What should Arsenal fans realistically expect us to achieve next season?

May 30, 2011

Today is going to be a very slow news day on the blogosphere. The transfer rumours are only just gaining momentum and most expect Arsenal to either take second pickings behind the big spenders or to sign players who would not be targets for other top clubs.

Following on from yesterday’s debate, I thought it would be interesting to have a benchmark at this point to refer back to at the end of the summer, or at the same time next season.

The question I would ask is…. “What should Arsenal fans realistically expect us to achieve next season?”

Our happiness or disappointment is simply a measure of how the outcome compares to our own individual expectation.

For Arsenal to have progressed next year I would expect the following:

1. Top 3 in the Premiership

2. Top of our group in the CL and reach the quarter finals

3. To win a cup competition if we choose to put out our strongest side

4. To have shored up the defence

5. To have a strong finish to the season

These are just talking points, but it would be interesting to see how the expectations of the ‘cup half full’ers’ compare to those branded as being half empty. Paradoxically, the level of expectation is likely to be inversely proportional to the level of optimism.

What would be the least you would be happy with as an Arsenal fan at this time next year?

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Posted by Rasp

Proud to wear the Shirt?

May 1, 2011

Another game we need to get 3 points from, however in this case we must be underdogs. Following a very poor run of results (too disappointing to discuss) the team have a choice – either we settle for an underwhelming 3rd place  or we fight to the end, I expect to see some fighting spirit.

Unfortunately, United are in excellent form having strolled through a Champions League semi-final on their way to Wembley, where most right minded people will be hoping for a Barca win. Much has been said about this MU side, mostly to it’s detriment – dull, workmanlike, efficient, lacking flair, not as good as SAF’s previous sides, the worst side to (potentially) win the PL, and above all inexplicably lucky; yet their fans will look at the Silverware and the 2010/11 season with pride. Once again the Purple Conked Glaswegian has shown he is the best manager in World football, who else can make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear?

But, But But  …. the little angel on Big Raddy’s  left shoulder is screaming at me ……. this season has been about us throwing away a title not MU winning one. Alongside the  West London Russians we have contrived to gift United the title, we have consistently thrown away important points, drawing games  we should have won, losing games we should have drawn. I am no statistician but it would be interesting to know how many points we have lost to goals in the last 5 minutes of games – enough to win the title one would imagine.

Before we doff our proverbials to the excellence of SAF’s management of so called “average players,” let us take a closer look at his team. Oh, this is a surprise, it is packed with extremely expensive talent; 3 players who cost over £30m, the most expensive defender in EPL history, a midfield that (taking out Giggs) cost almost as much as our entire team, a forward line with an average cost higher than our most expensive ever signing. And how many of the regular MU players are home grown? Take out the  ancient  Giggs and Scholes and the answer is NONE. This MU team could have a bench that cost as much as our entire squad !! Yet the press cream themselves about how SAF has guided an average team to such heights, a team he has expensively cobbled together – how has this myth been spread? I will tell you – because SAF has the press under his control in the same way that the ref’s and linesmen are too scared (it would be churlish to say corrupt) to give 50/50 decisions against the Red Devil.

I could write a whole post on Nani. Without doubt the most odious player in the  PL.How can any decent football fan pay money to watch this cheat week after week? We have players who are prone to theatrics but this guy who is undoubtedly a fine player takes “simulation” to an art form. The only players in his league are Alves and Busquets at Barca (may I refer back to a fine post by Dandan highlighting the appalling cheating by Barca players midweek). I realise I am old fashioned, but what happened to honesty and integrity? How can SAF allow Nani to perform like this week after week? –  anyone who saw SAF’s playing style would know how he would have reacted to Nani had he been on the pitch against him. And they say a cheat never prospers!!

Hernandez has been a revelation and is just the type of player to cause us problems. The fox in the box who has superb reactions – AW says he was monitoring him, so why not splash a few of our millions on him and sell Vela? Sadly, this guy has the potential to become a United legend.

Our team? Kind of picks itself – we play the best we have. The major disappointment to me of the past 3 weeks is that we have underperformed when having an almost full squad; no injury excuses (apart from TV) and exhaustion cannot be a factor –  today’s opponents have played as many games with a smaller (and worse) squad.

SAF’s usual tactics when playing us is to employ a very physical forcing game and hit us on the break; the game at OT earlier in the season was typical, as was the Cup game when SAF sent out a team with a hugely defensive bias, expect the same today. If Fletcher is fit to play, Cesc and JW can expect a good kicking – the man is the essence of SAF’s  chosen midfield general (Robson, Ince, Butt, Keane, Scholes etc). I like Park, a man who must despair of Nani and Rooney’s cheating abilities, he is a player who would fit well into our squad, an Asian Ray Parlour!

Thanks to our poor run what should have been a title decider has become another interesting game –  a game that SAF can afford to rest Giggs in. Yet today remains one of the highlights of the season. Home to MU has always been a huge game. Some of my all-time favourite  goals have been against MU; a brilliant George Graham scissor kick at the Clock End in a 2-2 draw with Best scoring in front of the North Bank, Alan Sunderland at Wembley, Wiltord at OT, TH14’s goal of the season at Highbury, Freddie’s first goal for AFC, David Platt’s last minute header in a 3-2 thriller at Highbury, PV4’s last kick for the Gunners etc etc. So many great memories – I am sure you can add your own.

What I would like to see from Arsenal today is for AW to get his tactics right and send out a team to match the opposition. Keep Rooney out wide, stop playing such a high defensive line,  allow Nasri to play more central, push RvP onto the shoulder of Vidic – he has the pace to turn him. And above all, the team have to show the fans that they value their shirts, that they are not just professional footballers but that they are immensely proud to be Arsenal players.

Angus Deayton, Eamonn Holmes,  Steve Coogan, Mick Hucknall, Gary Rhodes, Sean Connery, all big MU supporters …………. all live in the South 🙂

COYRRG

BR.

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal to clean up Blackburn

April 2, 2011

Ready for a rant?

I have developed an irrational dislike of Blackburn Rovers. Firstly, there’s the name …. Rovers. Where do they rove,? Has Gamst Pederson roved and if so why wasn’t he arrested in the act of roving?  Blackburn, so named because it is dirty, the civil buildings are swathed in soot and the street urchins have a clear dislike of water (before I am accused of Northern-ism, I have spent many happy weekends in the town).

Then there is their football. Perhaps the club thought loaning out the odious Hadji Diouf would improve their image, but they ruined that by sacking Fat Sam in a manner which turned all the pundits against them. Installing an untried (and cheaper) manager they now face the prospect of relegation , and other than their fans, I believe you would struggle to find anyone who will be sorry to see them decline. How one can take a team full of fine footballers and turn them into the tedious, mundane cloggers seen week in week out at Ewood is a mystery known only to their manager and the Chicken men.

Seriously, if Arsene Wenger OBE managed Blackburn they would be a top 8 side. Look at the talent at their disposal. In defence, an England GK, the New Zealand Captain Nelsen, the monstrous Samba, Martin Olsson, who is getting rave reviews in Scandanavia, and the enormous experience of Salgado (over 250 games for Real Madrid). In midfield, the creativity and graft of Gamst, Emerton and Dunn. Upfront, the pace of Benjani, and MU’s young Diouf, allied to the height and movement of Santa Cruz. This SHOULD be a decent team – but they are not.

And why not? Perhaps a Blackburn fan could tell us (if they read this far without closing the page in fury).

Now I dislike Fat Sam as much as the next man, to me he is the antithesis of Wengerball, a man who believes in the Charles Hughes school of long ball, aggressive football, but whatever one thinks of him, he did a damned sight better job with this team than the current dummy whose only recommendation appears to be that he is Scottish…

John Jensen is Keen’s no.2. arriving after a disastrous time as manager of Randers in Denmark  (9 losses and 2 draws in 11 games). How on earth do these guys get their highly paid jobs??   Oh, & I was there when Jensen scored!

Enough of Blackburn, let us move onto the men in the white hats.

2 weeks break and a return to the first team for 3 players who have been sorely missed: Song, Cesc and Theo.  It appears all the players who went away on International duty have returned fit, even Chocolate Legs, so apart from the difficulties at CB and in goal, we have a proper team.

Big words those …. “apart from“…… The success of this season will turn upon the strength of our defence. We have no difficulties scoring, especially when Theo and Cesc are both fit and firing.  If Almunia and Squillaci find a decent run of form and Kosciely continues his improvement, I believe we will win the title,. The return of the very influential Song should add some much needed defensive security, but ultimately it will be the CB’s and in particular the GK who will come under immense pressure, because every T, D & H knows they are fallible.

My team:

We should even be able to have a very strong bench (apart from CB).

I expect Arsenal to come out very fast and attempt to win the game in the first 20 minutes. If we score early, B’burn are doomed. However, after the recent frustrations, a poor first half will have a detrimental effect upon the faithful and the tension will mount. That said, I am confident of 3 points.

Big Raddy is very much looking forward to meeting fellow AA’ers today and will raise a glass to absent friends.

To The Tavern …..

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Has Denilson Played His Last Game For Arsenal?

March 21, 2011

There are certain things Arsene Wenger never does.

These include never inviting pube-scratching meat-head managers of opposition teams to sample his fine claret after a game; never responding to chants of “Arsene Arsene give us a wave” with anything other than the sort of brief, embarrassed arm-flick normally only used by teenagers horrified to have bumped into their dad while out with their mates; and never subbing off a player at half time when they’re playing crap.

On Saturday he broke the last of those taboos.

Denilson was having an absolute stinker in the first half against West Brom. Manuel Almunia may have stolen the accolades for Dick of the Day with the sort of suicidal sprint normally found only in the world of lemmingkind, but Denilson was having his own private meltdown.

Opinion is divided on Denilson. Some men like a neat and tidy Brazilian. Others prefer something a bit more luxuriant.

Myself, I have always felt there’s a role for him in certain games, where we expect to have a lot of the ball and where we have other, more creative, players who can make something happen. In those circumstances Den can play a role in midfield, moving the ball quickly from player to player, switching the direction of play: never incisive, but usually accurate.

On Saturday even this part of his game went missing. Even those simple, sideways passes went too often to a man in a striped shirt.  He played like a cross between Ray Wilkins and Ray Charles.

But, despite his woeful performance, I was stunned to see that he had been substituted at half time. The TV commentator assured us that this was tactical, not due to an injury. Unbelievable.

We have all sat through games where it was obvious that a change of personnel was needed, but Arsene has stubbornly refused to put on a sub before the 60th minute. More often it’s the 70th minute before he’ll make a change, even when we’re losing or struggling to break down a park-the-bus defence.

So for him to remove Denilson at half time feels to me like a significant statement. On one level it shows how desperate Arsene was to win the game (and remember, we were only one nil down at half time); on another level it could well indicate the moment when Arsene has finally given up on the young Brazilian.

Denilson came to us from Sao Paulo in 2006 as the captain of Brazil under 17s.  In his early outings for Arsenal he looked like he could become another Cesc Fabregas, but that promise has never been fulfilled. He just doesn’t seem to have progressed. He has never made the step up into the full Brazil team and it’s not hard to see why.

This season, with the emergence of Wilshere and now Ramsey, he has probably become a sixth or seventh choice midfielder, playing only when others are injured or suspended.

Admittedly, the holding role in which he was cast on Saturday is not his natural position, but that does not excuse his poor performance.

Sadly, it looked to me as if his confidence is shot. This may be a result of being pushed down the pecking order; it may be because of the moans and groans of the crowd at The Grove whenever he does something wrong; it may just be because deep down he knows he’s not good enough.

Whatever it is, Arsene had seen enough by half time at the weekend and hauled him off.  With key players returning from injury I suspect it’s quite likely we’ll never see Denilson in an Arsenal shirt again.

It’s probably for the best. With Almunia showing the mental fortitude of a dormouse, Diaby displaying the focus of a goldfish and Squillaci looking as safe as a knitted condom, the last thing we need for the title run-in is another nut job in the starting line-up.

The most likely move for Denilson would be to Spain or Portugal in the summer, but I could see him heading home to a team in Brazil.

He has played some good games for us (most recently away at Man Utd in the Cup, when he was one of our better performers in a disappointing display). I would much rather that he had fulfilled his promise and become a must-have member of the squad. But that’s not the case. It probably is time for him to go and Arsene may well agree.

If he does ship out in the summer, I will wish him boa sorte but I won’t have any regrets.

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

Who are the real footie fans?

March 18, 2011

Written by Red Arse

I am a fan! Like many Arsenal fans I call myself, with a great deal of pride, a ‘Gooner’. This clearly identifies me as a fan of the greatest footie club in the world. I bet you do too.

But here is the thing. Although the behaviour, the thought processes and the values of many who also call themselves Gooners chimes very closely with my own ideals, there are many others who seem to have decidedly different views of what constitutes a real fan. We cannot all be called fans, can we?

So, let’s see; who is the real fan?

Excitedly approaching the Emirates on a match day, with the noise of the crowd and, the occasional whiff of sweaty mankind, combined with the oniony smell of greasy hotdogs, you quickly become immersed in an environment recognisable to all fans from childhood.

At the game, when we take our allotted seats, we are immediately aware there are strong visual signals that all fans are indeed not the same.

Over there, behind the goal, are a group of shirtless wonders proudly flashing their six packs, or fat bellies, depending on your view point, while they drink copious quantities of beer and laugh with their mates. Next to them are men and women of indeterminate age, solid, experienced, proudly wearing their club scarves, hats and shirts, the love of their team shining out of their eyes. These are out and out fans, who attend games come rain or shine, are always enthusiastic, always willing to sing and chant and always encourage their team, come what may. The life of any club!

Over to their right are some very respectable looking young guys braying like donkeys over some indecipherable private joke, who probably only attend games once in a blue moon courtesy of a business contact. Perhaps fans of convenience?
Just a couple of rows behind them is sitting a rather harassed looking father trying to calm a couple of young munchkins with painted faces, smartly bedecked in club shirts, who are busily slurping Cokes and jumping on and off their seats. These are the fans of the future, already exposed to the opiate of Goonerdom!

Over to the left, again, there is a bevy of young women, faces aglow, scarves worn jauntily around their necks, chatting animatedly to their beaux, and giggling their denials of lust for the players’ thighs, or nether regions. These are the breeders of the young fans of the future.

Higher up in the stands are the alumni, students out to enjoy themselves, with their club scarves, and bobble hats perched precariously on their mops of hair. Perpetually fidgeting, yelling and bursting with animal spirits, they never remain still and unceasingly shout out their support throughout the game, while loudly deriding the opposition with scatological glee as well as assuring the referee he has no father! These will be the senior fans of the future.

Then over there, in the plush areas are the ‘respectable’, prawn sandwich fans in their smart suits, sipping wine and laughing like hyenas at some indecipherable private joke. These fans are here to be entertained and remain seated at all times, while politely clapping any goal attempt but, of course, never indulging in the common man’s singing or chanting. Fans? Well, their dosh is important to the financial stability of the club, so let it go!

For me, my love and support of the club is unconditional, and I have probably been many of these different types of fan as I grew from an awestruck child to manhood.

What type of fan are you? In truth, I don’t suppose it matters. We all love the Arsenal!

Perhaps the following sums up what being a fan means to us!

A young man was watching football. He noticed an empty seat in front of him. It was a better seat than his, so at half-time he went down to the empty seat. He asked the old man sitting next to it “Is it okay if I sit here?”

“No problem”, said the old man. “It was my wife’s seat, but she’s dead. We’ve been to every home match together for 40 years, and we always had these two seats.”
A tear rolled slowly down the old man’s cheek.

“Don’t you have a friend, or someone from your family, who’d come and sit with you?” The young man asked, gently.

The old man wiped his eyes and said, “Yes, but not today. They are all at my wife’s funeral.”

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=22838

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Arsenal stay focused – bring on Barcelona

February 13, 2011

Sometimes the results of the teams around us go for us, sometimes they go against us and sometimes we just win our game playing fabulous football and I end up feeling that it doesn’t matter what everyone else does because watching us win is the most important part.

Yesterday we needed Man City to take points off of the other Manchester team which didn’t happen so we’re still 4 points behind them in second place and although it doesn’t matter a jot what happens to spuds, its always a better weekend when they lose, that didn’t happen either.

.

Here are some of the things you wouldn’t have known from the 5 minutes granted to us on MOTD.

Some, actually all, of the interplay between Cesc and Jack was magical, they were able to find each other and weave their amazing skills into this game in a way that Arsene could only have dreamt was possible. We saw Cesc’s ability to do this with Flamini and also when Arshavin arrived but his connection with Jack seems to be on another level. How stupid is Capello to want to sit Jack in front of an England back four? He has magic feet and plays so intelligently, shielding the ball, finding the pass. Shearer said that Jack is a proper footballer, well bloody right too, amazing to think he’s only 19.

Our golden-topped Alex Song was everywhere and showed how much we missed him last weekend against Newcastle. There was double-tagging going on to win the ball back and Alex was in the middle of everything. I’m really looking forward to watching him break up play aginst Barca.

Theo got himself into some terrific goal-scoring positions and had three shots all saved by Hennessy who had a great game against us. Arshavin was running his little legs off and I felt that he had definitely turned the corner and was able to have more influence on the game. Theo, Arshavin and Robin did a fair amount of switching positions in the first half which caused confusion for the opposition and I’m hoping to see more of that on Wednesday night.

Djourou slotted straight back where he left off after hobbling off against Everton and his strong head cleared everything that came his way. A great performance again from him and Kosser.

This was a largely stress free afternoon of football, which was surprising considering it followed last weeks disaster at St. James’ Park. The team was the strongest that AW could put out with only Nasri missing. The return of Song and Djourou put smiles on many gooners faces and although everyone needed to be fit for the visit of Barcelona on Wednesday is was very strong team that set up against Wolves.

It was interesting to see Arsene answer questions about the title race. Usually he would say ‘yes, we are still in with a chance’ or ‘it is very open’ but yesterday he was a bit coy, as if his little dream of winning the title might actually come to fruition.

We’re in a great place and on a day when minds might have been wandering to Wednesday nights game what we saw was a team focussed on winning the game they were playing. Mick McCarthy said his team were spanked – Oh happy days, love being Gooner.

Written by peachesgooner

Player ratings by charybdis1966

Chesney – 9, virtually nothing he did was done badly, i especially liked the forceful punch in the first half where he got some distance in a way Almunia never could/would.

Bac – 8, nothing to find fault with,mopped up everything that came his way and got forward with menace and showed he has a terrific engine.

Kozzer – 9, intelligent interceptions and flawless timing of his tackles.

Johan – 8, imperious in the air and composed on the ball although his aversion to hoofing it clear shows and a few times we conceded corners(not always rightly) where he tried to shepherd the ball out.

Clichy – 8, I heard he gave away a few balls in our area later on in the second half but as it was at the opposite end of the ground I, in the manner of Le Boss “didn’t see it so I can’t comment” however a solid performance.

Jack – 9, what a player, patrols the midfield with the grace and power of £30m player but is only 19.

Cesc – 8, the type of world class performance we’ve come to expect from our skipper. Pulled the strings and seemed to have more time on the ball than anyone else.

Song – 8, provided strength and backbone to our midfield. He’ll be vital to our season run in.

Theo – 7, got frustrated with his attempts on goal and perhaps went into his shell later, but his pace frightened the chubby left full back all afternoon.

The Arsh – 7.5, like Theo not everything he tried came off but still showed why is so highly rated by rational commentators, the crowd was buzzing with expectation whenever he got the ball.

The Boy Wonder – 8, took his two goals with clinical precision, gave us an injury scare and gave us a free kick that went close and one that was miles off – a typical Robin performance in other words !

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

The Good, The Bad and The Diaby.

February 6, 2011

Hmmmm where to start with this one? Do I focus on the first half; do I focus on the embarrassing Phil Dowd or do I focus on the much maligned Diaby?

Well, the title works anyway, the first forty five minutes were not just good they were great and certainly the best we have seen since Blackpool at the beginning of the season. Newcastle went in at half time having been ripped apart, totally embarrassed and left for dead or so we thought.

The Bad, yet again dreadful refereeing, two penalties for things that only people who wear special 3D glasses handed out at Old Trafford are able to see.

And then there is Diaby, I hope your leg is alright Abou, I hope there is no lasting damage because your school boy behaviour will certainly cost us dearly by way of points at the end of the season. Bit harsh? The man was charged with holding the midfield together, it was his job to suffer the rough and tumble of that heated battle zone and if you are not hurt, you get up and get on with it. I don’t care how close you come to having your leg broken if it doesn’t snap you get up and carry on doing your dandiest to win the game for your team, the one thing you don’t do is get yourself sent off.

I guess it’s decided then — Diaby catches the lot.

How did the match report become to be so painful to write? This was one of those games that at 3-0 you sat back relaxed with a cold beer and gave your poor old nails a rest from the ravages they have suffered in recent past after being viciously chewed while watching one tense game or another.

This was one of those games when a family member could walk in or someone could phone mid-game and you would speak to them in a calm, pleasant tone. What’s the score? 3-0, GOAL, no make that 4-0, Van Persie has just scored again. Yes, of course, you can borrow some money.

How on earth did it go from that to screaming at the telly, chewing my nails like a demon, kicking the cat and generally being horrible to anyone who was foolish enough to come near me?

I just don’t know, I just don’t have the answer.

As for the game, I could mention what a superb pass it was from Arshavin for Walcott to score, I could complement the Russian again for his second assist inside five minutes by way of the free kick that allowed Djourou to score his first goal for the club, I could praise Theo for the wonderful cut back that gave Van Persie his first; or, of course, I could rave about the quality of the cross by Sagna that gifted Van Persie his second goal but I won’t because you can read better descriptions in the Sunday papers by people capable of describing them far better than I, but what you won’t get in those very same papers is something to read that reflects your pain your suffering and your down right hatred of Joey Barton.

Written by London

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Posted by LB

Enter the Toffees

February 1, 2011

After a less than impressive showing in the 4th round of the FA Cup on Sunday the Arsenal host the Toffees at Ashburton Grove tonight in one of a seemingly interminable series of “must win” league fixtures. After two helpings of Yorkshire pudding the FA Cup will now allow us to sample some jellied eels at Brisbane Road.

Our opponents tonight are Everton, who’s club motto translates to “Nothing but the best is good enough” and their semi-official nick name is “The people’s club” as given to them by the present manager. David Moyes being another dour Scotsman in charge of a multi-league title winning north western club(Everton have been Champions of the old First Division nine times although in the Premier League their best finish has been 4th) – it would be interesting to learn just why they see themselves as “The people’s club”; I can only imagine it’s some slight on their red neighbours at Anfield for having a more international fan base.

Further in the past Everton have also been called the “School of Science” although the physical and bludgeoning style of play they adopted to win their last honour, the FA Cup in 1995, saw them given the tag “The dogs of war.”

Everton will be arriving in London on the back of a draw against the “Bus stop in Fulham” in their FA Cup tie (the day before our game against Huddersfield) where they were without their top scorer in Tim Cahill. Having been on Asia Cup duty on Sunday it is doubtful if he will play due to a combination of jet lag and fatigue which will probably rule him out. “The Bus stop in Fulham” team having been busy in spending cash in the January transfer window in such a manner as to make their Chief Exec’s claim on breaking even in the near future seem even more ludicrous than usual.

Cahill has scored 9 league goals this season, with the next highest number of league goals being 3, scored by Seamus Coleman, Mikel Arteta and ex-Leeds Jermaine Beckford. Cahill aside Everton’s strikers have failed to score consistently so one would expect them to continue to struggle in front of goal without their Australian spear head.

Aside from Cahill the Toffees will have no absent first teamers with the departure of Pienaar to the Stratford Wanderers being the only major change the opposition will have to make to their first XI from the return fixture.

Back then Arsenal prevailed with a 2-1 win in November, a victory which though hard fought was more comfortable than the score line suggests as the Everton goal was scored in the 89th minute.

In the league Everton have drawn their last two games and beaten the aforementioned Stratford Wanderers in the game before; they now sit 14th in the table, with an overall 5 wins, 12 draws and 6 losses in all league games. By way of comparison we are in 2nd place due to 14 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses.

An enforced change to Arsenal will be the loss of the Squid for one match due to his red card on Sunday; however it was highly likely that our current preferred centre back pairing would have started tonight anyway, namely Johan and Kozzer as the congestion in the top 3 spots of the Premier League allows us no leeway in terms of potentially dropped points.

On the assumption that Sagna is recovered from the concussion suffered in the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Ipswich last Tuesday I expect him to start tonight.

As one of the joint second highest scorers in Everton Coleman will be a threat down Everton’s right flank and it is for that reason Clichy should be recalled as Gibbs looked a tad rusty on Sunday and in any case Wenger should play his first choice left back.

Similarly Leighton Baines at left full back for Everton has rightly gained praise for his performances and we’ll need Sagna to be on form to nullify his attacking threat down our right flank.

Another midfield threat will be Jack Rodwell, similar in some ways to our own Jack Wilshere who I expect to line up against him as he is in fine form. Marouane Fellaini will use his considerable height and strength to snuff out as much of the attacking play coming from our midfield as he can so it’s important we send out our first choice XI, meaning a midfield of Cesc, Jack and Song with as front three of Robin, Theo or Arshavin (being brought in due to Nasri’s hamstring injury) and Bendtner.

Yet another potential sticking point in midfield will be the obdurate Heitinga who tops Everton’s yellow card count with 4, closely followed by Fellaini with 3 yellows and 1 red.

For the above reasons I expect us to line up as follows:

Subs: Almunia, Arshavin, Chamakh, Eboue, Gibbs, Denilson, Diaby

Inclusion of Denilson and/or Diaby in that mid field would seriously weaken our engine room in the face of a hard-working, although technically less gifted, Everton midfield.

Your humble scribe will be at the game behind the goal at the clock end shouting/cheering himself hoarse having lubricated the throat with the prerequisite quota of peronis at a bar in the vicinity of the stadium beforehand.

With hindsight it can be argued that a shade too much rotation took place on Sunday and we were slightly lucky to get through to the next round however I expect our first string to focus their minds on keeping up the pressure on the team, managed by our “friend” with the whiskey infused proboscis, that play in Salford.

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Posted by ChärybdÏß1966

Oooh to, ooh to be…the best things about being a Gooner!

January 28, 2011

Written by CarlitoII

It’s time to fly the flag, to stand up and be counted, to be unequivocally and shamelessly chauvinistic about all things Arsenal. Today, we fight for our pride!

I may be preaching to the choir on this one but a re-affirmation of all that the letters AFC stands for is long overdue.

History

We are the most successful club in London and the third most successful team in English football history. Herbert Chapman was our first visionary manager, introducing numbers on the back of players shirts for the first time, developing under-turf heating on his watch and creating new playing systems (the famous W-W) that are still relevant today: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/oct/26/the-question-barcelona-reinventing-w-w

The way we won the league in ’89 has never been matched for excitement by any other league-winning club and the Graham years featured a back four that was so famous it inspired references in films!

And then we have the league and cup doubles in’71, ’98 and 2002, the league and FA cup double in ’93- the first time this was done, and we were the first team since Preston in 1888 to go an entire league season without losing.

Not only do we have an immense history of success, we also have a history of ‘firsts’ in innovation and changing the game that has inspired the whole of world football.

Kit

No team anywhere in the world has such an elegant kit. The red shirts and white sleeves have been copied but never bettered!

Financial Dealings

I don’t believe any club in world football has been entirely honourable in their financial dealings. That said, with the exception of the Graham Bung story, our club is world-renowned for its transparency in financial dealings and its unwillingness to get involved in the murkier transfer dealings. I believe that the owners of the club have always been keen to set the standard and operate as gentlemen. Long may it continue!

Scintillating football

Aside from Barcelona and the current Spanish national team- which current team can compare to the mighty Arsenal for attacking fluency? The oohs and aahs than emanate from the stadium and pubs across the country are testament to the “fantasy” of our players and the vision of our manager.

Amazing Youth system

We produce more first team top level footballers from our youth team than any other in the country. West Ham and Manchester United may feel they have a claim but neither have a next generation as promising as ours.

Beautiful stadium

The Mothership! The beautiful, curvaceous, state of the art arena which we now call our home. It needed to be to follow on from the uniqueness of Highbury.

Heroes

We all have our favourites and I’m not old enough to talk of the players from the 70s and early 80s. But there are so many! All teams have their heroes but does any team treat their heroes with such devotion? Two that strike a particular chord are Rocky whose song still echoes around the ground on most matchdays and Eduardo’s reception on scoring a late goal in our recent Champions League encounter with Shaktar. You wouldn’t want to play for any other club would you? If you hear our ex-players talking about Arsenal you would be forced to agree.

Villains

There’s just something about the way we treat our villains- from Totnum to Cashley. There is so much humour and banter and very little true bile. Yes we hate them, but we’re secure enough in our own identity not to take it to extremes. When you compare with the way the spuds treated Sol or West Ham and Millwall go for each other- it makes me proud to be a supporter of the greatest club the world has ever seen!

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Let’s Lay Off The Szczesny Hype

January 17, 2011

To listen to some people you would think our promising young reserve ‘keeper is David Seaman, Peter Schmeichel, Gordon Banks and Lev Yashin all rolled into one.

He’s not.

Right now Wojciech Szczesny is a raw, inexperienced player with bags of promise and the chance of becoming great in the future. A bit like Alex Manninger, Stuart Taylor and Richard Wright before him.

In his performances for the first team this season he has been good but far from exceptional, which is entirely as you would expect for a 20-year-old taking his inaugural steps in the top flight.

All of which makes the fashionable hysteria about his talents premature, not to say ridiculous. It is also potentially detrimental to his progress: I have seen him described as a cert to be the world’s best goalkeeper within two years, which is an awful lot of pressure to pile on a young man’s shoulders, however broad.

So where did all the hype come from?

Quite simply, it emerged towards the end of last season and early this one when Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski were dropping more bollocks than a vet at steer-castrating time. It was like their own private game of dueling banjos…

“Diddle-ing-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding… I can palm the ball into my own net…”

“Diddle-ing-ding-ding-ding-ding-dang-dong… I can hand it to the opposition for a quick free kick…”

And while we watched and groaned and cried bitter tears, a certain young reserve goalie’s stature was growing with every game he didn’t play.

If either Almunia or Fabianski had been making us feel secure would we really have gone so overboard about an up-and-coming youngster? Of course not. But they didn’t make us feel secure, so Szczesny gradually assumed the stature of a saviour in waiting, a prince across the water (even if the water was only Colney Reservoir).

What worries me is what will happen when Chesney (to use his affectionate nickname) has a couple of bad games as he undoubtedly will. He came close to some serious howlers against Ipswich in a performance which included poor kicking, bad decision making about when to come off his line and, once, handling the ball outside of the area. He got away with the latter offence, but if it had been Fabianski people would be screaming about how he’s a disaster waiting to happen.

When Wojciech screws up a few times, will he be next in line for the ironic cheers when he catches a ball cleanly? Will the home support start dumping on him the way they dumped on Fabianksi? And if so, will he have Fabianski’s strength of character to come out the other side?

There’s lots to be hopeful about with the younger of our two Poles. His stature is reassuring, as is his confidence and his willingness to shout at the defence. The way he makes himself big in one-on-ones really is reminiscent of Schmeichel, but there’s a long way to go yet before he can bracketed in that class.

Szczesny may well be a once-in-a-generation goalkeeper who will star for The Arsenal for 15 years or more. I certainly hope so. But at the moment he is, quite rightly, second in line behind Fabianski and it’s time that we, the supporters, stopped putting so much pressure on him.

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

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