Saturday, December 25, 2010

Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it - Part 3

Vito Mannone - Hull City
Apps: 5 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 18 Loan due to end: January 31
Last match: Hull City 2-0 Bristol City
League position: 18th in Championship
Verdict: Don Vito will be the third choice keeper once Manuel Almunia leaves the club. I don't think he will overtake Wojciech but he has to stay patience and overtake Fabianski when the latter inevitably makes a mess of things.

Aaron Ramsey - Nottingham Forest
Apps: 0+2 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 25 Loan due to end: January 3
Last match: Nottingham Forest 3-0 Crystal Palace
League position: 8th in Championship 
Verdict: Rambo's loan spell was really to get him back to fitness after his broken leg. Ideally he would be back with the Gunners in January, but maybe continuing his rehabilitation with Forest will eventually be better for him.

Mark Randall - Rotherham United
Apps: 1 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 27 Loan due to end: January 25
Last match: Southend 1-0 Rotherham United
League position: 4th in League Two
Verdict: Former reserves's team captain Mark has not been able to make the leap to the senior sqaud. It would be best to leave the club and seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Armand Traore - Juventus
Apps: 2+2 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 31 Loan due to end: End of the season
Last match: Chievo 1-1 Juventus
League Position: 4th in Serie A
Verdict: Armand has had his opportunities to cement his place in the squad but his perfromances end of last season showed that he won't cut it with the Gunners.


This is my last post for the year. Wishing all of you

"Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year"
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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it - Part 2

Thomas Cruise - Carlisle United
Apps: 6 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 3 Loan due to end: January 8
Last match: Carlisle United 0-2 Dagenham and Redbridge
League position: 11th in League One
Verdict: How Thomas does at the club depends a lot of Gael Clichy. He is the heir apparent for the left back position after Kieran Gibbs. If Clichy moves on then Thomas would have a much better chance of making it to the first team. Otherwise, he might end up like another Armand Traore, although Thomas is a much better player.


Cedric Evina - Oldham Athletic
Apps: 8 Goals: 1
Loan started: October 5 Loan due to end: January 4
Last match: Rochdale 1-1 Oldham
League Position: 6th in League One
Verdict: Very much an utility player which Arsene likes to keep. Have seen him in attack and defense so he is quite comfortable in both areas. His adaptability will be an asset and keep him at the club


Samuel Galindo - Salamanca
Apps: 0+4 Goals: 0
Loan started: September 3 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Salamanca 4-2 Las Palmas
League position: 4th in Spanish Second Division
Verdict: Another one following the footsteps of Carlos Vela. He will be given chances, again just like Vela so whether he makes it or not is entirely up to him.


Gavin Hoyte - Lincoln City
Apps: 7 Goals: 0
Loan started: October 29 Loan due to end: January 29
Last match: Hereford 2-2 Lincoln City
League position: 19th in League Two
Verdict: Although I like him when I saw him play, unfortunately I don't think he will be ever good enough for the Gunners. Will be following his brother's way out of the squad.

Henri Lansbury - Norwich City
Apps: 4 Goals: 0
Loan started: November 22 Loan due to end: January 16
Last match: Coventry 1-2 Norwich City
League position: 5th in Championship
Verdict: Already featured in the first team this season, Henri is definitely going to stay at the club. His loan spell has been a success and I see him emulating Jack Wilshere and being injected into the senior team once he is back from his loan spell. He will be a mainstay in the Arsenal team for a long time.
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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Arsenal's loanees - How many will make it back - Part 1

Since there is absoutely no action whatsoever on the field, i thought i would take a look at the Young Gunnners who are currently out on loan. According to the Arsenal website,  we have 15 players out on loan at the moment, with loan contracts running ending anytime in January till end of the season. Obviously there is no way that all these players will ever make it to the first team. some of team have been in reserves and loaned out every single year so maybe it's time for team to move on and provide some cash to fund the club. so here's a look at those i think will make it and those who are unlikely to be around the Emirates much longer.

Benik Afobe - Huddersfield Town
Apps: 7+2 Goals: 3
Loan started: November 2 Loan due to end: January 8
Last match: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Brighton
League position: 3rd in League One
Verdict:This guy is very much a keeper. He is an outstanding talent and is already a star with the England U17 team. He is only 17 but is already knocking on the first team's door. Arsene rates this guy highly so he should be a success with the club in the near future.


Nacer Barazite- Vitesse Arnhem
Apps: 5+4 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 31 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Groningen 4-1 Vitesse Arnhem
League position: 15th in Dutch Eredivisie
Verdict: Unfortunately, the Dutchman doesn't seem to be able to make it to the main squad. Every year he is loaned out after the pre-season and nothing much has changed. He should be looking at other options. Maybe a drop down to a Championship team will be good for him. Apparently a couple of Bundesliga clubs are interested


Kyle Bartley - Sheffield United
Apps: 16+1 Goals: 0
Loan started: August 10 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Sheffield United 1-0 Swansea
League position: 20th in Championship
Verdict: Bartley is a promising centreback and I predict will be in the first team come next season. He is gaining valuable experience with Sheffield United at the moment. A throwback to the Tony Adams of old and much needed for Arsenal in the near future.


Pedro Botelho - Cartagena
Apps: 17 Goals: 2
Loan started: August 13 Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Cartagena 5-2 Las Palmas
League Position: 4th in Spanish Second Division
Verdict:Was not very outstanding during his time with the reserves and neither has his loan term with Cartagena set anything alight. One to let go


Francis Coquelin - Lorient
Apps: 5+5 Goals: 0
Loan started: Start of season Loan due to end: End of season
Last match: Toulouse 3-0 Lorient
League Position: 12th in Ligue 1
Verdict: He went to Lorient as part of the Koscielny deal. Although his is a good player, there is too many players already in the defensive midfield position that I think Arsene will let him go. Under the young guns pecking order, he is already behind Craig Eastmond and Emmanuel Frimpong so his chances will be limited.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Blackberry App: Best of Arsenal Blogs

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- ArseBlog
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- Le Grove
- A Cultured Left Foot
- The Arsenal Kid
- Legendaire
- GoodPlaya
- GoonBlog
- Untold Arsenal
- Arsenal Mania


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Monday, December 20, 2010

Let Denilson go and get Ramsey back

Today's news headlines were all about the prospective £10 million bid for Denilson by our favourite Spanish side, Barcelona. I don't see this really happening because they just signed Mascherano in the summer. Nonetheless, I would welcome such a move for the Brazilian.

Denilson has been with the first team for 3 years now. When he initially came in, I was really excited about the his play. He has exquisite movement and passing but he seemed to have regressed. The boy does not seem to give his 100 percent in every match and sometimes just saunters around. Last year's F.A Cup defeat at Stoke was a prime example of the lackadaisical attitude that the boy has at times. He was at fault for the second goal, not bothered to track the midfield run of the opposition player.

He started a lot of games last year but this time around Arsene seems to have put more faith in Jack Wilshere than the Brazilian. Even Diaby was starting more games than the Brazilian until he got injured. Therefore he wouldn't be a lost if we can get some decent money for him. Barcelona may not be the destination but I am hearing that a couple of German clubs are interested in him as well.

Another thing about letting Denilson go is we would free up a midfield role for Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman's loan period at Nottingham Forest is coming to an end so he can be integrated back into the squad slowly. Without Denilson, Rambo's chances would be better and I would definitely rate him over the Brazilian anytime.

So let's thank Denilson for his services to the club and bid him farewell this January!
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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Miyachi's signing a little strange for me

It's been a real boring weekend so far. I thought I would have the double pleasure of watching the Gunners trample all over Stoke City and return to the top of the Premiership. Both events did not happened due to the big freeze currently sweeping over England and most of Europe now.

Past few days have been dominated by the signing of young Japanese starlet Ryo Miyachi. I have not personally watch this guy play but isn't being 18 years of age a little too old to join the academy. When we have players are like Wishere, Ramsey and Walcott all starting their first team careers at that age, why is it that we are bringing an untested player in at that age. Don't get me wrong but I love that Arsene has signed an Asian player but I do hope it is not for commercial reasons. Anyone remember Junichi Inamoto?

If I am not wrong, there are another  players coming in during the January window who is about that age, Welling Silva. This guy though is a proven player in the Brazilian league so the situation is a little different. I am just a little perplexed with the Miyachi signing. Anyways, I wish him all the best in his Arsenal career.
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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Shawcross just rubs me the wrong way

Much has been said about the response that Ryan Shawcross will receive when he steps onto the pitch this afternoon. Even Arsene has come out and ask the fans not to give the guy a hard time. Personally, if I am at the stadium, I would be jeering until my throat is hoarse each time the player touches the ball. I just cannot stand the way the guys is made to look like a saint even after causing injury to two Arsenal players.

I would have respected him more if he had to admit that he was wrong in making the rash challenge which broke Rambo's leg. He didn't. All he said was that he didn't meant it and it was not malicious. Of course, every player does not go into a challenge aiming to break a players's leg (unless you'are Roy Keane) but whether the tackle needs to be made have to be examine. I still haven't forgiven the guy and I don't think I will no matter what Arsene says.

I don't like to be vindictive but maybe he just rubs me the wrong way. Anyway,  I would be happy if the Gunners can just thump Stoke and climb back up to the top of the Premiership.
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Friday, December 17, 2010

Barca must be cursing their luck for drawing the Gunners

As Arsene predicted, we were drawn to meet Barcelona in the first knock-out stage of the Champions League. Many may consider that this is the worst possible draw for us but with a 25% chance of meeting the favorites, it was hard to avoid to inevitable. We shall not dwell on the two defeats that brought us to this state after starting so brightly with the thrashing of Braga.

Personally, I am happy to draw Barcelona. You might think I am mad but it is the best possible draw for us. Let me tell you why? First, I genuine believe that we have what it takes to beat Barcelona if we performed to our best. We gave them a great fright and rattled them with the performance at the Emirates when we played with an almost full team (just missing Robin Van Persie). I am convinced we would have beaten them at the Camp Nou had we showed up with the same team. Unfortunately, injuries started to take its toll on the first team and we went there without 5 first team regulars and ended up losing. However, we took the lead and it was only because of Messi that we lost the match. He is nowhere near the form he was last year while we have improved the squad. In Nasri, we have currently the hottest player in Europe.

Second, even if we lose, there is no harm to it. It is better to lose early in the knockout stages then going forward into the latter stages only to lose then. Last year was a classic example. Chelsea went out early and could concentrate on the domestic challenge. Ourselves and Man United went forward into the quarterfinals and semifinals but failed to match Chelsea domestically. Therefore, a lost could be the best thing for us since our title competitors would surely go through given their easy match-ups against weak opponents.

Having said that, I don't think Josep Guardiola will be pleased with the draw. The pressure will be all on him and I think he will be having sleepless nights thinking about this match-up. For us, if we win it would be a big boost to our European credentials and elimination of the favorites from the competition. As said, even if we lose there is no big downside to it. So getting Barcelona is the ideal situation for the Gunners.
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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Arsenal vs Stoke City: Match Preview

This Saturday, we welcome Tony Pulis’s team to the Emirates. Now that Big Sam is out of a job, Pulis must be the manager most hated by Arsenal fans among the current crop of Premiership gaffers. His reaction and comments after the Shawcross incident and subsequent jibes regarding our beloved team has made him a favorite target for the loyal fans at the Emirates.

The Potters are in quite good form coming into this match having gone four matches unbeaten before bad home defeat to Blackpool last weekend, whereas we are still suffering from the morale-crushing defeat to Man United on Monday night.

We know have our full complement of first choice players back bar for Vermaelen so we should see how the team gel after some lackluster performances. I have said previously that our success this year would be conditioned on getting the offensive players to work together in the same team Arsene must somehow fit Van Persie and Chamakh upfront and accommodate both Cesc and Nasri in field. This issue will be a major determinant of our success this season. It has been proven time and again that went we score early then our chances of winning are much better.  In fact we almost always win when we go ahead in a match.

Surprisingly our attack has been stuttering for the past couple of games. Somehow we are not getting in gear. Against Man United, we were hardly an attacking force and barely forcing Van der Sar to make a save. This is unacceptable given the quality of offensive players at the manager’s disposal. If the player is not playing up to his form, then make the brave decision and bench him. Arshavin would be a classic case.  He is blowing hot and cold this season (mainly cold) so let’s give others a chance. There are others waiting in the wings like Theo and Vela. Although both have not impressed of late, they can provide more variation to that Arsenal attack. Theo especially has been disappointing since he came back, but I feel he deserves his chance in the starting line-up.

This match will not be won by our defense. We know how Stoke will play and given recent history, they will probably score a goal from one of Delap’s missiles. This is inevitable so in order to win this Saturday we need to score more goal that them. With Chelsea and Man United going against each other, it will be an opportunity for us to climb back to the top of the Premiership for Christmas.
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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Nasri wins French Award and Mertesacker coming to the Emirates

It's a pretty slow news days for Arsenal fans as we try to keep up the spirits in the wake of the Man United defeat. Nothing new has been mentioned from that match anymore so we'll just chalk that as another defeat which will probably mean nothing if we lift the championship trophy come May.

So with much to comment on, I just focus on some of the news making the headlines in the local dailies. Samir Nasri, our best player of the season so far, has won the French Player of the Year award, beating out the competition from Florent Malouda, Yoaan Gourcuff, Franck Ribery and Hugo Lloris. Nasri is extremely deserving of the award given his performances for the Gunners in 2010, from the superb solo goal he scored against Porto to playing his best football ever since he stepped foot in England. The Arsenal Kid congratulates you, Samir Nasri, you deserved it.

Another interesting headline making the rounds is the possible availability of Per Mertersacker after he turned down a new contract offer from his club Werder Bremen. Arsene tried desperately to sign this guy before the summer transfer window closed but the player was reluctant to leave his present club. However, reports coming out from Germany mentioned that the player is now looking at a possible move to a bigger club and Arsenal are the frontrunners for his signature. Mertersacker who has almost 70 caps for Germany is a big and composed defender. He will be ideal as the long term partner for TV5. Unfortunately, I think it is highly unlikely for Le Professor to splash out cash to bring in another defender, given that he has already spent close to £15 million pounds for Squillaci and Koscielny in the summer.

Till Tomorrow!
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Positives amid all the doom and gloom

If you were to believe most of the news reports today, you would have thought that following Arsenal’s defeat yesterday, we are now lying bottom of the Premiership table  and likely to be relegated. It does seem funny how with each match the sentiment among pundits can change just at a whim.

No doubt it was a defeat but no unexpected given our recent history. Are we out of the title race...definitely not. Although many pundits would like to brush off our chances, they simply can’t do that. We are still in second place and I won’t be surprise that the conclusion of next weekend’s round of matches, we would be again sitting on top of the league.

I tend to be optimistic and look at the positives from the match yesterday. First, it was a credible performance by the young keeper Szechny. He couldn’t do anything about the goal and made a great save in a one-on-one situation with Anderson. Again I wouldn’t be suprise to see him between the sticks in the next game against Stoke. He has a presence in the box which Fabianski doesn’t and this will continue in handy against the aerial bombardment expected from Pulis’s guys.

Second, I thought the defence held up better than expected. We did concede a goal and a penalty but other than that I don’t think Man United had many chances. I count probably two; Nani’s volley and Anderson’s miss but that’s it. The central partnership of Koscielny and Squillaci kept Rooney pretty quiet for most parts of the game.

Upfront, we couldn’t get going with Arshavin and Rosicky both disappointing but Walcott was not too bad when he came on. He was lively and had a couple of shots. I also see better things once we can get Fabregas, Van Persie and Chamakh to work in tandem. This is probably the first time they played together and I see positive things in the future.

All in all, we shouldn’t be too hard on the boys following the defeat. It’s over and let’s move on.
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After all the talk, Gunners don't show any “WALK”

After all the pre-match gung-ho talk from the players, I was really optimistic about our chances this time. It was probably naivety that brought me to believe that the boys were finally out to prove their doubters wrong and end the losing streak against the Red Devils.

Unfortunately, we were treated to the same lackluster performance that we have seen from the team over the past weeks. Whereas, we could just scrapped pass Fulham and Partizan with such performances, it was always going to be hard against Manchester United at their own den. It was not so much that the home team was outstanding, just that our boys did not show up for the match.

United was played pretty much like how they do this season, not really impressing but able to grind out the matches. Earlier in the season, their matches ended in draws but they have since turned the corner and convert such insipid performances to wins. As for the Gunners, we are still stuck during games where the opposition has a strong defensive unit. We hardly had a shout at goal. Throughout the match, I only remembered Chamakh’s header in the first half as forcing Van de Sar to make a save. Other than that, NOTHING. Even the introduction of Cesc and Robin failed to make anything worthwhile offensively.

This was the weekend where we could take a big step in the race for the title. However, yet again we failed to capitalize on this opportunity
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Monday, December 13, 2010

Final thoughts before the match: Efficiency in attack key to winning the match


As they say, the best form of defence is attack. This will be especially true for the match tonight. If we are to stand any chance of winning the match tonight, we need to attack the Red Devils will all the efficiency we've got.
To rely on our defence to hold out for 90 minutes will be a tall order. That's why we need to take our chances at the other end and put the home team under pressure from the get go.

Similar to the game against Chelsea which we would have won if team was efficient in attack, this game will boil down to the team taking their chances. If we were to go and grab a couple of early goals then they would commit more men forward. Please note that I mentioned goals because a one goal lead will not be enough with our defense looking a porous as it is. We would have opportunities to score definitely and we need to take them. It is a simple as that.

Not sure if Fabianski can recover in time but if he doesn’t and Wojciech starts, I hope the young Pole can take his chance and put in the game of his life (ala Mannone against Fulham last season). He has been crying for his chance so here is the best opportunity. Go and prove it to us fans!
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Sunday, December 12, 2010

We need to win tonight!

With Chelsea and Spurs cancelling out each other yesterday, we have the opportunity to pull away from three of our championship competitors with a good result from a single match. A win tomorrow and we will be 4 clear or Man U and 5 ahead of Chelsea.

As this year's premiership becomes tighter and tighter such an advantage will be priceless. Yes, we know that any team can drop points during any weekend but as the season progresses, the likelihood of upsets become less and less, and the perennial title challenger go on long unbeaten run.

Surprise defeats usually come early in the season as mid and low table teams  still have the full fitness of a squad. This is unlikely to continue and by christmas you would see teams like Blackpool, wolves, Wigan and west ham unable to win another match in a long time.

Therefore to be champions we need to maintain the consistency and the advantage gap that we have built. We have gone on long unbeaten runs before as the Gunners are traditional strong during the turn of the year.

However everything starts with a victory tonight. We need to win this one!
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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Jack will have to be sacrifice when Cesc returns

Many have wondered how we can accommodate all our first team players when they return from their respective injuries. Although given our team's luck, we would not be concern by this issue, nonetheless we have to consider playing Cesc, Nasri and Van Persie all in the same team.

Have read a lot of comments recently stating that Chamakh should continue as our main striker and Van Persie to start from the bench. Personally, I don't think we should leave a fit Van Persie anywhere but on the field. Although he has not shown his usual form as yet, I put it down to lack of match fitness rather than anything else.

So with Cesc having the possibility of returning for the big game on Monday, how would you play the team. For me, the person to be sacrifice in our usual midfield would be young Jack Wilshere. No doubt, he has come a long way this season but he is still a work in progress and we would need our best players for this match. The only way we are going to win the match against the Red Devils is to be brave and attack them so I am advocating a return to the more traditional 4-4-2 system with Cesc and Song as the midfielders. With this system, Van Persie can continue in his “Bergkamp role” leaving Chamakh to lead the line upfront. Against Partizan on Wednesday, we already saw Van Persie in this role, sometime dropping as deep as the center circle to receive the ball.

With Cesc in midfield, we can also be assured of this defensive capabilities, Although he doesn't have the speed, his reading of the play is excellent, which makes his defensive qualities much needed in front of the back four. I think we have suffered a little because our captain has concentrated his effort upfront while leaving the defensive duties only to Song and Wilshere at times. As for Nasri, he can continue in his right side position. Although he does play better through the middle, he has shown his abilities down the right so there no worry there.

The good thing about Arsenal's squad currently is the depth that we have allows Arsene to change this around if things don't go our way. I believe a return to the 4-4-2 system will bring benefits to the squad of Monday but let's see what the Professor thinks on Monday.
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Friday, December 10, 2010

Manchester United vs Arsenal: An Early Preview


Last year we suffered at the hands of the Red Devils losing both matches against them. The match at Old Trafford was a travesty as we really should have won the match. We dominated for long periods and took the lead only to be undone by two individual mistakes from Almunia and Diaby. I still cannot forget the Diaby own goal and often wondered how he did that. Nonetheless, let's look forward to Monday.

We are top of the table but our performances are far from convincing. The same goes for Manchester United. Yes they are still unbeaten and coming off a convincing victory over Blackburn but that result is very much like Diaby's own goal. It is a fluke. I have watched Manchester United this year and I personally think we have great chance this year.

Although their attack can be devastating with the likes of Nani, Berbatov and Rooney, their defence like us, is still suspect. This is especially true for the fullbacks. Patrice Evra has not been the same since he came back from the World Cup debacle and on the other side, there is no recognized right back in the team since Gary Neville. I don't think Gary will play but if he does, it is good news for us. He moves like a truck these days. So with our play very much attacking the flanks we do stand a great chance of opening their defence.

As for our team, we are almost back to full strength. Cesc might be back for the match but I don't think he would start given our hectic fixture over the coming weeks. We are blessed with choices up front and if one player is not performing we can switched this around, like what Le Professor did with Arshavin and Walcott.

It is the defence that we are a bit short and weak at the moment. This is the worst kept secret currently and I am sure the opposition will attack us down the middle. Not sure who should partner Squillaci, now that Djourou is back on track. I am inching towards the Swiss given his performance against Wigan and Fulham but whoever it is, the midfield screen should be prepared to put in a hard day's work.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Let's savor the victory and be proud of our record

It was again nor a vintage performance by the Gunners yesterday but in the end, all that matters were the three points and progress to the next round in the champions league.

This marks our 11thh successive season in the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition so it is something which we should savor. Not even the likes of Manchester united can boast such a record. And we did it without any sugar daddies to reinforce or coffers or local government to bail us out of out debts.

Whether we progress further this year will be down to our luck in he draw and our performances come February. We should not he too pessimistic about our chances because our performances in February is typically better than the ones in November/December. We just have to go back to the 2006 season when in the run to the final, we took out both Real Madrid and Juventus.

Although we did not play out best last night, I am happy that Le Boss is thinking about accommodating both Chamakh and Van Persie in the same line-up. It didn't work so well last night but that is down to a rusty Van Persie still finding his feet after being out so so long. One thing tha pleased me was the goal by Walcott. The young man still cannot do much right on the flanks but his finishing this season has certainly improved by leaps and bounds

And finally, a word of encouragement to Kieran Gibbs. You'll be back in no time mate. Keep the faith.
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Spurs topping the group is making me sick

Seeing Spurs top their Champions League Group is making me extremely nauseus. The fact that they did in a group which is much tougher as compared to ours makes me even more sick. Further to that, we have probably a very very slim chance of finishing top of the group. That's a triple whammy for me today.

Yes we will probably go out there tonight and hammer the daylights out of Partizan but we still cannot change the fact that if Shakhtar avoids defeat to Braga, they will be top of the group. This is an important development because with the other three English teams taking top spot in their groups, it leaves us with only 5 other teams that we can possibly meet in the second stage. Therefore it leaves us with the possibility of meeting anyone of the following: Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Lyon. 

I don't know about you guys but looking at the list makes me tremble at our champions league progress this season. Not that I am looking down on our players but it's doesn't look good from where I sit and watch.

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Arsenal vs FK Partizan: Match Preview

So, after starting out so well in this year’s Champions League campaign, we are down to winning our last group match to secure a place in the knockout stages. The stumbling away defeats to Shakhtar and Braga have really put a damper into our campaign this season. Even winning this match might not be enough for us to win this relatively easy group, if Shakhtar as expected beats Braga at home in the Ukraine.

We all know the consequences of finishing second in the group. The likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Milan all await us in the second round. Although on our day, we can defeat any of the above mentioned “big guns”, it would definitely make the progress harder. Although Inter did finish second in their group last season and went on to win the title, I would rather not have such “heart attacks European nights” next year.

However become we can even contemplate who we are meeting in the next stage, we have to get there first. On paper, it looks like foregone conclusion but our home form is still keeping me awake at night. Yes, we did really well to beat Fulham on Saturday, but the performance was not a vintage one. The defence is particular is still suspect so it’s going to be a tense night tomorrow.

History is however on our side. Partizan have ever won away from home in their Champions League history and looks unlikely to threaten the Gunners unbeaten home form in the Champions League. Nonetheless, we should really go out and trample all over the visitors to boost our confidence for the match-up against Manchester United next Monday. Furthermore, an eight goal performance will bring our total to 23 goals in the group stage, beating the old record of 22 currently held by Real Madrid.
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Monday, December 6, 2010

Van Persie can be a major difference in the Arsenal attack

Loads of people have been questioning the effectiveness of Robin Van Persie as an Arsenal player since he is forever on the sidelines. Also, with the successful introduction of Chamakh into the Arsenal ranks, many would like to dispense with the services of the Dutchman given his limited playing time due to injuries. The other big question is how Arsene Wenger can integrate the two players into the current line-up.

The answers to all those questions were an emphatic yes, going by the performance against Fulham. We saw for almost 30 minutes that both Van Persie and Chamakh can play together. During the match, Van Persie was playing in the “Bergkamp role” and not his usual main striking position, which was left to Chamakh. I think the change suited him fine as he was dropping deep and finding the spaces with his vision. It also makes him harder for defenders to mark him.

Although he did not score, his contribution to Nasri’s second goal was a reflection of how big a difference he can be to the Arsenal attack. As Arshavin pass the ball to Van Persie, you could see how he drag two Fulham players into his sphere as he lined up a shot with his majestic left foot. This created space for Nasri to run into his layoff and the end result was for all to see.

That is why Van Persie is such an important player to Arsenal. He has missed almost half a season with the team (as he usually does) so based on past records, we can expect to see him throughout the rest of the season. With his contribution, I have no doubts we are going to be challenging for more honours this time around.
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Sunday, December 5, 2010

A good start to an important week

So we are on top of the Premiership going into the most important week of our season so far. On Wednesday we take on FK Partizan at home in a tie which will determine our further progress in this year’s Champions League campaign, then on Monday night we travel to Old Trafford for a top of the table clash with Manchester United.

Yesterday’s laboured victory over Fulham was anything but convincing, with the strikers showing the usual profligacy in front of goal and the defenders still looking as shaky as ever. However, Djourou seems to be coming into his own as a key member of the central defence with a more solid performance than before. With Koscielny out for three weeks and Vermaelen still nowhere to be seen, the young Swiss with have the chance of his life against the likes of Man United and Chelsea in the coming weeks.

With our home form still stuttering, we should not take the mid-week game for granted. FK Partizan is the weakest team in the Group but that what we said of West Brom and Newcastle who ended up leaving the Emirates with maximum points. It still remains to be seen if we can continue our goal-scoring home form for European games by hitting six past Partizan.

The match I am more looking forward to is next Monday’s match at Old Trafford. Last year, we dominated the match only to lose again courtesy of two individual mistakes. This year the mistakes have not abated but we seem to perform better on the road so there is reason to be optimistic. Win that match and we would be four points clear of the Red Devils and possibly more from Chelsea (as the Blues take on Spurs).

All in all the victory yesterday was much needed not least to start the month on a high note but also to show that we are capable to going to the top and staying there until the end of the season.
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Saturday, December 4, 2010

The cold weather suits our little Russian

It was a much needed league win over Aston Villa last weekend. However the most significant aspect on that win was not the three points but the performance of Andrey Arshavin.

The little Russian has so far this season, not shown the form that we know he is capable of. He work rate is also way below the others. Indeed I even called for him to be benches given how ineffective he was in previous games.

However, I was heartened to see what a good performance hr out in at Villa Park. Not only did he scored the opening goal, there was more pace and creativity to his play. Many a time he just zipped past the fullback to create opportunities for the cross. He was orchestrating  the attack in the absence of Fabregas and laid several chances for likes of Nasri, Chamakh and Wilshere.

 Being Russian I suppose he does not take warm weather all that well and the current cold spell is bringing out the best in him. Whatever it is, we need Arshavin in this kind of form as we maintain the push for trophies on four fronts.
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Friday, December 3, 2010

Arsenal vs Fulham: Match Preview and Probable Line-Up

This has been a good week for us, with two successive victories in the past seven days. However, we need to be in the best of form to avoid a third straight home defeat this Saturday against Fulham. This has never ever happened before in the club’s history so let’s pray that the lads will not under-perform as they did at home in the month of November. Last month, we played five league matches at home, winning three away from home but losing the other two that were played at the Emirates.

Now that we have put the month of November behind us, I am a little bit more optimistic about the result of this tie. Fulham has only one victory this season and a whole lot of draws (a characteristic of team managed by Mark Hughes). The Cottagers are also coming into this match with an Arsenal-like injury situation, missing at least 4 keys players in Dembele, Salcido, Senderos and Zamora. They have also not beaten Arsenal away from home for the past 30 odd years so it’s even more reason to be optimistic.

As for the Gunners, we are not missing any players other than the ones we already know in Fabregas, Diaby, Vermaelen and Almunia. Nasri and Squillaci who were rated doubtful for the match has been pronounced fit by the Boss and will likely take their place in the starting eleven. Chamakh will continue up-front as Van Persie is unlikely to start two matches in a row at the present moment.

With the cold front sweeping over England, there is a worry that the match will not go on. If it does, we would again have the opportunity to go to the top of the table if we can better whatever Chelsea does against Everton, as the Blackpool vs Manchester United’s game has been called of.

Probable Line-Up: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott, Chamakh.
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This has got to be Arsenal's year in the Carling Cup

Everywhere you look the signs are there. This has got to be our year in the Carling Cup.From the first game when the gaffer was forced to played a much stronger side than he wanted against Spurs to the semi-final draw against Ipswich, the sole non Premiership side left in the tournament, this is our best chance to end our title drought and get the critics off our back for a bit.

We have always maintained that the team needs a trophy to break away from the losing mentality and now we have the chance. The semifinal is played home and away so there is less  opportunity for a one-off upset. I know Roy Keane would love to pull a fast one against us so let's beware of that.(There's no guarantee that he will be managing the Tractor Boys come January given their disappointing League form)




Btw, anybody know why the semi-final is played over two legs wen every other round is contested only once?
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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Russia wins 2018 World Cup host competition, 2022 World Cup goes to Qatar

Russia was announced as the host for the 2018 World Cup competition, as announce by FIFA President Sepp Blatter today. The Russian bid prevailed over bids from three other European challengers, England, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

It was a big blow to the England bid which was one of the pre-announcement favourites. The England delegation to the FIFA headquarters in Zurich was also accompanied by its major leaders including Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham while the Russian delegation didn't even include Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The job of the host of the 2022 World Cup was also announced at the same time, with the privilege going to Qatar. Both Russia and Qatar will be hosting the prestigious event for the first time.

The voting process took place against a highly charged background after British media outlets made allegations of corruption against a number of FIFA’s executive committee members.

The executive committee, reduced to 22 after two were suspended over the allegations, voted in secret. No details of the counts were made available by FIFA but bid member Gary Lineker told Reuters England had gone out in the first round of voting for 2018.018.
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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

No signings in January, is Arsene right?

Arsene has come out to say that his will not be adding to the squad in January. Since then there has been a chorus of criticism and disbelieve at his statement. However, I tend to agree with the Professor this time around.

The only positioning we had previously was in the goalkeeping department, and how we crave for a solid goalkeeper to shore up our defence. But since Fabianski came into his own, I don't believe we need an addition in that department. Also I don't think there is a keeper that is worth the money and would be willing to come to the Emirates.

All the goalkeepers we have been linked with previously like Schwarzer, Green, Lloris etc have all not been impressive so far. Each has made blunders and if we were to pay anything above the GBP2 million for Schwarzer, I would rather stick with Fabianski.

Elsewhere, I don't see that we have a problem. In defense, Arsene has already brought in 2 players in the summer and I am sure he will not add another one in January. We are also bless with an abundance of quality in midfield and attack so no additions needed there.

So when Arsene says he is not buying anyone this January, I am all for it. Better to save the dosh for the next transfer window if Cesc leaves
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A sweet victory but let's not get complacent

We are well on track to achieve our much coveted first trophy after five long and barren years. Yesterday’s 2-0 home win over Wigan puts us into a record 14th semi-final appearance in the League Cup. Furthermore, with Manchester United losing to West Ham, we are undoubtedly the favourites to lift the trophy this year.

What’s more heartening to see was despite making 9 changes to the team that perform so well against Aston Villa at the weekend, our team still had enough quality to steamrolled past a resilient Wigan. There was no doubt that the Latics were going all out to win the match as well but there was just too much quality flowing through the team. If our forwards hadn’t been so wasteful in front of goal, the winning margin would have been much more.

Our finishing this year has been poor and it showed again in this match. I have always said that we need to improve on killing of the opponent. Vela’s miss when clean through on goal is almost unforgivable. If you look at his body language when striking the ball, it was as if he was over-confident in putting the ball into the net.

Well that is what we need to guard against: complacency. Arsene has come out to acknowledge our status as favourites in this competition but he warned that favourites don’t mean anything until you win the trophy.

Although none of the team still in the competition poses a challenge to the Gunners on paper, we have to work just as hard because all the other teams will be gunning to bring us down.

That is for January when the semi-finals roll along. As for now, we just savour the victory and move on to concentrate on the task at hand in the title race and Champions League.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Fabianski is not the reason for our defensive frailties

I just can’t stand how some soccer pundits have the audacity to constantly berate Arsenal for still persisting with Fabianski in goal. In his latest article for Eurosport,  ex Manchester United player Paul  Parker seems to suggest that our defensive frailties stems from our Polish goalkeeper.  Parker said, “any defense will struggle if they are not confident with the goalkeeper’s decision making.  In another show, Jason McAteer blamed Arsene for not going out to and splashing the cash for a big time goalkeeper.

I have categorically stated in my previous posts that I am not a big fan of Fabianski. However I believe, he is not the one to blame for the current state we are in. In fact, if not for his performances, we would have lost a whole host of other matches. No doubt he has had his calamitous past, but bar the Andy Carroll goal at the Emirates, I don’t think he has made another major blunder since he replaced Almunia as the new No 1.

For the pundits to go on and on about Fabianski is costing us points is not fair to the goalkeeper. I don’t see anyone putting the blame on Petr Cech for his performances this season when Chelsea is not doing well. Cech is undoubtedly a great keeper but his blunders this season has cost Chelsea points, with his most recent blunder coming at the weekend against Newcastle.

In fact, all the goalkeepers we have been linked to have cost their teams more points than Fabianski has for Arsenal. Remember Reina’s blunder in the opening game, or Mark Schwarzer  and Robert Green’s blunders in the early part of the season. Every goalkeeper is almost certain to make a mistake in any given season so we should not keep harping on Fabianski when he has done so well up to now.

Our defensive problems have been well documented and to put Fabianski as the scapegoat is totally unfair to him. The three centrebacks we have available at the moment still needs time to gel and especially for Squillaci and Koscielny, more time to get used to the league. It is just unfortunate that we are missing Vermaelen for so long. No doubt he would have made a difference in our defensive stance. In the meantime, we need to defend as a team so that even if one defender makes a mistake someone else is there for cover.

So a message to the pundits, get off our goalkeeper's back!
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Arsenal vs Wigan: Match Preview and line-ups

If there is going to be a finish article to Arsene Wenger’s youth project, then this is absolutely a match that the Gunners have to win. Not only this match, the lads have to gone and win this trophy to silence the many critics out there.

On paper this match should be a stroll in the park. However as we learnt from the past weeks, our form at the Emirates is hardly anything to shout about. In fact, it might even be detrimental since we have lost the last two games at home. Also, how can we forget the capitulation last year at the DW Stadium. We can say last April’s performance was due to the lack of senior players in the squad. This time around, Arsene has promised a strong squad in this Carling Cup quarterfinal matchup.

Traditional up and coming stars like JET and Lansbury would get a chance but this time around I expect to see more familiar faces. Certainly the Professor would rest some who have played at the weekend but players like Van Persie, Arshavin, Nasri and Walcott should all start the match.

The probably line-up: Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Gibbs, Denilson, Wilshere, Nasri, Walcott, Eboue, Arshavin, Van Persie.
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Monday, November 29, 2010

A win and all is well, or is it not?


I missed the live game against Villa as I was on a plane coming back from a trip. Throughout the plane ride, the only thing that was going through my mind was: please don’t let the Gunners lose again. I don’t think I could take another loss this week.

Luckily, the powers above must have heard my prayers and bestowed upon the Gunners a gallant win. I managed to catch a replay of the match and from what I saw; we seemed to have some of our zest back. That we were facing a depleted Aston Villa might have something to do with that but it was a much needed victory nonetheless.

I said in my match preview that we might do better without Cesc. The result and performance of this game could be early signs that I am right but since the skipper will be missing for another two weeks, we should have plenty of evidence to see if his absence is really better for us. On Saturday, we certainly looked better without him as Arshavin and Nasri took turns to orchestra the offence. This allowed the offense to be less predictable that it has ever been in the past couple of weeks.

However, we should not get carried away with this win. Yes we scored four goals but we also showed our defensive frailties again. At 2-1 and then 3-2 up, the opposition could have scored and we would have dropped points again. We just cannot keep the opposition from scoring. Seriously I don’t know why. It just seem like we cannot defend for the whole ninety minutes. I don’t think we learnt anything from our defeats so far. It seems like this season, we just have to score a lot more goals in a match because a one goal lead won’t be enough to guarantee us the points in any game.

Tomorrow, we host Wigan in the Carling Cup quarter-finals. My match preview will follow but this is one game which we really don’t want to mess up. Arsene has said he will field a strong side and he must. This is the best chance for our first title in 5 years and the boys better not ****up this opportunity.
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Friday, November 26, 2010

Samir Nasri reminds me so much of Robert Pires

This weekend we could possibly see the return of Robert Pires in the Premier league. It would be difference for him definitely to go up against Arsenal in an Aston Villa shirt but we wish him all the best.  With so much interest in him since his return to England, I couldn’t help but notice how this Arsenal legend’s career is now being mirrored by another star Frenchman in the current squad: Samir Nasri.

Nasri’s career thus far has taken a similar direction to Bobby’s. First and foremost, both of them joined us from Marseille. Pires came in 2000 with a price tag of 6.5 million pounds while Nasri cost us double that at 12 million pounds (due to his age and inflation, I guess)when he signed in 2008.

 When he first came to Arsenal, Pires found it difficult to get going and was harshly critized for his early performances in an Arsenal shirt. However,  in his second full season, he quickly struck his legendary partnership down the Arsenal left with Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry to bring the glory years to Arsenal. He was also awarded both local Player of the Year awards that season.

Nasri signed on in 2008 and similar to Pires, struggled in his first season as he failed to come to grip with the physical demands of the English Premier League. He missed a large chunk of his second season through injury although he came back strongly to finish the second, scoring what was Arsenal goal of the season against Porto in the Champion’s League. This year, he is arguably the best player in the Arsenal team and could possibly be an early contender for Player of the Season come May.

Robert Pires went on to become a legend winning every domestic title with the Gunners so if all things remain equal, Samir Nasri will bring us back to the glory years we enjoyed during the Robert Pires years.
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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Match Preview

This match is going to be another tough test for the Gunners. After two disappointing back to back losses to Spurs and Braga, the lads would certainly need to pick themselves up to win this match at Villa Park. The Gunners are in a confidence crisis and their play on the field reflects that.

In the game against Braga, there was hardly any creativity even though we had the majority of the possession. Losing Fabregas to injury is certainly a blow to the them but in may be a blessing in disguise. Our captain have hardly been the player he was last year and a part from the first half against Spurs, he has been disappointing in our losses so far. With so much of our play going through him, it is no surprise that we struggle when he does turn up.

Without him out injured, Arsene can play in the in-form Nasri in his place. As he shown in France’s victory over England, Nasri is brilliant when playing down the middle. He is easily our best player this season and I hope that with him in the centre, he can galvanize the attack with has been lacking in sharpness recently.  Also without Fabregas, the team tends to look for other options to attack rather than seeking the easy option of playing the ball to Fabregas to work his magic. This will ensure that our attacking play becomes less predictable.

After a week’s rest, I certainly believe that Van Persie will start the match this time around. Although Chamakh has done so well since joining the club, RVP provides another dimension to the attack and I think he may be the catalyst to reinvigorate our title hopes.

There is never a good time to visit Villa Park but this weekend is as good as any. Although their injury problems have somewhat abated and players like Agbonlahor and Carew are back, the squad hasn’t really gelled into place under Gerrard Houllier. Moreover, their in-form winger Marc Albrighton will be out after undergoing surgery recently.

As I said, the lads are facing a confidence crisis currently. Now more than ever, we need to put in a good performance to bring back the zest in our play and support from the fans.
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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

It's getting from bad to worse in November

Well, the month of November is getting from bad to worse, isn’t it? And they are still two more games to play before we see the end of the most unsuccessful month in our history.

A Champion’s League campaign that started so well is in tatters after yesterday's away defeat to SC Braga. Remember this is a team which we thumped 6-0 at home and are now lying in mid-table in the Portuguese league. How did we lose this match?

Again, we had some much possession in the match; almost double that of the home side. Yet we failed to create clear cut opportunities that threatened the opposition keeper. I don’t think Felipe had to make a save at all in the match.  This has got to be a worrying statistic for Arsene and his staff. It's no point having the ball without any end result. This has been our achilles heel for so long yet we can't solve this problem

We have been playing the offensive system with one tall centre forward up front for some time now. Yet in this match, we failed to do the most basic thing needed for this system; getting a high cross for the striker(Bendtner in this instance) to attack. On numerous occasion, Walcott showed his lack of a winger's instinct by crossing it low when we all know how poor Bendtner is on the ground.

As for Bendtner, I think this game shows how poor he is in this system. He may win a some headers but there is no directionality in his headers. Contrast that with Chamakh first headed challenge which he won and directed it to Vela who was brought down.

Arsene will go on to blame the officials(what's the point of the guy behind the goal anyway) but the truth is we were again very poor in the match. I don't think we deserved to lose but certainly we did nothing to warrant a victory.
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

How will we line up tonight?


How will we line up tonight?

Tonight’s match is pretty important for the future of our Champions League campaign this season. Braga is only three points behind us and a defeat will put us level on points with the Portuguese side. Although theoretically we should not have any problem beating Partizan at home in the next match, our home form dictates that we should get the business done in Portugal before heading home.

Nicklas Bendtner, who has been moaning about his lack of opportunities, will most likely start tonight’s match, flanked by Walcott and Nasri. I am pretty disappointed with Walcott over the past two or three games. He seems to have slipped back to his ineffectively form of previous season after coming back from injury. 

We have our strongest midfield players back from injury and suspension so I expect Arsene to start with the trio of Wilshere, Song and Fabregas. After about a week out through injury, I want to see Wilshere geared up for this match. He can be the one to sparked the team and bring back confidence to the squad. I agree with Kenny Daglish when he said Jack will be as good as Gerrard.  At times during the games, he seems to defer to Fabregas and Song to run the midfield while he steps into his position based on their movement. With Fabregas not firing on all cylinders, it is up to Jack to take charge of the midfield and run the offensive strategy. I have confidence in the boy.

With Clichy back home at the Emirates, Gibbs will have his chance to convince the Arsenal faithful that he has the goods to take over from the Frenchman on a permanent basis. However it would be great if he could just last the entire match without getting injured.

The goalkeeping situation is going to be interesting now that Almunia is back. I don’t think there is a reason to reinstate the Spaniard as Fabianski is doing extremely well at the moment.
If not for anything else other than getting over the defeat on Saturday, we really need the lads to pull this one off in style.

Probably line-up: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Gibbs, Song, Wilshere, Fabregas, Nasri, Walcott, Bendtner.
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