Gazidis drops Arsene Wenger right in it! Expect changes for today’s fixture…..

November 24, 2012

Better times ahead??

Yesterday the news broke that Arsenal football club had signed a new £150m deal with the Emirates airline, extending its shirt sponsorship to 2019. The naming rights to the stadium have also been extended to 2028 as part of the deal.

This will bring in £30m a season to the club and the deal is said to be one of the biggest in footballing world!

Ivan Gazidis has been talking about how wonderful this deal is and what it brings to the Arsenal table etc, click here  to read it all.

But the most interesting comment he made was this:

This deal is all about football.

It is all about giving us the resources to be able to invest in what we put on to the pitch for our fans. The manager will have more resources available.

We kept some powder dry in the summer, so we do have the ability to make a move or two in the January window, but that will be based as always on what Arsene Wenger believes is available in the window and the kind of moves he thinks might help us on the pitch.

So, there we have it from the clubs Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis. Arsene Wenger is the one who decides on whether or not we spend money and how much we spend.

Onto today’s match, a 5.30pm kick off against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Aston Villa have striker Darren Bent back which isn’t good news for us but missing are Joe Bennett, Chris Herd, Charles N’Zogbia and Richard Dunne.

Joining Diaby, Fabianski and Rosicky on the injury list is Theo Walcott and Andre Santos but after his little cameo in midweek, Gervinho is available for selection, as is Kieran Gibbs.

On the team selection for today, Wenger has said:

There are no major injuries, a few tired legs and that will all be assessed on Friday, I have not decided what I will do yet. I have time and we’ll see who is available, who is a bit less available, who is a bit tired and who has some knocks and bruises but there is nothing major.

I think from that comment, we can expect to see one or two changes from the side that started midweek. Gibbs will no doubt slot in at left back and Gervinho could also start. After that I haven’t a clue. Arteta must surely need a break but who can replace him? The same can be said about Cazorla.

But Wenger can’t afford make too many changes, we all know what that does to the team….

Head-to-head

Aston Villa haven’t beaten us at Villa park in 13 attempts since coming from two goals down to win 3-2 in December 1998 (D6, L7).

We have lost only two of our subsequent 27 league meetings with Villa. Last season we overturned a 2-0 deficit in the FA Cup fourth round beat Villa 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium.

But we shouldn’t and must not be fooled by history, we have seen us slip up against lower positioned league sides too often, Norwich this season being the most recent. This game will be another tough one IF any one of our players of the manager think it’s won before we kick off.

Paul Lambert, who will be in the stands doesn’t care about the history of results between the two clubs either:

It’s Arsenal but we’re at home so we’re going to go for it. We haven’t beaten them here since 1998 so it just shows how hard it’s going to be.

I can’t influence what’s happened in years gone by but I can influence what goes on now.

Be assured though, if we turn up with only half a mind of the job in hand, Villa will register a home win and any confidence we built up last weekend and midweek will be gone again.

Wenger target is to get into the top four by Christmas and push on from there so he needs to make sure his players are ready to make that happen by carrying on from where we left off last weekend.

That’s it for another day…..

 

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Posted by rico

Wenger confirms a striker could join in January. Huntelaar linked as are Adidas….

November 23, 2012

Morning folks,

A few days ago, Arsene Wenger set us all off moaning when he hinted that Thierry Henry would be the answer to all our prayers in January, well, that’s if we were all crying out for one in the striker department of course.

Since then though, Arsene has kind of backtracked.

I just spoke about that because people asked me, I said I don’t rule it out because he’s in good shape but I haven’t made up my mind yet. I haven’t spoken to Thierry about it. I just answered a question honestly that I have not completely decided how I will sort it out in my head.

We maybe looking at a striker because Gervinho is going to the Africa Cup of Nations. 

I know we have all heard the ‘we maybe looking at’ lines many times over from the manager and I seriously doubt that we should take this very seriously. Wenger seldom speaks the truth when if comes to transfers and answering questions from the media.

Who knows though, maybe he’ll shock us and sign Huntelaar?

Wenger has also been talking about the weak and wounded.

Santos is out for another ten days and Walcott remains sidelined for Aston Villa but could be ok by the time we travel to Everton a few days later. 10 days with an abdominal strain. Oxlade-Chamberlain looks alright which is bizarre as I didn’t even know he was injured…

Abou Diaby – if all goes well, he will be back in three to four years weeks. Part of me will be glad to see him back, but there is another part which hopes he doesn’t return to full fitness until February, IF, that means Wenger will finally stop relying on our crock and sign a defence minded midfielder in January. Arteta cannot play every fixture this season!

Tomas Rosicky is back in training and should be fit and ready to link up with the rest of the squad on Monday.

The return of Rosicky is a huge boost. Last year from January to the end of the season he was on fire, he’d signed a new contract and earned every penny of it. he really was good and if he comes back and finds that same kind of form, his return is massive.

Apparently he had suffered a similar injury to Scott Parker and they had operations at the same time. Funny enough, Parker is due back very soon, so this is one time we can’t knock our medical staff..

Today we are meant to hear something from the club in relation to a new kit deal and it’s suspected that Nike will be Gonners and Adidas will be the new supplier. Lets hope they come up with some decent shirt designs if this turns out to be true.

Finally, former Holland striker Erik Meijer has added fuel to the ‘Huntelaar to Arsenal’ speculation by insisting that we are currently in the driving seat for his compatriot’s signature.

According to the information I have, Huntelaar will be gone in the winter

Asked where the ex-Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan forward was going, Meijer replied:

Arsenal FC are the favourites to land him.

Now that would be nice eh?

That’s it for another day, Aston Villa tomorrow, another must win for us….

 

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Posted by rico

A New Dawn on the horizon as Pat Rice signs of with a bump…..

May 14, 2012

Morning all,

Just thought I would share a photo:

Enjoy the day Gooners…..

It couldn’t have started better could it, Robin made a tackle just inside the Baggies half and the ball cannoned back towards the home side keeper Fulop – well, Fulop saw the ball heading his way and came out to meet it but instead of hoofing it to safety, he tried to wait for the ball to get back into his safety area in order to pick it up.

Yossi nipped in and rolled the ball into the back of the net.

1-0 – perfect start!

The Baggies woke up though and Marc-Antoine Fortune forced a good save from Wojciech Szczesny’s near-post but, already it was clear that holes in the defence were present. Santos was a bit gung-ho and Jenks was getting caught of position.

Morrison was causing a few problems to our defence and he played the perfectly placed ball through to release Shane Long to fire home for the equaliser. Great pass, good finish, just a shame Long was two yards offside!

Regardless, the defence was exposed as it always seems to be these days!

It was the same just two minutes later when Jenkinson and Koscielny seemed to have Dorrans covered but he headed the ball into space just inside the penalty area and planted the ball past Szczesny to make it 2-1!

Our left back then became left winger and goal scorer!

Song dispossessed Youseff Mulumbu and pushed the ball into the path of Santos, he tricked his way past one, then two West Brom players and then fired his shot just inside the near-post.

Fulop managed to get his hands to it but the power in which Santos unleashed his shot was all too hot to handle. 2-2!

Then, from a harmless corner taken from Robin van Persie, we took the lead. The ball was crossed in towards the middle of the penalty area and Fulop tried to punch the corner but he totally naffed it up. The ball landed at Koscielnys feet and he volleyed home into an empty net.

3-2 to us and that is how it remained….

Stressful times followed, Robin van Persie made a goal-line clearance from Jonas Olsson, Szczesny saved rather well from an acrobatic shot from Keith Andrews and Kieran Gibbs made a last-ditch, match winning tackle in injury-time to prevent Billy Jones from bringing the scores level.

The final whistle blew, it was our day….

Arsene and Pat had a ‘man-hug’ which went on for ages and everything was ‘happy’.

Good result, but another dodgy performance…

Pat Rice went off in style, knowing that every season he has been alongside Arsene Wenger; his team had secured Champions League football, that’s some record isn’t it…

For he’s a jolly good fella…..

It’s a new dawn and a new day from now on, Steve Bould steps in and with it hopefully will come new ideas….

Start of a new beginning??

Maybe, but for now let’s just enjoy finishing above the very Tiny Totts – and just maybe we’ll cheer the Chavs on Saturday….. ;)

Have a good day all…..

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Posted by rico

Vertonghen deal done? Today is about ‘Who wants it more’…..

April 8, 2012

Morning Gooners,

Happy Easter to you all….

Big one today against Manchester City, a side which many are calling them the team from Abu Dhabi but I like to look at it differently. Just because a team has rich financial backers who are not afraid to put their money where their mouths are, that shouldn’t be a reason to disrespect them.

We have rich owners, one Russian and one American, but sadly they have kept their hands in their pockets.

That is not the only similarity we have with City, eight of our ex players are now involved with their rolling machine, Gael Clichy,  Sami Nasri, Adebayor although out on loan at the moment and Kolo Toure who warms their bench and do they still have Stuart Taylor on their books?

Behind the scenes they also have Brian Marwood, Patrick Vieira, Brian Kidd and David Platt!

Amazing really that they haven’t got an ex Arsenal Manager in charge isn’t it??

Robin & Thomas - Get in......

So it’s Arsenal first 11 against Arsenals want away’s, but in reality this is a must win game, both teams will be up for this game and so they should be!

The stories in the newspapers suggest that Manchester City are worried about this game, maybe that’s because there is so much riding on it, and I wouldn’t have thought they are relishing playing us in the form we have been in recently.

City at the moment are in 2nd place, still in with a shout of the League title, we sit 4th behind the Spuds after their lucky draw yesterday.

Half an hour before our game starts, the Manchester United result will be known and that will no doubt have an effect on City but it shouldn’t on us! I find it strange that in these kind of situations, United often play their game first just to raise the pressure that little bit more, which is unfair in my opinion but then we know who the FA favour don’t we?

Anyway, back to today…

The last time we welcomed City to the Emirates in the league, they set themselves up for a draw. They were negative and stifled the game with their dogged defensive tactics but today, and with what’s at stake, I think we can expect a very different approach from the opposition.

This will be a more open game and both keepers and defence will have to be on their toes as they could be very busy.

Mancini must believe his job depends on a win today as a loss would no doubt make his bosses less than happy, they have had a few managers and if you’re not successful you are gone, so he’s under pressure as well as the players.

Who really cares what happens to City anyway, all we need to be concentrating on is us, we have to want this win more than they do!

No stats about us…..

No stats about them either, today is like a cup game, every game until the end of the season will be the same too, it’s do or lose Champions League football….

Forget the Arsenal horror show of last weekend, let’s get back to playing the way we all know we can. We are at home, on our own finely grown, watered and trimmed green grass which will be ready to grace our fine football.

Let’s get back to doing what we have all seen in the last couple of months, the spirit and passion we showed against the Swampies, the grit at Anfield, the absolute desire and commitment that we saw against Newcastle.

Way to go Tomas......

Add all that to the flair we witnessed when we absolutely battered AC Milan at The Emirates and we can beat the side we face today with ease.

Let’s just go out there and do what we did to Ibrah and his old cronies….

COYG’s

Written by Steve Palmer

Good Luck to the Ladies today, they kick off their WSL campaign with a home fixture against Everton. Kick off is 1.30pm.

Snippet from ESPN – looks like Vertonghen is definately leaving his current club, just hope that team he is 100% sure of joining is ours!

 

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Posted by rico

Walcott’s the best & signing his new contract is as important as RvP signing his……

March 30, 2012

Kieran Gibbs believes Theo Walcott is the best winger in England.

For me, yes he is, put it this way, I would not like to be coming up against him.

Right now, Theo is playing the best football he ever has in an Arsenal shirt, his crossing is certainly better and he’s even getting a few goals.

So is Gibbs right, is Theo better than his counterparts in the Premier League?

We all know that Walcott’s contract runs out at the same time as our captains and I know you will no doubt all slap me down for suggesting this, but my own view is that both contracts need to be signed asap, and both are equally important to our club.

Robin may score the goals, but behind every goal he scores, there has to be a provider and Theo has very often been that player.

Keeping both Theo and Robin is key to our future, surely?

Wenger hopes he will be able to persuade Walcott to sign on the dotted line, his words of encouragement and vision for the future being the key.

Walcott earns about £60,000 a week, but if reports are to be believed, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are all keeping an eye on his contract situation and are ready to pounce if no agreement is reached.

However, Wenger is desperate to keep his man:

The fact he is so long in the spotlight, people forget Theo is 22 (now 23) and getting now to an age where you perform. It is as simple as that. Theo develops well because he is intelligent. Tactically and technically he had a complete game against Newcastle.

To be fair on Theo, his game has improved after his second half performance against Tottenham but then so has other players games improved too since that day.

Some believe that Walcott’s final decision about his future will depend on whether his captain will sign a contract extension but, and I think I have suggested this before, players like Theo are equally important to Robin staying too.

The pair have developed a lethal partnership, a great , one which we all need to carry on next season.

Hopefully in the future I would like to play up front with him, but if I am setting up goals, then that is the most important thing. He is tucking them away and the team is winning; so you can’t ask for much more.

Robin is getting into his golf now but I don’t think he is up to the level I am. But he will be. He is a great man, a great captain and very important to this club. It means so much just to be on the pitch with Robin. When he says those words when I’m right next to him, it just makes me so happy. If he’s enjoying what I am doing, then that is the main thing. If the staff and the coaches are happy, that’s all I want.

Stability, that’s what we need in our squad, a squad that when all fit is not far off from being the best in the Premier League, two or three additions would make it complete.

So, come on Theo, get on and sign your new contract and then others may just follow suit….

Finally, it seems Laurent Koscielny will miss tomorrows game through injury, although it’s more likely he is sitting this one out to avoid any chance of missing next weekends fixture against Citeh as he is one booking away from a ban.

Lukas Podolski update.

That’s it for today, have a good one all….

 

 

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Posted by rico

Milan the new Barca? Playing for their Arsenal future? Gervinho returns & Diaby soon to follow….

February 18, 2012

It doesn’t take long does it, just because Milan got one over us in midweek, Ibrahimovic has taken it upon himself to offer our captain some career advice, he thinks it’s time for him to leave us! We had all this from Barca players about Cesc, now it seems we are in for a few more comments about our captain.

Perhaps Milan hope to sign him and Ibrahimovic is the first of a few comments from their players, others to follow?

That’s enough on Milan, that result  has to be gone and forgotten for today, we have another battle on our hands and you can bet your bottom dollar that the test today will be equally as tough.

The opposition may not have players like Ibrahimovic, Pato, Prince etc etc but what they will have is guts, passion and determination to get through into the next round of this competition!

They will also be desperate for revenge after last weekend’s loss to us, so it’s going to be a rough ride in Sunderland later…

Forget about Sunderland as a team right now, nothing we say or do will change how O’Neil lines up his merry men, nor will it change his tactics – but I bet he’s been out on the turf at The Stadium of Light with a fork himself overnight, just to make sure we can’t play ‘our way’! ;)

So be it!!

Wenger knows the pitch will be bumpy, he knows it will be heavy and stodgy – so deal with it and change our tactics to overcome that..

Let’s try something new, hoof the ball up front and bypass the crap pitch, maybe a bobble will see a pass turn into a goal. ;)

Reality is, today we shouldn’t be trying to play fancy football, just play a game that will out fox the opposition and get a win. It doesn’t always have to be pretty, sometimes winning ugly is the only way…

As Henry say’s about his days with us:

It was not always nice and pretty, you have to remember that we had some times where we just wanted to go home at the end of the game. The difference is how this team can react and I think this team can do that.

He also said ….

If you can win at Sunderland, you don’t know how the draw is going to be. You might play at home next, then the semi-finals are around the corner. You never know if Jack is going to come back and Abou Diaby is not far from coming back. You don’t know what could happen. If you are still in the competition then those players coming back will only help you find top form.

Let’s not look so far, let’s just think about today and beat the side we face and go from there.

Henry mentions the return of Jack and Diaby.

Jack is nowhere near a return and Diaby’s return seems to be put back a few days after his return is announced but if the latter could actually stay fit and play well, you just never know..

One who is back today though is Gervinho but as so often, we gain one and lose another and it’s Kos, he’s out for today but he should be back for next weekends little fixture.

If Wenger’s new found tough attitude towards the players has had any kind of effect, we could see a good performance tonight from the team, a team that, if reports are to be believed, is full of players playing for their Arsenal future. This is the kind of game that will prove whether they care about Arsenal or just their salary.

For the sake of all of us and our season, I hope they all show some balls and play with pride and honour for the shirt they are so privileged to be wearing!

Can we win today? Of course we can…

Will we win?

Have a good day all…..

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Posted by rico

Let’s start 2012 how we mean to carry on! This could yet be our title to lose…..

January 2, 2012

That all might sound a bit optimistic but finally other clubs at the top are starting to drop points, just like they did last season.

It was around this time last year that we were sitting in a healthy position near the top of the league, and funny enough with exactly the same number of points and we really had a good chance to win the Premier League.

Maybe it was our best chance for a few seasons to win the PL but a string of bore draws both home and away, finished with a couple of home defeats saw our chance blown and we just about scraped in at number four in the end.

Well, this weekends results saw both Manchester sides drop three points, as did Chelsea and the noisy neighbours dropped two points away at Swansea – all four fixtures were ‘stone wall’ victories for the top sides if you had asked anyone before the games.

With the losses, clubs are starting to pick up injuries too, Chelsea have three or four who picked up knocks in their defeat, Scott Parker was reported to be injured for the neighbours and Manchester United have Smalling added to an already long injury list.

Welcome to our world eh?

As theirs arrive though, ours will hopefully soon start to return and with just two or three tweaks in this window, we really could take advantage, however, we need to really step our game up and work a lot harder if we are going to give ourselves a chance. Suddenly we are only three points behind Tottenham and nine points off the top and anything could yet happen, there is a long way to go and we still have to play the current top three at home!

Players like Walcott and Gervinho need to start burying their chances when golden opportunities are presented to them, Arshavin needs to get his head up and start being proud again to be playing for such a prestige club! Song needs to get back to what he was doing just weeks ago and protect the back four and ditch his sloppy passing and Johan Djourou really needs to wake up at right back!

That’s naming just a few but they are the few who can do better, we know that because we have witnessed it, players don’t become poor overnight, but attitudes can and if Theo thinks he is worth £85K a week then it’s about time he showed why and if he thinks he’s a central striker, then the same applies, get on and show why, not keep fluffing his lines.

My point:

This title is far from over, nor is it about two teams in Manchester battling it out to win the Premier League, we could still have a big part to play and a huge say in who wins this league in 2012. With the right attitude, the right couple of signings in the next few days, it could actually be ours but only if we step up and play with pride and stop dropping silly points, especially at home!

On to today’s 5.30pm kick off, the last fixture of the festive season busy schedule – we travel just across town against a Fulham side who huffed and puffed and wouldn’t let us break them down just a few weeks ago at The Emirates. Well I hope Arsene Wenger has learned from that game as I am sure Martin Jol will play with similar tactics as he did then so it’s down to us to change ours so we can get the breakthrough and more than just one!

If it’s not working, change it Arsene – don’t just bring on Chamakh and Arshavin at the usual time and hope, it doesn’t work!

A win today will draw us level on points with that lot down the road and just six points off the top and that in itself should be motivation enough, if it’s not then nothing ever will be for some of our players. Win it and win it well, keep building our confidence and carry on creeping up the table quietly!

Whilst teams around us are losing points, we need to make sure that we don’t lose ours…..

No resting Robin either, he can have a sit down after the whistle goes, Fulham will be a tough nut to crack, but crack them we must otherwise we gain nothing from this last weekend….

We left 2011 with a victory, let’s start 2012 with another…..

Have a good day all…..

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Posted by rico

Wenger hints at ‘Fantastic player’ signing in January? 3 Points much needed today…..

December 3, 2011

Wenger is reported to have said:

At the moment, I do nothing in January, I have a big squad, but if you knock at my door and say, I have a fantastic player for you’ I will not turn it down.

Knock Knock Arsene……

Wigan today then and it’s another much-needed away win……

Straight on to the team news:

Wigan

Emmerson Boyce could make his return having been out for two weeks through injury but Antolin Alcaraz misses out as he serves his final match ban for his red card against Wolves. He earned that for spitting at Wolves’ Richard Stearman.

Arsenal

We have two new additions to our injury list and shock, horror, its Diaby and Rosicky!! Speculation is that Gibbs could be included in todays travelling squad.

It’s not been the best week for us, having secured our progress through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League; we had a bore draw at home to Fulham, followed by a truly undeserved defeat in the Carling Cup midweek.

Wigan have suffered an awful start to their season, they sit second from bottom in the league but will no doubt be buoyed by their victory over Sunderland last weekend, a result that was the final nail in Steve Bruce’s reign up north.

We have won our last two away fixtures against Norwich and the Pensioners and today we really need to extend that away form if we are to have a chance of gaining some ground this weekend.

Over the last couple of seasons, this fixture has been hard work but today we have a good squad available today and I see us being too strong for the opposition.

Head-to-head

At home against Wigan, we have won the last nine fixtures in all competitions but, as said earlier, our last couple of trips to the DW has seen us gain just one point! Squilli was to blame last season, his late own goal gifted Wigan a point. The season before, we were in a great position in the league, cruising 2-0 but in the final ten minutes we allowed them to score three goals and along the way, Wigan recorded their first ever league win over us!!

So, that’s the facts, the scores on the doors as they say, so what about today?

Wigan are struggling, that is clear to see by their position in the league. They have just 9 points from 13 matches and their goal tally is -12 but let’s not think this game is won before we even kick off! It wasn’t that long ago that we were sat near to the bottom, with a very similar goal average.

A 1-0 home victory against Swansea, which to be fair, wasn’t that easy back then, set us on our way.

Wigan had that kind of victory last weekend when deep into stoppage time they scored a winning goal to secure all three points at Sunderland. They will be buzzing, they will be thinking that their luck has changed and trust me, they will be up for this game and ready to fight all afternoon for each other, their manager and their season.

We need to go one step further than them though, carry on with winning away from home, build on what we have already built and get ourselves ready for the next away trip. We have had it tough this season but have worked hard to build the camaraderie among the players and we finally look like a squad that are ‘together’, something we haven’t seen for a couple of seasons or more.

This squad may have not cost the most in the Premier League but what they have together cannot be bought – and that togetherness will see us get better, stronger and more successful. It’s clear to see that since Robin has taken the armband, things have changed. His comments are all about the team, all about the squad and how important every player is, not just him. Let’s not forget that his career is on an absolute high right now, yet he’s all about others rather than himself…..

That’s what a true leader is about Cesc!!

Ok, we are possibly one or two players away from having a complete squad but hopefully January will see that change.

Today though, let’s just come back from Wigan with three points in the bag and build again from there…..

 

 

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Posted by rico

Who will carry the defence this season?

November 17, 2011

Following the 3-0 success over West Bromich Albion in out last fixture, which feels like years ago now, Arsene Wenger attended the customary post-match Press conference and fended off the usual mixture of questions, be they sensible, mischief-making, constructive or inane, he answered with his usual calmness.

One journalistic ‘dipstick’ asked him if Vermaelen & Koscielny were now his 1st choice centre-back pairing, on the face of it a seemingly innocent question, but can you imagine the headlines the following day, if Wenger had actually admitted that that was the case?

The ‘Merde Stirring’ would have gone into overdrive, casting doubts on the future of Mertesaker and trying to create division in the camp. It probably would have rumbled on over the entire international break.

Wenger spotted the trap immediately and danced around the dopey question by stating that Mertesaker and Djourou were all part of his 1st choice centre-backs, although he didn’t include Squillaci, thankfully!

Wenger knows if Arsenal are to continue their present recovery he is going to need all his centre-backs and will need to rotate them to keep them fresh and to avoid fatigue related injury.

Maybe we should add Miquel to the mix as well and wasn’t it good to see Kyle Bartley back in action for Glasgow Rangers? Personally I’d take Miquel and Bartley in front of Squillaci any day of the week.

Thinking of how many centre-backs we have in the squad, and good ones at that, made me cast my mind back to 1992-93, that great ‘Cup Double’ season.

It was a bit of a standing joke about how many centre-backs George Graham had assembled in his squad.

Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Andy Linighan, David O’Leary, Colin Pates and Steve Morrow were all centre-backs or had been.

Steve Bould spent most of 1992-93 injured and missed all the Wembley games but he starred in the Cup Winners Cup success a year later. Martin Keown was cup-tied but George had been using him as a midfield ‘destroyer’ at the time and unfortunately he missed the Cup Winners Cup Final through injury.

Bouldy was injured, so Andy Linighan had his ‘day in the sun’ culminating with that memorable headed winner in the FA Cup replay, payback to Mark Bright’s snidey elbow. David O’Leary picked up an FA Cup winners medal before retiring in the summer of 1993.

Steve Morrow got the winner in the League Cup after George Graham converted him to a reliable midfielder, before his fall from grace via the shoulder of Tony Adams.

Colin Pates filled-in whenever he was needed and never let us down, the highpoint of his Arsenal career being his European Cup goal against Benfica, he left the club that summer.

Tony Adams carried the back-four on his reliable back that season, no rotation for him and gave me my highpoint of the season.

An FA Cup Semi-Final revenge on the Spuds.

Nice…..

Who will be that man this season or will it be all of them together?

Written by Allezkev

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Posted by rico

They don’t deserve a top four finish!! Can we play without Robin?

November 7, 2011

But we do!!

If anyone watched the Fulham v Tiny Tott match they will know what I mean – talk about Lady Luck!!

Well, we don’t need Lady Luck anymore and it’s a good job too as we seldom get it! No way do that bunch deserve to be in the CL next season, their 3-1 scoreline was flattering to say the least and roll on February 2012 when we batter them at The Emirates!

So, back to us and the first thing I need to say is well done to our team and of course Arsene Wenger.

I believe that the victory against West Bromwich Albion was an important, massive and not only for the 3 pts but the way we played.

To me we looked as if we are very close to where we used to be, passing wise.

We moved the ball around crisply and cleanly and gave the ball away less, we also chased for the loose ball and we closed down a lot better.

I liked the pairing of Kosceinley and Vermaelen as the two central defenders, there was clearly a good understanding between them , they looked comfortable and covered one another well.

Although I miss Bacary Sagna, I thought Jenkinson has been a very good understudy, he strikes me as player that plays within himself and for a relatively inexperienced young player, he shows maturity for someone much older. I like the enthusiasm he puts into his game, I also like his forward runs down the wing but his enthusiasm to get back to his position is incredible for some one of his age.

This young man is the buy of the century, he cost just £1 Million – incredible and Arsene Wenger should take a bow. Jenkinson reminds me of Gerrard, not that one, the one in the film The Fugitive, the way he hunts down his fugitive Kimble if he gets away from him.

This lad is going to be a regular of that I’m certain!

I wrote in my last post about if we catch the leaders and I have to say that we are doing our damdest to try.

Another 3pts has moved us closer to some above us and like i said in that post the others will drop points and that has started to happen.

Vermaelen has made a good return, as in the past he often gets forward without going over the top but as with all good defenders he seems to know the right time and in this game he was rewarded with a fine goal. My concern at the moment is for Robin Van Persie, he has become a talisman for us. When he plays Arsenal play  and the game against Olympique Marseille showed that.

Our passing and movement in that game was not up to the standard needed to win games and that is my concern. Robin Van Persie is without question  quality, he appears to make the rest of the team feel comfortable when he play’s. He appears to have taken over, or should that be over taken the mantle left by Cesc Fabregas, his calmness and unique talent has helped rebuild the confidence that seemed to have left us.

Robin has taken his chances well, and we are in desperate need to find another that can fill his gap if and when he is rested or injured, Ju Park, Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain may be the players for the future but we need a player with Robins attributes, and we need that now.

With the Internationals taking place over the next fortnight, any injury to our Captain could so easily put a dampener on our present run, so with the transfer window looming forever closer, I urge Arsene Wenger to be on the lookout.

Koscienly, Vermaelen and Per Mertsacker have certainly tightened up our back line but I would still like to see another quality centre back added, Per Mertsacker is a good buy but on this showing against West Brom, Kos and Verm would be my first choice.

However, the Premier league and all the other competitions makes for an arduous season and it pays to think ahead. Arshavin has struggled to find the form of his first season with us and I can foresee his exit soon – Yossi Benayoun has fitted in quite well but he’s not young so I don’t see him being with us much longer.

Chesney appears to be Wengers first choice keeper and when asked Wenger said he has plenty of goalkeepers, my concern is are they good enough if the need arose for them to play full-time? My answer would be no, so I would make a clear out and buy quality.

Alex Song, once one of my first choice players but Alex has found the need to hold on to the ball a couple of seconds to long and in this league that’s not a good thing. He also likes to play out of trouble instead of a big hoof which is some times needed. If he can overcome this problem and with Frimpong/Coquelin there as cover, I would see how this works out over the next few months.

Theo Walcott,  well I can see why Wenger has problems with Theo,  should he try him alongside Robin or keep him on the flank and if only Theo could only cross the ball better he would always be a winger.

He shows great speed along the flanks and  at times he makes intelligent runs  but that final ball is a problem!

In fact, so much so, I wonder if when Sagna comes back maybe Jenkinson could replace Theo?

He has pace in abundance, he crosses a mean ball into the penalty area and I think he would work well with Sagna. Jenkinson also defends well too so nothing lost there…

As for Theo up front with The Man, I would be surprised.

Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey has been with us for a while now and he fills the space quite well but should we expect more from him?

Aaron has come back from a bad break and although progressed well,  something still seems to be lacking. Is there room for both in our squad, or will one be off loaded soon once Jack comes back?

Chamakh it has to be said has failed to impress, he has had many chances but has not shown the form of his first six months with us and I can only see him leaving real soon.

Gervinho he is getting better and better but is still settling in, I see him as a good one for the here and now. Santos has some nice touches and some good forward runs and likes to be where the action is but lacks the discipline that’s needed for a left back.  He too often leaves a lot of work for his team mates when he ventures forward and struggles to get back. He also commits himself to a tackle to early and seems to struggle with being part of the defensive unit.

That needs to change, Gibbs had made this position his own and at present will take it right back when his fit.

Back to Robin Van Persie, can we play without him is the question?

The answer has to be that we will have to learn to!

Because, if we can’t, our season will finish as it started.

We must find a way just in case Robin should get injured, we need another player that can step in if this should be the case and we need that player to make that move soon.

Robins history with injuries doesn’t just go away, so a solution needs to be found and soon.

If we have a player that can do just that, our climb up the table will continue…..

COYG.

Written by Steve Palmer.

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