Arsenal vs Bolton

Arsenal with a mountain to climb

The last few weeks has been depressing and very frustrating, the season that looked to be heading in the right direction seemed to have been derailed by a couple of moments of madness by Almunia and Diaby against United and then Clichy against City. That meant we came away from the city of Manchester with nothing to show for all the effort. The Premier League table doesnt look pretty at the moment, Arsenal sit in 9th place, 9 points behind Chelsea.

Arsenal have to start winning games to get back in the mix and we cant afford to lose any more games because there is a limit to the number of games you can lose and still have a shot at the title. The one positive is the fixture list has been tough, away trips to Goodison and two trips to Manchester was never going to be easy. What made it frustrating was Arsenal still played well enough to pick up some points against the two Manchester teams or even win those two games. The good thing is Arsenal are playing well this season and it is only a matter of time before they start picking up points.

Winning games doesn't come by just playing well, the team has to defend better. Arsenal have only kept one clean sheet this season, one clean sheet in seven games is not going to get the job done. Individually Gallas, Vermaelen and Sagna had looked solid until the Man City game but Gael Clichy has looked shaky and exposed the rest of the defence in the City game.I also question the team defending, some of the goals Arsenal conceded against City were shocking from a team stand point. The decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation was a brilliant one defensively but players still have to put in their shift in midfield when Arsenal do not have the ball.

The goalkeeping position was one I was uncomfortable with coming into the season. I felt Almunia was questionable as first choice but as long as we had a solid second choice, he would at least stay motivated. Unfortunately he had no competition with Fabianski more of an understudy rather than somebody fighting to take his place and Wenger promoted the young Italian Goalkeeper to third choice. I suspect Wenger was forced to drop Almunia because of his sloppy start to the season but I am uncomfortable with Mannone in goal against Wigan.

I dont wish to talk about Adebayor today, according to Wenger that case is closed and I agree with him. Arsenal have to look forward to teams ahead of them rather than dwelling on Adebayor. Wenger also claims the Manchester defeats strenghtened the teams belief, I wont believe it until they show it on the pitch. He sees the Wigan game as a good opportunity to start making up the points and I agree with him. Arsenal have a mountain to climb and they have to win against Wigan to get back in the title race.

Arsenal need to focus on the prize

I have not posted anything for over a week because I really didnt see anything worth talking about. There is so much off the ball stuff going on but very little relating to actual football. UEFA suspended Eduardo (which I supported initially) but came out a few days later and said that the Eduardo incident was a one off which further infuriated Arsenal fans. Then there was Rooney going to ground to win debatable penalties all over the place and the English media's reaction to it which was very biased but that is to be expected anyway. Diving is a big problem in football but making one player a scapegoat or the media demonizing a few players is not going to solve the problem. FIFA have to make it formal that players can be punished retrospectively for diving but more importantly introduce video technology during games so that referees can at least review incidents and make the right decision.

Now on to football, aren't the international's such a huge bore? However I think this one came at the right time. I felt the nature of Arsenal's defeat to Manchester United was very bad and things could spiral out of control if the team didnt get their acts together and get the result out of their system as soon as possible. In my opinion Arsenal are better than Manchester United this season and they have a genuine chance of winning the league title. The team has had a brilliant start to the season even with the defeat to United and the negativity surrounding the Eduardo incident. This is not the time to get caught up in all this nonsense, Arsenal need to focus on the prize. It is five long years without the premier league title but I think this team is just about ripe to win the title this season.

I was very disappointed that Arsene Wenger didnt strengthen the team before the close of the transfer window. I found it rather ironic that a week after the transfer window closed it was announced that Djourou got injured and had to do a surgery that would keep him out for six months. However it is not time to press the panic button yet, as long as Gallas and Vermaelen stay injury free, Arsenal would be fine but that is a big ask. On a positive note, Theo Walcott would be back after the break and it looks like Thomas Rosciky should be fit for the next league game after declaring himself fit to play for Czech republic. Nasri should also be very close to returning to the first team action.

while the players were away on international break, Arsene Wenger talked about the 4-3-3 formation and how it has liberated Cesc Fabregas and he compared him to Frank Lampard. I personally think that there is more to Cesc Fabregas game than Frank Lampard. It is a compliment that Cesc is compared to such a prolific goal scorer like Lampard but Cesc is a more rounded football than Lampard. Cesc is more of a passer than goal scorer and in that sense I think Cesc is more like Bergkamp than Lampard. Speaking to the media this week, Cesc Fabregas talked about how Arsenal would not be bullied this season but he also talked about Arsenal winning a trophy this season and his link to Barcelona. Do you sense any hidden messages there?

Arsenal face Manchester City this weekend and a few of the old boys are set to return. Kolo has been made the captain of Manchester City and Adebayor has had a blistering start to his City career. This is one game that Arsenal just have to win but more about the city game in the Arsenal v City preview later this week.

Theo Walcott's Nike Ad

Wenger pre Celtic Interview

The complexity of Diaby

Abou Diaby scored a couple of good goals in his last game for Arsenal in the game against Portsmouth. In the wake of that victory, Arsene Wenger had this to say about Diaby.

On Abou Diaby’s similarities to Patrick Vieira...

"Abou is a more offensive player but if he decides to play defensively he is exactly like Vieira. At some stage when Gallas moved out I put Denilson centre back and put Diaby central midfield in a defensive role. And he looks completely similar to Patrick to win the ball back. But he is a guy who has a quick transition from defence to offence, from box to box, that is his fantastic strength, to change quickly. Nobody can go with him when he has that, when we are on the counter-attack. He is fantastic."

On the frustrating time Diaby has had...

"He has been out for nine months. He has been here three years and I have seen that today he played his 100th game so that means he has been out for a long, long time. He has had little problems and he worked very hard this summer. This could be Abou’s year, it could be his season because he prepared well, he looks very sharp, very strong, he has all you dream to have to play in the Premier League."

Emmanuel Petit also compared Abou Diaby to Patrick Vieira in a new article in the mirror following the game. Considering what a massive player Vieira was, I think it is a very flattering that Diaby is being compared to Vieira.

When Abou Diaby was signed, it looked like he was naturally going to fill the Vieira role, everything seemed to be going according to plan until he got a nasty injury against Sunderland that completely halted his development. Since he returned back from injury, he hasn't exactly gone on to fulfill the initial promise he showed when he signed for Arsenal.

Abou Diaby is a very interesting player, he has good physique, excellent close ball technique and good with the ball on his feet. Unfortunately, football is about the bigger picture and that is the aspect lacking in Diaby's game. He holds unto the ball a bit too long, tries to dribble too much, he isn't really much of a passer and he really doesn't see his teammates on the pitch. In my opinion Abou Diaby would be an excellent player in 5 aside football game but on a bigger pitch, the flaws in his game get exposed.

The bigger problem facing Abou Diaby at Arsenal is figuring what his best position is on the pitch. He isn't really defensive enough to play as a defensive midfielder yet he isn't dynamic enough to play in a more offensive role in the midfield. Arsene Wenger has played him in central midfield, in the defensive midfield, as a supporting striker and even on the left wing. He really hasn't found his niche in any of this positions and that has somewhat down his development. However the new 4-3-3 formation presents an opportunity for Diaby to finally establish himself.

Watching Abou Diaby score those 2 goals against Portsmouth reminded me of what a talented player he is but he has to be consistent and establish himself this season because he is not a kid anymore. He also needs to shake off these niggling injuries that have kept him in and out of the team for the last couple of years.

Arsenal seek consistency

Arsenal have had a brilliant start to the season but now the hard part, maintaining the consistency needed to win the title. In the past the team has gotten excellent results in difficult games but lost focus in the easy games and dropped unnecessary points. I attribute that to the lack of maturity and experience of the team. A title winning team has to pick up points from the smaller sides in the league with relative ease. Manchester United picked up 58 points out of 60 against the bottom half of the premier league table last season. That was the secret to their success, crushing the little guys. The last time Arsenal won the title, the team made winning the games against the minnows of the league like clock work, in fact they went through the entire season without losing a game.

Those were the days

In a few hours Arsenal face a team that has been regarded as early candidates for relegation. Portsmouth are in a mess financially, they are facing a take over by an Arab businessman that apparently is the first Arab businessman without money and the confidence of the squad is at an all time low. Arsenal have to go into the Portsmouth game with the right focus, attitude and mentality and come out with the maximum 3 points. Anything short of that would be a huge set back in Arsenal's premier league aspiration this season.

Arsene Wenger in his pre-game press conference suggested that the premier league starts to that shape after 10 games. The fixture list to start the season hasn't been particularly favorable to Arsenal but the first two results have put Arsenal on the right track to have a brilliant start to the season. Speaking of injuries, Carlos Vela is out for the next month with ankle injury while he blamed Theo Walcott's dual role for his injury. On signings, he says he is not looking to sign Hangeland but that should come as no surprise after watching Vermaelen in the first two games of the season. However he says we are a bit short defensively and he might add a defensive player. I am assuming it should be a midfield reinforcement although Arsenal also lack a bit of depth at the back. It is 11pm in Miami, I think I need to end my ramblings about Arsenal and catch some sleep.

Theo Walcott gets a tatoo

Injury news for the weekend

Arsenal at celtic park tomorrow

Arsenal face Celtic at Celtic park tomorrow in a crucial champions league qualifier for the money spinning group phase of the champions league . I am a bit worried about the game because Celtic seem to be inspired whenever the big boys from Europe come to their stadium. They have done well in recent years against Manchester United, Barcelona and Milan. I still think Arsenal should be able to get a good result at Celtic park but it wouldn't be a walk in the park. I expect a very determined and committed Celtic team and the atmosphere would be very intimidating.

Wenger speaking about the atmosphere had this to say about his team

"You expect a massive support at Celtic,"
"Scotland is always a very special atmosphere, a special noise in the stands. But we have played everywhere in Europe and we can deal with that. It will be down to us and how well we play."We don’t go into this game with fear. We go with respect for Celtic, but we know it is a very important game for us and we want to come home with a positive result.
"I always prepare my team first with determination and not with fear. We have played everywhere and have good experience in the Champions League. But every game is different and we know what we will face on Tuesday night – a very determined Celtic team with quality."

The injury news is not very promising, Diaby is set to return from injury but the trio of Cesc Fabregas, Denilson and Sagna are minor doubts for the game. Theo Walcott is also out of the game with a back problem he was carrying while away with England on international duty. According to Wenger, the test results on the injury was negative which is some positive news. Irrespective of what team Wenger puts out against Celtic, Arsenal should be able to pick up a decent result that would put them in good stead to qualify when Celtic come to the emirates staduim.

4-3-3 Formation makes Cesc Fabregas effective like Denis Bergkamp

It is a strange topic comparing a midfielder to a striker but there is one thing Cesc Fagregas has in common with Bergkamp, the Pass. Denis Bergkamp was gifted with the vision and the ability to make defence splitting passes. Cesc Fabregas has the same quality, the uncanny ability to read the game and his passing ability is second to none in the game. He can ping 40 yard pass accurately as well as a 5 yard pass with the right amount of pace and spin on the ball.

Denis Bergkamp started out as a traditional second striker but as he grew older and lost his pace, he became more and more like a playmaker. He stopped scoring a lot of goals but he was the link man between the midfield and the attack.

Cesc Fabregas on the other hand is a traditional midfielder but he has his flaws. He isn’t very good defensively, he isn’t very physical, doesn’t have a lot of pace and lacks athleticism. He therefore needs a strong defensive midfielder beside him to be effective in a 2 man midfield. In the 2007/08 season he played alongside Flamini and it gave him the freedom to go around the pitch and express himself without worrying about defensive cover behind him. Unfortunately last season he had to play alongside Denilson and his game suffered. Arsene Wenger has taken a new approach with the 4-3-3 formation and I think Cesc would be the biggest beneficiary. It gives him the license to roam and get around the pitch without worrying too much about defensive duty at the same time he has the opportunity to use his strongest quality, the Pass.

The morning after

After a win like yesterday, you get excited and feel like you have finally arrived. I saw the game a second time and got my kick out of it but it is over and it is time to move on.


Arsenal face Celtic in a very difficult champions league qualifier at Celtic park on Tuesday. The game is very important and would decide if Arsenal make it into the group phase of the champions league. Although the Scottish league is not very competitive, Celtic have done very well in the past against Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan. Hopefully Arsenal put up a good performance and keep the momentum going from the Everton game. By the way, I am off to see United and Liverpool play.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

I wasn't optimistic going into the season but what a brilliant start to the season by Arsenal. I am not a big fan of the 4-3-3 formation especially with Bendtner playing on the right. However when the game started, the team looked really comfortable moving the ball around. Then it started raining, raining goals that is and it just wouldn't stop. By the end of the first half Arsenal were 3 goals up against Everton in Goodison park. At the end of the game, Arsenal had scored 6 goals. The only blight on the game was Arsenal couldnt keep a clean sheet.

Tactically I thought the way the midfield was set up was perfect because it played to the strengths of the players. Song anchored the midfield and did an amazing job playing the holding role in central midfield while Cesc and Denilson were given free roles. Denilson has been criticized a lot the past year but I think restricting him to that defensive midfield role was part of the problem. Denilson in my opinion is a box to box player and he is better when he is given a free role further up the pitch. Finally Cesc Fabregas led like a captain and put his stamp on the game with 2 goals and 2 assists.

My man of the match was Vermaelen which is rather ironic because I was very critical of the signing. I thought he was too short, too young and came from a poor Ajax defence. Today, Vermaelen looked very calm and collected at the back, he competed in the air against the taller Everton players and was excellent when the ball was on the ground. The defence still looked shaky during the game but it was good to see a defender that could actually defend and he looked comfortable defending unlike Kolo Troure who looked to be in a state of constant panic the last couple of years.



Talk about Arsenal not finishing in the top 4, I think today Arsenal put their marker down on the title challenge. I still think we need a couple of signings to freshen things up and improve the depth of the team but I am no longer as worried as I was before the start of the season.

Arsenal Season Preview

I have been trying to avoid doing this but the English premier league season starts tomorrow and I have no choice but to do a preseason preview. I am looking forward to the new season although I am a bit worried that Arsenal haven’t done much in the transfer market. I wouldn’t let that take the fun away, I am going to enjoy the new season good or bad. I am not sure the Arsenal is good enough to challenge for the league title but there is still a lot of talented players to look forward to like Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas. That is enough reason to be excited about the forthcoming season.

Arsenal Nike Ad

Jack Wilshere


Who says there are no talented players at Arsenal...