Arsenal Season Preview Part One: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Prelude
As we normally do here at 7amkickoff.com with post-match write-ups, I’d like to get the season rolling with a look at the best and worst parts of the season ahead in a little feature that we call, the good, bad, and ugly. I think you’ll figure out how it works pretty quickly
Quote of the year?
I need it to happen. I’ve had a couple of chats with Mark and it’s delicately poised. Who wouldn’t be keen to go to Arsenal? At this stage in my career it’s an amazing opportunity to play at that level and one I really want to take. Only time will tell whether that happens or not.
I have never sat out a game [to prove a point] and never would. But it needs to be resolved sooner rather than later. I’m not sure whether I’ll play [for Fulham] on the weekend. I’ve got a few little injury problems but we’ll have to wait and see how I pull up when I return to London. — Mark Schawrzer on Arsenal’s bid for him
Man of the Season
so much depends
upon
a Catalan Cesc
Fabregas
stained with Wigan
mud
carrying the yellow
armband
The Good
The most obvious good for 2010/2011 is that Arsenal have enough attacking firepower to undo most Premier League teams. While teams like Chelsea and Liverpool have one main threat in Drogba and Torres combined with a strong midfielder to power the team, Arsene has taken a more egalitarian approach and has players all over the pitch who are a threat.
On the left there’s Andrei Arshavin, you might remember him, he’s the guy who banged home 4 against Liverpool. Rested and hopefully hungry he can score frighteningly quick goals.
In the middle you have two players who will make a huge difference: Robin van Persie and Marouane Chamakh. Robin is hands down our most gifted striker, a player who could easily get 20+ goals a season — if only he could put his injury nightmare behind him. Chamakh on the other hand is an honest to goodness center forward and will be looking more to bring his teammates in to the game and hold up play until the Arsenal midfield can flood the zone than to score brilliant goals. I’m not taking anything away from Chamakh, he has one quality that actually scares me; he’s a fearless header of the ball. In this respect he brings yet another dimension that Arsenal have been missing and as a result of his fearlessness he will score big headers in big games, mark my words.
But perhaps our most important player is our midfield general, Cesc Fabregas. The goals he scored last term were all powerfully taken, important, and game changing. Moreover, his thrust forward, vision, and ability is crucial to springing our attacks. I’m not taking anything away from Nasri or Denilson who will also score brilliant goals this season. Rather just highlighting the fact that Cesc is our most important player.
In the back, Vermaelen scored 7 goals for us last year and all things considered that’s a great haul. If he can keep up that pace, it’s a bonus to his leadership and defensive ability. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Sagna and Clichy can add to their totals from last season, with Clichy getting just one assist and Sagna just 3. Maybe Chamakh can boldly go where no Gooner has gone before and head home some of their crosses?
The good news for this season is that Arsenal’s young team are a year older and ready to take the League by storm, kicking in goals from all over the pitch. In fact, I won’t be surprised if I see a ton of Arsenal matches where we score 3 or more goals. Last season, before van Persie got injured, Arsenal scored 3 or more goals in 7 of their 11 matches. Of course the key there is that van Persie needs to stay healthy but with Chamakh and all the other attacking options I think this team will still score goals even if van Persie does go down for any period of time.
Arsenal are set up to be the most attacking team in the league and I can’t wait to see how they break down teams who come to park the bus.
The Bad
Arsenal lost arguably our best center half during this off season when we cut William Gallas loose. Not only that but we lost experience and a title winning attitude when Sol Campbell left for a few coins more in Newcastle. Further, we lost a man who’s head is shaped like a novelty condom when Silvestre left — which, when you consider the comical defending, is actually a huge bonus.
Still, the bad news is that we are going in to the season with only 3 viable center backs; Vermaelen, Koscielny, and Johan Djourou. Vermaelen is as solid as you get. Koscielny is an unknown and as such can’t really be considered a bad — especially in light of the fact that Wenger has a pretty decent track record in uncovering gems. But Djourou for me is a really scary prospect. In him we have a 23 year old central defender who has never played more than 18 League games in a season. He has the size and I’m sure Wenger has drilled the touch into him, but here’s a guy who has been at Arsenal for 7 years and is still an enigma. What can any of us say we really know about Djourou except that he didn’t get along with Gallas?
Even more worrying is that he spent the entire season (save one sub) in the treatment room after getting knee surgery right before the season started. And worse he’s not fully recovered and still having injury problems as evidenced by the fact that he’s not ready to play against Liverpool in the season opener.
Sorry, but the whole situation with Djourou makes me nervous. Wenger took a chance on him last year, refusing to sign a center back and saying that it would be a break out year for Djourou. Instead of a break out year, we had a break down year as the season came to an ignominious close and the team was left playing geriatrics Silvestre and Campbell in the central positions.
I’m not ripping Djourou, rather, I’m saying that it’s impossible to go into this next season with only three center backs which includes one who hasn’t really played football for over a year and is still constantly injured. I’m also not one of these guys who thinks that Arsenal can just buy a guy off the shelf and slot him in. As the Mark Schwarzer situation illustrates, even getting in a used up 37 year old, half-assed keeper is nigh impossible so exactly how we are going to sign a world beater center half is still a bit unclear.
Rumors have us going back in for Gallas and with the Frenchman’s salary demands putting him off many clubs, there’s still a chance that we might go back to that well. I’m not sure that would be a wise idea because while he is a great defender he’s also a great asshole and many of our young players despise him (Nasri and Djourou are two notable examples). Moreover, his idea of leadership is screaming at players to do what he tells them and every time I’ve seen him play with the younger defenders their body language is just awful.
It will be impossible, IMPOSSIBLE, I say to play the entire season with just three center backs. So Arsene will have to sign someone. If that someone is Gallas, well, I will hold my nose and accept that signing players right now iss very difficult. But we must sign some because surely we can’t seriously be considering Nordveit as ready for prime time.
The Ugly
No surprise here but the keeper situation at Arsenal has gone from bad to ugly. Rumors abound that Almunia is on his way out and that Wenger is seriously considering Fabianski for the number one shirt. Worse still, Arsenal have fucked around since May with Mark Schwarzer and Fulham have steadfastly rebuffed us.
Now, new boss Mark Hughes is publicly denying Mark Schwarzer his publicly demanded transfer request and I get the sense that Hughes is playing hardball because he holds a personal grudge against Arsene Wenger. There’s no way that he could possibly think that a 37 year old, in the last season of his contract who has emailed the boss, spoken to him directly, and finally resorted to speaking to the press about leaving the club so that he can play in Europe for what looks like the last years of his career is going to be happy playing for a man who held back his career because of a grudge?
I don’t want to sound hysterical but this whole keeper situation is making me crazy. I’m almost always in the Arsene Knows Best camp and almost always in the “you cheer the team that the club put out” camp, but it’s really concerning to me to have such a huge cloud hanging over the keepers at this club. Starting Fabianski puts a huge target on this club’s back and gives teams an option that they will try to exploit; crowding the keeper on set plays. Illegal though it may be, teams have no problem forcing the referees to make the call and will obstruct, maim, pull, kick, and generally be physical against Arsenal on set plays as long as Fabianski is our keeper because it works.
Sure, we could complain to the FA about the tactic and yes, it’s a violation of the rules. Or we could tell the defense to move those guys out of the area, just push them out. But the strange thing for me is that at most clubs, the keeper protects the defense and here at Arsenal we have to protect our keepers. There’s no two ways about it, that’s ugly.
Conclusions
I probably left off the one thing you are looking forward to this year, the one thing you really want to see, like Wilshere scoring a dozen goals. I’ve also no doubt left off the one thing that terrifies you this season, like the small raincloud that hangs over Cesc’s head from the Summer of transfer speculation. Well, guess what? That’s why the gods invented the comments section, so that you can tell us what YOU think. Have at it, I’d love to hear your good, bad, and ugly predictions for this year and there had better be something about Ryan Shawcross in there.
For me, I think you’ll notice that the biggest section of this preview was dedicated to the good and that’s because I truly believe that Arsenal are going to be spectacular to watch this year.
Not only that, but I can’t wait to see this young team mature. We were so close to the title last year but fell apart too easily. I’m not revealing any secret when I say that title winning teams put away the Wigans of the world when they are 2 goals up. Beating the lower competition is something I think this team will do this year.
All you have to do is look at the way we reacted to Ryan Shawcross breaking Rambo’s leg to see a glimmer of that maturity. Two years ago we collapsed when Taylor broke Eduardo’s leg and let in a late equalizer. Last year, in a similar situation we instead went on to win 3-1.
Further, I am eager to see the progress of Denilson, Diaby, and Song. Will Denilson be unleashed by Wenger — like Jet Li in the eponymous movie? Will Diaby be the next Patrick Vieira because he’s tall and French-African? Will Song score 2 goals? I’m eager to find out.
But it’s going to be a hard season because too many others are poised to jump on the slightest sign of weakness and claim what Arsenal have held on to for so long; the coveted Champions League spot. I don’t think I’ve revealed any surprises with the bad and the ugly and instead have just voiced a frustration that many of us share. All teams have their weaknesses, which I will get into in part 2, when I compare dicks.. I mean teams, TEAMS, in tomorrow’s blog.
For now, rest assured that we are going to have one hell of a season in front of us. It will be full of high drama, low drama, great goals, and probably some heartbreak, but I think with just a few extra pieces we could really be a terrifying team to face.
Comments
i cant believe we are going to anfield with only 2 centre backs and the same muppets in goal. i really believed arsene would sort this out this summer.
i stand by my opinion that he should have been dealing with this instead of commentating at the world cup.
i would rather put arshavin centre-back than re-sign that asshole gallas
Yes, agree. Gallas is addition by subtraction. Under no circumstances should he be brought back. I’d be much happier with Nordviedt giving it a shot.
Christ – convert Diaby to a CB. I think that’d be awesome. Strong, can carry the ball out of the back, a good tackler, tall with pace and good in the air. It would cover his weaknesses which in my mind are indecisiveness and poor movement off the ball (read – laziness).
@Brahmabull,
interesting.
we did convert toure from midfield to centre back.
but i hope he could head the ball better than the nightmare own goal at united last year. if berbatov had been there he wouldn’t have finished that as well
@Brahmabull, Have you gone crazy man? Diaby is one of our biggest defensive liabilities. I know we are all desperate here but let’s get a grip.
@nycgunner,
hahaha. thats how desperate we are.
i dont think signing one centre back is even enough
I’m not a Diaby lover, but if you are denying that he is a solid tackler, you are wrong.
I repeat, Diaby’s realy weaknesses are between his ears (indeciveness) and his heart (too lazy at times).
My God, if we could put Flamini’s engine into Diaby’s body, we’d have the world’s best player. Convince me otherwise.
I think he’s bordering on becoming lost in the shuffle in midfield, unless he has pictures of Wenger’s daughter or something… Ramsey, Wilshere are both superior attacking midfielders in open play.
A change of position that plays to his strengths may be what is needed.
Huh. I just threw that out there about Diaby, but now I’ve convinced myself it might not be stupid afterall.
@Brahmabull, Diaby’s strongest qualities are his touch and control of the ball in crowded spaces. His tackling, when he chooses to do it, can be good but he has knack for mistiming his tackles, one of which led to breaking Nasri’s leg in preseason last year. I thought the box to box midfield role suited him well, he just needs to find consistency in his game. Truth be told, I fear that this is as good as it gets for him and he is going to be a surplus to our requirements once Rambo has made a full recovery.
I think the one thing we have going for us this season, is that you’d be hard pressed to tell me that any other team, other than ManCiti, has done anything to make themselves measureably better than last year.
So I have no idea how things will shake out, because I think a lot of teams are a couple of injuries away from disaster (i.e. Rooney goes down – good bye Man Utd).
I’ll predict that we score more goals than last year, but also concede more. That is a step backwards in my opinion, as you need to be able to win a string of 1-0 games in the middle of winter to make a serious run, and I don’t know if we can do that.
3rd with this roster.
@Brahmabull, that’s basically what I’ll be talking about tomorrow.
@Brahmabull, I’d have to say Chelsea, Mancs and Pool may not have strengthened. But, they haven’t got any weaker either. Yes Chelsea are a year older, but they’ve dropped some deadwood and brought in some fresh legs like-for-like. Mancs have brought in some strikers to ease Rooney and Own Goal’s burden, but midfield is a year older. Pool are stronger if Masch stays, weaker if he goes. But, if the teams around us aren’t strengthening isn’t it to our advantage if we did? If we strengthen against stagnant opponents then surely we’ll become favourites?
@Joe,
who have chelsea brought in? benayoun is only guy i know of. i haven’t heard of the others but i dont follow chelsea
they have lost ricardo carvalho, joe cole, michael ballack, julian belleti and deco.
thats alot of experience. carvalho would walk onto our team.
i think chelsea will be weaker. united on the other hand i’m not sure about. the only way i see them struggling is if rooney gets injured or doesn’t produce the form of last season. liverpool and city will be stronger. i expect the spuds to struggle in the league having extra games in champions league. and everton will take points off the big teams. villa will too if they can hold onto their players
Chelsea’s got a now healthy Essien who was out much of last year, and they’re about to land Ramires, the Brazilian midfielder. Apparently Ancellotti says they’ll buy 1-2 more players before the end of August.
@Chief Gooner, Ramires from Benfica to replace Ballack/Deco. Which is a good deal, a younger player to replace two old heads. Carvalho won’t be missed, he was outshone by Alex and Ivanovic last season. Belleti is deadwood squad player and Cole didn’t play much the past two seasons. Not weaker, not much improved.
For United Berbatov has been in good preseason form, though Rooney seems like he has a WC hangover. They’ve brought in that Mexican woman and Bebe to ease the burden. Giggs and Scholes are a year older, but are very much squad players. For them RB remains a problem, unless those twins of theirs improve dramatically. About the same, unless Own Goal is on form, then they have improved with the Vidic speculation now gone and the dressing room more settled.
Liverpool are without a doubt stronger. Cole is a good signing, easing some of the creative burden from Gerrard. Poulsen adds some experience to their midfield, and is much better than Lucas. Defence remains an issue, with LB and CB iffy and subject to penetration. Up front they need a fit Torres, but that is unlikely. But, Masch wants to leave, which is likely, which will weaken them significantly.
Sp*ds are finding it difficult to attract players. But, they have two good goalkeepers, a decent set of fullbacks, decent CBs, decent midfielders, and crap strikers. Overall they’ll probably find it difficult to score goals, with only Defoe and that donkey from Russia. Crouch looks set to leave, Keane is old. They have decent depth. But, again aren’t anything special. Yes, they may struggle with the games coming thick and fast, but they probably wont finish any lower than 6th.
Villa look about the same. Milner in a swap for cash + Ireland looks to be a very good deal. That’s add some invention to their otherwise long-ball side. They have good wingers. A solid defensive unit and some half decent forwards. They’ll most likely finish no lower than 6th, depending on who their new manager is.
Everton, not much to say. They have some youngsters who will be breaking into the side. They have a good defensive unit. A good manager at the helm and enough grit and invention to do well. I question their mentality, as like the Sp*ds they have a small club mentality and tend to bottle it when the going gets tough (much like Villa).
Citeh, as you know, splashing the cash. But, Mancini isn’t the best man-manager. He’s aloof. That certainly won’t help his new team gel and bond. And won’t help in the cold months when maybe things aren’t going his way and his team wither need a kick up the arse or some encouragement. But, with depth and quality across all aspects of his squad you have to say they are top 4 at least and potential title challengers. They will win a trophy, but most likely one of the cups.
One thing I think everyone is missing in evaluating the other teams is YOUTH.
Our team is young, and will be better than last year even if you only factor in the added year of experience. Most of the core – Cesc, Song, Diaby, Denilson, Vermaelen, Clichy – are all the good side of 25. RVP, Chamakh, Sagna are all just entering their prime. Just based on growing as players, we cannot help but be better this year.
Liverpool have added a couple of players, but have NOT gotten any younger. A better manager, yes, but they will still struggle starting mid-season.
Chelsea have added a couple of young players, and jettisoned older ones. On average then they are younger, but the core – Drogba, Anelka, Lampard, Terry, Cole – are all on the bad side of 25 and in decline.
Tottenham… why waste time talking about them.
Man Utd have added some youth, but Rio Ferdinand is a big question, Neville is in decline, Scholes and Giggs cannot possibly keep up the high level of play. They went sideways this off-season.
Man City – definite contenders if Mancini can get them to play defence. The most depth in the league, a scary roster on paper, and lots of youth too.
1) Man City
2) Chelsea
3) Arsenal
4) Man Utd
5) Everton
6) Tottenham
7) Villa
Oops – Liverpool should top Everton. Forgot about them (easy to do I guess).
What scares me most about City is their midfielders. With Yaya, DeJong, and Milner, they’ve got a very physical midfield. I think City finishes ahead of United. Hopefully not us though.
@Brahmabull, I almost agree with your predictions. I have:
1) Chelsea
Birmingham
2) Man City
3) Arsenal
4) Man United
5) Liverpool
6) Tottenham
7) Everton
9) Villa
10) Fulham
@Chief Gooner, Have you all considerd the miserable one. Berjocuff as I call him. He is looking good at present. Its goona be his year.
@margarette adrien, Arsenal, Man C, Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs. Bet on it people
The Good:
Jack Wilshere will score more than 10 goals
Samir Nasri will play a more vital role than Cesc Fabregas this year
Gael Clichy will return to his form from 3 years ago
Thomas Vermaelen will be the unquestioned, most vocal and animated leader on the pitch this season
Should we not buy a GK, our expectations for Almunianski will be so low that they won’t be able to fail to exceed them
Alex Song will continue to assert himself
Arsene will sign a new contract
Koscielny will become a fan favorite the way TV5 did this year
Age will catch up to United this year as they surprisingly struggle to finish 4th
The Bad:
Robin Van Persie will miss at least 10 matches due to injury, as will Rosicky
Carlos Vela, despite his very good preseason form, will continue to bemuse and occasionally seem absent on the pitch
Diaby will become a forgotten man
Nordtveit will get a lot of time on the pitch because of injuries and the failure to buy this offseason
Frimpong will prove himself to very much not be ready at this point
The Ugly:
January will surely usher in the Cesc to Barca stories yet again, particularly if we’re not at the top of the table
Cesc will be the scapegoat if we fail to have a great start to the season
Bendtner will be asking for a transfer should Chamakh become an entrenched starter
Eboue will continue to dive
Conclusion: This is a top 3 squad. The defense will provide for positive surprises, again given how rock-bottom the expectations are. We’ll do better against the big teams this year, while still struggling against the likes of Stoke on the road. This team’s capable of winning it; anything can happen. Obviously we’d all feel better with a few more additions. Que sira sira.
@ArseChicago,
you’re presuming this defence will surprise us if it stays fit. 2 or 3 injuries and we have no defence.
i suspect if we dont sign anyone we’ll be in for a very frustrating season because of our defence and keeper costing us points
@ArseChicago, Eboue diving should be put in it’s ow
@Murt, Okay… well that failed. It should be put in its own section called: ‘The Downright Hilarious’.
We’ll win it because Chelsea and United’s legs will catch up on them!
You say that Djourou only has 18 starts over 7 seasons correct? So Nordveit at age 20 has 38 top flight starts, similar to Kos. That would make Nordveit and Kos the second most experienced CBs we have behind Verm. Scary, scary thought. Especially when you consider Verm isn’t overly experienced and is prone to some defensive errors, and marking too tightly (Barca’s goals at Emirates, Franco’s goal for the Hammers, etc).
@Joe,
maximum 18 starts in one season
@Joe, I don’t particularly mind Nordtveit starting the odd game. At the end of the day, he has to start eventually for us and he knows the ins-and-outs of regular league football from playing regularly in Germany. Plus, as people point out about Chesney, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. Experience is over-rated and you only need to look to our captain to find that out because he was marshalling our midfield in a Champions League Final at 19!
“I believe that we have goalkeepers who have quality and class – they have a good opportunity to show that on Sunday.” – Wenger on the current state of our keepers. I wish he wouldn’t big them up, he’s not fooling the fans, the media, maybe it’ll boost our keepers. But, surely it’d be best to simply not comment, as comments like that just make him look nuts.
@Joe, I disagree. He did the right thing here. If you are not able to buy a new player then you have got to give your current crop the most amount of confidence you can give them. Both our GKs confidence have hit rock bottom – and they are both aware of how the fans feels about them as well. If you want any sort of result at Anfied, you have to get behind them even if you know that they are shite.
@nycgunner, Ugh, yes it’s the right and best thing to do to back them. But we aren’t fooled. The opposition aren’t fooled. I’m expecting them to cock-up and cock-up badly and then get roundly booed the next time we play at home. Frustration can only be bottled up for so long.
@Joe, Perhaps not booed, but if that’s overly harsh, but if Fab starts our next home game the Ems will be silent when they’re meant to yell out his name.
@Joe, He is not trying to fool you. He is only trying to get the best of whoever is going to be starting. Booing in not going to help the situation.
I appreciate what AW has done for us but i believe his time is done.the transfer market may have gotten harder to deal in but going into the season with only 3 cbs with djourou a sicknote is reckless.going into a season without a number one gk is also not good at all!we may have the one of most offensive team in Europe but defences win games and trophies.in recent times we nearly won the cl by having a strong defence which is where we should have built upon but what did AW do?ever since we lost 3dms(diarra,flamster&gilberto) and if it weren’t for villa’s implosion we would have become a Europa league team.this time we have lost senderos,silvestre,gallas and sol but we have only bought kos.our ability to out score at any time may mask our defensive frailities but if Aw takes that gamble we will have to cringe to the end of our seats at all times the opposition comes near our box.to make it all worse even if Aw persists with Al/fabianski the seed of uncertainity has already been planted.Of course all this could be avoided if Aw gets what we need but if he doesn’t…things will get ugly.he can’t hide behind the money excuse any longer and a man that is a legend in my books could have a sour end to his journey with us.
@K-TR7, Uh… The defence you are heralding for almost winning the Champions League was a makeshift defence consisting of:
Eboue – Toure – Senderos – Flamini
So you are saying that that is a strong defence? Sorry, but do your research (=P) before posting.
@Joe, They did prove pretty damn strong, what with their clean sheet record and all, but i think a lot of that had to do with Mad Jens. Goes to show the difference a quality keeper can make to the performance of his defence.
@b, Exactly. I forgot Jens. No matter how makeshift that defence was they knew they had Jens behind them to clean up. And if they made a mistake he would certainly express his anger.
@b, Jens played his part… but most people would say it was the great Martin Keown who organized that defense.
They also had Keown as defensive coach that year when he was working to get his coaching badge. Keown left the following season because he said Arsene would not allow him enough latitude to coach defense his way.
@Caribkid69, That worked out well didn’t it?
GOOD-Goal scoring and signing of chamakh. BAD -Defensive errors. UGLY – Munia and flaphand
The return of Ramsey in the second half of the season is something I am definitely looking forward to. It will probably take him some time to get back to his groove but it could provide a psychological boost to the team at a pivotal time.
The Good:
-Samir Nasri is not only hungry but starving (in a good way)
-The Chamakh Attack
-Jack Wilshere
-a slightly more fit (and hopefully motivated) Arshavin
-Cesc Fabregas
-in fact, anything going forward will be good
-the return of Aaron Ramsey
-the emergence of Frimpong as Essien part two the revenge
-Alex Song becoming a beast
-the new home and away kits
-rumours that Barca have had bids accepted for Mascherano and Ozil… Leave Cesc the fuck alone…
-Karma forces Barcelona to play a “friendly” against Stoke and “not that kind of lad” Shawcross shatters Xavi’s jaw with his cleets…
the Bad:
-Injury prone players
-Lack of defensive cover
-Referees Clattenburg and Webb
-whatever is going on on top of Chamakh’s head… can’t tell if that’s hair, an oil-soaked bird or clay-mation
-a repeat of Denilson’s and Diaby’s commitment levels
-our defensive awareness and organisation on set-pieces
-lack of a true Defensive Coach
the Ugly:
-Koscielny’s pasty white 12 year old girl arms and upper body strenth
-one guaranteed vicious tackle a game against the Arsenal
-everything about our keeper situation
-Gary Neville
-Biased Media coverage
-Harry Redknapp’s twitchy jowls
-the supersized bag of a sundried assholes that is Fat Sam
-the feeling that Wenger will jeopardize his legacy by not buying in the areas of need… GK, CB
Conclusion:
This is a team loaded with potential that could sadly come undone due to a couple glaring holes… If somehow this group of young players learn to commit themselves and concentrate for a full 90 minutes, there could be great results but everything with this team will ride on confidence and belief… If the team believes and Cesc believes… One GK, One solid CB…Come on!
The very good – two nil up by halftime. If Chamakh and Nasri and Walcott (on occasion) give us more urgency over the first 45 minutes then we will drop less points overall. I won’t go into all the permutations and positive knock-on effects of 2-0 up by halftime (which we very rarely did last season), except to say that it will give us back our semblance (not necessarily aura) of invincibility and we won’t have to fight so hard to get points against lesser lights with old fashioned center forwards.
Our biggest problem is that we conceded 41 goals last year in the PL, that being the most goals given up since the 02-03 season. Conceding 37 in 08-09 and 31 in 07-08 shows a declining ability to defend with this new version of AFC and arguably we are now defensively weaker.
Arsene has said as much, and for a manager who has always been so statistically inclined, it’s been very surprising that we have not sought to address this weakness.
Even if we land Scwartzer, without the addition of a CB at the level of a Gallas or Campbell (at his prime), we will still be exposed even without further injuries.
We may truly be in for quite a few Legia Warsaw evenings.
The good: Another season with 7amkickoff’s incisive, but optimistic analysis.
The bad: No 7amkickoff podcast yet.
The ugly: Some idiots with no education whatsoever that post on 7amkickoff once in a while.
Kos and Frimpong will be revelations. Nordveit will do a job when called. Nasri will take the EPL by storm. So will do Chamakh. Our full backs will be 1st and 2nd in total assist. All of them crosses to Marouane. Schwarzer will sign up, and Sneezy will be 2nd GK. Almunia will catch a misterious illness that will rule him out for the season and Flap will go out on loan.
So Kos was the best defender in Ligue 1 and everyone still thinks we don’t have a good signing.
And yet if Wenger had signes Kjaer (who’s 21), a year older than Nordveidt.. everyone would have been happy. Wenger accepts that we are still numerically short in the defensive department but no gunner wants to give our starting defensive line up a chance. I know an injury would be disastrous, but being gunners the least we can do is not wish for injuries and bad performances and booing. Give it a break guys, we have the rest of the english media for that. Why don’t we try supporting our team and the defensive line up!!
@Akash, The French league is a different animal to the Premier League. He wont get any protection here and will get bullied by the big boys. Plus anyone can have a good season. Almunia is a great example, he was good 07/8. But now is pretty crap.
I agree that we should watch first then judge. But, when Wenger promises something and doesn’t deliver then the fans are going to be angry.
@Akash, I love your enthusiasm. However being numerically short is not the right way to start off things. Besides, the biggest difference between Kjaer and Nordveit is that Kjaer is already a established international and has far more experience playing in the top flight.
@Akash, You know who else was the best defender in France before coming to Arsenal?
Pascal Cygan.
I’m not saying Koscielny sucks, but the fact is that we have no idea how he’ll do. Wenger doesn’t have a particularly great history in buying unproved center backs, so i’m not too optimistic on that.
And there’s a difference between noticing/discussing obvious problems with the squad and not supporting the team. I might not have great hope for them but on Sunday I’ll be shouting at a TV somewhere nevertheless.
@joe earlier you seem not to understand my point.that defence kept record of cleansheets because it played as a UNIT making it a STRONG defence.vermy,sagna and clichy are good individually but they are not at all a unit.our midfield doesn’t help of course and we have one of the poorest defences among the elite and thats why we are always known as boys and pretenders.
@K-TR7, Fair enough on the unit call. But, at the same time that has a lot to do with the keeper situation. The CL defence was good as a unit because they had a reliable keeper. Our current defence doesn’t and it shows. They lack confidence and awareness.
@joe fair enough.i know you like all fans care about the team and it is too much of a gamble to play kos as first choice at Anfield.i don’t care what his credentials are since we all know the EPL is a different kettle of fish.i think keown’s job in our cl run was severly underappreciated.what is puzzling about AW is that he built the invincibles but what happened to him??i thing is for sure a man of Aw’s intelligence surely can see what we all see about our defensive frailities.we keep on getting worse and it is a worrying trend that needs reversal and having 3 cbs is not the way to do it.we have both our fbs bomb forward when we are 3 nil up which is quite unnecessary exposing us badly.i’d rather they took turns in attacking rather than going gung ho all the time.the attacking unit we have is absolutely superb and i can assure you building an attack is alot more difficult than most realise.if Aw puts in half as much effort in defence we will be satisfied in the end.first get enough personell in then drill them into a strong unit.
You should have said sol left for ‘a few dollars more’ to keep up with the sergio leone analogy
LONDON CALLING: Tim my man! good blog today. Its provocative, as you can see from some the submission from your regulars. Gallas is a very good defender, forget about his tantrums and so on, he is good, but will he return, I don’t know. The good evidently outweighs the bad.
My fellow sub missioners, Arsenal football team have been the most consistent team over the past four years, we have been the most unlucky with Eduardo and Van Persie and Ramsey but I believe we will win the league this year. We will score more goals than the opposition, and yes we will let it more, unless we buy or loan two defenders.
Mark S have made is plea to Fulham, I feel it will happen. They are just seeking more cash; that’s all.
Arsene must have pleaded with Cesc to stay. Have you watched the Friday press interview on Arsenal FC
London Out:
LONDON CALLING: Arry says his team will win the league ahead of Arsenal. Watching the Fiday Night Fan Forum on Arsenal TV. Its so funny to hear this?
London Out:
Home Counties calling: Only 2 days to go and we kick off against the team who we call “the ‘dippers” – as long as Torres is unavailable I fancy us to sneak a win, although we will concede , either from slack defending or a Flappy howler.
I’ll be going to the Blackpool game next Saturday, so I could do a wrute up, but if Margarette is going and fancies a write up, it’s your call Tim.
Home Counties out.
@Charybdis1966, I will be there.
@margarette adrien, Of course I meant “write up” not a “wrute up” – I’m going to be in the lower tier, north bank – we can call it that officially now.
@Charybdis1966, Upper tier, East. Righto
@margarette adrien, Tim has to agree. He must be “bigging” it up somewhere nice. Its Friday and its generally Boy’s Night.
@margarette adrien, you want to do the write-up?
I’m more than happy to have you on board. Shoot me a note at 7amkickoff at gmail dot com
@margarette adrien, But it’s lunch time there now – or maybe as it’s poets day he’s on the piss early ?
@margarette adrien, no one even remarked on my ode to William Cesc Williams and no I am decidedly NOT on the piss, yet.
Though it just turned 2pm and it’s magnificent out.
@margarette adrien, Oops! its 10.00 p.m in the evening in the UK, one forgets’ the principles of GMT. I personally have had two glasses of Sancerre. Delicious.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/8910570.stm
Does this mean our spurned lover (Ade) might now be on the way out!!
I’m not sure how many games I’ll go to this year – Margarette do you get all the home games in ?
On my Dear its Poets Day in the Americas. Its also Friday the 13th and I forgot the significance, how remiss of me.
I only know one American poem by heart. Here goes:
Cleanliness is next to godliness
Grandma always said.
Most days she met me at the screen door
with a feather duster
or our new Electrolux vacuum,
the hose sucking my blouse.
She said she liked her girls clean.
She said I was coated
with dog hairs, horse hairs,
and God only knows what all else.
Fixing me like a flower bouquet,
tucking in my blouse, fluffing my bangs
and adjusting my barrettes,
she’d stare me down just to let me know
I was allowed in only if she said so.
Make what you will of this. I always found the last four lines provocative and insane.
@margarette adrien, That’s one more poem than I know all by heart, the only one I know starts “Oh freddled grunt buggly, thy micturations are to me, as plurdled gabbleblotchits….” and is nowhere near as profound.
When Almunia tells the reporter he doesn’t need to prove himself to anybody I think Wilshere looks bemused and slightly worried Almunia might deck the reporter! He keeps staring straight ahead trying to pretend nothing is happening! Love it.
Also, another rallying cry to keep the faith:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/8913640.stm?
He’s a solid speaker our Ivan. Now go get us Schwarzer so we can send Flapianski on loan to Blackburn.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-why-i-m-against-the-homegrown-rule
There is only one Wenger!!
Reading ‘arry’s recent interview about Bellamy makes me wonder if the doom and gloomers would want a manager like him (I mean ‘arry)?!?
Here we go again another season, another squad with holes, and injuries. Another year to listen to “extremely talented young squad”, “we played well but didn’t focus”, “we stayed focused, but made a few mistakes in defense”, “our focus was good, but it was too late”, etc.
I’m beginning to believe that the FOCUS is not really about winning, nor playing the attractive football, it seems instead to be about signing …. a new contract for the manager.
It’s a shame because, in today’s global world, football teams need to brand themselves by winning, and/or playing a very attractive game.
With the incredible stubbornness of AW the first condition cannot be met, which makes the second ever more difficult.
I’m not from north London, I “found” Arsenal by flipping TV channels in California, and got “hooked” by the spectacular play of Henry, Bergkamp, Pirres & Co.
And we cannot even get Schwarzer, whom the manager thinks is JC’s brother.
Arsene said no to a question about bidding for Given. Joe Hart is now the new no.1 as Given goes to the bench. I would like us to bid for Given now that he may be unhappy. Fat chance.
We should forget Schwarzer and go for Given who just got bumped to the bench for Hart. Unfortunately Wenger said he hasn’t bid for either Hart or Given, yet?
My favorite poem:
From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State, I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Six miles from earth, loosed from the dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
The death of the ball turret gunner, Randall Jarrell
LONDON CALLING: This took me a while to write and I hope its comes across well:
Arsene Wenger, the Boss, have extended his tenure with the club for a further three years to 2014. He wants to want to see out the rest of his career at Arsenal, by then he will be 65. In my opinion his decision to extend this stay is not for the cynical reasons often used by supporters, namely that Arsene has full control and can do whatever he wants. I think he is staying because he built these wonderful intangible and tangible foundations at the club and he now wants to see the rest of the build fully completed and glowing with trophies.
I understand that fully because I would do the same. The man knows his team, their individual talents and he is the man to get those players through.
I remember before the start of last year 2009/10 EPL, Fergie MAN U said Arsene is Mr Arsenal, they will carry him in a coffin from the Club, and He was being dry and ironic.
Some fans call him a “control freak” who wants everything his way. Maybe he is so what? How many top level managers would stay at a club with limited transfer funds since 2005? How many managers sold their top players every season to balance the books and still remain in the top four? Not many: Would Jose? No he wouldn’t. Rafa? He is a spender. Therefore no. Arsene Wenger has put Arsenal way before his own personal glory and more than anything, he is respected and admired by his peers and players. I am very pleased that Arsene Wenger will be staying on at Arsenal FC.
Now for the Devil’s advocate view: Arsene and Arsenal FC should have told us the supporters in 2005/6 that things were going be difficult financially, that they prioritised the loan payments to pay off the stadium build ahead of buying new players. By being upfront with us, we would have not been so abusive when he brought in Silvestre for two seasons, and felt that some of our players were journey men.
Many will disagree and some will say he has lost his way that is their view.
This is my view.
London Out
@margarette adrien, Agree with you.. Most myopic fans think Wenger doesn’t buy established players because he has some kind of strange fetish for kids.
It is absolutely amazing what Arsene has achieved with such a limited budget over the last 5 years. Just amazing.
Early notes on Man City, Sp**s.
Stop the voting, Joe Hart is the best GK in the EPL.
Sean Wright Philips is crap and should have been on left out of the 25 man list.
Yaya Toure shines in his first game in spite of playing with ‘lesser’ players.
Can someone find Lennon’s speed?
Adam Johnson is a better player than Lennon, SWP.
DeJong is a ‘professional assassin’.
The clock is ticking on Mancini.
If I’m ‘Arry, I’m worried that that Man City are still in this game with only Tevez as a forward.
Always good when the contenders draw against one another. Hart looked fantastic; the announcers kept marveling at his apparent calm. Bale is the scariest player on Spurs; you can bet that teams like City and United and Chelsea will be mentioned as bidding huge amounts for him over the next few years. I do think City’s going to have some troubles keeping everyone happy this season. Would love to see some turmoil bring that club down. Their back 4 is really not that great at all.
Good to see Adebayor has ‘improved’ his touch.
I know at the end of last season I said that my faith in Arsene would be lost were he not to bring in 3 to 4 new players this offseason. Though we haven’t technically done that, I really believe he’s trying and that he does see the weaknesses on the club that we all see. I, for one, am very pleased Arsene has re-upped with the club on a new contract. Here’s to stealing one at Anfield tomorrow.
Hello everyone: Mark S did not start for Fulham. They used a rookie. Is that something or is he really injured.
I watched the Spurs game, and I got bored during the second half. Hart was excellent in the first and deceive his man of the man badge. BLACKPOOL , Yes BLACKPOOL is 3-0 against Wigan. They should also be further up. Is’nt football a marvellous game. Blackpool could be top of the league by the end of day.