what we would want.  Not that I’m saying they’re easy games; the visit to Goodison will be challenging, Palace under Pulis will continue to be tough and the Foxes will be excited to be back in the top division.  But it could have been a lot worse.

Things get tougher in September, with games against Man City at home, Villa away, Spurs at home and Chelsea away (on 1 October), as well as (hopefully) the opening pair of Champions’ League group games.

The remainder of October and into November is fine, with matches against Hull (home), Sunderland (away), Burnley (home) and Swansea (away), plus some Champions’ League games and the beginning of the League Cup.  There is then an international break, after which we face Man United at our place and go to West Brom.

The run-in to Christmas is ok, with matches against Stoke (away) and Newcastle (home), but we then have our trip to Liverpool.  There is also the League Cup and the last group stage match in the Champions’ League.  Over the holiday period, we don’t have long trips, with the Boxing Day match against QPR (home) and then to West Ham, but those two matches are in the space of three days.  We then have a midweek, New Year’s Day trip to Southampton. And in January, after the traditional slot for the 3^rd round of the FA Cup, we have matches against Stoke (home), Man City (away) and Villa (home), plus the League Cup semi finals and the 4^th round of the FA Cup.

February will be a little more testing, with matches against Spurs (away), Leicester (home), Palace (away) and Everton (home), and the 5^th round of the FA Cup and the beginning of the knock-out phase in the Champions’ League.  But March won’t be too bad (certainly a lot better than it was last season), with meetings with QPR (away), West Ham (home) and Newcastle (away), as well as the FA Cup quarter final and the continuation of the Champions’ League.

There will be a couple of tasty home matches in April, against Liverpool and Chelsea, but in between those we will face Burnley (away) and Sunderland (home), and there will be the quarter finals of the Champions’ League.

The season will run a bit later than usual, presumably on account of the World Cup.  The FA Cup Final will be at the end of May, and the Champions’ League Final (in Berlin) will be on 6 June.  Our league campaign will culminate with some very winnable matches against Hull (away), Swansea (home), and (for our last league game) West Brom at home, but our penultimate match will be away to Man United.  That could be a very big match.  If we’re still in it, there would also be the small matter of the Champions’ League semi finals

So, no death clusters this time around, but equally shorter runs of easier games than we had last season.  The run-in is pretty good for us, as is the opening.  Depending on how the Champions’ League group fixtures play out (if we get there….) and then how the knock-out phase falls into play, there will be times when we have tough combinations of domestic and European fixtures.  An obvious one will be the Spurs-CL-Chelsea combo at the end of September.  But all in all, things don’t look too bad on that front.

I reckon the draw is pretty good for us, better than last season.  Now just the small matter of the summer’s transfer business……….

Written by 26May

Ok maybe a strange headline in the aftermath of a disappointing result for England at the hands of Italy.

But it was the manner of that defeat that proved yet again why England struggle on the world stage and whilst the 100mph Premier League may all be about guts and courage the International and European game far more often favours the technically better sides who are prepared to keep the ball and wait for openings.

Pirlo outclassed his counterpart Gerard in every department, Gerard may well be an “all action” midfielder but too often he is found out at this level. He does not have the patience or accuracy of passing to compete at this level in the deeper midfield role.

On top of that as soon as an England midfielder got the ball he looked up to see England backsides running away from him, so was left to attempt forward passes through the eye of the needle, rather than the more reliable approach of movement in multiple directions opening defences up by pulling them this way and that before launching the attack in earnest.

So why does this prove Wenger right? Well the sun might shine on a dogs arse one day (as it did for Sturridge’s goal ) but more often than not in Champions League football pace, power and strength is not enough, you need guile, and composure, and that is what Arsene is building, and he is now doing it with English and Welsh talent that are capable of playing that way. Until England managers learn that there is more to football than energy and commitment we will continue to fall short.

He has a squad to play a midfield of Jack, Barkley, Lalana, Rooney and Sterling, surely that would be better than the one that started on Saturday night?

Written by Gooner in Exile