Talking points for the team selection prior to this match were (1) who was going to replace injured Diaby as Arsene Wenger was unlikely to take a chance on the France international's fitness ahead of the important two matches in the coming week, (2) if fit-again Wojciech Szczesny would start instead of the third-choice keeper Vito Mannone, and (3) if Koscielny, who grew into one of the finest defenders last season, was to replace Per Mertesacker.
As it turned out, Coquelin started in midfield alongside with Santi Cazorla and Arteta. Some expected this as the France U-21 midfielder was more similar fit to Diaby, but others, including myself, assumed that Wenger was more likely to choose Ramsey because Coquelin would make Arsenal's midfield too defensive. Ramsey came off the bench to replace Coquelin in the 67th minutes after a spell of rallies from a Southampton side and within 10 minutes he set up a goal for Gervinho to kill off the game. Wenger's tactics were spot-on.
Szczesny resumed his service in goal, but this decision turned out to be a wrong one. Vito Mannone never put a foot wrong during the two matches in which he deputised the Pole. Mannone deserves a chance to challenge Szczesny's No. 1 status. Szczesny's goal-keeping error cost us a new record, a fourth clean sheet at top flight, and his clearance and distribution made us very nervous. After the match, it was revealed that he was carrying an ankle injury he sustained before the match. Perhaps, it affected his kicking.
As for the third point, Koscielny was left on the bench once again. It shows that we have plenty of depth in the squad at the moment. A great defender like Koscielny cannot get a starting place in the current team.
While the above changes were expected to some extent, the starting line-up supplied a larger surprise, as Gervinho came in for Olivier Giroud, who was dropped to the bench, and this was a straight swap. Gervenho was deployed as a centre forward, with Podolski on the left wing. In the post-match review, Arsene Wenger explained his decision as follows: "I decided that during our tour of Asia when I tried to play Gervinho there against Man City in that position. I liked what he did and it was in the back of my mind. He joked "You know we transform all wingers into central strikers and all the strikers into wingers! " And on leaving Giroud on the bench, he said "I felt that he is under much pressure at the moment and sometimes to get a little breather is good". Two goals from Gervinho vindicated Wenger's bold decision.
It was a great result with another superb team performance. We have just shown the world that we are no longer a one-man team and we can score goals without Robin van Persie. Some say that the emphatic win was not worth all the plaudits as it was against a team at the bottom of the table, but the same team scored two goals against each of the Manchester clubs and gave them good games. Also, critics say the wins so far are against minnows, but aren't Liverpool supposed to be one of the big clubs?
Southampton may have been a bit unlucky, conceding two own goals. However, the own goals were the result of the relentless pressure Arsenal applied on them and if Southampton players hadn't put the ball in their own net, Arsenal players would have finished it anyway. Arsenal were unlucky not to put their own players' names on the scoresheet for those goals. Last season, Arsenal were usually stranger to this kind of good fortune. However, I could not help thinking that luck might be on our side this season or at least in this game, when Ramsey's shot was denied by the inside of the post, which then fell for Gevinho to tap in. We may have been luckier this season, but the difference is that we tend to have more players in the box this season in order to capitalise on these occasions.
Arsenal's solid start to the season is largely attributed to the improved defence. While the new attacking players were bedding in, the solid defence kept clean sheets to ensure the team's unbeaten run. What a genius strategy Arsenee Wenger came up with!
Another sublime performance from the Gunners after the dreaded international break is an encouraging sign of consistency. Keep up the good work, boys.
Player ratings
Szczesny: 4
Made a mistake, which led us to concede the first goal this season.
Jenkinson: 8
He has been improving every game. People started to recognise his work, but he still seems underrated compared with Gibbs. Yes, Gibbs are more experienced than him at the highest level, but Gibbs can also go forward more freely because he has Podolski, who is an excellent defender, in front of him. Jenkinson seems to be learning the right defence-attack balance as he went forward more often in this game. Some of his crosses and passes are good, too.
Mertesacker: 8
Reliable defensive play. Unlucky not to score.
Vermaelen: 8
Solid as usual.
Gibbs: 9
Many think he was the Man of the Match, based on his contribution to attacking play with two assists.
Cazorla: 9
He was again in the heart of Arsenal's attacking play.
Arteta: 8
With a holding midfielder in the starting line-up in the shape of Francis Coquelin, he was allowed to push further forward in this game. Made an incisive pass which allowed Gervinho to get behind the Southampton defence and smashed his effort home.
Coquelin: 8
Did his job well, by keeping up the pace of passing.
Oxlaide-Chamberlain: 8
Looked dangerous on the right flank. Made a good effort, which forced a save of the match from Kelvin Davis.
Podolski: 9
His curler was exquisite. The free-kick was right in the RVP-speciality zone, but who needs him, when you have Poldi's quality. Cazorla is another decent free-kick taker. Poldi revealed that he asked Santi to let him take the free-kick. Poldi is a very confident individual. The way his goal set the Emirates alight will only help his confidence grow further. In the build up to the first goal, he showed his physical strength to shrug off the challenge and made a wonderful run and continued it after his pass found Gibbs.
Gervinho: 9
He may be the player who has benefited most from RVP's departure. Last season, he did everything right but decisions for the final ball. Especially when he couldn't find RVP, he looked lost. His potential was already obvious in his pace and trickery. His pre-season form suggested that this would be his breakthrough season and this game was just the beginning of its manifestations. On top of his stellar performance for the Ivory Coast national team last week, the two goals against Southampton should serve as a confidence booster for him.
Subs
Ramsey: 8
Showed his technical ability in the clever turn. Provided an assist for Gervinho's second goal.
Theo Walcott: 8
74th-minute substitute for Gervinho. Scored a late goal with composed finish. Showed his class by not celebrating the goal against his old club.
Giroud: 7
Came on in the 75th minute to replace Podolski. He could have scored his first goal for Arsenal, only had Walcott made a pass in the right time when the French striker was making a parallel run in the middle unmarked.
Welcome to the official Arsenal Supporters Club based in Playa Flamenca, Costa Blanca, Spain.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Liverpool 0 Arsenal 2
Arsenal's attack has finally delivered end-products thanks to the excellent linkup play between the two new signings, while the team kept a third successive clean sheet. Diaby, Arteta and Cazorla dominated in midfield, outplaying their counterparts. A 2-0 win at Anfield was a great result in every aspect. Three points, two goals, and a clean sheet. It was just a perfect afternoon for us.
The new-look Arsenal impressed us with their quick passing with purpose and solid defence as a team. Especially, the quick counterattack that led to the first goal was something we have been looking for for some time. We are extremely happy with the two new signings playing key roles for setting up and scoring eagerly awaited first goals. Podolski's influence was already obvious in the Stoke game, in which his direct style raised our expectations for a new dimension to be added to Arsenal's game. It took no time for Cazorla to fit in Arsenal's playing style. Many think he is the best signing for Arsenal in the recent years. We have finally found a perfect replacement for Cesc Fabregas. Now all we want is a goal from Giroud so that it will take some pressure off him and give him confidence.
Two goals in three games may not be enough to make us forget van Persie immediately, but Arteta and Diaby's superb display against Liverpool certainly softened the blow that Song's departure caused. If both of the midfielders stay injury-free and Wilshere comes back when he is expected to do (which is in a month's time), Wenger's decision not to bring in Song's replacement should prove right.
The Man of the Match is widely considered to be Abu Diaby, but it is difficult to pick a single player because it was an accomplished team performance. Everybody contributed to keeping a third consecutive clean sheet. However, it is fair to say that Diaby was outstanding both defensively and offensively. This was one of his best performances without doubt. Personally, I wasn't a big fan of Diaby (not because he is an alleged Tottenham fan, but) because he was so inconsistent you never knew which Diaby was going to turn up on the day. When he had just began to show some kind of consistency, he suffered the long-term injury. Let's hope he can keep up the good work after the international break.
Overall, it was very encouraging team performance, which suggested us that they could be title contenders if they can reproduce this day's performance week in week out.
Player ratings
Mannone: 7
Made a couple of good saves. There were moments of indecisiveness, but other than that, he had no problem.
Jenkinson: 7
After poor passing at early stages of the game, he looked solid defensively. He is sometimes criticised for not getting forward enough to help the right winger, but he is a defender at the end of the day. We are quite happy with him concentrating on the defensive side of his job, especially when compared with his counterpart, Glen Johnson, whose too much involvement in going forward cost his team dearly. Jenkinson even made an effort from distance.
Mertesacker: 7
His passing was mixed. One of the bad ones forced Arteta to earn a yellow card. He presented a strong case for Liverpool's penalty claim, but thankfully he got away with it, probably because of Suarez's reputation for going down too easily. Replays showed that the first Liverpool penalty shout was ruled out correctly as the Germany international won the ball cleanly.
Vermaelen: 8
Made some crucial clearances and blocks. Committed performance from the new captain.
Gibbs: 7
Good going forward as well. Had a shot worth trying.
Cazorla: 8
He was in the heart of Arsenal's creativity. Delivered the killer pass to set up a goal for Podolski and scored Arsenal's second goal.
Arteta: 8
Most underrated player because of his deeper position and defensive role, but he put in some important tackles and made 92 passes with passing success ratio of a staggering 94.6%
Diaby: 9
He was awesome in winning the ball, carrying it forward and passing it.
Oxlaide-Chamberlain: 6
Largely kept quiet by Sterling.
Podolski: 8
Scored his first goal for Arsenal, Arsenal's first goal of the season, and set up for a goal for Cazorla via a neat one-two with him. His finish was precise and composed. In light of his performance for the German national team in the Euro 2012, we were sceptical about the best position for him being the left wing, based on his poor crossing. However, this game showed we were wrong. He often cuts in to the middle and helps Gibbs defensively so that the left-back can go forward to provide the width and deliver crosses. Arsenal's attacking lineup started taking shape. It seems the only position open to competition is the right wing.
Giroud: 6
Missed a couple of good chances to score, but worked very hard. His movements were good on and off the ball. Made a few good interceptions.
Subs
Ramsey: 6
73rd minute substitute for the Ox who got a kick. He did what he was supposed to do, which was to help Jenkinson and protect the two-goal lead.
Santos: 6
Replaced Podolski in the 82nd minute in order to shore up the defence.
Koscielny: N/A
Came on in the 90th minute to replace Vermaelen who suffered a knock.
The new-look Arsenal impressed us with their quick passing with purpose and solid defence as a team. Especially, the quick counterattack that led to the first goal was something we have been looking for for some time. We are extremely happy with the two new signings playing key roles for setting up and scoring eagerly awaited first goals. Podolski's influence was already obvious in the Stoke game, in which his direct style raised our expectations for a new dimension to be added to Arsenal's game. It took no time for Cazorla to fit in Arsenal's playing style. Many think he is the best signing for Arsenal in the recent years. We have finally found a perfect replacement for Cesc Fabregas. Now all we want is a goal from Giroud so that it will take some pressure off him and give him confidence.
Two goals in three games may not be enough to make us forget van Persie immediately, but Arteta and Diaby's superb display against Liverpool certainly softened the blow that Song's departure caused. If both of the midfielders stay injury-free and Wilshere comes back when he is expected to do (which is in a month's time), Wenger's decision not to bring in Song's replacement should prove right.
The Man of the Match is widely considered to be Abu Diaby, but it is difficult to pick a single player because it was an accomplished team performance. Everybody contributed to keeping a third consecutive clean sheet. However, it is fair to say that Diaby was outstanding both defensively and offensively. This was one of his best performances without doubt. Personally, I wasn't a big fan of Diaby (not because he is an alleged Tottenham fan, but) because he was so inconsistent you never knew which Diaby was going to turn up on the day. When he had just began to show some kind of consistency, he suffered the long-term injury. Let's hope he can keep up the good work after the international break.
Overall, it was very encouraging team performance, which suggested us that they could be title contenders if they can reproduce this day's performance week in week out.
Player ratings
Mannone: 7
Made a couple of good saves. There were moments of indecisiveness, but other than that, he had no problem.
Jenkinson: 7
After poor passing at early stages of the game, he looked solid defensively. He is sometimes criticised for not getting forward enough to help the right winger, but he is a defender at the end of the day. We are quite happy with him concentrating on the defensive side of his job, especially when compared with his counterpart, Glen Johnson, whose too much involvement in going forward cost his team dearly. Jenkinson even made an effort from distance.
Mertesacker: 7
His passing was mixed. One of the bad ones forced Arteta to earn a yellow card. He presented a strong case for Liverpool's penalty claim, but thankfully he got away with it, probably because of Suarez's reputation for going down too easily. Replays showed that the first Liverpool penalty shout was ruled out correctly as the Germany international won the ball cleanly.
Vermaelen: 8
Made some crucial clearances and blocks. Committed performance from the new captain.
Gibbs: 7
Good going forward as well. Had a shot worth trying.
Cazorla: 8
He was in the heart of Arsenal's creativity. Delivered the killer pass to set up a goal for Podolski and scored Arsenal's second goal.
Arteta: 8
Most underrated player because of his deeper position and defensive role, but he put in some important tackles and made 92 passes with passing success ratio of a staggering 94.6%
Diaby: 9
He was awesome in winning the ball, carrying it forward and passing it.
Oxlaide-Chamberlain: 6
Largely kept quiet by Sterling.
Podolski: 8
Scored his first goal for Arsenal, Arsenal's first goal of the season, and set up for a goal for Cazorla via a neat one-two with him. His finish was precise and composed. In light of his performance for the German national team in the Euro 2012, we were sceptical about the best position for him being the left wing, based on his poor crossing. However, this game showed we were wrong. He often cuts in to the middle and helps Gibbs defensively so that the left-back can go forward to provide the width and deliver crosses. Arsenal's attacking lineup started taking shape. It seems the only position open to competition is the right wing.
Giroud: 6
Missed a couple of good chances to score, but worked very hard. His movements were good on and off the ball. Made a few good interceptions.
Subs
Ramsey: 6
73rd minute substitute for the Ox who got a kick. He did what he was supposed to do, which was to help Jenkinson and protect the two-goal lead.
Santos: 6
Replaced Podolski in the 82nd minute in order to shore up the defence.
Koscielny: N/A
Came on in the 90th minute to replace Vermaelen who suffered a knock.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0
The media were quick to conclude from the scoreline that Arsenal cannot score without RVP. Giroud missed a glorious chance to get an elusive goal, which they say RVP would have buried. But would he?
Since the Dutchman's disrespectful announcement on his official website, we were in favour of selling him for the right price (preferably to an overseas club), based on our view that he is unlikely to reproduce the last season's stellar performance. He would probably have kept his professional attitude and given 100% for Arsenal's cause should he have had to stay at Arsenal for anther year, because it only increases his value at the end of the season or come January. However, we were very much in doubt as to his goal-scoring form, as he missed a number of clear-cut chances towards the end of the last season and in the Euros. RVP may have secured three points for us last season in those tight situations with a touch of his brilliance, like the legendary volley against Everton, but we don't know if he would have done the same in this game.
A goalless draw was not the result that we hoped for. It was very difficult to break down stubborn Sunderland defence, especially when their keeper produced a man-of-the match performance. They defended resolutely and deserved credit for that. In his post-match interview, Arsene Wenger expressed his preference to an away game for the season opening. The only way for teams like Sunderland to play an open game is to play in front of their home crowd. Coming to the Emirates, most of teams sit back in their half and hope for a draw.
Obviously, the boss was not happy with the team's attack. He blamed the speed of passing and the lack of creativity in the final third for the disappointing result, but we thought Arsenal created a number of chances and played some attractive football. Despite the major changes in personnel, all the Arsenal trade-mark traits were in this game, with a 70% possession and the passing success rate of a staggering 90.4%. Arsenal ended up without end-products, but certainly created plenty of chances.
One player who particularly impressed us was Santi Cazorla. He was technically good, provided creative sparks and worked very hard. He orchestrated Arsenal attack. Most of all, he looked as if he had been playing for Arsenal for a number of years. He fitted into Arsenal's style seamlessly. He looked tired on a few occasions, but he didn't stop working despite having played a friendly for the Spanish national team (and scored a goal) only three days ago in Puerto Rico. He has already proved to be a great steal.
Pundits are harsh on Podolski. Personally, I didn't think he played too badly. There were a couple of occasions which suggested Podolski needed to adapt to the speed of English football. Arsene initially planed to introduce the Germany international and Giroud slowly to the English Premier League, but the departure of RVP didn't allowed such luxury. The striker pair had a relatively short preparation time due to their participation in the Euros and the team didn't have enough pre-season matches due to the postponement of the annual Emirates Cup competition and the planned Nigerian tour. Giroud was clearly not fully match fit, hence his start from the bench. There were plenty of encouraging signs in this game to show that there will be more to come from the two new signings as they increase their sharpness.
When Arsenal introduced the current 4-3-3 formation three seasons ago, it took quite a few games before RVP started scoring goals. Hopefully, it won't take as long as that before Podolski and Giroud will start showing what they are capable of. Wenger seems to intend to play Podolski as a center forward, but is it possible to play both of them at the same time. It may have to involve changes in the system, but it is an exciting prospect that Giroud plays a centre-forward role with Podolski just behind him. We are not quite sure if the wide position is the best position for Podolski.
We had conceded for some time that RVP would play elsewhere this season, but we were not ready to part with Alex Song. As far as RVP's transfer is concerned, we believe that Arsenal did the right thing and did a good business, selling a notoriously injury-prone 29-year-old player with only 12 months left in his contract for £24 million (although selling him to the rivals was not ideal). On the other hand, £15 million for an established Premier-League player at the age of 24 with 2 years left in his contract does not look a good deal in Arsenal's perspective. Song's departure hurts us because it raises a question why we have to sell our best players and rebuild the team every year. Maybe we should blame the ungrateful players, but this issue needs to be addressed.
Regarding a replacement, Wenger stated Jack Wishere will be back soon (a month and half is not soon enough for fans!) and Diaby is back, as well as a possible new recruitment (Nuri Sahin?). Those two players we have are more attack-minded than a traditional defensive midfielder. I would like to see a new signing who dedicates most of his attention to defence and provide a good cover and protection for the back-four. Then, we will have options of midfielders, depending on whom we play against.
Although the result was disappointing, there are a lot of positives to take from this game. A clean sheet is always nice. Arsenal defence was not too much troubled after they had weathered Sunderland's counterattacks in early stages, but there was still some defending to do. They looked solid at the back.
It's early days yet. Hopefully, Arsene Wenger will find the right formula for the team. The next game looks even more difficult as any game at the Britania stadium proves to be a tough one, but hopefully, we will get a better result next Sunday.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 7
Two good saves and one mistake, perhaps from boredom, which he got away with. Not much to do after Sunderland had decided to settle for a goalless draw.
Jenkinson: 7
Not troubled defensively. Some sloppy passes.
Mertesacker: 6
Caught out on two occasions.
Vermaelen: 7
Solid as usual.
Gibbs: 7.5
Good going forward as well.
Cazorla: 8
Our Man of the Match. He was always dangerous going forward. Unlucky not to score with the 20-yard screamer,
Arteta: 7
Did his job, mopping up loose balls. Some good exchanges with Cazorla. His free-kicks and corners left much to be desired, though.
Diaby: 7
Worked hard and got forward a number of times. Although he ran out of steam in the second half, he is nearly where he was before the lengthy injury, with his trade-mark thrust forward. Had a great chance to score.
Gervinho: 7
Continued his pre-season form.
Walcott: 6
Largely quiet. He missed a couple of good chances.
Podolski: 7
Lively.
Subs
Giroud: 5
Replaced Podolski in 63 minutes. Sliced a shot wide after being beautifully set up by Cazorla.
Ramsey: 7
68th-minute substitution for Diaby. Involved in some nice attacking moves.
Arshavin: 6
77th-minute substitution for Walcott. Did not make an impact.
Since the Dutchman's disrespectful announcement on his official website, we were in favour of selling him for the right price (preferably to an overseas club), based on our view that he is unlikely to reproduce the last season's stellar performance. He would probably have kept his professional attitude and given 100% for Arsenal's cause should he have had to stay at Arsenal for anther year, because it only increases his value at the end of the season or come January. However, we were very much in doubt as to his goal-scoring form, as he missed a number of clear-cut chances towards the end of the last season and in the Euros. RVP may have secured three points for us last season in those tight situations with a touch of his brilliance, like the legendary volley against Everton, but we don't know if he would have done the same in this game.
A goalless draw was not the result that we hoped for. It was very difficult to break down stubborn Sunderland defence, especially when their keeper produced a man-of-the match performance. They defended resolutely and deserved credit for that. In his post-match interview, Arsene Wenger expressed his preference to an away game for the season opening. The only way for teams like Sunderland to play an open game is to play in front of their home crowd. Coming to the Emirates, most of teams sit back in their half and hope for a draw.
Obviously, the boss was not happy with the team's attack. He blamed the speed of passing and the lack of creativity in the final third for the disappointing result, but we thought Arsenal created a number of chances and played some attractive football. Despite the major changes in personnel, all the Arsenal trade-mark traits were in this game, with a 70% possession and the passing success rate of a staggering 90.4%. Arsenal ended up without end-products, but certainly created plenty of chances.
One player who particularly impressed us was Santi Cazorla. He was technically good, provided creative sparks and worked very hard. He orchestrated Arsenal attack. Most of all, he looked as if he had been playing for Arsenal for a number of years. He fitted into Arsenal's style seamlessly. He looked tired on a few occasions, but he didn't stop working despite having played a friendly for the Spanish national team (and scored a goal) only three days ago in Puerto Rico. He has already proved to be a great steal.
Pundits are harsh on Podolski. Personally, I didn't think he played too badly. There were a couple of occasions which suggested Podolski needed to adapt to the speed of English football. Arsene initially planed to introduce the Germany international and Giroud slowly to the English Premier League, but the departure of RVP didn't allowed such luxury. The striker pair had a relatively short preparation time due to their participation in the Euros and the team didn't have enough pre-season matches due to the postponement of the annual Emirates Cup competition and the planned Nigerian tour. Giroud was clearly not fully match fit, hence his start from the bench. There were plenty of encouraging signs in this game to show that there will be more to come from the two new signings as they increase their sharpness.
When Arsenal introduced the current 4-3-3 formation three seasons ago, it took quite a few games before RVP started scoring goals. Hopefully, it won't take as long as that before Podolski and Giroud will start showing what they are capable of. Wenger seems to intend to play Podolski as a center forward, but is it possible to play both of them at the same time. It may have to involve changes in the system, but it is an exciting prospect that Giroud plays a centre-forward role with Podolski just behind him. We are not quite sure if the wide position is the best position for Podolski.
We had conceded for some time that RVP would play elsewhere this season, but we were not ready to part with Alex Song. As far as RVP's transfer is concerned, we believe that Arsenal did the right thing and did a good business, selling a notoriously injury-prone 29-year-old player with only 12 months left in his contract for £24 million (although selling him to the rivals was not ideal). On the other hand, £15 million for an established Premier-League player at the age of 24 with 2 years left in his contract does not look a good deal in Arsenal's perspective. Song's departure hurts us because it raises a question why we have to sell our best players and rebuild the team every year. Maybe we should blame the ungrateful players, but this issue needs to be addressed.
Regarding a replacement, Wenger stated Jack Wishere will be back soon (a month and half is not soon enough for fans!) and Diaby is back, as well as a possible new recruitment (Nuri Sahin?). Those two players we have are more attack-minded than a traditional defensive midfielder. I would like to see a new signing who dedicates most of his attention to defence and provide a good cover and protection for the back-four. Then, we will have options of midfielders, depending on whom we play against.
Although the result was disappointing, there are a lot of positives to take from this game. A clean sheet is always nice. Arsenal defence was not too much troubled after they had weathered Sunderland's counterattacks in early stages, but there was still some defending to do. They looked solid at the back.
It's early days yet. Hopefully, Arsene Wenger will find the right formula for the team. The next game looks even more difficult as any game at the Britania stadium proves to be a tough one, but hopefully, we will get a better result next Sunday.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 7
Two good saves and one mistake, perhaps from boredom, which he got away with. Not much to do after Sunderland had decided to settle for a goalless draw.
Jenkinson: 7
Not troubled defensively. Some sloppy passes.
Mertesacker: 6
Caught out on two occasions.
Vermaelen: 7
Solid as usual.
Gibbs: 7.5
Good going forward as well.
Cazorla: 8
Our Man of the Match. He was always dangerous going forward. Unlucky not to score with the 20-yard screamer,
Arteta: 7
Did his job, mopping up loose balls. Some good exchanges with Cazorla. His free-kicks and corners left much to be desired, though.
Diaby: 7
Worked hard and got forward a number of times. Although he ran out of steam in the second half, he is nearly where he was before the lengthy injury, with his trade-mark thrust forward. Had a great chance to score.
Gervinho: 7
Continued his pre-season form.
Walcott: 6
Largely quiet. He missed a couple of good chances.
Podolski: 7
Lively.
Subs
Giroud: 5
Replaced Podolski in 63 minutes. Sliced a shot wide after being beautifully set up by Cazorla.
Ramsey: 7
68th-minute substitution for Diaby. Involved in some nice attacking moves.
Arshavin: 6
77th-minute substitution for Walcott. Did not make an impact.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Asia Tour
Arsenal's pre-season Asia tour ended with a 2-2 draw with Kitchee FC on Sunday, which made the total results 1 win, 1 defeat and 1 draw. Many question the significance of Asia tour as preparation for the new season. The players have to travel a long way and acclimatise themselves. The pitches are often not perfect. They have disadvantages against their local opponents in terms of match fitness and jet lag. They also have to engage in promotional activities, such as signing sessions and local events, with little time to spare for training. The local teams have nothing to lose, while it is a huge honour if they beat Arsenal, whatever side Arsenal field. On the other hand, if Arsenal lose, it is a blow to their confidence and discredit as the games are aired all around the world.
Quite honestly, Arsene Wenger would rather his players train in a cool and quiet Austrian town and play pre-season matches against European teams as Arsenal did until the last year, if pre-season were all about preparation for the new season. Cynical people may call the tour a marketing ploy, but it was a great opportunity for Arsenal fans in Asia to watch their heroes play in front of them and make them feel welcome and adored. In that sense, this Asia tour was a great success. Arsenal attracted a huge crowd everywhere they went and their supporters were louder than the local team fans or Man City fans. Well done to our fellow supporters in Asia. They showed the world that Arsenal were a well-supported club. It was great to see Vermaelen get cheers even on the bench, when the camera showed him on the screen in the Hong Kong Stadium. Arsenal also showed that they care about their fans through the shirts with the players' names in Chinese characters and the banner shown at the end of the game in Beijing. Manchester City didn't take all this trouble. It was just another pre-season match and minor trophy for them.
As for the games, they were the same old stories. Arsenal defence was vulnerable to counter-attacks, while their attack failed to produce results due to poor finishes. Especially, both flanks were horribly exposed, when the opponents started quick counter-attacks with long balls. That's something Arsenal need to address.
On the positive note, there was something new we haven't seen for a long time: quite a few players, including Jenkinson, tried shots from the outside of the box, particularly in the Man City match. Theo's efforts were not too far off. He must have been encouraged by his goal against Sweden in the Euros.
We have two key defenders and two main attackers (we no longer count RVP in our attacking force for the coming season) left at home, with only Chamakh and Afobe as recognisable strikers in this tour. There is expected to be a behind-the-closed-door match before the start of the season, in addition to a game against FC Cologne scheduled on 12 August. Hopefully, all the players, including the two new signings, will get fit and sharp by the time the new season arrives on 18 August. (Recent news reports suggest that Giroud and Podolski are unlikely to feature in the opening game as Wenger intends to ease them into the vigour of the Premier League.)
Following is the round-up of some players' performances:
Gervinho: He has had a good pre-season so far, by scoring against Southampton and making a difference when he came on the pitch against KitChee. His skills, pace and timing of his runs were outstanding. Perhaps, strong competition from Podolski over a starting place on the left wing has sparked his form. His first season was somewhat disappointing, but we are quite sure that he will contribute more to Arsenal's cause in the coming season.
Benik Afobe: There is expectation among Arsenal fans that he is most likely to break into the first team this season as the Fans' Forum Opinion Poll on Arsenal.com site shows, but he is far off the first-team standards. He missed two clear-cut chances in the Kitchee game, which would have won us the game. We already have Bendtner to miss such sitters. He didn't impress us.
Chucks Aneke: He may be a better prospect than Afobe as far as the the pre-season games in Asia are concerned. He made a couple of good attempts for goal in two games. Nevertheless, he is still not ready for the first-team starting line-up.
Thomas Eisfeld: A neat player. He is always where he should be and composed in front of goal. Scoring two goals during his short appearances in the Asia tour, he looks a better prospect that any other Arsenal's young talent.
Carl Jenkinson: This pre-season is very important for him and Arsenal as we will have to do without Sagna at the season opening (probably the first couple of games). He was caught out of position several times against Man City, one of which led to Man City's first goal. He must have learned lessons from the experience as he looked more solid against Kitchee (certainly better than Eastmond), with good awareness of his position when he went forward. Made a great low cross in Hong Kong, which nearly led to a winner.
Andre Santos: He played as a left winger in the games in Malaysia and Beijing. Arsene Wenger tried this in the last few games of the last season, but there are plenty of options on the left wing as Gervinho, Podolski, Chamberlain, Ryo, and Arshavin (if he stays) can all play there. As we need a specialist left-back to cover for injury-prone Kieran Gibbs, it is better that Santos improves his defence rather than learning the trade as a left winger. He actually played better as a left-back in the second half against Kitchee.
Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain: He made an impact against Man City, when he came on the pitch as a central midfielder and then went quiet when he moved to the left wing. Although he was not so influential next time when he took the central midfield position 48 hours later, this position certainly looks good for him. Now Rosicky is set to miss the start of the season, Ox-Arteta-Song is a possible midfield set-up if Arsenal stick to the 4-3-3 formation this season and depending on how Ramsey's fitness level will turn out after the Olympic Games.
Abu Diaby: He played OK against Man City, but was poor against Kitchee. He is not sharp enough to start yet. Arsenal Wenger said he is like a new signing for Arsenal, as well as Wilshere. He always rates the French midfielder highly. Hope the boss proves to be right.
By the way, does anybody have any idea where Henry Lansbury is? Since he scored against Anderlecht in the Markus Liebherr Cup, he seems to have vanished. He was not in the Asia tour squad, nor in reserves games. His name was not included the first-team squad number confirmation announced last week.
Arsene Wenger made it clear that he is still looking for one or two more new signings. So let's hope there will be more quality players to be added before the transfer market closes. The latest transfer rumours link Arsenal with Malaga's Cazorla and Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid.
Quite honestly, Arsene Wenger would rather his players train in a cool and quiet Austrian town and play pre-season matches against European teams as Arsenal did until the last year, if pre-season were all about preparation for the new season. Cynical people may call the tour a marketing ploy, but it was a great opportunity for Arsenal fans in Asia to watch their heroes play in front of them and make them feel welcome and adored. In that sense, this Asia tour was a great success. Arsenal attracted a huge crowd everywhere they went and their supporters were louder than the local team fans or Man City fans. Well done to our fellow supporters in Asia. They showed the world that Arsenal were a well-supported club. It was great to see Vermaelen get cheers even on the bench, when the camera showed him on the screen in the Hong Kong Stadium. Arsenal also showed that they care about their fans through the shirts with the players' names in Chinese characters and the banner shown at the end of the game in Beijing. Manchester City didn't take all this trouble. It was just another pre-season match and minor trophy for them.
As for the games, they were the same old stories. Arsenal defence was vulnerable to counter-attacks, while their attack failed to produce results due to poor finishes. Especially, both flanks were horribly exposed, when the opponents started quick counter-attacks with long balls. That's something Arsenal need to address.
On the positive note, there was something new we haven't seen for a long time: quite a few players, including Jenkinson, tried shots from the outside of the box, particularly in the Man City match. Theo's efforts were not too far off. He must have been encouraged by his goal against Sweden in the Euros.
We have two key defenders and two main attackers (we no longer count RVP in our attacking force for the coming season) left at home, with only Chamakh and Afobe as recognisable strikers in this tour. There is expected to be a behind-the-closed-door match before the start of the season, in addition to a game against FC Cologne scheduled on 12 August. Hopefully, all the players, including the two new signings, will get fit and sharp by the time the new season arrives on 18 August. (Recent news reports suggest that Giroud and Podolski are unlikely to feature in the opening game as Wenger intends to ease them into the vigour of the Premier League.)
Following is the round-up of some players' performances:
Gervinho: He has had a good pre-season so far, by scoring against Southampton and making a difference when he came on the pitch against KitChee. His skills, pace and timing of his runs were outstanding. Perhaps, strong competition from Podolski over a starting place on the left wing has sparked his form. His first season was somewhat disappointing, but we are quite sure that he will contribute more to Arsenal's cause in the coming season.
Benik Afobe: There is expectation among Arsenal fans that he is most likely to break into the first team this season as the Fans' Forum Opinion Poll on Arsenal.com site shows, but he is far off the first-team standards. He missed two clear-cut chances in the Kitchee game, which would have won us the game. We already have Bendtner to miss such sitters. He didn't impress us.
Chucks Aneke: He may be a better prospect than Afobe as far as the the pre-season games in Asia are concerned. He made a couple of good attempts for goal in two games. Nevertheless, he is still not ready for the first-team starting line-up.
Thomas Eisfeld: A neat player. He is always where he should be and composed in front of goal. Scoring two goals during his short appearances in the Asia tour, he looks a better prospect that any other Arsenal's young talent.
Carl Jenkinson: This pre-season is very important for him and Arsenal as we will have to do without Sagna at the season opening (probably the first couple of games). He was caught out of position several times against Man City, one of which led to Man City's first goal. He must have learned lessons from the experience as he looked more solid against Kitchee (certainly better than Eastmond), with good awareness of his position when he went forward. Made a great low cross in Hong Kong, which nearly led to a winner.
Andre Santos: He played as a left winger in the games in Malaysia and Beijing. Arsene Wenger tried this in the last few games of the last season, but there are plenty of options on the left wing as Gervinho, Podolski, Chamberlain, Ryo, and Arshavin (if he stays) can all play there. As we need a specialist left-back to cover for injury-prone Kieran Gibbs, it is better that Santos improves his defence rather than learning the trade as a left winger. He actually played better as a left-back in the second half against Kitchee.
Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain: He made an impact against Man City, when he came on the pitch as a central midfielder and then went quiet when he moved to the left wing. Although he was not so influential next time when he took the central midfield position 48 hours later, this position certainly looks good for him. Now Rosicky is set to miss the start of the season, Ox-Arteta-Song is a possible midfield set-up if Arsenal stick to the 4-3-3 formation this season and depending on how Ramsey's fitness level will turn out after the Olympic Games.
Abu Diaby: He played OK against Man City, but was poor against Kitchee. He is not sharp enough to start yet. Arsenal Wenger said he is like a new signing for Arsenal, as well as Wilshere. He always rates the French midfielder highly. Hope the boss proves to be right.
By the way, does anybody have any idea where Henry Lansbury is? Since he scored against Anderlecht in the Markus Liebherr Cup, he seems to have vanished. He was not in the Asia tour squad, nor in reserves games. His name was not included the first-team squad number confirmation announced last week.
Arsene Wenger made it clear that he is still looking for one or two more new signings. So let's hope there will be more quality players to be added before the transfer market closes. The latest transfer rumours link Arsenal with Malaga's Cazorla and Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid.
Monday, July 16, 2012
The 2012/13 Fixtures
Arsenal's 2012/13 season kicks off at the Emirates against Sunderland. The following is the up-to-date fixture list as of 13 July 2012, including all the League Cup (which is apparently called the Capital One Cup this season), the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup dates.
The first six Premier-League games look tough, especially with those against Manchester City and Chelsea sandwiched by the Champions League games, but they are in the same situation. Away games at the Britania Stadium are always difficult. However, with the two major summer signings joining the rest of the squad from the beginning of the pre-season, they should have enough time to settle in and we should be able to avoid the repeat of the last season's disastrous start. For that reason, we have to sort out the RVP situation quickly. If he leaves (we think Arsenal should sell him for the right price), we have to re-invest the proceeds from his sale into a new player or two and give the team time to gel together. If we had had those deadline signings from the beginning of the pre-season, we could have challenged for the title last season.
Over the period from January to early February, when we usually suffer a drop in form, we will have the almost identical run of games as at the beginning of the season, only in a different order. If we are fighting on the all four fronts, January could prove to be a very hectic month. The whole squad needs to stay fit and sharp over this period.
The last match of the season is an away game against Newcastle, which won't be easy, but hopefully, whatever is at stake at that time (the title would be nice), it should have been decided before the last game. We certainly don't want the situation where everything hangs on this match. It is a shame that the last game is away again as I always like the end-of-the-season lap of appreciation to take place after the end of the last game. The lap of appreciation after the end of the penultimate game is not the same. This is going to be the third last game of the season away in a row.
Other dates to note are north London derbies: Saturday 17 November at home 12:45 (English time) kick-off and Saturday 2 March at the White Hart Lane (this game is highly likely to be rescheduled for the convenience of TV companies). Our annual Benidorm trip may be organised around the time of the latter match as we did earlier this year. Alternatively, if we go all the way, the Capital One Cup final on Sunday 24 February could be the focal point of our Benidorm trip next year as it was in 2011.
At the Las Mimosas bar, our usual venue, games against Manchester United are as big as north London derbies as there is rivalry between us and Man U fans. These dates are Saturday 3 November at Old Trafford and Saturday 27 April at home.
Lastly, we don't like to look too far ahead, but cannot help mentioning that the reward of going all the way to the final in the Champions League this season is playing in the Wembly Stadium. Flying into London to watch Arsenal in the Champions League final would be the highlight of the coming season for us without doubt.
Come on you, Gunners!!
Please note that we have an updated fixture list on 2012/13 fixtures update on this blog.
Note: All kick-off times are UK time.
Source: Arsenal.com site.
The first six Premier-League games look tough, especially with those against Manchester City and Chelsea sandwiched by the Champions League games, but they are in the same situation. Away games at the Britania Stadium are always difficult. However, with the two major summer signings joining the rest of the squad from the beginning of the pre-season, they should have enough time to settle in and we should be able to avoid the repeat of the last season's disastrous start. For that reason, we have to sort out the RVP situation quickly. If he leaves (we think Arsenal should sell him for the right price), we have to re-invest the proceeds from his sale into a new player or two and give the team time to gel together. If we had had those deadline signings from the beginning of the pre-season, we could have challenged for the title last season.
Over the period from January to early February, when we usually suffer a drop in form, we will have the almost identical run of games as at the beginning of the season, only in a different order. If we are fighting on the all four fronts, January could prove to be a very hectic month. The whole squad needs to stay fit and sharp over this period.
The last match of the season is an away game against Newcastle, which won't be easy, but hopefully, whatever is at stake at that time (the title would be nice), it should have been decided before the last game. We certainly don't want the situation where everything hangs on this match. It is a shame that the last game is away again as I always like the end-of-the-season lap of appreciation to take place after the end of the last game. The lap of appreciation after the end of the penultimate game is not the same. This is going to be the third last game of the season away in a row.
Other dates to note are north London derbies: Saturday 17 November at home 12:45 (English time) kick-off and Saturday 2 March at the White Hart Lane (this game is highly likely to be rescheduled for the convenience of TV companies). Our annual Benidorm trip may be organised around the time of the latter match as we did earlier this year. Alternatively, if we go all the way, the Capital One Cup final on Sunday 24 February could be the focal point of our Benidorm trip next year as it was in 2011.
At the Las Mimosas bar, our usual venue, games against Manchester United are as big as north London derbies as there is rivalry between us and Man U fans. These dates are Saturday 3 November at Old Trafford and Saturday 27 April at home.
Lastly, we don't like to look too far ahead, but cannot help mentioning that the reward of going all the way to the final in the Champions League this season is playing in the Wembly Stadium. Flying into London to watch Arsenal in the Champions League final would be the highlight of the coming season for us without doubt.
Come on you, Gunners!!
Please note that we have an updated fixture list on 2012/13 fixtures update on this blog.
 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Jul | Pre-season Friendly | A | Southampton | 20:00 | ||||
| (This is a 45 minute match) | |||||||||
| 14 | Jul | Pre-season Friendly | A | Anderlecht | 18:45 | ||||
| (This is a 45 minute match) | |||||||||
| 24 | Jul | Pre-season Friendly | A | Malaysia XI | 21:45 | ESPN | |||
| 27 | Jul | Pre-season Friendly | N | Manchester City | 13:00 | ESPN | |||
| 29 | Jul | Pre-season Friendly | N | Kitchee FC | 10:00 | ESPN | |||
| 12 | Aug | Pre-season Friendly | A | FC Cologne | 16:00 | ESPN | |||
| August | | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||||
| 26 | Sun | Barclays Premier League | A | Stoke City | 13:30 | SS1 | |||
| September | | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | Sun | Barclays Premier League | A | Liverpool | 13:30 | SS1 | |||
| 15 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Southampton | 15:00 | ||||
| 18/19 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 1 | 19:45 | |||||
| 23 | Sun | Barclays Premier League | A | Manchester City | 16:00 | SS1 | |||
| 26 | Wed | Capital One Cup | N | Round 3 | |||||
| 29 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Chelsea | 12:45 | SS1 | |||
| October | | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/3 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 2 | 19:45 | |||||
| 06 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | West Ham United | 17:30 | ESPN | |||
| 20 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Norwich | 17:30 | ESPN | |||
| 23/24 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 3 | 19:45 | |||||
| 27 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | QPR | 15:00 | ||||
| 31 | Wed | Capital One Cup | N | Round 4 | |||||
| November | | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Manchester United | 12:45 | SS1 | |||
| 6/7 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 4 | 19:45 | |||||
| 10 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Fulham | 15:00 | ||||
| 17 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Tottenham Hotspur | 12:45 | SS1 | |||
| 20/21 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 5 | 19:45 | |||||
| 24 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Aston Villa | 17:30 | ESPN | |||
| 28 | Wed | Barclays Premier League | A | Everton | 19:45 | ||||
| December | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Swansea | 15:00 | ||||
| 4/5 | UEFA Champions League | N | Matchday 6 | 19:45 | |||||
| 08 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | W.B.A. | 15:00 | ||||
| 12 | Wed | Capital One Cup | N | Quarter-Final | |||||
| 15 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Reading | 15:00 | ||||
| 22 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||||
| 26 | Wed | Barclays Premier League | H | West Ham United | 15:00 | ||||
| 29 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Newcastle United | 15:00 | ||||
| January | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tue | Barclays Premier League | A | Southampton | 15:00 | ||||
| 05 | Sat | The FA Cup | N | Round 3 | |||||
| 09 | Wed | Capital One Cup | N | Semi-Final 1L | |||||
| 12 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Manchester City | 15:00 | ||||
| 19 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Chelsea | 15:00 | ||||
| 23 | Wed | Capital One Cup | N | Semi-Final 2L | |||||
| 26 | Sat | The FA Cup | N | Round 4 | |||||
| 30 | Wed | Barclays Premier League | H | Liverpool | 19:45 | ||||
| February | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Stoke City | 15:00 | ||||
| 09 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Sunderland | 15:00 | ||||
| 12/13/19/20 | UEFA Champions League | N | Round of 16 1L | 19:45 | |||||
| 16 | Sat | The FA Cup | N | Round 5 | |||||
| 23 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Aston Villa | 15:00 | ||||
| 24 | Sun | Capital One Cup | N | Final | |||||
| March | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Tottenham Hotspur | 15:00 | ||||
| 5/6/12/13 | UEFA Champions League | N | Round of 16 2L | 19:45 | |||||
| 09 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Everton | 15:00 | ||||
| (or FA Cup 6th Round) | |||||||||
| 16 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Swansea | 15:00 | ||||
| 30 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Reading | 15:00 | ||||
| April | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/3 | UEFA Champions League | N | Quarter-Final 1L | 19:45 | |||||
| 06 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | W.B.A. | 15:00 | ||||
| 9/10 | UEFA Champions League | N | Quarter-Final 2L | 19:45 | |||||
| 13 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Norwich | 15:00 | ||||
| (or FA Cup Semi-Final) | |||||||||
| 20 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | Fulham | 15:00 | ||||
| 23/24 | UEFA Champions League | N | Semi-Final 1L | 19:45 | |||||
| 27 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | H | Manchester United | 15:00 | ||||
| 30/1 | UEFA Champions League | N | Semi-Final 2L | 19:45 | |||||
| May | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | Sat | Barclays Premier League | A | QPR | 15:00 | ||||
| 11 | Sat | The FA Cup | N | Final | |||||
| 12 | Sun | Barclays Premier League | H | Wigan Athletic | 15:00 | ||||
| (to be rearranged if Arsenal or Wigan play in FA Cup final) | |||||||||
| 19 | Sun | Barclays Premier League | A | Newcastle United | 15:00 | ||||
| 25 | Sat | UEFA Champions League | N | Final | 19:45 | ||||
| (at Wembley Stadium) | |||||||||
Note: All kick-off times are UK time.
Source: Arsenal.com site.
Monday, June 4, 2012
The 2011/12 Season Review (3) – Players
In this post, we look back at some of the key players' individual performances over the 2011/12 season, as well as recap on all the new signings.
It's difficult not to choose the captain. He won the two Player of the Year awards and the Golden Boot, scoring 37 goals in all competitions. On top of the outstanding personal records he established this season, he inspired the whole team as captain.
The Ox has already captured the fans' hearts as well as the attention of the new England manager, Roy Hodgson, despite Arsene Wenger's overcautious stance towards overusing him in his first season. The fans' displeasure was obvious when he was taken off the pitch during the Man U game (The victim of his popularity was poor Andrey Arshavin. The Russian's confidence never recovered from the incident). We want to see more of him next season.
Francis Coquelin also impressed us after his return from a season-long loan to Lorient. Although his playing time was limited as Song had established himself as a first-choice defensive midfielder, Coquelin proved himself as a versatile utility player, playing at right-back, left-back, and in the central midfield.
Other candidates include Manny Frimpong, whose season was cut short yet again by a cruciate ligament damage to the other knee, and Nico Yennaris, who gave us a glimpse of his potential when he played in the Carling Cup competition and stood in for the first-team right-back during Arsenal's full-back injury crisis.
All in all, we think the Ox, one of the nominees for PFA's Young Player of the Year, is Arsenal's best young player of the season.
He was already showing all the signs of becoming a great defender last season, but one of his shortcomings was a lapse of concentration. Apart from two unnecessary own goals against Blackburn and Liverpool, he looked solid and consistent.
Other candidate include Theo Walcott, who had arguably his best season in an Arsenal shirt, Alex Song with an impressive 14 assists in all competitions (joint top four assist provider in the Premier League), and rejuvenated Tomas Rosicky. However, we think none of them has made as significant improvement as Laurent Koscielny did this season.
This is a close call between RVP and Arteta. RVP scored 30 goals in the Premier League, of which 11 were match winners. He also created goal-scoring chances, which was proved by the number of assists he made, 11 in the Premier League and 13 in all competitions. On the other hand, Arteta's influence on the team was evident as we struggled to win (P5 W1 D3 L1) after he had sustained an ankle sprain towards the end of the season.
Best new signing of the season. He was regarded as the poor man's Fabregas by many and his signing did not overly impressed the fans because he was considered past his peak. In the absence of Jack Wilshere, Arteta was assigned to take an enforcer role and developed excellent understanding with Alex Song. His presence in midfield brought cohesion and stability to the team, but most of his work went unappreciated until he started scoring some exquisite goals. He was sorely missed in the last five games of the season. We never found his replacement. He may not have produced any eye-catching performance, but all the stats, including a passing success rate and the number of tackles, indicate that he was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season. Hopefully, we will have both Jack Wilishre and Mikel Arteta fit next season and the Spaniard may be given a more creative role.
Pre-season signing from the French Ligue 1 outfit, Lille. He made a sensational debut by scoring two goals within 15 minutes of the opening in the pre-season match against Cologne. However, the start to his first Premier-League season was not as successful as that, with a red card shown in the first match of the season after having been provoked by Joey Barton. Following the subsequent three-match ban, he was a regular starter on the left flank. He has good dribbling, trickery and pace, but his decisions in the final third were often wrong, while he lacked composure in front of goal. The African Cup of Nations competition in January significantly hampered his progress, but 4 goals and 6 assists didn't compare unfavourably with Nasri's first season at all. Hopefully, he will build on this season's performance to grow into one of key players in his second season at Arsenal.
One of the so-called "Wenger's panic buys". If Arsenal had signed him a season before, I would have been extremely happy. That said, he fitted in Arsenal's system in a short period, featuring in many games before he suffered a long-term injury to his already once reconstructed ankle during the Sunderland match (the pitch didn't help). He has many critics especially about his pace and pundits and journalists were very quick to conclude that this summer signing was a flop, but we believe he will become a good defender. Now adaptation processes are over, we expect him to make a big improvement in his second season as Koscielny did.
The jury is still out on this signing. He is very good coming forward with his powerful shots and no hesitation to take a shot, but his defensive ability remains a big question mark. It is good to have him as an alternative for open games and a back-up as Gibbs is injury-prone.
Our bright prospect. Scored 4 goals in 26 games in all competitions, in 11 games of which he came off the bench. The Ox came with a rather hefty price tag for an 18-year-old, but he had a promising first season, which seems to have justified the price we paid for him.
Deadline-day signing from a newly-relegated French Ligue 2 side, Monaco. His playing time was limited to 3 Carling Cup ties, 2 Champions League matches (1 start + 1 sub), reserve games and just one substitute appearance in the Premier League. The transfer fees have reportedly been inflated as a result of the successful postponement of his mandatory military service, as his transfer contract included a provisional clause to be enacted in such a case. Also, he is under severe criticism from the general public in his country. So much so that the South Korea national team coach had no choice but to leave him out of his Olympics squad. If Arsenal's main intention for the purchase of the Korean player was shirt sales, it is likely to turn out to be an expensive buy.
A season-long loan from Chelsea. Scored 6 goals in 25 games in all competitions, starting 15 games. His patience paid off in the latter half of the season. He scored some important goals and his experience and all-round ability proved to be valuable in big games. His commitment to Arsenal's cause was outstanding. He stated he didn't care where Chelsea were going to finish this season, but all he wanted was to make sure Arsenal would finish third. He also got stick from his Chelsea-fan followers when he contratulated Arsenal team-mates on Twitter after Arsenal's 5-3 defeat of Chelsea. We think Arsenal should make his loan deal permanent.
What a difference a year made to this life-long Arsenal fan. The 19-year-old was playing for a non-league outfit, Eastbourne, on loan from Charlton in the previous season. This season, he played in the Champions League against Udenese and in the Premier League against Manchester United in his beloved Arsenal colours. His debut in the pre-season game against Cologne was not as spectacular as Gervinho's, with a careless own goal to prevent Arsenal from keeping a clean sheet. We had thought he would have time to learn his trade, but the departure of Eboue for Turkey meant he was thrown into the first-team action straight away as Sagna's back-up. Since Sagna broke his leg against Tottenham at the end of September, he was promoted to a regular starter before he, himself, succumbed to a long-term injury with a stress fracture to his back. Koscielny, Djourou, Coquelin, and Nico Yennaris played at right-back, but Wenger's faith in Jenkinson, or a specialist right-back, was clear because the boss always picked the Finland U-19 international ahead of any makeshift right-back, when he was fit and Sagna was not available. What caught the eye of Arsene Wenger was his athleticism and stamina. We think he has good crossing as well. He is still raw, but we believe he will make it. At least we can count on his loyalty to the Club should any mega rich club offer him a lucrative deal in the future.
The Costa Rican summer signing was sent straight on loan to the Ligue 1 outfit, Lorient. He had a decent loan spell and shone in the international matches, as well. Interesting to see whether he will be involved in Arsenal's first-team setup next season or spend another season on loan.
January signing. We were worried that he might be another Amoury Bischoff, but after having regained his full fitness, he scored two goals in reserve games, looking on course to fulfil what Arsenal expected from him. At the time of the signing, even Arsene Wenger did not seem to be sure whether the 19-year-old attack-minded midfielder would be slotted into the first-team setup or youth team. This is still to be seen.
The player of the season
Robin van Persie
It's difficult not to choose the captain. He won the two Player of the Year awards and the Golden Boot, scoring 37 goals in all competitions. On top of the outstanding personal records he established this season, he inspired the whole team as captain.
The young player of the season
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
The Ox has already captured the fans' hearts as well as the attention of the new England manager, Roy Hodgson, despite Arsene Wenger's overcautious stance towards overusing him in his first season. The fans' displeasure was obvious when he was taken off the pitch during the Man U game (The victim of his popularity was poor Andrey Arshavin. The Russian's confidence never recovered from the incident). We want to see more of him next season.
Francis Coquelin also impressed us after his return from a season-long loan to Lorient. Although his playing time was limited as Song had established himself as a first-choice defensive midfielder, Coquelin proved himself as a versatile utility player, playing at right-back, left-back, and in the central midfield.
Other candidates include Manny Frimpong, whose season was cut short yet again by a cruciate ligament damage to the other knee, and Nico Yennaris, who gave us a glimpse of his potential when he played in the Carling Cup competition and stood in for the first-team right-back during Arsenal's full-back injury crisis.
All in all, we think the Ox, one of the nominees for PFA's Young Player of the Year, is Arsenal's best young player of the season.
The most improved player of the season
Laurent Koscielny
He was already showing all the signs of becoming a great defender last season, but one of his shortcomings was a lapse of concentration. Apart from two unnecessary own goals against Blackburn and Liverpool, he looked solid and consistent.
Other candidate include Theo Walcott, who had arguably his best season in an Arsenal shirt, Alex Song with an impressive 14 assists in all competitions (joint top four assist provider in the Premier League), and rejuvenated Tomas Rosicky. However, we think none of them has made as significant improvement as Laurent Koscielny did this season.
The most influential player of the season
Robin van Persie
This is a close call between RVP and Arteta. RVP scored 30 goals in the Premier League, of which 11 were match winners. He also created goal-scoring chances, which was proved by the number of assists he made, 11 in the Premier League and 13 in all competitions. On the other hand, Arteta's influence on the team was evident as we struggled to win (P5 W1 D3 L1) after he had sustained an ankle sprain towards the end of the season.
New signings
Mikel Arteta
Best new signing of the season. He was regarded as the poor man's Fabregas by many and his signing did not overly impressed the fans because he was considered past his peak. In the absence of Jack Wilshere, Arteta was assigned to take an enforcer role and developed excellent understanding with Alex Song. His presence in midfield brought cohesion and stability to the team, but most of his work went unappreciated until he started scoring some exquisite goals. He was sorely missed in the last five games of the season. We never found his replacement. He may not have produced any eye-catching performance, but all the stats, including a passing success rate and the number of tackles, indicate that he was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season. Hopefully, we will have both Jack Wilishre and Mikel Arteta fit next season and the Spaniard may be given a more creative role.
Gervinho
Pre-season signing from the French Ligue 1 outfit, Lille. He made a sensational debut by scoring two goals within 15 minutes of the opening in the pre-season match against Cologne. However, the start to his first Premier-League season was not as successful as that, with a red card shown in the first match of the season after having been provoked by Joey Barton. Following the subsequent three-match ban, he was a regular starter on the left flank. He has good dribbling, trickery and pace, but his decisions in the final third were often wrong, while he lacked composure in front of goal. The African Cup of Nations competition in January significantly hampered his progress, but 4 goals and 6 assists didn't compare unfavourably with Nasri's first season at all. Hopefully, he will build on this season's performance to grow into one of key players in his second season at Arsenal.
Per Mertersacker
One of the so-called "Wenger's panic buys". If Arsenal had signed him a season before, I would have been extremely happy. That said, he fitted in Arsenal's system in a short period, featuring in many games before he suffered a long-term injury to his already once reconstructed ankle during the Sunderland match (the pitch didn't help). He has many critics especially about his pace and pundits and journalists were very quick to conclude that this summer signing was a flop, but we believe he will become a good defender. Now adaptation processes are over, we expect him to make a big improvement in his second season as Koscielny did.
Andre Santos
The jury is still out on this signing. He is very good coming forward with his powerful shots and no hesitation to take a shot, but his defensive ability remains a big question mark. It is good to have him as an alternative for open games and a back-up as Gibbs is injury-prone.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Our bright prospect. Scored 4 goals in 26 games in all competitions, in 11 games of which he came off the bench. The Ox came with a rather hefty price tag for an 18-year-old, but he had a promising first season, which seems to have justified the price we paid for him.
Ju Young Park
Deadline-day signing from a newly-relegated French Ligue 2 side, Monaco. His playing time was limited to 3 Carling Cup ties, 2 Champions League matches (1 start + 1 sub), reserve games and just one substitute appearance in the Premier League. The transfer fees have reportedly been inflated as a result of the successful postponement of his mandatory military service, as his transfer contract included a provisional clause to be enacted in such a case. Also, he is under severe criticism from the general public in his country. So much so that the South Korea national team coach had no choice but to leave him out of his Olympics squad. If Arsenal's main intention for the purchase of the Korean player was shirt sales, it is likely to turn out to be an expensive buy.
Yossi Benayoun
A season-long loan from Chelsea. Scored 6 goals in 25 games in all competitions, starting 15 games. His patience paid off in the latter half of the season. He scored some important goals and his experience and all-round ability proved to be valuable in big games. His commitment to Arsenal's cause was outstanding. He stated he didn't care where Chelsea were going to finish this season, but all he wanted was to make sure Arsenal would finish third. He also got stick from his Chelsea-fan followers when he contratulated Arsenal team-mates on Twitter after Arsenal's 5-3 defeat of Chelsea. We think Arsenal should make his loan deal permanent.
Carl Jenkinson
What a difference a year made to this life-long Arsenal fan. The 19-year-old was playing for a non-league outfit, Eastbourne, on loan from Charlton in the previous season. This season, he played in the Champions League against Udenese and in the Premier League against Manchester United in his beloved Arsenal colours. His debut in the pre-season game against Cologne was not as spectacular as Gervinho's, with a careless own goal to prevent Arsenal from keeping a clean sheet. We had thought he would have time to learn his trade, but the departure of Eboue for Turkey meant he was thrown into the first-team action straight away as Sagna's back-up. Since Sagna broke his leg against Tottenham at the end of September, he was promoted to a regular starter before he, himself, succumbed to a long-term injury with a stress fracture to his back. Koscielny, Djourou, Coquelin, and Nico Yennaris played at right-back, but Wenger's faith in Jenkinson, or a specialist right-back, was clear because the boss always picked the Finland U-19 international ahead of any makeshift right-back, when he was fit and Sagna was not available. What caught the eye of Arsene Wenger was his athleticism and stamina. We think he has good crossing as well. He is still raw, but we believe he will make it. At least we can count on his loyalty to the Club should any mega rich club offer him a lucrative deal in the future.
Joel Campbell
The Costa Rican summer signing was sent straight on loan to the Ligue 1 outfit, Lorient. He had a decent loan spell and shone in the international matches, as well. Interesting to see whether he will be involved in Arsenal's first-team setup next season or spend another season on loan.
Thomas Eisfeld
January signing. We were worried that he might be another Amoury Bischoff, but after having regained his full fitness, he scored two goals in reserve games, looking on course to fulfil what Arsenal expected from him. At the time of the signing, even Arsene Wenger did not seem to be sure whether the 19-year-old attack-minded midfielder would be slotted into the first-team setup or youth team. This is still to be seen.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The 2011/12 Season Review (2) – Games
A couple of weeks before the season ended, Daily Mail compiled the top 10 Premier-League games of the season (obviously the list didn't include the most dramatic game of the season that sealed Manchester City's championship win nor any of the final-day matches). Out of those 10 games, Arsenal were involved in four (two for wrong reasons from our point of view): namely, those against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Blackburn at Ewood Park, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and Tottenham at Emirates Stadium. This means that we, Arsenal supporters, have enjoyed the best value out of this Premier-League season.
We reflect on some of the most memorable games of the season.
Theo Walcott referred to this game as the "turning point" of his performance this season. Arsene Wenger considered replacing him at half time as the home crowd's frustration towards the Englishman was becoming overwhelming, but he decided against it. His decision was vindicated as Theo went on to score two goals against the north London rivals. We are not totally sure if this was truly the turning point for Theo's performance as he had a few more off-days after this game, but this game certainly reignited Tomas Rosicky's form.
This game was arguably the turning point for the team, as well. Following the heartbreak we suffered in the previous two games, conceding two goals in the first 34 minutes in such an unjust manner could have been a devastating blow, but Arsenal refused to give in and showed their determination not to lose. Their steel demonstrated in this derby match set the tone for Arsenal's run of wins in the coming weeks. Since this game, "the gap" has began closing quickly and eventually turned around.
As Arsene Wenger said, fairy tales seldom happen to us, but this game was a real fairy tale story. In the season Thierry Henry had his statue built, he came back to his old club on a short-term loan to help them out. The legendary striker came off the bench in his first game of his return and scored a winner to send Arsenal into the next round of the FA Cup. Las Mimosas bar erupted with euphoria. Many, including us at the Arsenal Playa Flamenca Supporters Club, were initially sceptical about what impact the 34 year-old striker could make on the pitch, but his short loan spell proved to be priceless even just for this magic moment.
We are going to focus on key players' individual performances in the next post.
We reflect on some of the most memorable games of the season.
The most entertaining game of the season
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5 at Stamford Bridge
Roberto Di Matteo may have guided his side to the glory of the Champions League victory, but his team haven't produced a game as entertaining as this one they played under AVB. Some attributed the goal fest to poor defence by the both teams, but it was a very open game, in which the two top teams demonstrated their attacking prowess. Although Arsenal went into this game on the back of three consecutive league wins, we started feeling that this was going to be a long afternoon to endure, as soon as the game had kicked off. After 90 minutes, we came away with all three points and boosted confidence. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.The best and most important game of the season
Arsenal 5 Tottenham 2 at Emirates Stadium
The stage was perfectly set for this classic north London derby. Arsenal needed to respond to their massive disappointments: namely, the the 4-0 defeat to AC Milan and the early exist from the FA Cup competition. Tottenham supporters were taunting us that "the gap" between the two clubs was to be extended to 13 points after this game, and we, the Arsenal Playa Flamenca Supporters Club, were in Benidorm to watch this game as the focal point of our annual Benidorm trip.Theo Walcott referred to this game as the "turning point" of his performance this season. Arsene Wenger considered replacing him at half time as the home crowd's frustration towards the Englishman was becoming overwhelming, but he decided against it. His decision was vindicated as Theo went on to score two goals against the north London rivals. We are not totally sure if this was truly the turning point for Theo's performance as he had a few more off-days after this game, but this game certainly reignited Tomas Rosicky's form.
This game was arguably the turning point for the team, as well. Following the heartbreak we suffered in the previous two games, conceding two goals in the first 34 minutes in such an unjust manner could have been a devastating blow, but Arsenal refused to give in and showed their determination not to lose. Their steel demonstrated in this derby match set the tone for Arsenal's run of wins in the coming weeks. Since this game, "the gap" has began closing quickly and eventually turned around.
The best performance of the season
Manchester City 1 Arsenal 0 at Etihad Stadium
Arsenal 1 Manchester City 0 at Emirates Stadium
The game in Manchester proved that there was very little between the two sides and we were unlucky to lose. The both teams produced an excellent performance both offensively and defensively. In the reverse fixture in April, Arsenal were easily a better side as a majority of Man City players looked demoralised. However, it took Arsenal 87 minutes to break the deadlock through Arteta's superb solo effort as Manchester City captain Kompany and keeper Hart put in some courageous efforts. These games showed that when they played to the best of their abilities, Arsenal were as good as or better than the Premier League champions.The most exciting winner of the season
Arsenal 2 Newcastle 1 at Emirates Stadium
It looked like the game was heading for a 1-1 draw despite Arsenal's efforts to find an elusive goal and then Vermaelen dashed forward to put the ball at the back of the net at the death of the match. Arsenal showed their resilience again, coming from behind in the fourth game in a row. Las Mimosas Bar, our usual venue, exploded with joy.The bravest effort of the season
Arsenal 3 AC Milan 0 at Emirates Stadium (Champions League Round of Last 16)
Arsenal gave everything to overturn the four-goal deficit from the first leg of the tie and put in an impressive performance, but sadly they run out of steam in the second half and there was no fit players on the bench to refresh the tired midfield. Their determination and spirited first-half performance did us proud. They gave us exhilarating 60 minutes with hopes of progressing to the next round of the Champions League, which we, supporters, had never dreamt of after the first leg. Arsenal bowed out of the Champions League, but their pride was restored.The most magical moment of the season
Arsenal 1 Leeds 0 at Emirates Stadium (FA Cup Third Round)
As Arsene Wenger said, fairy tales seldom happen to us, but this game was a real fairy tale story. In the season Thierry Henry had his statue built, he came back to his old club on a short-term loan to help them out. The legendary striker came off the bench in his first game of his return and scored a winner to send Arsenal into the next round of the FA Cup. Las Mimosas bar erupted with euphoria. Many, including us at the Arsenal Playa Flamenca Supporters Club, were initially sceptical about what impact the 34 year-old striker could make on the pitch, but his short loan spell proved to be priceless even just for this magic moment.
We are going to focus on key players' individual performances in the next post.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The 2011/12 Season Review (1) – Overview
Many Arsenal fans will remember this season as one of their toughest seasons they have ever experienced. Our faith in Arsene Wenger was severely tested at the beginning of the season (or all through the season for those sceptical) and we faced a number of ups and downs throughout the season.
We got off to the worse start to a season in 58 years. Amid the disturbing newspaper reports regarding the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, we went into the first game of the season, during and after which we lost Gervinho and Alex Song to suspensions. Things didn't get any better in the following match against Liverpool, as Frimpong was sent off and Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at home partly thanks to a very unlucky own goal. By the time we faced Manchester United at Old Trafford, Nasri and Fabregas had already left us, it had been made clear that we would have to do without Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen for some while, and the tough battle against Udenese in the qualifying for the Champions League Group Stage had taken its toll on the physical side of Arsenal's game. On top of three suspensions, injuries and illness forced Arsenal to field a largely inexperienced side consisting of mainly second-string players against the reigning champions. The rest is history.
The crushing 8-2 defeat seemed to have served as a wake-up call. On the final day of the summer transfer window, Arsenal signed five new players, including a loan deal. Although none of the new signings overly excited us at the time, we were happy with the fact that Wenger took some action to rectify the present situation. At least, we didn't endure the humiliation at Old Trafford for nothing. If you thought these seven days, starting from the dramatic victory over Udenese to secure a place in the Champions League Group Stage and ending on the busy closing day of the summer transfer window, were an emotional roller coaster, it was only a beginning.
Before the newly-rebuilt team gelled together, Arsenal had to suffer two more defeats, by the hands of Blackburn and Tottenham. On 18 September, Arsenal were 17th in the Premier League table with only four points from five games. On 15 October, they had collected only seven points from the opening seven games. Apparently, no team had ever finished in the top four from such a poor start.
Following the bitter defeat to the north London rivals, Arsenal's unbeaten run started, which lasted for 10 games in all competitions until it was ended by the Carling Cup defeat by Manchester City. However, Arsenal maintained their solid league form, suffering only one defeat in December to Manchester City (which was very unlucky as we played very well and should have been given a penalty).
January was a dismal month. Arsenal did not manage a single win in the Premier League, although they won two FA Cup matches thanks to a great help from Thierry Henry, who rejoined his old club on a short-term loan. The poor form in January was largely attributed to the fact that we had no recongnised full-backs.
In February, Arsenal's winning streak resumed in the Premier League, but they suffered a devastating blow to their hopes of progressing in the Champions League and got knocked out of the FA Cup competition. When Arsenal had been knocked out of different competitions successively in a short space of time, the effects were detrimental as seen in recent years. However, this crop of players showed great characters and responded perfectly to their disappointment in the next game, a massive north London derby.
At this point, "the gap" between the two rival clubs was 10 points (on the final day of January, Arsenal were 13 points adrift of Spurs). The fortunes of the two clubs were to be turned around as Arsenal extended their excellent league form into March and April, while Tottenham's form was adversely affected by speculations that Harry Redknapp might have been offered the England coach position. We witnessed the gap being quickly closed and then Arsenal overtaking Spurs.
Arsenal's scintillating form continued through to early April until they lost Arteta to an ankle injury against Wigan. The last four games of the season were very nervous affairs for Arsenal and us supporters, too. Arsenal could have secured third place before the final day, had they not dropped so many points in the previous four games. Nonetheless, we got what we wanted in the end on the very final day of the season. The team showed that they could still get the job done, even when they could not play beautiful football.
This season will also be remembered as a year of comeback. A new Premier League record of four successive comeback wins established by Arsenal speaks volumes for their resilience. Stats show that Arsenal gained 24 of their 70 Premier League points (34.3 per cent) from losing positions, winning seven games from behind. In fact, the season itself was one massive comeback story, rising up the table from the 17th to finish third spot. Combined with the evidence on the last day of the season that this season's crop of players can grind out the result even when they cannot play well, this mental strength is a positive we can take from this season.
After the disastrous start, our goal for this season was always a Champions League spot to build on for the next season. In October, many doubted that we would even finish in the top four. We are aware that there are quite a few fans moaning about another trophy-less season, but there are only three trophies worth winning and they are hard to come by. Liverpool's dismissal of Kenny Dalgleish implies that a Carling Cup success is not good enough to make up for a disappointing Premier League result. Considering what Arsenal have been through this season, a third-place finish is not such a bad thing. Besides, the "worse-ever" Arsenal team finished above the "best Tottenham team since 1961". That's something to shout about.
We will look back at games that marked the 2011/12 season and reflect on our key players' performances in the next posts.
We got off to the worse start to a season in 58 years. Amid the disturbing newspaper reports regarding the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, we went into the first game of the season, during and after which we lost Gervinho and Alex Song to suspensions. Things didn't get any better in the following match against Liverpool, as Frimpong was sent off and Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at home partly thanks to a very unlucky own goal. By the time we faced Manchester United at Old Trafford, Nasri and Fabregas had already left us, it had been made clear that we would have to do without Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen for some while, and the tough battle against Udenese in the qualifying for the Champions League Group Stage had taken its toll on the physical side of Arsenal's game. On top of three suspensions, injuries and illness forced Arsenal to field a largely inexperienced side consisting of mainly second-string players against the reigning champions. The rest is history.
The crushing 8-2 defeat seemed to have served as a wake-up call. On the final day of the summer transfer window, Arsenal signed five new players, including a loan deal. Although none of the new signings overly excited us at the time, we were happy with the fact that Wenger took some action to rectify the present situation. At least, we didn't endure the humiliation at Old Trafford for nothing. If you thought these seven days, starting from the dramatic victory over Udenese to secure a place in the Champions League Group Stage and ending on the busy closing day of the summer transfer window, were an emotional roller coaster, it was only a beginning.
Before the newly-rebuilt team gelled together, Arsenal had to suffer two more defeats, by the hands of Blackburn and Tottenham. On 18 September, Arsenal were 17th in the Premier League table with only four points from five games. On 15 October, they had collected only seven points from the opening seven games. Apparently, no team had ever finished in the top four from such a poor start.
Following the bitter defeat to the north London rivals, Arsenal's unbeaten run started, which lasted for 10 games in all competitions until it was ended by the Carling Cup defeat by Manchester City. However, Arsenal maintained their solid league form, suffering only one defeat in December to Manchester City (which was very unlucky as we played very well and should have been given a penalty).
January was a dismal month. Arsenal did not manage a single win in the Premier League, although they won two FA Cup matches thanks to a great help from Thierry Henry, who rejoined his old club on a short-term loan. The poor form in January was largely attributed to the fact that we had no recongnised full-backs.
In February, Arsenal's winning streak resumed in the Premier League, but they suffered a devastating blow to their hopes of progressing in the Champions League and got knocked out of the FA Cup competition. When Arsenal had been knocked out of different competitions successively in a short space of time, the effects were detrimental as seen in recent years. However, this crop of players showed great characters and responded perfectly to their disappointment in the next game, a massive north London derby.
At this point, "the gap" between the two rival clubs was 10 points (on the final day of January, Arsenal were 13 points adrift of Spurs). The fortunes of the two clubs were to be turned around as Arsenal extended their excellent league form into March and April, while Tottenham's form was adversely affected by speculations that Harry Redknapp might have been offered the England coach position. We witnessed the gap being quickly closed and then Arsenal overtaking Spurs.
Arsenal's scintillating form continued through to early April until they lost Arteta to an ankle injury against Wigan. The last four games of the season were very nervous affairs for Arsenal and us supporters, too. Arsenal could have secured third place before the final day, had they not dropped so many points in the previous four games. Nonetheless, we got what we wanted in the end on the very final day of the season. The team showed that they could still get the job done, even when they could not play beautiful football.
This season will also be remembered as a year of comeback. A new Premier League record of four successive comeback wins established by Arsenal speaks volumes for their resilience. Stats show that Arsenal gained 24 of their 70 Premier League points (34.3 per cent) from losing positions, winning seven games from behind. In fact, the season itself was one massive comeback story, rising up the table from the 17th to finish third spot. Combined with the evidence on the last day of the season that this season's crop of players can grind out the result even when they cannot play well, this mental strength is a positive we can take from this season.
After the disastrous start, our goal for this season was always a Champions League spot to build on for the next season. In October, many doubted that we would even finish in the top four. We are aware that there are quite a few fans moaning about another trophy-less season, but there are only three trophies worth winning and they are hard to come by. Liverpool's dismissal of Kenny Dalgleish implies that a Carling Cup success is not good enough to make up for a disappointing Premier League result. Considering what Arsenal have been through this season, a third-place finish is not such a bad thing. Besides, the "worse-ever" Arsenal team finished above the "best Tottenham team since 1961". That's something to shout about.
We will look back at games that marked the 2011/12 season and reflect on our key players' performances in the next posts.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
West Brom 2 Arsenal 3
It was not our best performance, but we got the result we wanted, which was all three points. In fact, we were disappointed as we expected Arsenal to turn up with a big performance in order to secure all important third place, which would be the only way to ensure the next season's Champions League football. After they were given a second and last chance to do it last Sunday following both Tottenham and Newcastle dropping points, we were hoping our team would appreciate the chance even more and give it everything to seal third spot. With last Sunday's results going our way, we were filled with some kind of optimism that we were destined to finish third, apart from a few pessimistic members, of course. However, Arsenal being Arsenal, any long-standing Arsenal fan knew that they would not make it easy.
In hindsight, probably it might have been a good thing that we didn't play very well because it is clear even through rose-tinted glasses that some of our second-string players are not quite up to the level required for the title chase yet and we lacks depth in squad. Hopefully, Arsene Wenger realises the need of a couple more new signings.
One of the pre-match talking points was the team selection as usual. We expected Jenkinson to deputise injured Sagna. This proved right, despite Arsenal.com's preview, which predicted Coquelin's deployment at right-back. To our surprise, Conquelin took Ramsey's place in central midfield. As posted previously, we thought Wenger was not keen on playing two defensive midfielders together. Perhaps, Coquelin was fielded to cover inexperienced Jenkinson. Santos came in for Gibbs, who dropped to the bench. Maybe Arsene expected an open game? It turned out to be a right decision by the way how the game developed. Theo was fit again, but only made the bench. Gervinho and Benayoun were given the starting places on the flanks.
As for a West Brom side, we were aware that captain Christ Brunt would be out after having his tonsils removed and Odemwengi and Thomas were both doubtful. These were all handy for us, but we didn't realise until the kick-off that Ben Foster was sidelined due to the injury he sustained during training. Their number-two keeper, Fulop, came in for him, which turned out to be a goof fortune for us.
We must admit that we were lucky and probably owed at least two out of our three goals to Fulop's mistakes (Santos' effort was powerful, but probably a good keeper would have saved it on a good day). When our main goal source did not have many chances, it was lucky that other players were gifted with chances to score and they took them. Opposition keepers always have good games against us, so it was a welcome change that the West Brom keeper had a bad day in the office on the particular day.
The game panned out in a very similar way to last week's. Benayoun scored an early goal after taking advantage of Fulop's mistake. Then we were soon trailing 2-1 inside 15 minutes. However, fortunately unlike the previous game, we were level before half time thanks to Santos' superb shot. Theo came off the bench at half time to replace Rosicky. Just 8 minutes into the second half, we got our third goal thanks to Fulop's gaffe once more, but 36 minutes plus injury time was a very long time to hang on to the narrow lead. We could not even hold the one-goal lead for 10 minutes last week. We knew it was going to be an agonisingly long 36 minutes plus and it was.
Arsene Wenger substituted Gervinho for Gibbs to prop up the defence, an important decision that paid off when the left-back made a match-saving late challenge on Billy Jones. Ramsey came in for Santos in 80 minutes as Wenger looked for Arsenal's fourth goal, which never came to calm his nerves and ours.
After the game, few seemed to have been interested in talking about the game itself or Arsenal's performance. If this had not been the final game of the season, we would be analysing the game, discussing why they failed to put in a decent performance for the past five games and identifying solutions to the problems. However, all that mattered for this game was the result and the performance was almost irrelevant. How we got those three goals did not matter. What mattered was we got three goals to undo the two goals we conceded and held the lead for the remaining 41 minutes.
The victory on the final day of this season sealed third place, which meant that we are guaranteed next seasons' Champions League football, no matter what the result of Saturday's Champions League final will be. Securing a place in the Champions League for the 15th consecutive season is a very proud achievement. We have collected 70 points from this season's campaign, 2 points more than last season, and finished one place higher than last season when we were in the title race for most of the season. Not bad for the so-called worst-ever Arsenal team. Sunday's win also meant that we finished above our north London rivals again. This means a lot to us Gooners. Even RVP couldn't help pointing out this in his post-match interview.
The automatic qualification spot for next season' Champions League should help to keep our captain and attract world-class players. RVP made it clear that a Champions League spot is vital to his decision over his future. Various newsaper reports suggest that M'Vila deal is just awaiting the confirmation of Arsenal's Champions League qualification. (We cannot see Wenger spend £17.7 million on a defensive midfielder, when we have Song, Frimpong, and Coquelin. That said, if the reports are true, we will be delighted with his addition to the squad as he seems to be a good player.) Should Tottenham fail to qualify for the Champions League Group Stage or end up in the lesser competition, Europa League again next season, why should Jan Vertonghen choose to join them, especially when his current club Ajax have already secured thier place in the Champions League Group Stage by winning the Dutch Eredivisie?
Apparently, there have been a few articles being sniffy about Arsenal fans celebrating third place energetically. We have received a disdainful comment from a local Chelsea fan, too. They don't know what third place means to us nor what we have gone through this season from the disastrous start to the anxious last four weeks. Arsenal fans have every right to celebrate and be proud of the Club's third-place finish.
The 2011/12 season is over. Our eyes are now on RVP's contract talk and transfers.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 6
In the post-match interview, Arsene Wenger revealed that the Polish international had been playing through injury for the last five weeks. He has been carrying a shoulder problem and has an injection on the day of a game. That might explain those uncharacteristic mistakes against Norwich. He wasn't decisive enough for West Brom's first goal. At one stage, Arsenal conceded a series of corners, at least two of them shouldn't have been needed if he had shouted. Made an excellent save of Andrews' late attempt, though. Hope Euro 2012 will help him restore his confidence.
Jenkinson: 5
Clumsy with some tackling. He needs to improve, but we still think he will make it. Look forward to seeing more of his crossing.
Koscielny: 7
Apart from West Brom's second goal, he was solid. Scored the winner.
Vermaelen: 7
Strong.
Santos: 7
Scored the valuable equaliser in the 28th minute. Upon the introduction of Gibbs in the 67th minute, he moved to a more advanced position on the left wing and eventually was replaced by Ramsey in the 80th minute.
Rosicky: 7
Worked hard to win the ball and played a cenral role in Arsenal's offensive in the first half. Replaced by Walcott at half time.
Coquelin: 5
Was he better than Ramsey as Arteta's replacement? Maybe just marginally.
Song: 7
Stepped up his defensive game from the previous match.
Gervinho: 6
He did everything right and well, except for his final ball. His decisions in the final third were poor.
Benayoun: 8
Scored the opener. Our Man of the Match. He was good in all aspects. We should award him a one-year contract to keep him.
van Persie: 7
Had a quiet game as he was marked tightly by West Brom defenders. He had two good chances: a free-kick from just outside the box, which hit the wall, and a shot after getting behind the West Brom defence line, which flew far over the bar. His frustration nearly got the better of him. Shown a yellow card.
Subs
Walcott: 7
Second-half substitute for Rosicky. Lively. Got involved in some good attacking moves.
Gibbs: 7
Made a match-saving challenge.
Ramsey: 6
In hindsight, probably it might have been a good thing that we didn't play very well because it is clear even through rose-tinted glasses that some of our second-string players are not quite up to the level required for the title chase yet and we lacks depth in squad. Hopefully, Arsene Wenger realises the need of a couple more new signings.
One of the pre-match talking points was the team selection as usual. We expected Jenkinson to deputise injured Sagna. This proved right, despite Arsenal.com's preview, which predicted Coquelin's deployment at right-back. To our surprise, Conquelin took Ramsey's place in central midfield. As posted previously, we thought Wenger was not keen on playing two defensive midfielders together. Perhaps, Coquelin was fielded to cover inexperienced Jenkinson. Santos came in for Gibbs, who dropped to the bench. Maybe Arsene expected an open game? It turned out to be a right decision by the way how the game developed. Theo was fit again, but only made the bench. Gervinho and Benayoun were given the starting places on the flanks.
As for a West Brom side, we were aware that captain Christ Brunt would be out after having his tonsils removed and Odemwengi and Thomas were both doubtful. These were all handy for us, but we didn't realise until the kick-off that Ben Foster was sidelined due to the injury he sustained during training. Their number-two keeper, Fulop, came in for him, which turned out to be a goof fortune for us.
We must admit that we were lucky and probably owed at least two out of our three goals to Fulop's mistakes (Santos' effort was powerful, but probably a good keeper would have saved it on a good day). When our main goal source did not have many chances, it was lucky that other players were gifted with chances to score and they took them. Opposition keepers always have good games against us, so it was a welcome change that the West Brom keeper had a bad day in the office on the particular day.
The game panned out in a very similar way to last week's. Benayoun scored an early goal after taking advantage of Fulop's mistake. Then we were soon trailing 2-1 inside 15 minutes. However, fortunately unlike the previous game, we were level before half time thanks to Santos' superb shot. Theo came off the bench at half time to replace Rosicky. Just 8 minutes into the second half, we got our third goal thanks to Fulop's gaffe once more, but 36 minutes plus injury time was a very long time to hang on to the narrow lead. We could not even hold the one-goal lead for 10 minutes last week. We knew it was going to be an agonisingly long 36 minutes plus and it was.
Arsene Wenger substituted Gervinho for Gibbs to prop up the defence, an important decision that paid off when the left-back made a match-saving late challenge on Billy Jones. Ramsey came in for Santos in 80 minutes as Wenger looked for Arsenal's fourth goal, which never came to calm his nerves and ours.
After the game, few seemed to have been interested in talking about the game itself or Arsenal's performance. If this had not been the final game of the season, we would be analysing the game, discussing why they failed to put in a decent performance for the past five games and identifying solutions to the problems. However, all that mattered for this game was the result and the performance was almost irrelevant. How we got those three goals did not matter. What mattered was we got three goals to undo the two goals we conceded and held the lead for the remaining 41 minutes.
The victory on the final day of this season sealed third place, which meant that we are guaranteed next seasons' Champions League football, no matter what the result of Saturday's Champions League final will be. Securing a place in the Champions League for the 15th consecutive season is a very proud achievement. We have collected 70 points from this season's campaign, 2 points more than last season, and finished one place higher than last season when we were in the title race for most of the season. Not bad for the so-called worst-ever Arsenal team. Sunday's win also meant that we finished above our north London rivals again. This means a lot to us Gooners. Even RVP couldn't help pointing out this in his post-match interview.
The automatic qualification spot for next season' Champions League should help to keep our captain and attract world-class players. RVP made it clear that a Champions League spot is vital to his decision over his future. Various newsaper reports suggest that M'Vila deal is just awaiting the confirmation of Arsenal's Champions League qualification. (We cannot see Wenger spend £17.7 million on a defensive midfielder, when we have Song, Frimpong, and Coquelin. That said, if the reports are true, we will be delighted with his addition to the squad as he seems to be a good player.) Should Tottenham fail to qualify for the Champions League Group Stage or end up in the lesser competition, Europa League again next season, why should Jan Vertonghen choose to join them, especially when his current club Ajax have already secured thier place in the Champions League Group Stage by winning the Dutch Eredivisie?
Apparently, there have been a few articles being sniffy about Arsenal fans celebrating third place energetically. We have received a disdainful comment from a local Chelsea fan, too. They don't know what third place means to us nor what we have gone through this season from the disastrous start to the anxious last four weeks. Arsenal fans have every right to celebrate and be proud of the Club's third-place finish.
The 2011/12 season is over. Our eyes are now on RVP's contract talk and transfers.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 6
In the post-match interview, Arsene Wenger revealed that the Polish international had been playing through injury for the last five weeks. He has been carrying a shoulder problem and has an injection on the day of a game. That might explain those uncharacteristic mistakes against Norwich. He wasn't decisive enough for West Brom's first goal. At one stage, Arsenal conceded a series of corners, at least two of them shouldn't have been needed if he had shouted. Made an excellent save of Andrews' late attempt, though. Hope Euro 2012 will help him restore his confidence.
Jenkinson: 5
Clumsy with some tackling. He needs to improve, but we still think he will make it. Look forward to seeing more of his crossing.
Koscielny: 7
Apart from West Brom's second goal, he was solid. Scored the winner.
Vermaelen: 7
Strong.
Santos: 7
Scored the valuable equaliser in the 28th minute. Upon the introduction of Gibbs in the 67th minute, he moved to a more advanced position on the left wing and eventually was replaced by Ramsey in the 80th minute.
Rosicky: 7
Worked hard to win the ball and played a cenral role in Arsenal's offensive in the first half. Replaced by Walcott at half time.
Coquelin: 5
Was he better than Ramsey as Arteta's replacement? Maybe just marginally.
Song: 7
Stepped up his defensive game from the previous match.
Gervinho: 6
He did everything right and well, except for his final ball. His decisions in the final third were poor.
Benayoun: 8
Scored the opener. Our Man of the Match. He was good in all aspects. We should award him a one-year contract to keep him.
van Persie: 7
Had a quiet game as he was marked tightly by West Brom defenders. He had two good chances: a free-kick from just outside the box, which hit the wall, and a shot after getting behind the West Brom defence line, which flew far over the bar. His frustration nearly got the better of him. Shown a yellow card.
Subs
Walcott: 7
Second-half substitute for Rosicky. Lively. Got involved in some good attacking moves.
Gibbs: 7
Made a match-saving challenge.
Ramsey: 6
I didn't notice him in the game, but he seems to have played reasonably well from what I've heard from other people.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Arsenal 3 Norwich 3
It was 90 minutes of an emotional roller coaster, which mirrored our whole season. We were 1-0 up in just 66 seconds through Yossi Benayoun's beautiful curler. This should have been an ideal start for Arsenal to build on and a perfect birthday celebration for Benayoun. However, after the early goal, we soon found ourselves totally outplayed by a newly-promoted side and at half time, we were trailing at 2-1. We were disappointed with Arsenal's below-par display. After the break, the game could have gone beyond our reach, with Norwich threatening our goal on several occasions. Arsenal then stepped up the gear, pressing forwards with the sense of purpose. They got a well-deserved equaliser and another goal by RVP followed. We were ecstatic with a belief that we had all important three points in the bag. Then, what happened next was beyond our belief. Norwich grabbed an equaliser in the 85th minute. We tried to find the net one more time, but the time was up.
We thought we had grown to maturity though difficult times this season, but it was very disappointing to see Arsenal throwing away a precious lead with just 5 minutes left to the end of normal time. Even our captain tried a cute back-heal pass in the Norwich half only to be intercepted. It was a crime that we failed to keep the ball in possession and just run down the clock.
This draw was definitely two points dropped rather than a point gained without question. At the final whistle, we were left with a gut-wrenching feeling. There was no wonder why this year's end-of-season lap of applause that took place following the match was a relatively muted affair.
All the positive signs we saw in the previous game did not materialise in this game. Passing was slow and we were the second best on loose balls in the first half. Our defence that looked so solid against Chelsea and even a physical Stoke side appeared shaky on Saturday.
It was no coincidence that we haven't won a game since we lost Arteta to an injury. The balance and stability in midfield and cohesion throughout the team seem to have been seriously undermined by the absence of Arteta. We thought Ramsey had a better game against Stoke, but in this game he was clearly attack minded and slow to get back to defend.
After Arsenal's defensive fragility was exposed, some fans argue that Song should devote his entire attention to defence, like Makélélé to Chelsea. However, we think his qualities as a playmaker, including his vision and skills to deliver those killer passes, are so valuable to us that it will be a shame to restrict his role to just a defensive midfielder. Besides, the current system worked fine with Jack Wilshere or Mikel Arteta alongside with him, as he and his midfield partners had excellent understanding between them. When one goes forward, the other drops deep to cover the defence. Unfortunately, no one has successfully filled the void Arteta left yet. As Diaby has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a calf problem, the Ox and Coquelin may be alternative options for Areta's replacement. However, Wenger is not keen on playing another defensive midfielder alongside with Song, as it makes our midfield too defensive, so Coquelin may not be the boss' choice. The Ox came off the bench to replace Ramsey in this game, but he actually played better after he had moved to the right flank.
Another post-match tactical talking point was if Arsenal should revert to the 4-4-2 formation since it seemed to have revitalised Arsenal attack upon the introduction of Chamakh, with the Ox and Gervinho providing the width. Especially with Arteta's replacement still to be found, this is a very interesting option. It may be too late for this season, but when our new signing, Podolski, who can play up front as a lone striker, just behind a main striker, or on the left wing, joins the squad next season, his addition will widen the scope for Arsenal's attack.
It was confirmed that Bacary Sagna suffered a broken fibula, which rules him out of Euro 2012. It was a blow as the return of the regular full-backs was the major factor behind our excellent run of form in March and early April. However, we don't mind Jenkinson getting a chance to show what he is capable of. As he was not on the bench, Coquelin came in for Sagna, but Wenger may prefer a specialist right-back. Whoever takes Sagna's place, hopefully, Arsenal will prepare themselves well for the next game and sort out their defence before next Sunday.
One of few positives to take from this game was that we scored three goals. After the previous match, Wenger pointed out that his team's inability to find the net one more time against Stoke was due to the lack of confidence because they hadn't scored many goals recently. Hopefully, three goals against Norwich should have helped to boost their confidence. Especially, it was a huge relief that RVP has rediscovered his goal-scoring form. In personal terms as well, RVP made a massive step forward towards winning the Golden Boot by netting two goals in this game, which increased the gap to second-placed Rooney to four goals. With just one game left, it is almost certain that he will be crowned as this season's Premier League top scorer.
Tottenham's draw with Aston Villa and Newcatle's defeat to Manchester City on Sunday meant we were let off for Saturday's slip-up and given one last chance to secure third place. It's all in our hands once again now, but nothing less than three points guarantees next season's Champions League football. We have to make sure we will win the next game. As Norwich proved, a middle-table club that has nothing to play for is hardly a pushover. However, we can beat any team when we play to the best of our abilities. Since the superb performance against Manchester City, Arsenal haven't really played to their full potential yet. It is about time for Arsenal to put in some decent performance. If the next game is not big enough to motivate them, what else would be? Let's hope they will turn up with the level of commitment that matches the magnitude of the match and deliver the result this time around.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 4
He had a poor game. Norwich's first goal was a goalkeeping error. We think he could have done more to stop their third goal going in. Did he think it would go wide? Hope it was just his off day.
Sagna: 5
Sustained a fracture in his right leg and replaced by Coquelin in the 33rd minute.
Koscielny: 5
Nearly gave away a penalty by pulling Russell Martin's shirt. On the other hand, he put in some crucial challenges.
Vermaelen: 5
Had a quiet game. The two centre-backs were easily split up.
Gibbs: 5
Unlucky deflection that led to Holt's goal.
Rosicky: 6
Not as sharp as in recent games.
Ramsey: 4
Maybe he was lucky to stay on the pitch. He got off with a talking to, after he had already been shown a yellow card. It was disappointing after he showed some improvement against Stoke. Missed a couple of goal-scoring chances. Replaced by the Ox in the 63 minutes.
Song: 6
Defensively not up to his standard, but delivered an inch-perfect pass, which set up RVP's first goal. Attempted an Henry-esque back-heel shot, which was denied by Ruddy.
Gervinho: 6
Lively in the second half. Good link-up play with RVP.
Benayoun: 6
Scored a goal.
van Persie: 7
Scored two goals, but missed some good chances as well.
Subs
Coquelin: 6
33rd-minute substitute for injured Sagna. Worked hard. We agree with the referee's decision to turn down Norwich's penalty claim against his challenge on Hoolahan.
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 5
Replace Ramsey in the 63rd minute. Some good movements, but failed to make a difference.
Chamakh: 6
We thought we had grown to maturity though difficult times this season, but it was very disappointing to see Arsenal throwing away a precious lead with just 5 minutes left to the end of normal time. Even our captain tried a cute back-heal pass in the Norwich half only to be intercepted. It was a crime that we failed to keep the ball in possession and just run down the clock.
This draw was definitely two points dropped rather than a point gained without question. At the final whistle, we were left with a gut-wrenching feeling. There was no wonder why this year's end-of-season lap of applause that took place following the match was a relatively muted affair.
All the positive signs we saw in the previous game did not materialise in this game. Passing was slow and we were the second best on loose balls in the first half. Our defence that looked so solid against Chelsea and even a physical Stoke side appeared shaky on Saturday.
It was no coincidence that we haven't won a game since we lost Arteta to an injury. The balance and stability in midfield and cohesion throughout the team seem to have been seriously undermined by the absence of Arteta. We thought Ramsey had a better game against Stoke, but in this game he was clearly attack minded and slow to get back to defend.
After Arsenal's defensive fragility was exposed, some fans argue that Song should devote his entire attention to defence, like Makélélé to Chelsea. However, we think his qualities as a playmaker, including his vision and skills to deliver those killer passes, are so valuable to us that it will be a shame to restrict his role to just a defensive midfielder. Besides, the current system worked fine with Jack Wilshere or Mikel Arteta alongside with him, as he and his midfield partners had excellent understanding between them. When one goes forward, the other drops deep to cover the defence. Unfortunately, no one has successfully filled the void Arteta left yet. As Diaby has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a calf problem, the Ox and Coquelin may be alternative options for Areta's replacement. However, Wenger is not keen on playing another defensive midfielder alongside with Song, as it makes our midfield too defensive, so Coquelin may not be the boss' choice. The Ox came off the bench to replace Ramsey in this game, but he actually played better after he had moved to the right flank.
Another post-match tactical talking point was if Arsenal should revert to the 4-4-2 formation since it seemed to have revitalised Arsenal attack upon the introduction of Chamakh, with the Ox and Gervinho providing the width. Especially with Arteta's replacement still to be found, this is a very interesting option. It may be too late for this season, but when our new signing, Podolski, who can play up front as a lone striker, just behind a main striker, or on the left wing, joins the squad next season, his addition will widen the scope for Arsenal's attack.
It was confirmed that Bacary Sagna suffered a broken fibula, which rules him out of Euro 2012. It was a blow as the return of the regular full-backs was the major factor behind our excellent run of form in March and early April. However, we don't mind Jenkinson getting a chance to show what he is capable of. As he was not on the bench, Coquelin came in for Sagna, but Wenger may prefer a specialist right-back. Whoever takes Sagna's place, hopefully, Arsenal will prepare themselves well for the next game and sort out their defence before next Sunday.
One of few positives to take from this game was that we scored three goals. After the previous match, Wenger pointed out that his team's inability to find the net one more time against Stoke was due to the lack of confidence because they hadn't scored many goals recently. Hopefully, three goals against Norwich should have helped to boost their confidence. Especially, it was a huge relief that RVP has rediscovered his goal-scoring form. In personal terms as well, RVP made a massive step forward towards winning the Golden Boot by netting two goals in this game, which increased the gap to second-placed Rooney to four goals. With just one game left, it is almost certain that he will be crowned as this season's Premier League top scorer.
Tottenham's draw with Aston Villa and Newcatle's defeat to Manchester City on Sunday meant we were let off for Saturday's slip-up and given one last chance to secure third place. It's all in our hands once again now, but nothing less than three points guarantees next season's Champions League football. We have to make sure we will win the next game. As Norwich proved, a middle-table club that has nothing to play for is hardly a pushover. However, we can beat any team when we play to the best of our abilities. Since the superb performance against Manchester City, Arsenal haven't really played to their full potential yet. It is about time for Arsenal to put in some decent performance. If the next game is not big enough to motivate them, what else would be? Let's hope they will turn up with the level of commitment that matches the magnitude of the match and deliver the result this time around.
Player ratings
Szczezny: 4
He had a poor game. Norwich's first goal was a goalkeeping error. We think he could have done more to stop their third goal going in. Did he think it would go wide? Hope it was just his off day.
Sagna: 5
Sustained a fracture in his right leg and replaced by Coquelin in the 33rd minute.
Koscielny: 5
Nearly gave away a penalty by pulling Russell Martin's shirt. On the other hand, he put in some crucial challenges.
Vermaelen: 5
Had a quiet game. The two centre-backs were easily split up.
Gibbs: 5
Unlucky deflection that led to Holt's goal.
Rosicky: 6
Not as sharp as in recent games.
Ramsey: 4
Maybe he was lucky to stay on the pitch. He got off with a talking to, after he had already been shown a yellow card. It was disappointing after he showed some improvement against Stoke. Missed a couple of goal-scoring chances. Replaced by the Ox in the 63 minutes.
Song: 6
Defensively not up to his standard, but delivered an inch-perfect pass, which set up RVP's first goal. Attempted an Henry-esque back-heel shot, which was denied by Ruddy.
Gervinho: 6
Lively in the second half. Good link-up play with RVP.
Benayoun: 6
Scored a goal.
van Persie: 7
Scored two goals, but missed some good chances as well.
Subs
Coquelin: 6
33rd-minute substitute for injured Sagna. Worked hard. We agree with the referee's decision to turn down Norwich's penalty claim against his challenge on Hoolahan.
Oxlade-Chamberlain: 5
Replace Ramsey in the 63rd minute. Some good movements, but failed to make a difference.
Chamakh: 6
Came on in the 69th minutes to replace Benayoun. After the shift to the 4-4-2 system upon his introduction, Arsenal's attack seem to have stepped up. Missed a couple of chances, but had his best game in recent months.
Referee
Anthony Taylor: 4
RVP should have been awarded a late penalty. Why should he have to go down when he only needed a tap-in unless he was pushed over. It was definitely a penalty. That said, Norwich had a strong case for a penalty against Koscielny's shirt tagging, so some may say that it has evened out the things, although the shirt-pulling happens all the time and many of them go unpunished. Also, a Norwich player's handball totally went unnoticed.
Referee
Anthony Taylor: 4
RVP should have been awarded a late penalty. Why should he have to go down when he only needed a tap-in unless he was pushed over. It was definitely a penalty. That said, Norwich had a strong case for a penalty against Koscielny's shirt tagging, so some may say that it has evened out the things, although the shirt-pulling happens all the time and many of them go unpunished. Also, a Norwich player's handball totally went unnoticed.
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