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.
Showing posts with label Ramsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramsey. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Oh Dear
Another interesting weekend in the Premiership.
Yet another painful one for Arsenal.
Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal
The seriousness of Arsenal's problems was underlined. The defence, despite the presence of new boys Santos and Mertesacker, was its old shambolic self. The lack of belief among the players was clear in the manner in which they folded after Blackburn's second equaliser, and allowed the game to slip away. A late rally produced a goal, a grandstand finish, and a flurry of chances to level the game, but the damage had been done, and a salvaged result of any kind would only serve to paper over the widening cracks. Arsenal are in big, big trouble this season.
The first half was, in some senses, a reminder of the kind of football Arsenal are still sometimes capable of. Song, Ramsey and Arteta were impressive in midfield, and the two Arsenal goals were the result of some fluid, incisive attacking. Gervinho opened his Arsenal account from a clever, slide rule pass by Song. The shot took a slight deflection and beat Paul Robinson on its way to the far bottom corner.
Blackburn were not really in the game, but Yakubu punished Arsenal's defensive frailty with a smart finish when the worst offside trap in football malfunctioned again. The striker confounded the onrushing Szczesny with an early, audacious flick of his right boot, sending the ball rolling slowly but unstoppably into the corner of the net. A throwback to the kind of player he once was.
Arsenal responded some minutes later with the goal of the game. The midfield trio linked well again. Song released Ramsey down the right with another incisive ball, and the Welshman ignored the obvious option of firing across the six yard box, instead cutting back cutely for Arteta, who swept the ball high into Robinson's net.
Arsenal might have extended the lead before half time, when Arshavin forged an opportunity for Gervinho, but he saw his selfish attempt blocked, much to the ire of the better-placed Van Persie. Blackburn were granted a reprieve; Arsenal were to gift them a whole lot more in the second half.
The difference between the Alex Song of the first half and the one who emerged after the interval is symbolic of the brittle mentality of this Arsenal team, their violent mood swings. Song started the collapse with an own goal, although the fault was not all his. Rocha chipped in a free kick from Blackburn's right, and despite the lack of pace on the ball, nobody in red took decisive action. The ball struck Song and dribbled past Szczesny.
Rovers were pressing more effectively and Arsenal had lost the control they seemed to exert in the first period. More set piece mayhem saw the home side hit the front. A deep, driven corner left Koscielny butting at thin air and the ball dropped at the feet of Nzonzi. He blasted a cross-shot that was turned home by Yakubu, lurking marginally offside. No flag, another soft goal for Arsenal's extensive collection.
Arsenal mustered some pressure in response, and Van Persie dithered too long when presented with a decent chance, but the awful defence succumbed again, this time to a breakaway sucker punch. Blackburn countered at roaring pace and Djourou, on in place of the injured Sagna, was roasted by Olsson. The winger entered the area, beat Alex Song and turned the ball into the goalmouth where the increasingly inept Koscielny failed to sort his feet out in time and turned the ball comically into his own net. Two own goals, a two goal deficit, was there any fight left?
To be fair, there was, and Arsenal spurned enough chances to win the game. Chamakh scored a powerful, towering header from a wicked Van Persie cross, but the Moroccan was also guilty of a weak effort in stoppage time; Van Persie was denied on a couple of occasions by Robinson; Mertesacker headed over in the dying seconds; Walcott was denied a penalty shout. It was more frantic and desperate than it ever should have had to be. Going to a mediocre Blackburn side, you expect that if ou score three goals, it's job done. But this is the New Arsenal, and another ridiculous result has been added to the roll of dishonour.
Yet another painful one for Arsenal.
Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal
The seriousness of Arsenal's problems was underlined. The defence, despite the presence of new boys Santos and Mertesacker, was its old shambolic self. The lack of belief among the players was clear in the manner in which they folded after Blackburn's second equaliser, and allowed the game to slip away. A late rally produced a goal, a grandstand finish, and a flurry of chances to level the game, but the damage had been done, and a salvaged result of any kind would only serve to paper over the widening cracks. Arsenal are in big, big trouble this season.
The first half was, in some senses, a reminder of the kind of football Arsenal are still sometimes capable of. Song, Ramsey and Arteta were impressive in midfield, and the two Arsenal goals were the result of some fluid, incisive attacking. Gervinho opened his Arsenal account from a clever, slide rule pass by Song. The shot took a slight deflection and beat Paul Robinson on its way to the far bottom corner.
Blackburn were not really in the game, but Yakubu punished Arsenal's defensive frailty with a smart finish when the worst offside trap in football malfunctioned again. The striker confounded the onrushing Szczesny with an early, audacious flick of his right boot, sending the ball rolling slowly but unstoppably into the corner of the net. A throwback to the kind of player he once was.
Arsenal responded some minutes later with the goal of the game. The midfield trio linked well again. Song released Ramsey down the right with another incisive ball, and the Welshman ignored the obvious option of firing across the six yard box, instead cutting back cutely for Arteta, who swept the ball high into Robinson's net.
Arsenal might have extended the lead before half time, when Arshavin forged an opportunity for Gervinho, but he saw his selfish attempt blocked, much to the ire of the better-placed Van Persie. Blackburn were granted a reprieve; Arsenal were to gift them a whole lot more in the second half.
The difference between the Alex Song of the first half and the one who emerged after the interval is symbolic of the brittle mentality of this Arsenal team, their violent mood swings. Song started the collapse with an own goal, although the fault was not all his. Rocha chipped in a free kick from Blackburn's right, and despite the lack of pace on the ball, nobody in red took decisive action. The ball struck Song and dribbled past Szczesny.
Rovers were pressing more effectively and Arsenal had lost the control they seemed to exert in the first period. More set piece mayhem saw the home side hit the front. A deep, driven corner left Koscielny butting at thin air and the ball dropped at the feet of Nzonzi. He blasted a cross-shot that was turned home by Yakubu, lurking marginally offside. No flag, another soft goal for Arsenal's extensive collection.
Arsenal mustered some pressure in response, and Van Persie dithered too long when presented with a decent chance, but the awful defence succumbed again, this time to a breakaway sucker punch. Blackburn countered at roaring pace and Djourou, on in place of the injured Sagna, was roasted by Olsson. The winger entered the area, beat Alex Song and turned the ball into the goalmouth where the increasingly inept Koscielny failed to sort his feet out in time and turned the ball comically into his own net. Two own goals, a two goal deficit, was there any fight left?
To be fair, there was, and Arsenal spurned enough chances to win the game. Chamakh scored a powerful, towering header from a wicked Van Persie cross, but the Moroccan was also guilty of a weak effort in stoppage time; Van Persie was denied on a couple of occasions by Robinson; Mertesacker headed over in the dying seconds; Walcott was denied a penalty shout. It was more frantic and desperate than it ever should have had to be. Going to a mediocre Blackburn side, you expect that if ou score three goals, it's job done. But this is the New Arsenal, and another ridiculous result has been added to the roll of dishonour.
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, October 15, 2010
Enough of the Rough Stuff [Typical Arsenal Fan]
Danny Murphy’s recent comments on the overuse of physicality in the English game were laudable on many levels. He was honest, and brave- especially when you consider that he still has to play against the teams he condemned.
The most significant aspect of this is an easily overlooked one. With so much negativity surrounding the English national team, critics should spend less time decrying the substandard performances of a substandard team, and more worrying about changing the culture of their game.
Every time there is an incident like the one involving Shawcross and Ramsey last season, and many in the game show sympathy towards the perpetrator and not the victim, they help cement an outdated attitude that it is ok to go in hard and hurt players. Not many would accuse Shawcross of intending to do the damage he did- that would make him a sociopath- but he has a proven track record of causing injury and so he is clearly acting recklessly.
Physicality is something that is important to the Premiership’s image as arguably the most exciting of the world’s football leagues. Rightly so. But in a game played so fast, by big, strong athletes, there has to be more emphasis on the safety of the players. It would serve England well.
Few seem to see the link between the encouragement of brutal play in the Premiership and the perceived underachievement of the English national side. There is plenty of artistic play on show in the league, but it must be said that most of the technical excellence has, in recent years, been provided by the continental players who have flooded it since the mid 1990s. There are less and less English players of the technical calibre of a Glenn Hoddle, a John Barnes, or a Paul Gascoigne, perhaps because the English clubs know they can import class from abroad, and look to their English players to provide grit and hard work.
And when an unpolished gem like Jack Wilshere is unearthed, look at the treatment that is dished out- he has already been the victim of some unnecessarily tough tackling this season, with more undoubtedly to come.
I don’t mean to be too black and white about the debate. It’s not only British players who apply brute force on a football pitch- Nigel De Jong plays like an assassin, and George Boateng has been at it for years, and there are plenty more continental examples. But I do think that aggression is over-emphasised in English footballing culture. Even looking at a Gerrard or a Rooney- they often have the look of a bull in a china shop, and they are regarded as the most skilful of English players.
This aggression, when allied to a reckless nature like that of Karl Henry or Ryan Shawcross, is dangerous and destructive. It can destroy careers. And if it is weeded out of the game, I believe it would be of immense benefit to the English national team, as technical brilliance may finally come to be privileged over the clichés of 110%, putting ‘em under pressure, and kicking the skilful players in the air until their spirit- or their legs- are broken.
The most significant aspect of this is an easily overlooked one. With so much negativity surrounding the English national team, critics should spend less time decrying the substandard performances of a substandard team, and more worrying about changing the culture of their game.
Every time there is an incident like the one involving Shawcross and Ramsey last season, and many in the game show sympathy towards the perpetrator and not the victim, they help cement an outdated attitude that it is ok to go in hard and hurt players. Not many would accuse Shawcross of intending to do the damage he did- that would make him a sociopath- but he has a proven track record of causing injury and so he is clearly acting recklessly.
Physicality is something that is important to the Premiership’s image as arguably the most exciting of the world’s football leagues. Rightly so. But in a game played so fast, by big, strong athletes, there has to be more emphasis on the safety of the players. It would serve England well.
Few seem to see the link between the encouragement of brutal play in the Premiership and the perceived underachievement of the English national side. There is plenty of artistic play on show in the league, but it must be said that most of the technical excellence has, in recent years, been provided by the continental players who have flooded it since the mid 1990s. There are less and less English players of the technical calibre of a Glenn Hoddle, a John Barnes, or a Paul Gascoigne, perhaps because the English clubs know they can import class from abroad, and look to their English players to provide grit and hard work.
And when an unpolished gem like Jack Wilshere is unearthed, look at the treatment that is dished out- he has already been the victim of some unnecessarily tough tackling this season, with more undoubtedly to come.
I don’t mean to be too black and white about the debate. It’s not only British players who apply brute force on a football pitch- Nigel De Jong plays like an assassin, and George Boateng has been at it for years, and there are plenty more continental examples. But I do think that aggression is over-emphasised in English footballing culture. Even looking at a Gerrard or a Rooney- they often have the look of a bull in a china shop, and they are regarded as the most skilful of English players.
This aggression, when allied to a reckless nature like that of Karl Henry or Ryan Shawcross, is dangerous and destructive. It can destroy careers. And if it is weeded out of the game, I believe it would be of immense benefit to the English national team, as technical brilliance may finally come to be privileged over the clichés of 110%, putting ‘em under pressure, and kicking the skilful players in the air until their spirit- or their legs- are broken.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Jack Wilshere, Man of the Moment.
Jack Wilshere's emergence this season echoes that of a seventeen year old Cesc Fabregas six years ago.
In Belgrade, when Wilshere provided an inventive assist for Arshavin's opening goal, he displayed the kind of vision and awareness that is particularly rare in English footballers. He is already becoming important for Arsenal, but he could be a huge figure for England.
That Champions League moment reminded me of Fabregas's wonderful reverse pass to set up Freddie Ljungberg in that bizarre 5-4 win at White Hart Lane in 2004. It was a moment that made you sit up and take note. Of course, Fabregas has been producing moments like that with increasing consistency in the years since, and has improved in almost every aspect of his game, and that is now the challenge for Wilshere- to show the maturity, the professionalism, and above all, the desire to be great.
That is an area in which many English players have struggled under Arsene Wenger. There was a not dissimilar buzz about David Bentley when he chipped in a lovely goal against Middlesbrough, I think it was, in the FA Cup during the unbeaten season. But it seems that he has lost himself in an unjustified self-love that has fatally stalled his development. He's more interested in hair styles than in becoming a better footballer.
Other players have lost their way in some manner or another. Jermaine Pennant was another wide player and wide boy, who got his head turned by extra-curricular activities. But he never had that much talent anyways. Walcott has his head screwed on, and although I have doubts about his ability, he has shown signs of improvement. The problem being, the next injury is never far away.
The early signs with Wilshere are good though. As mentioned before, he already looks a more seasoned central midfielder than Diaby or Denilson, despite being, at this level, a novice in the position. Since the first day at Liverpool, he's had the look of a lad that wants to learn, wants to improve, wants to earn a place. So the attitude is there. And he is more talented than Bentley, Walcott and Pennant put together.
England must surely, already, hold great hope in his future development. They have long lacked a player in midfield who can control a game. Paul Scholes should have been that man but he was often misused. Steven Gerrard is talked up as being that man but he's nothing of the sort. Wilshere is already showing signs that he could develop into that kind of player.
It is also a great relief for Arsenal that Fabregas's inevitably impending departure will not be the prelude to a mad scrabble for a direct replacement. Even if Aaron Ramsey's horror injury stalls his development, we have Nasri, a semi-rejuvenated Rosicky, and now, we have Wilshere.
In Belgrade, when Wilshere provided an inventive assist for Arshavin's opening goal, he displayed the kind of vision and awareness that is particularly rare in English footballers. He is already becoming important for Arsenal, but he could be a huge figure for England.
That Champions League moment reminded me of Fabregas's wonderful reverse pass to set up Freddie Ljungberg in that bizarre 5-4 win at White Hart Lane in 2004. It was a moment that made you sit up and take note. Of course, Fabregas has been producing moments like that with increasing consistency in the years since, and has improved in almost every aspect of his game, and that is now the challenge for Wilshere- to show the maturity, the professionalism, and above all, the desire to be great.
That is an area in which many English players have struggled under Arsene Wenger. There was a not dissimilar buzz about David Bentley when he chipped in a lovely goal against Middlesbrough, I think it was, in the FA Cup during the unbeaten season. But it seems that he has lost himself in an unjustified self-love that has fatally stalled his development. He's more interested in hair styles than in becoming a better footballer.
Other players have lost their way in some manner or another. Jermaine Pennant was another wide player and wide boy, who got his head turned by extra-curricular activities. But he never had that much talent anyways. Walcott has his head screwed on, and although I have doubts about his ability, he has shown signs of improvement. The problem being, the next injury is never far away.
The early signs with Wilshere are good though. As mentioned before, he already looks a more seasoned central midfielder than Diaby or Denilson, despite being, at this level, a novice in the position. Since the first day at Liverpool, he's had the look of a lad that wants to learn, wants to improve, wants to earn a place. So the attitude is there. And he is more talented than Bentley, Walcott and Pennant put together.
England must surely, already, hold great hope in his future development. They have long lacked a player in midfield who can control a game. Paul Scholes should have been that man but he was often misused. Steven Gerrard is talked up as being that man but he's nothing of the sort. Wilshere is already showing signs that he could develop into that kind of player.
It is also a great relief for Arsenal that Fabregas's inevitably impending departure will not be the prelude to a mad scrabble for a direct replacement. Even if Aaron Ramsey's horror injury stalls his development, we have Nasri, a semi-rejuvenated Rosicky, and now, we have Wilshere.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
We Gotta Stay Positive...
SO... is the presence of Nasri, Arshavin, Rosicky, Wilshere, and Ramsey reassuring, in the inevitably impending event of the captain's departure?
Now, it is true that Fabregas is Arsenal's best player by a country mile, their only GREAT player. But he is most impressive in the creative sense and Arsenal do, at the moment, have a surfeit of creative players. Perhaps, when he leaves, this relieves Wenger of the nightmare of having to find a direct replacement.
In fact, I think that one of the foremost priorities when Fabregas leaves should be a free-scoring striker, because last season Arsenal started to rely on the skipper for goals as well as passes. Chamakh, Bendtner, and, because of his frequent injuries, Van Persie are unlikely to hit 20 goals a season; with th loss of Fabregas's goals from midfield, that could become a problem.
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MORE CESC-CENTRED RAMBLINGS
A fascinating question that I think last season posed was whether Fabregas, and by extension Arsenal, lost something for the deploymentof the captain further up the pitch. Obviously, it freed him up to do some serious damage in the final third and unleash his latent goalscoring prowess, but in the bigger games, Arsenal's central midfield looked rudderless without his metronomic passing, and control of the game was often ceded as a result.
I frequently look back on 07/08 as Fabregas's real golden period, as he formed a formidable partnership with the dynamic Flamini. The Frenchman covered enough ground to allow Fabregas to indulge every facet of his game. Unfortunately, Arsenal do not have a Flamini now, and Wenger has had to adapt accordingly.
Interestingly, in the wake of the Blackpool game, the boss did mention the prospect of Chamakh and RVP linking up in a 4-4-2, which might suggest a return to Fabregas's previous 'midfield general' role. I think what could be more likely, and more effective, is a 4-2-3-1, with Cesc and Song as the '2', and Rosicky or Nasri in the middle of the '3'. The million dollar question is whether Wenger feels that this could offer the defence the protection it needs. I think it could, if Fabregas can indeed return to his role as a classic midfield playmaker, while not curtailing his instinct to get forward at the right times.
It's just a pity Arsenal don't have a more mobile midfielder than Song to partner Fabregas- for all his talent, the Cameroonian does not cover the ground as quickly as Flamini did. And as for Denilson and Diaby....
Now, it is true that Fabregas is Arsenal's best player by a country mile, their only GREAT player. But he is most impressive in the creative sense and Arsenal do, at the moment, have a surfeit of creative players. Perhaps, when he leaves, this relieves Wenger of the nightmare of having to find a direct replacement.
In fact, I think that one of the foremost priorities when Fabregas leaves should be a free-scoring striker, because last season Arsenal started to rely on the skipper for goals as well as passes. Chamakh, Bendtner, and, because of his frequent injuries, Van Persie are unlikely to hit 20 goals a season; with th loss of Fabregas's goals from midfield, that could become a problem.
***************************************************************************************
MORE CESC-CENTRED RAMBLINGS
A fascinating question that I think last season posed was whether Fabregas, and by extension Arsenal, lost something for the deploymentof the captain further up the pitch. Obviously, it freed him up to do some serious damage in the final third and unleash his latent goalscoring prowess, but in the bigger games, Arsenal's central midfield looked rudderless without his metronomic passing, and control of the game was often ceded as a result.
I frequently look back on 07/08 as Fabregas's real golden period, as he formed a formidable partnership with the dynamic Flamini. The Frenchman covered enough ground to allow Fabregas to indulge every facet of his game. Unfortunately, Arsenal do not have a Flamini now, and Wenger has had to adapt accordingly.
Interestingly, in the wake of the Blackpool game, the boss did mention the prospect of Chamakh and RVP linking up in a 4-4-2, which might suggest a return to Fabregas's previous 'midfield general' role. I think what could be more likely, and more effective, is a 4-2-3-1, with Cesc and Song as the '2', and Rosicky or Nasri in the middle of the '3'. The million dollar question is whether Wenger feels that this could offer the defence the protection it needs. I think it could, if Fabregas can indeed return to his role as a classic midfield playmaker, while not curtailing his instinct to get forward at the right times.
It's just a pity Arsenal don't have a more mobile midfielder than Song to partner Fabregas- for all his talent, the Cameroonian does not cover the ground as quickly as Flamini did. And as for Denilson and Diaby....
Monday, March 1, 2010
Stoke 1-3 Arsenal . . .
Where to start but with the injury to Ramsey. As with the Taylor- Eduardo incident, the most commonly stated fact in the aftermath is that the tackle was not malicious. True. We do see some malicious tackles in England- studs up, over the ball, those are the worst. But this does not absolve Shawcross. As with anything, it's a matter of degrees. This one was not "malicious", but it was also a level above merely "commited".
Recklessness is endemic to the English game. And against Arsenal, the media and British managers have elevated it to a virtue. It is to be commended when it leads to a victory, as it did for Stoke in the corresponding fixture last season. But when it leads to the kind of needless devastation we saw on Saturday, excuses abound.
Last season, indeed, there was little mention of a tackle by a certain Ryan Shawcross, that took place with the ball out of play, that must have been close to breaking Adebayor's ankle. On that occasion, an intent to do some damage was clear. So it's difficult to feel wholehearted sympathy for the defender, especially when he can return to action while Aaron Ramsey sees the long road to recovery stretch endlessly before him.
That said, the reaction to this incident should condemn the culture, not the player. This antiquated aggression is something that the English game needs to rid itself of, because the more quick and skillful players get, the more we will see of these kind of injuries. This neanderthal aesthetic is surely part of the reason for England's continued under-achieving at international level, but most of the press and pundits would prefer cling to it, and instead moralise over comparitive trivialities like diving, spitting, imaginary card-waving.
Sure, it is a physical sport, and yes, the pace and power of the Premiership is what renders it uniquely entertaining. But there is a line that is too consistently crossed, and as Wenger and Fabregas say, it is no coincidence that it keeps happening against Arsenal.
There is a xenophobic aspect to this aswell. Arsenal are not the only attacking team in the Premiership. But they're the only team who are systemically subjected to such rough treatment. Sir Alex wouldn't stand for it for a second, but Allardyce, Pulis and his other minions would never risk his wrath by even trying it against United. I remember all those years when Allardyce's Bolton were kicking lumps out of Arsenal, they would never do more than bend over for Man Utd. And then when Megson took over and told Kevin Davies to assault Patrice Evra in his first game, Ferguson was fucking apoplectic on the touchline. Welcome to our world.
On to the game. Our continued, debilitating lack of defensive prowess was again predictably exposed early, but character was on show this time. Bendtner scored a brilliant header, showing what having a tall, physical player up front can do for us. And then, after the injury and the red card, the ghosts of Birmingham two years ago were laid to rest as this time the climax was positive. A debatable enough penalty slotted in by Fabregas, returning to form. And Vermaelen scoring from the same player's typically clever cut-back. Job done, very late on; cue plenty of fist-pumping and a huddle at the final whistle. If McFadden's late penalty two years ago convinced the players that it wasn't to be their title, maybe this is the opposite.
I have questioned these players, and the manager, a lot. I still think those questions remain. I don't think any fan asks for him to put the financial safety of the club at risk. But this has transpired to be a great chance to win the title, and we are quite simply not in the best possible position because the manager has refused to spend even a small amount of money on problem positions in the squad. Some do have faith in these players, that if they are kept together, we will see success. I'm not sure of that but a strong end to the season, even if it does not end in a trophy, would of course be a step in the right direction. That said, I don't think we will see another season in which the competition has been so weak, and it is our inability to grasp the possibilities of the moment, in favour of hypothesising about the future, that I fear may prove fatal in more seasons to come.
But now is a time to be positive, as the players showed their mettle in what was a massive moment. Ten games to go and, against all my expectations, we're in with a shot.
Recklessness is endemic to the English game. And against Arsenal, the media and British managers have elevated it to a virtue. It is to be commended when it leads to a victory, as it did for Stoke in the corresponding fixture last season. But when it leads to the kind of needless devastation we saw on Saturday, excuses abound.
Last season, indeed, there was little mention of a tackle by a certain Ryan Shawcross, that took place with the ball out of play, that must have been close to breaking Adebayor's ankle. On that occasion, an intent to do some damage was clear. So it's difficult to feel wholehearted sympathy for the defender, especially when he can return to action while Aaron Ramsey sees the long road to recovery stretch endlessly before him.
That said, the reaction to this incident should condemn the culture, not the player. This antiquated aggression is something that the English game needs to rid itself of, because the more quick and skillful players get, the more we will see of these kind of injuries. This neanderthal aesthetic is surely part of the reason for England's continued under-achieving at international level, but most of the press and pundits would prefer cling to it, and instead moralise over comparitive trivialities like diving, spitting, imaginary card-waving.
Sure, it is a physical sport, and yes, the pace and power of the Premiership is what renders it uniquely entertaining. But there is a line that is too consistently crossed, and as Wenger and Fabregas say, it is no coincidence that it keeps happening against Arsenal.
There is a xenophobic aspect to this aswell. Arsenal are not the only attacking team in the Premiership. But they're the only team who are systemically subjected to such rough treatment. Sir Alex wouldn't stand for it for a second, but Allardyce, Pulis and his other minions would never risk his wrath by even trying it against United. I remember all those years when Allardyce's Bolton were kicking lumps out of Arsenal, they would never do more than bend over for Man Utd. And then when Megson took over and told Kevin Davies to assault Patrice Evra in his first game, Ferguson was fucking apoplectic on the touchline. Welcome to our world.
On to the game. Our continued, debilitating lack of defensive prowess was again predictably exposed early, but character was on show this time. Bendtner scored a brilliant header, showing what having a tall, physical player up front can do for us. And then, after the injury and the red card, the ghosts of Birmingham two years ago were laid to rest as this time the climax was positive. A debatable enough penalty slotted in by Fabregas, returning to form. And Vermaelen scoring from the same player's typically clever cut-back. Job done, very late on; cue plenty of fist-pumping and a huddle at the final whistle. If McFadden's late penalty two years ago convinced the players that it wasn't to be their title, maybe this is the opposite.
I have questioned these players, and the manager, a lot. I still think those questions remain. I don't think any fan asks for him to put the financial safety of the club at risk. But this has transpired to be a great chance to win the title, and we are quite simply not in the best possible position because the manager has refused to spend even a small amount of money on problem positions in the squad. Some do have faith in these players, that if they are kept together, we will see success. I'm not sure of that but a strong end to the season, even if it does not end in a trophy, would of course be a step in the right direction. That said, I don't think we will see another season in which the competition has been so weak, and it is our inability to grasp the possibilities of the moment, in favour of hypothesising about the future, that I fear may prove fatal in more seasons to come.
But now is a time to be positive, as the players showed their mettle in what was a massive moment. Ten games to go and, against all my expectations, we're in with a shot.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
carling cup: Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
I don't really care that much about the carling cup. I'm as success-starved as the next man, and would like to see Arsenal win it, but there's little chance of that happening. The quarter-finals will feature Man Utd's strong reserves, as well as chelsea, Villa, Spurs and city who will all still play close to full-strength sides. With Wenger's policy of blooding youngsters and giving reserves a run-out, it's hard to see an ultimate Arsenal triumph. Then again, we did get close in 2007, outplaying chelsea's first team in the final, so maybe I'm being pessimistic, we'll see.
Anyway, we all know it's a distant fourth priority, but that often leads to games like lastnight's and that's no bad thing. With the pressure off, there has often been a lot of freedom in Arsenal's play. Liverpool also rested key men, and they played their part. It would have been hard to tell, if you didn't already know, that this was a Benitez side, as the game was largely open. And it was illuminated further by three fine goals. In the first half, Merida and Insua exchanged left-footed screamers to leave the score level. Early in the second, Bendtner, who'd had a stinker to that point, fired in the winner after another flowing move.
The best of these had come earlier when the outstanding Aaron Ramsey started a move around our right back area and a succession of one-twos saw him advance to near Liverpool's area where he played in Merida with a pass that was, dare I say it, Fabregasesque.
I have to say, I hadn't been sure about the Welshman from what I'd seen last season, but there's been a huge improvement this campaign so far culminating in his best performance for the club lastnight (we'll forgive him a couple of sloppy, tired passes towards the end). Between this, and the return of Nasri, I am happy to say that Diaby's first team time SHOULD soon be up.
A word about Senderos aswell. He always looked capable of costing us the game and if Voronin wasn't so bumbling he could have punished us. I have no hatred for the Swiss as a man, he seems genuine and committed despite his difficult situation at the club, but at a team that play on the front foot as we always try to, he is a constant liability. You can see how the move to Everton would have benefitted him. They're less of an attacking side, he wouldn't have to push up to halfway and be at constant risk of getting turned and left for dead... It's a pity for Philly that it fell through, and maybe he can help us if called upon, but I'm praying that Gallas and Vermaelen stay fit somehow.
Anyway, we all know it's a distant fourth priority, but that often leads to games like lastnight's and that's no bad thing. With the pressure off, there has often been a lot of freedom in Arsenal's play. Liverpool also rested key men, and they played their part. It would have been hard to tell, if you didn't already know, that this was a Benitez side, as the game was largely open. And it was illuminated further by three fine goals. In the first half, Merida and Insua exchanged left-footed screamers to leave the score level. Early in the second, Bendtner, who'd had a stinker to that point, fired in the winner after another flowing move.
The best of these had come earlier when the outstanding Aaron Ramsey started a move around our right back area and a succession of one-twos saw him advance to near Liverpool's area where he played in Merida with a pass that was, dare I say it, Fabregasesque.
I have to say, I hadn't been sure about the Welshman from what I'd seen last season, but there's been a huge improvement this campaign so far culminating in his best performance for the club lastnight (we'll forgive him a couple of sloppy, tired passes towards the end). Between this, and the return of Nasri, I am happy to say that Diaby's first team time SHOULD soon be up.
A word about Senderos aswell. He always looked capable of costing us the game and if Voronin wasn't so bumbling he could have punished us. I have no hatred for the Swiss as a man, he seems genuine and committed despite his difficult situation at the club, but at a team that play on the front foot as we always try to, he is a constant liability. You can see how the move to Everton would have benefitted him. They're less of an attacking side, he wouldn't have to push up to halfway and be at constant risk of getting turned and left for dead... It's a pity for Philly that it fell through, and maybe he can help us if called upon, but I'm praying that Gallas and Vermaelen stay fit somehow.
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