Arsenation

For 2 successive Summer transfer windows, Arsenal FC, have sold their 2 best players, one to a rival club and the other to Barcelona, and yet somehow, Arsene Wenger has managed to make the team look stronger not only on paper, but on the field as well. I firmly believe that this season, will be the best for Arsenal football club in years, and may end our Silverware drought, that has bogged us down for so long.

And here are the 5 reasons as to why:

• Team chemistry
• Lack of a big ego
• Great transfer deals
• The “Bould” effect
• The transformation of Mikel Arteta

In truth all 5 are inter-related somehow, and form this wonderful football club we have at the moment, but I will discuss each point in detail and why they might lead us to glory.

Team Chemistry

Something that I think cost us greatly last season and the season before is team chemistry. It wasn’t that we didn’t have it all, our chemistry was on show in all those comeback wins we had. But at times I thought we looked out of it, disinterested, unmotivated, and this had something to do with the players chemistry between one another. Of course, we will never know for sure what’s going on behind the scenes, unless one of them writes a book about it. But I think there was certainly some sort of rift between the players and somehow, it led Robin van Persie to believe that we weren’t interested in the winning whether it was true or not, I guess we will never know, but the outcome of it was, we lost not only Robin, but Song as well.

Lose bad eggs, add talent and motivation = Right Chemistry

This season however, it seems like our players are finally gelling together. On the field, Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud are already working well as a team, Arteta has been simply immense. The back line is moving back and forth as one now and we no longer look like the headless chickens we did at times last season when we got countered. The link up play between Cazorla, Arteta and Podolski has also been influential in the games against Liverpool and Southampton and will be important if Arsenal is to break their trophy drought this season. On the training pitch, team chemistry has been evident as well. They seem happy playing together, working together, and are always seen having a laugh or having fun. This may seem like a small thing. But it will definitely be important in the later stages of the season, especially when if/when we lose form and the going gets tough, the players must be able to pick each other up if they are to win a trophy this season.

A lack of a big ego

One man team they called us. To be honest, we really were. 40% of our goals were scored by Robin van Persie last season. That means 4 out of every 10 goals Arsenal scored, were finished by RVP. That’s the definition of over-reliance right there. We were lucky that more teams did not just try to man mark him. He saved us on so many occasions. Winning a man of the match award once every 3 games, he was invaluable to the team. Alex Song was a strange case, but I think his ego played some part in it as well.

Big Ego, big hair, big loss NOT

In the last 2 or 3 years, we have gradually lost a group of players such as Robin and Alex. All these players seem to have this idea that they are better and/or more important than the club. This “better than the club” mentality was prominent with the transfers of Van Persie to United and Nasri to Man City. Both these players moved on to our modern rival clubs. Many criticise Wenger for selling our top players, but I think what he did was right. We have replaced the players with the “better than the club” mentality with players that love our club, and love playing for our club. I think this is important if we are to be in contention for titles and trophies this year. You can see this with the way we celebrated Koscielny’s goal vs. Manchester City this season. I don’t think we did something like that at all last season after we scored…

Feels like team spirit – Oh Yes boys!

Great Transfer Deals

Santi Cazorla – I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE WE SIGNED HIM. He is by far, Arsene’s best transfer deal in the past 4-5 years. Santi is easily Real Madrid and Barcelona standard, and perhaps would’ve ended up there if it weren’t for his age, his move to Malaga for big money last season and the fact they already have enough creative midfielders. If he was English he would have easily cost us £35m+ but thank god for Arsene, because we managed to get him for only around £15 million reportedly. Long range shooting, prominent with both feet, free kicks, incredible dribbling and passing skills that are up there with the likes of Xavi, Ozil and Iniesta. Santi Cazorla has everything you want from a Creative midfield player. Not only does he finally fill that void left by Cesc Fabregas 2 years ago, but he adds so much more. He is also versatile and can play on the wings or holding midfield if required. Able to play both left and right side. In short, he is amazing.

i Can’t believe we got these two guys

Lukas Podolski was also another great addition. Unlike Cazorla who was filling a void left by someone, I feel that Podolski was not meant to fill the void left by Van Persie. He is now essentially playing as a Left wide Midfielder, linking up brilliantly already with, Cazorla, Arteta and Gibbs. The left flank at Arsenal FC looks complete now. Gervinho was far too inconsistent last season, and Ramsey was definitely not suited playing on the wings. Podolski also adds a clinical finisher to the team, another free kick taker (as shown by his beauty vs Southampton), a friend to Per Mertesacker and most importantly experience. He has 100 caps in international level. His vast experience on the big stage will be vital for Arsenal FC this season.

Olivier Giroud….too be brutally honest, I doubted that he would be successful at Arsenal. I honestly even thought Solomon Kolou might have been better. (??????) We could’ve done better. Edin Dzeko would have been amazing. Clint Dempsey would have been superb and is always criminally underrated. Olivier Giroud? His movement is impressive I will admit. But I think his position on the pitch (as a target-man CF) does not suit our game style. As long as Arsene has faith in him however, so will I, and hope he will start banging in goals soon. Or he could prove to be another Chamakh. But I will keep my faith.

 

The “Bould” effect

The term coined in by Arsenal fans due to Steve Bould’s involvement and influence on this current Arsenal team, in particular when we are without the ball. The Arsenal defence has been outstanding this season. I know it is early. I know we have a long way to go, but we look SO MUCH better than last season don’t we? We defend as a team, and attack as a team, yet when opposing teams break, I don’t skip a heartbeat and close my eyes waiting for them to score, because I have faith on whoever is defending, our back line is defending as a line, compact and deep, and it is great to see. We have only conceded 6 goals in 8 games so far this season. In the first 10 games last season we conceded 19 goals (including the 8 against United, though I think if you looked at the starting XI that day, we were always on a hiding to nothing). That says it all really. Steve Bould has done an immense job.

Bould Effect?

Another thing I have observed is that in attack while we play the standard 4-2-3-1 with Cazorla in the trequartista role with (the currently injured) Diaby and Arteta behind him. We change into a 4-4-1-1 with Podolski and Chamberlain dropping to left and right midfield roles leaving Cazorla in the space between the midfield line and Giroud/Gervinho. What this has meant is that we have played a very rigid, compact, deep defensive line, ensuring that the opposition could not get close enough to the box to get a shot in. This was very prominent in the Liverpool game.

Last season we looked frail, weak, fragile and lazy at the back, in particular against a team who can play long, or are good against set pieces, this season however (barring the Chelsea game) we looked composed, confident and our work rate has been superb, especially Jenkinson and Gibbs on the flanks. It is very promising to see. Steve Bould might just be the best signing Arsenal make this season…

The transformation of Mikel Arteta

Arteta, our vice-captain for a good reason! He is the heartbeat of our team he really is, if he is not ticking, the Arsenal team are not ticking. This was obvious in the Chelsea game because when he was mistiming his passes or tackles, Arsenal would not tick also. Everyone knows of his passing count and passing accuracy stats this season. However, all this was much the same for us last season. So what has changed this season? In short his positioning has. Last season he was our main creative outlet along with Alex Song. They would at times, work in tandem, when Song moved up the field Arteta would sit back, when Arteta would move up, Song would sit back. It worked beautifully most of the time, but some of the time, Song would go up when Arteta moved up, and there would be huge gaping holes between our defensive line and midfield and this cost us many goals and many points.

The transformation of Mikel Arteta

This season however, we have bought a proper trequartista/ Creative attacking midfielder in the form of Cazorla which means Arteta can now sit back and be a holding midfielder for 90 minutes. It has been simplicity at its best. Song got criticised last year for lacking composure and not playing for the team, but I think it was just too complicated. Fluidity is good, but too much of a good thing can have negative consequences. What Steve Bould has done I think, has made things simple. Not sure whether this was Steve Bould’s influence as well, but Podolski’s work rate in defence has been a pleasure to on the left wing as we were too used to seeing Gervinho or Arsharvin not supporting Gibbs at times last season.

I think most of you know why the holding midfielder/ Defensive role that Arteta plays now is important in any team but here is a great piece on it EPL index

http://www.eplindex.com/18927/role-defensive-midfielder-433-important.html

In conclusion, we have made vast improvements from last season, that much is obvious, but what pleases me is how much more potential we have got, Jack Wilshere just started in his first game for the under 21s after 14 months. Frimpong is back, Sagna is back and Rosicky is back in training. It is important to note that the Chelsea game did not really mean much in terms of our development and long term contention, because in truth, Chelsea always had a better squad than us (Editor disagrees!)and we were out-played tactically as well and lacked lady luck. But what counts is how we come back from it. It is sad to see Diaby injured again. As he was finally showing the promise and potential Wenger has been telling us in the past few seasons. He really looked like the final missing piece of the Arsenal starting XI that wasn’t a holding midfielder, but rather a ball-playing, rampaging mid-fielder, in the mould of Yaya Toure or Patrick Viera. I hope he comes back soon. The Walcott situation I won’t discuss, as I don’t think we know enough about it to be honest, as most of it is happening behind doors. But I would not be too fussed if he left in January, as long as we get a good enough replacement.

It’s not that we are moving two steps back one step forward, but rather, I think we are moving one step back two steps forward. Yes it is annoying. But people must understand that we do not have the financial power (and irresponsibility) of the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, the Manchesters, Chelsea etc. we can’t compete with them in transfers. But what they have in individual stars, we can match as a whole team. I don’t think we will win the UCL or EPL no matter how much I would like to believe it, but we are due for a trophy this season. Whether it is the Capital One Cup or F.A Cup that is the question…

COYG

http://sports.coral.co.uk

Are you thinking about placing a bet on an upcoming football fixture? Make sure the online bookmakers you choose to make these bets with is http://sports.coral.co.uk!

STOKE PREVIEW

Arsenal travel to the Britannia today to face what is arguably their bogey team, Stoke. They have a great home record against us with a draw and a win recently, so if you have been worrying about this clash like I have this week, you have every right to be. Thankfully for the gunners, Tony Pullis has a few injury worries and suspensions to deal with, with Jermaine Pennant In doubt, and Dean Whitehead will be ineligible, as he was sent of last week against Reading. Arsenal face a side similar to the Sunderland team last week, who will try to sit back and defend, using the physical approach to disrupt Arsenal’s style of play (Rugby club). It would be interesting to see who starts for Arsenal in the forward line, with Giroud and Podolski probably now 100% match fit, and Gervinho playing well. Either Arsene starts Gervinho, with Podolski in the middle or he starts Giroud, pushing Podolski to the left. Walcott is a certainty to start. The midfield trio of Diaby, Arteta and Cazorla should be the same, as well as the backline, assuming no late injuries strike. However Szczesny was in doubt earlier this week, and will be given until the last minute to prove that he is match fit. So it should be interesting to see who starts if he or Fabianski to start, but I have faith in both (yes, even Fabianski), however I don’t think Mannone will be in contention, as he proved in the pre-season fixtures he is still lacking that quality and match-experience that is required to play at the highest level.

KEY MATCH-UP

This one would have to be Per Mertesacker vs Peter Crouch, the 2 tallest men in either team, happen to be on the same area of the pitch. Stoke will be likely to play their normal long balls up to him, and long free throws, so it will be up to Per, to make sure Crouch doesn’t get anywhere close to the Arsenal goal. Both are probably equal in speed (slow), strength, and physical ability, so it should be an interesting battle to watch. Hopefully Vermaelen can help cover Per too at times, as Crouch is a very decent player indeed.

Key Player to watch

Many will probably say Cazorla based on his performance last game, and I don’t blame them, he was great. But an important player who has gone under the radar somewhat, I think is Abou Diaby, who has played incredibly well so far considering how long he’s been out his battle with injuries. His physical presence will be important as well, to counter Stoke’s style of play. Gervinho will also be a key, as I think this season really is his season to shine for us, he now has some proper competition in the squad in Podolski and the Ox, and it should hopefully motivate him to improve himself as he still lacks the final ball/pass. If he could work on those things, he might just prove to be as good as Arsenal legend Robert Pires one day (as he said he wanted to be on arsenal.com)

“”You should always look at these examples from the past,” Gervinho told Arsenal Player.”Robert is a fantastic player, very experienced, and I saw this for myself [when Pires was] training here.

“I really hope to emulate Robert Pires in my second season, hopefully do even better, but I hope to carve out my own niche of course.”

People just have to remember this is only his second season.

And I won’t be doing a prediction thing hat I normally do, as they are often always wrong, so im just gonna say it is most likely that Arsenal are going to lose or draw, because we are playing away.

TRANSFER SEASON NEWS

Today, it is with sincere regret that I announce the retirement of Real Madrid player Nuri Sahin who confirmed his loan move to Liverpool earlier this week….HAHA just kidding. To be honest, I don’t think it would’ve been much of a gain or a loss either way. Sure I would have been excited to see a new player arrive, but he is only a LOAN, he is only benefiting Real Madrid in the end. It is rumoured that Liverpool didn’t even get him with a purchase option after the loan, so all they will be doing is help Real Madrid and Sahin’s development in the long term, but at least they have improved their squad depth a bit. We will just have to wait and see if he proves to be a success at Liverpool or not, and if Arsene made the right decision in not buying him.

In other news, as we missed out on Sahin, Arsene now only has 1 week left to replace Song, it would be interesting to see if he buys a player that is a “like-for-like” to Song, maybe say M’vila who his team, Rennes, just got Jean Makoun on for loan, and the Rennes manager even hinting that it’s a possibility that M’vila might leave for Arsenal soon with:

“For the moment we have three offers. There is even a chance Yann (M’vila) could stay at Rennes this year but now Alex Song has left Arsenal we must say they will reinforce that post.”

So the ball seems to be in Arsene’s court right now, will Arsene make an offer? We shall wait and see.

Other transfer possibilities I think include, Everton Midfielder, Fellaini, Newcastle midfielder, Tiote, and the other French defensive midfielder Capoue, who I think is a better option than M’vila personally. Out of all these targets if I had to rank them in order in terms of who is best suited at Arsenal are:

1. Marouane Fellaini
2. Etienne Capoue
3. Yann M’vila
4. Cheick Tiote.

Fellaini has played brilliantly for Everton already in vs Man united last week, and West Brom yesterday, he is young, physically better than all the options, and has a bigger afro than Song, Tiote, although a good player at Newcastle does not seem to be an Arsenal type player. M’vila is a player who plays like Song, but Capoue seems to be a more defensive player. Arsene has many options, I think that without a doubt, 1 of them will come in this week as Arsene has said he is already looking to bring in one “world-class central midfielder”.

In other positions, as the Theo Walcott contract negotiations drag on, rumours about possible replacements pop up, this time in the form of Spanish winger, Jesus Navas. Yes he is a good player, but I really would rather us keep Walcott, as I think he will be the future of Arsenal when he grows up into the player he can possibly be, has so much potential. I hope we renew his contract this week.

To sum everything up, I have a feeling we will get the 3 points today, and I also think we may be announcing a player arrival or departure after the game, As well as one during the week, and one on deadline day, August 31st. We still have a lot of deadwood to get rid of.

I can’t wait.

COYG

NB: 2 hours before kick-off, 2 pieces of news/rumours floating around twitter right now: Mannone might be starting today as apparently both Szczesny and Fabianski are out and M’vila to Spurs. Watch this space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-match

This weekend kicks off the last round of the English Premier league for season 2011/12. A season with many highs and lows, the definition of a roller-coaster season. Now the gap between 3rd, 4th and 5th is just 2 points, with a win to Arsenal sealing an automatic Champions league spot for next season. It could prove even more crucial because if Chelsea win their final against Munich, this could mean they steal 4th position’s champions league spot. Last week we were very lucky to keep 3rd spot with Spurs drawing to Aston Villa 1-all after being a man down and Newcastle losing to an excellent Manchester City outfit 2-0. Arsenal were both lucky and unlucky to get a 3-3 draw against Norwich but played poorly throughout even though thanks to RvP once again, we almost completed an amazing comeback, but due to a lapse of concentration allowed Morison to snatch a late equaliser.

As we cannot simply rely on other teams getting results like last week. It is crucial to ensure we claim the 3 points this week against West Brom as they will be a tough opposition, as well as to silence those critics who claim we always “choke” at the end of the season.

Team News

Chris Brunt has been ruled out while Jerome Thomas remains in doubt for the Baggies. Peter Odemwingie should be available for selection after missing the last game.

Meanwhile, Walcott could either start or come off the bench for the gunners as he tries to recover from the hamstring problem he suffered in the Chelsea game. Keeper Wojciech Szczesny should be fit for the clash after a rumour that he was injured midweek. However Bacary Sagna has been ruled out of not only this game but also out of Euro 1201 after fracturing his fibula, meaning Arsene will either select Coquelin or Jenkison at right back for the gunners.

6 Fun facts

• WBA have only scored 19 goals at home this season (same as Wolves) but they have only conceded 19 at home (same as United) .
• Robin Van Persie also needs just 1 more goal to break Henry’s record of most goals in a season.
• This game will be West Brom manager Roy Hodgson’s last game in charge before becoming England manager ahead of Euro 2012.
• This game will be Arsene Wenger’s 600th game in the Premier league as Arsenal manager.
• Arsenal have not lost on the last day of the season since 2005, when they were defeated 2-1 by Birmingham City thanks to second-half goals from Walter Pandiani and Emile Heskey either side of a strike from Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp.
• Only once in 39 years have West Brom beaten Arsenal on their home turf – a 2-1 win in October 2005.

Final Prediction

The baggies are sitting in 10th place and safe from relegation, but it will be important to give manager Hodgson a nice send-off for all that he’s done at the club. Midfielder Paul Scharner would also like to bow out on a high note from the club, after confirming his exit from the Hawthorns.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have something worth fighting for in 3rd place, Automatic Champions league qualification and more incentive for Arsenal captain and striker Robin Van Persie to stay next season and renew his contract. It could also provide more incentive for other players to join the club during the upcoming transfer window. This could also be Yossi Benayoun’s last game before heading back to Chelsea next season, assuming he doesn’t sign for Arsenal permanently.

2 key men who I think will have a big impact on this game are Peter Odemwingie and Yossi Benayoun. Peter has been in good form for the Baggies throughout the season scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances along with 2 assists and his Dribbling and finishing will threaten the Arsenal back four, especially if they look to target whoever is chosen to replace Sagna at right back, as both Coquelin and Jenkinson are inexperienced. Benayoun has also been in good form recently with his professionalism,  technical ability and support play playing a key role in the last few games not to mention scoring a beauty in his last game which also happened to be on his birthday. It would also be nice to give Yossi a good send-off, as he has repaid his faith that Wenger and Arsenal fans have put in him when he was required to play. I would personally like to wish Yossi all the best for his future, wherever he may be next season,  hoping he signs a permanent contract with the gunners.

In conclusion, it is sad to see such a wonderful and brilliant season come to an end. We have had many ups and downs. 2-8 to man united, 5-3 to Chelsea, 5-2 to Spurs and lastly that 1-0 win verses Man City to name a few. We fought hard during the mid-season and even had a 7 run win streak recently, but as the players  became tired, lost motivation and became complacent, wins became hard to come by, in fact we still haven’t won a game without midfielder Mikel Arteta.

If our defense can stay strong and compact, and midfielders provide enough support to the wingers and RvP, I think we should come out on top, but it wont be easy being an away game and all. I think it will be a tight game, but Arsenal should come out on top, a 1-0 or 2-0 victory to the Arsenal.

All though its unrelated to the actual game, the title itself is still up for grabs with Manchester United and City both on equal points on 86, as well as the last relegation spot between QPR and Bolton. Hopefully, United win and City lose because I would hate Man City (especially Nasri) to get their hands on the title.

COYG.