Wigan 0-1 Arsenal... Arsenal P-P West Ham... Arsenal 7-3 Newcastle
Arsenal led a charmed Christmas, enjoying slices of luck on the pitch and off.
A tube strike meant that the West Ham game on Boxing Day was postponed, and unlike most Premiership teams, the Gunners had a significant rest between holiday period games.
At the JJB, Wigan performed well, pressing all over the park and denying Cazorla the room to influence matters as he had at Reading. Chances were at a premium throughout. In the first half, Di Santo released Kone on goal, but the striker snatched at the chance and shot wide.
Arsenal perked up after the interval, and Chamerlain broke free on the right to tee up Walcott, but his awkward first-time effort was repelled by the keeper.
Overall, Arsenal looked worryingly toothless, as on many occasions this season, but this time there was a clean sheet, and this time there was a piece of luck to turn the game their way.
Around the hour mark, Walcott entered the Wigan area on the end of a one-two with Cazorla, felt the slightest of contact from Beausejour at his back, and tumbled. He heard the welcome sound of Jon Moss's whistle, saw the referee point to the penalty spot, and Mikel Arteta coolly sent Al Habsi the wrong way. It was a contentious decision, but Arsenal did what they haven't done half often enough in recent years- they ground it out.
It was far from a flowing performance- the team continues to lack the ability to truly control a game- but the defence was as disciplined as it needed to be. No silly stuff, or at least much less of it than we've become used to. When Kone wriggled past Sagna to find a clear sight of the target, Szczesny saved well. After a couple of hopeful penalty shouts for the home side, the points were safe.
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Arsene Wenger could put his feet up on Stephen's Day as Newcastle toiled in a losing cause at Old Trafford, safe in the knowledge that a tired, injury-blighted Magpies team were next on Arsenal's agenda. It was only in the latter stages of the game at the Emirates, however, that Arsenal looked comfortable, Newcastle fell away, and ruthless finishing lent the scoreline a harshness that had long looked unlikely.
In the first half, Arsenal were slow and sluggish, and Newcastle deserved at least the parity they held at the interval. Ba had already missed with a free header before Walcott broke the visitors' high line from Podolski's piercing pass and drew Krul to finish with his best Henry impression.
Minutes before half time, Sagna felled Obertan with a rash challenge on the edge of the Arsenal area. Ba went for goal from the free kick, and a flinching Wilshere deflected the shot beyond Szczesny. The away side had chances to take the lead before the break and if Arsene Wenger was moved to anger by his men's listlessness, they responded immediately to his pep talk.
Gibbs was denied by Krul from a Podolski pass, before Newcastle lost possession cheaply from a throw-in, Cazorla shifted the ball across the edge of the area to Chamberlain, and the winger fired crisply across Krul for 2-1.
It felt like Arsenal were finally taking control of proceedings but the craziness was yet to truly begin. When Obertan jinked past Sagna (the right back enjoying a rare bad day) and into the box, his cut back clipped off Koscielny and landed kindly for Marveau, all alone at the back post. 2-2.
Arsenal responded again. Wilshere jinked brilliantly into the box after winning the ball from Tiote, but looked to have been crowded out, before scooping a superlative cross to the back stick. On the goalline and under pressure, Collocini tried to nod the ball over his own bar, but it bounced down off the woodwork for the waiting Podolski, for whom the finish was a formality.
Again, calm and control were elusive. The team look nervy in possession, but lack the defensive nous to effectively sit on a lead. With Walcott in the central striker's role again, there was nobody to hold the ball up and take the pressure off. It was no surprise then that Newcastle kept coming. They were without Ben Arfa and Cabaye, their main creative players, but either would have been proud of the cross that Marveau produced with the outside of his left foot to set up Ba for a third equaliser. Gibbs was daydreaming at the back stick, but made amends minutes later.
After a flowing move, Podolski played in the left back in a similar position from which he'd earlier shot straight at Krul. This time, he tried to return the ball to Podolski, who took a fresh air swipe, but the ball fell for Walcott who spun and, just when it looked as if the chance was gone, blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
With just the 73 minutes gone there would have been little confidence on the Arsenal bench of the team's ability to shut the game down, and so it was a shrewd move to go ahead with sending Giroud on even though the substitution was being planned at 3-3. Walcott turned provider to help make the game safe, overlapping Sagna to whip a wicked cross that met the forehead of the diving Giroud.
A flurry of further goalmouth action buried somewhat the memory of Arsenal's earlier lethargy. Walcott dribbled infield and fell but the ball made its way to Giroud in the box, who blasted home near post with his right foot. Then Walcott dribbled infield again, this time from the left, and again fell, this time fouled, but with no decision forthcoming sprang back to his feet and flipped a cheeky dink over the keeper to seal an impressive hat trick.
There was still time for Giroud to almost emulate that feat- and in only twenty minutes- but his effort from fellow sub Ramsey's low cross clattered off the bar, and we had to make do with just the seven goals.
It was a crazy game that showcased the best and worst of the current Arsenal team. Our most efficient attacker is a limited all-round footballer, not suited to the complexities of the centre forward role, but a great finisher and a player that Arsenal certainly need, at least for the remainder of the season.
Is that need the reason for his sudden deployment as an out-and-out striker? Is Wenger playing him there to encourage him to commit his future? Or is it just a pragmatic move? After all, Gervinho took up the role early in the season and he seems even less suited to it than Walcott.
Statisticians may point to four goals in three games, some assists and a very important penalty won, to support the assertion that Walcott is now ready to be the main man. But looking at the general standard of Arsenal's play, especially at Wigan in the last half hour, I think it a real gamble to play Walcott up front. He has no physical presence, and for a team with a not very physical midfield, in a league that is very physical, it makes matters even more difficult.
It was notable, as Arsenal defended that slender lead against Wigan, that there was no outlet to help relieve the pressure. The home side just kept coming. On that occasion, Arsenal proved unusually sturdy, but better opposition would have punished our inability to control the ball. Against Newcastle, without the ill Mertesacker, the defence was unable to shackle Ba, and a lightweight midfield was unable to protect that defence. We got away with it thanks to some great attacking play (and Newcastle's falling away), but overall, my impression is that the team desperately needs more muscle. That means, at the very least, starting Giroud up front.
Showing posts with label Wigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wigan. Show all posts
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 9, 2011
Fulham Halt The Revival... Wigan Provide Little Resistance...
Premiership: Arsenal 1-1 Fulham
After Arsenal's hard-fought win at home to Dortmund, there was a hangover. The players looked knackered against Fulham; it was an all-too-familiar display of lethargy from thr home side at the Emirates. The game was played at the pace of a pre-season friendly, and the Gunners missed the injection of speed and penetration that Gervinho has already provided in his short time at the club. Arshavin, though he did net a neat but offside goal, was typically ineffective in general.
Fulham attacked in fits and starts, as the away side usually does at the Emirates, and although Arsenal's defence has seen a marked improvement in recent weeks, the opening goal here was largely the result of one of the sporadic bouts of ineptitude that has blighted the team in recent years. After Arsenal were caught trying to be too clever playing the ball out from defence, Murphy had time to size up a typically canny diagonal pass into the box for the onrushing Riise. The Norwegian's touch ran away somewhat, but a panicky Vermaelen miscued his clearance and the ball trickled past Szczesny and into the corner.
That the comical opener came soon after Van Persie had been denied by a desperate goal line clearance seemed to suggest that this was not to be Arsenal's day. But credit to Vermaelen, he responded to his mistake in characteristically buccaneering fashion, storming up the pitch in open play to nod in Theo Walcott's superb cross. In the late stages after the equaliser, Arsenal had pressure but no real chances, and Fulham held out for a draw that they deserved after a compact and solid performance.
Carling Cup: Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City
The Carling Cup game against City was notable mostly for the return of Samir Nasri, who had a subdued game in front of his hostile former admirers. Arsenal's mix of youngsters and squad players gave a good account of themselves, as they usually do. City's back up players failed to gel except in the moment that decided the game. A lightning break saw the ball shuttled from one end to another, Dzeko to Johnson to Aguero, and the Argentine slotted clinically past the exposed Fabianski. Arsenal had had a lot of possession, and Oxelade-Chamberlain looked particularly dangerous, but City hd the class and the cutting edge to engineer the killer moment in a tight match.
Premiership: Wigan 0-4 Arsenal
A welcome return to winning ways was found at Wigan, though in truth they offered little by way of tough opposition. There was an early scare in which Santos deflected a point blank shot wide, but Arsenal slowly took control. Still, the first two goals were the epitome of soft. Arteta's shot was well struck and moved a little, but still should have required only a routine save from Al-Habsi. Instead it found a way through him and into the net. Then Vermaelen pounced with a well-aimed header from a corner, but one that would not have been so telling had Wigan positioned a man on that post.
Of course, Arsenal have disturbing recent memories of leads thrown away at the JJB and elsewhere, and so there was no room for complacency. The game could not be considered safe until a patient move led to a beautiful 1-2 between Van Persie and Song. A dummy from the Dutchman left the wretched Caldwell sliding into the middle of next week, and though his right-foted effort was parried by the keeper, Gervinho was there to pick up the pieces.
Walcott squared unselfishly to Van Persie for number 4, and Arsenal thus continued their impressive away form of recent weeks.
After Arsenal's hard-fought win at home to Dortmund, there was a hangover. The players looked knackered against Fulham; it was an all-too-familiar display of lethargy from thr home side at the Emirates. The game was played at the pace of a pre-season friendly, and the Gunners missed the injection of speed and penetration that Gervinho has already provided in his short time at the club. Arshavin, though he did net a neat but offside goal, was typically ineffective in general.
Fulham attacked in fits and starts, as the away side usually does at the Emirates, and although Arsenal's defence has seen a marked improvement in recent weeks, the opening goal here was largely the result of one of the sporadic bouts of ineptitude that has blighted the team in recent years. After Arsenal were caught trying to be too clever playing the ball out from defence, Murphy had time to size up a typically canny diagonal pass into the box for the onrushing Riise. The Norwegian's touch ran away somewhat, but a panicky Vermaelen miscued his clearance and the ball trickled past Szczesny and into the corner.
That the comical opener came soon after Van Persie had been denied by a desperate goal line clearance seemed to suggest that this was not to be Arsenal's day. But credit to Vermaelen, he responded to his mistake in characteristically buccaneering fashion, storming up the pitch in open play to nod in Theo Walcott's superb cross. In the late stages after the equaliser, Arsenal had pressure but no real chances, and Fulham held out for a draw that they deserved after a compact and solid performance.
Carling Cup: Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City
The Carling Cup game against City was notable mostly for the return of Samir Nasri, who had a subdued game in front of his hostile former admirers. Arsenal's mix of youngsters and squad players gave a good account of themselves, as they usually do. City's back up players failed to gel except in the moment that decided the game. A lightning break saw the ball shuttled from one end to another, Dzeko to Johnson to Aguero, and the Argentine slotted clinically past the exposed Fabianski. Arsenal had had a lot of possession, and Oxelade-Chamberlain looked particularly dangerous, but City hd the class and the cutting edge to engineer the killer moment in a tight match.
Premiership: Wigan 0-4 Arsenal
A welcome return to winning ways was found at Wigan, though in truth they offered little by way of tough opposition. There was an early scare in which Santos deflected a point blank shot wide, but Arsenal slowly took control. Still, the first two goals were the epitome of soft. Arteta's shot was well struck and moved a little, but still should have required only a routine save from Al-Habsi. Instead it found a way through him and into the net. Then Vermaelen pounced with a well-aimed header from a corner, but one that would not have been so telling had Wigan positioned a man on that post.
Of course, Arsenal have disturbing recent memories of leads thrown away at the JJB and elsewhere, and so there was no room for complacency. The game could not be considered safe until a patient move led to a beautiful 1-2 between Van Persie and Song. A dummy from the Dutchman left the wretched Caldwell sliding into the middle of next week, and though his right-foted effort was parried by the keeper, Gervinho was there to pick up the pieces.
Walcott squared unselfishly to Van Persie for number 4, and Arsenal thus continued their impressive away form of recent weeks.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Just the Three Against Wigan
If there's one disappointing thing about the consecutive 3-0 league wins against West Ham and Wigan, it's the blatant disregard for goal difference.
In the 2nd half at Upton Park, Arsenal settled for keep ball. At the Emirates today, Arsenal could have scored as many goals as the visitors have points (almost). Instead they ended with three, while at Old Trafford Man United ran in another five against Birmingham. In title race terms, they now hold the advantage on points, in games in hand and on goal difference.
Wigan on their travels don't tend to be the most fearsome proposition. Walcott terrorised their back line and twice his cut backs should have led to the opener. Van Persie and Fabregas were denied by a great save, then a great block. The seemingly inevitable opener came via the left foot of the Dutchman. Song's pass released Van Persie, and he finished with trademark power.
The rest of the first half comprised a tale of wasted chances and great goalkeeping, with Wigan offering NOTHING to divert Djourou and Koscielny at the other end. At half time there may have been anxiety at total dominance yielding only such a slim lead.
No matter, Fabregas and Van Persie combined to finish Wigan off. The Spaniard played a raking diagonal ball into the box, and the Dutchman slid to volley into the net.
Van Persie had never scored a hat trick for Arsenal until today. He might have been wondering, at one point, if he ever would. When Fabregas took advantage of minimal contact from Caldwell in the area, the defender was dismissed, and Van Persie had a gilt-edged chance. He sent his penalty into orbit. Then he shot from the edge of the box, and the ball hit the outside of the post. The 1045th time he has hit the woodwork in his Arsenal career.
Finally, he had his moment of glory, when Walcott held the ball up Shearer-style in the box, and RVP steamed in to shoot in at the near post, right-footed. Six goals in three games for a player who tends to score in bunches.
At the moment, all of Arsenal's attacking starters look to be in decent shape, and with a lot of home games coming up, they should look to record a few convincing victories. This will cement the sense of momentum suggested by the last few games, and consign the season's early, patchy home form to memory.
Next up, a vital game against Ipswich, much as we'd like to pretend the League Cup doesn't matter.
In the 2nd half at Upton Park, Arsenal settled for keep ball. At the Emirates today, Arsenal could have scored as many goals as the visitors have points (almost). Instead they ended with three, while at Old Trafford Man United ran in another five against Birmingham. In title race terms, they now hold the advantage on points, in games in hand and on goal difference.
Wigan on their travels don't tend to be the most fearsome proposition. Walcott terrorised their back line and twice his cut backs should have led to the opener. Van Persie and Fabregas were denied by a great save, then a great block. The seemingly inevitable opener came via the left foot of the Dutchman. Song's pass released Van Persie, and he finished with trademark power.
The rest of the first half comprised a tale of wasted chances and great goalkeeping, with Wigan offering NOTHING to divert Djourou and Koscielny at the other end. At half time there may have been anxiety at total dominance yielding only such a slim lead.
No matter, Fabregas and Van Persie combined to finish Wigan off. The Spaniard played a raking diagonal ball into the box, and the Dutchman slid to volley into the net.
Van Persie had never scored a hat trick for Arsenal until today. He might have been wondering, at one point, if he ever would. When Fabregas took advantage of minimal contact from Caldwell in the area, the defender was dismissed, and Van Persie had a gilt-edged chance. He sent his penalty into orbit. Then he shot from the edge of the box, and the ball hit the outside of the post. The 1045th time he has hit the woodwork in his Arsenal career.
Finally, he had his moment of glory, when Walcott held the ball up Shearer-style in the box, and RVP steamed in to shoot in at the near post, right-footed. Six goals in three games for a player who tends to score in bunches.
At the moment, all of Arsenal's attacking starters look to be in decent shape, and with a lot of home games coming up, they should look to record a few convincing victories. This will cement the sense of momentum suggested by the last few games, and consign the season's early, patchy home form to memory.
Next up, a vital game against Ipswich, much as we'd like to pretend the League Cup doesn't matter.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
HUUUUUUUGE
Let's be honest, the priority for Arsenal this season is to win a trophy. Any trophy. That means, as sad as it sounds, the Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Ipswich will now be a huuuuuge game.
You can't start a fire without a spark. If and when Arsenal win the Carling Cup, the begrudgers will belittle the achievement. That's understandable, especially considering the best team Arsenal have had to beat so far is Tottenham reserves. Still, Arsene Wenger would rightly see Carling Cup triumph as Michael Collins saw the Treaty: a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
There are not many players in the current Arsenal squad who have tasted sweet success; perhaps a perceived "small" victory could prove the catalyst for bigger ones. As it is, there still seems a disturbing lack of either desire or nerve in the Arsenal ranks. The side that faced Ipswich in the first leg was full of experience, and even had Fabregas at its core. Disappointing, then, that they failed to impose themselves against limited opposition. To say, honestly, that Ipswich are worth their first leg lead speaks of the poverty of Arsenal's performance.
Still, if they bring their A game to to the home leg, all this should be rendered irrelevant.
Paul Jewell will be in charge of the Tractor Boys at the Emirates, which rekindles horrible memories of a recent Carling Cup semi-final second leg. Robin Van Persie's extra-time whopper of a free kick had Arsenal leading Wigan 2-1, before two lumbering tanks allowed Jason Roberts to score a late, late, away goals winner.
Let's hope Djourou's fitness holds up, because Koscielny and Squillaci have together shown an ineptitude worthy of Senderos and Campbell that night in 2006.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
After Relief, Grief
Man Utd played Sunday afternoon, then Tuesday evening; Alex Ferguson did not make many changes from one starting eleven to another. United visibly tired towards the end of the Birmingham game and shipped an equaliser that might yet end up proving costly in an unpredictable title race.
Arsenal had even less recovery time between the euphoria of Monday night and the mundane trip to Wigan. Wenger decided to use the fullness of his squad. Only Fabianski, Sagna and Koscielny survived from the previous line-up. Wilshere joined them when Diaby all-too-predictably broke down in the first half.
After a high-energy performance on Monday, there was probably little choice; wholesale changes had to be made. Unfortunately, this impacted on the team's fluidity, and Wigan often looked the better side. The absence of Gibbs meant Eboue had to defend on his "wrong side". Arshavin was vintage Arshavin: lethargic and frustrating- he scored one brilliant goal and set up Bendtner's.
That sent Arsenal into half-time with a lead they scarcely deserved. Wigan had started at a high tempo, hastling the Gunners much as the Gunners had hassled the Blues. The dangerous Nzogbia had Arsenal on the ropes early on. Arsenal attacked dangerously but- surprise surprise- were opened up on the counter. The winger advanced to the edge of the area where he jinked by two challenges. The latter came from Koscielny, and N'zogbia fell over it into the box. Penalty. Watson dispatched it with minimum fuss.
The goal was a little unlucky for Arsenal. The challenge was not inside the box, for a start. Secondly, Koscielny merely wafted a foot in N'zogbia's direction, then pulled out- the contact was no more than a slight brush, if that. It was a dive, albeit the kind of dive that never gets condemned.
Before half time, Arshavin acrobatically gobbled up the rebound after Bendtner's shot had been parried to level matters. The Russian had been abject to that point but the goal provided him with a boost and he glided forward minutes later to flick a pass to Bendtner. The Dane benefited from a lucky ricochet to bear down on the keeper but his finish was assured and Arsenal had turned it around.
Of course a one-goal lead is never safe for Arsenal. Sadly, despite the perceived freshness of the starting line-up, they failed to work as hard without the ball as the team of Monday night did against Chelsea. Wigan threatened at intervals throughout the second period; Arsenal merely sat back and invited it. They surely ought to have better tested the soft centre of their opponents, in trying to put the game to bed.
Wenger's changes came too late- he was reactive rather than proactive. The reaction only came after Wigan equalised. As the final ten minutes loomed, N'zogbia got himself sent off for a headbutt on Wilshere. Instead of closing the game out, however, Arsenal duly conceded. Squillaci underlined his rotten form by finding his own net from a corner. As Wenger said, an extra man doesn't count for much while your team is defending a set play. Especially when the team in question CANNOT defend a set play. I don't think Arsenal could defend effectively with 15 men.
So, belatedly, Nasri and Walcott stepped onto the pitch. The former had a free kick handled in the area in the death throes of the match- no decision. But Arsenal should not have left themselves needing last gasp decisions.
UNITED's draw at Birmingham presented an opportunity for Arsenal to assert their credentials as closest challengers for the title. It was a vital chance to gain ground. Instead, the gap remains at two points, but may as well be viewed as five, with United holding a game in hand. Such a lead would not be insurmountable but the question hangs in the air: can Arsenal put a run together? Are they good enough to stop dropping points to the lower lights of the league?
They have a decent squad in numbers and there is more depth of quality than at some of the other leading clubs, but no depth of character. They seem to lack the necessary confidence when Fabregas is missing. The absence of Vermaelen is cruel but Wenger could surely have scouted for a more able centre back than Squillaci. The team's lack of a winning mentality was perhaps summed up by Koscielny's resigned acceptance of the contentious penalty award. That happens to United or Chelsea, there would be some unseemly hounding of officials.
The story of the week so far: Arsenal can beat Chelsea after all, but look no closer to winning the title.
Arsenal had even less recovery time between the euphoria of Monday night and the mundane trip to Wigan. Wenger decided to use the fullness of his squad. Only Fabianski, Sagna and Koscielny survived from the previous line-up. Wilshere joined them when Diaby all-too-predictably broke down in the first half.
After a high-energy performance on Monday, there was probably little choice; wholesale changes had to be made. Unfortunately, this impacted on the team's fluidity, and Wigan often looked the better side. The absence of Gibbs meant Eboue had to defend on his "wrong side". Arshavin was vintage Arshavin: lethargic and frustrating- he scored one brilliant goal and set up Bendtner's.
That sent Arsenal into half-time with a lead they scarcely deserved. Wigan had started at a high tempo, hastling the Gunners much as the Gunners had hassled the Blues. The dangerous Nzogbia had Arsenal on the ropes early on. Arsenal attacked dangerously but- surprise surprise- were opened up on the counter. The winger advanced to the edge of the area where he jinked by two challenges. The latter came from Koscielny, and N'zogbia fell over it into the box. Penalty. Watson dispatched it with minimum fuss.
The goal was a little unlucky for Arsenal. The challenge was not inside the box, for a start. Secondly, Koscielny merely wafted a foot in N'zogbia's direction, then pulled out- the contact was no more than a slight brush, if that. It was a dive, albeit the kind of dive that never gets condemned.
Before half time, Arshavin acrobatically gobbled up the rebound after Bendtner's shot had been parried to level matters. The Russian had been abject to that point but the goal provided him with a boost and he glided forward minutes later to flick a pass to Bendtner. The Dane benefited from a lucky ricochet to bear down on the keeper but his finish was assured and Arsenal had turned it around.
Of course a one-goal lead is never safe for Arsenal. Sadly, despite the perceived freshness of the starting line-up, they failed to work as hard without the ball as the team of Monday night did against Chelsea. Wigan threatened at intervals throughout the second period; Arsenal merely sat back and invited it. They surely ought to have better tested the soft centre of their opponents, in trying to put the game to bed.
Wenger's changes came too late- he was reactive rather than proactive. The reaction only came after Wigan equalised. As the final ten minutes loomed, N'zogbia got himself sent off for a headbutt on Wilshere. Instead of closing the game out, however, Arsenal duly conceded. Squillaci underlined his rotten form by finding his own net from a corner. As Wenger said, an extra man doesn't count for much while your team is defending a set play. Especially when the team in question CANNOT defend a set play. I don't think Arsenal could defend effectively with 15 men.
So, belatedly, Nasri and Walcott stepped onto the pitch. The former had a free kick handled in the area in the death throes of the match- no decision. But Arsenal should not have left themselves needing last gasp decisions.
UNITED's draw at Birmingham presented an opportunity for Arsenal to assert their credentials as closest challengers for the title. It was a vital chance to gain ground. Instead, the gap remains at two points, but may as well be viewed as five, with United holding a game in hand. Such a lead would not be insurmountable but the question hangs in the air: can Arsenal put a run together? Are they good enough to stop dropping points to the lower lights of the league?
They have a decent squad in numbers and there is more depth of quality than at some of the other leading clubs, but no depth of character. They seem to lack the necessary confidence when Fabregas is missing. The absence of Vermaelen is cruel but Wenger could surely have scouted for a more able centre back than Squillaci. The team's lack of a winning mentality was perhaps summed up by Koscielny's resigned acceptance of the contentious penalty award. That happens to United or Chelsea, there would be some unseemly hounding of officials.
The story of the week so far: Arsenal can beat Chelsea after all, but look no closer to winning the title.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wigan 3-2 Arsenal: what a way to crown another season of mediocrity
Your project has failed, Mr. Wenger.
It was essentially a meaningless game, but surely this is the lowest point of the Wenger reign?
An ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH Wigan side come back with three goals in ten minutes to win?
After Arsenal lead 2-0?
That, my friends, is a disgrace.
I don't care about the players who were missing. A great club is supposed to function as a whole. It is not supposed to crumble in the absence of five good players.
Where is the attitude? The professionalism?
More to the point, where should it come from?
If this team STILL lacks maturity, where does the blame lie?
I hope to God that the recent talk from Wenger that suggests a change in transfer policy is not yet more empty rhetoric.
I said a few weeks ago that however this ended, it was going to look noble and heroic. Well, you can scratch that. What a disgrace this team's attitude is.
What the Fuck gives them the right to be so lazy and arrogant?
They've achieved the sum total of nothing.
Time for a change.
It was essentially a meaningless game, but surely this is the lowest point of the Wenger reign?
An ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH Wigan side come back with three goals in ten minutes to win?
After Arsenal lead 2-0?
That, my friends, is a disgrace.
I don't care about the players who were missing. A great club is supposed to function as a whole. It is not supposed to crumble in the absence of five good players.
Where is the attitude? The professionalism?
More to the point, where should it come from?
If this team STILL lacks maturity, where does the blame lie?
I hope to God that the recent talk from Wenger that suggests a change in transfer policy is not yet more empty rhetoric.
I said a few weeks ago that however this ended, it was going to look noble and heroic. Well, you can scratch that. What a disgrace this team's attitude is.
What the Fuck gives them the right to be so lazy and arrogant?
They've achieved the sum total of nothing.
Time for a change.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Arsenal 4-0 Wigan/ city contract kolo-itis
For Arsenal, it was a routine enough win, in the end, against Wigan on Saturday. 4-0 is a handsome scoreline but there was still a lot of the trademark panicky defending, especially with the score at 1-0. I guess though if we continue scoring bagloads at the other end, it won't matter... sorry, that's stupid, we all know we won't score four every week...
But all I can talk about now is this week, this week we could have had eight if Robin Van Persie could familiarise himself with the concept of composure. It might sound harsh but to me the guy's always had a bit of a habit of passing up the more straightforward opportunities he gets. Now, that wasn't such a problem when he played with more prolific partners like Thierry Henry, and later, he whose name shall not be mentioned, back then everyone was happy if he smashed one in from close to the corner flag or scored a volley while jumping seven feet in the air once in a while, but at this point maybe we need less of Van Persie the show stopper and more of a Van Persie who will get into the mundane but necessary habit of just hitting the net. A lot. To be fair, you've got to feel for the guy a little, he's never really been an out-and-out striker, and now Wenger's piled a lot of pressure on him with the formation change. I'm aware it wasn't a problem against Wigan, and loads of his teammates got in scoring positions at different points aswell so that's all positive of course but you would have to worry a little about the tight games where we might just get One Big chance.
As aforementioned the clean sheet was a bit misleading, we shouldn't kid ourselves and better teams than Wigan would have punished us for giving up clear-cut chances. The main points for optimism were Vermaelan's surprising brace, including one lovely curler from the edge of the area, and the fact that we created plenty of chances.
I guess the main areas of interest this weekend were elsewhere, on Sunday, as Spurs went to chelsea after what turned out to be a ludicrous Manchester derby. Three times city hit back after United pushed ahead, but on each occasion their shoddy defence creaked and eventually cracked, decisively so six minutes into stoppage time when the still predatory Michael Owen was granted the freedom of the penalty area to slot the winner.
Mark Hughes has the kind of persecution complex that would give Wenger a run for his money (whingeing about the extra stoppage time) and likewise a hefty dose of myopia (defending Ademanure and this week craig bellamy after that horrible cunt slapped a pitch invader who was BEING HELD back by stewards- classy guy). But I just wonder if he himself may be the man to stop city from breaking into the top four. He looks to be modelling his defence on ours, so that may bode badly for their hopes. I honestly wonder if Richard Dunne would have made a big difference on Sunday, with his old team displaying the aerial ineptitude that now seems inevitable in any defence with Kolo Toure in it. Darren Fletcher, hardly the most obvious goal threat, was twice allowed to head home relatively unchallenged, and if not for the profligacy of Berbatov and the continued brilliance of Given there would have been a few more headed goals for United. Joleon Lescott is fuck all of an improvement on Dunne, in fact he might be the most overrated defender the world has ever seen. His and Toure's partnership looks to be of the headless variety.
And while I thought at first that replacing Dunne with added pace was to allow city to defend higher up the pitch, that now seems strange as they've played predominantly on the counter this season, drawing teams out in order to unleash their own pacey attackers into the space in behind. Surely if they're gonna be defending deep so often they would be as well served keeping Dunne? They were certainly pinned back for a long, long stretch at 2-2, and this is when the cost of the Adebayor ban also really hit home- city were painfully lacking somebody to hold the ball up with Tevez and Bellamy unsuited to that task. The ball just kept coming back at their defence. In fact, United's winner actually stemmed from, and I've not seen this mentioned elsewhere, Tevez cluelessly, aimlessly heading a ball into the air and back to a United player wehen if he was a player with a talent to match his reputation he would have taken it down, laid it off and started a counterattack. Or at least kept the ball for his team. An apt ending perhaps, as city throughout the second half only had the balls or the courage to attack coherently when they trailed. As chelsea found to their cost against Barcelona last season the best way to protect a result is to show some moral courage and try to keep hold of the ball, not to invite the opposition on. counterattacking teams sometimes fall on their sword as happened at Old Trafford and it was probably, let's face it, a good result for us as we've gotta be thinking of 4th place.
United roll on, as do chelsea after a routine enough 3-0 win against Spurs, although the amazingly overrated Howard Webb failed to give Robbie Keane a penalty after he was felled by the serial fouler carvalho with the score at 1-0.
While it looks to be all about those two at the moment, I'm just now getting a sneaky feeling that this will, somehow, be Liverpool's season after they secured a trademark, skin of their teeth 3-2 win at West Ham. That's on the condition that, when Agger is fit, they drop the liability that is Jamie carragher.
But all I can talk about now is this week, this week we could have had eight if Robin Van Persie could familiarise himself with the concept of composure. It might sound harsh but to me the guy's always had a bit of a habit of passing up the more straightforward opportunities he gets. Now, that wasn't such a problem when he played with more prolific partners like Thierry Henry, and later, he whose name shall not be mentioned, back then everyone was happy if he smashed one in from close to the corner flag or scored a volley while jumping seven feet in the air once in a while, but at this point maybe we need less of Van Persie the show stopper and more of a Van Persie who will get into the mundane but necessary habit of just hitting the net. A lot. To be fair, you've got to feel for the guy a little, he's never really been an out-and-out striker, and now Wenger's piled a lot of pressure on him with the formation change. I'm aware it wasn't a problem against Wigan, and loads of his teammates got in scoring positions at different points aswell so that's all positive of course but you would have to worry a little about the tight games where we might just get One Big chance.
As aforementioned the clean sheet was a bit misleading, we shouldn't kid ourselves and better teams than Wigan would have punished us for giving up clear-cut chances. The main points for optimism were Vermaelan's surprising brace, including one lovely curler from the edge of the area, and the fact that we created plenty of chances.
I guess the main areas of interest this weekend were elsewhere, on Sunday, as Spurs went to chelsea after what turned out to be a ludicrous Manchester derby. Three times city hit back after United pushed ahead, but on each occasion their shoddy defence creaked and eventually cracked, decisively so six minutes into stoppage time when the still predatory Michael Owen was granted the freedom of the penalty area to slot the winner.
Mark Hughes has the kind of persecution complex that would give Wenger a run for his money (whingeing about the extra stoppage time) and likewise a hefty dose of myopia (defending Ademanure and this week craig bellamy after that horrible cunt slapped a pitch invader who was BEING HELD back by stewards- classy guy). But I just wonder if he himself may be the man to stop city from breaking into the top four. He looks to be modelling his defence on ours, so that may bode badly for their hopes. I honestly wonder if Richard Dunne would have made a big difference on Sunday, with his old team displaying the aerial ineptitude that now seems inevitable in any defence with Kolo Toure in it. Darren Fletcher, hardly the most obvious goal threat, was twice allowed to head home relatively unchallenged, and if not for the profligacy of Berbatov and the continued brilliance of Given there would have been a few more headed goals for United. Joleon Lescott is fuck all of an improvement on Dunne, in fact he might be the most overrated defender the world has ever seen. His and Toure's partnership looks to be of the headless variety.
And while I thought at first that replacing Dunne with added pace was to allow city to defend higher up the pitch, that now seems strange as they've played predominantly on the counter this season, drawing teams out in order to unleash their own pacey attackers into the space in behind. Surely if they're gonna be defending deep so often they would be as well served keeping Dunne? They were certainly pinned back for a long, long stretch at 2-2, and this is when the cost of the Adebayor ban also really hit home- city were painfully lacking somebody to hold the ball up with Tevez and Bellamy unsuited to that task. The ball just kept coming back at their defence. In fact, United's winner actually stemmed from, and I've not seen this mentioned elsewhere, Tevez cluelessly, aimlessly heading a ball into the air and back to a United player wehen if he was a player with a talent to match his reputation he would have taken it down, laid it off and started a counterattack. Or at least kept the ball for his team. An apt ending perhaps, as city throughout the second half only had the balls or the courage to attack coherently when they trailed. As chelsea found to their cost against Barcelona last season the best way to protect a result is to show some moral courage and try to keep hold of the ball, not to invite the opposition on. counterattacking teams sometimes fall on their sword as happened at Old Trafford and it was probably, let's face it, a good result for us as we've gotta be thinking of 4th place.
United roll on, as do chelsea after a routine enough 3-0 win against Spurs, although the amazingly overrated Howard Webb failed to give Robbie Keane a penalty after he was felled by the serial fouler carvalho with the score at 1-0.
While it looks to be all about those two at the moment, I'm just now getting a sneaky feeling that this will, somehow, be Liverpool's season after they secured a trademark, skin of their teeth 3-2 win at West Ham. That's on the condition that, when Agger is fit, they drop the liability that is Jamie carragher.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Second Playmaker Situation
The reliance on Fabregas is old news, but he hasn't looked himself lately, and when that's the case the team are bound to struggle.
Another potential facet of the 4-3-3 that must have attracted Wenger is that it allows room for two central playmakers. Playing in a 4-4-2, if Fabregas was closely followed by a man-marker, we would be relying on the creativity of our wide players, something that hasn't really been consistent since the days of Robert Pires.
I guess there were two possibilities that Wenger may have considered in the Summer. One would have been to play Arshavin behind a centre forward, thus giving us added creativity ahead of Fabregas. It's something he tried a fair bit with the inconsistent Hleb in the 07/08 season, and obviously a position that Arsenal fans will forever attach a certain mystique to because of a man with the initials D.B. And no, it's not David Bentley.
But enough about that, because he took the alternative option, that is, a 4-3-3. Firstly, this adds a body in the central area we often find ourselves overrun in. But there's the added bonus that, when fit, one of Nasri or Rosicky can step in beside Fabregas with Song sweeping up behind. This is something that we'll hopefully see in home games in which we face ultra-defensive sides.
Nasri had a mixed season on the left last time out, but one that was fairly impressive for a new signing. He has a good work-rate and isn't scared of a tackle, and he probably looked most comfortable in those fleeting instances during which he was given a central prompting role while Fabregas was out injured. All of this, and Arshavin's role on the left of the front three, suggests that Nasri will be fighting it out with Denilson when he returns from injury.
We've already seen, in the last two games, a half-fit Rosicky play a prominent role in the same position. This for me is the great positive from a difficult period. As mentioned before, Denilson seems to come up short often in his attempts to lessen the captain's burden while we're in possession. We've seen how the Xavi-Iniesta axis has been so thrillingly effective in Barcelona's 4-3-3, and in Rosicky and Nasri we have two players who could in a sense play Iniesta to Fabregas' Xavi.
Indeed, Arshavin could be added to that list, but Wenger seems keen to play him as high up the pitch as possible. I still worry a bit that having him out on the left may negate some of his potentially huge influence, but I guess the reasoning is that he's already proven himself a potent goal threat for us and Wenger wants to make the most of that. Marc Overmars came to Arsenal in 97 with a big reputation as a provider from the flank, and was transformed into a free-scoring wide striker, almost. I think that's the blueprint for Arshavin (albeit that he has a different positional origin and playing style). Both small in stature, both good dribblers (Overmars faster, Arshavin trickier, but with an ability to be equally direct), both two-footed... you can see the parrallels, and if Arshavin proves himself as adept a finisher as Overmars, we might be onto a winner.
IF, and with Arsenal, it's a huuuuuuge if, we got everyone fit, this could be the line-up:
ALMUNIA
SAGNA-GALLAS-VERMAELEN-cLIcHY
SONG
FABREGAS-NASRI
WALcOTT-VAN PERSIE-ARSHAVIN
It admittedly looks like it could be got at, and there are question marks over a couple of the players- Almunia's a clown, Van Persie looks isolated at times in the centre forward position, and Walcott is yet to convince me- but even in the latter two areas we have potential alternatives (Eduardo, Bendtner, Wilshere, Vela, etc). Why I'd have Theo in the ideal first XI is that his amazing pace is something we otherwise lack- it would allow us to stretch the opposition, and whatever my criticisms of the guy, he does provide something different in the front three.
Now, it should again be pointed out that talking of Arsenal line-ups as a matter of such ample choice is really a total flight of fantasy, and will remain so until our horrible run of injuries ends, whatever the reasons for it (one suspects it could not simply be bad luck).
Anyway, I'll be brought back down to reality, in all likelihood, by a long ninety minutes trying to break Wigan down tomorrow. Enjoy.
Another potential facet of the 4-3-3 that must have attracted Wenger is that it allows room for two central playmakers. Playing in a 4-4-2, if Fabregas was closely followed by a man-marker, we would be relying on the creativity of our wide players, something that hasn't really been consistent since the days of Robert Pires.
I guess there were two possibilities that Wenger may have considered in the Summer. One would have been to play Arshavin behind a centre forward, thus giving us added creativity ahead of Fabregas. It's something he tried a fair bit with the inconsistent Hleb in the 07/08 season, and obviously a position that Arsenal fans will forever attach a certain mystique to because of a man with the initials D.B. And no, it's not David Bentley.
But enough about that, because he took the alternative option, that is, a 4-3-3. Firstly, this adds a body in the central area we often find ourselves overrun in. But there's the added bonus that, when fit, one of Nasri or Rosicky can step in beside Fabregas with Song sweeping up behind. This is something that we'll hopefully see in home games in which we face ultra-defensive sides.
Nasri had a mixed season on the left last time out, but one that was fairly impressive for a new signing. He has a good work-rate and isn't scared of a tackle, and he probably looked most comfortable in those fleeting instances during which he was given a central prompting role while Fabregas was out injured. All of this, and Arshavin's role on the left of the front three, suggests that Nasri will be fighting it out with Denilson when he returns from injury.
We've already seen, in the last two games, a half-fit Rosicky play a prominent role in the same position. This for me is the great positive from a difficult period. As mentioned before, Denilson seems to come up short often in his attempts to lessen the captain's burden while we're in possession. We've seen how the Xavi-Iniesta axis has been so thrillingly effective in Barcelona's 4-3-3, and in Rosicky and Nasri we have two players who could in a sense play Iniesta to Fabregas' Xavi.
Indeed, Arshavin could be added to that list, but Wenger seems keen to play him as high up the pitch as possible. I still worry a bit that having him out on the left may negate some of his potentially huge influence, but I guess the reasoning is that he's already proven himself a potent goal threat for us and Wenger wants to make the most of that. Marc Overmars came to Arsenal in 97 with a big reputation as a provider from the flank, and was transformed into a free-scoring wide striker, almost. I think that's the blueprint for Arshavin (albeit that he has a different positional origin and playing style). Both small in stature, both good dribblers (Overmars faster, Arshavin trickier, but with an ability to be equally direct), both two-footed... you can see the parrallels, and if Arshavin proves himself as adept a finisher as Overmars, we might be onto a winner.
IF, and with Arsenal, it's a huuuuuuge if, we got everyone fit, this could be the line-up:
ALMUNIA
SAGNA-GALLAS-VERMAELEN-cLIcHY
SONG
FABREGAS-NASRI
WALcOTT-VAN PERSIE-ARSHAVIN
It admittedly looks like it could be got at, and there are question marks over a couple of the players- Almunia's a clown, Van Persie looks isolated at times in the centre forward position, and Walcott is yet to convince me- but even in the latter two areas we have potential alternatives (Eduardo, Bendtner, Wilshere, Vela, etc). Why I'd have Theo in the ideal first XI is that his amazing pace is something we otherwise lack- it would allow us to stretch the opposition, and whatever my criticisms of the guy, he does provide something different in the front three.
Now, it should again be pointed out that talking of Arsenal line-ups as a matter of such ample choice is really a total flight of fantasy, and will remain so until our horrible run of injuries ends, whatever the reasons for it (one suspects it could not simply be bad luck).
Anyway, I'll be brought back down to reality, in all likelihood, by a long ninety minutes trying to break Wigan down tomorrow. Enjoy.
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