Arsenal, wtf?

Wenger too stubborn for Arsenal's own good

2009-05-09T22:23:00.004+01:00

As another season retreats and the Arsenal boys gain more experience, Wenger is convinced the "the distance between the two teams (Arsenal and Manchester Utd.) is not as big as people make it".
Arsenal is one of Europe's best four teams, he suggests (ignoring Liverpool), 'so why should we panic?'

Well, I don't think any Arsenal fan is panicking, but come next Saturday, if things don't go our way, Arsenal could be 21pts behind Manchester Utd.
Added to that it's been four seasons without a trophy.

On the positive side there was a Final against Barcelona and a good run in the league, a season ago.
But, given English teams' rise in world football, even those accomplishments don't say much.
All of the top English teams have made the Finals of the Champions League recently; and have Cups and/or League titles as well.

So what makes Arsene think he's closing the gap?
According to he-who-knows, Arsenal's team is so young and inexperienced that the day will come when the opposite will be true and we'll dominate the League as never before.

It sounds good. I raised a smile when I wrote it, even. But here's the problem; or rather, here are the problems with that...
When does this closing of the gap begin? Next season? When the average age of our midfield is 26?

And didn't we have a team like that a few years ago? Under Wenger that team won only two League titles in six seasons.

Which brings to mind the other teams... are they just gonna get old and allow us to dominate?

I don't know; it just appears to me that Wenger is so stubborn, so invested in his own malarkey that he just can't accept he cannot create a Henry or a Vieira every fifth season.

There is no shame in buying 'big names', Arsene. All the trophy winning teams do it.

Arshavin in, who's out?

2009-05-08T16:45:00.004+01:00

It would be fair to say many Arsenal fans aren't fond of Adebayor. He's supposedly a lazy want-away striker who'd fetch a good price from Milan.

But there's another reality to the Togo born striker, 46 goals in 100 League matches.
Shall I repeat that? 46 goals in 100 matches!
That tally competes with Denis Bergkamp's and he was considerably older and far more experienced. Henry's tally was better of course, but he's a god.

The point is, Arsenal is not that good of a team to dispose of a player with that record. It would be absolute foolishness.

I don't disagree that one of our strikers may leave, but NOT Adebayor.

One may leave because Arshavin poses a bit of a problem.
If one were to examine Arsenal's squad, you'd conclude Fabregas, Nasri, Walcott and Song will feature regularly next season. And you can add Arshavin to the list because he's just brilliant.

But that leaves just one place available, and you really do foresee issues evolving out of that.
It appears to me that Arsene cannot expect Adebayor, Van Persie, Eduardo and Bendtner to compete for that final spot.

So what to do?
There are three options I think. Leave it as is and hope the quartet accept the situation and work hard for the team.
Sell one of the four.
Or buy a defensive midfielder who can turn us back into a 4-4-2 team.

I'd choose the latter, but who's out there?

Vital Football - Arsenal

2008-08-21T10:50:00.000+01:00

Gooners

Sensible article.

I rest my case. I have stuck my foot in my mouth.

My apology to Arsene.

Gunner6

Silvestre

2008-08-21T10:29:00.000+01:00

Gooners

To all those who lambasted me for the last column, it is not Silvestre I am having a pop at. I said I don't mind the player because I think he will add experience to the squad. Plus he will probably spill Fergie's tricks over to Manure and will help when we play them next.

I am also not ranting at contracts given before they turn 30, but new/renew contracts to players after that.

I am not with the AK brigade. I have always supported the great man though thick and thin. I have never once criticised him during his trophyless reign but always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But now he has opened up a can of worms. Now he can't use the 1 year only excuse if an over 30 player walks up to him for at least a 2 year contract.

I use Pires as an example because he may be slow and defensively poor (not that he was any better before that) since his knee injury, he was still a very clinical finisher. As for his knee injury after joining Villareal, no one will know he would have gotten it if he had stayed with us. It is just not Pires, but we were lucky Dennis Bergkamp was patient enough with us.

Gunner6

And we let Pires go....

2008-08-20T23:13:00.000+01:00

Gooners

I have nothing against Silvestre coming to Arsenal. He is cheap, has experience and a useful back up. I personally do not think this is the signing Wenger was talking about last week. Please prove me wrong Arsene. I think this was a last minute deal like Reyes and the real deal is still being discussed. Wiping sweat off my brow now....

But I do have issue with Wenger's stubborness to not give Pires a two year deal because he is on the wrong side of 30. Now has gone back on his words by giving Silvestre, 31 years, a two year contract.

Arsenal never recovered from Pires leaving. Rosicky and Hleb, while technically gifted players, never contributed the way Pires did in goals. When I do catch Spanish football, I still see the clinical Pires finish. At that time, I backed the great man in not giving a contract more than two years to players over 30.

But how disappointed I am tonight to learn he gave it to Silvestre. Arsenal can survive without Silvestre, but never recovered from losing Pires. I always thought we let him off too easily.

You got your priorities all messed up Wenger. I supported you all this time. But I feel let down by what you did tonight. I will still support Arsenal, but will never take Wenger's word as gospel again. I still believe in the young squad, but not accept the words of the great man himself at face value again.

Gunner6

WBA - a bit late

2008-08-19T12:00:00.000+01:00

Gooners

I was surprised by Eboue's performance. He looked much more comfortable in the middle. I am not saying he is a long term solution, but would be a good player to bring on or rotate against 'lesser' oppositions. Granted his shooting is dire for a seasoned professional, but his surging runs are very welcome especially when we need someone to take some pressure off the defence and peg the opposition back. Could be a very interesting tactical choice in the future.

I was even more surprised by Nasri's performance. He was comfortable on the ball, physically strong in holding off challenges, and an eye for passing both long and short. He is a step up from Hleb whose game is based more on short passing. May only be the first match and I am getting carried away a bit, but his technical abilities are there for all to see.

Denilson carried the midfield well. One aspect I liked was how neat and tidy the midfield was. Simple lay off and taking little or no risks in the middle of midfield. However, Walcott has to show more maturity in his decision making especially in the last third. he has promise but I fear like all English players, they tend to over do it on the end product.

Overall, a good team performance but individual rustiness were clearly evident. Promising signs are abundant and I think this team has something special.

Gunner6

FC Twente

2008-08-14T10:03:00.000+01:00

Gooners

Not pretty but got the job done. It is the first competitive match, and in Europe against sides usually more technically gifted than most EPL teams, it will always be tricky. I won’t buy into that young mantra, but players in key positions that have not played together at this level will always going to be tough for the team to get going.

Aaron Ramsey and Denilson showed good promise as defensive midfielders for different reasons. Denilson was more industrious and tried to move the game along, whereas Ramsey just kept things simple and did what he needed to do. All in all, both come across as a good foil for Cesc I feel. I actually see Diaby limiting Cesc’s style of play as the former tends to go forward more. This makes Cesc having to drop deeper than required. Like the previous Paddy-Cesc combination. While it looks awesome on paper, it just didn’t pan out as well. They were great going forward but left gaping holes at the back. Not due to their lack of defensive abilities but more so they have a tendency to go forward more.

I would go for Cesc-Ramsey/Denilson as my first choice pairing with Diaby-Denilson as my second pairing. Cesc would do well with both, Denilson would provide second passing option, Ramsey would give him the cover to roam forward. Denilson has to go with Diaby as the latter just doesn’t have the passing range to complement his attacking game. Better to have a cover with passing ability.

A couple of interesting responses from Gooners to my article yesterday. One of which is the alarming frequency of muscular injuries to our players over the last few years. Did someone changed the training equipment without telling the manager? It is an interesting thought. Maybe we are just over analysing.

But a lot of those who disagree mention the same thing ‘experience’. Some highlight the fact that experience equals older players. While I agree we need experience, we also need to ask to what extend and how much? Barry is a fine example. Plenty of years in EPL. Some in international football. £18m? What will happen to Diaby, denilson and Ramsey in terms of their confidence? Importantly, is Barry better than any of the three technically? Personally, I don’t think so. Barry is good, but no better than the other three.

The manager will never rotate unless he needs to, so Barry would play until he crocks his knee or something. And judging from Barry’s injury history, this means that the three would be looking at Carling Cup at best. So the three will never get the experience they need. So when Barry’s head gets turned by his agent, we are back relying on the three who never got the experience they need to become better players.

It is a vicious cycle. I would rather breed some loyalty in the players by giving them the chance now and stay with Arsenal for a long time than chop and changing every year or so. We know at the back of our head Cesc will return to Spain one day, but he signed a long term deal, far longer than most would sign nowadays because of his loyalty to the manager. While contracts can still be shredded but his actions of late proves he is true to his word. Who knows, he might stay until he is 30. Now that is a thought.

Gunner6

I stand by Wenger

2008-08-13T16:07:00.001+01:00

Gooners

I have not written for a long time but have read and watched during my time of absence. I have to say some have been so swayed by the media they are losing their grip on reality. Every bit of news churned out, be it real or sensationalised, are commented upon. They would do well to take a step back and think for themselves logically (example, Henry to Manure). The more we respond to these stories, the more they get churned out.

On the new season, it is amazing the amount of pessimism in the Arsenal supporters’ camp with only a handful showing any sort of faith in the manager. Even then, most of those faithful is borne out of the manager’s past success with fingers’ crossed behind their backs. With only possibly a handful showing any sort of realism.

Certain sites continually analyse everything that is wrong with Arsenal and highlight it without offering any tangible solutions. Splash the cash, buy this and that, bring that dodgy Russian and his so-called Arsenal supporter back, replace the manager, are some screams emanating from those pessimistic camp. Although, to be fair, they do consider themselves realists and foresee our thin squad struggling in the latter stages of the season based on what they experienced last season.

The mounting injuries for tonights have incredibly been blamed on the manager. Incredible based on the belief that you can hardly write this up. Sure, we have four players already on the treatment table before the Amsterdam tournament. But how many of that four featured regularly last season with any real impact?

You could not plan for the other five. So how is this the manager’s fault? The manager’s lack of big time spending has made pessimistic supporters, masking as realists, analyse in greatest of details, the manager’s every comment and movement.

What they fail to realise is that Arsenal is at a cross road. As a football club with financial obligations, he is safeguarding the club for the future.

Further, there are only limited trophies available in a season to win. To think that to spend means we have the divine right to claim one is ridiculous.

They never ask themselves what if the manager did splash the cash on a world class striker (say, Eto’o), and he fails to fire Arsenal to any throphy. So what do we do laden with this baggage? Sell him for a profit? Sell at a loss perhaps? Would these supporters be realistic enough to accept the latter? Or stick with him for another season, hoping he will deliver?

Perhaps maybe we should consider Gareth Barry. Good player. Is he better than Ramsey or Diaby? Many would say yes, and based on what? Opta stats or you followed every Aston Villa match and not relied on the media to tell you? What if he fails to live up to his £18m tag? What do we do then? It is not like we can sell him to Barcelona or AC Milan. If they were interested, they would have bought him long time ago.

I compare the fail scenario because those critical supporters only think or have this idea that splashing the cash will solve our limitations.

We are terribly short for tonight’s game against FC Twente, but who could have predicted that two weeks ago when we had the whole squad barring long term absentees (Eduardo and Rosicky) to choose from?

It would be much better if the supporters keep cheering the players on. No point showing your frustration in the match. If you are disgruntled with the manager, vent it on him. Booing players (the Alex Song incident comes to mind although I reserve my judgement on Adebayor, but that is a piece for another time) is a disgrace.

I will stick with Arsene Wenger and his team through thick and thin. He is juggling the club’s responsibilities of staying within their financial means and trying to win trophies. The other three top four teams are carrying the debts of their buyers. Be glad we are not.

Gunner6

Beggar’s belief

2008-06-20T09:25:00.001+01:00

Gooners

It beggars belief that some Arsenal sites could mock Wenger for being so thrifty but can find their heart to congratulate Ferguson for his tough stand on the Ronaldo issue ie, leave him to rot on the reserves. What is so tough about that statement? It is a bluff that Ferguson knows he will never win. Therefore, it is nothing but an empty threat. Nothing like the hard stance some Gooners are praising him for. It is pointless and would back fire on Manure. And this is after putting aside the same pouting done by Ferguson (van Nistelrooy… remember?).

The negative impact could be immense: future acquisitions would want clauses put into their contracts in case their ‘dream’ club comes a calling, or demand a shorter contract so as not to be tied down, or the club would be looked upon with contempt by future targets. Not forgetting any legal repercussions from this. Ferguson can shout all he wants, the players will always win. This is the era of player power.

Make no mistake I am not advocating player power. But merely stating the way it is now. Just as clubs used to ransom players, now it is the other way round. Money can no longer guarantee that you will keep a player for long periods of time. You will always be outbid by someone else. It seems in Ronaldo’s case, success doesn’t guarantee it either. While I would like to advocate man management, even then, as Flamini has shown, there is no guarantee any more.

Supporters can only pray and hope. Loyalty only lives in a few players. The rest are mercenaries just like you and me. Any employer willing to pay us more gets a decent sniff. Honestly, if another company laid it on the table a two fold increase in salary, would we turn them down? Only a few and I mean one handful, would.

But what we can hope for is that man management would give us a better standing in the eyes of prospective targets. Although I would agree that this only works at the younger level. For experienced players, man management would have to come with attractive pay package.

FIFA and UEFA have always bowed down to Real Madrid, Barca and the Milanese clubs. So don’t bother with those clowns. What others should probably do is stir up the same hornet’s nest. Then it would be interesting to see how they bitch and how the governing bodies react. Then again, the English FA would just wilt and cave in.

Gunner6

International matches

2008-02-08T12:04:00.000Z

Gooners

Would you believe it, the powers that be that patriotically condemn Arsenal for not having English players suddenly see fit to export their English Premier League matches to non-English shores. Truly laughable and smack of sheer hypocrites.

When it comes to money, all things English are out of the window.

But can we, the supporters, make a difference? I doubt it. We may hate it now, but when the matches roll into various cities, supporters will attend en masse. But let us not be fooled. Supporters will turn out in droves to matches involving Arsenal, manure, Liver-who and Chelski, and maybe Everton and Aston Villa. But, if the draw turns out to be Derby v Bolton, would it demand the same sort of attention?

This would only work for selective few. What happens if no one bids for matches between lower clubs?

At the end of the day, it is about money. The FA said cities would be able to bid for matches. You can bet major cities like Tokyo, Dubai, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro and New York would always get the cream of the crop, leaving the rest to lesser cities. Would this work in the long run? It would become a two tier bidding process where the rich starts first and the smaller cities scrap for the rest. It will come a time when the smaller cities realise matches involving none of the top 5 to 6 sides would not garner the same sort of attention from locals.

I won’t even start about having to play some teams 3 times and how it can bias some teams.

I hope managers like Wenger speaks out against this and Arsenal opts out, shaking the whole house of cards foundation and may even cause it to come crashing down.

Gunner6

Technique and English players

2008-02-07T15:18:00.001Z

Gooners

It was interesting what Baldini said about the English players’ after the match against Swiss.

"We are trying to play more with the ball ……. To play in this way, we need more technical skill."

Sums it up really why Wenger is selective with English players. You pay hugely inflated amounts of money for an English player that may not have the technical ability required to play the Arsenal way compared to the less expensive more technically gifted foreigners.

If Blatter thinks having a set amount of locals/home grown players would help national teams, he is sadly and misguidedly mistaken. If anything that is going to make Wenger walk from football, it would be this sort of bureaucracy with men in suits dictating how clubs should be run.

That Barwick seems to think clubs have a moral obligation to provide players for the national sides. Well, let’s us take Aston Villa as an example as they provided about 5 players. If Martin O’Neill got the sack for Villa’s poor performance in the League, would Barwick come in and rescue him by saying he was only trying to help England? No, he wouldn’t. Therefore, so why should the manager of a club should reciprocate?

Besides, the FA ditched a school for football because of Wembley. They seem to forget you need calibre players to grace the field. Building a nice stadium doesn’t guarantee success. Having decent players do. The FA got their priorities wrong. And they are looking for a scapegoat.

On Bentley, some may even stick two fingers up at Wenger for letting him go after his performance against Swiss. Then again, the latter’s previous interviews seem to suggest he didn’t have the stomach to fight for a place. And are we any worse off? No, in fact, Arsenal have grown and improved. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over what might have been.

Gunner6

Walcott

2008-01-25T10:43:00.001Z

Gooners

It is fair to say I not the only Gooner disappointed with TW’s performances this season. Having recovered from a shoulder injury, you would think he would grab every game that comes his way by the scruff of the neck. But he hasn’t. Fair to say also that he is only 18 and we are expecting a lot from him. In truth, I am not expecting the world from him, but a more matured performance in terms of decision making. Only in flashes has he looked the part of an Arsenal player. Generally, he seems to run with his head down and when the time comes, more often than not fails to decisively to either cross or shoot and ended doing a cross shot which benefits only the opposition. Sometimes, I wish he would just take the simple pass and gain his confidence and take the next step.

I think he is a clinical finisher and the timing of his runs through the middle reminds me of Freddie Ljungberg. No I am not being ridiculous. With the exception of Eduardo, the rest of the first team does do not exhibit this knack. That is why I think TW could be an important player for Arsenal. We need players running between defenders. We have plenty of passers and players like Eduardo and TW can benefit greatly from this.

A lot of people have taken Wenger’s comments re TW’s slow development as a sign of displeasure. I think he was just answering a question and nothing more. We will never know what Wenger would have said to TW re the latter’s development. But I do realise that if Wenger is not happy with someone, we usually never see them in an Arsenal shirt again. But Wenger has kept playing TW in various League and Cup matches as well as starting him from the off. This looks more like a development program for me.

English critics have slagged off Wenger for thw weight of expectations put on TW’s young shoulders ie, going to the WC and buying him so young from Southampton. Thing is, this weight of expectations are generated by the English media desperate for an English player to succeed at Arsenal so that they can shoved it up Wenger’s ass by saying English players can and do succeed at Arsenal. When this fails, they throw back all their failed expectations at Wenger under the guise of false prophets brought about by Wenger. This is typical English media not taking responsibility for what they themselves hyped up.

I am behind Wenger on this and will continue to support TW. I won’t compare him to Rooney or Cesc but want to remind those who think TW should be playing for another club gaining first team experience to look at Upson, Pennant and Bentley and think whether it has actually benefited them ie, England material? Or look at Norman Whiteside how his career ended prematurely after exploding into the scene at such a young age.

Gunner6

Carling Cup

2008-01-23T17:14:00.001Z

Gooners

Was it a tragedy last night? No. Downright embarrassing maybe? A little. Sinking ship as many suggested? Someone is having a laugh. The scoreline was surprising but the result was not unexpected for me. It was one of those games where every shot by the opposition would be on target and chances are it will end in the back of the net. I still remember Lee Sharpe’s League Cup exploits against us many moons ago. This is no different. Only thing is it came against Spurs. Not many Gooners can take it, even if it is the CC. For me, I look at the bigger picture and what is ahead of us.

Carling Cup

Painful as it may seem for some, we have to remember that this is Wenger’s breeding cup, where young and new players get a soft introduction to English football without the risk of dropped points in the Premiership. I see lots of Gooners in various sites and comments saying Wenger should have fielded a stronger squad or maybe even put out the first team. Why? If he did put out his first team, should he stick to the same policy for the final then? The CL match against AC Milan is on 20/2 whereas the CC final is on 24/2. If we put out the first team for the semi final and use a mixed squad for the final, what difference does it make? I know which match I would rather have my first team.

It may still be silverware to some but let us not get over ourselves and clamour for anything that comes our way just because we have not won anything for 2 seasons. The one thing I realise is that if we do play our first team, we would have won it. Our mix and match team can bring us so far. The first team will bring us all the way. But do we need to exert the first team over this? I would rather we do Newcastle in over the next 2 games. Which brings us to….

Newcastle

Arsenal have a chance to burst Newcastle’s bubble even before it gets pumped up. What is dangerous is the Keegan bandwagon gaining momentum. By beating them in the next 2 meetings, we have the opportunity to uncover the so-called ‘Messiah’ and make him human again.

Second string players

Wenger must have said something to Diaby. His game has improved slightly. His is passing more but when the chips are down didn’t trust his team mates enough. His decision making is still suspect as many a time he could have laid an easy ball to the left but opted to shoot. Pretty much says it all why he is not the first choice even with all that talent and hype as the next Paddy.

Walcott must learn to take more responsibility. Confidence is one thing but what worries me is that he looks scared to receive the ball or play the wrong pass. He should go into matches by grabbing it by the scruff of the neck. He was anonymous last night. His game is so English (kick and rush) that it is taking him longer to flourish at Arsenal because the game there is so instinctive. A total change from what he is used to. We know he is a good finisher. But all credit to Wenger for developing his other technical skills. A good player to learn from would be Eduardo. He does not have the pace but he uses his guile and that takes a player’s career further.

Gilberto looks like a player playing out the season and moving on thereafter. He looked lost and disinterested. Would I still use him after this? Maybe. But I would rather use Denilson (assuming he is fit) and Diaby as central pairings for the FA Cup. This would allow Wenger to use Walcott/Randall/Lansbury in one of the wings with Rosicky/Hleb on the other.

End

Wenger has always insisted this is a youth cup for Arsenal. When we win, no one screams for the senior players. When we lose, Wenger is a prick for gambling with the cup. Get a grip. We know how the cup would be treated every season. This is not the first time he has done it.

Thing is, it was the youth (sprinkled with some experienced but not or no longer first teamers) who got us to where we were. Congratulate them. Take heart they are miles ahead of the majority of the Premiership sides. Look at Manure, their kids got dumped by Coventry.

Appreciate what we have.

Gunner6

Transfers

2008-01-16T15:51:00.001Z

Gooners

I usually don’t give any thought to what the opposition buys. I am generally confident with the players Arsenal have at their disposal. However, after the constant barrage of criticisms by the media and some managers, I could not stop myself stealing a glance at the players being bought by Premiership oppositions. And what is the underlying theme, FOREIGN. Guess what, the media are not giving stick to these teams. I thought the media was supposed to champion the cause to bring England back to football glory?

I guess their defence for being hypocrites and two-faced are that Arsenal rarely field English players and that is even more detrimental. Is it? Who are you kidding? No wonder Wenger sticks two fingers up at ‘the development of the English national team’. He is right in that the development of Arsenal comes first and foremost, and if that development spills over to any national teams, then so be it.

It is truly enjoyable reading/watching those so called patriotic managers bitch about development of England when they themselves look offshore when they want to ‘improve’ their squad.

Gunner6

Birmingham

2008-01-14T17:10:00.000Z

Gooners

Reading some of the articles being posted on the web made me think maybe someone had died watching Arsenal’s performance against Birmingham. It is incredible that we have set a standard so high any blip and we are at arms. We no longer allow Arsenal a bad day at the office anymore. Matches against Birmingham are considered a banker. I guess they forgot Birmingham have a new manager and a competent one at that. It is those who think matches like these are a banker that gets disappointed the most. Expectations and reality sometimes overlapped. I always believe league table positions are a false indication of how some teams will perform against Arsenal. Instead, I believe in Brian Clough’s assertion that ‘You are only as good as your last game’.

While I was disappointed with the draw, we are still second only by goal difference. You don’t become a bad team overnight, blips do happen. What is important is how the club respond to this draw. Do they go out against Fulham next week screaming for blood or hide in a shell crying over what could have been? I would rather they learn from this and get slapped with a dose of realism now than the Premiership deciding match in May.

The team may be full of internationals but the sum is greater than the parts. Arsenal is a team build on togetherness and familiarity. I think the break given to key players have been more detrimental. It is obvious they lacked fluency. I am sure Wenger will be smarter from this experience. I don’t think he will change his Carling Cup line up of young fringe players (if you can still call Senderos, Gilberto, Eduardo and Bendtner fringe players). But I have a feeling that senior players like Cesc and Hleb will be given extended presence in the substitute bench for Cup games. Not only will they be an asset to come on, but they look like players who needs to be constantly playing.

If there was one peeve I have with the Brums draw is why there was no one charging into the opposition goal in the dying seconds when Hleb was freed on the right by Bendtner knowing full well a cross was imminent? Everyone bar Gallas waited just outside of the six yard box. I know Arsenal do pull their crosses back often but you don’t need so many standing on the six yard line. With time running out, some players could commit themselves in the box with nothing to lose. Maybe we haven’t exorcist the six yard box ghost yet….

Onwards to Fulham, and thereafter, the Spuds.

Gunner6

Carling Cup

2008-01-10T10:44:00.001Z

Gooners

A very good showing by the 2nd stringers. You can clearly see their naivety and inexperience in key areas and moments of the game. But they need to learn and the CC is just the place to possibly iron out any flaws they may have. We know where the real targets are: Premiership and CL. Even the FA Cup is now serving as baptism of fire for the young Gunners although Wenger has placed a little more impetus on winning it.

Diaby

He is a talented player, but his head is not there yet. He holds the ball too long too many times. Not just for this match but has developed this bad habit in previous matches as well. Reminds me of RvP when he first arrived. More interested in keeping ball and showing off than doing the simple stuff. But we know he can cut it in the center of midfield and the quartet of Cesc, Flamini, Diaby and Denilson could well complement one another.

Denilson

Last season, he was a beacon of hope as Cesc II. This season he looks out of focused. His passing looked rushed and his positioning has been poor at times. Maybe it is the expectations we have of him and as a result some pressure to perform has been placed on his shoulders. Like Diaby above, he has bags of talent. I wouldn’t be surprised if the real Denilson shows up in the 2nd leg of the CC.

Walcott

Is it me or is his development taking longer than expected. I am not expecting the world from him but I would expect his decision making to improve. He still shows too much eagerness to go forward every time rather than be aware of what is around him. But he has started to take on players from a stand still position and using his burst of pace to beat them. With opposition teams playing so deep, he will not have the luxury of running to a through ball everytime. That is why I always fancied RvP over Arjen Robben as the latter relies heavily on his pace whereas the former relies on his guile. And we know which type of player has a longer life span.

Another positive about Walcott is the timing of his runs. An example is last night. How he got between the Spurs defence was a real striker’s nose for goal. Although it was a lucky goal, I will take them and celebrate it just as furiously as a well crafted goal because what goes around comes around.

Djourou

He worries me. I thought he would come back with some defensive experience and gel with Senderos ala playing for Switzerland. Instead, he looks shaky and indecisive.

Hoyte, Justin

I would think he will start as center back with Senderos in the 2nd leg after last night’s performance. Although getting ahead of myself, may even be pushing Senderos for a start next to Gallas in the Premiership in Toure’s absence. A much better performance.

I can’t wait for the 2nd leg. Spurs could have, but didn’t punish us last night. The young players would have learnt from this.

Gunner6

Lay off Sanderos and Gilberto

2007-11-30T11:46:00.001Z

Gooners

Coming into a match after a long lay off or lack of continuous playing time is bad enough. Coming back against Sevilla away makes it even worse. I admit I was gasping in disbelief in some elementary defending. But Sevilla at home are no pushovers and any mistakes are bound to be magnified several times.

The fact that the whole team, bar Toure and Bendtner, were playing well below par, that criticisms were mainly targeted at these two players and not at the other players’ beggar’s belief. Have we not learnt from last season? The way some Gooners continuously criticise Gallas but suddenly this season showering him with acclaim as the captain we were looking for (not forgetting the disbelief early in the season when he was made captain at Gilberto’s expense and Wenger must be mad by appointing Gallas).

Sevilla was a learning curve, nothing more, nothing less. The fact that we lost the winning momentum is not as great as some sceptical Gooners and media would want us to believe. Players needed rest and the last two CL and up coming Carling Cup matches provide the regulars with much needed respite from the gruelling December schedule.

So what if we fielded the first team and drew at Sevilla? Would that make any difference? No, it wouldn’t. Players like Traore and Denilson gain more from the experience of losing and playing at such an intimidating atmosphere in Sevilla. I was surprised Wenger didn’t field more reserves. I hope he does in the last CL match. It has been a long time coming that we can do this and blood the younger players. Playing in CL is a step up from Carling Cup.

As for Sanderos and Gilberto, their performances were woeful but what do you expect from them? They have not played regularly and the opposition were not Derby, all due respect to Derby of course. I remember Edu. He needed a good three to four games to get into stride. Sanderos and Gilberto are no different. There are only a handful who can actually come back into the squad like they have not been away. But the way Arsenal play, familiarity is an important aspect set up. Even Hleb needed two continuous season before he realise his full potential.

I would rather we lose now and exorcise the unbeaten ghost in a meaningless match than in the Premiership or later stages of the CL at the same time giving play time to players who need them.

Gunner6

England and quota

2007-11-16T15:11:00.001Z

Gooners

I usually don’t give two seconds to England or international football for that matter. The only reason I watch those sleepy internationals are to watch how the Arsenal players are performing. My interest always ends when they are substituted or only begins when they come in.

But when the managers, players and media start talking about matters that concerns Arsenal, while I can look away most of the time, the current accusation of Arsenal being bad for England is just too much for me. In the next few days, we will see whether the press will either shut up about how great the English national side is or continue to over hype average players as if they are Gods on the pitch. I hope it is the former. What England need is a reality check. The only thing going for them is their marketing ability. That guy/team should get a huge pay rise. Not the men sitting on top of the FA administration.

As for the managers and players who blindly advocate for quota, I have only one question for them: if you are so damn righteous about the idea, why don’t you start or get your non-English manager to start?

On Agbonlahor, the media just loves printing shit. I remember The Independent running an article on Benayoun to Arsenal for over £15m. The only thing those media goons have that we don’t is access to clubs’ officials. Otherwise, they are no better than most bloggers on the web. No wonder blogging is such a massive success. Granted there are few really good writers in the media around, the rest are just shit.

Villa would be lucky to get more than £5m off Arsenal for Gabby. £15m for achieving what? And pro-quota wonder why Arsene would rather buy non-English players. If Gabby has potential, going by what has happened in the previous few seasons, Arsenal will only do a structured deal ala Walcott. Dream on if they think they can hustle Wenger for £15m up front. Then again, it is probably the media having shit for brains on this.

Gunner6

Manure, psychology and quota

2007-11-06T12:44:00.001Z

Dear Gooners

It has been a busy 3 months for me as my family and I prepare for the arrival of baby Gooner number 2 in December. However, thanx to the FSI crew, we have managed to keep up to date with the majority of Arsenal’s matches. My little girl screams just as loud when Arsenal scores, so I guess she is moving in the right direction.

Although the match was 2 days ago, some Scottish Sir keeps mouthing off about how they have the psychological edge, we are not English enough and the ref is biased. I wouldn’t dwell too much on how bad referee’s can be sometimes because it can also work in your favour. So I will take whatever good fortune that comes our way because I know it could just as easily work the other way. But I will say that referee’s have been doing Manure favours at OT for years. All of a sudden, that old man thinks referees are biased towards Manure.

As for psychological battle, I believe the pendulum swung in Arsenal’s favour more than they did Manure. That old man knew Manure lost the chance to hammer into Arsenal’s confidence and character. I truly believe he is doing his best to try and hide his disappointment more than anything else. Even some Manure sites have fallen for this. Comments like ‘the celebrations in their (Arsenal’s) dressing room like they have just won a Cup…’ is a classic. Of course any club would celebrate especially after coming from behind against a team renowned for doing just that onto others.

More importantly, it strengthens Arsenal’s conviction and belief against all the doom and gloom spewed out by the media that without Henry, Arsenal will be nothing. The players have shown that they are better without the great man. Outplaying Liverpool and not giving up against Manure. Last week’s matches against Liverpool and Manure have consolidated Arsenal’s belief more than anything else. The young players needed that. It is a mark in a season every team needs to move onto the next level. This will be our catalyst for this season.

That old man and Canadian thinking he is English can say whatever they want. In the end, we have shown strength and character. They know it.

The comments about having a quota are irrelevant in modern football and globalisation. That old man’s remark is just to get at AW. If that old man were righteous about the development of English football, in his 21 years in charge, why is it that his only English product ended with Scholes, Beckham and the Neville sisters? Don’t even start on Ferdinand, Rooney, Hargreaves and Carrick. These players were bought at inflated prices, with the exception of Hargreaves. Prices no one outside of top 4 would be able to pay.

I love the fact that UK is in the EU. All this useless rhetoric by Sepp Blatter is just that, useless rhetoric. Further, having a quota does not guarantee increase in quality. It breeds mediocrity. English players know they can get in to the team because the team needs them more than they need the team. It is a double edged sword. If the rule ever gets implemented, would the clubs reduce ticket prices in line with the potential reduction in quality? I think not.

The comments coming from Manure quarters supporting their old man on this is laughable. AW may be protecting itself by challenging Blatter’s move for a quota. But are the supporters losing out in terms of quality? Thing is, Arsenal was never set up for the purpose of improving any national teams. It was set up for the purposes of Arsenal supporters. If that old man is so righteous, why not breed and buy and play all English players for the good of the England team. Then only, can he stand next to Blatter and scream what he believes in.

I believe that the current English players do not have the quality to play for the top 4 or those that do have the quality do not come cheap. Why should Arsenal become a feeder for England? Why stop short at quota? Why not do what NHL ice hockey in the US does by allowing lesser teams to take players from top teams so that top teams cannot monopolise talented players and keep them on the bench?

Blatter is short sighted and have a political agenda. If his quota plan goes through, I believe football would be the biggest loser and England will be filled with moderate players. The bar has been raised by foreign imports. The English players should strive to meet it. Not by moving the goal posts. If English players have always had the quality, they would have been snapped up by top clubs already. In the end, it is not nationality the old man, AW or even Jose Maureen looks at, but quality.

Going back to players like Pennant, Bentley and Sidwell. They may have the quality, but they sure didn’t have the character or patience to wait. In short, look at Walcott. He is willing to knuckle down and wait. His development is for all to see. Bentley couldn’t wait for Bergkamp to retire. Sidwell had Paddy and Petit ahead of him. Pennant had Ljungberg and Pires ahead of him. Walcott seems smarter and is prepared to work for his place. Pennant, Bentley and Sidwell may have more Premiership games under their belt, but Walcott looks certain to jump ahead in international recognition. Do we need quota, or do we need reality check for the English youngsters?

Gunner6

Dividend out

2007-10-03T15:26:00.000+01:00

Gooners

I mentioned in one of my columns of 27/09/2007 that Usmanov would seek to declare dividend if he had sufficient control of the club. Well, this has rung true in the FT write up of 02/10/2007 in that Usmanov wants the Board to consider declaring dividends. Defensive words now, but when he does have sufficient control, he will declare dividends and who is to stop him draining funds out of Arsenal.

He talks highly about the club but ended his sentence with the word ‘portfolio’. No matter how hard he tries, he is first and foremost an investor and will always be one. Genuinely concerned Gooners know the difference between him and Roman. While the latter is investing in a hobby, the former may inject funds into the club. But the injection would most probably be in the form of a loan which the club, in the end, would have to repay.

At a time when we should be celebrating a new Arsenal, we also have to worry about what the club could become if left unchecked.

Gunner6

Bucharest

2007-10-03T13:23:00.000+01:00

Gooners

Not pretty but it is still 3 points. If I have to sum up yesterday, it would be the team was playing as a unit but some individual players were evidently below par. There is no point naming and shaming as even if they didn’t contribute going forward, they did their best defending. I can’t expect the players to perform fantastically in every game. But when they do pull together, the least I can do is clap my hands for effort.

Another aspect of the opposition team even at home is now to sit back and hit us on the break. What happens to the good old days of attacking at home and defending away? This goes to show the image of Arsenal that Wenger built. So many teams are so cautious about playing us that even at home, they play like the away team.

But this method suits the current team that is build on technique and pace at every level. We can now defend a whole lot higher without fear of getting caught behind. Almunia may have his detractors but his pace over Lehmann would have been a factor in this set up. Senderos may be the weak link in this. But yesterday, he was nothing of this sort. The benefit of his run in the first team is apparent. He looks more assured and his overall game has improved. First Gilberto, now maybe Gallas to wait for his turn?

Sentiments aside, I would do what is best for the team. The current XI is doing well. It should be retained even if at the expense of a few individuals. Injuries will creep in. Every player will get their chance.

That said, Fabregas looked tired. His all round game seemed to have dropped. May be because he was defending deeper than usual in the last 2 matches. A breather may be helpful for our young Spaniard. There is always Denilson and Diaby.

Sunderland next and I am sure all Gooners will anticipate what Keane will tell his players to do in the first 20 minutes – make your presence felt. I think English referees should let football rule over English passion. While grit and determination is fine and dandy, clattering onto players and not playing the ball is not passion. It doesn’t help the league and it shall doesn’t help the overall development of the English game.

I am not saying teams should let Arsenal walk over them or compete head on head in terms of skill, but the stamps on Fabregas and the Noble tackle should be thrown out of football altogether. While I cannot stop the tugging of shirts or tripping of players, at least they do not injure the player.

Arsenal may not be angels themselves but if you look carefully, their tackles more often than not have their studs facing downwards away from the opposition player. Yes, there are one or two poor ones but with the exception of the Sagna tackle on Huddlestone, I haven’t come across one this season where the body weight of player follows through the tackle.

Gunner6

West Ham & Hleb

2007-10-01T09:58:00.001+01:00

Gooners

A satisfying win at West Ham. An incredibly stupid challenge on Hleb. I have never hide the fact that he has been my favourite player since he joined Arsenal, so it will be disappointing not to see him in the CL. I can’t still fathom how commentators can call those challenges ‘passionate’. Wait until someone does that to Rooney during an international match, I am sure Sky will be up in arms. They already missed the two ‘stamps’ on Cesc’s head. This is ridiculous.

I subscribe to the argument that Arsenal players’ do have their share of poor tackles. Flamini was a case in point but it was the foot trying to take the ball rather than the entire bodyweight behind a flying tackle. I am not condoning Flamini;s tackle but in terms of severity, it can be career threatening which is not what you want to see.

I thought Arsenal lost a little bit of creativity and an outlet when Hleb left. Goes to show how important players like Rosicky and Hleb are to the team. Granted Diaby and Eboue did pretty well, but there is no denying Rosicky and Hleb’s worth when they are playing together. Those two can interchange easily whereas Diaby or Eboue wouldn’t be able to provide such flexibility.

Another positive factor is that we are collecting full points when lady luck is with us. Freddie’s ‘goal’ was reminiscent of the good old days but sometimes you create your own luck or ride it whichever you think is more suited. We rode ours and got full points from it. Manure is currently riding on a wave of good luck as well so hopefully when things come unstuck, they go through the same spell as us.

While many would castigate Senderos, I think he did well. He never had any pace, and would not suddenly become turbo charged in his career. But we need his dogged defending in the EPL. We tend to defend better on set pieces when he is playing and I am sure Wenger realise that.

Also, a word of praise to Flamsters for his performance so far. I thought he could carve a career at Arsenal but more of a Gilles Grimandi fold than anything else. But he has shown why Wenger brought him to Arsenal. His humbleness in doing all the dirty work for more creative players to flourish is certainly welcomed. Further, I admire his attitude in standing up for the team. We need players like this.

Gunner6

Usmanov again

2007-09-27T13:28:00.001+01:00

Gooners

As I suspected, he is in for Arsenal’s money. He knows the club is going to flourish and having a controlling/influential stake where he can call for a dividend is his way of taking money out of Arsenal.

Instead of a full takeover and get logged into a battle with the Arsenal Board, he is playing it smart. I would love to find out how much you need to hold in Arsenal before you have sufficient power to throw your influence around.

Rest assure, a certain person removed from Arsenal not too long ago would have fed the Russian with the info that Arsenal would be a very rich club soon.

I have some bloggers reverting that Arsenal is small change compared to what the Russian is valued at. That may be, but money makes more money. With the kind of money Arsenal is making, he can drain some of it out and when the time comes to sell his stake in the club, he will still at the very least get back all his money spent to buy his current (and future) shareholding.

The return to DD is possibly a seat in the Board. Again, that would depend on what is stated in the Memorandum and Articles. But I am sure 100% is not required to put someone on the Board.

Usmanov differs from Roman because the former became the latter bought into Chelski when they needed money most, whereas Usmanov bought into Arsenal at a time when they are loaded with cash.

I am not criticising his method of making money as buying into Arsenal is the same as us investment in profitable companies to make money although some spare dosh would be very much welcomed for my part. I am coming from the Arsenal angle where I would like the money to stay with Arsenal so that Le Boss can use it to make the club better. I am selfish in that sense for I want Arsenal to become the best and money can help to achieve that although a visionary boss is another.

Unless I have a billionaire uncle/auntie who suddenly appears from nowhere and allows me unlimited access to his/her bank account, I can only hope Usmanov’s involvement does not cripple the club.

Gunner6

Derby stamp

2007-09-24T13:13:00.001+01:00

Gooners

Is there any surprise that the media once again took a blind eye to the stamp Cesc got against Derby? Those sort of acts should be removed from football but it seems the 5 goal bashing is sufficient punishment. Would the FA be brave enough to call for video evidence or publicly state that the referee saw the stamp and decided not to take any action?

It was totally uncalled for and such action has no place in football. Cesc got away ok this time round but I would hate to see another ‘Diaby’ incident before any action is taken.

Similarly, the Obi tackle on Evra is a red card offence. I would not defend any Arsenal player going in with studs showing. It is a foolish and dangerous way to tackle. Finally, how many f*** should a ref take before sending a player off? Is it any wonder players don’t respect the refs when they can f*** and official for an unlimited number of times in a match?

I won’t go into the Derby detail as countless Arsenal blogs have had their say. Just would like to add that at least they do not take their foot off the pedal when they have the opposition in the back foot compared to previous years. They remind me of the Manure team of Becks-Scholes-Giggs at their peak when they wouldn’t just stop at 3 or 4 goals but continue to pile on the misery (Ipswich remember?).

This is a healthy ruthless attitude. So often we dropped points last season against less fancied opposition that it is good to know we are picking up full points this season. It is still early in the season but a reasonable points cushion going into November and December is very much appreciated.

Thing is, I don’t think the team is firing on all cylinders even with the run of victories. Players like van Persie and Eduardo have yet to find their scoring touch. The team is compensated by goals from midfield, an area so dearth of them last season. I am not worried as it would be good timing in the end when current contributors like Cesc and Adebayor goes through a lean spell, with van Persie and Eduardo picking up where they left off.

Gunner6

Usmanov and Derby

2007-09-21T12:04:00.000+01:00

Gooners

I honestly do not believe Usmanov is trying to do what Glazer and Roman did. I truly believe he is trying to amass enough shareholding so that he can instruct the club to declare dividends ie, draining funds out of Arsenal. It is no surprise he made his move so close to the announcement that Arsenal is the second richest club on this planet. I am sure Dein would have played a part letting Usmanov in on the financial prospect of the club.

Usmanov and Dein are in a win-win situation. Depending on the club’s articles, if they get their way (or majority shareholding), Usmanov gets a consistent flow of income from Arsenal in the form of dividend, for the foreseeable future at the very least. The sell out matches and waiting lists would guarantee that. Eventually, when he sells his shares, with the way Arsenal is going, he might even make a profit from it. As for Dein, he may just become MD. Dein will propose a dividend to be declared and Usmanov, the controlling shareholder may approve it. So it works full circle in their part. As a result, Kroenke has become a very important player in this mess. Suddenly, he is looking like the lesser of two evils. Not to say he was evil from the start, but you know what I mean. Anyway, the good thing is Wenger is probably doing his utmost best to shield all this from his players. The line probably taken would be that the players don’t need to think or even talk about this to anyone especially to the media. Wenger’s role in this sorry state of affairs is even more significant than we care to imagine. It is no coincidence that all the players talks about is football and let us hope that continue.

Back to football, the last few weeks have been more than just encouraging. Early times still but a good start coupled with problems at Chelski means we may end up giving Manure a run for their crown. Liverpool is everyone’s bet since their demolition of Derby but against Portsmouth, Benitez have shown that he may just rotate Liverpool out of the equation. Would Man City end up as the surprise package? I think they may just. Not that I am a big fan of Sven, but he has moulded Man City into not only a dogged tenacious team but unlike England, he has brought in players who can give that added offensive spark.

I have nothing more to say about Chelski other than Moaner had overstayed his welcome. Am I sad that he is gone? Not at all for I am sure many would say the same if Wenger were to be given the same treatment. All the early season talk about Spurs taking fourth place from us looks way off the mark at the moment. It may just be Man City taking Chelski’s CL place.

Derby this weekend would be a good match for us to consolidate our position at the top. A win is a win regardless of the scoreline. I don’t expect 6 goals like Liverpool as I believe Derby would have learnt from that and it was evident that they have when they beat Newcastle. So this is not a definite win in my eyes. The danger playing such teams when you are top is that a draw for them is a good result. Therefore, they are under pressure to attack while we have to. I am slightly more confident than in the past when faced with such opposition is due the fact that the players have found their shooting boots of late and in Adebayor a player who has grown to use his presence to much better effect. We finally have some variety.

It is hard to single out individual players and Cesc have been singled out almost everywhere for his incredible start to the season. But we must also credit the defensive role put in by Flamini to give Cesc that added freedom as well as Sagna who has finally balanced the defence. The early cries of ‘Why?’ by some pessimistic Gooners have now been silenced when Wenger shelved out £8m for Sagna.

Gunner6