Arsenal 1-0 Swansea (FA Cup)
Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 5-1 West Ham
The Man City game at the Emirates suggested a tendency to start slowly, very slowly, and then wake up at half time. Three games since have confirmed that tendency, and the result is that against good teams, Arsenal are giving themselves too much to do, while against less good teams, one good half is usually enough.
In the Swansea replay, it was bitty, lethargic, low-tempo stuff in a first half during which ex-Gunner Kyle Bartley came closest to scoring. A wicked inswinging free kick gave him a free, close range header, but his effort, as in the first tie, hit the crossbar. As in the rather chastening league game between the sides in North London, Swansea at times looked more Arsenal than Arsenal themselves, very assured in possession, and threatening despite Michu only occupying a place on the bench.
It was all change after the break. Jack Wilshere produced the kind of display that justifies his status as England's latest great white hope. He was all drive, subtle of touch and with a bewitching ability to just glide past opponents in midfield with a quick change of pace.
Arsenal battered Swansea, but Walcott was wasteful on at least three occasions, enduring one of his less efficient days in front of goal. A couple of goalmouth scrambles in which the ball stubbornly refused to cross the line made you wonder if this was to be one of those strange,unlucky matches, but with an unwelcome extra half hour looming Cazorla fired a pass to Giroud on the edge of the area, he produced a deft first time lay-off inside, and Wilshere advanced to whack the ball confidently past the keeper and in.
The goal and the passionate celebration were both quite Gerrardesque, but in my opinion, Arsenal have a player of more substance than the overhyped Liverpool captain.
The big game at Chelsea, like the big game against Manchester City, brought out the worst in Arsenal again. Another slow start punished, another second half improvement, but another mountain that proved just too high. The way things are going, the mountain analogy will soon apply to the battle for fourth aswell.
Arsenal actually crafted the first clear chance, but it proved to be their only flash of quality in an utterly abysmal first half display. Cazorla zipped a low, cross field ball to Walcott, who fashioned an uncharacteristically incisive through ball to Giroud. The angle seemed to favour the Frenchman but, on his stronger left foot, he drove disappointingly wide of Cech's far post. At moments like that, in tight games, Giroud suffers badly from the unavoidable comparisons with Van Persie. Nobody expects him to match possibly the world's foremost frontman, but the almost-ex-Arsenal player he most often reminds me of is in fact Bendtner! I think Giroud is a better player, but he lacks the Dane's much maligned self-belief, and against good teams, his lack of a clinical touch in front of goal is costing Arsenal.
Punishment was not long in waiting after his miss. It was a typical concession, infuriatingly soft, but not without a sizable dose of misfortune. Coquelin was caught painfully on the ankle in midfield by Ramires, but as the ball broke and the referee missed the foul, Chelsea launched a counter of devastating efficiency. The right back whose name I can't be bothered to try to write raked a long diagonal to Mata, racing in behind Sagna- who has, since I wrote in his praise on New Year's Day, continued to endure his worst run of form since coming to England. The Spaniard killed the pass immaculately and lifted a shot past Szczesny and high into the net.
Cazorla forced a decent save from Cech with a fine long distance try but Coquelin and Diaby were chasing shadows, confounded by Chelsea's enviable trio of attacking midfielders. Arsenal were so passive, apparently unwilling to put Chelsea's possession under any pressure; it all just looked so easy for the home side.
Abou Diaby's apologists most often suggest in his favour that, if and when he becomes fully fit, he will provide a dynamism that Arsenal's midfield otherwise lacks. The irony is that his playing style is in fact so languid and at times downright lazy- he is far more likely to dawdle on the ball than drive his team on. So it was in the build up to Chelsea's second. He was robbed in his own half, he couldn't really be arsed to chase back with conviction, Chelsea outnumbered Arsenal, the ball was worked to Ramires in acres inside the area. He stepped inside the onrushing Szczesny, then flopped to the ground. Spot kick, keeper booked (could have been red!), Lampard reliable as always, 2-0.
Replays were disturbing on a couple of levels. Firstly, there was again an element of misfortune, as Szczesny actually barely made any contact with Ramires. It was a top drawer piece of "simulation"- so good the Arsenal netminder didn't even bother complaining after the penalty was awarded. More worryingly, one angle on the replay showed the incredible fact that when the ball was passed to Ramires, more than one Arsenal player went from a jog to a stroll- walking back towards their own goal. If that's the level of commitment the team exhibits in what was, table standings considered, the biggest game of the season, Arsene Wenger has even more serious problems on his hands than I'd previously thought.
Arsenal continued in abject fashion until the break. If Ba and not Torres had started as Chelsea's striker, the scoreline would probably have been more decisive at half time. As it was, Arsenal still had a chance, especially because Chelsea had, in midweek, thrown away a two goal lead at home to Southampton.
This undoubtedly played a part in the home side's tentative play after the interval, but I was also led to ponder the highly hypothetical question of how the game would have progressed if Chelsea had no manager at all. Rafa Benitez is an absolute control freak who seems to derive no enjoyment from open, attacking football even if his own team are producing it. It would have seemed natural to most that Oscar, Mata and Hazard should simply continue as they had started but it was clear from the outset of the second half that the Blues had containment on their minds. That worked in favour of a Gunners team who had benefited no doubt from some choice words from their manager.
There was energy, purpose, pressure applied to Chelsea players. Why it didn't happen from the start, nobody knows. Arsenal threatened for a long spell to score and finally did when Cazorla slid a delicious through ball to Walcott, and the wingstriker floated a side foot over Cech's dive and into the corner. This definitely set Chelsea nerves a-janglin' and Arsenal found a sudden sense of swagger; a thrilling counter attack instigated by Cazorla ended with Walcott stepping inside onto his usually useless left peg and dribbling an anti-climatic shot hopelessly wide.
Benitez reacted shrewdly enough, though why he waited until Arsenal finally found the net I'm not quite sure. Bertrand came on for Oscar, shoring up Chelsea's midfield, denying Arsenal the space they had enjoyed going forward since the break. Arsenal, on the other hand, had no hands to play, no change from the bench to change matters on the pitch. The fact that Arshavin, overweight and unwanted, was sent on to try and produce something from distant memory rather summed up the ludicrous situation with Arsenal's lack of further signings both in the summer and in the past few weeks.
In the closing stages Arsenal had pressure but only half chances, while Chelsea occasionally broke explosively but failed to make the game safe. At one point, Torres produced a jet-heeled burst that evoked the Torres of old, to leave Vermaelen trailing in his slipstream, but then produced a touch that was very much the Torres of today, sending the ball harmlessly rolling into Szczesny's arms. Ba came on soon after and won his own battle with the Arsenal keeper, dancing around him on the edge of the area, but Vermaelen had sprinted back and managed to block the striker's ensuing effort.
In the end, a damaging defeat, a dispiriting day.
This left Arsenal seven points behind Spurs, and with the game in hand on the horizon against West Ham, truly a must-win game. Things didn't start too well here either, as Collinson smashed home from a corner kick that Giroud had weakly cleared. Soon after, Podolski conjured some much-needed inspiration, collecting Wilshere's cute dink infield and dispatching a thriker past Jaaskelainen, the ball arrowing into the corner of the net from fully 25 yards.
West Ham could have led at half time. Again, after the break, huge improvement. Arsenal blew them away in a whirlwind spell,four goals in about ten minutes. Walcott found Giroud with a near post corner, and the Frenchman volleyed home for 2-1. It looked suspiciously like a rehearsed routine from the training ground, with Mertesacker making a run to create the space for Giroud. That's right- an innovative set piece! From Wenger's Arsenal! Against an Allardyce team!
The flurry that followed was more classically Wenger's Arsenal. A lovely move ended with Giroud flipping a first time pass throught to Podolski, who squared to Cazorla, who sent a cheekly back flick rolling over the line. Then Arsenal broke at pace, Podolski tore down the left and slid a great cross to Walcott at the back stick for 4-1. Then Arsenal broke at pace again, Wilshere sent Podolski racing down the left again, and again he found the right pass, this time low to the near post, where Giroud notched his second and Arsenal's fifth.
Arsenal remain unable to control a match, so they will need more productive flurries like this to stay in touch with the top four. And they still need signings too. But we have learned not to hold our breath waiting for that.
Showing posts with label Mata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mata. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
...Wasn't Expecting That
Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal
Many would have feared for Arsenal in the lead-up to this clash. Chelsea had just suffered a noble defeat to QPR, dominating the game and unlucky to lose despite playing with nine men for more than half the contest.
Arsenal had been labouring to victory in matches they were once expected to win comfortably. But progress is progress, and results had improved hugely since the dark days of Old Trafford and Ewood Park.
The worry for many, and certainly me, was that another capitulation against Chelsea would send Arsenal back into crisis mode.
In fairness, some of the worries about Arsenal were well-founded. Their defending for much of the first half was shambolic. But the mental weakness that so often accompanies and exacerbates the defensive vulnerability was not as evident as in the past. And to add a further excitement to what became a surreal game, Chelsea provided their own moments of uncertainty at the back, and contrived to outdo the Gunners in the self-destruction stakes.
Twice Arsenal fell behind to fairly soft goals- and twice they roared back.
The game started in a raging whirlwind of goalmouth action. A minute had not passed before Ashley Cole exposed the downward-spiralling Djourou, offering a poor impression of a right back, and only a timely intervention from Koscielny prevented Torres from latching onto the low cross.
Santos on the other wing was faring no better, and Arsenal's suicidally high line was next broken down his flank, but this time Sturridge dithered too long over an obvious pass across to Torres, and when it came the low ball was too close to Szczesny.
Arsenal responded with menace, and Theo Walcott twice showed uncharacteristic productivity, only for others to waste his good work. First, he was released down the right after excellent breakaway play by Arteta and Ramsey. Cole was left for dead on the touchline, and the low cross was perfectly measured for the onrushing Gervinho, but with Cech making a desperate lunge to save the ball, the Ivorian was put off and screwed an awkward effort wide.
Similar poor finishing by Gervinho had been punished by Tottenham during Arsenal's last defeat and one would have been forgiven for thinking that would be the case again as, after Van Persie skied another chance from another excellent Walcott cross, Chelsea hit the front.
Terry hit an accurate, raking crossfield pass that left Mata facing up to Santos, and the Spaniard easily cut inside the Brazilian before whipping in a vicious cross. With Mertesacker looking flat-footed and unable to head clear, Lampard ghosted in in trademark fashion and placed an emphatic header past Szczesny.
Sturridge had a chance to give Chelsea a two goal cushion. Lampard lofted a first time pass over Arsenal's backline but Sturridge screwed the bouncing ball well wide of the goal, and Arsenalk were still in the game.
The first equaliser was the result of Ramsey's creativity and Gervinho's unselfishness. The Welshman threaded a Cescesque ball through Chelsea's static rearguard and Gervinho squared cleverly to Van Persie as Cech came out. The finish was a formality. Gervinho's pass was simple, and clearly the efficient option, but it remains the kind of pass that professional footballers often fail to spot in the heat of the moment.
Chelsea responded well to the setback. Sturridge soon had the ball in the net, but from an offside position, and as the interval approached, Terry bundled in Lampard's corner after as Arsenal defended with their typical lack of authority- Mertesacker culpable again.
2-1 down at half time, but Arsenal had surely noticed that Chelsea were far from watertight at the back, and set about testing the Blues again straight from kick off. Ramsey hooked a half chance over the bar after Gervinho had roasted Bosingwa. Then Song turned skilfully in midfield and hit a peach of a left footed pass to release Santos, who had left Sturridge trailing. The defender, enduring a torrid afternoon to that point, bore down on Cech and slipped a shot under his right leg for 2-2.
The staggering openness of the match continued. For the third time, a Lampard pass opened up Arsenal with worrying simplicity, and Cole reached the ball first only to be upended by a desperate Szczesny. The keeper had the look of a man who expected a red card, as did most of the viewing public, but he got away with a yellow; a vital moment.
Arsenal took the lead for the first time. Walcott ran at the Chelsea defence with Cole busy complaining about a soft free kick award. The winger tripped himself up, then jumped to his feet as the home defenders hesitated, and after a nice trick and aburst of acceleration, he was through on goal. He blasted his shot inside Cech's near post and a surreal game had a rather surreal goal.
There was more to come. Although Arsenal defended deeper and with more authority for much of the second period, they were undone with ten minutes to go by some more slack play from Santos, some poor refereeing, and some bad luck. The Brazilian presented the ball to Mereiles with a poor pass but looked set to seize on the latter's heavy touch before he was blocked off by Lukaku. No whistle sounded, and the ball was moved inside to Mata. His shot took a hefty deflection off the sliding Song and looped wickedly into the top corner of Szczesny's goal. In recent years, Arsenal have so rarely come out on top in a high-scoring game, and it seemed that hoodoo was to continue.
Instead, it was Chelsea who imploded in the closing stages. Malouda panicked Terry with an overhit backwards pass that had Van Persie interested. The two seemed set for a foot race until the troubled England captain slipped (or, as some have mischievously suggested, took a deliberate fall). Van Persie had a clear run on goal. He calmly rounded Cech and slotted home and Arsenal were in front again.
4-4 is a familiar result for Arsenal of late and there were some predictable moments of panic at the back before a stoppage time counter attack saw Arteta release Van Persie again. The Dutchman took a touch and then leathered a swerving shot past Cech and inside the near post. Arsenal celebrated wildly after this goal and after the full time whistle.
Can the revival continue? Suddenly a top four finish looks possible again.
Many would have feared for Arsenal in the lead-up to this clash. Chelsea had just suffered a noble defeat to QPR, dominating the game and unlucky to lose despite playing with nine men for more than half the contest.
Arsenal had been labouring to victory in matches they were once expected to win comfortably. But progress is progress, and results had improved hugely since the dark days of Old Trafford and Ewood Park.
The worry for many, and certainly me, was that another capitulation against Chelsea would send Arsenal back into crisis mode.
In fairness, some of the worries about Arsenal were well-founded. Their defending for much of the first half was shambolic. But the mental weakness that so often accompanies and exacerbates the defensive vulnerability was not as evident as in the past. And to add a further excitement to what became a surreal game, Chelsea provided their own moments of uncertainty at the back, and contrived to outdo the Gunners in the self-destruction stakes.
Twice Arsenal fell behind to fairly soft goals- and twice they roared back.
The game started in a raging whirlwind of goalmouth action. A minute had not passed before Ashley Cole exposed the downward-spiralling Djourou, offering a poor impression of a right back, and only a timely intervention from Koscielny prevented Torres from latching onto the low cross.
Santos on the other wing was faring no better, and Arsenal's suicidally high line was next broken down his flank, but this time Sturridge dithered too long over an obvious pass across to Torres, and when it came the low ball was too close to Szczesny.
Arsenal responded with menace, and Theo Walcott twice showed uncharacteristic productivity, only for others to waste his good work. First, he was released down the right after excellent breakaway play by Arteta and Ramsey. Cole was left for dead on the touchline, and the low cross was perfectly measured for the onrushing Gervinho, but with Cech making a desperate lunge to save the ball, the Ivorian was put off and screwed an awkward effort wide.
Similar poor finishing by Gervinho had been punished by Tottenham during Arsenal's last defeat and one would have been forgiven for thinking that would be the case again as, after Van Persie skied another chance from another excellent Walcott cross, Chelsea hit the front.
Terry hit an accurate, raking crossfield pass that left Mata facing up to Santos, and the Spaniard easily cut inside the Brazilian before whipping in a vicious cross. With Mertesacker looking flat-footed and unable to head clear, Lampard ghosted in in trademark fashion and placed an emphatic header past Szczesny.
Sturridge had a chance to give Chelsea a two goal cushion. Lampard lofted a first time pass over Arsenal's backline but Sturridge screwed the bouncing ball well wide of the goal, and Arsenalk were still in the game.
The first equaliser was the result of Ramsey's creativity and Gervinho's unselfishness. The Welshman threaded a Cescesque ball through Chelsea's static rearguard and Gervinho squared cleverly to Van Persie as Cech came out. The finish was a formality. Gervinho's pass was simple, and clearly the efficient option, but it remains the kind of pass that professional footballers often fail to spot in the heat of the moment.
Chelsea responded well to the setback. Sturridge soon had the ball in the net, but from an offside position, and as the interval approached, Terry bundled in Lampard's corner after as Arsenal defended with their typical lack of authority- Mertesacker culpable again.
2-1 down at half time, but Arsenal had surely noticed that Chelsea were far from watertight at the back, and set about testing the Blues again straight from kick off. Ramsey hooked a half chance over the bar after Gervinho had roasted Bosingwa. Then Song turned skilfully in midfield and hit a peach of a left footed pass to release Santos, who had left Sturridge trailing. The defender, enduring a torrid afternoon to that point, bore down on Cech and slipped a shot under his right leg for 2-2.
The staggering openness of the match continued. For the third time, a Lampard pass opened up Arsenal with worrying simplicity, and Cole reached the ball first only to be upended by a desperate Szczesny. The keeper had the look of a man who expected a red card, as did most of the viewing public, but he got away with a yellow; a vital moment.
Arsenal took the lead for the first time. Walcott ran at the Chelsea defence with Cole busy complaining about a soft free kick award. The winger tripped himself up, then jumped to his feet as the home defenders hesitated, and after a nice trick and aburst of acceleration, he was through on goal. He blasted his shot inside Cech's near post and a surreal game had a rather surreal goal.
There was more to come. Although Arsenal defended deeper and with more authority for much of the second period, they were undone with ten minutes to go by some more slack play from Santos, some poor refereeing, and some bad luck. The Brazilian presented the ball to Mereiles with a poor pass but looked set to seize on the latter's heavy touch before he was blocked off by Lukaku. No whistle sounded, and the ball was moved inside to Mata. His shot took a hefty deflection off the sliding Song and looped wickedly into the top corner of Szczesny's goal. In recent years, Arsenal have so rarely come out on top in a high-scoring game, and it seemed that hoodoo was to continue.
Instead, it was Chelsea who imploded in the closing stages. Malouda panicked Terry with an overhit backwards pass that had Van Persie interested. The two seemed set for a foot race until the troubled England captain slipped (or, as some have mischievously suggested, took a deliberate fall). Van Persie had a clear run on goal. He calmly rounded Cech and slotted home and Arsenal were in front again.
4-4 is a familiar result for Arsenal of late and there were some predictable moments of panic at the back before a stoppage time counter attack saw Arteta release Van Persie again. The Dutchman took a touch and then leathered a swerving shot past Cech and inside the near post. Arsenal celebrated wildly after this goal and after the full time whistle.
Can the revival continue? Suddenly a top four finish looks possible again.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool first impressions
If it takes a nightmarish August to wake Arsene Wenger up, maybe it will be worth it.
But listening to the man talk about Arsenal's defeat afterwards, you would wonder if he is beyond waking up.
"I believe the goal was offside today. And that is absolutely scandalous, that every single decision in the last three or four months...."
He trails off here, perhaps at last losing belief in his own narrative of self-pity.
Suarez was, marginally, offside just before Miquel unluckily knocked the ball off Ramsey, over Szczesny and into the net. But this idea that "every decision" is going against Arsenal? First of all, why is he even dwelling on last season? Secondly, if he wants to dwell on last season, surely it would be more constructive to acknowledge Arsenal's tendency towards self-destruction, rather than blaming it all on some imagined official bias.
Maybe when Wenger talks of decisions in the last few months, he should talk about his own decisions in the transfer market. Spending substantial amounts on players of potential, players who cannot make an immediate difference, and ignoring the widely acknowledged need for experience, and for players who can make a difference now.
In some senses, Arsenal suffered bad luck today. They were missing players. Fabregas has departed. Song and Wilshere usually form a stronger base in midfield- both were missing. With Djourou and Gibbs out, losing Koscielny early on was harsh luck. It left Arsenal with three very inexperienced players on the pitch- Jenkinson at right back, Miquel alongside Vermaelen, Frimpong in central midfield. Sagna was out of position at left back, and Nasri was playing for a team that he wants to leave. None of this is ideal, and some of it is bad luck.
But "luck" is an overused word in football. Arsene Wenger had a long summer in which to get the Arsenal house in order, and he has failed to do so. That is what I personally find scandalous, over and above the fact that the linesman failed to spot Suarez a few inches offside.
He was surely aware of the likelihood of Fabregas's eventual departure. And of Nasri's desire to leave. Yet Arsenal have done no business as yet that will ease those losses.
Apparently, Arsenal missed out on signing Juan Mata because they allowed a deadline to pass and a buy-out clause to go out of date. That, too, is scandalous. If the club knows they are practically certain to receive sizable sums for two departing players, why are they still acting like they don't have money to spend?
Except, of course, on players that are young, have no experience of top-level football, and are unlikely to make much of a difference this season.
They may be stars of the future, but Arsenal need to start thinking of the short term, because make no mistake, there is a scrap on for 4th place this season.
Also on the subject of bad luck, it is not bad luck that got Alex Song suspended, it was stupidity. Likewise Gervinho.
And Frimpong's second yellow today was not remotely unlucky- it could have been a straight red. He is naive, enthusiastic. If you keep inviting a reliance on young and naive players, that's the kind of "luck" you get.
In summation, it was not a totally unexpected result, considering the shape Arsenal are in at the moment. That Arsenal are in such a mess is, in my view, solely down to the manager, and he deserves little sympathy. There is a bad atmosphere around the club at the moment, and booing at the end of the season's first home game, played in such difficult circumstances, is disappointing; but it's also understandable.
The players did not fall short in terms of effort and I think it should be understood that the jeers are not really directed at them but at their manager. The bad atmosphere was present at the end of last season, but the arrogant Wenger has allowed it to grow and grow over a summer of inaction and that, more than injuries or misfortune, is the reason Arsenal are in a sorry state at the moment.
Only three points were lost today, on the face of it, but it does not bode well for the rest of the season, or indeed for the next few days. The squad is already decimated, confidence is low, and Udinese will scent blood in their efforts to overturn a narrow deficit in that vital Champions League qualifier. Then, next weekend, it'e very hard to see how Arsenal can get a result at Old Trafford.
The manager's downbeat demeanour is also a bad sign so early in the season. As is the constant flipping and flopping over Nasri. Should he stay or should he go? Is there any plan at all?
If August continues in such a miserable vein, it becomes more likely that Wenger will abandon his trademark caution and make the kind of signings we should have had tied up weeks ago. But even with some worthy additions, it's already shaping up to be a very difficult season.
But listening to the man talk about Arsenal's defeat afterwards, you would wonder if he is beyond waking up.
"I believe the goal was offside today. And that is absolutely scandalous, that every single decision in the last three or four months...."
He trails off here, perhaps at last losing belief in his own narrative of self-pity.
Suarez was, marginally, offside just before Miquel unluckily knocked the ball off Ramsey, over Szczesny and into the net. But this idea that "every decision" is going against Arsenal? First of all, why is he even dwelling on last season? Secondly, if he wants to dwell on last season, surely it would be more constructive to acknowledge Arsenal's tendency towards self-destruction, rather than blaming it all on some imagined official bias.
Maybe when Wenger talks of decisions in the last few months, he should talk about his own decisions in the transfer market. Spending substantial amounts on players of potential, players who cannot make an immediate difference, and ignoring the widely acknowledged need for experience, and for players who can make a difference now.
In some senses, Arsenal suffered bad luck today. They were missing players. Fabregas has departed. Song and Wilshere usually form a stronger base in midfield- both were missing. With Djourou and Gibbs out, losing Koscielny early on was harsh luck. It left Arsenal with three very inexperienced players on the pitch- Jenkinson at right back, Miquel alongside Vermaelen, Frimpong in central midfield. Sagna was out of position at left back, and Nasri was playing for a team that he wants to leave. None of this is ideal, and some of it is bad luck.
But "luck" is an overused word in football. Arsene Wenger had a long summer in which to get the Arsenal house in order, and he has failed to do so. That is what I personally find scandalous, over and above the fact that the linesman failed to spot Suarez a few inches offside.
He was surely aware of the likelihood of Fabregas's eventual departure. And of Nasri's desire to leave. Yet Arsenal have done no business as yet that will ease those losses.
Apparently, Arsenal missed out on signing Juan Mata because they allowed a deadline to pass and a buy-out clause to go out of date. That, too, is scandalous. If the club knows they are practically certain to receive sizable sums for two departing players, why are they still acting like they don't have money to spend?
Except, of course, on players that are young, have no experience of top-level football, and are unlikely to make much of a difference this season.
They may be stars of the future, but Arsenal need to start thinking of the short term, because make no mistake, there is a scrap on for 4th place this season.
Also on the subject of bad luck, it is not bad luck that got Alex Song suspended, it was stupidity. Likewise Gervinho.
And Frimpong's second yellow today was not remotely unlucky- it could have been a straight red. He is naive, enthusiastic. If you keep inviting a reliance on young and naive players, that's the kind of "luck" you get.
In summation, it was not a totally unexpected result, considering the shape Arsenal are in at the moment. That Arsenal are in such a mess is, in my view, solely down to the manager, and he deserves little sympathy. There is a bad atmosphere around the club at the moment, and booing at the end of the season's first home game, played in such difficult circumstances, is disappointing; but it's also understandable.
The players did not fall short in terms of effort and I think it should be understood that the jeers are not really directed at them but at their manager. The bad atmosphere was present at the end of last season, but the arrogant Wenger has allowed it to grow and grow over a summer of inaction and that, more than injuries or misfortune, is the reason Arsenal are in a sorry state at the moment.
Only three points were lost today, on the face of it, but it does not bode well for the rest of the season, or indeed for the next few days. The squad is already decimated, confidence is low, and Udinese will scent blood in their efforts to overturn a narrow deficit in that vital Champions League qualifier. Then, next weekend, it'e very hard to see how Arsenal can get a result at Old Trafford.
The manager's downbeat demeanour is also a bad sign so early in the season. As is the constant flipping and flopping over Nasri. Should he stay or should he go? Is there any plan at all?
If August continues in such a miserable vein, it becomes more likely that Wenger will abandon his trademark caution and make the kind of signings we should have had tied up weeks ago. But even with some worthy additions, it's already shaping up to be a very difficult season.
Friday, July 29, 2011
More Summertime Ramblings
Arsenal are being heavily linked with a couple of pricey moves- for Everton's Phil Jagielka and Valencia's Juan Mata.
The news suggests that a Fabregas move is only a matter of time. There is no way Wenger would spend 15 million on Jagielka and 20 on Mata, on top of the 10 on Gervinho, if there was not a substantial amount coming in.
If I may speculate, the plan is probably this: push through those two moves and, if Barcelona offer around 40 million, send Cesc home.
It's hard to see Fabregas staying any longer even if Arsenal have to compromise and accept a bit less. Wenger wants to get what the player is worth, but he has never been a man to hold onto an unhappy player and Fabregas clearly doesn't want to hang around anymore.
It's a strange situation. He's by far Arsenal's best and most important player, and he would walk into any team in the world- except Barcelona. Barcelona are being asked to spend 40 million on player who would in all likelihood warm the bench for much of the next season or two. You can understand their reluctance to pay big bucks, but they have engineered this situation. They could have waited a year or two to make their move, and then Xavi would be at an age where he would probably welcome some bench time himself. Instead, they have waged a relentless campaign to unsettle a player they want but don't really need. Fabregas's desire to go home and win some medals is palpable, but I'd love it if he realised that Barcelona are being disrespectful to both him and Arsenal, and decided to hang about for one last tilt at the title with the Gunners. I'd certainly rather Fabregas stay one more year and leave for 40 million than Nasri stay one more year and leave for nothing. Sadly, it seems the latter is much more likely.
Jagielka- a good player. He has Premiership experience and that, more than anything, is what Arsenal need at the back. Again, it seems Wenger has decided against bringing in a more physically imposing centre back. Samba and Cahill may be bigger men but Jagielka is a better player and his name alongside those of Vermaelen, Djourou and Koscielny makes up, on paper at least, a very strong quartet of central defenders.
But don't be surprised if both of these mooted deals fall through. This is Arsene's Arsenal after all.
The news suggests that a Fabregas move is only a matter of time. There is no way Wenger would spend 15 million on Jagielka and 20 on Mata, on top of the 10 on Gervinho, if there was not a substantial amount coming in.
If I may speculate, the plan is probably this: push through those two moves and, if Barcelona offer around 40 million, send Cesc home.
It's hard to see Fabregas staying any longer even if Arsenal have to compromise and accept a bit less. Wenger wants to get what the player is worth, but he has never been a man to hold onto an unhappy player and Fabregas clearly doesn't want to hang around anymore.
It's a strange situation. He's by far Arsenal's best and most important player, and he would walk into any team in the world- except Barcelona. Barcelona are being asked to spend 40 million on player who would in all likelihood warm the bench for much of the next season or two. You can understand their reluctance to pay big bucks, but they have engineered this situation. They could have waited a year or two to make their move, and then Xavi would be at an age where he would probably welcome some bench time himself. Instead, they have waged a relentless campaign to unsettle a player they want but don't really need. Fabregas's desire to go home and win some medals is palpable, but I'd love it if he realised that Barcelona are being disrespectful to both him and Arsenal, and decided to hang about for one last tilt at the title with the Gunners. I'd certainly rather Fabregas stay one more year and leave for 40 million than Nasri stay one more year and leave for nothing. Sadly, it seems the latter is much more likely.
Jagielka- a good player. He has Premiership experience and that, more than anything, is what Arsenal need at the back. Again, it seems Wenger has decided against bringing in a more physically imposing centre back. Samba and Cahill may be bigger men but Jagielka is a better player and his name alongside those of Vermaelen, Djourou and Koscielny makes up, on paper at least, a very strong quartet of central defenders.
But don't be surprised if both of these mooted deals fall through. This is Arsene's Arsenal after all.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Neverending Transition
Arsene Wenger's utopian project was supposed to conjure progress and stability.
Instead, his team is in a constant state of change. This summer, its captain and only truly world class player looks certain to depart. That means that in season 11/12, the Arsenal team will again have a very different look to it.
A team that was built around Fabregas, and often looked rudderless without him, will have to find yet another new image.
Serious questions remain over the mercurial talent that is Samir Nasri, and many other players besides, meaning that Wenger may be forced into more rebuilding than he has ever had to undertake in the course of one summer.
Any real sense of continuity or stability is being lost. Consider the centre backs that Arsenal used last season- Vermaelen had only one year of PL experience. Squillaci and Koscielny had the sum total of none. Djourou had been around quite a while but never played many games. And people wondered why Arsenal lacked defensive nous.
Alex Song will probably be the senior member of Arsenal's first choice midfield next season- and he remains a young player whose game is speckled with naivety.
While Robin Van Persie is a player of immense talent, and impressed many with the way he reportedly confronted the idiotic Abou Diaby at half time of the Blackpool away game last season, the extent to which he can lead the team is compromised by his constant vulnerability to injury.
Many young, inexperienced, or just plain stupid players leads to many mistakes. And many mistakes leads to no trophies. Players like Fabregas and Nasri will always want to win trophies.
The mooted replacements and new signings do not suggest an easy consolidation of Arsenal's top four ranking. Arsenal have been heavily linked with centre backs from Bolton, Blackburn and Everton. Gervinho has performed well for Lille, but the French league is an unreliable barmometer of quality. Juan Mata would be a rare exciting signing but Arsenal are unlikely to stump up the necessary cash, particularly if other Premiership clubs show an interest.
Arsenal might well spend this summer replacing very good players with merely good ones, and clearly, that is not a recipe for great improvement, especially under a manager who has little interest in the tactical or defensive sides of the game.
The transition continues. 2004-????
Instead, his team is in a constant state of change. This summer, its captain and only truly world class player looks certain to depart. That means that in season 11/12, the Arsenal team will again have a very different look to it.
A team that was built around Fabregas, and often looked rudderless without him, will have to find yet another new image.
Serious questions remain over the mercurial talent that is Samir Nasri, and many other players besides, meaning that Wenger may be forced into more rebuilding than he has ever had to undertake in the course of one summer.
Any real sense of continuity or stability is being lost. Consider the centre backs that Arsenal used last season- Vermaelen had only one year of PL experience. Squillaci and Koscielny had the sum total of none. Djourou had been around quite a while but never played many games. And people wondered why Arsenal lacked defensive nous.
Alex Song will probably be the senior member of Arsenal's first choice midfield next season- and he remains a young player whose game is speckled with naivety.
While Robin Van Persie is a player of immense talent, and impressed many with the way he reportedly confronted the idiotic Abou Diaby at half time of the Blackpool away game last season, the extent to which he can lead the team is compromised by his constant vulnerability to injury.
Many young, inexperienced, or just plain stupid players leads to many mistakes. And many mistakes leads to no trophies. Players like Fabregas and Nasri will always want to win trophies.
The mooted replacements and new signings do not suggest an easy consolidation of Arsenal's top four ranking. Arsenal have been heavily linked with centre backs from Bolton, Blackburn and Everton. Gervinho has performed well for Lille, but the French league is an unreliable barmometer of quality. Juan Mata would be a rare exciting signing but Arsenal are unlikely to stump up the necessary cash, particularly if other Premiership clubs show an interest.
Arsenal might well spend this summer replacing very good players with merely good ones, and clearly, that is not a recipe for great improvement, especially under a manager who has little interest in the tactical or defensive sides of the game.
The transition continues. 2004-????
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