Despite the much needed addition this summer of another quality striker, Arsenal have confounded their critics and managed to remain level on points with both Napoli and Dortmund in the Champions League Group (equal top) and of course, we stand alone at the top of the Premier League.
Olivier Giroud, our only quality striker, has led the line manfully, whilst our amazing clutch of midfielders/wingers, have contributed a total of 15 goals in both competitions.
By striker, I don’t mean Walcott (winger), Ozil (No.10) or Podolski, (attacking midfielder) even if Lukasz can play as a striker if need be. Other than Giroud and Podolski, we have the injury enigma that is Yaya Sanogo and the total enigma that is Nicklas Bendtner. All the same, our wonderful midfield have carried the day so far this season, and I see no reason why they cannot continue to do so for the rest if this encouraging campaign…
There are probably two areas of the team that could do with some attention this coming January.Ā Those being a striker and a possible centre-back, especially if Vermaelen agitates for a move in January.Ā But as much as I’d like to see Arsene Wenger ‘splash the cash’ for a quality striker and a quality centre-back in January, I won’t be overly bothered if he does not…
Podolski, when he’s fit, can do a decent job as a striker and Sagna has already shown that he can cover in the centre of defence. OK, a cheeky January bid for Lewandowski, before he becomes a Summer Bosman, could tempt Dortmund?! But it’s unlikely, as is a January bid for Benzema, but maybe a loan deal for Llorente is more plausible, with the option of sending him back if he doesn’t work out…
As for defenders, I’ve lost count of the names and links…
So don’t freak out this January, if Arsene doesn’t make another big signing, as I suspect we may have to wait until the Summer for another one of those. Of course, the World Cup remains the optimum football transfer meat market.
The risk of waiting for the Summer, is that a good World Cup can see certain players’ values sky rocket. Alternatively their values can also plummetĀ on the back of a poor World Cup but either scenario won’t bother Wenger, he’ll have made his judgement of a player over several months. If he thinks a player is worth the outlay, he won’t let a poor World Cup affect his mind.
As for Arsenal’s midfield, I cannot recall when the Gunners last had such a powerful and talented unit in the heart of the team? My personal favourite remains Overmars, Petit, Vieira, Parlour, but this current crop has the potential to possibly outstrip my favourites from 1997-99….
The current midfield have it all, experience, youthful exuberance, goals, assists, breathtaking passing movements, determined tackling and defending, this group had the lot, and more. Even though Arteta and Rosicky, with age, and Diaby, with fitness, seem to be the regular favourites many suggest need replacing, I personally see no reason to dispense with the two former, whilst the latter is simply immovable until he is fit or out of contract if he isn’t. A fit Diaby, a Diaby that stays fit (unlikely I know, sadly) isn’t a player you would want to get rid of anyway.Ā Despite the jokes, Arsenal have, in fact, been robbed of a potentially great player in Diaby…
And so, we have a midfield that is improving, one that will continue to improve, a midfield with a winning mentality, a trophy winning midfield, a Premier League winning midfield, a midfield that has transformed Arsenal into a destination that Europe’s top players are looking at as a realistic place for them to display their skills.
Yes, we have many difficult games to face in the months ahead but unlike many recent seasons, I am relishing those games rather than having nightmares over them. We have a fantastic squad, with many young, talented players desperate to break into it from our Reserves.
We have a manager who has rediscovered his mojo. We have players with a winning mentality changing the mindset of their team mates and making Arsenal a team to be feared again and a team that doesn’t know the meaning of defeat.
I’m not sure what this season holds in store for us, and what, if anything, we’ll be celebrating come May?
But I’ve a good feeling that our long trophy drought is set to come to an end sometime in the Spring of 2014…
Written by Allezkev
Morning all..
Really good read Kev, loved it.
I’d be really disappointed if we don’t sign a striker in January. Especially if we are still up near the top and with not too many points between us and whoever is up there..
We do have one of, if not the best midfields in the PL, so much so, they deserve to have another striker up front to finish off all their hard work and flair.
Just look at the play offs for the world cup and see the possibilities of those that may not be going. Established players already in squads may be unlikely to risk things by changing but those with nothing to play for or on the fringes might be tempted by a January move, The die will be cast in November ,so there is plenty of time for them to agitate and get their deals done. Now take out those involved in Champions league and that leaves the list that Arsenal should be looking at now.
Good post Kev,
Can the midfield win us the league…. Very good question very interesting options… My one doubt is that i just wished we didn’t have 6 players all technically gifted and wanting to play centrally when we lack proper width and for me thats the kicker… if we had just a little more width we’d have better options going forward and would not possibly be so predictable in so far as everything goes through the middle and very little threat from out wide and skinning the full backs. As seen, easier to pick off Norwich not so easy to pass through the likes of Dortmund…!
Morning all,
Good read kev,the 2 games we have lost this season villa and dortmund we were without a defensive midfielder,
flamini has done a good job so far,
but wenger has to address this problem,
players with a bit of flair will always try to win a game
but a real winner will break his neck,
not to lose a game.
Good to have a buzz about arsenal again. The team are looking good dispite the dortmund game. We didn’t deserve to lose but that’s football. We now have to prove ourselves all over again. The biggest worry is another striker who can score goals. Benteke is tailor made for arsenal with pace power and tachnique. With our midfield he would be devestating and he could improve a lot at arsenal.
And diaby is a player that would have taken the world by storm if he was fit all these years but santi, ozil, ramsey and wilshere are the 4 best midfielders in the league so we have a chance of a trophie by may COYG
Potter – I’m hoping AW had a list of strikers he was looking at back in the summer, but in Jan, goes one step further to signing one of them.
Wath, AW loves his central midfielders doesn’t he, when he did last sign an out and out winger?
If TV stays, I’d like to see us sign a proper winger and a striker before any other position..
Spot on Fred…..!
I’m in total agreement there fred.
AW has just taken a very subtle yet massive swipe at Mike Riley.
First on the 49 run ending and the decisions he made, and then he goes on to to mention ‘he’s now in charge of the referees of today’ – yes Arsene, we all know what you are getting at…
Welcome jamie
Rico, Riley…. An absolute prize A+ Cnut……………..!!
I’d like us to go get Tom Ince in Jan as I think he would be very good for us and give us something very different, Can Gnabry be that player or ever Ryo…?
I agree Rico , I reckon he draws up lists of players but I think he procrastinates and leaves decisions to the last minute,
I think young Gnarby has been real unlucky not to play far more games but with a squad so full of mid-fielders, he has not really been given the chances – I am sure we’ll see him against Chelsea in cup
I agree Wath re Riley. The sooner he retires the better. Mind yo, Dean will probably take over.
I reckon Gnabry has it but far from convinced by Ryo. Tom Ince, well he’s free in the summer, maybe AW is waiting… Hopefully!
He dilly dallies doesn’t he potter, which has in the past seen other clubs pip us to a signing…
And Eisfeld Oz, Kev posted last night that he’s fit and has been in training for a week or so..
The other young lad as well who’s name escapes me (Zealem sp?) after 12 hours of night shift. If only we had this much talent better spread throughout all the positions. They will need to be played or they will be off eventually.
You are right on point
Ah, I may have got muddled up and it’s Zelalem who is fit Oz. Oops.
I thing that has surprised me so far this season,
vermaelen the captain
if it was me..
I would bring him on centre /mid
every time flamini gets booked.
one(not I)
Its a risk though fred, an injury to him and we are left with no cover at the back but i see where you are coming from..
Morning all, Fine post Sir,
Although I agree with most of the post, what I feel is lacking at the moment is Arsene Wengers tactic of not worrying about the opposition and if we play our game that will be enough. Stupid mindset in my eyes. Dortmund proved that a top quality striker can turn up at any time, and leaving this player in acres of space unmarked was the difference on the night. Playing our own way is all very good if we are scoring goals and winning games, but when a strong defence in numbers come up we find it hard to penetrate. I find it strange that on every corner we win our whole back line come up and for the amount of headers we win seems ludicrous to me. Defenders should defend first and only turn attacker when they know their covered.
all we need is ladie luck and miss miracle by our side….just look at dortmund, and the villa game……i believe in our squad even without addition
Sp, AW criticised the team for doing just that against Dortmund.. Does kind of suggest that the players were going all out to win when maybe AW was asking them to protect the point..
Nice one Rico. One player having a bad night is not good, but having several means defeat.
And I think a few had an off night on Tuesday Sp but sure as heck hope they all are back on form tomorrow..
Very quiet here again today…
lull before the storm?
There is a storm due potter, a big one…
A very good Post, AK, I enjoyed it.
You make a valid point, Rico, that surprising naivety cost us the Dortmund game. If we had resisted the temptation to go gungho for the win late in the game and had settled for the draw, we would now have 7 points and Dortmund only 4 points.
A stronger on-field leadership would have stopped it becoming an issue.
Let’s hope the lads learn from it.
Or even Flamini Hb.
Off for a couple of hours now, catch up later this afternoon.
Super post Kev… and refreshing too.
Kev is back. š
Afternoon….
Mesut Ozil was sick before the Dortmund game, no wonder he struggled a bit…
If he wasn’t right he should not have played.
Sometimes you wonder if AW thinks before speaking?
Cesc on Aaron: Ramsey is one of those that you look at and think: āHe doesnāt stand out in any specific quality, but he does everything, everything, well.ā His touch is good, his movementās good, now heās scoring goals too, providing assists. Heās a kid who as a team player is a beast. Above all, he now has the confidence, responsibility.
Its amazing how most players rate TR07 but not a lot of fans…
https://twitter.com/MessiMinutes/status/393120273555148800/photo/1
True legend; a shame about his injury record…
Rumours of RVP and Moyes’s bust up on Tuesday… Rumours are he came to London to visit with TV and AW…
AW: ….Reilly who was the referee on that day who is now in-charge of referees and did not have a good game that day…. lmfao
My view exactly Potter.
Who is your Rosicky comment a dig at Ts?
Those rumours about RvP started after a picture of the two of them talking was in the press, with mischievous headlines….
Nice report Kev. Just looked at the league table in the paper š Easy to forget.
Night all, thanks Kev for today’s post.
Evening All….
Thanks for all the positive comments.
Sorry I missed you Rico, I was very very busy today, thankfully…
So Mesut was unwell last Tuesday, that explains his lacklustre performance.
Maybe some on here (DNA) shouldn’t be so quick to write us off in the return…
As for your list of Dortmund players, I would take Lewandowski, Sahin and Subotic, but none of the others are better than what we have.
Strong rumours coming out of Madrid that two English clubs have intimated that they want to have talks over the availability of Karim Benzema.
Arsenal and Chelsea are thought to be the clubs involved…
The transfer fee and wages will be paramount of course.
But given a choice, who would Benzema prefer to play for???
Mourinho he knows, having played for him already.
Wenger is his fellow countryman and would probably improve him as a player, in a way that would almost certainly be beyond Mourinho or his staff…
Morning All.
Big game at the Palace today.
We bounced back brilliantly after losing to Villa.
Now we must repeat that form and go on another unbeaten run.
With Chelsea playing City there’s a chance to open a gap between either one or perhaps both of them. We must take these opportunities to get the points in before we hit a more difficult run of matches..
Morning all.
Huge game Kev.
Totally agree Potter.
Just hope the players don’t think ‘we only need to turn up’…
New post up…
Kev, sorry I missed you too yesterday…