Early look at Man City vs Arsenal.

Afternoon all,

Its the end of a week that has been pretty successful for Arsenal Football Club. We started in excellent fashion against a poor Southampton side clinically dispatching them for 6, the only negative coming from a rather poor error which cost us our clean sheet record from goalkeeper Szczesny. It only got better from there as we got the better of a spirited but wasteful Montpellier in southern France. We were lucky in that game, however, how many times have we heard that Arsenal don't know how to win ugly? Well, we cannot be accused of that in this game, where for the first time in a while I was battling to stay awake in the second half.

This weekend brings with it a whole new and more difficult challenge to the ones which we have faced so far. We have played Stoke and Liverpool away from home, 2 difficult games which we gained a respectable 4 out of 6 points compared to City who could only manage 2 out of 6 points in the same fixtures. Yet this weekend we play the champions in their own back yard, a game which is sure to have a big impact on where we end up this season. Not because it is a turning point in our season, but because it will show us how far we have come as a team. How we have turned from a top 4 team into a title contending team? That is what every Arsenal fan will be looking for this weekend, some hope that we have what it takes after 7 years of disappointment. Last year this fixture was extremely open with Man City eventually coming out 1-0 winners after a David Silva goal. More on the game in the days to come. 

Early Starting Line-Up Prediction:

Mannone

Jenkinson - Mertesacker - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Diaby - Arteta

Cazorla

Walcott          -         Giroud         -         Podolski

'Till Tomorrow

Injury comebacks could give Arsenal title boost.

Afternoon all,

Jack Wilshere returned to full training today as expected which is obviously excellent news for the club. He was such an integral player 2 seasons ago starting almost every game, which ironically was the main reason for his injury. A 19 year old should not be tasked with that kind of consistency, especially when playing in the best league in the world and in Europe's premier club competition. 

After 14 months out with several different injuries, he can once again be accounted for as an Arsenal first team member. The one really encouraging factor for both player and club is that he won't stroll back into the team. There is genuine competition in the midfield and while I think that he is one of our best when fully fit, the fact that he has to fight might just give him that extra incentive. 

Szczesny/Mannone

Sagna/Jenkinson - Mertesacker/Koscielny - Vermaelan/Djourou - Gibbs/Santos

Arteta/Coquelin/Frimpong - Wilshere/Diaby/Ramsey

Cazorla/Rosicky/Ramsey 

Chambo/Walcott/Gervinho       Giroud/Gervinho/Podolski        Podolski/Gervinho/Chambo

A PRETTY DECENT SQUAD 

A midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla is extremely exciting. Surely it would be the best midfield technically in the Barclays Premier League and one of the better ones in Europe? Although height may be an issue against certain clubs such as your West Hams and Stokes. Waiting in the wings we would have Diaby, Ramsey, Coquelin, Frimpong and Rosicky. Providing everyone is fit, which almost never happens for Arsenal.

Speaking of Frimpong, Wilshere's return has almost overshadowed his return to full training. He is a very exciting prospect, not least because he is a passionate Gooner. I wonder about his ability technically which would be a problem playing at a club like Arsenal. But remember that Alex Song wasn't very technical 5 years ago yet is now playing for arguably the best team technically in the world. I feel that with the right guidance, Frimpong would be an excellent defensive midfielder. 

That's about it for today. Big game coming up this weekend, we should learn more from Wenger's press conference tomorrow.

'Till then

Montpellier 1 - 2 Arsenal: An ugly win for The Gunners

Arsenal got the win last night after a very tight game in Montpellier. I'm not going to go into the details which I'm sure every blog has done however I will be giving my thoughts on the game.

In the first half we were decent, passing the ball around and creating many chances of which 2 were converted. I feel most of the was down to Montpellier's slack work off the ball, they gave us time to run at their defense without really bothering the man on the ball. Their penalty was legitimate, though it looked harsh at first. Vermaelan was back to his old self - trying to get the ball too quickly which was not necessary as the striker was heading away from goal. 

The second half was pretty shocking to watch. Montpellier responded to the crowd and pressed us quickly and crowded the wide players. We couldn't string any passes together and when we did it looked very dangerous and unconvincing. They bombarded our penalty area and created about 2 clear chances - 1 from Diaby giving the ball away in the box and the other from a cross which landed at the feet of Belhanda, who scuffed his shot. 

Overall it was an ugly win which is sometimes needed. I thought it was a game of 2 halves and they deserved at least a point. The defense was good in the second half and I cannot complain with 3 points away in France. Time to move on with Man City to come on Sunday. 

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Player Ratings:

Mannone: 7.5 : Some decent saves, looked confident all game.
Jenkinson: 7.5 : Solid, nothing spectacular. Got a good assist. Growing with every game.
Mertesacker: 7.5 : Composed and best defender on the night.
Vermaelan: 6 : Gave away a sloppy penalty but grew with the game.
Gibbs: 7 : Solid in defense and going forward.
Arteta: 7 : Reliable as always and got stuck in with some great tackles.
Diaby: 6.5 : Good going forward but sloppy on the ball in dangerous areas.
Cazorla: 7.5 : Classy, elegant. Another good display.
Gervinho: 8 : Scored our winner. Looks very good at the moment.
Giroud: 6.5 : Gave Podolski the assist for the first goal, but otherwise a quiet night.
Podolski: 8 : Scored another efficient goal. Very exciting times for the German. 

__________


Follow @RealistGooner

Montpellier vs Arsenal preview: Giroud returns to former club in Champions League clash

Football is already back and this time it is the Champions League away to French champions Montpellier. Interestingly we have never lost to a French side in France which of course bodes well for this game. Is that stat because of Wenger's knowledge of the French teams and what they have in store? Or is it just pure co-incidence? I guess nobody knows...

Arsenal have named a very strong squad ahead of the clash with basically everyone you'd expect on the flight with the exception of Wojciech Szczesny who is out with an ankle injury. Apparently he hurt it in the warm up to Saturday's clash against Southampton which perplexes me. If that was any other player they would have been dropped yet the goalkeeper kept his place? Obviously you cannot put his mistake down to an ankle injury but you can blame the ankle on his woeful distribution which caused us some problems. In any case, Mannone will replace him and I don't have good memories from his last Champions League appearance against Olympiacos. I'm sure you know which one...

Yesterday I was thinking that we should rest a few key first team players ahead of the Man City game but I don't know if that's possible. It is a must win game and Wenger is taking this competition very seriously this year. I would expect a few names to get a rest but otherwise it should be a pretty strong first XI, and the great thing this season is that we don't have to worry about making changes because we a pretty strong squad.

Mannone

Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Coquelin - Arteta

Ramsey

        Walcott                Giroud               Gervinho       

Koscielny should finally take his place in defense with Mertesacker getting a rest. He doesn't have anything to prove but if he puts in a sound performance than he has a chance of getting in the first XI full time. The rest of the defense is as per normal but Santos could replace Gibbs at left back as the he might need a rest. We must remember that he was injured for most of last season and hasn't consistently strung games together until recently. In midfield I would keep Diaby fresh for the weekend where he will go head to head with Yaya in what will be quite a heavy midfield battle. Coquelin will continue in his place while he finds his feat in the first team. Arteta is our most consistent midfielder and vice-captain so he is a no-brainer.  Ramsey deserves a shot after being kept out for the first 4 games by Cazorla. I would rest the Spanish international ahead of the City game. The front three will be Walcott, Giroud and Gervinho. Walcott hasn't played much this season and has it all to prove for a new contract. Giroud will line up against his former club where he will be extra motivated to get that first goal and Gervinho will hopefully continue his excellent work from the weekend. 

That is a pretty strong XI that should be able to get the job done against a Montpellier side lacking in form and confidence. As I said yesterday, they have only gotten 4 points from a possible 12 in the league. But we cannot underestimate them, this is their first appearance in the Champions League and they will be fired up. 

My prediction: 

Montpellier 0 - 2 Arsenal

Goals by Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey will be the difference.

'Till Tomorrow

Wilshere finally back in FULL training this week - where does he fit in?

Afternoon All,

It seems as if we haven't even gotten over our awesome victory over Southampton and already we have to turn our attentions to the Champions League, where we will be put up against reigning French champions Montpellier. They haven't started the season well at all with only 4 points on the board from a possible 12. Many are putting it down to the sale of Olivier Giroud but I think that's a bit overstated. I feel that last season they were a better team, compact in defense and clinical in attack. Neither department has really worked for them so far this season but I expect things to get better. Don't forget that they have some very good players capable of hurting us such as Younes Belhanda - a player of whom Arsene has admitted his fondness. Anyway, more on that match in the preview tomorrow.

Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong are returning to training this week after both have been out with long term injuries, obviously Jack's was very long term. I don't often go along with 'Like a New Signing' but in Jack's case, that's exactly what he will be. What will be interesting when he returns to playing games is where he will fit in. If I had asked this a season and a half ago many would be calling me crazy such was his importance back then. But things have changed so quickly and so has our squad. Jack hasn't played a first team, competetive game with any of Arteta, Cazorla, Giroud, Podolski, Gervinho, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Santos. And how often has he played with Diaby and Gibbs given their injury troubles? Not many. So he is coming back to a whole new team, which isn't always easy. Our midfield is bursting with options at the moment with Diaby, Coquelin, Arteta, Cazorla and Ramsey all vying for a place, so will Wilshere push to the top of that queue? I'm not so sure he will. 

Will he play behind the main striker, the position which his number dictates? If so, will Cazorla have to take up a position on the wing? There are so many decisions which have to be made but at least they are the good problems which a manager generally likes to have. It's not as if he will be playing regularly until next year so we can lay off the predictions until then and assess his recovery and the injuries in the mean time. It's just kind of satisfying that we don't have to rush him back like we did with Ramsey. 

Other than that have a look on arsenal.com for some snippets from the manager, Gibbs and Vermaelan. I'm looking forward to the UCL tomorrow night and I'm tipping Olivier for his first goal in an Arsenal shirt.

'Till tomorrow

Arsenal finally have a squad which can challenge this year.

The dust has almost settled from the game at The Emirates yesterday afternoon and as you'd expect, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. All the work the squad has done at the training ground over the past few months has culminated in a fluid 6-1 victory for the boys. Defensively sound and smooth going forward, we can call the game a complete performance barring Szczesny's howler of a game. 

But I am not here to rewrite the match report, I am here to discuss Arsenal's new found strength in depth. We sold our 2 best players this summer and have come out as a stronger team, playing for each other. Its no coincidence that it has been the experienced campaigners such as Arteta, Podolski, Cazorla, Mertesacker and Vermaelan that have stepped up to the plate to provide attacking flair and defensive solidity. They are complemented by the youthful exuberance of talented players like Jenkinson, Gibbs, Coquelin, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among others. It is the first time in years that we can honestly say Arsenal have a good mix of young talent and experience. 

On the bench we have an abundance of viable options. Yesterday for example, we had the attacking options of Giroud, Walcott, Ramsey and Arshavin while defensively Koscielny and Santos provided cover - and that's not the end of it either. Still on the comeback trail is our star midfielder Jack Wilshere, who was the first name on the team sheet 2 seasons ago. Add to that Tomas Rosicky and Bacary Sagna - 2 more first team players. 

It is telling that our best defender from last season cannot get a sniff of first team action and that another 2 former regulars  - Walcott and Ramsey - are only good enough as late substitutes. If Arsenal can keep all important players fit and can handle the returns of key players properly, I see no reason why we cannot challenge this year. Of course this is a massive if. On the other hand, if I was to be more pessimistic, we could have a serious lack of options if things go badly. All of Diaby, Rosicky, Arteta, Vermaelan, Gibbs have at some time or the other in their careers been labelled injury prone. Wilshere will only start to perform consistently next year and Sagna has suffered 2 broken legs in 1 year. Szczesny hasn't had the best start to the season and if his confidence goes - well that will be catastrophic. You see what I mean? All big risks to be taking but with risk comes reward and I am optimistic about our chances this year. 

After being subjected to seriously under-stocked squads in recent years, this finally seems to be the one which could take us places. It is down to pure desire, determination and hard work from here on in, and if Wenger rotates wisely and uses the options he now has in abundance, we will win something this year. I can just feel it. Hopefully you are as optimistic as I am!


Follow @RealistGooner

Arsenal 6 - 1 Southampton: Gervinho stars as Gunners maintain unbeaten start to the season

Well that was fun wasn't it? Arsenal served up a feast of a performance for a maximum capacity Emirates Stadium on a beautiful day in North London. We won 6-1 against a pretty decent Southampton side - at least on paper - and we can now look forward to a mid-week clash at Montpellier. 

The line-up was as expected in the midfield and defense but it was up front were we changed it around. Gervinho played as the central striker with Podolski on the left and Chambo on the right. In defense, Szczesny started in goal after recovering from a rib injury and Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelan, Gibbs retained their place. In midfield Coquelin replaced Diaby after the Frenchman was rested and Arteta and Cazorla were obviously included.

The game was reasonably straight forward to be honest. Gervinho was playing as a false 9 constantly floating around the field to great effect. I've always had a love for him as a player. His finishing and final ball has always been in question but you cannot accuse him of wastefulness today. He dispatched the 2 clear chances he had and shot at first sight. I also have an affection for his movement. I remember Arsene citing his clever movement as one of the reasons he signed him and he showed bags of it today, especially for his 1st goal. Podolski was also really good today. His work rate was first class as is becoming a regularity in an Arsenal shirt and he is really efficient on the ball. He dribbles and passes with intent and his finishing isn't bad either. His free kick was simply outstanding and I can only predict more of the same in the weeks and years to come. Santi Cazorla was again awesome. The ball just sticks to his foot and what he lacks in pace he makes up with his incredibly clever football brain. He is always 2 or 3 steps ahead of the opponent and it showed again today. 

The back four once again proved their credentials with another solid display despite the goal we conceded, which was solely the goalkeepers fault. Jenkinson is getting more comfortable with each game and his distribution was much improved from the Liverpool game. Mertesacker  put in another immense performance. He doesn't need the pace with the amazing positioning he takes up. I love his anticipation and he put in another really tidy shift. Vermaelan was incredible as well. That partnership really is coming along and I worry for Koscielny, who was our best defender last season. His chances of getting into the team are getting slimmer each week. Gibbs was solid and got forward really well. The cross for the goal could have been defended slightly better by the left back, but otherwise I was happy.

The midfield was obviously good once again this week. I was slightly disappointed by Coquelin who made a few sloppy passes in dangerous positions. He put in an okay performance but he didn't back up the words he gave earlier last week when he said he is only 'slightly' behind Arteta and Diaby. He is quite a long way off them to be honest. But progress will come quickly with hard work and the right attitude. Arteta is an incredible defensive midfielder. Disciplined, clever and a great work ethic - what more could you ask for.

________

Ratings: /10

Szczesny: 5
Jenkinson: 7.5
Mertesacker: 8
Vermaelan: 8
Gibbs: 7.5
Coquelin: 7
Arteta: 8
Cazorla: 9
Chambo: 7.5
Podolski: 9
Gervinho: 9.5

________

Overall it was a pleasing result and should boost morale before the Montpellier game.

'Till Tomorrow


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Arsenal vs Southampton match preview: Gunners look to maintain momentum

The Barclays Premier League makes its long awaited return today after what has been a dreadfully boring 2 weeks of internationals. We play newly-promoted Southampton at The Emirates Stadium in a game in which we simply have to win. Nothing but 3 points is good enough today and we must be fully concentrated on the task at hand. 

Southampton have had quite an unfortunate campaign so far, losing 3-2 to both Manchester clubs after being in front at some point in those matches. They seemingly score goals with relative ease yet the problem for them is a shaky defense, especially late on in games. Those two games wouldn't have worried Nigel Adkins as much as their 2-0 loss to Wigan, a game they needed to get something from as you would expect both teams to be fighting it out at the bottom of the table this year. 

Arsenal have had a solid if not spectacular start to the season with 2 goalless draws with Sunderland (H) and Stoke (A) and a 2-0 victory away at Anfield. The only result I am not completely happy with out of the 3 is obviously the Sunderland one at home. However, I am going to let that one slide as it was the first game of the season and the attacking players were just starting to gel. A draw at Stoke is always a decent result especially given the fact that no top 4 team won there last season. 

At Liverpool the players were finally starting to get into rhythm as the attacking side of our team began to gel. Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski started what looks to be a good partnership with each of them setting up each other for their respective goals. Another massive positive from that game was Abou Diaby who displayed why he can be so important to our team if he just stays fit. Unfortunately he is being rested for the game today after playing for France last weekend. We haven't conceded a goal yet and have the best defense in England - in all 4 divisions - so long may that continue. 

_______

Team News:

Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Frimpong and Bacary Sagna are all still out injured. Abou Diaby is being rested for the game today in anticipation to a busy few weeks. Theo Walcott is fit again after recovering from a virus he picked up on international duty, he will take his place on the bench. Wojciech Szczesny is back from a rib injury and is expected to start in goals ahead of Vito Mannone, who will be on the bench for an injured Fabianski. Other than that we have a clean bill of health.

I published an early team prediction yesterday but I have learned of a few interesting changes. Expect the following XI to line up today:

Szczesny

Jenkinson - Mertesacker - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Coquelin - Arteta

Cazorla

Chambo      -      Podolski      -      Gervinho

I said yesterday that  I would personally start Koscielny ahead of Mertesacker because of Southampton's explosive counter-attacking tactics. They have some fast and strong players, including the newly acquired Gaston Ramirez and Adam Lallana. Ricky Lambert is a very good player, one which Arsene Wenger seems to like after watching his exclusive on Arsenal Player. We will have to be very careful and concentrated in defense, no doubt Steve Bould will be drilling that into the players. Coquelin is expected to take the place of Diaby after the midfielder publicly stated his discontent sitting on the bench. He will need to back up his words with a very strong performance today. He is a player I think can have a long Arsenal future but he must take his opportunities when they arise, so today is important for him.  Up front it gets interesting. Giroud is dropped to the bench after starting for France on Tuesday and I would have thought he is being rested for his trip to his former club midweek. Podolski is being asked to lead the line, something which he didn't do all to well at against Sunderland in the last home game. However, he and Cazorla look to have bonded on the field and I would be hoping for a better game. He was excellent on the left hand side against Liverpool a fortnight ago. Chamberlain will be starting against his former club on the right hand side and will be looking to impress his old boss. Gervinho will be taking his place on the left wing. 

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Final Prediction:

I was right last time when I predicted a 0-2 victory away at Liverpool and I cannot predict us dropping points against Southampton at home. It is vital that we win today as we face the champions Man City at The Etihad next weekend before hosting Chelsea. These are the kind of games we lost focus on last season when we lost against Swansea, Wigan, QPR etc...

Arsenal 3 - 0 Southampton

The clean sheet continues and Olivier Giroud comes on in the second half to get his first goal for the club. Call me optimistic or even delusional - I just love my club.

_______

Catch my match review later tonight. 

'Till Then


Follow @RealistGooner

An early look at Arsenal vs Southampton.

The excellent and riveting Barclays Premier League is back this weekend after what has been an uneventful fortnight. Sure we never went football hungry as internationals were served but you cannot say that you are completely satisfied. We play Southampton at The Emirates tomorrow and boy am I excited! In anticipation to the match, Arsene Wenger treated the fans and media with some factual news which I will be quickly running through this morning. 

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Lets start with the news relevant to the game tomorrow and Arsene has given us some mixed team news. 

On Abou Diaby:

"He will have a test on Friday morning and we will go from there. At the moment he is 50:50. It is a small muscular problem that is very minor. But of course we are in the situation that, because we play so many games now, should we take a gamble or not with him? We are playing on Saturday, on Tuesday and then we go to Manchester City."

We cannot say we didn't see this coming but as I said earlier this week, there is no need to slam the player or the club for his injury. He is able to play but would it be the wisest decision to risk a player who has hardly played 5 games of football in the last 2 years? I think not. I feel that Southampton at home is a fixture we should win without Diaby - whether we will is another story.  It is also a chance to showcase our new-found strength in depth in midfield. With Diaby, Wilshere, Rosicky and Frimpong all unavailable for tomorrow, we can still call upon the likes of Arteta, Coquelin, Chamberlain, Ramsey, Cazorla. I would expect Coquelin to get his chance. I like him as a player and if he can put in a solid performance it would be great for his confidence and first team chances. I think that is incentive enough for a 21 year old looking to prove himself on the big stage. 

On Theo Walcott:

"Theo Walcott is in bed with a virus. He missed the England game with a virus. He should be back today, so we will have to see how well he has recovered from that."

This is a player that has been benched for the last 2 games and never even made an appearance in the last one. I don't think Wenger plans to use him unless he really has to which he clearly does not. I think this all has to do with his contract situation - if he agrees a new deal he will be a starter as he has been for the last few seasons. I don't think he should be a starter, at least until he proves he has improved his consistency and final product. Oxlade-Chamberlain is knocking on the door and is arguably already showing a greater effectiveness on the field. In some ways I feel for Walcott. He was brought in as a striker and was converted to a winger temporarily. This has lead to an unfair criticism of his crossing which was originally not his job. Ask any striker to put in perfect cross after cross and you will find that they aren't able to just as Theo is not able to. But he has been winger for a few years now and you would have hoped for some improvement, which hasn't yet been shown on the field. He shows he has good composure in front of goal and is clinical most of the time. I still feel his best position is on the defender's shoulder as an inside forward, finding the gap between centre-back and right-back. 

Wenger also had some interesting comments regarding the situation of Bacary Sagna, after the defender publicly voiced his concerns on the sale of Alex Song and his contract situation. Wenger maintained his latest hard ball policy: If you are not believe in the club and what the club is trying to achieve, you are free to leave. And I quite like the policy even though it may drive certain first team players to leave for greener pastures. Robin van Persie wasn't satisfied with the club's direction - so we told him to pack his bags. Alex Song had a big ego and thought he was better than he actually was thereby demanding a new and improved deal with 3 years remaining on his current contract - out you go. Let us hope the club and Sagna find a solution which will benefit both parties. And before he has one year left on his deal please!

If yo want to read some interesting articles regarding Wenger's future (which I will be writing about in more depth on Sunday), Gazidis's view on the club's future and Wenger's assessment of Southampton's first few games, just visit www.arsenal.com/home.

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I have an early team prediction for tomorrow:

Szczesny

Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Coquelin - Arteta

Cazorla

    Chambo        -      Giroud        -        Podolski

I expect Koscielny to come back tomorrow although Wenger and Bould might not want to change a solid formula. I just feel Koscielny is better suited to the fast paced, counter-attacking style Southampton have shown in their matches against City and United. As I mentioned before, Coquelin should come in for Diaby to provide that shield in front of the back four which will prove helpful against the counter-attacks which we seemed vulnerable to last season. Right wing is a tricky one because we have Gervinho and Chamberlain available. I have gone with Chambo because of his more creative capabilities and just because I love him as a player. 

_____

A lot to digest this morning.

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Olivier Giroud to become the next Arsenal legend?

Afternoon all,

International football has come to an end for the time being with only Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby being doubts for Saturday, the former with an illness of some sort and the latter with some muscular discomfort. Its a shame that Walcott will probably miss the game against his old side but such is life - he would have only made the bench if recent games are anything to go by. Abou Diaby, however, will be a far greater absentee. He was getting in some really good form with his performance against Liverpool and his goal for the French national side. I guess that is the problem with the lack of midfield re-enforcement - we are almost relying on a player who has not managed consecutive games in a few years. If he doesn't make the game it would be great to see Francis Coquelin get the nod. He has been calling for game time and the home game against a newly promoted side would be a excellent chance to stamp his name on the team sheet. 

I woke up this morning to another of the Sun's dreadful journalism, if you can call it that. Apparently Arsenal have enquired about the availability of one Didier Drogba who is currently playing for Shanghai Shenhua and earning the tidy sum of 250k a week. Firstly, since when have Arsenal payed any player that wage and secondly, why would Drogba want to join his former club's close rivals? The same article goes on to claim that Juventus are offering 10mil for Theo Walcott after his refusal to sign a new contract. Again I question the validity of this story. Theo is available on a free in less than a years time so why would Juve offer that sort of money when they could just wait an extra 6 months? That along with the fact that they could only muster up a derisory 8mil bid for the hottest striker in world football, Robin van Persie, and you see what utter rubbish The Sun love reporting. That newspaper really should be shut down (did you see what they reported about Hillsborough? Absolute madness).

Just want to make a quick comment on Olivier Giroud. I saw him for France last night and it is clear he lacks that turn of pace that could give him that cutting edge. But what a nuisance he makes of himself. He's very intelligent with his movement, has extremely strong hold-up play and was unlucky not to score after a rocket of a header was just saved by the Belarus keeper. Once he gains that sharpness and confidence, I can see him being very, very successful. Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp both scored their first Arsenal goals against Southampton in mid-September. Both went on to become Arsenal legends. Just putting that out there.

'Till Tomorrow


Follow @RealistGooner

Diaby rested for France ; Brief look at Conor Henderson

Morning all,

Yesterday we found out that Abou Diaby has been sent back to London after an injury scare with apparent muscle discomfort. Arsenal fans have been here before on numerous occasions yet it seems that Diaby's reputation is now overlapping common sense. He played less than a full game the whole of last season and his record wasn't much better before then. Common sense dictates that it will be a while before he can play consistently without feeling fatigue and the aforementioned 'muscular discomfort'. This is just a caution and one which I fully support. Ask most Arsenal fans on Saturday if they want Diaby to start today and most would say no. I would much rather he gets a rest this week, even if it means he misses the Southampton game and comes back fresh for the away trip to Montpellier.

Conor Henderson's amazing strike for Ireland U/21's did the rounds on Twitter yesterday and it got me thinking about his Arsenal future. He is in his 20's now and was on the brink of a first team place last year before an injury late in pre-season. Wenger has always admired the player and has recently given a hint of his plans after denying the midfielder the chance to go out on loan. The most unfortunate part was that the injury took place at a time when Arsenal were in desperate need of an attacking midfielder. Nasri and Fabregas had just left, Wilshere and Diaby were injured long term and only Arteta and Benayoun arrived to soften the blow. Had Henderson managed to stay fit that season I can't help but feel he would have played a big role. But life is unfair and he has had to re-group and try again. This season we have Diaby back, Jack and Rosicky coming back soon and have added Cazorla. Henderson will have to really fight for his chance. 

An interesting Q & A session with Arsenal Public Relations officer Mark Gonnella and Chief of Commerce Tom Fox took place last night. Mark said that the comments Bacary Sagna made to L'Equipe last week were a fair reflection of the interview he gave last week. He also said that players were well trained when it comes to press duties which isn't a surprise at a club like Arsenal. Tom Fox spoke more about the summer tour of Asia and the marketing opportunities it opened for the club. Arsenal held 53 different marketing events and such was the organisation that Arsene Wenger didn't find it disrupting. He said the only thing Wenger complained about was the fact the seats on the plane didn't go flat, which has been corrected for next season's tour. If you're on Twitter and want more quotes, follow @Gingers4Limpar.

Other than that its a quiet morning. More on the upcoming fixtures and early team news tomorrow, when most of the Internationals should be finished and we will have a better look at possible injuries. Hopefully everyone stays fit.

'Till Tomorrow


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Good international weekend for Arsenal players ; Coquelin looking for his chance

Good morning all,

We have endured arguably the most boring Arsenal weekend this year and have come out the other side without any injuries - to my knowledge - and with almost all our players in excellent form. I never had the opportunity to watch any of the internationals but those who did came back with fantastic reports on most of the 14 that left London Colney. Those who did not have a great time included Francis Coquelin, who was sent of for the France U/21 side. You feel this could be a big year for the youngster. We all expected a defensive midfielder to be brought in but that didn't happen. Arsene has put his faith in the 21 year old who is more than capable but lacks that top level experience. He came out a few days ago and stated that he will assess his options if he does not get enough playing time in the next 6 months. I understand where he is coming from. A player so talented with so much potential needs to be playing football. Whether he was talking about a loan deal or a permanent transfer we can only speculate. 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain started on the left hand side for England against Moldova on Friday night. His trickery and pace was too much for a poor Moldovan defense and he even got an assist to his name with a clever through ball for Defoe. He was subbed off after 60 minutes, replaced by another Arsenal winger Theo Walcott. He never set the game alight but also racked up an assist for James Milner which all but killed the game with England running off as 5-0 victors. Roy Hodgson found fault with Chamberlain's focus in the second half, citing tiredness as a key reason. He also said that he went hiding because he was told he would be subbed shortly after half time. I don't feel it was necessary to announce this to the media - who  have exaggerated the situation and have written articles questioning Chamberlain's England future. A private chat on the training ground would have more than sufficed. I guess this is a lesson for the talented teenager who will no doubt take it on the chin and carry on working hard. 

Other impressive international displays from Arsenal players included Diaby (goal), Cazorla (goal and assist), Djourou, Mertesacker and Vermaelan (clean sheets) and Gervinho (goal and assist). There is one more international midweek for most of these players where Arsenal fans will again be praying for no injuries and hopefully no fatigue going into a busy club schedule. 

Arsenal play Southampton at The Emirates on Saturday where we will be looking to rack up another clean sheet and our first home victory. These are the types of games we took lightly last year and we paid the price. More on the game later in the week. 

Other than that there is nothing newsworthy. 

'Till Tomorrow

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Fans must understand that Olivier Giroud is not Robin Van Persie.

Afternoon all,

Its the end of the week and unfortunately we cannot look forward to an Arsenal game this weekend. We have to contest with more internationals, as if the Euros, Olympics and friendlies weren't enough. This is usually the time of year where Arsenal fans cross their fingers and pray that none of our players come back with any injury of any sort. To top all of that off we have more players to worry about than any other Premier League team - 14 first team members will be playing for their countries. At least we don't have to sweat over the fitness of Van Persie anymore.

With the apparent lack of Arsenal news about, I am taking the opportunity to discuss our new signing, Olivier Giroud. The big centre forward has found his 1st two and a half games a bit tough failing to open his account, while drawing criticism from media and fans alike for missing two guilt-edged chances against Sunderland and Liverpool. Obviously I find this criticism to be utterly ridiculous but it has intensified in the last week after the other 2 signings, Podolski and Cazorla, were able to find the net. Such has been the intensity of the criticism that he has had to come out twice to explain himself. He has not even played 3 full games and here we are getting impatient with his apparent lack of goal scoring ability, with some already labeling him Chamakh 2.0. Giroud already had massive pressure on his shoulders joining a club such as Arsenal but it was compounded by people's belief that he was bought as Van Persie's replacement. But he is not going to replace Van Persie as he has already said on three occasions. It would be almost impossible for him to come in and provide 30 goals and 12 assists in his first season in the Premier League. 

There are also those fans who are trying to defend Giroud by saying things like 'his movement is excellent' and 'his work rate is fantastic'. I appreciate both of those points but the fact is that you don't need to defend him. He has been brought in for a reason and let me tell you this: Arsene Wenger does not pay over 10mil for a flop. I cannot remember one player who has turned out to be. Was/is Arshavin a flop? I don't believe that. If you look at his stats they show the picture of a good and very efficient player. He is frustrating at times and has not been at it for a while now. But he has bags of talent waiting to be released. Giroud has the talent and the ability to be a big hit in our league. He just needs time and fans to understand that he isn't Robin van Persie.

"Till Tomorrow


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Sagna says what all Arsenal fans already know

Morning all,

We start off the day with some not so pleasant quotes from one of our best and most consistent players. Bacary Sagna. He has been injured for a while but is no doubt the best right back in the league when fit and he carries the badge with pride and determination. I can remember the goal he scored in last season's North London derby. A towering header in the box which kick started our fight back - one of the most memorable goals in recent times. Anyway, here are those quotes:

'Everyone knew Robin was leaving. But Alex? He's 24. He had 3 yrs on contract. I still dont understand. He's a huge loss' 

When 2 best players go, you ask questions. Fans come up in street, I understand frustration. Like them I don't understand everything

I'm the only starting player left from 2007. In May, I watched City's parade on TV. I saw Samir & Gael lift the trophy. I want that'

L'Equipe: Were Nasri and Clichy right to leave? Sagna: 'Yes, but we didn't know then.'

What's your situation: 'I've 1 yr left at end of season'

Sagna is asked by L'Equipe if the club have spoken to him about extending his contract: 'No, nobody'

When you first read over those the first feeling is that of shock. For a player who's name we usually associate with loyalty, they seem unreal. It just seems so unlike him. I also don't think any of the above quotes are necessary. No doubt they have many valid and worrying points but after losing our best player and another of our regulars, its just not the time to release them. But I guess Arsenal fans have to wake up and smell the roses whether its sooner or later. What message does selling our best players 2 years in a row send? Clearly not a very good one. The most worrying part of that interview is the last part. He has 2 years left on his contract and nobody at the club has bothered to offer him an extension. No doubt its because of his advancing age and injury concerns but if Arsene Wenger is as loyal to his players as we all know him to be, he would deserve to be getting a new long term contract. Maybe I am just biased based on my absolute love for Sagna but in my eyes he could be playing for another 3 or 4 years at the highest level. 

On to another very valid concern. We have sold Fabregas, Nasri, Song, van Persie, Clichy in recent seasons. What message does that send to the players who's contracts need extending? We are currently negotiating with Walcott, Gibbs, Chamberlain. All up and coming stars and all represent the new English 'core' we are trying to establish. How do they view our long term future? I hope Sagna's interview is not a hint. 

Other than that there isn't much else happening. Arsenal named their Champions League and Premier League squads. No surprises really except the inclusion of Gnabry. Such a talented youngster. Look forward to watching him flourish in and around the first team this season.

'Till Tomorrow


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Arsenal can't pin hopes on Jack Wilshere.

Afternoon all,

We are in the middle of the week and there really isn't much to report. There is no game this weekend with the internationals taking place. Out of our first team squad, the following are meeting with their national teams:

England: Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Germany: Lukas Podolski, Per Mertesacker.
Spain: Santi Cazorla.
Belgium: Thomas Vermaelan.
France: Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby.
France U/21s: Francis Coquelin.
Wales: Aaron Ramsey.
Switzerland: Johan Djourou.
Poland: Lukas Fabianski.
Ivory Coast: Gervinho.

Total: 14

So 14 first team squad members won't be training at Colney this week which is far from ideal. Our squad was just getting to know each other and one another's playing style. We will have to have luck on our side regarding injuries this week. Santi Cazorla is travelling to Georgia and Gervinho is going down to Africa. Other than that, the players aren't travelling too far. 

Jack Wilshere has taken another step on his road to recovery. He will start full training in 2 weeks with a view to a full return in a months time. Arsenal fans will have to be patient with Jack. He hasn't touched a football in 13 months and we must realise that it will take time to get his sharpness back. Aaron Ramsey was subjected to abuse from fans towards the end of last season when his form took a turn for the worst. He started the season brightly but due to lack of midfield options, was unfairly over played. By the end of January you could see his exhaustion, not only physically but also mentally. I'm hopeful that Arsene will take extra caution regarding Jack. We have sufficient options in midfield to be able to cope - not taking into account any further injuries - and he should be eased into it. I would expect him to be playing regularly by January.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is getting offered a new and improved contract at Arsenal after arriving only last year such has been his impact at the club. I am happy that we are trying to tie down our prized young talent down to long term deals but contracts don't really mean anything nowadays. Its just a bargaining tool used to raise prices. Player power rules and Arsenal know that better than anybody. Fabregas had 4 years left when he forced his way out. Hopefully Chambo realises his long term future lies at Arsenal. 

Other than that there isn't much to report. Some are getting their knickers in a twist over PHW's comments in the Evening Standard. What do I say? Nothing. I can't be bothered to scrutinize comments made by a man way too old to be an active board member. 

'Till Tomorrow


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Arsenal's have a chance this season IF...

Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday. The day passed by so quickly that by the time I got to my laptop, it was too late. 

Afternoon all,

The Liverpool result has died down now and I am pleased to report loads of optimism from Arsenal supporters. After what was 2 solid if not spectacular performances against Sunderland and Stoke, the Liverpool game provided a bit of both. Another clean sheet with 2 goals to go with it. Obviously there is still work to be done, but if we can lay the appropriate foundations heading into what will be a long season, I see no reason why we cannot challenge. 

I was very upset on Saturday morning with the lack of investment into the squad. Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud were excellent additions but we needed 2 or 3 more if we realistically wanted to challenge. I now see why Wenger decided not to splash the cash, even though I may not agree with his theory. Abou Diaby played out of his skin on Sunday, breaking up attacks and marauding forward in a similar vein to Yaya Toure. If he can stay fit and play as well as he did on Sunday throughout the season, I feel we will be well packed in the middle. I say I don't agree with Arsene's theory because of one simple reason: All the ifs. IF we don't get too many injuries. IF we have enough goals in 2 foreign strikers. IF Jack Wilshere will come back firing. I am all for taking risks but has Arsene gone too far? Only time will tell. 

We won't be seeing any Arsenal football this weekend thanks to the World Cup qualifiers. Its so frustrating. We have just gotten going, our squad is starting to click and everything looks positive on the injury side and now our players all have to travel to their respective venues to play 2 games in the space of a week. The thing about having a quality squad also means that majority have been called up. Abou Diaby has been picked for France, though I doubt he'll feature prominently due to his injury record. Somewhat surprisingly Kieran Gibbs wasn't selected for the England squad. He's been really good these past 2 weeks, defending well and also contributing to attack. He may not be better than Baines at the moment, but with Ashley looking old now, Gibbs could be the perfect long term replacement. 

Lets hope this interlull doesn't drag on too much!

'Till Tomorrow


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Liverpool 0 - 2 Arsenal: Arsenal finally find their goal scoring touch

Well that is a massive relief. Arsenal have just beaten Liverpool by 2 goals to 0 at Anfield. Another clean sheet and finally a couple of goals by 2 new signings, Podolski and then Cazorla. It is the first time we have kept 3 clean sheets in all of our first 3 games in the league since 1924/25. That's 88 years! You cannot say Steve Bould hasn't has an effect. We are also the only team in all four English divisions to still have a clean sheet. As impressive as that sounds, it was also important to score the goals, which we clinically did today. 

The man of the match for most people today was Abou Diaby. For so long Arsene Wenger has talked him up as a great midfielder and just a few months ago declared that he would be the first name on the France team sheet if fit. Today he proved why. He was immense in both attack and defense. He was strong on the ball and his passing was accurate. I love how he retains the ball. Whether its a flick around the back or a rag-doll of the defender, he always makes sure he doesn't lose possession. If he can stay fit and perform like he has today consistently, then we have another world class player on our hands. 

Cazorla was impressive once again. He finally got his assist today, after a clever pass to Podolski who slotted home with ease. The duo paired up again later in the game which resulted in a goal for the Spaniard. Their link up play is very good and I can see their partnership getting better and better. Podolski has played very well on the left hand side, more often than not drifting into the centre to get involved in play. Finally we have a goal threat from the wing which we have lacked for the last few years. 

Olivier Giroud was good up front by himself. He had one chance in the game almost identical to the one against Sunderland only this time on the left. He couldn't wrap his foot around the ball and unfortunately sliced wide. His movement is top class though and the finish will come. One thing which Arsenal must improve upon is their delivery into the box. Not once this season have we created a goal scoring opportunity for Giroud from a cross. We attempted many crosses in the game but almost all were over hit and gave Giroud no chance. When one goes in, they will start to flow for the Frenchman. 

Our defense was solid in most parts once again today. Mertesacker played well besides for a few scary moments in the box. Vermaelan was exemplary once again. I love his determined attitude and his so alert to danger. He has that no nonsense attitude most fans love and is justifying the captains armband. Jenkinson is playing very well. His defending is great but I got a bit fed up with his passing across the field in the first half which Liverpool twice capitalized upon. Thankfully he was told off at half time because it never happened again. Gibbs was also decent but wasn't tested much by Borini. If he can just cross the ball a bit better, I think he can be a top class full back. 

I am excited about this Arsenal team. With Wilshere, Sagna and Koscielny all coming back, I think its fair to say we have a a lot to look forward too. 

'Till Tomorrow


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Liverpool - Arsenal preview: The goal search continues..

The football finally continues today after what has seemed like an endless week. All the transfer disappointment is now in the past and we must focus on matters on the pitch. Football is a results business after all. Today we face Liverpool at Anfield with the home side under new management in Brendan Rodgers. It won't be an easy game. Last year we won in stoppage time thanks to an excellent goal created by Alex Song and volleyed into the near post by Robin van Persie. Liverpool dominated the game and squandered chance after chance. Szczesny made a fine double save, first from the penalty and the second from the rebound. We ended up getting the result through belief and determination, two characteristics which saw us scrape 3rd place. 

This challenge is in complete contrast to the one we faced last week in Stoke. Under Brendan Rodgers they will play passing football, very similar to Swansea. Obviously it will take more than a few months to drill the philosophy into the players. They have quite a small team. Their only real physical presence come in the form of Skrtl and Agger. Andy Carrol is not there anymore, which leaves a front 2 of Fabio Borini and Luis Suarez. I expect them to line up as follows:

Reina

Johnson - Agger - Skrtl - Enrique

Allen - Sahin

Gerrard

 Borini     -    Suarez   -    Sterling

I expect Sahin to make his debut, while Sterling will keep his place instead of the disappointing Downing. I'm surprised Arsene wasn't interested in Allen. His price tag probably put him off. Allen plays in the 'Arteta' role. He doesn't do anything fancy, but he is excellent at retaining the ball and keeps things ticking. I don't know what to expect of Sahin. He is a deep playmaker as far as I know, with a peach of a left foot. Rodgers may opt to play Shelvey as the holding midfielder after Lucas was ruled out for 4 months. We can't let Suarez in particular run at our defense. He has a knack of winning penalties against us and generally loves causing havoc.

Arsenal will make a few changes from last weeks 0-0 against Stoke. Word from insiders is that Szczesny has failed a fitness test and Mannone will continue in goals. I also hear that Oxlade-Chamberlain will be given the nod today. Koscielny is back in the squad and I would hope he starts. Mertesacker against Suarez and Borini gives me nightmares.

Mannone

Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Diaby - Arteta

Cazorla

    Walcott    -      Giroud     -     Chamberlain

The front 3 will be quite a mystery. A reliable Twitter source stated Chambo will start, whether in midfield or on the wing is a mystery to me. Gervinho didn't have the best game against Stoke last week so I expect Walcott to replace him. I think Giroud deserves his place up front today. He can cause problems against a team which doesn't contain many big players. Podolski might start instead of Walcott and then Chamberlain would move to the right. 

We have to get at least a goal and hopefully our new found defensive solidity will help us today. I expect a good, open game and there will be chances. We must be more clinical than we have been.

My prediction:

Liverpool 0 - 1 Arsenal

The clean sheet continues! Hopefully have haven't jinxed it.

Catch the match review later!

'Till Then

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Transfer season ends in bitter disappointment.

I woke up this morning to an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. Arsenal fans around the globe waited and waited for Arsene to pull something extraordinary out of the hat. By the last 5 hours last night, even the ordinary would've sufficed. We, as fans, had become so desperate for a signing that we were looking forward to the arrival of Michael Essien. The same Essien that has been injured for the most part of 3 years and cannot keep a terrible Mikel out of the Chelsea team. It turns out that we had no firm interest in him in the first place and he later was loaned out to Real Madrid to warm the bench for them. 

Judging from Twitter yesterday, most fans are feeling betrayed. Wenger teased us this last week, saying we could expect a top, top midfielder and later suggesting a 'special' player was being lined up. Then only a day before deadline day, he said we are working very, very hard to find a suitable player. I can guarantee you that was not the case. Manchester City (5 players, including Javi Garcia and Maicon) were working hard. Tottenham (Bid accepted for Moutinho - later couldn't agree personal terms - and signing of Dempsey) were working hard. If that was us working hard, then we clearly have some terrible staff. We might have been working hard on outgoings. Bendtner completed his long awaited move to the Serie A with Juventus and Park Chu-Young was loaned to Celta Vigo. 2 players who didn't do anything for us last season.

Wenger will say that 'there was were no quality players available who would improve our team' and 'we have more than enough to challenge this season' but true Arsenal fans know that both statements are not accurate. There were plenty of players available, all of which would have improved us. Javi Garcia for example. 16mil for a 25 year old defensive midfielder, who can play across the back-line as well. A versatile forward who scored 17 goals last season in the Premier League for 6mil. Loic Remy of Marseille. Fernando Llorente of Bilbao. Yann M'Vila of Rennes. All of these names and more were available. Their respective clubs were all willing to sell for the right price. 

Do we have enough to compete for the title? Realistically? No.
The list is courtesy of Arsenal.com:

Goalkeepers

• 1WojciechSZCZESNY
• 21LukaszFABIANSKI
• 24VitoMANNONE

Defenders

• 3BacarySAGNA
• 4PerMERTESACKER
• 5ThomasVERMAELEN
• 6LaurentKOSCIELNY
• 11AndreSANTOS
• 18SebastienSQUILLACI
• 20JohanDJOUROU
• 25CarlJENKINSON
• 28KieranGIBBS

Midfielders

• 2AbouDIABY
• 7TomasROSICKY
• 8MikelARTETA
• 10JackWILSHERE
• 16AaronRAMSEY
• 19SantiCAZORLA
• 22FrancisCOQUELIN
• 23AndreyARSHAVIN
• 26EmmanuelFRIMPONG

Strikers

• 9LukasPODOLSKI
• 12OlivierGIROUD
• 14TheoWALCOTT
• 15AlexOXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
• 27GERVINHO
• 29MarouaneCHAMAKH

Of the names mentioned above:
Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong, Tomas Rosicky and Bacary Sagna are injured. 

Of the names mentioned above:
Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Frimpong, Kieran Gibbs are all injury prone. 

Of the names mentioned above:
Marouane Chamakh, Andrei Arshavin, Emmanuel Frimpong, Sebastian Squillaci, Vito Mannone are all not good enough for Arsenal Football Club. 

I ask you again, is our squad good enough? I think you'll agree that it is not.

But we have who we have and we must get on with it. Wenger promised to invest in December and I will firmly hold him to his word. Results will determine the supporters faith in the next few weeks and months and I pray, for the sake of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal Football Club, that they will turn out well. 

Its not the end of the world or a crisis as many predict. Its merely another season for all involved with Arsenal Football Club.

'Till Tomorrow


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