Wednesday 31 October 2012

League Cup Miracle


Reading 5-7 Arsenal

 
 
On 26th May 1999, having just seen his side win the Champions League final with two late goals, Alex Ferguson uttered the now famous line: “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Football. Bloody hell.” There is no better turn of phrase to describe Arsenal’s 7-5 victory against Reading in the Capital One Cup. While the score line alone is astonishing, it doesn’t even scratch the surface in describing a game which simply had everything. Four goals down after only 37 minutes, with Arsenal’s performance absolutely abysmal, who would have thought the Gunners would manage to fight back and eventually win the game?

Monday 29 October 2012

Gunners down 10-man Hoops


Arsenal 1-0 QPR

 
 
Arsenal secured all three points at the Emirates stadium on Saturday with a performance which unfortunately did little to enthral the home crowd. It was a display in keeping with the Gunners recent showings against Norwich and Schalke, in which they struggled to create significant chances, despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession.  In fact Arsenal only began to rain shots on the QPR goal in the last 10 minutes of the game, following Stephane Mbia’s needless sending off.

Thursday 25 October 2012

Abject Gunners lose again

Arsenal 0-2 Schalke


Arsenal followed their abysmal performance against Norwich with an equally inept display in the Champions League against Schalke. The Gunners once again struggled to create chances with defensive errors gifting the visitors two goals to win the game and strange decisions from the dugout providing the Arsenal faithful with plenty to worry about.
 

Monday 22 October 2012

Canaries punish woeful Gunners

Norwich 1-0 Arsenal


Arsenal’s performance against Norwich on Saturday left much to be desired. Not one of the players in red and white could hold their heads up high after a display in which the Gunners failed to create a single clear cut opportunity or register a real shot on target.

The home side came into this game yet to record a victory in the new season, but throughout the 90 minutes proved to be more than a match for their illustrious visitors. Norwich’s tactics were clear from the very first minute as they sought to put pressure on the ball with their defensive and midfield units working close together to restrict the space between them. As a result, Santi Cazorla was not able to work his usual magic in his favourite position, the hole between these two units and consequently had to drop deeper and deeper to receive the ball, significantly reducing his effectiveness and influence on the game.

Monday 8 October 2012

Back on track

West Ham 1-3 Arsenal



Arsenal responded to the league defeat at home to Chelsea in perfect fashion on Sunday, imposing their own style on proceedings as they overcame West Ham by three goals to one. Having succumbed to two crosses against Chelsea, the Gunners knew they would be in for a real aerial bombardment against a side managed by Sam “Long Ball” Allardyce. Yet the Arsenal defence impressively stood tall and the whole team were able to dominate the game through their superior passing ability.

 

From the very first minute, the Gunners had West Ham pinned back, deep in their own half, as Arsenal dominated the midfield, passing the ball amongst themselves, outmanoeuvring the opposition to create chance after chance. Unfortunately, the ball just wouldn’t go into the back of the net as time after time a West Ham player would manage to get in the way of a goal bound effort and deflect it wide. Both Cazorla and on numerous occasions, Giroud, were denied by one of these last ditch blocks. With all their outfield players stuck in their own half, the home side just could not get the ball up the field, as every attempted clearance was an agricultural hoof up the field which would invariably be collected by an Arsenal defender to start yet another attack. As a result, it was no surprise to see that after 15 minutes the away side had enjoyed a whopping 80% possession.

 

However, as Arsenal have repeatedly found to their detriment, impressive possession statistics mean absolutely nothing if you are unable to convert these into goals. Saturday was no different as in the 21st minute the Gunners were made to pay thanks to West Ham’s very first attack and attempt on goal. Mohamed Diame appeared to be well shackled by Aaron Ramsey on the edge of the box, but then the Welshman lost concentration and allowed Diame to get clear and surge forward into the box. The Senegalese midfielder unleashed an excellent strike to beat Mannone from an acute angle to give the Hammers the lead. Although praised for his execution, Diame really shouldn’t have been allowed to score from such a position, especially with no other West Ham player in the box, supporting the attack.

 

The goal roused the home side from their lethargy. All of a sudden, the Gunners were involved in a real game and could have even been two down as Andy Carroll was able to find far too much space in the penalty area, but luckily his headed effort was weak and straight at Mannone as the zonal marking Wenger prefers, came under scrutiny oncr more. Arsenal continued to persevere yet the tactic of getting the ball wide to cross it into the box, against a West Ham side designed to take advantage of their aerial prowess, seemed strange, as cross after cross was easily headed clear.

 

Nevertheless, the Gunners were rewarded in the 41st minute as Olivier Giroud scored his first Arsenal league goal. Lukas Podolski strode purposely towards the by-line, yet it appeared virtually impossible for him to get the ball into the box, as the Hammers defence seemed to have all angles covered. The German international however managed to produce a fantastic inch-perfect cross, curling the ball around the defender, keeping it in play for Giroud to steal in unnoticed and poke the ball home. It was nothing less than Arsenal deserved for their endeavour in the first half, but for Giroud in particular it was a huge relief. The Frenchman may not have been getting his name on the score sheet but his excellent link up play, ability to hold the ball and his general movement upfront have been most impressive. As a result, he has been presented with numerous opportunities and will continue to do so. Hopefully this goal will relieve some of the pressure and enable him to become calmer in front of goal.

 

Arsenal were not able to dominate the second period in the same masterful way they had the first, as West Ham grew into the game. The home side were more industrious and were able to start launching sustained attacks as they gained a foothold further up the field. Carroll squandered the best chance of the early exchanges, heading wide; having beaten Mannone to a high ball and from that point on Arsenal took control once more.

 

The Gunners began to exert more and more pressure on the West Ham goal and the chances began to flow as Corroll’s influence on the game waned. Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla all had chances to give Arsenal the lead, but just could not steer the ball home. In the 77th minute the pressure finally told with Theo Walcott racing onto Giroud’s perfect though ball before slotting his shot past Jaaskelainen into the bottom corner. The Englishman’s cool, controlled and calm finish adding more weight to his aspirations of occupying the lone striker role at the club.

 

Although Arsenal were now in the lead, the home side would not accept defeat lightly and almost immediately West Ham had a golden opportunity to equalise as Kevin Nolan blazed his effort over the bar when he should have at least tested Mannone. The Gunners saved the best till last however, as the magnificent Santi Cazorla created space for himself 25 yards out and unleashed a wonderful, unstoppable shot to secure all three points for the away side.

 

Arsene Wenger can take great satisfaction from both the result and the performance against an opponent in Sam Allardyce who has so often proved to be the thorn in Wenger’s side. Far too often Allardyce’s sides have bullied Arsenal, completely dominating them with their strength and power. Yet on this occasion, the Gunners showed a new side to their game. They are no longer frightened by a physical contest and simply meet such a challenge head on. The fact they were able to rebuff the aerial bombardment and were astute enough not to allow themselves to be pinned back in their own box defending cross after cross, was most impressive and highlighted once more the improvements made this year in the defensive side of Arsenal’s game. But the Gunners did so much more than this on Saturday. They imposed their passing game and dictated the play for long periods and yet did not succumb to panic when they fell behind, completely against the run of play. Arsenal now have a maturity which means they can be more than a match for any side in this league and in the mercurial Cazorla, have a football magician who can make the seemingly impossible happen. Exciting times surely lie ahead for Wenger’s improving side.

Friday 5 October 2012

Gunners win again in Europe

Arsenal 3-1 Olympiacos

During his first season with the Gunners, Per Mertesacker was often lambasted, with several football pundits failing to understand why Arsene Wenger had decided to bring him to the club. Yet this season, the German international appears to be the glue which holds Arsenal’s defence together. He was pivotal in helping the Gunners secure three consecutive clean sheets in their first three games of the season, thanks largely to his exceptional positional sense and organisational abilities. Mertesacker’s importance to Wenger’s side has been highlighted further by his absence in the last two games.

Against Chelsea, the German’s aerial ability was sorely missed as Arsenal conceded two soft goals from deliveries into the box, while in the Champions League victory against Olympiacos, on Wednesday, Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny played as though they had only just met for the very first time. Misplaced passes, poor positioning and rash tackles allowed the visitors to place pressure on the Arsenal defence and create several opportunities which other teams would have taken. Vermaelen, particularly in the last two games, has seemed to be far too nervous when the opposition have possession in and around the Arsenal penalty area. As a result, he has developed a tendency to dive into needless tackles, which the opposition can either evade and thereby taking Vermaelen completely out of the game, or if they are unable to do this, the Belgian ends up giving away a penalty or a free kick.

This worrying trait was seen far too often during Wednesday night’s game and must be eradicated if Arsenal are to improve on their game when they do not have the ball. Another worrying aspect of the Gunners’ first half performance against Olympiacos was the fact that they were not really able to dominate the midfield as you would have expected them too. The visitors were happy to allow the Arsenal centre halves to have the ball, but as soon as it was played forward, into the midfield, the visitors would press forward, often stealing possession. The fact the Gunners struggled greatly to overcome this tactic, does not bode well for the weekend game against West Ham, who you can be sure will employ the same tactics in an attempt to stifle Arsenal’s creativity.

The first half performance was largely disjointed and simply not good enough and yet against the run of play, Arsenal took the lead in the 42nd minute. The visitors should have taken the lead earlier on when Paulo Machado somehow managed to miss the target when all alone, right in front of the goal and Gervinho made them pay for their profligacy. The Ivorian collected a loose ball and fired a low shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner. Arsenal did not deserve to be in the lead and on the stroke of half-time; Olympiacos got their just deserts as Leandro Greco’s fine cross was met with a terrific header from Mitroglou, who had managed to sneak in between the Arsenal centre backs to guide the ball past Mannone.

The Gunners needed to respond in the second half and their performance did improve, enabling them to exude more and more pressure on the Olympiacos goal. In the 56th minute, that pressure told as Gervinho cut the ball back from the by-line, finding Lukas Podolski. The German’s first touch was slightly heavy and the chance appeared to have been lost. However Podolski would not be denied and he fired his shot low and hard, through the goalkeeper’s legs to once again showcase his incredible finishing ability and give Arsenal the lead once more. The visitor’s resolve seemed to have been broken by the Gunners’ second goal and the home side seized the initiative, although they could not find the killer third goal.

Kosicelny headed over the bar from six yards out, when completely unmarked, while Giroud’s goal bound effort hit an Olympiacos defender and flew wide. However Arsenal would not be denied and sealed the win in the last minute of the game, as Giroud’s nod on released Ramsey for the Welshman to confidently clip the ball into the net.

Although the Gunners were not at their best, their great spirit and togetherness enabled them to come through a stiff challenge. However both Vermalen and Koscielny must improve their performances as they are currently undermining the fine defensive work which is being carried out by the rest of the team. With Andy Carroll and Sam Allardyce’s penchant for a long ball, the Gunners’ defence will be sorely tested on Saturday. All Arsenal fans will be hoping Mertesacker will overcome the virus which saw him miss this game as his sheer presence should provide the stability and composure which the defence has sorely missed in the last two games.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Defensive errors prove costly


A week, as the old saying goes, is a long time in football. Just ask Laurent Koscielny. A week ago the Frenchman was the hero, with his stunning late goal against Manchester City ensuring Arsenal maintained their unbeaten start to the new season. Against Chelsea, on Saturday however, Koscielny’s hero status disintegrated, as two defensive errors enabled the away side to take all three points from a game in which Arsenal deserved more.

The Gunners began the game well, enjoying the lion’s share of possession; however they appeared nervous and undecided on the ball. Abou Diaby in particular was caught in possession a number of times, before being substituted early on due to injury. Chelsea on the other hand, having added several technically gifted midfielders in the summer, seemed more purposeful in possession. Whereas Arsenal’s passing was sloppy at times, Chelsea’s was intricate and slick as they seemed content to sit back and catch the Gunners on the break. Yet Chelsea were not able to really trouble Vito Mannone even though the home side’s defending, which has been lauded for its stability since the start of the season, was far too rash and indecisive on Saturday. In the 20th minute Vermaelen’s reckless tackle on Hazard provided Juan Matta an opportunity to deliver the ball into the Arsenal box and disaster ensued. First of all not one Arsenal player attacked the ball as they simply allowed it to sail into the area. Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was supposed to be marking David Luiz, lost his man and although Mata’s delivery was too high for the Brazilian, it was perfect for Fernando Torres. The Spaniard was able to score by hooking his foot round Kosielny, who was so preoccupied with tussling with Torres that by the time the ball arrived the Frenchman actually had his back to the ball!

A few minutes later it could have been worse, as Arsenal surged forward in an attempt to restore parity as soon as possible. Santi Cazorla’s penalty appeal, for a shove in the back was dismissed by referee Martin Atkinson and before the crowd had time to draw breath, the ball had been lofted through to Fernando Torres. Yet as Kosielny had his body in between the ball and Torres, all seemed fine, until the Frenchman dithered allowing Torres to steal the ball away from him and advance on goal. Luckily for the Gunners, Koscielny managed to chase back putting Torress off and the chance was lost.

It was a moment the away side would regret as just before halftime, the Gunners were back on level terms. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s low ball into Gervinho was controlled by the Ivorian with his first touch, before swivelling and firing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. It was a wonderful strike from the man who had missed so many chances in the previous game against Manchester City.

It was the perfect time to score and as the second half began, Arsenal were clearly in control. Unfortunately, with Chelsea camped in their own half, the Gunners were unable to capitalise on their period of dominance with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Cazorla miss-firing when set up for a shot. In the 53rd minute, the home side were made to pay thanks to another show of shambolic defending. As Chelsea attempted to hit the Gunners on the counter attack, Vermaelen committed a foul on Torres, allowing Mata to deliver another free kick from a very similar position to the one which had to the goal. Once again no Arsenal player attacked the ball and to compound matters, Koscielny’s needless attempt to do so only served to help the ball on its way into the bottom corner of the goal.

After such a positive start to the second half, you could say that it was unfortunate on the home side, but in truth with such suicidal defending, they only had themselves to blame. Arsenal may have been stunned still continued to believe and pressed forward in search of a second goal. Lukas Podolski’s headed effort was well saved by Cech when it seemed destined to sail over him and into the net. It just didn’t appear to be Arsenal’s day as David Luiz stuck his foot out to clear a cross and the ball flew just wide before second half substitute, Olivier Giroud’s shot was deflected and Cech’s last ditch attempted save saw the ball trickle just wide of the post. But the best chance was created for Giroud in the last few minutes of the game. Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain combined well, the Englishman sliding the ball through to Giroud, who had made a good run into the box. Giroud could have attempted to clip the ball over the onrushing Cech, in similar fashion to his goal against Coventry, but instead he decided to round the keeper. This however had the effect of narrowing the angle and with the goal at his mercy; Giroud could only fire the ball into the side of the net.

Great disappointment greeted the final whistle, with the general feeling being that Arsenal had simply thrown the game away. Although they had not been at their best, the home side were still more than a match for Chelsea and caused them plenty of problems. Yet the Gunners’ defensive frailties returned to haunt them and cost them the game. Having made such a positive start to the season, there had been talk of Arsenal challenging for the league title, but with defending like that the Gunners have a long way to go before being able to mount a serious title challenge.